OlympicMtnBoy

Cool that you headed up there, bummer on the summit. It sounds like maybe you took one of the western gullies that the guidebook says blank out. I was on the ridge until that big huge blank gendarme right before the summit (the blank rock in the pic above). I traversed under that to a gully that comes right up to the east of the summit, between the big gendarme and the summit. It would have been sketchy with more frost (there was some already), but it wasn't 5th class except for a move or two that could have been avoided. Anyways, it's not going anywhere for when you want to try again. Im still aiming to post pics but the film still lives in my camera. :-)

I got mine from AlpIndustria in Moscow, Russia. If you're headed that way I'll dig out the metro stop for ya. ;-)

Constance is easier and faster because there is no cross country travel involved (except above treeline on the route). You can bike (or hike) to the TH in an hour and do the approach in a couple hours (depends on how fast you do 3000+ ft in 2 miles). Then a while for the approach and the route. It's a pretty reasonable weekend trip, but you might be coming out in the dark. The route on Piro's Spire is much shorter in terms of length and easier in terms of routefinding, but the approach is a bit more of a itch. Does that answer your question? Go out an do Constance, it's a good peak. The west arete is a great Olympics rock climb too.

That first pic is awesome! Just photoshop that toprope out and you should be in a mag. ;-) Maybe Petzl will send you a sticker or something for it.

Pic fixed. I'll try to post some of mine when I get them developed.

Climb: Piro's Spire-Route 1, East Ridge Date of Climb: 10/22/2006 Trip Report: So other plans weren’t coming together like I hoped, and I didn’t want to waste what might be the last nice weekend for a while, so I headed solo off into my favorite range again. For some reason Piro’s Spire had caught my eye in the new guidebook and my info request only yielded one picture from Graywolf Pass (thanks OlympicMountain_Climber). I managed to get off work a little early, but lost all that time in a series of misadventures that caused me to miss two ferries (who the f*ck decided that “camping season” is over and they don’t need to stock water purification pills anymore, “camping season” never ends!). I finally made it to the Dosewallips TH/road washout a little after seven. Not daunted by a little dark I hopped on my mountain bike and started the 4 mile uphill ride to the closed campground. Even though my pack was less than 25 lbs, it still sucked. Just try riding uphill with a heavy pack on and you’ll really understand why they invented bike panniers. I got to the campground, made some tea, and settled in under my tarp. The night did not go so well. For one, it’s damp and cold by the river there, and I should have brought a warmer sleeping bag. I was chilly. Eating dinner at 4 probably didn’t help keep the internal heater fired much either. And second, a cute little mouse kept trying to join me in my sleeping bag. It kept running up, standing on my lower lip, and then running away. I should have brought the bivy sack and stayed warm and sealed in, but nooooo, I had to take the tarp and save a pound. I got up late cause the sun didn’t get to my site till late and I was frozen. I locked the bike to the ranger station and then started up the trail. Not quite 4 miles in I left the trail at the very top of the grade before it starts heading down to Big Timber camp. I basically just headed straight up the side of the ridge for 2000 ft. The going wasn’t bad for Olympics cross country, although once I got to the ridge line it got worse. Then I realized my minor mistake. I didn’t bring enough water to stay the night, and I sure hadn’t seen any since I left the Dose. I kept finding hollow spots with very wet moss, but no real water. I kept on up the ridge towards the peak getting more and more nervous. I knew they was probably a snow field beneath the peak and hoped it was warm enough to have some running water under it. I finally got there late in the afternoon to find the snow a solid ice block. I only had my tiny alcohol stove and not much fuel, so melting by that means was out of the question. I also really didn’t want to go all the way back down to water until I climbed the thing, so I decided to melt snow by another means. I didn’t want to camp near the snowfield though as it was a refrigerator and I was thinking of my earlier chilly night nearly 4500 ft lower. I ended up pulling as many plastic bags and stuff sacks as I could from my pack, and then filling them with snow blocks which I chopped from the field with a stone axe. Then I headed back up over the ridge to the drier and warmed south side and making a crappy/lumpy camp near the base of a scree slope. It took me more than 3 hours with my tiny pot to melt enough water to fill my bottles with hot water to sleep with. And of course my water was well smoked and full of ash, dirt, and pine needles. The next morning was nice, the sun came out again and warmed me up (night wasn’t that bad), and I took an almost empty pack to scramble up the peak. I pretty much stuck to the ridge instead of dropping down to the bowl. It was loose but still scrambling terrain. I traversed onto the north side and into a gully below the prominent gendarme, and then followed the gully to very near the top. The last move to the summit block was pretty easy. It only took me a little over an hour from my camp. I was pleased to find a small metal cylinder up top with a summit register. Actually it was THE summit register, having been placed there in 1965 by the Mountaineers. That party was kind enough to copy the text from the first three summits into the register so I got to read the note from the FA party in 1947 dedicating the peak to Bob Piro who died in the Italian Alps in 1946 with the 10th Mtn. Div.. There were no recorded ascents since 1997, and only 3 since 1985. According to the list I was #25. There were also a few routes noted that aren’t in the guidebook including the N. Ridge, and a 13 pitch 5.7 on the SW side (which may be the one referred to in the new guidebook, but I think it was 1977). I had been wondering about some other routes given the vague way the guide refers to it as a rock destination, but it looks like the obvious lines have been climbed (although the SW side might be fun to repeat if I wanted to drag my ass up there again). I should have taken pics of the log but I only have a film camera and little film. I basked in the sun, ate some food, and then headed back down. I got back to camp, packed everything up, and then headed basically straight down the hill as I didn’t see any reason to traverse back on the ridge. I trended east when possible and ended up in a scree gully where I lost 800 feet and cliffed out at the top of a dry waterfall. I headed east some more until I could get down. I finally found a tiny creek to refill my water and then hit the trail again just W of Big Timber camp. The hike out was uneventful, but the bike out to the car was glorious. I no longer regretted the painful uphill ride with a pack as the ride down (especially after the Constance trail) is ALL DOWN HILL. I think had to peddle for maybe 2 mins at the most. It was a great weekend to be out and a good time out on my own. I wouldn’t recommend it as a climbing destination, but it is a pretty peak with nice views from the top. Gear Notes: Mountain Bike, light pack, good boots. Approach Notes: Road has a super big hole in it 4 miles from the end, in case you hadn't heard.

