OlympicMtnBoy

I need to get out on something before the alpine season totally ends. I know Saturday looks crappy, but Sunday could be good. Anybody up for the SE Ridge of Mt. Washington or heading up to something on Washington Pass. I'm open to most any suggestion up to 5.9+ (or you lead the hard bits) and I'd like to climb reasonably fast. I'm free both days (and maybe monday) but can do just one day too. I'm driving from Seattle too if that matters. PM me here or call, 360-301-2585. - OMB (Stewart)

Here's one from near Mt. Cruiser a few years ago: And here it is landed:

Hey Crackers, post up some prototype pics so we can drool and comment or poke fun at them. Also did you ever get that upgrade kit together for the worksacks? I really need a webbing hipbelt I can wear my harness with. I made one that worked but I lost part of the buckle on the top of Mt. Stuart.

Yeah, I'd like to see em too!

Wow, the new "Lil Monster" looks like a Russian Ice Fifi on steroids.

Just browsing through the good book and it caught my eye. Has anyone climbed it, or got a pic of it they can post up? I'm intrigued by the 5th class route mentioned in the new edition. :-)

Climb: Mt. Stuart-North Ridge Date of Climb: 7/23/2006 Trip Report: After my planned partner bailed (having already bought plane tickets from Pittsburgh) I posted up here for a partner. Vince was the first to respond and sounded like a decent guy so we made some plans. He had climbed the North Ridge twice, roughly twenty years ago, but had never done the gendarme finish. I had a 5 day permit so we planned to approach via Mountaineers Creek, descend the Sherpa, and then hike up to Colchuck and over Aasgard Pass to do something else in the Enchantments for the second have of the trip. We met up in Leavenworth and did the hike and 'schwack in Mountaineers Creek on Saturday. It was way easier than the first time I did it since we found the trail instead of following cairns through the boulders (as soon as you hit the boulder field head to the creek, the trail is right next to the creek and WAY faster). We got up at 4:15 intending to get up the ridge in a day but packing an extra jacket just in case (super warm weather). The approach from that side took a couple hours and involved a couple interesting moves through the Stuart Glacier ice fall with my aluminum axe and crampons, but wasn't bad. We made decent time with a fair bit of simulclimbing up to the gendarme, maybe 4 hours for 11 pitches. My partner was pretty beat at that point, but I was ok to lead the rest and we were still ok for time so we kept going. The two 5.9 gendarme pitches were fun, nothing I felt sketched on at all. The offwidth was barely that and had plenty of options, plus a fixed #4 camalot to supplement my #11 hex and #3 camalot (although I would have been fine without fixed gear). My partner pulled on gear and hung a bit but made it up fine without having to pull out the prussiks. We hauled the packs for those two pitches too. From there is was mostly easy blocky stuff except for one more 5.9 bit which I did with my pack on. We moved pretty slow though and got slightly off route on the last pitch where I led some dirty 5.8 stuff on the side of the ridge instead of sticking to the crest as we should have. We got the summit at 6 PM with 10 hours on the route. We figured with 3.5 hours of light left we'd be fine to get down but my planned descent of the Sherpa, but it wasn't a nice as I hoped. It was a lot more melted out then when I did it previously and my partner was moving really slow on the 40 degree downclimbing to the bergschrund. I'd rather he move slow and safe than fall on the way down, so I put on my patient hat. We hit the bergschrund at sunset and ate the last daylight belaying across the sketchy remnants of the snow bridge and then headed to the toe of the glacier. We ran out of light and had some routefinding errors which led to two raps and a hell of a lot of scree and boulder downclimbing. We made it back to camp exhausted but safe at 12:15 AM. Oh well, we still did it in a day. I'd like to go back in and do the "complete" ridge some time, maybe with a little faster partner. We tried to sleep in that morning, but the hot sun got us up at 7:30 so we lounged around camp a bit and then left to 'schwack out at 10. That went pretty easily and then we headed up to Colchuck for a nice swim. See part 2 for the TR from Temple Ridge. Gear Notes: Aluminum crampons and ice axe, one set of nuts, 6 cams, 4 large hexes. Approach Notes: It's still a bit of a 'schwack. Bugs were bad under Stuart.

I found a digital camera and case on Mt. Stuart. Looks like it was lost on 7/20 from the date on the last pic. Describe the camera and the route you climbed and I'll get it back to you. :-) - OMB

Hmm, thanks Ivan, maybe if you let me know which question you're answering and how you know it might be more helpful. Anyone else been in there in the last week? It's gonna be a 5 day trip and I'd rather not have to carry more stuff than I need to, but I'll probably be slow and wise instead of fast and light and take some 'pons.

Anybody been in there this week with the hot weather? Was thinking of the North Ridge on Stuart and descending the Sherpa to get back to camp and gear for the second half of my trip. I'll be leaving Sat morning. Is the Sherpa still passable? Will I need to rap over the 'schrund now? Crampons needed?

Looks like I found a partner for this one. Thanks for the replies. :-) - OMB

If yer talkin about the Sawtooth Ridge in the Olympics I'd be in. I was up to do Cruiser a couple years ago and have wanted to go back. Might be a month or so tillI have any time though.

