bonathanjarrett

You are correct that it is avi debris with broken trees that is scattered fifty yards or more out onto the lake. There was actually a second one as well that is not in the picture.

Yup.

Trip: Triple Couloirs - Dragontail Date: 5/27/2012 Trip Report: Climbed Triple Couloir on Saturday. We found the route in pretty excellent shape for the end of May. The couloirs were superb snice bottom to top allowing us to solo all but two sections in just 3.5 hours. I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking. Route overview: Close up of Runnels: Looking down the first couloir: Runnels from below. Call them in. Call them out. Call them what you will: Option #2 Gulley: Looking back at the 5.8 traverse which was spicy fun: Slab from 2nd to 3rd Couloir: Midway up the 3rd Couloir: Gear Notes: 60 meter rope 1-10 nuts 6 cams from .25"-2.5" 1 knifeblade/1 bugaboo Approach Notes: We were able to go car to car in under 10 hours due to snow free trail, great conditions on route, and firm snow for the descent off the backside.

I climbed TC on Saturday (will post a TR soon, although I ran my camera through the wash so pictures may be not in the cards). We found excellent conditions in the couloirs. The runnels were "in"ish although thin and appearing snicey, but we didn't take that section instead choosing the first bypass. If I get my memory card to work, I will throw up some pictures. I took at least one from the base of the runnels as well as one from across the lake.

Thanks

By any chance did you get a photo of conditions on Dragontail?

BTW I think that I (and my two climbing partners) bumped into you last Saturday on the trail to Colchuck Lake. We both turned around due to the snow conditions as reported by the solo skier. Jonathan

Sent you an email Jonathan

http://cascadedesigns.com/msr/tents/essential-series/twin-sisters/product The MSR version has a built in skirt which is very effective at keeping the bugs out as well as spindrift. If you sew tabs on it, it is also compatible with the BD floor for the Betamid. In a pinch you can get three people inside. For two it is cavernous and with room to stash packs between your feet and the door.

http://c535846.r46.cf2.rackcdn.com/anam_2007.pdf The Accidents in North American summation provides some interesting reading. For example there were fewer accidents in Alaska than Washington in the last 65 years but those involved were more likely to be killed. Under "Contributory Causes" climbing unroped and exceeding abilities ranked highest followed by inadequate protection placed. This leads me to think about the hubris that most climbers are guilty of at some time or another such as thinking that we have the situation under control when in reality we are walking a razor's edge.

http://endurancescholarship.blogspot.com/'>http://endurancescholarship.blogspot.com/ I am the first to admit that it may seem strange to post this on cascadeclimbers as it is only marginally relevant to climbing. However I want to advertise a scholarship that I created last year. The mission of the scholarship is as follows: “The Endurance Scholarship will be awarded to a senior at North Marion High School who has demonstrated the ability to successfully overcome longstanding obstacles to their education and who will be pursuing post-secondary education. The funds for the scholarship will be raised by asking individuals to make per mile pledges based on the number of miles I complete of the Capital Peak Ultra-Marathon in April of 2012.” A further explanation can be read here. www.endurancescholarship.blogspot.com/p/scholarship.html I am a teacher at a small public school and every year I see talented and motivated kids defer college because of the cost. For many, even community college is a financial stretch. Last year, through this scholarship, I was able to raise $3,000 to help one determined young man move forward with his post-high school education. The funds came from dozens of donors who made pledges of a dollar a mile (the ultra is 50 miles). He is now halfway through the first year of college and is doing exceptionally well. So why post this on cascadeclimbers? I know that climbers, particularly mountaineers and alpinists, understand the concept of perseverance and endurance. They know what it means to suffer to achieve a goal; they know the importance of planning and preparation; they know how failure informs and does not deter. The same values that climbers espouse are embodied in the heart and soul of this scholarship. I am not asking for a handout. Instead I ask that people like you, who have such a perspective on the world, make a pledge. I will not ask for anyone to make good on their pledge until I have completed the race. I hope that some of you will consider pledging to support me. http://www.endurancescholarship.blogspot.com/p/how-to-pledge-or-donate.html For more information please check out my blog which further explains the scholarship and my journey. http://endurancescholarship.blogspot.com/ Thank you for your support. Jonathan Barrett

Perhaps my TR is not entirely clear. I am aware that the main center flow was climbed by Spinion and many others. I climbed it last year as well. The other line is something entirely different. It cannot be seen clearly from the creek or the at all from the top of the first pitch. You need to climb about 30 meters right up a gully that is invisible from the base but obvious from the first belay to see the line that I am talking about. I don't recall it even being visible from the second/third pitch of the center flow either. If you look at the original TR report it is the dotted line that trends right from the center flow. I mention all of this only because I have yet to seen a report on it and would be curious if anyone has actually been on the line. As for the left slab flow, it looked ok but somewhat thin. The photo I used for the TR is the one that Spinion posted and does not reflect conditions when we climbed. It was more melted out for us.

