skykilo

Here are some pictures. The Southern Pickets, L->R is the Chopping Block, Degenhardt, the Pyramid, Inspiration, and McMillan Spires. Ross climbing off the glacier before we get the ropes Ross leading a pitch to get to the huge ramp Ross following the first pitch of the gash

We camped at the end of the old logging road, right next to where the climber's trail heads up toward the ridge. How was the West Ridge of West McMillan? (That's what you climbed, right?) I got some sweet photos, I'll try to scan some tonight and post them tomorrow.

Climb: Inspiration Peak-South Face Date of Climb: 8/14/2004 Trip Report: Justin, Ross, and I climbed Inspiration Peak by the S Face Saturday. We left Seattle too late and were stuck in torpid traffic until Marysville. Justin stopped there and some lady in a truck was nice enough to back into the front of his car while we were getting gas. Beware Friday the 13th in Marysville. All the traffic delayed our arrival at the Goodell Creek TH until 7 pm or so. We had almost enough light to hike to the nice camp sites at the end of the trail without head torches. We started the trail up the ridge just before first light, around 5 am. The climber's path is good, but the distance is longer than the Terror Creek approach. Justin and I had stupidly forgotten crampons, but we managed our way up Terror Glacier somehow. It's a bit broken, and a more impressive glacier than I thought it would be, but very easy with crampons for sure. We got on the face at the lowest point where it meets the glacier. We scrambled a couple hundred feet of 4th class with a couple sections of easy 5th. From a ledge where the highest moat meets the south face, Ross lead a slightly awkward chimney pitch to the major ramp that leads up the south face. We simul-climbed a couple hundred feet of 4th class with Justin and I both leading a rope and Ross trailing. Then I lead up another couple hundred feet of 4th and easy 5th until I made a belay a very short pitch below the beginning of the great gash. Ross lead to a good belay at the beginning of the gash. I lead the first pitch, which featured spectacular face moves and stemming on a very exposed ledge below the overhanging bulge of the gash. There was a perfect belay with enough room for all three of us just before reaching the end of 30m of rope. Justin lead the next pitch, which featured more face moves with the pro a little scarce in a spot or two. Once again there was a perfect belay around 100 ft. This left Ross with the pretty chimney pitch that exits to the West Ridge. I got some cool pictures of him leading up the chimney with the overhanging summit block in view. The chimney pitch was exceptionally fun for all of us with sleeping pads on our backs. It was nice how the climb allowed each of us to lead one of the really interesting pitches of the gash. From where the chimney pitch meets the West Ridge it was one easy move and some 4th class to the summit. It was 6 pm. The views were hella cool. We were uneasy about the apparent rain down McMillan Creek, as we had been uneasy about thunder and rain to our south while on the face. We made four rappels down the West Ridge, then a bit of downclimbing to a sketchy rappel down the South Face. Five more rappels, including one in which shenanigans ensued after someone forgot to untie the end of the rope before pulling on it, and it was dark; we were a couple hundred feet above the glacier. Ross and I agreed that the glacier was no place to go in the dark, despite the fact that we were all out of water. We settled for the night. I made proud use of my Jagermeister and Rasta bivy kit. There was a shower or two, but we were grateful for the generally dry night without wind. Sunday morning we rappelled twice more. Justin and I had mad fun working our way down an icy, crevassed section through a couple bridges without 'poons. Ross talked a lot less shit than I would have, had the situation been reversed. Oh well, his bad. And now for a quote from Yvon Chouinard's Climbing Ice: "There are many situations when you could be caught, whether by method or madness, without crampons when they could be useful." Here's to madness... The hike to the car was long and my feet hurt like hell. Now I remember why I never wear those boots.

That's right, I dropped 'em somewhere. They're probably already trashed or buried in choss, but just maybe they're perched nicely somewhere in that field of scree. I really don't have much hope to get them back, but if you find them:

It goes to... glassbonghits!!! Whoever you are, thanks for the laughs. Way better than catturdeat.

Ummm... I'm almost out of server space so I just stuck the photo there. Looks like I had ya going!

Kudos to the new avatar!!!

The eye of the storm was centered on the NF, which was a 2000 foot sloping shield of blue ice!!!

