Rad
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Posts posted by Rad
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6 hours ago, DPS said:
In 1994 we were the last of six parties at to arrive Thumb Rock.
I agree with Gene, since 50 Classics was published (1978?) I suspect the number of climbers on Liberty Ridge has been more or less consistent.
I could be completely wrong, but I think the number of climbers on Rainier in general has not increased significantly over the last 30 years because the park de facto limits the number of climbers through camping permits. Also, a significant portion of climbers go with guide services, who are also limited to a certain number of climbers.
The MRNP has required climbers to register for many years, and this would include info on party size, route, and date. There's probably a lot of interest info and trends on those data.
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Sounds like a wonderful trip. My favorite sunset beach out there is Ruby Beach. Nearly flat sand bars make for incredible reflected light, and the best viewing areas are quite close to the parking. You'll want low to medium tide if possible.
Enchanted Valley is much further East and thus much drier than the Hoh. Both are very long valleys where you can easily go 25 miles in a day to get from trailhead to alpine terrain and back again. If you're willing to cover that kind of mileage, perhaps by jogging, I'd suggest the Hoh. It's far more lush, you stand a decent chance of seeing elk, and the glacier views from the end of the trail are pretty amazing. Also, the Hoh is pretty close to Ruby Beach.
Another hike to consider is Lake Constance. Maybe bring a bike for the road section. It passes one of the most incredible moss-covered boulders I've ever seen on a very steep approach to a narrow valley. If you're fit and have the experience, consider continuing on to summit Mt Constance. On a clear day, it's got one of the best views anywhere in Washington and the summit spire is rad.
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I second @JasonG. You could also try a sports med doc. Some combination of physical exam and imaging may reveal your issue, which is the first step in coming up with a solution. Good luck!
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6 hours ago, Alisse said:
Thanks, @Rad! I hope you are doing well and you've been getting out some/enough this spring!
As far as rope: No, we were not roped up. We based this decision on the conditions of the glacier that we saw/felt when we crossed on skis the evening before, the conditions of the snow in the morning when we set out, and the fact that we we only had a very short section of glacier to cross before getting around/above the bergshrunds. The risk of a crevasse fall, especially carrying big packs and skis, seemed really remote. My punch-through, in fact, wasn't into a crevasse as far as we could tell, since we could see boulders at the bottom and there was nothing that looked like glacier ice. Perhaps not the 100% absolute most conservative choice (not to rope up), but I think we would still do it as we did if we could go back. I will definitely read/consider whatever you or anyone wants to say on the topic.
Oh, I'm not second guessing your decisions. I'm just glad you're OK. Really.
Trying to get out. It's never enough.
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1 hour ago, genepires said:
is UW rock still standing or did it get crushed for the new highway?
Still standing in a pile of pea gravel!
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Somehow I missed this. Nice job! Looks like a lovely adventure - except for falling into a crevasse/hole up to your chest - were you roped up? If not, yikes!
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CBR. Not sure what route(s) were lost.
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10 minutes ago, dberdinka said:
I didn’t realize those were in the Cascades. Stay on topic dammit!
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I climbed the iconic face of the Old Man on Cannon Cliff in New Hampshire about a year before it finally fell off the mountain.
In terms of famous routes, the NW Face of Half Dome is probably near the top of the list.
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That's a lot of dice rolling. I'm glad y'all came out on top.
Pretty pics.
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On 5/14/2019 at 8:19 AM, tanstaafl said:
I will say that one of the most diverting parts of the day, aside from the pleasure of actually being able to climb a multipitch route for the first time since 2017, was listening to Rat periodically scream "WEASEL!" whilst on route, not to mention on the descent and while driving home.
Rad, I'm assuming the "double rack to 3 inches plus a #4" for Revelation is correct? While I appreciated the extra training in my Training Day by carrying that rack up and down the route, I don't need to repeat the experience.
Sounds like good times.
Looks like I didn't put gear notes in my cc.com TR. Kurt has the rack info in his guide. I trust his memory more than mine
You won't be clipping bolts because there aren't any. The first 2-3 pitches have some nice cracks. The next several pitches you're climbing slabs and looking for any solid gear you can find. The upper section is more like a Fred Beckey alpine approach with a mix of gear and slung shrubbery. Leave qdraws at home and bring some slings. One thing I'd do differently is bring a few tricams as they work better than cams in shallow placements in the middle slabs. Also bring your experience. With no trail of bolts to follow you'll have to go where experience tells you is best. We started on the lower right side of the main slab, went diagonally up left across it to some overlaps with good cracks, straight up from there, and then up and right to exit to the upper section. Oh, and bring gloves for the approach and descent.
The opening cracks are clean and fun, the slab is not scary, the rock is pretty darn clean from top to bottom given the mountain setting, and the views and ambience are very nice.
I think you'll have fun. Let us know how it goes!
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28 minutes ago, rat said:
nice job on the guidebook, kurt. sort of looking forward to climbing your & rad's route on revelation.
You'll find it pretty casual compared to many of your epic routes, maybe even type 1 fun.
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46 minutes ago, tanstaafl said:
ouch, that must have been an unpleasant surprise; glad you were unhurt.
