KaskadskyjKozak

wow. just wow

Yes indeed. this one made me feel old. Carryovers are starting to hurt.

Rad, we did indeed stop at the N Fork camp on the 20th. I think it was around 1 pm or so. We dropped down, hung a bag with our last day's food, and headed out in about 15 min. you are spot on about the timing and this is why I have been thwarted. I always tried for the 3rd weekend of July and often there are thunderstorms forecast about that time to add to the scheduling shenanigans. It is a committing route and I would hate to be exposed on that ridge through a storm

There were 4 of us, and a party of two ahead. Once on the Buttress us 4 operated as two parties since one guy had to be out in 3 days.

Trip: Goode - NE Buttress Trip Date: 07/22/2018 Trip Report: I've had this route on the calendar every July since 2012 and every year something has thwarted me (partners dropping, rain or thunderstorms in the forecast, etc). Last year was the only year I actually had boots on the trail and we ended up with a late start and making a route-finding mistake after crossing the N Fork of Bridge Creek that cost us the climb. This year the stars finally fucking all aligned and it was glorious! The view of the final approach after crossing the knee-deep N Fork of Bridge Creek. Follow talus between the lower slide alder up to the waterfall on the left, climb slabs to its right, then ascend talus through "magic tunnels" and onto open terrain. We bivied at 5600', just below the glacier. Last year we neglected to check out these slabs next to the left-most waterfall until it was too late. This year we went right to them. The slabs are exposed and a bit butt-puckering with full packs, but not enough to motivate us to get out a rope or give us pause about this endeavor. Opportunities like this (4 days of clear weather, motivated partners, time off work) are not so easy to come by in mid-to-late July, and I am not getting any younger. Ascending the Goode Glacier in the morning. It was broken up and we had to navigate crevasses and seracs. Nothing too serious. We all wore approach shoes, which worked well enough with crampons (I had my Grivel G1's that I got via a gift certificate from cc.com a few years ago, purchased at Jim Nelson's store). From TRs we knew that the higher up you gain the buttress, the less pitches of loose shittiness you must climb. Lower down you might get up to three pitches and up high as few as one. We opted to try for a snow bridge up high and found this one at about 6800'. It involved one face in move with a low step to block of ice. It might not go now, but there appeared to be a few other place to gain the rock below this that might last longer. We did one pitch of low-mid-fifth class rock then simulclimbed until about 8000'. I think we had a total of 3 simul-leads, with transitions only due to rope drag. I did not place much pro on these. When the buttress steepened we pitched 4 or so pitches and got to the bivy alcove at 8600'. From there 3 pitches to the ridge crest. It was lat-ish (6:30 pm) and 4 people were ahead of us and going for the summit. Figuring they would all bivy on the limited space there and seeing a nice snow patch at 8900' right next to a small bivy site we stopped, made dinner, drank water, drank whisky, and enjoyed a spectacular sunset: In the morning we waited for one of the parties to rappel. We saw them around 6 am. They said the other party was still hanging out so we headed up. After two pitches we were on the summit. We stayed on the summit for well over an hour, savoring the views. Having had been on the S side two years ago to climb Storm King, I knew we had a long day ahead. We started down. Truth be told the SW couloir and the trail down to the Park Creek trail was unsavory, and we got several blisters in our approach shoes. There is a nice spot to camp at about 7200'. Having been here before, we headed for it and looked for a stream out of the snow pack. We took a long break here to get water and savor views one last time. The views of Sinister and Dome, the rest of the Ptarmigan Traverse and Buckner are spectacular. From here it took us 3 hours to get to the "nice" trail. The length of the day and this trip with full packs was starting to take its toll. A few hours on the 4 miles to the base of this trail, then a connector (2.5 miles?) to the PCT, and about 3 more to the N Fork Camp where we had stashed food and a fuel cannister. We arrived at camp at 9:40 pm. I have never enjoyed a Mountain House more. Sadly, I had no whisky left. In the morning of the fourth day, we hiked out the last 10 miles, where beer awaited in the truck. Gear Notes: Ice axe, crampons, appoach shoes, helmet, small alpine rack with several double slings Approach Notes: Long, brutal

Exactly. Simply walking through the park with a heavy pack is not a crime or violation of anything. If you are actually camping and have no permit, different story.

if they were more friendly "hi, what did you climb? how was it?", etc... " followed by "did you overnight? do you have a permit". A small simple change is all it would take...

Legally do we need to even stop and talk to a ranger? does anyone know? What information do they have a right to demand, if I am just hiking a trail? I get it - if I am camping somewhere, they can ask for a permit. But if I am just walking... no matter how heavy my pack. ...

Last year as I came off of Formidable, here was my special interaction with an NCNP NPS Ranger. I was hiking out after three days and had my headphones on, rocking out: Ranger: nods or gestures at me. Me: I nod/wave back Ranger: gets angry says something Me: I turn of headphones and stop Ranger: "Take your headphones off!" Me: " they aren't on" Ranger: "where are you coming from?" Me: "Formidable" Ranger : "Where is your permit?" Me: "I don't need one" Ranger: "Yes you do" (spoken angrily, ready for a conflict) Me: "I'm sure it's not in the park" Ranger: realizing his mistake, probably thought I said "Forbidden", suddenly tries to switch to small talk "oh, how was it? where did you camp" Me: "Conditions were great. Cache col was easily passable as were the Red Ledges. We camped past Arts Knoll" Ranger: clearly didn't know these places, nods like a retard. Bottom line: I am immediately a "suspect" to be questioned and accused of wrong doing. I am never given any benefit of the doubt, am treated rudely, and then when the Ranger realizes he is in the wrong - no apologies, nothing. The NPS has gone down the toilet as far as I am concerned and this is only one of many incidents I or others I know have had. The park is everyone's. It's partially mine too. I'm not a guest or an interloper. I pay taxes to preserve the lands and use them. I pay for this guy's salary. It's time the NPS get an attitude adjustment.

