Bill_Simpkins

I used to do that, and it rocked. But now I use the Self Equalizing Figure Eight Knot if I'm swinging leads. Works for 2 or 3 anchor points. Very fast, easy to tie, and self equalizes. Both knots don't work well if you are not swinging leads. A Web-O_Lette or Belay-O-Lette is probably the best way to go when not swinging leads.

What was your car to car time? Did you bring the ten essentials? Did you rope up on the bridge?

2 days works fine.

Clear Creek Route looked like good skiing. Glissaded down, sno fingers were pretty suncupped in early July.

Camaro Hair?

Include: Hadley Peak (off Baker, Couger Divide), loose, but very nice. Steinbok, SW face. Very very nice views and fun easy scrambling on granite slabs. Approach sucks. Mt. Sefrit, a little more adventurous. Mt. Watson. Nice short 1 day. I like your choice of Larrabee, its fun. 3 hours car to car...via speed walking. Bring a helmet.

Despite what people say, I like the Emmons route. It's not technical, per say, but it's very long and nice. When I went, it was pretty broken up and presented a few hairy challenges. The glacier travel is nice, and keeps you alert when the slots are open. Good views of Little Tahoma. Good sunrises. Glacier sloggin is boring sometimes, but I find being on that huge glacier very fun.

If there are crevasses and snowbridges =rope up. If conditions or steepness make self arresting difficult or impossible, place pro. Late season, all slots open, I usually don't rope up unless there is an exposed section above a cliff or open slot, then I'll rope up and place pro. Depends on partner. I was on Mt. Hood 2 weeks after the big helecopter incident. There were 4 large teams roped up and overlapping in the same spot the accident occured. They used no pro. Just 2 weeks later! Don't we learn?

When I was a gumby, I bought a 7400 cu pack! Now it's used for road trips. Rap it in duct tape and maybe can use it as a haul bag!

Gallon jugs of water and family-sized cans of ravioli at Camp Muir (Dan? ).

Sometimes it's the journey, not the destination, that matters most.

Texplorer said: Even on hikes?

I have a friend that carries about every piece of gear he owns on rock climbs...just incase. Like jumars and aiders on Banana Peel.

Last week I went for a hike up Mt. Pilchuck. I wore tennies, climbing pants, had a day pack and and ice axe. Was wearing Glacier glasses. I ran almost the whole way cause I got bored with walking. Took 2.5 hours RT. On the way up there must have been about 4 groups coming down. Most wearing jeans, hiking boots, and no axe. In two groups the boyfriends were carrying one small pack and the girlfriends carried nothing. No sunglasses, despite the snow everywhere. No one else had an axe, despite some moderate snow slopes. Consequently, when I passed these people I felt like I was prepared for Rainier or something. I felt like someone with a bigwall rack climbing Bunny Face. From climbing a lot I prepare for what I usually encounter, so when I go on a normal hike, especially on a mountain, I have trouble packing like a person who JUST hikes. Question is: Ever go on a hike feeling over-prepared when you pass the families, couples and other hikers that are wearing jeans, cotton shirt, no pack and are carrying a bottle of Pepsi for drink? Please tell your stories.

