meganerd
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Posts posted by meganerd
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nope, dividends redeemable for cash after July 1st, gift cards = no cash. Sucks but most stores do the same. bastards...
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"icy and more crevasses"
Not a problem at all during reasonably settled weather on the Disappointment Cleaver or Emmons routes due to their being so well traveled, although this year might be an esception come mid-August because it's been so dry. Last year was dry too though and DC was perfectly passable on September 5th although the sun-cups above the cleaver were taller than me
So, we'll keep in touch.. Also, if you haven't experienced the elevation before, I would highly suggest NOT doing Rainier as a two day trip, unless you can get up Adams or maybe Hood within a week before you're on Rainier.
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You mentioned Ingraham Direct. Does this mean that you're thinking of going relatively soon? From what I understand, that route is usually out by early next month. If that's the case, I probably won't be able to go on 3-4 days notice cuz I generally work weekends.
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Hey, are you guys the "trail pair" from wta.org? I'd be willing to go along with you guys on a Rainier climb depending on when you want to go. I'm not really all that experienced but I have definetely done some climbing (Baker, Glacier, Eldorado, Ptarmigan Traverse, Temple, Athabasca (Canadian Rockies)). I've also been up to approx. 14,000 feet on Rainier via the DC route. We turned around because we had left way too early (pitch black at 14K!) and it was starting to snow and blow pretty bad. I should mention that I'm not formally trained in any way. Since I usually travel in groups of two, I haven't practiced pully system stuff in years as it is nearly useless with two people. Generally, on Cascades glaciers, I assume that it's the responsibility of the fallen to extract themself from the crevasse while the partner/partners hold in self arrest. Excepting this though, I think I'm fully qualified to climb Rainier and to have something of a decision making position.
Which route would you want to go up? The attempt mentioned above was the DC route but I'd really like to get over to Emmons as well. Either is cool with me.
In general I require more aclimitizing than some, so I'd want to do Rainer over 3 days (with a full day spent at Muir or Sherman). When, in general would you guys want to go? There's a possibility that I could go during the spring, but it's really hit or miss because I'm in school and going to work. I get out of school June 14th and would be most available Tues-Thurs from then until July 15th when I would be available full time until August 1st when I'm leaving for Europe.
If you guys do want to go with me, it would probably be a good idea to do some sort of day trip first, so we can correct any possible problems (and you can teach me how to do the pully systems
hallah back
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Hey, it's Will. Do you guys want any help with the slideshow or anything? We practically did the traverse together and I work there anyway. They might even pay me!!
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Are you referring to the situation if you must drop below the "Imperfect Impasse?" People do cross at a more convenient elevation but we were stymied there a couple years ago, mostly because the exposure is so disturbing (STRAIGHT down 150ft into a slot gorge with old jagged iceblocks in it and a creek running, but curiously out of sight...) and we're wussies.
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I'm not the only person who listens to death metal and actually leaves the house!? Sweet!!
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Hey, for all who have headed to the Eldorado area recently, where does one hit snow on the Eldo Creek Approach trail? Can one get to the talus fields ~2000 feet up without much snow? Basically, I'm wondering if I could do this part in the dark on Sunday because of the crappy afternoon snow conditions that are expected (I've only got one day) and I'll be by myself. On that note, is there any significant reason that going solo could be hazardous to my health right now? I've been there before, but in summer and with a partner.
Oh yes and I don't ski, so snowshoes? yes/no?
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I'm really starting to wonder whether we found some fantastically new route to get by Boston Peak on the approach to these routes. It was really much easier than we had expected. Felt like second class with a little third to me. THIS IS IN NO WAY CHESTBEATING, I'm a crappy climber, but I'm just wondering what way everyone is going. When we did it (in early-mid July last year), we crossed over Boston-Sahale Col and started climbing up Boston until we were just above the level of Sahale and the climbing got much harder. For us, the way across from here looked obvious and there was a cairn. Very little use of hands. It was loose and required care, but really didn't seem very hard.
The problem for us was that it had been a very warm night and the Boston Glacier was 4 inches of slush over crust and it was very difficult to descend that initial relatively steep part. We actually ended up going over to Ripsaw Ridge on the right and downclimbing that (now that was 3rd-4th class). That took so long, and it was so warm that we actually turned back and retraced the entire thing which was lame.
Now, Boston Peak itself is definetely another story than the traverse underneath it. Eric and I had been saying on the way back up that we would bag that one to soothe our damaged self esteems. Once we actually got there, I decided I would sit that one out, but Eric was determined so he started up and nearly pulled a boulder onto himself in the process. This was at the same time very entertaining and very worrysome to watch.
