snowball

Looking to join a team to tick off Libridge this year... I almost climbed it a few yrs back. I have climbed rainier like 5 times (DC/Kautz/Emmons) and have attempted winter climbs of it (Gib Chute). Very safety minded and have great crevasse rescue skills. I can lead easy ice. I climb / backcountry ski/ rock climb mostly in the sierra. Have climbed mt baker and mt blanc. See my profile. I have climbed with some guys on this board too. Been climbing since 2001. Ideally we could shoot for a date in late April or early May then i could go up to seattle for a week to do it. Maybe we could do a conditioner hike up the Muir snowfield to get acquainted??? cheers david click here for some of my climbing pics

SOLD DMM HARNESS. climbing shoes still available at lower price.

cleaning out the garage.... SOLD DMM Maverick Harness size large for 34"+ waist (used one day only in Utah, just too big for me). Hard-to-find and made in Wales UK (not China like other brands) so you know this gear is made by climbers for climbers. $60 shipped. retail $115. imported not available in USA. Five Ten Copperhead climbing shoes size 11.5 (tad too small for me). $50 shipped. open to offers. see link for photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/joshuatreerunner/ForSale#

Sweet. Congrats. The chute is on my list.

jacket now sold. 5.10 climbing shoes... sale pending. garmont boots still available. also just added another pair of boots.

Both ropes sold. Mythos shoes sold. Jacket pending sale.

I just added another rope and PHOTOS!!!

Hi you guys... I have a bunch of gear that has barely been used but i gotta sell it all. Post office or bank money orders please. Garmont Epic Plus GTX boots mens size 12.5 EUR 47.5 Red. Great boots but too small. Used them once to climb Mont Blanc. $120+$15 shipping in US Garmont Epic Plus GTX boots S-O-L-D! La Sportiva Mythos climbing shoes mens size 10.5 EUR 43.5 Tan color. Never used outdoors. Briefly used in the gym. $50+$9 shipping in US http://www.sportiva.com/products/prod/230 P-E-N-D-I-N-G S-A-L-E! FiveTen VMile Climbing shoes mens size 12.5 EUR 46.5 Grey/White. BRAND NEW in box. Didnt fit me. $50+$9 shipping in US http://www.rockandice.com/inthemag.php?id=23&type=fieldtested P-E-N-D-I-N-G S-A-L-E! Marmot Liquid Steel Shell Jacket Mens XL Orange/Grey. Bomber shell jacket! Was always too big for me. Impossible to find now. $85+$9 shipping http://www.reecedesigninc.com/img/work/4mlsreview1.jpg S-O-L-D! Mammut 7.5mm Twilight Twin Rope 60 meters Used once in Indian Creek otherwise totally fresh! $95+$15 shipping in US Mammut 7.5mm Twilight Twin Rope 60 meters S-O-L-D! Beal (i think, i forgot) 7.8mm Twin Rope 60 meters Neon yellow. Used once in Indian Creek otherwise totally fresh! $95+$15 shipping in US JUST ADDED: The North Face CHILKATS snow boots. Waterproof, black, mens size 13, Primaloft Insulation, barely used. $45+$9 shipping http://www.thenorthface.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=38556&storeId=207&catalogId=10201&langId=-1&from=subCat&parent_category_rn=11706&variationId=E23# * ************** SEE PHOTOS HERE: http://picasaweb.google.com/joshuatreerunner/GearForSale# * ************** cheers David Valdes (i will be back in the PNW this feb to give rainier another winter shot!)

Trip: 3 Days at Muir - Date: 2/24/2008 Trip Report: Sun (24): Weather was cloudy in the morning (thru 9am), then blue skies (10am-3pm), then (4pm-on) low-cloud layer formed 7000-9000ft everywhere(4pm-) but sky was clear above 9000ft . In general, above 9000ft, the it was clear bluw skies and starry night. Could clearly see the summit. Got a hook-up climbing permit at longmire station and hiked up to muir with 3 or 4 days of provisions... hoping to meet another climber interested in climbing to the top. Met a climber from my last winter attempt in 2005 in the parking lot. He had just come down that morning from muir in blowing snow/white-out. I saw a trend forming.... Met some other climbers in the parking lot too. They were in the early morning snow/wind and bailed on their climb as well, but after coming down the sky had cleared. On my way up to muir, i was scoping out conditions on Gib Ledges and Gib Chute. The ledges are mostly dry but do have snow on them in sections. Gib Chute (to the left of it) is fully formed--unbroken snow from Nisqually Glacier to the top of Gib Rock. When i got to muir, i bet a solo climber Bob from Arkansas. He was feeling sick and was going to down in the morning. Pleasant fellow. Mon (25): Weather was as follows. Light snow/wind in the morning until 9am again. Then it cleared and revealed a cloud layer below 9000ft in all directions. Blue skies and no wind (10am-sunset). In general, above 9000ft, the it was clear skies and starry night again. Could clearly see the summit again(!). Bob left muir to go down to Paradise around 9am in a somewhat limited visibility with sun poking thru here and there below 9000ft. I hung out at muir hoping another climber would come up (and hoping to join them to the summit if possible). To keep myself busy, i shoveled out a good section snow on the south side of the muir hut to let light into the the 2nd window. Was in my base layer only and got lots of sun that day. If there was an ideal day to climb... this was it. Sunny slopes on the mountain all the way to the summit under blues skies. No other climbers came up that day. Tue (26): Weather was light snow but with moderate winds (20mph?) in the morning until 9am. Sky cloudy around the mountain with winds persisting for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon. The cloud layer had now lifted to above 14000ft and revealed some bluwe skies but a lenticular cap remained on the mtn. Summit sporadically was visibile with high winds blowing snow eastwards above 12000ft. The high winds and cloud cap would make me say that it was prolly not a good day to summit. Seeing no other climbers coming up, i packed up and left muir around noon. Saw a skier-girl skinning up to muir around 7000ft. Ran in to some other skiers around 6000ft. Drove back to bellevue that day. NOTES: Sorry no pics. (I took some photos with my film camera.) After thinking about it, i feel that the climbers that came down the mtn on sunday morning actually had a good shot for the summit if they had started late (9am) to let the winds/snow dissipate, since it totally cleared up for the rest of the day. FyI, i plan to be in the seattle area thru march 10 or so... who knows. Shoot me a msg if u wanna climb. Approach Notes: Snow shoes or skis recommended. Goggles were a definitely helpful.