It is so American to overreact inappropriately and at an exagerrated level. One rare outlier (one ranger shot at one park once in how many years?) should not mean you change the entire way parks are staffed and rangers trained. NPS rangers should call the real police in when actually needed in rare cases that they are - that's a better solution.

It was cool to run into you Fred (we gave you the ride to your car). We got skunked by shitty weather and bailed, unfortunately

It' great that they are funded to do this but can't open the damn gate at Longmire in the Winter months earlier than 9 am - especially on a bluebird day days after any new snowfall

on my tick list maybe I'll do it C2C too

I've been meaning to get to the Olympics more - love the area for sure. There are a few great scrambles on my radar screen (Constance, Clark, Anderson...) But it's extra special to tick off a rock climb like this.

Trip: Sherpa Peak - West Ridge Trip Date: 06/24/2018 Trip Report: Almost nine years ago I climbed this route. However I found it unsatisfying for a few reasons: we struggled with routefinding, I did not actually stand on the summit, forgoing the latter half of the final exposed scramble to the summit, and we got back to the car at midnight despite starting early in the morning. I had unfinished business here, and it's finally been attended. Moreover, two of three of my previous experience's downsides were remedied this time around. We started up the trail at 9 am on Saturday. There were no real difficulties in the approach, and we took 7 hours to get to the camp at 7400'. I was quite pleased with this time which was faster than before, and considering my advanced years and being at death's door. Here we ran into a party of two that I actually knew and we coordinated our start times. Later we observed a party of three coming down from the top of the Sherpa Glacier. One member of that party was clearly fatigued and not doing well on descent. They approached our camp near 8 pm and bivied close by. We chatted with them: they also planned to summit the W ridge of Sherpa. We told them our plans to head up around 4 am. I heard them leaving the next day at 3:15 am - and we never really overlapped or had trouble. Thanks to whomever that party was! We got up at 4 am and headed up. We managed to stay on route the whole way up and everything went smoothly. The coordination with the other party made us effectively 3 teams of 2, and we shared a fixed line on the top and rappels all the way down to camp. All in all it was an 11 hour day camp to summit to camp. Unfortunately one party member struggled on the offtrail parts of the descent and it took us 7 more hours to hike out, and we arrived at the cars (and beer) and midnight. Well 2/3 ain't bad, and I'm calling this MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. It is worth noting that while rappeling (around 2:30 pm or so in the afternoon) we noted a helicopter circling the false summit of Mount Stuart. Apparently there was a fatal accident there. That was a bit of a downer. Other than that the trip was quite enjoyable. Now, pics. Mount Stuart money shot from Longs Pass: Climber's trail turnoff at Beverly junction: Water break on the traverse into the lower basin at 5800': Sherpa from the lower basin: The prominent waterfall below the upper basin: Perspective on the sweat equity we built on this approach: Cozy campsite on the flat rock: Full front views of the false summit of Stuart were in our face all day: Sherpa's impressive SW face: Old Geezer on the summit: Gear Notes: Small alpine rack, ice axe, crampons Approach Notes: Standard Cascades Approach

Yeah, the summit pitch is definitely high-pucker factor. Such a fun climb!

Trip: Cruiser - S Corner Trip Date: 06/16/2018 Trip Report: Nearly nine years ago, in early August, I attempted this route and turned around on the summit of Beta. I've been overdue for a rematch. Just to make things interesting (well, I needed to be in town for Father's Day), I decided to do the climb C2C. We car camped near some side trailhead a mile or two shy of Staircase, and headed up at 5 am on Saturday. 20 hours later we were back at the car, happy, successful, and rehydrating with the beverage that proves God exists and loves us. Now for some pics to fill in details. See attachments. Continuous, firm snow from near Gladys Pass to Needle Pass View up from Needle Pass. The lower parts are unsavory, loose, exposed class 3. It gets better higher up. Better scrambling. This is more fun! Looking down the gully from the summit of Beta: Cruiser! Some minor shenanigans negotiating the moat. We solo'd the gully up to just below the chockstone, stashed our packs and did a short (silly) lead through the cannonhole. Ledge above the chockstone Summit block (taken on descent). There is one shiny bolt and an anchor with two more. I placed a few cams and a nut. Exposure on the summit is non-trivial: Summit P0rn: Gear Notes: Ice axe, crampons, helmet, small alpine rack Approach Notes: no snow until ha lfway from Flapjack lakes to Gladys Pass, then mostly snow until Needle Pass. From there, a moat or two to contend with but otherwise dry

I got a magazine today too!

Minx is back. Be afraid, very afraid sorry to hear about the injuries... if you ever are in the area, hit me up. I have a new puppy - she can't do mailbox for quite some time but i'll be getting her on easier stuff

Meshuggah are playing at the Showbox on 1/24. See you all there?

no chestbeating. I'm a humble wanna-be climber, weekend warrior. I do enjoy writing narratives for trips and am proud of a few. i'm confident you guys will improve/restore a lot of the indexing and search capabilities. The new site really is a beauty to behold

somehow death eludes you

I did meet Ivan. that was cool. the fucker was drinking vodka out of a flask at the top of the Palmer. true to form