Bill_Simpkins

It's one of my better ones.

Heh. His rolled up jacket rolled way down the hill through the woods, he was getting it back. I left what he was actually doing to the imagination. I can see where your imagination led you

I love Erie. Nice views and sometimes better weather than Bellingham. Orange Wall, Powerlines, Snag Buttress and I even like Sunset Slabs. I could hang out there all day and just lay on the rocks.

I figured there isn't much video of this area, so me and my friend dug up some old video tape of our trip from 2003 and made a quick edit. There is a good shot of that sweet wall on the approach hike. Enjoy.

Flow Sucker

Once we took the road on the west side then followed a trail at the end of the 2nd switchback which turned into a major schwackfest. It was the most brutal schwacking I've ever done. We then took large talus to Steinbok and easier ground up to the col, then ascended the slabs to the top. Was a really long day of mostly brush. I'd reccommend getting to the old growth as fast as possible via Dru's way.

It is getting too crowded up there on the weekends. It can be hard to find a place to stay sometimes without reservations. Need an easier way than walking to get from the bars to the campground at 2 am when I put down a few more than I should have. They should put up those pay telescopes in the parking lots so tourists(and climbers) can watch people on the Chief. All the Chief hikers and pad people walk on the road. There should be a path on the cliff side of the road from the highway to the Chief trailhead. More bathrooms. They also need a public bathroom over by the Starbucks.

Brilliant in so many ways.

The glacier travel is minimal. The glacier is really mellow and almost flat everywhere. Steep snow on Colonial and a couple "steepish" slopes between the glacier and summit on Pyramid and the Stump. On Pyramid, no ropes needed for the walk up route. Ice ax(for sure) and crampons(if icy) this time of year. Stash some tennis shoes at the end of the approach ridge(before you drop down the gully) for the hike out. You'll thank me later. The crux of that whole trip is the approach!!! Water might be scarse between the lake and the glacier. Oh, BTW. The best approach this time of year is to go all the way to lake and take a trail (one on left of lake and one on right), to get to the top of the ridge. Follow the steep trail on the top of the ridge(no water, I'd save two liters for the ridge, 3 if camping on it) all the way to just before the ridge end (you can bypass some of the humps on trails on the right). On the last little hump at the ridge end, there is a gully that traverses down and left(rock on the right, trees on the left). This will take you to slopes leading up to the glacier. There is usually running water where the glacier starts.

Ideally, lead it. I don't mean to sound like a smartass(I do my fair share of top ropes), but a setup like is most likely designed to be lead and rapped from. Now realistically, sometimes you can clip underneathe the chains on the bolt(vs on top) and the biner fits in a lot nicer.

1. Depends on the road. Some roads really serve a purpose, some are just leftovers from a different era. If an entire area is cut off when a road is decommissioned, I'm not really for it, but if there are other roads going to the general area, I don't mind so much. 2. I love remote areas, but I hate to see a really useful road go. My father is too old to hike long distances and his only real enjoyment is driving these old roads. 3. More hiking. More of a hassle to get out (may have to take time from work etc ...). Good luck.

Larrabee Whistler Peak(Rainy Pass) Pugh Hadley Wallabee (sp?) Needle Peak (BC) Lady Peak (BC)

You are right Matt. What I said is what works for me. It's up to each person to decide what works for them.

You should try it sometime. It's kind of like blended raw oysters.

I get bored when I go out sometimes. I think I would rather be at home watching TV. When I'm at home watching TV, I'd rather be out climbing. Sometimes climbing feels like going to work, it's the days it feels like a vacation that make it worth while to take the chance and find out.