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Everything posted by ilookeddown
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Garth and I try and climb together once a week and he is working on updating his website. I do know it will be a totally new format. Not sure when that will be completed because he runs his own business and that is his priority. A new book is not planned for at least a year or more. There has been a lot of development since the last book came out and there are a few other walls that are in the planning stages. I have offered to assist him in gathering all the new route activity and I am just in the beginning stages. So the first step would be to ask all the route setters to provide accurate information on any new development they would like to make public. After that it would just be a matter of getting out there and photographing the walls, marking the routes on the photos and then confirming that the information is correct before it is put on the new web site. If anyone has any new info or any contact info for persons who have put up any new routes please PM me and I will get you my email address. With all the new routes that have gone in this may take some time to compile. Thanks, Dave
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Check out Bay Area Rock by Jim Thornburg. It's about 10 years old but was helpful on my road trip last year.
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Climbed "As You Like It" and "Macbeth" last week. I didn't know what they were at the time. Both were fun routes but a little dirty. They just need a little more traffic I had never seen the Madrock hangers that were used on "Macbeth". What made you choose them? There is also a very dirty climb on a wall below these routes. It felt like a 5.5-5.6. If anyone climbs it bring a wrench up b/c the right anchor needs to be tightened.
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Alpine: The Tooth(winter) Crag: Mt Garfield ] Skiing: Chair Peak CN Humor/bouldering: Mazama, WA Ice Climbing: NR Mt Baker Scenic: Mt Stuart
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I'll be there. Might go over a day early and try and climb. Look forward to another fun time!
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Thanks for the heads up! It would be nice if other large groups would do the same. I went touring up at Snoqualmie just before 7am today and there were 15 to 20 getting to head out. I speculate the tooth was the destination. There is nothing worse than showing up somewhere and seeing a lineup.
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I would check with the WDSOT before heading into that area this time of year. They are trying to get the highway open and may be doing avalanche control. Let’s not force them to stop their work to avoid injuring anyone.
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[TR] Snoqualmie Pass - Chair and Roosevelt North Slopes 5/1/2011
ilookeddown replied to AlpineK's topic in the *freshiezone*
Nice pictures Kurt. Looks like you got the timing just right given the snow conditions and the warming during the day. -
Trip: Mt Garfield - NW Date: 5/1/2011 Trip Report: Today I skied a chute off the NW side of Mt. Garfield 374 Feet from the summit. My original plan was to ski the NW Face off the summit but it was too late in the day and the slope was spitting snow off as the day warmed. This trip should be done in March rather than May because of snow conditions and accessing the area. I haven’t skied since my friend and ski partner Monika Johnson died on February 1st this year. I was also out skiing solo just two ridges over that day. I normally didn’t have Tuesdays off so we didn’t connect. My TR from that day: TR A couple of years ago Monika and I attempted this route but the bush whacking was so bad we turned around well before we got to any snow. Timing on this one seems to be key to keep the suffering down. Too early and you will be skiing the road for miles and miles. Too late and you get what I got today. I parked my car at the Otter Falls Trail head at an elevation of 1177 ft. I put my boots on my feet and skis on my back and immediately started to bush whack my way up the south side of the Taylor River. It stays relatively flat for the first mile until you cross the second stream. It took me an hour of dealing with downed trees, boulders, slide alder and devils club to get there. I think someone needs to come up with folding skis or I am going to use snow blades mounted with Dynafits on my next attempt. Once I crossed the second creek I started up a rib through some second growth forest so the going wasn’t too bad. After a bit of talus and more slide alder I eventually hit some snow that I could skin on at about 2,200 ft. From there I made my way up to the base of my objective. It was simply too late the try and ascend the slope in the condition it was when I got there. I was bummed after all that work but decided that the chute might grant me access up there. I was able to skin about ½ the chute before booting up. Once at the top I discovered that there was no way I was making the summit today. So I topped out at 5,145ft I snapped a few shots and put my skis on and I realized I haven’t skied anything in 3 months. I got a little nervous but after the first turn I knew all was good and could open it up a bit. The chute skied great because it was shaded but the 2,500 ft below it skied mushy. I made it back to my transition spot in no time and put the skis back on my back and walked out. It took me seven hours car to car. It is a little over 5 miles round trip and just under 4k of elevation. First view of objective On the way up Chute and Face Half way up chute Looking down chute Summit from chute Looking toward Snoqualmie from chute Chute after skied Transition point on the way down Approximate route. I don’t have a GPS but its close
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I haven’t looked around too much but there is a short bolted slab east of Hyak on the Iron Horse trail. There are a few routes but they are very short. They ago at about 5.8. You can also top rope them easily. You park at the Hyak snopark and ride a mountain bike about 2 or 3 mile east and the slab will be just past some rotten cliffs on your right. I also heard of some development near Kendall Peaks Lakes about 5 or 6 years ago but the road is now gated near the freeway. Not sure if anything ever got done up there.
