KaskadskyjKozak

But a much, much healthier addiction, my friend!

Were you right across from us?

I took my boys camping last weekend to Lake Cushman. We dayhiked Mt. Ellinor from the upper TH. A couple of pics:

Trip: Kangaroo Temple - North Face Date: 9/4/2010 Trip Report: Gaucho Argentino and I ropegunned two newbies up Kangaroo Temple on Saturady. The route we chose is the very pleasant and easy N. Face route. The trip was almost canceled due to marginal weather forecasts (snow/rain coming in for an extended period of time). But it worked out for us. We met at 6:30 at the hairpin turnout and headed up soon afterwards to the pass. We lost the trail for a bit, but regained it after some bushwhacking. We got to the pass in 1:20 minutes, including a pause to bandage a climber's eye brow. He whacked into the end of a fallen tree aimed at eye-level on the left edge of the climber's trail. In another hour or so we were at the notch roping up. It was cool on the approach and we were in the shade. The winds added some biting wind-chill however and we all had to don a mid layer, shell, and cap under our helmets. View of objective on the way to the notch: Gaucho led the first pitch with his partner, and I followed on their heels. Gaucho then proceeded to try to lead all the rest of the climb in the second pitch and had some heinous rope drag. I started up the 2nd pitch, and set up a belay to get both followers up. We then cleared the rope drag issue, and Gaucho's follower retied into that rope and went up. I led around the exposed corner, and then up the hand crack to a nice tree belay in pitch 3. We then untied and scrambled to the summit. Gaucho leading the first pitch: First two pitches were quite cold and in the shade. The last pitch, scramble, and summit all involved basking in glorious golden rays. View back along Kangaroo Ridge from the summit: The down climb to the rappel anchor had a little bit of spiciness, and the rappels themselves were quite exhilarating. There are two rappel anchors with bolts. The top appears to been reinforced with glue (recently?). The bottom pair of bolts looks very new. First rappel: Second rappel: Hike out was pleasant and cool. We got back to the cars hours before dark. View from notch coming down: Gear Notes: Small alpine rack up to C4 #2.

Trip: Le Petit Chaval - Spontaneity Arête Date: 9/5/2010 Trip Report: After our climb of Kangaroo Temple, Gaucho Argentino and I camped at Lone Fir and considered options for the next day's climb. We were worried about the forecast of snow showers and if that would work with our initial plan to climb SEWS via the SW rib. In the morning the weather looked OK from camp, so we decided to give it a go and climb. En route on the way out we twisted our friend DC's arm to come with. His climbing partner was leaving that morning and he would be going home otherwise. When we got to below the hairpin we noticed fresh snow high on the Liberty Bell Group, and pulled over. Backup plan needed. We opted for Spontaneity Arête - it appeared to be dry and there were less clouds floating that way. View of Liberty Bell Group in the morning: We downclimbed from the road, crossed the stream, and began ascending. The climber's trail was mostly easy to follow. The only exception was where the trail hits a rock wall and appears to go left only to peter out. In actuality you need to scramble up this wall for 20 feet or so. When we got to the top of the second fixed rope over slabs we noticed snowflakes were falling. Well, not snowflakes, but little ice balls, not quite hail, but close. This, coupled with the cold, damped our spirits. We had all frozen our butts off the previous day with cold temps and no precipitation. We discussed bailing. Maybe Mazama would be better? What about Goat Wall/Prime Rib? I suggested we climb to the base of the route so I could at least see what it looked like (I had never been there, but DC had). We went up. OK, time to bail, right? Gaucho Argentino wanted to climb. DC and I wanted to climb... but for it to be fun. This did not seem like fun. And we'd probably bail anyways if the weather got worse. Somebody took their pack off and pulled out a harness. That action was contagious. Soon Gaucho was leading up pitch one. DC followed with pitch 2. DC is happy with our decision as Gaucho starts up pitch one: Then we hit scrambling terrain with some class 4 mixed in. Because we had 3 people and 2 ropes we seemed aversed to packing a rope and just wanted to keep running the crap out on belay. We probably burned some time unnecessarily here. Pitching out some class 4: Now we were at the part of the ridge that got steeper. Gaucho was gung-ho, so we let him block lead the next three or four pitches. The clouds and snow came and went and came and went again. And again. We were alternately encouraged with wonderful sun and beaten to submission with biting cold winds and snow flurries. We all wore a skull-cap under our helmets, a mid layer and shell jacket. Gloves came on for each belay. There was some shivering involved. Sometimes our views were like this: Gaucho leads a finger crack in a corner: Finally we were at the summit, or so Gaucho said. It wasn't. I then scrambled up some class 4 unroped... and saw more climbing. I brought the others up. Gaucho went up 40 feet more. He said there was more scrambling and then "one last pitch". We weren't sure if we believe him now... In any case, we had left the guide book at the base of the route, and it was getting late - about 4:15. Since I have exceeded my quota of epics and night descents this year, I insisted we descend. We had already done more than we thought we were for the day and weather! Gaucho leads the penultimate pitch which we completed: We did around 4 rappels, the final leading into the gully at about the spot where the arete gets steep. We downclimbed the gully about 500 feet and found the trail out. The latter went quickly and unevenfully. We were back at the cars at 7:30 with light beginning to go. Descending the shitty gully: Descending the short rock wall below the first fixed rope: Gear Notes: Warm cap, mid layer, outer shell, gloves.

