kurthicks

I didn't read this whole thread. 0. How often do we hear about entire anchors failing because they were tied together with a cordelette? Rarely, right? This is not some epidemic. Ok, since this is all semantics then... 1. Placing bad gear results in a bad anchor, no matter how you tie it together. Placing good gear is always your primary concern. 2. Utilizing a sling or cordelette allows either climber to lead the next pitch and provides an option for fully escaping the system if it becomes necessary. It also frees up more rope if you're doing rope stretching pitches (rare as they are). 3. I usually recommend each climber carry a cordelette. They are useful for so many things beyond tying your anchor together. Bail gear, rescue, slinging trees or boulders, prussiking, etc. Bottom line - Cordelettes are cheap and incredibly multi-functional. Yes, you can get by without them, but when you really need it you'll regret not having one. Personally, I pretty much always carry one if I'm going more than one pitch off the ground.

bent handle? How much do you want for them?

1-3 day rock, ice and alpine routes. Loads in excess of 30lbs at times (counting rope and water weight), though I always try to be lighter. There is only a small piece of foam it the back panel, so it basically has no suspension system. Long straps on the lid accommodate the rope and such easily.

I love CiloGear packs too, but you should also consider the Wild Things Guide Pack. 30L, super durable, removable lid.

I already did. The middle piton was irreplaceable. The first one is about .5" deep. See here: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1081512/Re_Washington_Bolt_Replacement#Post1081512

Use 1/2" stainless steel Powers Power-bolts with stainless hangers for a long, long lasting anchor--that is replaceable. epoxy and expansion bolts do not mix.

Eric - go climb the NF of Shuksan. It's in great shape right now. Best climb I've done in a while in it's current condition!

didn't read this whole thread, but here's some relevant recent research: http://amga.com/resources/various/Sequential_Failure_Paper.pdf

it could be done without boots or screws for sure, but a little weight from that gear will make your trip much safer and more fun IMO. The snow bypass is a little thoughtful, depending on which way you go (if you go up the rock from the flat snow before the col, it leads to a 30m rappel. then climb up a gully to the crest. Alternately, if you start out the steep snow traverse about 100', then go up to a small col (probably 55 degree climbing) to the crest it's less screwing around). pick your poison.

the high traverse from 6000' is still getting done, though carrying over the route makes the approach easier. Follow the trail to Harrison Camp (below the glacier overlook), then cross the lower coleman at 5000', get onto the medial moraine just to the right of the prominent waterfall. Go straight up the compression zone between the Coleman and Roosevelt Glaciers to the base of the route. Above the ice step, head up and right to break through the highest crevasses onto the plateau.

The traverse is still getting done. I bet the traverse will be firm or perhaps icy (you can go above it on the rock if you want). I'd take leather boots, like the Sportiva red boots. steel crampons, 1-2 tools, snow or ice pro. rock gear to 2". the rap route from below the west ridge notch will still go with a little slung cordage. one 60m rope would suffice. The west ridge proper has fixed rap stations at all of the steeper bits, though there is a good bit of mandatory down climbing on 4th class traversing terrain.

http://inciweb.org/incident/article/3258/17437/ "The other closure area includes Eightmile Road, Colchuck, Stuart, Eightmile, Caroline, and Trout lakes, and the Windy Pass portion of the Enchantment area in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness due to a fire burning [near Mt. Cashmere]. Many Enchantment area overnight camping permits are cancelled. However, the Enchantment Basin itself remains open at this time with access via Snow Creek Trail. Please call the Wenatchee River Ranger Station for more information on which permits are cancelled."

First off, don't blindly rappel over the roof! Talk to me (or other certified guides) all you want, but I'll probably tell you to call Ammon and see what they do in the Valley. Layton's idea of rapping 400', aiding up to the knot (or just above) and building an anchor sounds like a good one. I'd keep the lowest end of the rope with me, so that I can pull my partner over to my stance via a fireman's belay (and not leave me stranded when he can't get back over to me). Oh, and some of us have cell phones and aren't out in the wilderness all the time!

