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Buckaroo

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Posts posted by Buckaroo

  1. The Chikamin Glacier's no big deal to cross, but the schrund at the base of Sinister might be. We did some 4th rock to get around it as I recall.

     

    I guess it depends on the time of year and the conditions for any particular year, more or less snow etc. We did the traverse from N to S in July and the Chikamin was the crux of the traverse, lots of zigzag and suspect bridges. But we went left around the Sinister schrund and through Gunsite pass.

     

    Magic and Hurry Up were short and fun

    Spider was choss

    LeConte and Formidable seemed long

    Dome was the easiest.

  2. Depends which route you take. If you want to climb Dome you might have to cross the Chickamin which is large and pretty crevassed. Self rescue on a glacier is problematic with a team of two.

     

    If you can avoid the Chickamin there's not really a lot of other big slots to cross.

     

    CHICKAMIN.JPG

  3. Big thanks for the awesome accident report. You are so lucky the PLB was within sight, bet that was when you knew you had a chance of survival.

     

    Good info, now going to carry the PLB in a more secure location than the top of the pack.

     

    That cornice is a stinger in the tail. The one time I climbed this route it was about 30' tall and overhanging, I went on rock to the right that was very sketch. If I ever do it again it would be by tunneling through the base.

     

    I wonder if a body belay in a big pit would work, sort of like the lowering belays on Touching the Void. But then the lead protection would pull and you'd have a factor 1 on the belay. Whatever you do you probably have to spend at least an hour to get something that only might hold a fall. Probably should just be climbed in a "leader must not fall" fashion.

    Why

    I was asked by a none climber why we do it couldnt come up with an answer that didn't sound like bs to someone who doesn't climb wondering what some of my fellow climbers would respond to that question with

     

    -------------------

    get high

     

     

    You sig says it.

     

     

    Get high (up)

    adrenaline

    physical mental challenge

    nature

  4. Smith was hella crowded last weekend (14-15). The lots were full and cars parked on the roadsides for over a mile.

     

    All the routes in the 5.7 to 5.10 range had at least one party on them, many had two. We waited in line more than we climbed.

     

    I think it's the gym's that are causing the increase, that and no skiing. The only routes that were open part of the time was the gear routes.

  5. Watched all 3 hours of the finals (because it's too wet to be outside). Woods looked like a poor loser on the podium, not smiling and never raised his trophy for the camera. He wasn't dethroned because it was a national comp and Mohammed was a foreigner. So Woods was champion but 2nd place in the comp.

     

    Mohammed won because one of the problems he sent was rated higher (V15?) than all the others and he was the only one to send it. Woods would have won last year because the rules were based on how high you got on each problem regardless of rating, and he got higher on the ones he didn't send.

     

    The camera work was amateur, they didn't even show Mohammed's winning send, a sick thin climb with multiple mono-digit holds which Woods got nowhere on. Instead some close up of some chick who wasn't even climbing at the time and didn't make the podium.

     

    The funniest part of the whole event was the last men's problem had a crack and not even half the guys knew how to jam. And the ones that did had no calluses and ended up with their hands all scraped up.

     

    That Alex Puccio is fun to watch, she sent all 4 problems and they were hard. She dominated unlike the mens which was very close.

  6. Why is Sunset ridge on Rainier in condition less often than most other routes on the mountain? That surprises me.

    Maybe not more than other routes, but worse in winter as opposed to summer. Three out of four times the snow was not consolidated and the one time it was there were ice chunks coming down the face before the ridge. The one time I did get pretty high there was a 60mph wind at the ridge and what looked like 100mph at the summit.

     

     

    Orbit, free solo.

    Nice, how did that go?

    Years ago I accidentally free soloed Orbit, onsite. Shook me up pretty good!

    The crux for me was the chimmney, didn't feel secure and couldn't really figure it out to do it smoothly, ended up just scruffing up it. After that the rest was positive and a mind game more than physical, but had done it about a month before with the intent to eventually solo. No way I could have onsited it, especially "accidently", that's burly.

     

     

    the japanese route might actually be safer in winter.

    Mt Alberta didn't get a winter ascent (by any route) until 2003 and that was by the easiest route (The Japanese). Probably because the snow rarely consolidates, or gets to non-avi conditions. You almost have to live up there to wait it out and be ready to climb on a moments notice. Sort of like Eve Dearborn here.

