OlympicMtnBoy

Hmm, my last TR is pretty well gender balanced: Female Score: 745 Male Score: 719 Does that mean I'm a hermaphrodite?

Trip: Petunia Peak + Ridge - NE Gullies via Goat Lake and out Royal Basin Date: 10/12/2007 Trip Report: I met up with my good friend and long time partner Brendan last thursday night to pack up for what we figured would be the usual wet and cold late season Olympics trip. As Brendan made some silly choice to live in Pittsburgh now, I don't get to drag him out there much so i was hoping it might not be too dreary. We opted for a later start to deal with his rental car, etc and ended up at the Dungeness TH at 1:00PM on Friday and began the nice pleasant hike in to Camp Handy. In no time at all we were chilling and snacking at the shelter. We then made the river crossing, where I got my foot damp, and then had no trouble finding the Goat Lake way trail. It was steep for a while, but pretty easy to follow, we finally got up to the lake a little after 5. I hadn't been up to Goat Lake since I was a wee little boy scout so it was pretty cool to see it again. Truly beautiful. Some minor stove shenanigans delayed but didn't cancel dinner, then we crawled into the tent under a night full of stars. I wanted to try out my new Aarn pack which is only 30L so I took the summer bag. I was chilly, but morning was so beautiful I nearly forgot. The sun hit us early and we were soon in shorts anywaysl with a clear blue sky all around. We headed up a scree slope to the top of the ridge N of Goat Lake, hit the high point on the end, then traversed all the way around to the base of Petunia Peak (which also seems to be known as Goat Lake Citadel). We pretty much missed the easy standard route and ended up dropping off the east side of the ridge and following a loose gully up with some 4th class scrambling at the top. A fun route but not really recommended due to the usual loose rock. Views of the Needles and everywhere else from the summit were outstanding. It was fun to look across to the Baldy-Graywolf-Walkinshaw ridge route I had done a few years ago. We found a route down from Petunia on the east side and traversed under the lower gendarmes. The Climbers Guide lists a technical traverse, but we were determined to go light and leave the ropes behind this time. We regained the ridge and spent the rest of the day scrambling along. We had hoped to get to the summit of Fricaba but ran out of time since we wanted to have a nice leisurely time setting up camp and enjoying the area instead of descending by headlamp. We hit the high point right before the intersections of the Petunia-Fricaba Ridge and the Deception-Fricaba Ridge and then headed down towards Upper Royal Basin and camped on a pleasant bench. The night was a bit warmer, but still almost entirely clear. We work up, broke camp, and then spent the rest of the morning exploring the upper basin, picking out fun looking lines on Deception and the rest of the Needles, and then picked our way down to Royal lake and had a leisurely stroll back out. In all a really awesome ridge hike with the most spectacular weather day up high I've ever had in October in the Olympics. It was a great trip with a great partner. I'm definitely psyched to head back in there and hit some spring hardpack on Deception and do some fun Olympics Rock. Brendan put some pictures from both our cameras here. The rest of my pictures are here.

In Peru white gas was readily available at many hardware stores. It wasn't high quality, but burned pretty well in the standard whisperlite internationals we used most of the time. I used plain ol unleaded gasoline in Kyrgyzstan cause that was all we could get for our whisperlite international. Had to clean the f*cker every single time you used it, till we lost the jet cleaner wire. Fortunately a needle threader like you might have with your sewing kit works really well. XGKs are nice for snow too, I've got less experience with them although that will change since I found one over labor day.

I broke my fibia and chipped my talus a couple years ago. I have a plate and seven screws still down there. I was able to weight it to 25 lbs after 4 weeks or so with an air cast. I was on crutches till about 7 weeks. I actually climbed at the gym once at about 6 weeks, just didn't use that leg. I was in Yosemite about 3 months after the accident and managed to get back to climbing speed pretty quickly. It only bugged me much on the day we did Snake Dike, too much damn hiking. Interesting discussion about having the hardware removed. Mine has never bothered me in the slightest, you can feel the screws through my skin but I can't even tell they are there. The doc said I'd have to be on crutches for another 7-8 weeks if I got them removed while the bone filled in the holes or I was at high risk to rebreak with the weakened bone. Is there any clinical evidence about rebreaks with hardware in place? Is it that much of a bigger chance of screwing things up worse?

With my experience with the BD Firstlight, DON"T plan to sit through any downpours in it. It's a good weather only tent, not a "do-it-all" tent, at least in the NW where rain is rarely entirely out of the forecast.

Not mine, just saw this on craigs list and it's been reposted a couple times, thought I'd help out with a cross post. It's hard to see your stuff go to the Goodwill if someone out there could use it. Not your most technical boot, but a good leather boot. http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/clo/431780803.html P.S. I have no idea who this is and take no responsibility for any outcome.

I tried running on a little too much pavement with my trail/cross shoes. It screwed up my shins and I had to totally quit running for several months. If you're going to run on trails and soft surfaces, get shoes for it. If you're going to run on hard pavement, you might need the extra cushioning, at least I did. Don't go thinking that if "it's built for the trail" that it can handle anything the city will dish out. There is a difference although I'm sure you can find exceptions to the rule and of course everyone has different feet.