As I know it, cell networks prioritize the strength of signals they receive from phones. Meaning that you can "see" the network and get a signal, but almost every other user on the network is closer to a tower and gets a stronger signal...you get the bump and don't get to connect. Sometimes if you keep trying (redial), you'll be high enough in the current ranking to connect. Good news is that if you get a signal, you should be able to connect to 911 if the need arises.

word is that the approach is very melted out and moated this fall. The standard late season approach to the notch via the slabs is not going and is covered in sand as you exit off the glacier. Numerous folks send are not even able to get onto the rock. I bet the east ridge approach is in much, much easier shape.

yep, encouraging for both the leader and the follower!

I took a hammer and some replacement pitons up this route on Sunday. The first pin is a terribly short knifeblade and is only about .5" into the rock. It is not trustworthy, though it does sing a good note. Good for show only. A tiny C3 camalot can probably be placed close by. The middle piton broke (as predicted) upon removal and we could not replace it. The flake the pin was in also broke off when we tried to set a new piton. The third ("off-route") piton was rusted through. It broke with the first hammer hit. We managed to place a pin nearby that sang a good note. Be warned of the potential 30' pendulum fall if you botch the moves after the first pin and before the last pin! ----- I agree with Chris in that one bolt may be in order here, though the pitch getting up to Lunch Ledge is probably enough of a filter to keep folks incapable of the sending the Traverse from getting to it. Someone else can make that decision.

Snoqualmie Pass Guye Peak Improbable Traverse September 10, 2012 We reset the first piton on the traverse (this pin is only about .5" deep and would not hold a fall). A purple or green C3 Camalot *might* fit nearby to back up this piton. We removed the other two pitons (including the "off-route" piton). The middle piton (a rusted through, flexing Cassin) could not be replaced since the rock fractured when I tried to set a new pin. The last piton was replaced with a new BD Bugaboo #6 and it sang. The route now has a 15' runout through the crux moves (though this is no different since the old pins would not have held a fall anyways), with a potential maximum fall of around 30' if you really botch it!

one door or two?

I'm psyched to finally see this thing in print! The topos seem to be spot on for every route I've done at the Pass. A great addition to the guidebook pile for those Highway 20 trips! Nice work Ian.

You can also skin to this notch in the winter. A little booting above the col takes you below the North Face.

There is also a tiny snow patch about a rope length down the Ice Cliff side from the Notch as of a week ago. Running water about half way down the Cascadian on the left too!

Just did this route today. Martin's beta is good, so follow that. The West Ridge (or perhaps it's the NW Ridge) has an amazing position and that alone makes it worth doing. Yes, the rock quality is lacking in a number of locations on the route, but we just kept saying how rad it was to be up there. Some cautious trundling would definitely increase the quality of the line and a wire brush on the slabby bits would help too! There are 3 pins on the route, but we found no bolts (weren't looking either). One is a very old ring pin about 3 feet from Martin's two fixed stopper-heads at the end of the first pitch. The other two are on the very crest of the rib about 100' past the chockstone chimney (from the chockstone, stay directly on the crest for about one full pitch). We descended via the SE gully (winter descent route) via downclimbing to the notch (4th class), then two 30m rappels down the gully (skip the first anchor and walk down to the second anchor). Loose rock abounds in the gully, so pick your anchors wisely to be safe from rockfall when pulling the rope. A series of shorter rappels may be more suitable for other parties (lots of anchors in place, especially under the chockstones). Easy, but shifting talus leads back to the Thumbtack. Gear: Singles to 2". Used the purple TCU a couple times. 60 meter rope. A 70M, however, allows you to reach the crest on pitch 1 and gives you other rappel options. Pitch 3 or 4 (with 2 pins) The upper Ridge

No. And I wish climbing gyms would stop teaching it!

I was there two weeks ago. Climb to the top of Nelson's pitch 2 of the SE Ridge. We slung an obvious pinch about 15' above the standard rappel anchor, then rapped down to a small ledge with 2 bolts. From there, we lowered down and TRed the bottom (better) pitch. The lower pitch has no hangers, but two studs (neither are really necessary and one is in a loose block). The higher pitch starts with two bolts and then tiny gear back to the rap anchor. In fact, both pitches require really small gear (purple/blue TCUs size). If it were me, I'd just take a 60m single rope and lower down and TR it on the way back up. Way easier and faster.