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Going to the hot spots: Bernese Oberland, Zermatt, Chamonix. Going in August because the bugs here suck in August and I'm told they don't there. Just kidding, going in peak season because the dude who was going to go with me is flaking out so I'll be soloing lots of stuff. The more people in the mountains, the better. I can't believe that I'm saying that...
What the hell was that about Europe sucking and Spain and Italy being ok? I hate Spain and Italy! Austria, Switzerland, Scandinavia are the shit though. Germany and France are kindof annoying cuz the people aren't very hospitable, but the rest of it is sweet. Maybe it helps that I have blonde hair and blue eyes?
On that note, does anybody have recommendations on what is really reasonable to do solo in any of the areas mentioned above. Doesn't have to be climbs, even scrambles to great viewpoints would be appreciated. Since I'll be solo, I'm well prepared to suppress the ambition a lot, chill, and soak in the scenery.
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Just for a little info from someone who works at Redmond REI (camping climbing), here's some random info:
1. This is the root of the problems seen in this thread:
a. We've become too large long ago to offer individualized service like Feathered Friends or something and have been forced to fall back on "policy" that works *most* of the time but has indeed not allowed us to be as flexible as would be best. (though remember that our balance to that is our "100% satisfaction" return policy that I've seen customers use to fuck us in the ass hundreds of times; it goes both ways people..)
b. Our pay scale is just a little too low. This is true of course at the floor salesperson level but also at the lower management level. The inevitable result of this is that we have positions of authority that would be much more effective at creating and enacting the necessary policy (due to our large size) if those positions were paid more.
2. All that stuff about REI trending towards catering to the lowest common denominator... is true. I hate it as much as the rest of you.
3. The comment about pushing the memberships: DON'T BLAME THE SALES PERSON (unless they're a manager). That is the only thing at the store that they actually keep track of, and we have to sell a quota to get a raise at the end of the year. Again, I hate that as much as the rest of you.
4. One more thing and I'll stop ranting. I think it's been demonstrated a number of times throughout this thread that, although REI may mess up more than would be nice, it IS in our policy to acknowledge our fuck ups and right them by doing whatever necessary, and if you have an employee who is not doing that, scream and yell because they're doing their job wrong.
5. Ok just one more thing. Although Marmot's stuff may be awesome, their customer service sucks ass. I've had one out of about 10 good employee-customer interactions at that store. They know their stuff but they're terrible elitists and don't seem to like helping anyone. If you buy a piece of pro there, and don't even walk out the door before deciding that you don't want it, they won't return it! At least at REI we will return it even though, if you've been out of the store WE CAN'T SELL IT.
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Hey, has anyone found an awesome way to get cheap (under $500) high season plane tickets to anywhere in Europe? On that note, is anyone going to be in the Alps during July/August/September and want to do some easy-moderate alpine routes and have some fun?
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I wish I had skis...
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going up there on Wednesday, what do you say: crampons, snowshoes, or neither on that day?
Oh yeah and is there any kind of significant avy risk, particularly in the chute near the top?
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I thought I might as well get in on this as well... Four parties at White Rock Lakes!! That was weird, but a lot of fun though. Also some pointers potential traversers might be concerned about:
-Most nerve racking part of traverse was very loose gully between Mixup Arm and Cache Glacier. This might be avoided but was worse than it looked.
-Didn't rope up on Cache Glacier.
-Cache Col schrund wasn't a problem. Either us left hand snow finger or step onto rock and scramble a little.
-Red Ledge is easy.
-Middle Cascade Glacier is fairly easy. Stay to the left to avoid crevasses.
-This time of year with the snowline/running water line so high, there are lots of decent camps between the standards of Kool Aid, Yang Yang, White Rock, and Itswoot.
-The cliffy area just past Yang Yang Lakes is a little weird. Take a right once you reach the big rock slide, staying on heather. You should see a way throught the cliffs above you. Switchback left to cross the rockslide and work your way up through the weakness.
-LeConte Glacier looks worse than it is. A way through the crevasses should be found. We found a prow of steep snow that got us through.
-The trail from White Rock Lakes to Dana Glacier does seem to go a little low, but takes you where you need to go so don't worry.
-Dana Glacier was pretty easy.
-Descent from Spire Col was on talus and quite annoying but doable.
-Descent down Bachelor Creek was annoying but not terrible. It looked best to stay on the climbers right side of the slide. It looks more open and less brushy.
-The rest is a piece of cake.
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Ok, since I can't seem to find anyone to go with next week, I'm thinking of heading to the Pickets via Access Creek to climb Luna Peak by myself. I've read quite a bit of beta on the approach and it seems reasonable as long as I take it slow enough not to get frustrated (I have five days available, so I might as well use it). Am I making some sort of gross error? Has anyone been up there recently enough to tell me wheather there have been any changes from previous reports? Is there a log across Big Beaver? Where? Any other weird conditions? Also, something I'm not clear on: how does one get from Access Creek Basin to the S Ridge leading to Luna Peak? Is it a talus gully? snow gully? any bergschrund problems? Any recent beta would be appreciated.