Trip: Denman - Various Lines Date: 12/19/2011 Trip Report: Yesterday AY, AB, and I climbed a couple lines on Denman. We did both pitches of the middle flow and found the climbing generally good. At the top of the first belay there is a gully that trends up to the right. While my partners rapped down from the top pitch, I jogged up to check out any potential and found a nice 25m line up a corner to the trees. AB styled it and found the climbing to generally WI3 with a "sporting" top out on thin ice and some moss sticks. There were no slings around the trees at the top, but I hesitate to claim a first ascent as some old codger probably did it in hobnail boots back in '55. We then rapped to the ground and climbed line between the marked left and middle lines. The bottom was ho hum, both the second pitch led into an excellent little squeeze slot before topping out in a mixed, thin ice, snicy, mossy finish. We found rap slings at the top of pitch one but not at the top of pitch two. Probably also WI3ish. Conditions are still good so go get some. Gear Notes: Screws in the 13-16cm range. Doubles for the raps. Small cams (metolius grey-yellow) useful but not necessary Flotation a nice addition but there is a good boot track already in Approach Notes: Follow the yellow brick road.

Thanks for the clear approach descriptions!

Forgive the question, but I am not sure I understand where the Phantom Slide is relative to the upper parking lot. I have read some conflicting descriptions: some saying it is right out of the lot while others saying to hike a half mile up the trail before cutting up hill. Can anyone help an Oregonian out?

We met two nice guys at the bivy at the base who had planned on climbing the same day we were, but they scrapped the plan for personal reasons and hiked out Sunday. They generously gave us a couple of photos with route overlays to use (that I had been too lazy to print out at home). Surprisingly we saw no one on the route, except a party of three who approached via the Stuart Glacier around 11AM to climb the top half. We saw them approaching while preparing to climb the gendarme. I suspect that they bivied on the route as we never saw them again. Perhaps folks were thinking that it would be too hot. We actually found that 2/3rds the time we were in the shade and the actual temps were quite perfect for climbing. Thanks for the kudos, Ed. This was my capstone climb for the season, as real life and work have taken back over. A stellar way to finish the summer climbing season for sure!

Trip: Mt Stuart - Complete North Ridge Date: 9/5/2011 Trip Report: AB and I climbed the CNR of Stuart over Labor Day weekend, hiking from Ingalls Lake and bivying at the base on Saturday. We had few difficulties on the route-plenty of beta out there-except after the third pitch on the gendarme to access the 5.8 pitch described by Nelson where we weren't sure whether to step across or rap into the gulley, having not read much about either option. We chose to rap into the gulley, which besides being loose, was a good choice. All in all we pitched out the first three pitches(running two and three together), the three on the gendarme, and one more out of the gulley. Toe to summit was about 8.5 hours. The last time I did the route, my partner and I accidentally descended Ulrich's Couloir because we did not traverse east enough. This time we followed the beta and were nicely deposited in the Cascadian Couloir. The upper snowfield had a deceptively soft few inches of slush over fairly firm snice. A glissade would have been imprudent, so we gingerly downclimbed (ice ax but no crampons) to the rocks and scree below. For all you whiners who think the Cascadian is a bad descent, try Ulrich's instead .From there it was the slog back to the car over Long's Pass. Now...what you all came to see: Starting up pitch 2-3 On the upper ridge Pitch 1 of the Gendarme Gear Notes: Ice ax (I'm calling necessary) but no crampons (I'm calling unnecessary) Standard CNR Stuart rack (gear to 3.5" with doubles in the tips to thin hands range) Bivy Gear Capacity to carry three quarts each on route, but we found water right at the bivy site and from a snow patch at the summit Approach Notes: Some snow to Goat Pass which was unavoidable and quite firm. The traverse/descent down to the base of the ridge also "required" traversing some firm snow. I put that in quotes, because in theory you could go around it. However to do so would have been an inordinate amount of work and not worth it. It was about 4.5 hours to get to the base of the route.

