JoshK

Sounds like a couple of idiots barely survived in that TR. That was in 2001...i wonder if anybody has tried it after them? I hope not from the sound of it.

LOL! What about bluetooth headset, attached to a sat phone? If I combine that with my avalung, scuba setup and avy air-bag I can stop worrying altogether!

Yeah I think they have another few days of reports then it goes in to the "spring avalanche season" where they ony report if really serious conditions develop. Time of day is a huge factor this time of year too. When in doubt, travel over anything setchy in the morning, or not at all. Afternoon warming + endlessly deep glop = bad, mmmkay.

McCandless also could have saved himself if he knew there was a hand operated tram only 1/4 mile down river from where he was unable to cross. A map could have told him this. Even without a map, you have to be an absolute fucking idiot to die due to an inability to simply walk up and down river looking for an alternate crossing. There was nothing adventerous or glorious about his journey. He walked in to the woods and committed suicide by hanging out in a moldy old bus. This is not a guy you want as a role model. Pick somebody who lived to at least 40 as a starting point.

Lucky guy. When i was reading the NWAC forecast yesterday I noticed they had a comment about the fact that there were a number of near miss disasters over the past week involving all the new snow. I think Spring hits and many people figure avalanche season is over, despite there being more new snow than there was at any point during the winter. Things are probably a bit more consolidated now, but until we get a prolonged Spring warm up there are still lots of dangers out there. From NWAC: "Finally, way too many people have skirted disaster and relied on luck for surviving accident involvements over the past week. Relying on luck is anything but reliable in avalanche terrain, and backcountry travelers should use extra caution, cautious routefinding and conservative decision making until the recent deep snows are able to consolidate and stabilize further"

The beta for Shuksan at this time of the year: pick a route you can ski, and ski it.

Remember to wear your helmet, just in case any shells get lobbed across the glacier...

Did you partner with Dan -? Was this a ground-up ascentin classic alpine style? P.S. Why does this site now censor the word H o w i t t? Haha!!

I have no idea what it's like near Hood, but every ski area and pass camera in WA seems to confirm lots and lots of snow. It has been pretty sunny in the Seattle area all day though...

Because any sensible logic will lead you to the conclusion that climbing with a helmet on is safer. Sorry, but no way around that fact. I'm not judging somebody's decision to wear or not wear a helmet, just pointing out what should be a very OBVIOUS fact: you will be safer with one on.

I'm amazed people can still have discussions on whether somebody should wear a helmet or not. Experience of the climber, difficulty of route, etc, are moot points. Does it really matter if a route holds a high likelyhood of falling or not? Obviously the goal is not to fall no matter what the difficulty. The helmet is there to protect your dome from getting hit not just in a fall but from any number of things that could happen. It is safer to wear a helmet than not..end of story. If somebody chooses to not wear a helmet, that is their choie, but trying to justify the decision with logic is bogus.

We're all now in suspense as to what sort of epicness went down on slab daddy.

Wow, that is awesome!

I use dynafits for everything, including the few times a year I ski on lifts. I think they stand up to abuse and have used my same pair for 7 years now across a few different pairs of skis. With that said, if I skied at lifts more I'd go with the fritschi. I have heard the G3 onyx is crap from several people, though I have no first hand experience with it. The Marker Baron is a joke unless you want extra weight on your feet for training.

Pretty cool man.

E P I C!!!!!

clas·sic   /ˈklæsɪk/ Show Spelled[klas-ik] Show IPA –adjectiveAlso, classical (for defs. 1–5, 8, 10). 1.of the first or highest quality, class, or rank: a classic piece of work. 2.serving as a standard, model, or guide: the classic method of teaching arithmetic. 3.of or pertaining to Greek and Roman antiquity, esp. with reference to literature and art. 4.modeled upon or imitating the style or thought of ancient Greece and Rome: The 17th and 18th centuries were obsessed with classic ideals. 5.of or adhering to an established set of artistic or scientific standards ror methods: a classic example of mid-Victorian architecture. 6.basic; fundamental: the classic rules of warfare. 7.of enduring interest, quality, or style: a classic design; classic clothes. 8.of literary or historical renown: the classic haunts of famous writers. 9.traditional or typical: a classic comedy routine. 10.definitive: the classic reference work on ornithology. 11.of or pertaining to automobiles distinguished by elegant styling, outstanding engineering, and fine workmanship that were built between about 1925 and 1948. –noun 12.an author or a literary work of the first rank, esp. one of demonstrably enduring quality. 13.an author or literary work of ancient Greece or Rome. 14.classics, the literature and languages of ancient Greece and Rome (often prec. by the). 15.an artist or artistic production considered a standard. 16.a work that is honored as definitive in its field: His handbook on mushrooms is a classic. 17.something noteworthy of its kind and worth remembering: His reply was a classic. 18.an article, as of clothing, unchanging in style: Her suit was a simple classic. 19.a typical or traditional event, esp. one that is considered to be highly prestigious or the most important of its kind: The World Series is the fall classic of baseball. 20.Archaic. a classicist. Or in other words, who cares.

Holy crap, this is pretty funny... "That's not exactly true, they did climb that line, but they never reported it, so it's really an incomplete ascent..." in the monotone compu-voice! lol! My publicist tells me not to worry about the little people...

Maybe the "FA" part is an April Fools joke? I cannot imagine there is a square inch on the haystack that hasn't been climbed up and down.

I love your vids. I was watching that one and through the narrow section felt myself almost wanting to say "look out for the rock, Dan!"

Not really. Yeah, I can't say it'll make me think twice about doing something I'd normally do.

This is seriously fucked up. Sounds like a new bad weather outdoor activity could be foraging for Pv-700s. Much more lucrative than mushroom hunting.

The 172s are 124-90-113.

5' 10", ~175 lbs and currently skiing on 172s or 175s. I skied a pair of 163s for several years, which are technically way too short for my H/W, but I liked them. Sure you sacrifice some downhill performance, but short skis rule for tight trees or manuevering uphill.

OK so with this trivia question answered, i'm going to limit the area to WA state, and ask...what is the complete list of grade VI climbs in WA? No arguing ratings on a climb, please use the consensus grade (if there is an overwhelming consensus), or the grade given by the first ascentionists, assuming it hasn't been "officially" (whatever that would mean) revised. If somebody has a list sitting around, that would be cool, otherwise just add ones you know...