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Is the road to Infinite Bliss clear yet?
ilookeddown replied to Airyourmomma's topic in Rock Climbing Forum
I was up in the area on Saturday and the Middle Fork is open and snow free. I was surprised to see the gate open heading up to Dutch Miller Gap. There were some signs indicating a work party of some sorts doing trail maintenance on the Middle Fork Trail and that might have been the reason it was open. It was locked last fall. -
Trip: Snoqualmie Pass - Wright Mt Date: 2/1/2011 Trip Report: The dog and I left from the upper lot at Aplental heading towards Source Lake with hopes of finding some decent snow somewhere. The basin around Source Lake was destroyed from slide debris and the weekend traffic so we headed to the Chair Peak notch. At the top we encountered 3 other skiers getting ready to head down to Snow Lake under high winds. There were some recent slab slides in the vicinity and the group of 3 released a fairly deep wind slab about half way down the slope. I passed by them at this point and ski cut my way down to the lake and was able to get 2 more to go. The skiing was either ice crust or wind packed powder. I took a break in the sun at the lake and watched the group of 3 make their way down before heading on. My original thought from here was to head up Roosevelt but the west slopes were covered in debris so I decided to head up Wright Mountain and stick to south aspects. Once I made it to Gem Lake I followed a skin track that group from Sunday put up to the summit. Rather than following their ski track back down the ridge I opted to ski the south face. It was a fun, fairly steep but short run back to Gem Lake. From there it was time to head home. I skied down to Snow Lake, across to the west end fighting a cold head wind, up and over the divide, around Source Lake and back to Alpental. The total distance was about 7.5 miles with 4,200 feet in elevation. Overall it was a beautiful day to be out in the mountains. Chaco on Snow Lake Looking down to Snow Lake on the way up Wright Chair Peak, Kaleetan Peak and Mt Roosevelt Chair Peak from the summit of Wright Chaco on Gem Lake The line I skiied on the south face of Wright The Route
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[TR] Grasslawn Park, Redmond, WA - FA -- HandGrenade, M9+ (X) 12/14/2010
ilookeddown replied to PeakChaser's topic in Spray
This deserves a second attempt. I know most have seen it. -
Summit West @ Snoqualmie is offering tele lessons on Wednesday nights. http://www.summitatsnoqualmie.com/Lessons-and-Rentals/Multi-Week It is also a good low angle slope to learn on. I usually tele when I night ski with my son there.
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Just about done here. Now please turn around.
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Packs are tough. I have sent a few to Second Ascent after a few uses. I have found a few that work for me but I don’t snowboard so I can’t recommend anything to you. If I were you I would just take your gear into a local shop and ask them to show you a pack that was compatible with your needs. If they do not help you then move on to a shop that will. I don’t know about snowboarding but with skiing I sure hate it when a pack doesn’t compress the weight close to me. I do recommend using an avalung. Either intergraded into the pack or not. It doesn’t hurt.
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I don’t think most people take saws like in the video. I also never thought of using my saw to assist in constructing a snow cave. Thanks Feck for the video. Looks much easier than the way I have done it in the past. Anyway here is one I use in the BC.
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It’s obvious that we are not going to have a consensus on this subject. I am not in a position to determine the percentage of survivability of any accident. I do however have a responsibility to the people I choose to tour with. So I guess I will continue to carry my long probe and hope I won’t have to use it.