I made some umbilicals about like this last year and they worked pretty good. I neglected to put in a swivel which I'll do this year as they can get twisted up if you're not paying attention and you match and switch tools a lot. I attached them to my tools with keychain biners. It worked alright and didn't bang around, until I fell while drytooling and left a tool jammed in a crack. Actually the biner held, although in a quite mangled state. I'm not sure exactly what the desired outcome is at that point (leave your tool on the route or have it zinging back towards you).

Not that you probably aren't climbing ice better than me since last season anyways, but I learned a lot TRing an easy/moderate pitch with only one tool (one walking axe is fun too). It really forces you to rely/focus on your feet if you want to make any upward progress.

Yeah, yet another example of REI giving rather poor advice. Take that #1 back and trade it for a 0.75. I would second most everyone else with the 0.5 and 0.75 FIRST, then worry about a #3, and then maybe a 0.4. When you've got a full set of cams from around 0.3 to #4, then I'd worry about doubles. My first rack was 4 cams (equivalent to 0.5 to #2) and 9 nuts, it got me up quite a bit of alpine anyways. Oh and don't listen to vw4ever's advice on bigger gear first, he still needs to learn to climb real cracks, and then he'll be happy for those hand and finger sized cams. ;-)

email sent

I promised my GF we'd do something together on Sunday, and she's busy in town Saturday. I'm thinking maybe I can hit the rope-up Friday and Saturday. Anyone want to car pool from Seattle and return Saturday night? Since I'm not bringing a partner I'd need one of those too. :-) PM me or call 360-301-2585. I can leave (and climb) anytime friday. - OMB

I'd go, except I need to come back Saturday. Any chance that'd work?