     

    That said the late winter (just out of calender winter?) ascents of N Twin and N face of Alberta are sort of visionary, making it a mixed climb with no rockfall cuz it's frozen.

  7. Almost seems like we need a fourth category for best(worst?) suffer fest and/or climbs that we have failed at(is it possible for one of your favorite climbs to be one that you didn't complete?). This is getting complicated! I like!

     

    Excellent addition! "50 Most Unclimbed Climbs of North America"

     

     

     

    I'll go

     

    4)Climbs you have epic'd, failed on one or more times, and/or don't recommend.

     

    Sunset Ridge on Rainier in Winter (4x DNS), longest approach on Rainier and rarely in condition

    Japanese Route, Alberta. (4x DNS)(choss fest, bad weather) Even Colin says it's bad.

  8. This is too much fun so will go again:

     

     

    Yeah, maybe should have made it 10 in each category.

     

    Okay, will go again also, after reading all these it tripped some memories.

     

    1)Have climbed

    Whitney, East Buttress

    El Cap, East Buttress

    Serenity Crack--Sons of Yesterday

    Weeping Wall, Rt side

    Edith Cavell, E Ridge solo

    Shuksan, N Face winter solo (epic bivy)

    Drury Falls

    Outer Space, Orbit link up

    Orbit, free solo.

    Snow Creek Wall ice climb

     

    2)Want to Climb

    N Pickets Traverse

    Mongo Ridge

    Temple Crag, Dark Star

    Liberty Ridge, Rainier

    Steck Salathe, Sentinel

    East Ridge, Temple

    S Howser, Becky-Chounaird

    NE Buttress of Slesse in winter

    Eve Dearborn, N Peak Index

     

    3)Will never climb

    Lhotse, South Face

    K2, The Polish Line

    Nanga Parbat, Rupal Face, Anderson/House (4100m--13,450ft)

    Cerro Torre Traverse

    El Cap, Salathe, all free

     

     

  9.  

    3) Name 3 to 5 climbs that you admire but will probably never climb for whatever reason.

     

    Everything farther than a one day drive from Seattle

     

     

    3.

    Spray ice

     

     

     

    You guys aren't doing this right, name CLIMBS in the 3rd category. Not grades, types, or descriptions of climbs. For some hard to fathom reason the 3rd category personally seems the most interesting. And also for some reason it seems the one category that many people aren't answering specifically.

  10. South Face, The Tooth, 5.4 alpine rock, snow gully approach in early season.

     

    South Early Winter Spire, South Arete, 5.4 alpine rock,

    South Early Winter Spire, Southwest Couloir, snow gulley, (may not be in shape with this low snow year)

     

    Ingalls Peak (North), South Ridge, 5.4 alpine rock.

     

     

  11. Going to the Bugs in August if everything works out... B-C is my #1 objective but I'm not sure if my partner and I will be fast enough to tackle it. We did Backbone/D-tail in 19 hours car-car last August. I know I can move fast on moderate terrain and snow, and I know he can climb all pitches no problem, just not sure if we can keep up with each other on our non-strengths and avoid taking the dreaded bivy gear.

     

    I think the strategy is to camp at the base of the descent and just shiver bivy if you don't make it or can't find the way in the dark.

  12. Always nice to have a distraction from the lack of snow this year

     

     

    2) Capable of, but have not climbed and want to:

     

    - Backbone Ridge on Dragontail

    - Full North Ridge of Stuart

     

     

    3) Admire but will never climb.

    - Beckey-Chouinard on S. Howser (Admire and I will eventually climb)

     

    - Any route on El Cap (who knows, maybe someday)

     

    The East Buttress of El Cap has one move of 5.10, the rest is 5.9 or less. If you can do these others you can do that one. Plus it's right next to the descent and for me it was 5 stars.

  13. 1) Have climbed.

    Exum Direct (car-car first trad lead)

    Complete North Ridge on Stuart

    Jeff Park (winter solo)

    North Sister (winter, stormy weather)

    Tenaya-Matthes-Cathedral solo linkup

     

    2) Capable of but have not climbed.

    Torment-Forbidden Traverse

    N Butt on Terror

    Beckey Chouinard on S. Howser

    Regular NW Face on Half Dome

    Evolution Traverse

     

    3)**Want to climb but need more experience or to climb harder.**

    Polar Circus

    North Face of Mt. Alberta

    Ragni Route on Torre

    Super Canaleta on Fitz Roy

    Slovak Direct on Denali (why not set big goals?!)

