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I'd love to have pics as well, but seeing as how we both forgot our camera's it can't be so. Great time up there on the face. The ice was anemic, but it made for some excellent mixed climbing. We did take screws and the best piece I placed on the whole climb was a 10mm srew at the base of the first pitch That was the only screw I placed as there wasn't enough ice anywhere else to put one. Fun day and great weather up there.

check yer PM's

Check yer PM's.

Check your PM's.

I did it about 5 years ago in late august. I liked it because of the different qualities of the climb...technical ice and rock. Loooong traverse from easy pass over to the gap you drop through.

Mike Lynn and I climbed this yesterday. What a great place and a fun route! It does seem like a different part of the country up there...certainly not western WA. Thanks Darin and Mike for finding the route. And yes, the butt was still at the tree belay... :

I might have something lined up, but then again maybe not. PM me your phone # and I'll call you tomorrow if I'm available.

I'm lookig to do some alpine in north Cascades next week if the weather holds or go somewhere where the sun is shining. Maybe the wine spires or up to do the Yak. I'm in the Mt Vernon area. PM me if interested.

You ain't kidding! I wish I had a crosscut saw big enough to clear the road. That wasn't there last time I went up there(2 yrs ago?) At least I know to bring a bike next time...

Were you the 3 going in as we left Saturday night? Sorry you didn't get the climb in. We thought you might fry Sunday afternoon up there. At least you didn't have to walk the extra mile+ of road that we did

Won't have a problem gettng canisters in Chamonix. Bury the stove in your luggage and NOT in carry on. Have fun! Chamonix

Sounds like a bad one at World Wall I. I hope he makes it OK.

I have at least one, maybe 2 that have never been used. I'll have to check them out when I get home tomorrow to see if they have the bolt. I think they do. I'll pm you with details. No help on the grip rests...

I got a MSAR call this AM for a lost hiker on Dickerman. Maybe they are seting up there??

Very fat! i climbed it last month and it was as big as I've ever seen it. Pilsner isn't a pillar either. It's just a huge curtain all the way across.

Climb: Canadian Rockies-some Date of Climb: 2/11/2006 Trip Report: Jim and I headed up to Alberta for the annual Valentine's drunken ice trip. We figure we might as well give our wives' boyfriends a chance to enjoy their company on this Hallmark holiday. Our numbers have dwindled over the years, but this was the 9th for me(skipping the year I had a broken leg) and just as many for Jim. We tend to take our drinking and eating as seriously as our climbing on this trip, so we had nothing planned except I wanted to do the Scorcerer as I hadn't been on it yet. I picked Jim up in Conway and we were off to the border. We started drinking at the Abbotsford airport while waiting for our flight, and we pretty much kept up the pace when not actually on ice. Flew into Calgary(thank god for duty free airplane bottles of vodka for the plane ride!) and commenced to hit our usual night spot there and flip loonies until well into the night. On to Cochrane for the night and up early the next morning to get into the Ghost, as we figured we had better do the Scorcerer before we were completely pickled for the trip. The Ghost was as dry as I have ever seen it. No snow at all on the river bottom. The river crossings were mellow and we made it to the bottom of the 4x4 road in record time. "think we should try driving up the road in our GMC Envoy"? "Sure, it's a rental"! We made it about 1/2K when one of the running boards on the Envoy met their demise on a high spot. After some careful body work with the hammer if my ice tool, the running board was back on and we performed a 37 point turn around and limped back down the road..."guess we're walking". The walk in to the Scorcerer is actually very mellow and quite scenic as you pass the Bastion walls and go by some lakes. After 1 1/2 hrs we were at the base of the climb. The Scorcerer As we were gearing up, another 2 dudes(from Seattle)arrived at the base looking very sad about seeing us there. That's when I realized I had forgotten to write the name of the climb we were doing on the back of the car. Sorry guys They turned around and went back down. The Scorcerer was a GREAT climb! 4 pitches in all, and they were all full length pitches. The first was WI4, the second was WI3, and the last 2 were full on WI5. Cool cave at the top of the 3rd pitch to hang out in. Good thing as I took forever to lead the last pitch as I thought I would take the proud line to the left side. Turns out the ice was very dinner platey and the bulletproof. Starting screws took forever and I ended up dropping one(booty for spring hikers). Out of there before dark and on to Canmore. Dinner at the Grizzly Paw and many microbrews later we were in our room. The next day we wanted an easy approach as the microbrews were hanging around. Headed for Field and got in line for Carlsberg Column. It was way fat and had folks lining up. Carlsberg Column on left Cascade Kronenberg on right Headed up and got in line. I had done this one before, but it is still a favorite. Solid grade to the top. Back to Field, find beer in the general store, sit in the sun and watch kids play hockey outside as we drink beer. Went to the Drake that night(saturday) and it was rocking. Good band playing as well. Drank inumerable beers and many many shots of Zambuco(don't ask, I just drank when they were handed to me). Unknown how I got back to the hotel. The next morning was not pretty. But, we were going to keep our climbing streak in tact so we decided to go somewhere easy. Johnstone canyon fit the bill as a short drive, easy hike in and good top-roping around. We had been there many times before, but maybe not on a weekend. We did the hike still drunk from the night before. Jim led a nice pitch to the top, and then we set a toprope up for a cool looking roof pitch thing. Cool looking pillar with roof at top. We climbed in a complete haze as the booze started to wear off and hangovers set in. Just as I topped out on the toprope there was a huge cheer. Little did I know that a busload of Japanese tourists had arrived at the lookout and were watching us climb. It felt like the Olympics! Little did they know that I was so very close to staining the climb the color of Traditional Ale. We limped back to the car with a few hundred of our closest friends on the trail. Back to the Drake for dinner and a final Trad, the room and bed. Layed in bed watching Olympics. Flew home and have been de-toxing all week. My liver function is almost back to normal! Gear Notes: ice gear, thrashable rental car, multiple bottles of liquor at the border duty free shop, Approach Notes: no snow in the ghost, everything else normal snow cover