Nice, I've been meaning to hit that area one of these days when I'm out there with nothing better to do. It's good to see pics of it.

Still looking, no PM or message from JH.

Nothing in my inbox, wonder if we're having PM probs on the site. Try email, stewartmatthiesen(at)hotmail.com. - S

So here's the deal, I found an MSR stove over labor day (PM me if you lost one). This is great cause my really old Coleman hasn't been performing well up high in the cold so I can use a new snow melter. However, I just found the stove, no fuel bottle or pump. I've never owned an MSR stove before so I don't have one laying around. I could go shell out the $50 at REI for a new pump and fuel bottle, but I thought someone here might have an extra spare laying around. I need the standard (not dragonfly) pump, obviously in good working condition, ideally the newer model with the harder to snap off plastic bits ( http://www.rei.com/product/709004 ). I could also use a fuel bottle (22 oz or so) to put the pump in. Let me know if you have something. I'm in Fremont (Seattle). :-)

Nice TR, I wonder if I can still get up there before the season ends.

An alternative to the pliers bit is to take a visit to your local Home Depot (or some other hardware stores) with everything measured out. They often have a big swager/cutter in the cable isle you can just borrow for your two crimps.

So it's not climbing, but I thought I'd post here just in case. I found a fleece jacket and a stove out on the Olympic Coast this weekend. We hiked from Rialto to Ozette and found these along the way (different locations). Super bitchy ranger Lea has them at the Ozette Ranger Station, wouldn't let me hold on to them for you (I suspect she'd like to keep the stove herself). Call them to claim, and let me know if you do, I'd kind of like to know the outcome for my complaint letter. In general I have only had great experiences with rangers in the Olympics, but this one was particularly unpleasant, rude, and unhelpful. I still want these items to go to the rightful owner.

Coolio, it's a fun route. We were up there last weekend and did it. We ended up with two teams in front of us and luckily they both bailed below the 5.8 flakes for lack of big gear. Funny enough I led it without placing anything bigger than a #1, even though I had up to a #4 camalot. That was the funnest pitch. Also we rapped with a single 60 three times to get to the gulley, one more past the chockstone, and one more time to the skiers right of the gulley from a tree near the bottom. Didn't need a second rope for anything, or were you just using a 50m?

So it looks like it might not rain too badly till the afternoon. I'd like to get out on something but I only have one day and I don't want to spend all of it driving. I guess clipping bolts at the exits wouldn't be too bad since I haven't been to at least 38 since last winter. Anyone up for it? I can drive (leaving from the westside) or meet you at the P+R. I haven't been clipping many bolts lately, but I'll at least be leading in the 5.10 range, especially there. I would like it if you can lead 5.10 as well so I don't have to do it all. Shoot me a PM. I'm open to other ideas if you don't want to hit the exits although I only have Saturday (and it's going to rain anyways). :-) - OMB

I'd hit an exit with ya on Saturday, check your PMs. - OMB

I could be up for Warrior in late October. Weather is a crapshoot but maybe we'd get lucky and find some ice somewhere in there?

Bummer on the foot, way to self rescue though, I hate that hike out even when my feet are good. I really have to climb that route. Heal fast!

I have one of these: http://www.zpacks.com/shelter/tarp.shtml It takes a little more thought to pitch but it's super light and has worked good for my summer/nicer weather shelter.

Frickin awesome, that looks like tons o fun. Nice job.

Looks like I found a partner, thanks though. :-) - OMB

So I thought I had a partner lined up, but they thought differently and now I am in need. I'd like to get a couple of good days of rock in, maybe up at Washington Pass or something. I spent the first part of this season on ice and snow in Peru so I'm feeling a little rusty on rock but probably leading 5.9+/10-. I'd like to do some longer routes (5.8+) and hopefully not have to lead everything or wait too long for you. I have all the usual equipment and a car that will probably make it there and back. Send me a PM or give me a call at 360-301-2585. I can leave early Sat or Friday afternoon and need to be back Monday morning. - OMB (Stewart)

I second the shade/cover up thing. I also have had good luck with Bullfrog, I especially like the Quickgel stuff, it's only spf 36 but stays on really well and is about the only thing I've found that doesn't sweat off into my eyes. In Peru this season I also used "Sol" high altitude sunscreen, Feathered Friends has it. Clear zinc oxide that only makes you look a little like casper, stayed on well and didn't sting my eyes.

Wow, what an awesome trip, you pretty much did the route I've been thinking about for the past couple years. Awesome pictures. BTW, is that Doug Ray with you? Do you still post here Doug? We should get out on something some time. I also saw your Buckhorn-Warrior TR and actually we were out that same weekend, saw where you signed in on the trail register. Of course we were carrying big steaks and a cast iron pan so we didn't make it much past Tubal Cain that day. ;-)