mike_m

Tahoma Glacier, thx

Looking at the 20/21 weekend Thx

It was in one of the glissade tracks around Moon Rocks. I turned it in to the Paradise Rangers. For a KIA.

Anybody know the status of the Cloud Cap road? Worth it or even able to drive partway up, or just start out with the TJT from the bottom to get to Sunshine?

FWIW, when we did the w Butt a few years back I used the old chrom-moly BD Sabretooths, full bail front and back, with 40-Belows and had no problems at all. I had recieved the advice above about leaving the 'pons mounted to the boot/overboot combo to create "memory" in the foam, and it really did seem to help.

Second Ascent, in Ballard

I'd agree--as you traverse around the South side of Source Lake, get into the second, more prominent gully heading up to the Basin, not the fainter first one

For the summer approach, use the lower lot just below the gate, where the footbridge over to the ski lodge is. To my knowledge, though I haven't tried it, it would be a challenge to get across the creek & up to the trail from the upper lot. You'd waste whatever time you gained by driving to the furthest lot. FWIW, I did the Tooth via the winter approach from the upper lot last Thursday, it was in good shape except for the gully leading up from Source Lake to the Basin. Lots of bottomless moats in the first drainage we were punching through, especially on the way out in the afternoon. The further one under Bryant (where the summer route heads up) was in better shape.

Did you approach via the Tilly jane Trail, or is the road open?

Most of what I used has already been covered, so FWIW, here it is: Tent: old standby VE-25 Pack: Dana Terraplane, don't know off the top of my head the equivilent Mystery Ranch one is. Down: Feathered Friends Icefall parka and Peregine bag, the wider cut one. I had them add 4 oz of down to the bottom (knee down, more or less). Plenty warm even for a May trip. Shell: had a ltwt Marmot Activent shell that I cached at 11k, most of the trip relied on my Driclime for wind protection, didn't bother with a puffy or any other shells other than one of those old Marmot 1-piece suits with the fleece upper and Gore-Tex lower. Loved it for up there. Stove: X-GK--it sounds like your going with a guide service, I believe they generally provide the stoves (somebody correct me if I'm wrong). Boots: Asolo 8000, fit me the best of what was available at the time. Like has been said, anything warm enough for Denali is going to be way overkill for "normal" use in the Lower 48.

I was just up at Paradise last weekend with a small group for CR practice, there's a great vertical snow wall (15-20') right at the East end of the upper lot where the road continues towards Mazama Ridge. Worked out great.

For reducing friction in the system, I don't know if it matters if a single pulley is used as the fixed or floating pulley in a 3:1 system; the fixed one is weighted much more than the floater, but more rope travels through the floater. It does make sense, especially if the lone pulley is a prusik-tender, to use that pulley as the fixed one to make the best use of the ratcheting prusik, since if the system is set up right that prusik would not have to be tended at all, even during re-sets. I usually only carry one pulley (a Petzl Mini PMP) unless I'm on a two-person rope team, but do carry a DMM Revolver biner (the one with the small pulley wheel built into the biner frame) to use as an improvised pulley if I need one. So if I was setting up a 3:1 with just my gear, the lone pulley (with a very short ratcheting prusik that needs no tending)would be the fixed one at the anchor and the Revolver would be the floating "pulley." If the $4 petzl is that little nylon wheel to clip into a biner, I've never used one, but have heard the same stories of them breaking. Hope that helps. OK. With the drawing, I understand your "drop loop" better: a 3:1 piggybacked onto a 2:1. in this setup I still say the best place for the pulley would be at the anchor, so #1.

Not Machines, but I've got a set of Taakoons in need of a new home now that Santa brought a set of new Cobras if you or anyone else is interested.

Having the second (smaller) shovel also allows you to keep one "clean" for mining snow to melt and not risk adding others' secretions to your meals, and use the bigger one for around camp.

There is a couple of shuttle services from Montrose, Telluride Express and Mountain Limo. Mountain Limo sux. Telluride Express was $25 per person (one way) with a $75 minimum the last time I used flew with a group and needed a shuttle, and actually showed up when they said they would. Alpenglow Condominiums has a bunch of units in all different configurations, all with kitchens. A little more expensive, but nice units on the Park end of town.

C-J Couloir on Johannesburg?

Cascade

Glen Denny will be presenting a slideshow based on his recent book of B&W photos of "Yosemite in the Sixties" at 7pm next Friday night, 11/14, at the new Mountaineers clubhouse. (7700 Sandpoint Way; Bldg 67 at Magnuson Park). Should be a great program.

The same way the one on Sharkfin sat on a near identical down-sloping sandy slab until it was loaded; when it slid 3 people died.

Conditions were the same yesterday, though with even less snow cover. Really sketchy on the way up in the morning; trying to flat-foot on even the moderate slopes just above the moraine was really insecure. The surface had softened quite a bit by the time we came down at about 3:30.

Yates shorties, but more brand-loyalty than anything else; they are what I first had, and stuck with it.

Never fallen on one, but held 2 falls onto screws. The best testing data came out several years ago, that Chris Harmston did while at BD. He was pulling screws to failure, using solid water ice at cold temps (-10???), a load cell, and I believe a high-speed camera; I've got his white paper at home. He found what Gary related above, screws fail when loaded and break out the stress cone, then the tube buckles where it is no longer supported by the surrounding ice. He found the optimal angle, in those conditions, to be 5-10 degrees down, and rely on the threads for holding power, with the screws failing at much higher loads that when placed at the old CW, 10-15 up. Interestingly, I think I recall his finding that 17cm screws were failing at nearly the same load levels as the longer 22's--both lengths have the same amount of threads; I'll have to double-check the white paper when I get home.

According to the PI a few minutes ago Missing climber found alive on Mount Adams THE ASSOCIATED PRESS YAKIMA -- A climber missing on Mount Adams for five days has reportedly been found alive. Officials tell KAPP-TV of Yakima that 27-year-old Derek Mamoyac, of Philomath, Oregon, appears to have a broken ankle, but further word on his condition is not immediately available. Officials say they will try to airlift him from about the 6,000-foot level of the mountain. Search and rescue officials say a dog team found Mamoyac on Friday in the White Salmon Avalanche area of the mountain. Mamoyac was on a one-day climb of the mountain last Sunday. He was reported missing Monday when he failed to show up for work. At 12,277 feet, Mount Adams is the second-tallest mountain in Washington.

An easier approach to Black Ice is to follow the exit 38 old highway until just before it bends back under I-90, then head up and right on a dirt road until you cross the Iron Horse trail, and park. Walk back West on the Iron Horse about 15 minutes crossing the trestle. West of the trestle a couple hundred yards will be a crappy rock band above the RR grade and the Black Ice slab below. There's a rough trail heading town the west end of the slab and 5 TR anchors on the top.

Yep, one double rope rap from the top to the chains, another one will get you to the station at the top of the scramble? pitch