catbirdseat

I don't know how I have survived this long without Eagle Scout skills. I knew there was a gap in my preparation.

Mike, some of those climbs are a LOT harder than others. Save JBerg and Nooksack for last. A fun climb that will help you improve your efficiency would be Pika Peak. It's long but easy (ca. 9 pitches) with a fairly easy approach.

I should think these climbs would get more visits if the trail were improved a bit. At present it is barely recognizable as a boot path. If this were at Squamish, there would be a knotted hand line leading up to the ledge. Is such a thing contrary to the local ethic?

Those DMM Offsets are so nice to have at Joshua Tree and Tahquitz. There are places those babies go where absolutely nothing else will work.

Ralph, best title evar!

For those interested in accessing these climbs, there is an inclined log you walk up and there there is one or two 5th class moves to the ledge where these climbs start. You might want to belay to get there. I thought the two climbs mentioned are quite good. Largest piece needed is 3.5 inches.

I think that BD might object slightly to your calling DMM's double axle units "Camalots". That is a trademark, I believe.

Joseph, I am quite healthy myself, if you don't count significant weight gain. A couple of the brothers have stepped forward to help and for that I am grateful. There will be an informal memorial on Saturday, July 18 in the back yard at our home. There won't be any speeches. It's just a barbecue. We'll do some salmon and have some beers and hang out. Time will be 1 to 4 pm. If you would like to come, send me an IM just so I'll have an accurate count.

Failure in this context is independent of cause. The rope didn't do what it was supposed to.

There is some powerful positive energy there!

So where is the crash pad?

Next time try spend a night at ca 5000 feet if you can and bring Diamox (acetazolamide). Even if you don't start taking it before the climb, it can help in cases of AMS.

It's hard when you have to go through half a lifetime of possessions and decide which to toss and which to keep.

The term technical usually refers to use of ropes and protection. Cascadian Couloir is non-technical. I wouldn't even say that a helmet is strictly necessary. Crampons are only necessary if you travel in the early morning when the snow is hard. It might be a good idea to bring them anyway.

I don't imagine there are a huge number of diabetic climbers. Anyone grow orchids? I just repotted the entire collection and I have divisions: Cattleya bowringiana, Cattley deckerii, Lc Carras, Sarcochilus hartmannii, Masdevallia Prince Charming 'Florizel', and others.

Seems a waste to throw away so many expensive pharmaceutical products like Novalog Flexpen insulin syringes when people are scrimping to pay for them.

I don't give a crap what anybody thinks. If I am at Joshua Tree and the route is a hand crack 5.8 or harder, I am taping.

It's looking like the memorial will be in the garden in the back yard of our house on Saturday afternoon, July 18. It's going to be informal. We'll probably fire up the barbeque. Maybe cook off some salmon. It is what she would have wanted.

My wife passed away peacefully at home at 6:35 pm. She had battled breast cancer for 8 years. She fought hard, survived five years beyond the predicted. She did a lot of productive things with those years. She will be missed by many.

There is an autographed poster on the wall at Rockreation, Costa Mesa. It says, "always use a rope", John Bachar.

Our economy is like a super tanker. It takes a long time to start it, a long time to stop it, a long time to make a course correction. We're talking a year to just start a change and two years to see actual change. Fairweather, time to take a longer view of things.

Appropriate forum would be Mount Rainier NP Forum, naturally. Perhaps a mod would see fit to move this. In answer to your question, Cadaver Gap and the Ingraham Glacier are early season routes. They get too crevassed in late season. I couldn't tell you exactly when, but now is probably too late for either of them. If you want a more challenging/interesting route, try the Emmons or or Kautz routes.

Way to stick it out!

The original way to get to it was to rap from a large tree right at the lower edge of the terrace. That tree currently has a dying top and a red sling at the base. I have found that you can instead use the anchor for Jacob's Ladder, which is a shiny stainless Fixe anchor in a friendly location. You might have to traverse just a little to climber's/rappeller's right (south) to get to the next station which is a ledge about a foot wide, shaped like a big crescent, if memory serves me. The anchors consist of a pair of open cold shuts with a third bolt above backing them up. Here are some of the pictures I took on the trip. This is what you see where you park. Downed trees to 10 inches. Anyone got a chainsaw? After the trees, there are some big rocks in the gully where the road crosses. Matt strolling the Granite Sidewalk Matt leading the third pitch of Dark Rhythm The fourth (crux) pitch A friendly butterfly Exfoliation Dome has some nice views: Liberty Mountain and Green Giant Buttress Three Fingers: South, Middle, and North from left to right Kicking back with a cold beer at the Beer Pond Avalanche Debris and snow in approach gully

When you come, don't let first appearances deter you. You might encounter a nice crack like this one. Here's Mark topping out on the last pitch. Note the grim determination on his face.