Anyone wanna blow off work and go climb Green Dragon or something with me? I'd be open to trad cragging too. I can drive from Seattle and have plenty of gear. If you want to learn something (or just laught at my antics) I've got a spare pair of aiders if you're new and want to belay and follow as well. - OMB

Hey folks, anybody wanna head into the Enchantments with me on 7/22-7/26 (saturday-wednesday)? I had a partner bail, was hoping to do the north ridge of stuart and south face of prussik, but I'm open to any other options in that region. Anyways, let me know if you're interested. :-) - OMB

The topo we had (from supertopo.com in the oddities section) lists the long pitch (and the overall route grade) after the 4th class bit as 5.10+. We didn't get that far, only climbing a pitch labeled 5.10. I've heard it was 10b too, but can't say since we didn't finish it this time.

Ok, so my partner bailed, even after buying plane tickets from PA. We were planning on the North Ridge of Stuart and something else, maybe the South Face of Prussik. I've already got the permit for 2 people in the Enchantments zone (so you can camp in any zone up there). I can be flexible on objective if you have some other random obsure tower in mind. I'm probably still only leading 5.9 or so right now, but can follow a bit harder if you so desire. You must have at least moderate experience, no newbies this time. Also I'd really like to be out there the whole time, and since it's a 5 day trip, if I haven't met you before I'd like to get together for a beer/coffee ahead of time (I'm in Fremont). PM me here or call me, 360-301-2585.

Hey Mike, it was a good climb anyways though, thanks for going along with my crazy idea to bivy on the thing, it's a beautiful place to camp up there. We'll have to go up there again when you're feeling up for it. For anyone else, just be prepared for the traverse. I was feeling good, but we really slowed down on the last couple pitches where it gets chossy and vegitated. Next time I'd just simul climb everything after the first 5.10 pitch.

Thanks everyone for the invites, it looks like a beautiful weekend and everyone is heading out for fun stuff. I've got a partner now and am headed for the North Ridge of Baker. It's not rock, but it'll be good training for Rainier plans later. Have fun out there. :-)

Ok, I just had two different partners bail for two different trips in the last 6 hours. Damn their girlfriends and wives. I just want to get out and hit some crack somewhere. I can drive if you don't mind my 87 Subaru with no stereo or AC. I've got a rack, rope, etc. I really need to climb some cracks (5.9+, or you lead harder). I can do sat or sunday or monday, or two of those if you've got an alpine target. PM me or call 360-301-2585. - OMB

Forgot to post this earlier, ran up the tooth tuesday last week with a friend. Found a PMI belay glove on a ledge on the second pitch. Torn clip loop looks like it got caught on something and ripped off. Describe it and it's yours. :-)

Yep, I almost ruined my sewing machine that way, but it will work for a bit. I hear it's better if you have an old gear driven machine, and sometimes youcan pickthose up for cheap. I was able to sew something that looked a lotlike a bar tack using the same method as fenderfour. My stitching tests held decent bounce tests, so would be strong enough for your aiders. Just try not to sew too many layers and don't use yer mom's machine in case you blow it up. Sometimes you can find a used industrial machine on craigs list or ebay for ~$300 too which would be better, still too much for my tiny projects though (and small apartment).

Cheap cams here: http://cgi.ebay.com/1-Camalot-Camalots-c...1QQcmdZViewItem http://cgi.ebay.com/Set-of-4-Camalot-Cam...1QQcmdZViewItem Double axle even! :-) But then I still use my Russian cams.

Nice Fenderfour, I've had a pair I brought back myself a couple years ago, I've been using them almost exclusivly since then. You're right, the hook is a thing of beauty and the straps are pretty poor. Russian climbing gear is an interesting beast (and I have a bunch). I still love mine though, haven't really done more than 20 or 30 pitches with mine, but haven't had the problems AlpineDave has, except for bending some of the aid tree rings by bounch testing on them (been doing more butt bounces lately). I did mangle a wiregate biner when jugging cause I clipped it to my cuff and it got caught in the hook somehow. Use solid gate or lockers (better) for that. I'd like to see Fish start making them, but I heard he got stymied by the hook, couldn't find a source for one that was up to par. He just sells the aid trees now. FYI, the Russians don't use aid trees like that, they often swage up a pair from cable, or use a long chain of biners. I've also seen something that looked like an adjustable daisy with a metal ring on one end and a fifi hook on the other that supposedly can be used like an adjustable aider with these. Never seen one actually in use though.

Sounds like fun, I was there doing the same thing a few weeks ago up the the flake anchors, then built a new anchor and did arachnid arch to the anchors you ended at. Hooking is great fun on solo lead isn't it. ;-) Sounds like you had a nice beefy anchor too, I think I just slung a couple good boulders and called it good.

Don't tell me no one is going out there this weekend? C'mon, the weather is gonna be crappy, you're all gonna wish you were sittin on the beach for the few moments the sun is out rather than on some wet slimy choss fest. You know you are. Camp fires and cigars all the way!