Juan, Here's a pictures from climbing it yesterday: I just had to join in quality spray like this.

The best skiing this time of year, until the snow starts coming, and then even for a while after that, is on and around Mt Baker. (Where you at markharf?) For late season turns the Sholes Glacier, just past Coleman Pinnacle, is almost sure to satisfy; it's an easy day trip from Artist Point. If you want more the Park Glacier keeps very good corn in sections through August and possibly September. The Sulphide Glacier on Mt Shuksan tends to stay in good condition, too.

We made it up Terror, that was some fun. The Sun Maid Lady was just to point out the super secret route. Last night, Ross, Jason, and I took the super super secret route, which leaves the ridge earlier. I think I like the plain old super secret route best. I hope she was there for Barry, Jim, and Morris this morning. Duct tape probably would have done a better job.

The trail is a state of mind. Sorry the Sun Maid Raisin lady didn't help you all that much. That's a nice push for a day.

How sweet would it be to know the answer to that question?

Bjork's fahqin' hot! Has anyone seen her video where's she's naked, singing some freaky stalker lady shit, wearing an obscenely copious strands of pearls through piercings all over her body? Yowza! Back on the topic of Finland, I'm going there in October. Could this help me understand?

I did the NF in a day Monday. We drove down the logging road, taking a right turn and driving down a crazy overgrown road as far as my little Honda could. The road ended in a clearcut. We followed a creekbed directly down to White Salmon Creek for a few hundred vertical feet. Then we bushwhacked up and right the whole way, whichever seemed more convenient. We ended up going through some blueberry bushes, but it took us 3.5 hours to get to the base of the North Face carrying skis and boots. I just wanted to add another confusing description and some chestbeating to the TR thread. Way to go Alpinfox.

F'in hipster ass Reedies and their PBR!

Sounds great. Way to work the metaphors, Josh. Wayne: intricacy, my man.

Quoting iain: The NE face was now off-limits for climbing as it had been skied, so we had to do something that those guys probably wouldn't dare ski. What is that, some kind of challenge? That looks like a sweet climb. Here's to the Northern Pickets.

Climb: Mt Shuksan-North Face Date of Climb: 7/5/2004 Trip Report: Cyril and I skied the NF of Shuksan yesterday. It was an amazing route. Skiing over the edge of the Upper Curtis, making my first few turns while gawking at the view 4,000 feet straight down to Price Lake, I felt like an omnipotent being was loaning me a pair of angel's wings. The snow was truly perfect corn: easy carving butter that didn't sluff. I would do the bushwhack twice for such a descent. All apologies to the Skoogs, but I gotta say this: That iswhat skiing is all about. For me at least. Different stokes for different folks. Gear Notes: Crampons, ice ax, skis Approach Notes: Rumble through the jungle.

Here's a route photo... This photo is from a few weeks earlier last year. The Degenhardt was in better condition up high for the ski, but worse condition on the lower portions. We had to rappel (well, coulda downclimbed) approximately where blue meets purple. Paul, the Degenhardt was definitely the coolest. Unless by cool you mean stupid steep, then skiing off the col was no doubt the coolest.

All your climbing threads are belong to us!!! Nice climb, Colin, the buttress looked marvellous from both sides.

Good frickin' luck! A sacrifice to the brush gods, at least you're not stuck back there with your crampons.

Excellent work, iain. Who uses two tools on the Ice Cliff? I felt like a gaper using one tool and one whippet. And my skis were way longer than that.

The rope was lowered from above by Paco and I after we climbed it free. It's taut because it's caught on the cornice and some rocks, and coming to Josh from below and to the side, so Josh woulda had a great whipper if he fell. How is camera tilt even an issue when you're looking down at someone? The knot in the rope is on Josh, I don't know WTF is up with that. Armchair beyotches are SO suck. Friday smackdown . Let's hear some ridicule of JoshK based on this photo now!

That's looking pretty prime. You call that a huge bergschrund? What did you say Mike? I'll bet benman woulda carried someone else's skis up over that schrund. All apologies to Layton for dropping his name in a ski related post. Thank you for allowing physicist skier to post.