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Jopa

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Everything posted by Jopa

  1. I spent two summers in Marblemount/Newhalem while my wife worked for NOCA. My perspective is obviously skewed since winter in Marblemount is much different than summer. In the summer you have all of the seasonal park employees, most of whom are there to enjoy the mountains and rivers. Almost everyone in Marblemount and Newhalem works for the Park or for Seattle City Light (operating the dams). Apparently there has been a history of tension between the dam and park workers but supposedly this is on the decline. If you enjoy socializing you do not have many options. The people who work for the park are great but for many their employment is seasonal (as is their residence). Aside from the park employees you can also head into "downtown" Marblemount and join the ongoing discussion about taxes and why Seattle sucks. If downtown isn't your scene try heading up some of the spur roads off of Cascade River Road and check out the meth community. They're mostly into postmodern literary criticism. All kidding aside, I loved spending the summers up there. The "Skag" is a beautiful river valley with an obscene amount of recreational opportunities. The North Cascades are literally your back yard. I'm not into mountain biking but I can imagine you would have plenty of opportunities. There is an active skiing community for those who live there year-round, but I can't speak to any specifics. Concrete (~20 minutes from Marblemount) has a small library and the closest thing that resembles a grocery store (Red Apple). Beyond that you have to drive to Sedro-Wolley or Burlington (45 minutes to an hour from Marblemount). If you have school-age children Concrete has the only school. Cascadia Farms, just west of Marblemount, has decent espresso. If you are a coffee snob (like me) then go to Late Da in Sedro or Grand Prix in Burlington (free wireless!).
  2. What a terrible loss. Ryan was a great guy and a very strong climber. He used to school me on those cracks at Stone Gardens and in the bouldering cave at his house. Every time I saw him he had a new story about a great adventure. My deepest sympathies to his wife and family members. Ryan on Sagitarius (photo by "jonah" on mountainproject.com):
  3. Thanks for the offer, Blake, but I have a copy of that guide as well for this trip. Thanks again.
  4. Well, that didn't take long. I'm all set.
  5. Would anyone in the Seattle area be willing to loan me their Squamish (McLane) guide today until Monday or Tuesday of next week? I already own the book but don't have access to it at the moment, and I would rather not buy another copy. I can pick it up and drop it off wherever is easiest. If you are a beer drinker I would gladly buy you a six-pack. Joe
  6. I think Nelson recommends going up the Takotie (sp?) lake approach from the Snow Creek trail to access the South Face of the Mole.
  7. Thanks for the feedback Kyle and Goatboy.
  8. I am curious to hear from those who have traversed from Luna Col to Fury's S.E. Glacier. Is it mostly exposed ridge walking or are there sections that require protection? Any tricky spots getting to the glacier? Is it pretty much a walk-up once on the glacier?
  9. Pearly Gates has plenty of climbs in that range. If you expand your range to the lowly realm of 5.9 you could easily get in 10 excellent pitches in a day without having to change crags.
  10. Sounds like a classic outing. Has anyone tried either of the south face routes? The Beckey route looks pretty nice (on paper).
  11. Ratings seem pretty fair at PG, if not a bit soft. Plenty of the 9's can be TR'd by climbing 5.8's. Cloud Nine has a 5.8 first pitch and a 5.9 second pitch, but only for one or two moves (don't miss this climb!). Celestial Groove is true 5.9 with a V1/2 boulder problem off the ground (it can also be TR'd by walking around the left side of the crag). Check out Loaves of Fun for another fantastic 5.8. There is a cool 5.8 crack to the right of Cloud Nine called No Room for Squares and a 5.9 to the right of that called Lost Souls that can be TR'd by leading NRFS (the crux is short, though, so it would make a good 5.9 lead). This is one of those crags where you can get in a ton of laps. The granite there makes me want to quit grad school and become a dirtbag.
  12. Awesome. Do your kids know how lucky they are to go on such a sweet family trip? Great pics. Thanks for sharing.
  13. If you want to see jagged peaks and glaciers go to the North Cascades (e.g. Cascade Pass area/Sahale Arm/Boston Basin/Hidden Lakes). It will make you feel as though you are mountaineering even though you will be on a trail the whole time. Plus, there are scrambling possibilities if you get the itch. Permits are required for overnight camping but they are free.
  14. The route was in great shape yesterday. The flakes moan when you climb them but if you can tune that out they are a lot of fun.
  15. Anyone looking to get out on Monday? I'd be open to climbing at Index, WA Pass, Exfo Dome in D'town, or Mazama (I'm coming from Marblemount). PM if interested.
  16. I picked up the Trango Mountain harness from Pro Mountain Sports a couple of years ago and so far it has served me well. It only weighs 9oz, has two gear loops, a belay loop, and is easy to put on. It does not have any padding or a haul loop. Here is a picture:
  17. If I recall correctly, the stubai pons have a stiffer spine than the camp model, which can be nice when wearing tennis/approach shoes. I think the spine on the stubais are steel rather than aluminum, but maybe PMS or someone can verify?
  18. Formally: Xi=log(1), where Xi=number of mountains in Wisconsin
  19. I have only been here for two academic years and have not spent a summer in Wisconsin yet but here is what I have learned in my experience: Devil's Lake is a great crag with lots of high quality trad routes. There are a few fixed pins here and there, but plan on needing a rack for every climb. Some of the leads can be spicy due to the steep and slick nature of the quartzite and years of toproping, but the rock is solid and takes good gear. Once you climb on DL quartzite the granite in the PNW will feel like cheating. Only about 25% of the people lead, so be ready to dodge topropes. In the Fall months there are an insane number of bees on the faces and in the cracks; you can sling them for pro but it's aid. The Eastern Rampart is where most people go since it has some of the tallest routes (some up to ~100ft, which is as good as it gets in the MW) and a high concentration of good cracks, but there are plenty of other areas around if you are willing to explore. Try Major or Minor mass at Doorway bluff. There is also a great sandstone crag in the park that has some fine cracks (referred to as the 'Old Sandstone area'). As far as other areas within a reasonable days drive from Madison there is Petenwell Bluff in Necedah. Check out Mountainproject.com as suggested above. The people who run the climbing gym in Madison (Boulders) are great. Despite my constant whining they do not have any cracks which makes the winter months even more difficult. Make sure to know the holy trinity in Wisconsin: beer, cheese, and football (if you are ever unsure it's safe to go with beer, beer, beer). Wisconsin is a beautiful state with plenty of forests, wildlife, streams, and the north shore is beautiful. There are no mountains. I repeat, there are no mountains. Knock knock, who's there? Not mountains. PM me if you want more details. cheers
  20. Are they really busy slandering climbers? If they are busy doing anything its rescuing climbers, cleaning our trash off routes and high bivies, and doing trail work. All National Parks are exclusive to those who can afford the free time, vehicle, gas, and fees to visit them. At least there aren't any fees (yet) to visit NCNP. The park also supports programs that provide transportation for urban youth to visit the park and backcountry where they assist in trail maintenance and get to experience the wilderness. For most of these kids it is their first time in the backcountry even though they have lived in Washington their whole lives. I think the park personnel's activities extend well beyond the picture you paint.
  21. It's still not working. This is the message I got: "The link you are using is no longer valid. If this link was sent to you in an email and you would like to view the photos, you will need to contact the album owner and have them share the album using the Gallery's share feature."
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