"Anyone that tells that the failure of current production gear is the fault of your climbing style, boot sole rigidity, or climbing ability is simply ignoring the real issue. The real issue is more likely the following, poor quality materials, lack of quality control and or bad design work by the manufacture." I had this experience about 8 years ago when a toe bail on a pair of crampons broke while leading an ice climb. When I called up customer service, their first question was concerning what I was doing to *abuse* the crampon. The rep that I spoke to refused to acknowledge that the failure was even possibly the fault of the company. (And yes, I understand that the rep would not have exposed the company to liability by making a statement of culpability on the phone.) In his eyes, it could only have been my responsibility or fault for the failure. They almost refused to take them back as a warranty issue. Only after I impressed upon them that my safety was greatly compromised by this equipment failure did they take the crampon back. This left me with a deeply soured impression of the company as a whole. My point is that I believe that it is absolutely crucial that companies which produce climbing gear be entirely forthright regarding their knowledge of their gear, its limitations, and their responsibilities regarding its manufacture and marketing. Thanks, Dane, for offering your perspective on the issue. Jonathan

Rapping off Goode on Sunday, we found these two ropes hanging from the second rap station down from the summit. The party had gone into the wrong gulley, the ropes had maybe gotten stuck, and were cut? I'd love to hear the story. I suppose if you want them back, I'd send them to you also. There is only 25ish of the 60 meters left. Inquiring minds want to know

Salt replacement tabs such as Succeed have been a huge benefit for me on my super long (25+mile) trail runs. They help prevent cramping (in my case it was legs, hips, knees, and back), aid in keeping my stomach settled so I could eat more, etc. I can't swear by how they will help in endurance climbing efforts, but there are minimal side effects that would dissuade one from trying them out. Too many tabs can cause bloating/weight retention, but that is about it. On hot days, I will take one every hour. Moderate temps, maybe one every two hours. Gatorade and other electrolyte replacement drinks just weren't enough. Plus the effect of taking one when you are already crampy is pretty quick and drastic.

Just put my Eldorado on the scale in the bag with cords to tie it down... 4lbs 1oz Jonathan

Trip: Redoubt-Spickard - Date: 8/2/2011 Trip Report: JT and I went up to climb the Redoubt and Spickard Thursday of last week. Crossing into Canada was hampered by mentioning that we had only met "two weeks ago on the internet" and in person four hours ago. Flagged, we were sent inside for another questioning. The approach up Depot Creek took longer than expected as the section before the waterfall was pretty overgrown and we lost the trail temporarily. Above the falls, we again screwed around a bit trying to figure out where the trail went. Eventually we discovered that we need to stay right up between the creek and the scree slope/slide alder...no higher. The next morning we headed up despite a lower cloud ceiling and eventually made our way, through the notch onto the south side. . We summited in the clouds but were treated to some fleeting views of the surrouding peaks. For those interested, this is what the North Face of Bear looks like right now. We descended back to camp and moved to the col between Custer and Spickard with the intention of climbing Spickard and then doing the Custer-Rahm Traverse. Overnight, one of my insoles disappeared, so we abandoned the the second half of the plan and climbed the Silver Glacier, past the bergschrund (no problems), and onto the ridge about 200' below the summit. 3rd+ish class climbing brought us to the summit. After basking in the sun (far better weather and views than the previous day), we descended and busted back out to the car and on to Seattle.(Mox) Great climb with a great partner\ Gear Notes: Two pickets: used for protecting the traverse over the berschrund to the ridge on Spickard. Selection of nuts: never used Some tat: never used as all rap stations are in good order Approach Notes: -The road along Chilliwack Lake is VERY potholed. Don't expected to go more than 10mph -We parked about a mile from the washout. My Outback probably could have made it with a couple of moved rocks, but the paint job would have suffered. -The trail is generally in good shape. If you think you are going the wrong way, you probably are. The only problem was approaching the base of the falls. A downed tree and overgrown brush caused us to doubt the direction of the trail, but the clues were all there, including an arrow chainsawed into a log where you ascend a short section of stream bed.

David, I shot you an email. Jonathan

PM Sent

Their website is: http://home.pacifier.com/~mapman/ but is it seriously old skool. I think I remember reading on their door that their hours are basically 9-5 mon-fri although I could be wrong. Phone: 360-695-7897 The storefront is in their house, but I am willing to bet that they would mail anything to you that you wanted or order in anything as well. Jonathan