Thanks for the replies. Will contact you.

Hi Folks Wanted to let you guys know that i will be in Seattle for 3 weeks for a ton of climbing and skiing. Staying with friends in Bellevue and Kirkland. Looking for experienced climbers for Mt Rainier when it is safe. I know the mt has been getting a lot of snow right now so it will be some time for a window(s), but i will be around for just such a window. Ive climbed rainier 6 times (4 summits via 3 different routes) and feel comfortable on the mt. Safety is very high on my priority list and i keep an eye on my partners as much as on myself. Crevasse rescue, avy rescue, good navigation are some of my strong suits. Been mountaineering 7 yrs or so in the sierras/cascades and have been doing outdoors stuff in the sierras since 1993. Have also climbed mt baker and shasta and lot of other peaks in the sierras. Please free to check out pics that i have posted on summitpost ( Some of my climbing pics ). To keep in cadio shape, i do a lot of trail running in mts, desert, and beach. Also do a lot of solo trips into the sierras at 14000ft in deep snow. Like rock climbing and do a lot of it in joshua tree. In 2005 i spent 3 weeks at rainer for a similar ascent but no luck. Weather, lack or partners, or just plain bad timing kept me for topping her, but maybe this round we'll make her. On one attempt we were in a bad whiteout that started overnight and it meant a quick retreat from muir in 20ft visibility, high winds, and 18 fresh pow. We got down safe but i am fully aware of the possibilities up there. I have no problems with backing off the mountain if it does not look right. One of my friends is a climber that wants to join me, but he may or may not be able to make it up to seattle for when a weather window looks good, in which case i would be looking for a capable partner who would be interested and is experienced already on rainier. Lemme know if that person is you. I am a really friendly guy. No ego issues here. Just a guy that likes climbing and doing it safely. My girlfriend would have have joined me on this climbing trip too, but she recently had knee surgery and cannot climb for a while. She can vouch for me being friendly and safe. I would be interested in the Gib Ledges or Gib Chute. Shoot me a PM if interested. Cheers, David

Dude... nice work! pretty interesting analysis. much appreciated.

hehheheeeh... a ranger told me the same thing one time when i was hiking up from ipsut. she said to stay off the glacier (for safety presumably) and that the mountain will always be there for the next time. the first part: sound safety advice but prolly against park rules to tell a visitor to stay off them. the second part: as good as the adage sounds, some mountains (in this case, mountain ranges) wont always be there the next time. st helens comes to mind...

Cool Zoran... will look for your group those dates. Shoot me a PM w your contact # in seattle. A buddy of mine is tentatively interested to coming too but who knows really. If you look at the current weather forecast, and current conditions, it looks like I am right. AGAIN! true, but its a forecast. actual conditions in 3 days...??? ---just giving ya hard time

Thanks for replies. Y, last time i was up there for a winter ascent, during those bad weather storms, i went skiing. Great snow u and the canadians got up there! Many thanks for the offline info. If anyone is insterested in joining me, shoot me a msg.

Can someone explain this "weather inversion" that happens typically in feb/march that causes weather breaks and "good" weather windows on the mt for a little while? i have been climbing at rainier for the last 7 yrs and have heard various explainations but nothing quite firm. (maybe i just need to call the local weather specialist?) i know it happens since i have been up there in feb/march various times and have witnessed the storm breaks/fair weather and climbed/skied up there during those times. i plan to be up there for 2 or 3 weeks mid-feb to early march for a winter ascent (gib ledges or gib chute) so this info would be greatly appreciated. i have great respect for the challenges of the mt in winter so i am looking for as much info as possible in my safety assesment.

Trango Big Bro sold, but shoes still available.

thanks for the info sherri! y, i thought about doing that (that is calling 5.10 and asking for mismatch) but that was after buying the two pairs.... of course. will be doing that from now on. cool shoes they are.

1: new FIVE TEN VMile Rock Climbing Shoes Asking $75+$5 shipping in US. These shoes are new FIVE TEN VMile Rock Climbing Shoes. The left shoe is size 12 / right shoe is size 12.5 (mens sizes). I bought two pairs of these and kept the other shoe from each box since my feet are slightly different in size. Maybe you have the exact opposite scenario? 2: Trango Big Bro #3 Asking $45+$5shipping. Lightly used. Works prefectly. Never dropped or fallen on. Willing to trade for Wild Country Technical Friend #5 or #6. Happy holidays!

Asking $45. Lightly used. Works prefectly. Never dropped or fallen on. Willing to trade for Wild Country Technical Friend #5 or #6. Happy holidays.

Hi All Been outta touch. Is Rainier open for climbing in April or May via the northside (i.e. via WRCG)? I know the southside road is closed but my assumption is that the WRCG is mostly unimpeded. Thanks! FYI: Jerry Cooke's family had a service for him this wednesday. Some wonderful words are written on the memorial service announcement.

Very cool! Thanks!

Anyone know if its open? Me and a buddy are headed up the north side, so we would like to get one at the WR ranger station to avoid having to go to the south side. Thanks!

i like...

sweet boys