Now that is hilarious!!! Too bad that screw holding will only give him more confidence.

Awesome trip! The moderate stuff was mostly in; the harder, thinner stuff, we heard, was not in good shape. It was supposed to get cold again, though, so maybe some of it will form up again. Although some of the south facing climb were out of shape, there were still plenty of harder climbs good to go. I just got back from there and we climbed Cascade Kronenbourg, Carlsberg Column, Borgeaux right, and Kitty Hawk. They were all in great shape, especially the beer climbs. Did we see you guys at the base of Guiness Gully when we were leaving Field Thursday evening? Nice pics!

You might want to rethink the Ghost... http://live-the-vision.com/cms/index.php...646&catid=6

Leaving from Mt Vernon area. Check your PM for #

Cloudveil Ice Floe gloves ! I climbed everything from Polar Circus in -25C to Terminator at around freezing with these gloves. I've been using them for 3 years after trying many other systems and they seem to work the best for me. I use android leashes, so the gloves stay on all the time. They also have great grip for when you want to go leashless. They're kinda pricey, but I get the pro deal for a bit less. I carry Marmot ski patrol work gloves for belaying/rapelling and have had the same pair for 2 years. They are the toughest warm gloves I've ever used. Many, many rapells and still going.

It's been over 10 years since I was there, but we befriended a guy named Alfonso and used him a little while there. He was the lead guide for Suretrek and had just inherited the trekking company from a German dude that died in a rafting accident. He built the business up and offered excellent service to us as we got into El Altar. He had some good people working for him there as well. Some were very accomplished climbers. Again, this was over 10 years ago, but I see he is still up and running and looks to have expanded some. Alfonso is a great guy and I would think that he still offers an excellent service. Here's a link to his company http://www.surtrek.com/en/ecuador.htm Good Luck

I do it as well and it's been great. Kettleball sub with dumbell, box jumps onto the tailgate of a pickup truck, rings I made myself as per the website at about $5, subs for rope climb are on the site. Doesn't take much room, you just HAVE to have a pull-up bar and some dumbells. Get after it as it's a great program!

I'm looking for a partner for Icefields Pkwy ice next week. Leave Mt Vernon morning of the 4th and back the 8th. I am driving. If you can climb WI4+, have all of your own gear and can get away, PM me. Or perhaps hookup with someone already up there?? Chris M

Which route on Whitehorse? Justin and I attempted the Whitehorse glacier route yesterday. We got to the top of the last big waterfall in 2 1/2 hrs. We were still a long way from the glacier and the going got worse above. There was very little snow on the last traverse right on ledges...just enough to add some serious spice . It was brutal bushwacking and wallowing in snow up to our sacks to get to that point. There's not enough snow and what there is is not solid enough to get on top of. The weather was moving in so we bailed. At least you can follow our boot tracks that far, which will help. Have fun!