So does that $100 minimum order listed on the conditions page apply? I could use a couple biners. Unless they have a swager on sale so i can make some scary heads.

I borrowed mountainmatts #2 link cam when we were up on Green Dragon. I found it surprisingly useful as a large offset on some of the big flaring cracks near the top. You can place em in a flare and have decent contact on both sides. It looks a little funky but held my bouncing well. It worked fine for normal placements too but I didn't see myself carrying one that often. It probably has a place, seemed solid anyways.

Otto, No disagreements there. I only hooked twice and both could have been easily avoided. I just felt it was faster and safer to hook. One spot was just before the bolt ladder on P4 at that flake labeled expando on some topo or another. I didn't like the looks of it much so I highstepped (or whatever it's called with Russian Aiders on) on a good cam at right before the flake and was able to get a good hook on the top of the flake. There were other placements on the side of the flake that I'm sure would work fine, I just liked the hook option better. The second spot was a gap on the bolt ladder right before the belay. It looked like a 5.7? free move but I was lazy and the hardest part would have been getting my daisy off the bolt I was standing on. The hook was faster. Both moves were also protected by bolts so it would be a great spot for beginning hookers to try some easy moves too. It was a fun route though, some fun placements, but nothing too scary or tricky. Thanks to Matt for a good day out, next time I take the bosuns chair though, my sides are still sore. For the record, we didn't really watch sunset from the top, we skipped the 6th pitch (4th class dirty gully). I did that a couple years ago from Town Crier and it wasn't fun enough to bother with and it was getting dark. You can rap the route with two ropes in 3 raps from the very top (or from the top of P5) to top of P4, to top of P2, to the ground.

Sounds like Timmy O'Neil in Jackass 3, I hear they did the "Nalgene bottle as pro" test too. Check out the thread on rc.com.

Nice job guys, I love reading about the quasi-obscure Olympics stuff since it doesn't show up anywhere else! Can we have a NW Ski journal for all the damn ski descents though, so I don't have to read them or think about it as I plod down things by foot?

Thanks Kevbone and Jason, I share responsibility since I couldn't get it out and Jason was cool enough to give me a few bucks. But hey, what have I got to lose. Actually I'm more concerned about the #1 anyways. In my book, lost gear deserves being returned if possible, booty gear is booty, but sometimes it gets given back and that's cool too. I've done both. But it's cc.com, so flame away. ;-)

Ok, I hate to post here, but somewhere in the course of the past two months my #1 old style camalot with a red kong wiregate biner was misplaced. I've been climbing with other folks on their racks so i didn't notice it till now. Last seen on the N. Ridge of Stuart or on the Temple (same trip). Really I'm puzzled as to where it went as I *never* misplace gear, could have sworn it was on the cam sling in my closet till I looked this weekend. Also lost (stuck=booty!) an Extreme 4CU on that wierd 5.6 on Great Northern Slab at Index, the one up the ramp higher than the one everyone climbs. You wouldn't want it anyways, just look at the striped pink neon sling, it's probably older than you. I know, finders keepers, especially on the stuck one, but if you don't need it I have beer and good karma if you get it back to me.

I haven't had any experience with the C4 #5, but the old ones were definately less stable on the big end than the WC tech friends. I had the fortunate/unfortunate time of aiding up an overhanging squeeze chimney/offwidth in Kyrgyzstan with only a BD#5 and WC #6 to leap frog. Given, the WC #6 was a bit bigger, but it was also way more secure when pulling sideways as I tried to slither up the wider side of the chimney with the cam placed in the back. I still like my camalots in the smaller sizes though, and like I said, that was pre-C4.