If your down to 30 lbs, don't worry about it. That is pretty good. As long as it is comfy and easy to move in and the balance is good. I would easilt take a slightly heavier setup if it felt good. I don't reccommend doing the below stuff. It works for me though. Be safe with going light. I don't want anyone to get in trouble or ruin their gear because of me. These are just ideas, some are used a lot these days. Little stuff matters. Like webbing and biners. First of all, master rappelling and belaying with a Munter Hitch knot so you can leave your belay device behind. Get a good light locking belay biner that works well with a munter. I use the Petzl Attache. Next, my harness is light as hell. I use a cheap $29 REI one. All my biners other than my locker are BD Neutrinos. I use 9/16 (I think thats it, the super light skinny stuff) tubular webbing for my prussiks. I carry a mammut dyneema sling for my picket and an extra for whatever.I use a normal heavy silver Coyote picket. Next, I cut off all the extra strapping webbing that I never use on my pack, with a couple inches to spare. That pack for Rainier was an old frameless Lowe alpine Walkabout 45. Super light, however I would use a slightly heavier framed pack now. My sleeping bag was a 15 degree synthetic crammed into a compression sack. I also have a fleece sleepingbag that is very lightweight that I can cram between everything for extra warmth. Sometimes in the summer I just use that! I wear all my clothes to bed when its cold. I have a Helly Hanson sythetic Jacket that packs up small. The only other clothing I carry is warm mittens and glove shells. My glove liners and hat go in my Marmot parka pockets that I wear. If it gets too hot I can stuff it all uner the backpack hood. I wear Schoeller Pants and don't carry shells for my legs. I use a getto Coleman Peak 1 stove and have an almost weightless aluminum pot. The stove and fuel bottle both fit in the pot. I took the handle off the pot and use my ice axe pic to manauver it. I cut my sleeping pad, Ridge Rest, down and use my pack and rope for my upper body. My rope is a 30m 8.3 mm Edelweiss. I unrole the toilet paper off the role and role it up real small, about half a roles worth. I use a Petzl Ticca headlamp, fresh batteries, no extras. A far as food goes, I don't cook any hot food. So no Spoon or anything. I usually just buy a whole bunch of those mixed jerky and cheese packs that you get at the minimart, plus some candybars. All the food fits in my upper pouch. I bring a lighter and make sure everyone else has one also. I didn't mention earlier in a previous post that I strap the sleeping pad on the outside. For water I carry a lightweight bladder that holds the equivelent of about two nalgene bottles. I keep it against my back to keep it warm, and when I rest I put some snow into it and the heat from my body helps it melt. On longer breaks can melt water, but I've only had to do this once outside of camp. My crampons and Mittens plus a few extras fit into one of the side pouches, while all the webbing and harness plus other stuff fit into the other. I had strap points added to the pack for my picket and use the sling and a short short velcro strap to secure it. The rope goes underneathe the pack hood. My first aid is minimal but adaquate. Some things in it are half a role of climbing tape, aspirin and an extra contacts for my eyes. After all this stuff I can still have room for my gaitors if I take them off and a few other things. I talk someone else into carrying the tent. I probably left a few things out. But you get the idea. I know I'll probably get some slack for posting this.; however, my partners know me to be very safe and prepared. I was a boy scout.

That's a given. Just carry the axe or use the loops on your pack.

I like Mcklanes Alpine Select. Beckey. Frasier River to Rainy Pass. And the thick Squamish book.

Minx is right! You would be suprised what you can fit in a 3000, or even 2200! I usually can get away with a 2200, With the rope under the hood, and crampons and helmet on the outside. For a 5 day winter trip on Rainier, I used a 3000, and weighed 28 lbs. The key is to carry the rope. Talk someone else into carrying the tent. I would rather have a little more weight if the whole package is compact and easy to climb in. So I tend to use my heavier crampons and heavier stove, but they are more compact than my lighter ones.

Glassgowkiss my ass !

Yeah, the Chief is good. I think all except one route on the top slabs of the Chief are bolted. All you need is draws. They are all about 2 pitches. Nice. I agree on the other hikes: Wedgemount Tusk Crystal Lounge

I think runouts are ok. If you don't want to climb them, you don't have to. Climb something else. No one if forcing you. Plus, even on the runout routes, the bolts are usually at the cruxes. The runouts keep the hordes away. I guess you could always make a 30 ft. stick clip.

Took a friend up Der Toof last Sunday. Scrambled up the steep gully directly to Pinnaple pass because it looked funner. Got snide remarks from a group of mountainiers, like: "That guys a fool for climbing all the way to the tree in one pitch" "He shouldn't be running it out like that" "they should have 2 ropes" -But the runouts wern't bad and you don't need two ropes. I saw 7 people with shorts over polypro. It was the usual Tooth drama. Watching their war machine maching their way up those two pitches was very entertaining. We placed one #3 Friend, and stoppers 7,9,10,11,12. Had some fun glissades. Car to car, 5 hours. We saw a bit of litter on the route , mostly granola bar wrappers and juice containers.

I had to rap of a chockstone with a pack on just two weeks ago, and it was awkward as hell. The anchor was directly behind and above the chalkstone, and there was just empty space below the chalkstone, and the rock on the sides was all wet from snowmelt. Now tell me, what can you do? The quickest and safest solution at the time was to put my left hip against the chalkstone and lower about 2 feet, then I was good to go. No big deal. If I used the rock for those moves, I had a good chance of slipping.

Some of my favorites up there are: Fatty Bolger (11a)-short,slab mania! also good TR Kangaroo Corner (11a)-short, stemming fun Pixie Corner(5.8-5.9)-short, interesting twin cracks Banana Peel (5.7-5.8)-long...kind of...fun Anything on the Raven's Castle on top of the Chief ***Joes Dike (5.7) 2 pitch bolted.*** Nice views, slabby, a couple good sport routes, 2 pitches

to stick up for cat turd, rapping chimneys can be a bit awkward sometimes, especially when there's a large chalkstone. I suggest going really slow and balancing yourself with your free hand, maybe keeping your feet off the rock till you get past the obstacle. Another option is to stem with your feet on both sides. Definately just take your time and don't be afraid to look wimpy while doing it. Maybe Try sitting on the edge of the chimney and easying yourself down slowly.