ncascademtns

Yes, Red Mountain is the end of Ragged Ridge to the northwest but I think for John and Jerry, the real Ragged Ridge ended at Cosho.

I was up on Ragged Ridge this past weekend and was surprised (or maybe not) that the original summit register on Cosho Peak was still intact. Very few entries. The register on Kimtah Peak was placed in 1994 and since then, only a handful of entries.

Turn around time? Knowing Dan, I put down my deposit and had my pack in about 2 weeks. I ordered my 3rd pack this month (Super Sarc) and just love it. I also own a Zero Sarc and a CM Alpine II Bayonet. Best packs on the market! Never had a need for the Kangaroo pockets.

Tony, Don, Bill, Gary and I did it in Sept. 2003. We chose that route to Maude over Leroy Creek. The trail to Carney directly off of the Phelps Creek Trail was in great shape. Carney was a 20 min. walk from the notch. The trail over to Maude was great also. We ended up going down Leroy on our way out. Good one day trip.

Classic Climb but not technical. We stayed roped up the whole time but there were spots that we scrambled. Did the entire climb in my mountaineering boots. At the Fresh Air Travese we were surprised by Peter Croft who ran by us in tennys with an invisible climbing partner and rope. For him it was a car to car outing in just one day. 50 Classic so worth doing.

Crater, Jack and Hozomeen on the bottom middle and right are a kick!

Don't know, I haven't read the book yet.

We (Everett Mountain Rescue) was paged out late last night. The call was canceled soon after with no further info.

Ptarmigan Peak has a nice rolling rock glacier on south side. I called it Physiological Peak because you could never see the summit until you actually got there from the base.

I have the XGK and Whisper Lite stoves. Whisper Lites are great for packpacking trips when you just want to sit around camp a enjoy the alpine experience. I use my XGK for rapid advances on a summit and when I really don't care if it sounds like a 747 is going to land on my bivy site. If you want the heat and you want it quick, get the XGK. I like the idea of the flex hose. Should have put those on years ago. Just bought a SnowPeak stove with igniter. Seems to work smooth and you can't beat the weight and compact size.

Scarpa yes, but I would recommend the Invernos. Warmer boot and a good technical boot. But it is all on the fit. I have had people tell me that the Alphas fit better. My thoughts on plastics, if I step out of my car and there's snow, I'm wearing plastics, dirt - Leather Scarpa Eigers. Ice climbing - of course plastics no matter what is on the ground, hopefully some sort of white stuff.

It's not the Seattle commuter that will get you, it's the density of the traffic. Keep your eye open and your coffee mug in hand. "Lifes tough, That's why stupid people live in Idaho"

I've stood on top of Gray and when I saw this one, I knew exactly where it was taken.

Shit Klenke! You beat me to it.

You mean WHO is Gigi? She's one heck of a beauty. Climbs hard too. I'll have to introduce her to you some time. I knew you were going to say that. I thought maybe it was some babe you picked off the streets in Seattle. Have you seen the movie? BD ATC's work well. That's all I use.

Hey Catbird, What's a GiGi?

I'm I'll a peak bagger? I've put in my time. Are You A Peak Bagger? by William E. Sheets How to tell if you or someone you know has Peak Bagging Syndrome. The symptoms: Denial - The person in question will often concoct half-baked excuses such as: "I'm not a peak bagger, I'm merely an avid outdoor person who likes to climb mountains. I can stop at any time." (Don't be fooled) The List - All peakbaggers keep a notebook of some sort, which contains The List. The List records successful ascents, along with the date and elevation of each climb. Typically, the peak bagger will keep the notebook underneath the mattress or at the bottom of a sock drawer. Consistent with the denial symptom, they rarely refer to it as a "Peak Bagging List". They usually call it a "climbing log". The Look - Peak baggers will usually have a far off look in their eyes, as though they are scanning the horizon for new climbing goals. They may seem aloof a great deal of the time. The Walk - Peak baggers can sometimes be identified by the deliberate way they walk. They look as though they are hiking along the trail, even when they are just headed to the fridge. They also tend to wince in pain with every step during the summer months as a result of excessive wear and tear on their feet and/or knees. While attempting to determine whether or not someone is a peak bagger, there are some other signs that you can look for. For instance, the peak bagger: may mysteriously disappear from the city every weekend. has really high mileage on the ol' 4WD. buys hiking boots in May and needs new ones in July. always seems to have a healthy tan. (Actually the term "healthy tan" is an oxymoron isn't it?) Studies also indicate that 4 out of 5 peak baggers prefer trail mix and a water bottle over a spaghetti dinner with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. The cause of Peak Bagging Syndrome is not fully understood at this time. Perhaps it is the addictive result of exposure to intoxicating views, physical activity, and/or lack of sufficient oxygen to the brain. There is no know cure at the present time. This article first appeared in the July 1995 issue of "Trails-n-Tales", the newsletter of the Younger Set.

I used the Pieps once and liked it. Mostly because it was lighter than the Tracker.

Yes, February sounds about right. Climbed there that months a few years ago. Dusting of snow on the ground, bit of a chill but the sun on Sunshine wall was very comforting.

Lifetime Guarantees should be within reason. I've stood in line at the customer counter REI and experience some funny and outragous returns. One lady brought back a REI Cotten Sweater from the 60's or something like that. The REI logo was nothing the sales person had ever seen. Said she didn't like it....(anymore). The person behind the counter did not know what to do with it. Get this, same time. Guy brings in a pair of worn out boots. Said they didn't fit......(anymore). Don't ask me why I was in line.....I don't remember. Really, REI should keep all the unique returns and have some time of display case for the public to view.

I made my own bivy a few years ago which I still use. Picked up the Gore-Tex at Seattle Fabrics and created my own pattern. I like it and have never consider anything else although a twin bivy would be interesting . If you really had to, you could cram two people of reasonable size in any bivy (hopefully of the opposite sex).

I think climbing 10's and 11's is a good start.

You picked a great hobby to start but good advice: Don't give up the old ones. Variety is best. I climb but I also enjoy many other hobbies. Keep them all open. Have fun.

That's all I can say.