Not sure what the weather will be like, but I'd like to get out on rock to do something. Might be open to other locations if I don't have to do all the driving (leaving from Seattle). Have plenty of gear, lead 5.10-, would love to follow harder stuff, want to get some good pitches in and not waste too much time dinkin around. PM me or call 360-301-2585. :-) - Stewart

Yeah, I think you're right John, moving off the ridge would make it harder in spots, it just hard to tell where the good spots might be and where the choss is. My route finding radar just kept me on the crest (pro is more obvious there as well). I'd probably call the route we took 5.6, but I have trouble nitpicking like that, it was pretty much all 5.easy-fun. I took my climbing shoes and used them to the top of the shield wall, but next time I'd just use my hiking boots/approach shoes. I didn't think we were moving particularly fast, but it did help that SJW had the approach down. I thought the new description was good though and the path was super obvious up to the first gendarmes. It would obviously take longer if you belayed every pitch or weren't pretty comfortable climbing that level. Finding pro and loose rock could sketch out a new 5.7 leader. I'm sure it's seeing a lot more traffic since the new guide, but it is a fun route. :-)

Climb: Mt. Washington-Southeast Ridge (III, 5.7) Date of Climb: 9/10/2006 Trip Report: Sjwages and I both wanted to get out into the Olympics for some fun rock before the weather went away for the season, so off I was on the 5 AM ferry from Seattle. He met me at the dock and we drove up towards Lake Cushman and the start of the approach. The trail up there was pretty well defined until you reach the steep gendarmes in the description where the traveled route (and flagging) heads left (S). Fortunately SJW had figured that out the last time, before he retreated due to a cut rope, so we headed right and were shortly in the bowl and then at the base of the route. We pitched out the first three pitches, the first one was 5.6 past two bolts and a couple of gear placements to a bolted belay. The next one headed up either loose 3rd and 4th or easy 5th on the rock so I headed up there and avoided sending anything onto our rope. I topped out on a flattish bench on the ridge. SJW headed up again, up another 5th class headwall to a belay that was almost on an identical bench. From there I lead out on a long simulclimbing block to the base of the Parapet at the top of the Shield Wall. The guide mentions a 5.7 crack, but I didn't encounter anything like that, staying on the ridge crest the whole way (it's a ridge route after all). From there a really short 5.3 chimney led to the top of the formation and a walk to the first rappel. It was supposedly 2nd class from there, but it seemed like mid-5th to get back on the ridge from the notch. From there it was more walking to the second rappel. One more bit of chossy 5th led up to a flatter section. From here is was walking and scrambling, then one more short easy-5th class bit to join the standard route and the scramble up to the summit. Here's a shot of the final part of the ridge from the summit: And the summit register: Friendly snaffles at the top: And one more shot of the top of the ridge: It took us just over 6 hours to the top from the car, with about an hour on the approach, 5 hours on the route, and a short break at the base. It was actually a super fun climb for rock in the Olympics with decent protection through most of it (you just have to look a bit harder). I'd say it was on par with the W. Arete of Constance. It was way more fun than the standard route since there is basically NO SCREE anywhere except that bit on the summit block. We made it back down in an hour and a half to cold beer in the creek. Thanks Jacob for a fun climb! Oh and all the pics are sjwages, the full size ones can be found in his gallery. I might get mine up some day if I ever develop the film (somebody give me a digicam for x-mas). Gear Notes: Blue alien through purple WC tech friend and a set of nuts. Smaller gear was more useful, plus some slings for horns n' stuff. Approach Notes: Follow the dscription in the latest Olympics guide book, don't follow the flagging after you hit the first gendarmes on the ridge.

Bishop's Terrace is an awesome climb, but I'd still call it 5.8. I do remember up at the top it was pretty much a "you must jam" spot. We don't really have that many of those in the NW on easier climbs, there is usually a face hold or something you can get to and get away with sloppy jamming technique, so it'd seem harder if you've been doing that for a while and get used to it. I think the ratings down there were pretty on though, although e-38 and vantage have a lot of notoriously soft graded stuff.

I managed to get through to them last year to get a jacket replaced, but they still had a website then. It did take like 6 mo to get anything done, and I had to go through Pacific Trail. I think they got bought up by Columbia or something now. You might try working that angle. Good luck though.