kurthicks

I've got a new (one day of use) Wild Things Andinista. Size Large, Blue. It's huge. $100.

Good call Mikey. I do that on most of the loose wedge/triplex bolts that I come across.

Another option, much more backpacking in nature, is the Necklace Valley/Tank Lakes area near Skykomish.

A nice alpine ramble is to go up Sibley Creek and pass underneath The Triad towards Eldorado, exit the Eldorado climber's trail. You could stay even in the lookout the first night, though that would make day two pretty long. It's definitely fourth class, depending on how you cross the south ridges near The Triad. You'll need crampons. The Cascade Pass to Boston Basin option is a good one also.

I'll take the N. Cascades Rock

Consider throwing a stainless lock washer on there too. Perhaps one of those nylon threaded lock nuts? That should help it stay in place.

By hand. And it's the Original Route, not the "bypass route."

Tying in like that (in a traditional Kiwi Coil) can make it impossible to untie your knot/coils if they get loaded. Instead, tie a second knot (I often use a figure-8 on a bight) and clip it into your harness with a locker (or two). That way, the fall will load the locker and not your coils. You can also just clip in with two lockers and stash the coils in your pack. It's more comfortable that way. Oh, sling your pickets in the middle hole and place them as deadmen. Real crevasse rescue puts a whole lot of force on the anchors and you'll be psyched to have solid anchors. Practice digging t-slots while lying prone in the snow by yourself.

We know that USFS roads are on the chopping block soon. This is what is going to come next. So much for the USFS motto of "Caring for the land and serving people." It is pretty easy, after all, to care for the land if you exclude the people from it. Fortunately, one suggestion of the GAO is to utilize volunteers, which may well be a cost-effective options for this proposal. Here's a report from the GAO: http://www.americaoutdoors.org/america_outdoors/pdf/USFSTrailReport.pdf "Agency officials and stakeholders GAO interviewed collectively identified numerous options to improve Forest Service trail maintenance, including (1) assessing the sustainability of the trail system, (2) improving agency policies and procedures, and (3) improving management of volunteers and other external resources. In a 2010 document titled A Framework for Sustainable Recreation, the Forest Service noted the importance of analyzing recreation program needs and available resources and assessing potential ways to narrow the gap between them, which the agency has not yet done for its trails. Many officials and stakeholders suggested that the agency systematically assess its trail system to identify ways to reduce the gap and improve trail system sustainability."

Great adventure guys. That campsite at CJ col is one of the best around! FYI - Doug's Direct doesn't go around Mixup towards Gunsight, it goes over the northern summit of Mixup. If you need to use a rope, you're in the wrong spot. Glad you made it out ok.

Colchuck? North Twin Sister? NE Buttress of Chair Peak? West Ridge of Cutthroat?

Any foam helmet will impart less force on your nogging compared to a plastic model. They're the way to go, although they are less durable (excepting maybe this sirocco).

Two great geezers raging in the mountains. Grand! Looks like a perfect trip!

Exit 38 We Did Rock July 26, 2013 Your Sister - Replaced 2 anchor bolts and chains. My X Wife - Added one anchor bolt with chains. Will replace other bolt in the future. Didn't have the proper removal tools to take out the open shuts on the existing manky anchor, but at least now there is a closed link to thread the rope through. The Joke - Replaced missing hangers and added camouflaged chains. Some Drugs - Replaced the existing stacked chain/washer rap anchor. Thanks to Petzl for donating the hangers!

As a lot of folks mentioned, I'd recommend a twin rated rope. Chop it into two sections and split the weight between you and your partner. Also you might consider using a redirected rappel (Z-rappel) for rappelling on skinny ropes. In the photo below, the blue cord is the rappel extension sling. The skinny (red) rap line comes through the device, down to a biner on your belay loop, up to another carabiner on the device, then down in the normal brake position.

Exit 38 July 24, 2013 W/ Forest McBrian & Erin Smart Substation Wall Homo Erectus - Replaced both anchor bolts Write-Off Rock Flammable Pajamas - Replaced both anchor bolts Knife in the Toaster - Replaced one anchor bolt

Here are a few that came to mind. I didn't get to make it to the meeting tonight. glacier creek (baker, north side) shannon ridge (shuksan, south side) schreiber meadows (baker, south side) middle fork of snoqualmie Sibley/Hidden Peaks lookout NF Sauk (glacier peak) Clear Creek (darrington climbs) FS 41 (Three Fingers Lookout) Hannagan Pass Downey Creek (Ptarmigan Traverse) Mtn Loop Highway (the FS part in the middle)

You pretty much summed it up Clint. Thanks for teaming up on such an incredible route! I, too, am looking forward to many more mountain adventures with you. I put a few more photos and words up on my website too: http://kurthicks.com/2013/05/07/fun-day-on-mount-huntington/

Wear less clothing and keep yourself from sweating.

I left a rope near the base of Saber on Friday, July 12. if you happened to find it, please give me a shout and I'll hook up a reward and shipping costs!

i downclimbed off the top of Stuart the other day, crossing the usual snow patches at the top of the Cascadian. Approach shoes and a nut tool worked just fine. my partner was glad to have an axe, but did it in tennis shoes.

Leavenworth Mount Stuart, North Ridge Gendarme rappel station (original route) July 11, 2013 Replaced two 1/4" bolts with 3/8" stainless and a Fixe stainless anchor. Good for another 100 years!

We descended this yesterday and tried a new variation to the traditional Sherpa descent that I'd seen some anchors on previously. We walked one major notch east/past the Sherpa Glacier col to an existing rap station (blue webbing on a horn). We did 3 raps straight down, scrambled about 200' across an easy ledge (east to a slung block with green cord), then did about 5 more raps (down and to rappeller's left) to just above the 'schrund...then did one downclimb (lower first person over schrund, then down climb easily with the one set of axe/pons). all raps are done with a single 60m rope and are mostly rope stretchers. we wandered down the Sherpa medial moraine from there, avoiding the rest of the steep snow. the raps are rubble strewn down low, but the anchors are bomber.

Leavenworth Clamshell Cove crag July 8, 2013 Replaced 5 top rope anchors. Inspected all remaining anchors. Didn't bring a rope, so I didn't replace any of the lead bolts. Don't put epoxy on the top of bolts!

You might also check out the cragging at Hatcher Pass.