Also, does anyone want to come with and climb Fury too? (8/18-22)
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just in case somebody doesn't read the partners or NC TRs sections...
I'm getting desperate to find someone to do the Ptarmigan next week 8/18-8/22. Please, somebody respond!!!
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Please reply even if you can't/don't want to do the Ptarmigan with me. The other option that I would like to do with those five days would be Luna and Fury in the Picketts.
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Hey, I'd like to do the Ptarmigan Traverse over those exact few days surprizingly enough. Although I'm in generally good shape, I'm not a great climber by any means, so I'd really like to treat it as more of a backpacking trip than a climb. I would like to scamper up some peaks though like Formidable, LeConte, Old Guard, or especially Dome. If you want to haul ice screws, the N Face of Sinister looks mega cool.
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Hey, anyone want to do the Ptarmigan Traverse (Cascade Pass to Bachelor Creek) over five days Aug 18 through 22? I would like to treat it more like a hike than a climb (leisurely pace) but would like to climb a couple peaks along the way, most notably Dome Peak. If any of you would like to go, I'd at least like to do a hike or an easy climb or something between now and then to get acquainted and make sure you're not a psycho axe murderer or something.
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Given good conditions and general mountaineering experience and good judgement, how reasonable would it be to to the Ptarmigan this time of year by myself? In other words, are the glaciers broken up at all? I am talking about the standard route starting at Cascade Pass and making my way out Downey Creek. I was thinking of five days, reasonably relaxed because I doubt I'll be able to get up many peaks considering my soloness. I'd like to hear some opinions on this. Just for a little pretext, I'm fairly cautious about glaciers, but not a paranoid mountie. Stuff like Sahale, Ruth, and Spider Glaciers by myself have not been nerve racking at all.
On that note though, is there anyone out there who would like to do the traverse over five days August 18 through 22? My idea is to treat this more like a hiking trip than a climbing one, but, if with someone, would like to tag at least one of the peaks around the S Cascade Glaicer (LeConte, Old Guard, Sentinel) and Dome Peak.
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Hey I was the guy in the green bivy sack sleepily poking his head up in the morning as you guys rushed by. I was tentatively trying to do the same thing although over two days but the day before, I got about a half mile out of camp and decided that I was too tired to climb anything. I then proceeded to get 15 HOURS of sleep (not straight through) which you witnessed the tail end of. That morning as you guys climbed Fernow, I got a quarter mile out of camp towards Maude and fell in a creek............ As I sit there in the creek I realized that there was a layer of ice on everything near the creek including the stepping stones. So, with right side soaked and temperature near freezing, I decided to go down as I was having trouble finding motivation anyway. I'm afraid I'll have to disagree about the beauty of Leroy Creek Basin. Wasn't that inspired about that one. I'm sure it would have been nicer from up high though. Bleh, that was probably my stupidest trip so far this summer.
Nice job though
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Ahhh ahhha hahhahahhah.....,,,
I'm posting this just to get it back to the top of the list!!!!!!! Give me beta!!!!!!!
Aahhhhahhahhahahhahahhah
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My advice: give the area some time. Give it a couple extra days than you think you'd need, particularly if you aren't familiar with the Picketts (not assuming anything, just saying...). I tried to bum rush Challenger via Easy Ridge in three days late last September knowing that would be enough time if everything went absolutely according to plan. It didn't. We couldn't quickly find the safe way across the imperfect impasse (gully just before Perfect Pass) and had to turn around; not because we couldn't have found a way across, but becuase we couldn't get across, climb, and return to camp on the other side of Easy Peak in the same day. So, three gorgeous late September days in the Picketts wasted (at least from a climbing perspective; great challenging "hike" though).
Carbon road/Ipsut Creek approach?
in Mount Rainier NP
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I headed towards Desolation (or is it Old Desolate?) Peak last Friday and I decided to take the glacier rather than try to follow the trail through probably snowy forest to Mystic Lake. Follow the trail almost until it reaches Dick Creek (snowfree), and as soon as there is an obvious easy 100ft descent down to the glacier, do that. Dick Creek must be crossed which might be problematic in the afternoon, then cross the moraine and get down into the trough between the moraine and the glacier. That offers better travel than the debris covered glacier for a few hundred feet until it steepens and you're forced onto the glacier just before it flattens out and you get the money shot of Rainier's north face. That's as far as I went because I realized that my crampons were adjusted for my other boots (1/2 inch too short!!!) and I didn't have a screwdriver. I'm an idiot. Great spot to just sit and chill and listen to music and serac fall off of Willis Wall though. No regrets.