kklimber

Montrails are HIGHLY recommended by the folks at the shoe store by the old REI (name escapes me - used to be Foot Zone). If you want to buy your shoes from people that actually do a lot of trail running, go there. They also recommend the Mizuno, saying after several successive approximations, they've got it right. I believe the model is "Red Hawk". Of course, it's got to fit your foot. . .

The Mountaineers can be a very good way to go if you are not in a hurry - it will be February (or so) when the classes/field trips start to early summer by the time you do crevasse rescue. Mt Hood and Olympus are not particularly representative of some of the routes on the volcanos around here (assuming you did the "tourist" route on Hood and the Blue on Oly) in terms of skill levels one might hope to have. The Mountaineers do an admirable job of moving a lot of people through a learning experience, not unlike the army. Some of the same drawbacks also. You'll learn basic navigation, crevasse rescue, and a little about handling gear/what to take with you (which you will "personalize" over time). This would be the Basic course. You will meet a lot of people. Just as if you went into Vertical World on a busy night, there will be a large cross section of people there in terms of personalities and abilities. Although on "club climbs", you will not have complete control over who is on the climb, you can pick which leaders you climb with, and as you meet people, you can to some extent "pack" a climb with your buddies to ensure speed and competency. It's not a bad organization, there are some very good, accomplished climbers that have gone through the Mounties. I went through their courses and I've seen plenty of slow, incompetents on climbs who were not in the Mountaineers. Some of them in other states/countries even. (They use to offer Cruiser on a regular basis as a Basic climb, too. Don't know what happened on that one. The N. Chute on Constance was also offered (my first Basic Climb), I think that one was dropped due to rock fall issues in the chute. It was a fun little trip. I don't think the "college route" is considered enough of a route to qualify as a climb.)

When we did this route about 10 years ago our car WAS broken into at the trailhead. What hurt the most (my husband, that is), is that they stole his clean, dry cotton change of clothes. And maliciously enough, they got under the hood and cut wires. Another good reason to carry a first aid kit - we were able to tape the stuff back together and limp back to town. OK route, glad to have DONE it. Definitely got the speedo rappel routine down on that trip. Spectacular scenery.

I did the Brothers Traverse (N to S) about 12 years ago. In May. It is spectacular and a early season route. Through a notch into the Great Eastern Basin, traverse, and then up 55-60 degree hard snow to the summit. Into the notch, traverse across basin (initially) and up to summit are exposed. The traverse itself consists of a knife-edge ridge, some scrambling around a notch (I think many go astray here), and then up 55 degree exposed snow to the S. summit. We never slowed down enough to pull out the ropes. The traverse itself took about 2 hours. Round trip from high camp about 4 1/2. It is classic. Becky describes it well: "sporty".

Good job - an honest day's work. High fat. . . hmm, that would describe that platter of home fried potatoes in Forks pretty well!

Hello Mtngrrl - I had a male friend come out from the East Coast many years ago who had some climbing experience, but I wasn't quite sure exactly how much. I took him up Sahale!!!

What did your round trip time end up being? I take it you enjoyed your first meal after the trip! We stopped at a restaurant in Forks for breakfast (After pulling the car over and sleeping upright in the bucket seats about 15 minutes out of the parking lot - Didn't miss a snore) and thought the lumberjack portions looked juussstt right.

The upper glacier to the summit ridge is 35-40 degrees. The slope is above a large crevasse and exposed. The meadows are nice, but if you continue up to below the gap, there are some outstanding bivy sites on the "overlook".

If you don't mind the exercise, the NW Face of N Ridge on Forbidden is a super alpine route. The approach is part of the "problem", negotiating Sharkfin Col and then a rap off the N Ridge to get to the base of the route. Moderately steep snow (probably some exposed ice by now) and easy alpine rock. Long. Potter sums it up well, but erroneously calls it the N Face. The E. Face Direct of Chimney Rock is kinda cool. The mountain has a unique dark, forboding quality to it. There is a super little ice fall on the right to access the upper glacier if you want to make it even more more. There could be a shrund problem going up on the left late season, but sometimes icefall will bridge it. Rock is never hard. Alpine. Scimatar on Glacier is fun, not quite as complex a problem as the 2 above, but a nice route. Chiwawa is an easy day in the mountains. Easy approach, nice bivy high on the ridge above the meadows. At least one, and maybe 2 pitches of water ice. Moderate snow to an easy summit scramble. Great views of Bonanza. Lots more, but these are readily accessible/lots of info. I think Scimitar and Chiwawa are probably Grade II. Scimitar will probably be harder (depending on conditions).

As I remember (its been 10 years), the raps down that face start out on the right (as you face down). Is that god awful station still in the gully? The one with the small chockstone stuck between the top of a rock and a ledge? I think this is the 3nd station. The 4th is just below in the same gully. You then work down and over(way over) slabs to the left. And then there are 2 raps down a nasty corner to terra firma. An outstanding mountain to ascend.

I had a pair of Sportiva Nepal Tops (when they first came out) and they were a super pair of ice climbing boots. Much better than plastic. Too stiff for rock. But what you should know about La Sportiva (besides the narrow foot) is that unless they've cleaned up their act, the hardware on their boots sucks. I was constantly in Fremont getting the shortstring lacing hardware replaced. It was every few trips. Really, really bad.

You ain't Lummox and the point is obvious. boring snow slog. . . hehe. . .if you weren't so fat, it wouldn't be such a slog. But enough of this silliness, I'm taking my svelte body outta here.

Hmmm, I dunno Lummox. Where was your lazy ass when I went car to car on Olympus, the N. Ridge of Stuart (upper), Serpentine Arete, etc in a day? Different days that is There's some gals out there gonna smoke your butt, boy. And that was about 10 years ago, who knows what they are doing now??? Obviously, not you.

Sahale was the first "climb" I did in the Cascades, before I knew what climbing was. I hiked up there and there was a group of Mazamas on the route. Seeing my eager eyes, they allowed me to attach a sling to my belt and I used their ropeline to go up. The ridge is fairly low angled, but exposed, as I recall. There was a move to the right up about a 4 1/2 foot step. There was a long sling there at the time, but since this was 1987, it may not be any good anymore. The glacier slog isn't, it's quite short. I'm not sure I'd even call this an alpine climb. However, the scenery IS spectacular, and you'll need a permit to camp on the moraine.