     

    4) Admire but will never climb.

    5.14 (I only climb 5.11 right now, but I'm tryingg not tto set limits)

    A4/5 scare fests (I'm fine with C2)

    double corniced ridges (hopefully, but you never know where you might find yourself :D )

     

    Torment Forbidden, Becky Chouinard, and Polar Circus are all on my list.

     

    The N face on Alberta is probably going to be in shape this year (it rarely is) because of the low snow, that is if Canada has been the same as here. It will go for like 5 year runs without being climbed. Colin Haley just did the NE Buttress (facebook) there might be some beta there.

     

    I talked to Andy DeKlerk after he climbed it to try to get some beta. About all he said was, "the headwall is 12 pitches of 5.10".

  14. This thread inspired me to revamp an old profile on my website, thanks!

     

    1) Have climbed.

     

    Zodiac

    Temple

    S.Pickets traverse

    Mongo

    Springbok

     

     

     

     

    2) Capable of but have not climbed.

    Real Big Drip

    Cryophobia

    Rocketman

    Stanley Headwall

    big Patagonia tower

     

     

    3) Admire but will never climb.

    Himalaya giant Ogre, Nanga, etc

    Helmekin

    Infinite Bliss

     

    Looks like you've got ice on your mind. Wish I could join you, just got a knee replacement so maybe next year.

     

    Infinite Bliss? Why is that on "never climb"?

  15. It's a little late, but we climbed the NEB on Chair on the 4th....

     

    P.S. if you haven't been there before (like us) the summer trail takes you almost right to the base of the climb (rather than postholeing all the way in from Source Lake.

     

    Only because it's a low snow year. Normal winters the summer trail is a lot of avalanche hazard.

  16. I've sort of noticed what you are talking about but I don't let it bother me. There are people as you describe in climbing but there are just as many if not more who came from the other side of the tracks.

     

    I left home at 17 and never had one thin dime from my parents. No formal education beyond high school. I've worked for everything I have and while I'm semi comfortable now I still almost always car camp when I'm climbing out of town.

     

    Climbing is not that expensive if you just start out peak bagging. Then if you want to climb roped you can start at UW rock or Spire and hook up here on CC and find people with all the gear.

     

    You need to spend some time in camp 4 or something. Climbing is just like everywhere else in life, the people are from all spectrums of society.

     

    ""I know I'm making a sweeping generalization here""

     

    You said it.

  17. Name 3 to 5 climbs (or more) in each category that are your favorite or that you think are the best. Can be any discipline from cragging to 8000m peaks.

     

    1) Name 3 to 10 (or more) climbs that you have climbed.

     

    2) Name 3 to 10 (or more) climbs that you could potentially climb but have not yet done so. Or that you could climb if you improved your skills.

     

    3) Name 3 to 10 climbs that you admire but will probably never climb for whatever reason. (This category may not apply to the strongest climbers)

    Please list specific climbs and not just descriptions like "anything over 5.12"

     

    Optional Category (Per Sepultura)

    4)Climbs you have epic'd, failed on one or more times, and/or don't recommend.

     

    I'll start.

     

    1) Have climbed,

    NE Buttress of Slesse

    Salathe on ElCap

    Index Traverse solo

    Complete North Ridge of Stuart

    Davis Holland- Lovin Arms

     

    2) Capable of but have not climbed.

    Japanese Route on Alberta (or N.E. Ridge)

    The Cassin on Denali (If I win the Lotto)

    The Liongrat on the Matterhorn

    Sunset Ridge on Rainier in winter.

    Lotus Flower Tower, SE face.

     

    3) Admire but will never climb.

    North Face of North Twin

    Baintha Brakk (The Ogre) by any route.

    Latok 1, North Ridge

    Hummingbird Ridge, Mt. Logan

    Moonflower Buttress, Mt. Hunter.

     

    4)Climbs you have epic'd, failed on one or more times, and/or don't recommend.

    Sunset Ridge on Rainier in Winter (4x DNS), longest approach on Rainier and rarely in condition, bad weather

    Japanese Route, Alberta. (4x DNS)(choss fest, bad weather)

     

     

     

     

     

    copy and paste

     

    1) Have climbed.

     

     

    2) Capable of, or could if skills were improved, but have not climbed.

     

     

    3) Admire but will never climb.

     

     

     

     

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