waterboy

Nice Job. I attempted that route 3 years ago with my partner who has since passed on. We also enjoyed our trip out there Memorial day weekend doing the Forbidden tour. Good to see you guys then and good to see you on GNS a couple of weeks ago. Have a great season.

Hi Chimbo, Yes, We were one of the groups that was bailing on Saturday afternoon due to T-storms. I think we talked to you on your way up. We had a great day in the range. Thanks for the photos.

I did the SW chutes on Adams yesterday. The snow blocks the road with about 3.5 miles of walking, or about 0.5 miles from Morrison Creek Campground. If you're skiing, the direct route down the SW chutes, then down to Morrison Creek CG is excellent and highly advised over walking the road down.

That's cool, We'll be in the Green Tacoma at the TH Saturday night. Might be a zoo but it also might be cool to hang out with anyone who wants to and have a few beers. We just did the forbidden tour last weekend - it was spectacular.

My wife and I are going to crash at the TH Saturday night and do the SW Chutes on Sunday. Perhaps we'll see you up there. Richard Conner

Sorry Goatboy, this is the only other photo of Sharkfin Col that I have, it is looking down the south side from the top. I can tell you that it is super cruiser. We all soloed it. There was a little but of rockfall, but we just moved through it pretty quick. Sincerely, Waterboy

Hayley, Glad you like the Hilleberg. I also have after-market carbon fiber poles which shave another 8 ounces off the weight. And then the real fun begins when you have great weather forecasts and can leave the rain fly behind and are left with a 2-person tent that's a little over a pound!

Trip: The Forbidden Tour plus Primus peak - Date: 5/22/2009 Trip Report: On Friday, May 22 Oyvind, Joe, Tobae and I (Richard) did the Forbidden Tour. We arrived Thursday night at the gate on the Cascade River Road at the Eldorado TH. We woke up the next morning, departing at 4:30 am to hike the 2.7 miles up to the Midas Creek Trailhead. Here is why the road was gated: After Joe and Oyvind kicking great steps, we soon found ourselves on the Quien Sabe Glacier: Views of Johanneserg with Tobae skinning: We soon arrived at the Sharkin col, which Oyvind led (AI2): Then we rapped down to the Boston Glacier. Joe rapping: Skiing down the Boston Glacier was fun: Oyvind working on the canvas of the great Boston Glacier: We traversed the Boston up to the Col on the North Ridge of Forbidden. At the top of the col, Joe and Oyvind put in the route again: Once on the Forbidden Glacier, the corn was outstanding: We skiied 3300' down to Moraine Lake: Once at Moraine Lake, we took a little break, then crossed the lake, and worked our way up past the inspiration icefall and onto the Inspiration Glacier. This made for a first day of almost 16hrs and almost 9,000' vertical gain: Camp was great: The next morning we slept in. When we awoke, Joe and Oyvind decided to go tag Primus peak, while Tobae and I went for Eldorado Peak. Richard at camp with Eldorado peak in the background: Skinning up to Eldorado peak was quick. We stashed our camping gear at the base of the east ridge, where we were to meet Oyvind and Joe on their return from Primus. We stashed our skis at the knife ridge, and tagged the summit. Richard on the Summit: Richard descending: Joe and Oyvind are animals. They not only tagged Primus, but Tepeh towers as well. We monitored their progress from the summit of Eldorado. They arrived back at the base of the West Ridge of Eldorado about 2pm: We skiied down the Eldorado Glacier, the snow was getting softer, with many wet slides. (We cut the slides on the ridge above Roush basin that Hayley shows in her TR). There were countless people coming up Roush basin on Saturday. We were able to ski down to about 4,500', then not-so-fun ambling down the Boulder field with ski boots, and then 2,000' of thigh-burning goodness down to the Eldorado TH. We were back at the cars at 5pm. It was a great tour with great snow on a perfect weekend with perfect partners. Joe and Oyvind are animals - they hit 8 glaciers in 2 days. Gear Notes: Skis, Rope for rappell, Crampons for climb up Sharkfin Col, Axe. Approach Notes: Road is gated at Eldorado TH.

Good Job Hayley. I was with that group of skiers you talked to on the way down. (The others in the group were Oyvind and Joe). We were just coming down from the Forbidden tour on Friday/Saturday. I hope to file a TR soon. How do you like your Hilleberg? I had mine with me on the trip, too. Anyway, good job.

