Chad_A

If I can't find a partner, I'll just go up and do some snow camping, but if anyone wants to climb, email me, or PM me. Talk to you later!

I, too, was looking at the sabretooths, until I discovered the G14s, and I haven't looked back. They walk pretty good on everything, and I lead my first WI climbs in Utah this year in them, as well; I love gear that is multi-purposed

There was nothing open when I was there; everything covered, but things definitely open up a bit later on. About a month prior to this, and friend of mine and I were going to do Sandy, but he was feeling sick, so he mentioned that I might want to just do the Leuthold by myself. I took a look down, and decided on another time; I could see sagging over the crevasses on the Reid. Right now, you would be in good shape to do it; just watch out for the icefall.

Yeah prolly not, but the open crevasse section would freak me out. Besides, I like climbing with partners. It's much more fun to talk to them, than the voices in my head Once above that area, I imagine you're right, though, I hope to find that out in person this week

Hey, thanks for the compliments! I'm really not all about soloing, but if ya don't have a partner, then it's better than not climbing at all. I think if I do another, I might do the Reid. Hopefully, I'll summit Sandy this week (not-soloing, of course!), and then the only thing left on that side will be Cathedral, and Yocum (yikes!)

Hmmm. Why not be a bit more brash? He's simply asking for opinions on guides. The key word here is GUIDE, which implicates the fact that you'll have to show this "shitbrick newbie" a thing or two, which there's nothing wrong with. Everyone had to start somewhere, even you.

Yes, please post. Potential partners like to know what they're getting into

Well, I can say this much. My achilles tendonitis, and finger tendonitis, have both come from lack of warmup, e.g. doing something difficult too soon, be it climbing, or trail running. I do stretch, but, it seems to have no bearing on the injuries that I've obtained. I think I once saw an article interviewing Joe Weider, and he was quoted as saying something along the lines of, "Does a lion stretch before chasing its prey? No!" On the other hand, I think that strecthing certainly doesn't hurt; just don't do it too extensively with muscles and tendons that are cold

Ok, that's if for now, promise

And another...

Oops...here it is.

Here's another pic that I managed to shrink down to a reasonable size.

Yeah...haha...I liked that too. Nothing like thinking that you're getting a great pic, and then forgetting to look down to what's directly in front of you Oh, well! I did have my Vector on, but it wasn't on a lanyard, it was on my wrist, so the temp wouldn't have been right, anyway. It wasn't godawful cold, but things were frozen solid, and there were, oh, I'd say, 30mph wind gusts. When I was doing a bit more video footage, and a little narration as well, I remember my face was cold and my speech was a little slurred, so it must've been somewhat cold. I'd imagine it was right about freezing up there. Thanks for the compliment on the pic and the time

Here's another pic of the trip.

Climb: Mt. Hood-Leuthold Couloir Date of Climb: 3/22/2004 Trip Report: Well, I finally got pics back, so I thought I'd post a quick TR, especially because I've never done one. Here goes: Couldn't find anyone to go up with, so I figured I'd go solo. Not a soloist by nature, but based on what I know of the route, it's not really worth roping up for, anyway. So, got out of work at 10 pm, went home, and got an hour and a half of sleep. Brewed tea, got in the Jeep, and headed for T-Line. Left the truck, with the pack prepacked from the day before, at about 2:20 am. Started up toward Palmer; brilliantly clear outside, so the snow was really hard, except right at Timberline. I remember the freezing level to be at about 11,000 that night. Anyway, I made it up to the top of Palmer at 3:49; was a bit slick here and there on the way up, where some snowboard tracks had frozen to hard ice. Sorted thing out at the top of Palmer; chatted with a gent by the name of Dave, who was soloing the South side. Threw on a hat, put on the crampons, and ate. Took a bit of video footage with the Handycam, and left at about 4:10 for Illumination, still using the poles. Made it to Illumination at 4:48; dropped the pack, ate something again, took a bit of video footage again, stashed the poles, and grabbed the axe. Threw on the helmet. Left the saddle at 5:00 a.m. Caught up with a team of four heading across the Reid, and chatted with them a bit. Nice folks! Passed them, and headed below, and up around the rock at the beginning of the Couloir. I hugged the right side, staying out of the way of falling ice chips, as much as possible. Did some bobbing and weaving, staying off to the left and right sides, as the better protection from the icefall dictated. Did the same going up and through the hourglass, and after that, mainly stayed closer to Yocum. Stopped and took a pic here and there, looking up and down, and continued up, to get out of the icefall. At the Queens Chair, it was beautiful. Yocum below, and the shadow of Hood over Portland. Nice! Stomach feeling a bit gurgly; realized it was time to eat and drink, and did so. Headed up, did a couple of switchbacks on the face, until I gained the ridge, proper. Found a nice boottrack from there on, but I don't remember seeing where it materialized from. Maybe Castle, or the Reid Headwall? Someone had obviously been up there within the last 24 hours. Stopped to enjoy the exposure of the north side, and the hazy volcanoes off in the distance. Made the summit at 7 a.m. on the nose. Man! Didn't expect that. 4 hours and 40 minutes. Hopefully the pics turn out. Thanks for looking Gear Notes: Just my Grivel G14s, and my Pamir. Approach Notes: High freezing level, but clear skies, =beautiful cramponing on neve and icy snow.

Thanks...please post anything you find out. Thanks

Picked up a pair, barely used for 75 bucks. Fit like a glove! Tried to put my Grivel G14s on them, but they seem like a REALLY big boot; can't get them to fit, just yet. Seem pretty stiff; 3/4 or full shank? If you know please post it, and anything else you know about them. I've tried searching for topics and webpages, but since they're out of production, it's hard to find anything on them.

I have the REI Mistrals, and I love 'em, for the price. I went up Hood with them, and biked in Portland rain in them, in a span of 48 hours...they do soak through in a downpour, but for the $$$, hey.... A pal of mine plugged a pair of pants the MEC in Canada sells, but I can't remember...you might want to check out their website. Hope this helps even a little bit...

Cool; aiding is something that I'd like to get some experience with, for sure. Hey, I'd like to try both the NF and the Sunshine; if you ever need a partner, PM me. I'd like to give 'em both a shot.

I soloed Leuthold this morning. Some wind-created icefall, but other than that, stellar snow conditions. Nice and clear; snow froze up nice and solid. Good cramponing.

...found one. Hope the weather holds!

I'd like to go up and do something on Monday night. Open to ideas; would prefer not the South Side

I have a pal who injured a tendon in his elbow, while bouldering. He's just received his 4th dextrose injection last week, and has a couple to go. He's taking 3 more weeks off of climbing, and then, starting back slowly. We'll see what happens...stay tuned.

haha...yeah, I like that solution. I actually checked out Wenatchee as a potential city to be able to play nearby, AND work in, but man, not to offend...that that town appears beat. I was thinking of relocating in a year or two (after my finances recover from the move from Michigan to here [Portland]) to someplace like Kent, WA, or something like that. I have a pal that lives in Issaquah, but he says it's getting pricey there. Everyone else says to head to Renton, to be able to live. Bellingham would be sweet, as well, but there doesn't seem to be a huge demand for RNs there. We'll see. Hell, anything is better than Michigan, I guess.

Hey, how about this coming Tuesday? Come to think of it, think the freezing level might go up too high, and create some nasty avy conditions after all the snow that we'll be getting. Let me know what you think.