Careful there, Bill! Left&Co will brand you a racist for comments like that. Oh, wait, I guess they pulled that card out long ago... Much of our aid to Egypt and Israel is part of the deal that came with Carter's "brilliant" peace treaty. It wasn't enough to just stop killing eachother - we need to pay both sides not to do so - in perpetuity.

That's how I always view you.

As I said, let us know when you want your tongue off that pole... There's nothing you say that really matters.

Has nothing to do with "race". As for your insults, FOAD.

Democrats play the race card at every election throwing "goodies" to whatever minority they think they can buy with big-gov't programs catering to said demographic. Simultaneously, libtards attribute racism - in the most broad-brush strokes - their adversaries. Immigration has nothing to do with race, and everything to do with economics.

Who brought up "race" and "racisim" in this thread? The libtard. As usual. Next your mental midget think-alikes will start spouting off on "brown people" and more supposed racism of anyone to the political right of Pol Pot.

race and religion are the bread and butter for left-wing libtard election propaganda

wow

Whether or not Layne wrote the music, he is the voice of AinC. It is pretty clear when Bon Scott stopped. He and Brian Johnson have very different styles, and AC/DC turned much more into straight up hard rock (from a more bluesy background)

so you going to the show? Of course he'll be there, Rob wouldn't miss it for the world, he'll be the one wearing the $60 shirt, drinking $6 and bitching about how things were different way back when in 1980 he graduated from HS and rock had achieved perfection:-) LOL! Alice in Chains in 1980? Dude, you are an out-of-touch old fart!

I thought the OP was asking about how to get from the top of the chimneys down to the snow (top of WS glacier)

When you top the chimneys there is a small step down to the snow (both times I have been there it was in mid-July). This puts you a bit below some nice campsites just below Winnie's Slide.

Lame. Layne is dead. Alice in Chains died with him. But, I guess they ran out of cash, or something. +1

of course

too bad he didn't shoot himself in the nuts

Hopefully one that a drone was flying over

No. V.O.A.

I'm not putting you in control of homeland security. Best option would be drop TTK somewhere deep in Islamofascistan and let him fend for himself there... he'd last a whole 3 nanoseconds.

Apparently, they're so obvious that it's not even necessary to speak of them, much less apply a similar historical analysis to contemporary Islam and its modern political and economic contexts. What a joke. There "it" is... get the T.P. quick!

Speaking of cling-ons, where's Prole?