I did that tour today. It was in good condition. Should be better tomorrow. Photos here: http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/album.php?aid=23583&id=1070081668&ref=nf

Hello, Can you please help by writing an e-mail to the US Forest Service and ask them to reconsider not opening the Glacier Creek Road (#37)until the fall? This road provides access to the Coleman Glacier Climbing route, the North Ridge route, and ice cragging on the lower Coleman glacier. Given the facts that: 1) The Federal Governement is almost literally begging to give away tax dollars as part of the stimulus package, and... 2) The Road accesses the #1 glacier climbing destination in North America. I don't know how this got missed, but clearly climbers are not being represented as a user group. The e-mail should be addressed to Jim Mitchell: jbmitchell@fs.fed.us and Jon Vanderheyden: jvanderheyden@fs.fed.us Phone number for the Sedro-Wooley ranger station is: (360) 856-5700, ext 0. I apologize but I don't know who the appropriate congressional representative would be. So if I'm going about this wrong, I'm open to other suggestions. If there is a coordinated interest group already going, I'm happy to get on board. I would think that guide companies have some revenue at stake, as well. Thank you.

Thanks for the TR - I did that climb a couple of weeks ago while in Chamonix. The Cosmiques is definitely a classic that lived up to everything I hoped it would be. On the tram ride up I ran into Colin Haley - got to talk with him for a bit. While in Cham we also got the chance to ski the Vallee Blanche a few times, and to climb the Goulotte Chere (twice!) Chere was defintely in, but at a "D" rating I thought the ratings were very easy compared to the North Cascades. Glad you had a good trip!

Hello, We are heading to Chamonix for a climbing trip April 10-18. Does anyone have any recommendations for hotels that are good for climbing trips?

Hi Paul, Thank you for the reference. Jim did a fine job on sharpening 3 of my screws - and I got them back 4 days after I sent them.

Hi There DH! To answer your question: yes, I think what you're missing is that this photo is one of the upper pitches, which Shannon called AI2. Having been up there myself, I would concur. Although you can see footprints in that photo, there were definitely sections even on the upper pitches that only took frontpoints and picks - thus, AI2. Hope that helps and thanks for the question!

Tim, I'm going to be in Chamonix April 12-18. I will have my skis and climbing gear, although probably won't have enough time for the Haute route. I would be up for climbing something in the Mont Blanc range. I already have a partner lined up for the Goullette Chere, but I might also be interested in planning something on the Cosmiques ridge or something like that. Does anyone have any good hotel recommendations for climbers in Chamonix?

Best wishes for a speed recovery, Anon. And thank you for posting your experience. With much respect-

Hi Shannon, As always, great to climb with you. That was a superb lead on the first pitch. Here are a few more photos: Shannon at the start of the climb Shannon at the top of the first pitch: Shannon on the traverse - nevermind that suspect tree that I slung: Shannon on the summit:

Hi Bob, Can you forward me Jim's e-mail address? Thanks!

Hi Layback, Good to see you up there last weekend. Thanks for the picture of Leigh. As mentioned by Alex, here is a photo of the top tier of Rambles Center, which we were climbing when you took those photos down below. We spent all day Sunday and Monday at Oregon Jack - it was spectacular.

Thanks Brad! I actually broke it yesterday in Canada (up in Marble Canyon), so that is fitting. I can arrange it with MEC. I love Canada.

Hello, Does anyone have any recommendation on where to find replacement picks for the Grivel Alp wing? I know Grivel North America packed up shop back in September, but wondering if there are any replacement picks still in North America?

Yes it was a fun climb. Winnie's slide was not so bad once you're on it and then it looked really easy as that older Swedish gentleman did a standing glissade the entire way down!

Yes I was up there last Sunday - Skiied the Easton with my wife and my dog. Very straigtforward - you should be able to drive to the TH now. There is the standard bootpath all the way up - firm snow - no bridges - doesn't get any easier. Have fun!

Hi Matt, Kudos to you for leading this effort. Very much appreciated. Honest question though - Where is the forest service in all of this? I mean, I can understand work parties for trails. But for forest service roads, isn't that the forest service' responsibility? The good thing is we have taxation WITH representation, so a lot of times the "squeaky wheel" principle works well. I remember when we put pressure on them in '05 when that road was closed. After many letters (I wrote one of them), they eventually opened up the road. In fact, do work parties on forest service roads set an undesireable precedent? Interested in your perspective. Thanks Matt.