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I was using the irrelevant example in reference the probes breaking in the field. I do not want to speculate whether a probe would have made a difference one way or the other if the victim had an operational transiver at the time of the incident. On the other two examples, I am going to respectfully disagree with your conclusion. Al least until that is conformed after recovery.
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I see your point for shallow burials but it also easier to locate a victim with a transiver. The shallower they are the less you have to take into account the depth of the burial when calculating the distance from the victim. When I took my Avy 2 class we buried a transiver at the bottom of the snowpack. When the (rescuer) tried to locate the (victim) he couldn’t understand why he couldn’t get a reading closer than 9 ft. Great lesson learned there and something I think people in a stressful situation may not account for. I toured through the area where the December 2003 avalanche killed a lady snowshoeing in the Alpental Valley a few months after the incident. The snowpack had settled and there were several broken probes in the area of the search. I did not examine them too close but it looked like the cord failed inside the probes rather than the probe links. I understand it was a huge search effort with lasting multiple days. Here is link. Interesting reading: http://www.nwac.us/media/uploads/documents/accidents/2003_2004/Alpental_Patrol_Accident_Report.pdf There was also the slab slide in December 2007 in the Alpental BC. Who knows how deep one could have been buried in that one. Link: http://www.nwac.us/photos/view/51/ In 2008 I came across a huge slide in the Gold Creek Valley over a month after the slide that I posted here. http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/781489/Alta_Peak_Avalanche_Pictures_t#Post781489 Because of these and other large slides is the reason I go with as longer probe. It doesn’t hurt to carry a few extra ounces if it helps you locate your buddy especially if they were able to employ an avalung.
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This is the way fees are being implemented in many places. Has anyone here who has no vested interest ever been asked to serve on one of these fee committees? Don't expect to be any time soon. If a person wants to be involved they would actively need to look for those opportunities and apply for a position. There is usually a time commitment involved and a term that you would hold the position. This is just one example: http://www.rco.wa.gov/grants/vol_eval_cmte.shtml
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I use the quick draw guide 300 by BD. It is almost 10’ and very easy to deploy. It is also marked every cm so it allows me to measure the depth of the snow pack when digging a pit. In a maritime snow pack it is best to have a longer probe. I don’t think the length of a probe will slow anyone down. Like anything, practicing and being familiar with your gear is what makes all the difference.
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Candle wax also works. I usually use the BD stuff. BD also has a liquid application that you put on your skins and let it dry. It acts as a water repellent. It is also important to put the wax on before your tour. If doesn’t work too well after snow starts to stick. Sticking is caused by the skin fibers being saturated from wet snow then once you get to a powder type snow it will start to stick. It defiantly sucks and it very frustrating. If you do have a sticking problem while on your tour it is best to use the metal edge of the other ski and scrape the snow off the skin. Do not go against the grain. This will also help remove some of the liquid from the skin fibers. You can then try and get as much skin wax on the problem area but you will likely still have some sticking. Older skins will need to be waxed more often than skins out of the box. Link to liquid application: Link
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Well the NW Forest pass is still only $30. The WA State Land Use Permit (w/o fishing license) is $10. A snopark pass is going to run you $80(if you happen to park where there is a groomed trail) unless you have a snowmobile and it is basically free when you pay your registration ($30 or $12 if you have a vintage). I think that is total bull shit! You can register your vehicle and get a pass valid anywhere for less that ½ of a skiier? They groom hundreds of miles of trail for the sleds and basically nothing if you xc ski. It all comes down to our voice in the community and how we are represented. Until then I am going to buy a POS snowmobile from the '70’s off craigslist so I can get a break on my snopark pass.
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The route was originally put in for the climber to rappel off the ledge to their left (on rappel) and down to the chains at the top of a slap near a tree. The route “I wanna go home” ends there. From there you can make it to the ground with a 60. It is not ideal b/c if you are not familiar with the area you would not know there is a rap station there. Anyway, when it was put in we just thought it was the easiest way for climbers to get down. This is explained in the latest X-38 guide book BTW. Sorry I should have chimed in earlier on the subject.