Rad

Um, hello. This is the internet, where Nigerian cons extract money from grandma and middle-aged men lure teen girls to be raped if they don't get nabbed by Dateline first. CC is tame by comparison, so toughen up or go back to the shopping channel. Some CCers post under a real name, some post with a fake name. Sometimes they have good things to post sometimes not. From what I see, there is not much of a correlation between handle type and post quality. btw, my name really is like totally Rad, DUDE!

Sweet. Looks harder than V1, but then who cares what the rating is? It is what it is...

The forecast calls for chilly reception and Raindawg.

It is important to realize that when you go solo you are not just putting yourself at risk, you are putting your would-be rescuers at risk as well. People can and do die on Rainier all times of year. People can and do safely solo routes on Rainier all times of year. If you played glacier roulette twice and won that doesn't mean you'll be lucky a third time. Training may increase your chances of success each time out, and skilled partners greatly increase the liklihood you'll survive when you eventually do fall in a crevasse, which can happen to even the most seasoned veterans.

Beautiful! Regarding red streaks, it looks like a natural mineral deposit. Paint or fire retardant seems very unlikely. Iron oxides perhaps? Pink feldspar? Look at the rock you are standing on on Feather. Was it crystals? That may provide the best clue. Any geologists?

"What a lucky man to see the earth before it touched his hand" Neil Young.

There will be a shockload if one piece fails, but this concern about breaking the carabiner doesn't sound very credible. I use the X from time to time (including last weekend). If you find solid data please post. Thanks.

Super! Look forward to more updates.

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Next step: chopper to the glacier. Pack the cooler!

Attention all planets of the solar federation! Attention all planets of the solar federation! WE HAVE ASSUMED CONTROL... WE HAVE ASSUMED CONTROL... WE HAVE ASSUMED CONTROL...

I climbed in MA and CT for a few years. Chopping bolts was only one mode of destructive protest by Nichols. I will be surprised if he stays clean during his probation.

OK. I haven't pulled mine yet, but I hear this is a fairly common (and serious) injury when people start ramping up the training. If you tore yours what happened? What would you have done differently? I am stressing everything more these days (weighted pullups and climbing, dynamic bouldering, harder (for me) redpoints) but am also trying to take basic precautions (rest days, stretching, no single-digit work, no campus boards). Advice appreciated. Thanks.

I used to have tiblocs and cord on my harness all the time but I removed them at some point. I will put them back now. Thanks for posting!

"About 3/4's of the staircase was wet and my buddy aided those sections to keep on pace.". Bummer. That was one of my most favorite pitches anywhere. I hope to get back some day. The face moves below were the technical crux, I believe. Straight up past the bolt felt harder than 10b, but 8-10ft right it felt about 10a. We also had a mini-epic on the last pitch. I climbed a ramp left and then back right over a manzanita bush. I flipped the rope into the bush so it would run straighter. Then there was a steep face with a tv-size block balanced on it right over my belayer down below. I had two options: 1- an unprotected traverse right toward something that looked like a crack, or 2 - a few unprotected boulder moves up to a crack above. I chose the latter, which involved balancing carefully on the block, doing some 5.8+ moves up the face, and then gaining the crack. Unfortunately, the crack soon ran out. I then had to climb up and right over a smooth face (5.9+) that was pure friction (no holds for 20 feet) and no pro. Ropedrag was a bitch and I knew a fall might send me all the way to the manzanita bush some 50feet below. Somehow I made it over to another crack and set up an anchor. My partner had to climb through the manzanita bush because of where I had flipped the rope. He got stabbed in the shin (those things are evil) and his rock shoe was pretty much full of blood when he got up to me. We topped out and did the endless knob friction scamper on the descent. Twas a grand adventure for a 24 yr old leader - that was 15 years ago, but I still remember it well. thanks for bringing that back.

Nice pics. Inverted staircase brings back great memories. Was there water running out of one of the roofs on the staircase pitch? I couldn't step over it and slipped and whipped trying to move past. The #2 cam was in the water, but thankfully it held. I'll have to put Hoodwink on the list.

Ratings are subjective. Actual results may vary. ..itch... I was fortunate to spend Saturday linking the W face of NEWS with the SW rib of SEWS. ...scratch... The first sections of both routes are mildly annoying, but the upper sections make up for it. itch..scratch...itch, ITCH. FYI, W face NEWS can be climbed in 3.5 pitches with a 60m rope. 1 = link p1 and p2 in Nelson to a tree near a large alcove. 2 = link p3 (left corner above alcove) and p4 (wide crack to flake to undercling) in Nelson. 3 = thin '11' crack to '10 and easier' crack. 4 = traverse right (cross on a well-worn but unprotected traverse rather than a mystery bolt up in the lichen) to another crack and scramble up to the crest. scratch, scratch... THERE ARE TWO BLOCKS NEAR THE TOP OF THE BLACK SLAB THAT NEED TRUNDLING. One is toaster-sized, the other is TV-sized (flat screen). Your rope might run on or over them if you follow the lichen-free path everyone takes. Make sure no one is below as they will fall directly over the pitches below. ITCH, ITCH! The finger crack on SEWS mentioned above was the highlight of the route imho, though the Boving roofs look even better (perhaps next time). The upper pitches on this route are short. We linked the finger crack with the black slab. Alternatively, you could link the slab and the bearhug 'pitch' above. SCRATCH, SCRATCH, SCRATCH!!! Bring bugspray!!! Mosquitoes were bad at the base of the climb in the morning and we forgot the chemical weapons of mass deterrant at home. As always, the parking lot was mosquito nirvana and climber hell. itch...

Swallowed by the sea. Tragic and poetic. RIP

Sounds like an excellent adventure you will remember all your life. That's what it's all about. It seems the gods were trying to send you a message...do you know what it was? Next time do the lower half of the route too. It is excellent. Thanks for sharing!

Nice work gents.

Remember the KISS acronym? For getting started, lock off and just catch the fall. In 99.9% of situations getting fancy is asking for trouble. Anything that absorbs energy adds to the dynamic quality of the belay. Dynamic comes from many places: 1 - Rope stretch. 2 - Harness pinching belayer body. 3 - Mass/inertia/movement of belayer. 4 - Rope slip through device. 5 - Knot tightening (both ends). 6 - Minimal stretch of other components (e.g. slings).

As Clinton said, it all depends on the definition of "it". CNR TR last year Bring it on!

Amazing how little snow is left up there this early.

Thanks for the encouragement and thanks to all of you who served as guinea pigs in the process! We have another crag in the works but are always looking for more opportunities. Why don't you or your friend send me a pm.

Go in Mtneer creek and out Teannaway. Car shuttle or get friends to assist in transport. It's a lot of miles on the road but still easier and faster than walking around the mountain or rapping endless choss towers. Also, if you go late enough you can leave axes and crampons at home.