Superman

I call bullshit. Many of those with the skills and judgement to guide Rainier would be able to guide someone who has never stepped foot on snow up to the top given a day or two of snow skills training beforehand. Guide services do it all the time. Do you think those prerequisites that guide services list on their websites are set in stone? I used to work for a [reputable] NW guiding service and it was common practice to guide fat guys with a lot of money to the top of Cascade Volcanoes. I guided more than one person up Baker who had never even seen snow before or held an ice axe in hand.

The approach trail up Shannon Ridge starts out on an old overgrown road for a little over a mile. I'm pretty sure this is the road you're talking about because it meets up with the Shannon Ridge trail in a clearcut.

They actually have an album out and I actually downloaded it. It's hilarious.

It clearly says in the initial post that Tikka the cat "went missing". You could blindly interpret this as the cat being trapped, or you could face the fact that the cat ran away.

When cats run away, they're usually trying to tell you something.

LOL @ Bronco.

I should be able to get that info very soon .. thanks for the reminder.

Azurite is pretty trivial from Azurite pass. The trail in is the crux of the climb. As I remember it's nearly 10 miles of dusty trail. The trail from Horse Heaven camp was easy to miss (overgrown) when I was up there, so be looking for it right after you cross the first creek .. if you pass the second creek you've gone too far. Routefinding isn't too difficult from the pass. I don't know why Beckey says the summit gulley is unpleasant .. it didn't seem that bad to me as top 100s go. I can't remember the specifics from the pass to the summit, just that it goes fast, there is a lot of loose scree, and routefinding is pretty trivial. I don't have anything to offer you on Ballard.

Exactly.

I bought a sleeping bag from these guys about two years ago and their service was excellent. I will buy from them again.

desserts*

It's funny to me too because she looks goofy. Lummox must have gone and pushed someone's buttons today. And judging by Lummox' Subject heading, I think he's laughing at her teeth .. but I'm no rocket scientist.

My father has climbed Tupshin and Devore, but is out of the country until mid March. I'll get some info from him when he gets back in town and post it here for you. I'm interested in getting up there this summer as well, so the info would benefit me also.

Sulphide will go fairly easily in May fer sure -- condition dependent of course. You might also want to check out the N. Face.

I think you're going a little overboard here. If you're climbing Rainier or Baker and you shit in the snow, shame on you. But if you're on Barneywockle Peak and you find a nice little rock to glue to the forest floor, or a nice little pit to sit a spell, I'd go for it -- just cover your tracks. Chances are nobody is going to be turning over that rock for a few years, and by then that pile of dung is going to be a distant memory. I just don't see what all the fuss is about. And you're more than welcome to shit in my backyard if you cover your tracks -- feel free. Just don't let me see you doing it. As for the flagging issue, I don't see a problem with it as long as you're not flagging up the latest shortcut on the Mt. Si trail. And I admit to not reading this whole thread before I posted .. so that's what I get I guess.

I'll have to concur with sverdina since I was also on that particular outing with him that fateful June. The snow was like soggy grapenuts. It gets pretty exposed in places too, so the combination of the lousy snow conditions and exposure isn't fun. I'd do what Mr. Doolittle said and wait until May and watch this very forum to see if folks can give you any information on specific climbing conditions. Usually by then at least a couple of parties have been up there. And not to contradict what Mr. Doolittle said, but I doubt you'll find a [mainstream] guide service who would guide the Chimneys that early in the season.

Sounds like folks are split on the issue now. I agree a lot with what tele_nut has to say. Nice discussion!

I think the article is a very interesting read. I even said that at one point, but can no longer find the post??!

I'm not sure you're addressing the question. The question is, "Is the war still all about the oil?". Your rebuttal seems rhetorical. It's a given that we control Iraq's oil fields as a result of the US taking control of Iraq. Merely by the US taking control of the physical region of the earth known as "Iraq", we take control of the oil that flows underneath its soil (and all the sand, and water, etc). But that doesn't prove that the war is all about oil. As a matter of fact, it doesn't even address that question.

Yes, I'm pretty sure they did Snoboy.

A year or so ago, certain folks on this very board were convinced the war in Iraq was all about oil. Well I just paid $2 per gallon for some gasoline. You'd think the petrol flood gates would open up after the US took control of Iraq, thus dropping prices significantly, but I don't see it happening. As a matter of fact, I see the opposite happening. Discuss.

It's funny how folks doubt isn't it? Nice climb fellas, and way to do the "impossible". I'm jealous!

Go Bush!

I disagree. In fact, I know more than one artist who encourages mp3 file sharing. Some major artists have publicly stated that file sharing is good advertising and don't have a problem with it. I personally don't think morals has anything to do with mp3 file sharing other than the fact that it's immoral for record companies to be charging what they charge for an album.

Yes,these are still available. keepen_bearem@yahoo.com