Dustin_B

A friend and I scrambled up Cashmere on Saturday. 12.5 hours, ~5500 ft (with up and down), ~15 miles (I'd guess). I was exhausted when we got back to the trailhead, but it was a great conditioning hike. Left Seattle at 5 AM, left trailhead at 8 AM, hit snow at 6,000 feet just before Lake Caroline, summit at 3 PM, back at trailhead at 8:30 PM. Snow was very consolidated, we took snow shoes and used them but not really necessary. Rock was dry and fun scrambling. Clouds blew in on descent (~100 vis for 1000 ft or so). Saw no one above ~5000 ft which was cool. Great views of Triple Couloirs and Stuart from top. I'll post photos when I get a chance. Sunday climbed a little in Lworth (Mad Meadows and Playground something) and drove home. Good weekend!

I have lived here less then 2 years and have been climbing less than that, so pick a new excuse. (anyway refer to my post above)

Der Sportsman in Leavenworth has it. Haven't seen it over here yet. I agree with Scott'veil about no trail to Mad Meadows. We had to bush whack to it on Sunday. Some fun stuff up in that area. Lworth was definitely less crowded with climbers than I would expect.

Actually no, its the fumes which are flammable... (right?)

I'm considering getting some plastic boots and I think I've decided on these. I have a question regarding the sizing. I normally wear a size 11.5. I tried on my friend's Arctis Expes, which are a size 11.5 and they felt big (I had on thickish socks and laced them up pretty tight). Strange thing is, he bought a half size larger than what he normally wears (size 11) and he says they fit great. What gives? Is there some trick to lacing those things up? And it appears there is no way to cinch your heel into the heel cup very well as they lack eyelets in that area. See photo here: Koflach Arctis Expe So my question is, if you own a pair do you have a size smaller, larger, or your normal size? The 11.5 is the only size I've tired on. Seems not many places have these in those sizes right now. (Something about a problem at the factory???) Have you had a problem with not being able to cinch your heel down tight enough? Thanks.

Any one been on the west ridge lately? How much snow is on route? Never been up there, is this a good route this time of year or is it better to wait later in the season? Thanks.

So what do you think, is it worth the $85? They seem mighty nice and light... Anyone fork over the money for them yet? Shit that is a lot of money for freaking down booties. Why ya charge so much huh??

I've found OR to be quite accurate with their weights. I weighed my bivy (at home on my digital scale) and it actually weighed less than advertised. My Mountainsmith Wisp bag also weighs within 1 oz of the advertised weight. Mountain Hardwear is really bad with their weights. But perhaps this is a topic for another thread, sorry.

See this thread for my Prusik Peak -- Non-Trip Report

3 of us hit Snow Creek trailhead at 8:30 AM Saturday morning with intentions of doing the West Ridge of Prusik Peak on Sunday. Passed one hiker coming down the trail just after Snow Creek wall and then didn't see anyone else until near the parking lot coming back on Sunday afternoon. (that was nice) Encountered patchy snow around 3500 feet. Combination of post holing and dry trail up to Nada Lake. Post hole around Nada Lake and finally put on snowshoes. The slope up from Nada Lake (mostly frozen) to Snow Lakes (completely frozen) was completely unconsolidated, wet, shitty, shitty, shitty snow. Very slow going with snow shoes, would have a nut buster without. It was suck going up and suck going down. Lots of 'snowshoe punch through, face hit snow'; going down. Traverse around to far (west) side of Upper Snow Lake. Stare at pass ~1500 feet above...look at watch (3:30 PM) and map, 7 miles, 7 hours so far...heavy pack...bad snow...first long outing of the year...3 miles to go, 3 hours to go...steepest section yet...3 big gaping pussies...camp on hill over looking frozen Upper Snow Lake. Asleep by 7:30 PM!! Awoke to blue-bird-skies...cussing our selves for not being up there. Left camp at 9:30 AM. Traverse on/around the lake. Saw some tracks going across the center but I'm not that brave. On the unconsolidated slope down to Nada Lake it starts sleeting/hailing. At Nada Lake, hailing like shit. Praising ourselves for not being up there... Snow Creek wall, nice clear skies again. 5 hours back to car, go eat, home by bedtime. Didn't accomplish our goal, didn't even get to the base. Not much left to say. Good times though. Heard there were a couple guys on Prusik on Saturday though that approached from the other side. Oh well.

Ha, ha, I'm sorry your feelings were hurt. I'm sorry people responded to nice post in such a rude way. Same on us. But I agree with your statement about large groups.

That's some half-assed thinking, there, Dustin. You assert that a person's perception of reality is subjective (whoa, dude! no way!) and then claim that you somehow have access to a superior objective reality? I never claimed to be in any other reality I'm just aware of how people think and act. I am just as guilty as the next person about what I stated. When I get these ideas about people, groups, or whatever I just remind myself of this flaw that we have. Speaking to all: I hate large groups in the mountains, I hate pricks in the mountains. I'm assuming most of the Mountaineer leaders are just like you, normal climbers. Of course some are pricks, just like every where else in society. People tend to remember the bad encounters and not the encounters where there were no problems. Maybe the Mountaineers have a higher percentage of pricks than normal but you might chalk that up to not being able to relax on basic climbs where you have to worry about the students killing themselve all the time. I know this is going to piss off a lot of people off but the Everett Mountaineers will have a group of 50 people at on the slopes of Stevens Pass next weekend (which is closed). I'm sure if you are on that route and you ask, they will let you climb through.