Though to be fair, you also need to test rock in the alpine to be sure it's going to stay attached once you pull on it.....I certainly found some yesterday that was less than solid.
Yes, fortunately unhurt.
I did test it by pulling on it!
Agree about testing rock. Kurt and I did plenty of that on Revelation across the way!
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I'm not sure I agree about tree pulling being a good long term solution. I was nearing the end of a pitch mid-way up a climb next to Springbok Arete (SCE) where the beta was "grab the branch". I did and it snapped, sending me on a 25 footer. I had to climb up and lead past that section sans branch.
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5 hours ago, Otto said:
Don't forget the Boulder River Wilderness, home of some long alpine slab routes in the Darrington area.
Right. Apparently there are 31 designated wilderness areas in WA, as you can see on this interactive map.
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There are large wilderness areas in Washington, including Alpine Lakes, Henry Jackson, and North Cascades. Washington wilderness expanded in 2014, the 50th aniversary of the Wilderness Act. At this point, much of the alpine terrain in the state is designated as wilderness. Power drills are prohibited in these areas, so new and old routes are done ground-up and bolt-free. Old school is here to stay.
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We are fortunate that there are many types of rock and styles of climbing in Washington. Each has pros and cons, and we are entitled to our preferences. I love granite, except that friction climbing is so temperature dependent - my performance changes by a full number grade over a 40 degree range.
X38 and X32 have at least two main rock textures: shattered and sometimes sharp or slippery (e.g. World Wall, We Did, Nevermind) and gritty and high friction with more slopers (Blackstone, most of the Far Side, Bob's Wall and above). These climb very differently. If you don't like one, seek out crags of the other type and give them a try. Personally, I like the grippy rock much better than the more shattered crags.
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Squishy Bell has 4 routes and is easy to set up top ropes.
For Sunshine Vista, just bring an extra rope, anchor it on a tree above the crag, and use it to get down to set up the anchor on your chosen line. Then use it to move the rope between anchors. It's low angle so pretty easy to do that. Be careful not to knock rocks down onto other climbers if there are other people there. You can probably do something similar at Off Ramp, though it's not quite as easy. Between those three crags you should have more enough routes to keep you occupied for the day.
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Hi Gene,
There are a few X38 top-rope crags, but for the most part they are short and unsatisfying. Gritscone is a scraggly lump in the forest that's like 15-20 feet high. You want to get out in the sun!
One idea is to go to a popular area with a friendly attitude, no problem for you, and get others to put up your rope, share a rope, or belay you on lead. On a sunny spring weekend you can be confident you'll find people out there. If you don't want that uncertainty, bring along some folks from the dads thread who have kids of about the same age/ability. Or from your gym? I'd suggest the Interstate Park / Headlight Point Area as it has a high concentration of moderate routes of 50-90 feet. FWIW, Far Side rock is very grippy and generally not shattered, so it has a very different from the sharp yet slippery holds of We Did Rock or Nevermind. For true beginner routes, aim for Sunshine Vista.
If you're just going once then hit up MP: https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105797433/exit-38-far-side
If you plan to keep going then def get Kurt's book. It's excellent. https://www.snoqualmierock.com/
Cheers,
Rad
Ps. Edit to add that the trail goes right past Gritscone, so you can look at it and decide for yourself.
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I'd be a shameless adoring fan if I were there. He's clearly the best rock climber and has been for years.
Seems odd that he would be on real rock in the US in the middle of the World Cup season.
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We are all, it seems, just seeds cast into the wind, searching for the right meadow in which to take root, grow, and bloom, before we too are folded back into the earth when our summer finally draws to a close. Life is what we make it, each day precious.
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Crap. I hate this part of climbing.
They were all inspiring in their own ways.
RIP.
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Counterpoint: I find that dry treated ropes are more supple and easier to handle than non-dry ropes. They run smoother over edges and rough rock and leave less of themselves behind on these features. The dry treatment permeates the entire sheath, not just its exposed exterior, so they will retain water repellant qualities even after they have been used a lot and become worn. If you climb in the mountains, your rope is going to get wet sooner or later, and if it's not dry treated it's going to get a lot heavier a lot faster and stay wet longer. Have you ever rappelled down a wet rope? Imagine if you could cut the amount of water in it by 75% or more in that scenario. Yes, dry treatment costs more, but it has many benefits too. Moreover, like "Gortex" jackets, not all dry treatments are equal. Some lose their effectiveness relatively quickly. Others seemingly last forever. Dry ropes have their uses. Non-dry ropes have a narrower set of uses. The best rope is the one you have with you when you need one! Have fun!
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16 hours ago, genepires said:
but the bigger issue than brake backups is TIE KNOTS IN END OF ROPES! (speaking from personal experience) That is what kills people.
THIS.
The OTHER THING to remember is to WEIGHT YOUR RAPPEL SYSTEM TO TEST IT BEFORE YOU DISCONNECT FROM THE ANCHOR.
You'll catch all kinds of rigging errors that way.
Wasn't there an ALL CAPS avatar around here somewhere?
Days gone by...
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Climber killed, others injured at Thumb Rock
in Climber's Board
Posted
So nice to hear good news for a change!