Alpine Fox, Sloth man: You call the Mountaineers idiots come on. re-read your posts to see who the real idiots are. You sound like a bunch of buffoons. Your Mountaineer bashing old, so old. If it doesn't affect you why is it worth getting so worked up over? I've said it before and I'll say it again: People hear what they want to hear, see what they want to see, and believe what they want to believe. The reality of the situation has little affect this.

Although I can't confirm it, I heard the Seattle Mountaineers had their first snow field trip up there this weekend. I think the reason they were roped up was to practice glacier travel without the fear of crevasses. Better to practice with no crevasses when you are doing it for the first time. It is kind of similiar to placing pro on the ground before you start leading, you know? The funny thing is they probably did place pickets before you saw them! 70 lb!! Shit, he must be training for Denali. The Seattle Branch has 200+ basic students so I think this would explain the hordes you encountered.

At the risk of sounding like an idiot, why don't companies make titanium biners? The cost issue seems like a weak arguement considering the other items people buy just because they are made out of titanium. With all the talk recently (within the last year) about biners breaking seems like a logically solution (in some cases). It seems like those heavy steel rescue biners could be replaced with Ti too. Same thing for crampons. I haven't seen any Ti crampons. If I'm on to something here please don't steal my idea and make lots of money off of it.

Agreed. One of my good climbing buddies brings his jammies along any time a route has a crack on it. He doesn't always use them but I *allows* make fun of him. He likes them though. Says "they work".

Nice TR Alpine Fox. On more question for the group. We may end up only having 3 people, would you recommend 1 rope or 2? That is, are there enough spots to belay from with only leading half a pitch each time? Thanks.

Cool, thanks for the good enough. I think we are going to give it a go. It sounds like the 10 mile approach is worth it. This will be my first alpine rock climb of the season (and my first alpine rock climb to swing leads on). What kind of rack? I'm still new so I tend to over kill it. thanks.

Yep, before it gets crowded.

I've never been to the Enchantments so I don't know what trail conditions would be like this time of year. Any one have any info? Would it be worth it to pack snowshoes, axe? Looking to make it to Lake Viviane, how much time should that take the average Joe with rack and overnight pack? The only info I have is about the route I want climb but I don't know much about the approach (except its about 5500 feet and 9 miles). Is it too early for alpine rock climbs in this area? I've already done a search here and can't find anything so if this has been discussed recently can you point me to the thread. thanks

More info, some of this has already been stated. This is an email my friend sent me, after I sent him this link. Thanks Ken.

Shit, I've been wondering what the hell those eye sores were. Thanks for clearing it up. And I'm very happy they will be leaving.

I haven't had time to look, so I'm sorry if someone has already posted a link to this. to this guy Ouch Here is the text: Climber amputates arm to free self GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado, May 3 -- A climber who amputated his own arm with a pocketknife to free himself from a narrow, remote canyon in Utah was described as a "warrior"; with a strong will to survive as he recovered at a hospital. ARON RALSTON, 27, was hospitalized in serious condition Friday after his six-day ordeal in Blue John Canyon near Canyonlands National Park in southeastern Utah. The experienced outdoorsman would have died if he had stayed in the canyon, pinned by an 800- to 1,000-pound boulder that had shifted onto his right arm, said Sheriff's Department Sgt. Mitch Vetere. "He said that was the only way out," said Vetere, who helped rescue Ralston. "He had a will to live." In a statement, Donna Ralston said her son survived because of his strong physical and mental condition. "He was able to rationally consider alternatives relative to his situation," she said. "His spirits are high and he anxiously looks forward to returning to his love of the outdoors." Officials at St. Mary's Hospital said Ralston was expected to recover. EXPEDITIONS INSPIRE AWE Friends say Ralston's expeditions have been known to inspire awe. He has climbed 49 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks and was preparing for an ascent of Alaska's Mount McKinley. "To be honest, sometimes we get pretty scared with some of the things he's doing"; said Brion After, manager of the Ute Mountaineering store in Aspen, where Ralston works. Ralston began what was to be a day hike April 26. He was canyoneering, where a hiker uses rock-climbing gear to negotiate narrow canyons. He pushed his arm into a crack in the canyon wall and the boulder shifted, pinning him, said Steve Swanke of Canyonlands National Park. He tried to use his ropes and anchors to free himself, but couldn't. On Tuesday, Ralston ran out of water. By Thursday, he decided he had no choice but to use his pocketknife to amputate his arm just below the right elbow, officials said. He applied a tourniquet and administered first aid before rappelling 60 feet to the canyon floor, where he began walking. He encountered two tourists and was about two miles from his car when a rescue helicopter spotted him, still bleeding, officials said. Rescuers began searching for Ralston on Tuesday after friends called police when he didn't show up for work. During the chopper flight to a hospital in nearby Moab, Utah, Ralston was clearly tired but asked only for water, Vetere said. He climbed out of the helicopter and walked to the emergency room, his bandaged arm in a makeshift sling. Ralston matter-of-factly explained what had happened and that he had lost a lot of blood, Swanke said. He later was transferred to the hospital in Grand Junction. "Aron Ralston is a warrior," Swanke said.

If the knot squeezes through the rap rings and you have the biner backing it up (now on the other side), then you really do have two fixed ropes. Right, but at least your not dead!!

I am going to get some tricams for my rack and I'm wondering which ones to get. I know I will get the first 3 (#.5, 1, 1.5) but I'm wondering if I should just go ahead and get the first 4? Do you use the #2 tricam much? I don't think I'll get anything bigger than the #2. Should I consider anything bigger? On a similar note, I always here that you either love tricams or hate them. I've used some friend's tricams a bit I think I love them. I actually haven't heard of anyone hating them. Have you, if so why? gracias