rbwen

From king5.com SEATTLE – Searchers are looking for a Lynden, Wash. man who hasn't been seen since telling friends Saturday that he intended to summit Mt. Baker. The search for Kevin Lafleur is centered in the Heliotrope Ridge area. The 31-year-old did not show up to work Monday and a friend reported him missing. His vehicle was found on Glacier Creek Road at the snowline, indicating he intended to climb Baker using the standard route. Related Content KING 5 North Bureau Bellingham Mountain Rescue volunteers and the group Snowmobile Volunteers plan to search the area in the lower Coleman Glacier. Skagit Mountain Rescue will also search the east side of the mountain in case Lafleur went into the Baker Lake area. Three of his friends went out late this afternoon to camp at Heliotrope Ridge and plan continue their search in the morning. Deteriorating weather conditions may hamper the search.

His name is not James.

Anyone else watch it? I thought it was pretty good. I've never climbed at Squamish so it gave me a cool perspective. My thoughts: - They put in a HUGE amount of bolts and pitons (or pittuns, as the Canuck called them), something close to 400. - There was some recycled footage that they showed over and over again. But there was a cool Volvo or VW Type 3 that they kept showing, which made the recycled footage more bearable - There were some cool shots of two locals climbing the wall along the same route that the pioneers had. Neat to see some hard climbing up close and what the route was like. - The part where they were out of water and trying to drink water from the moss growing along the route was neat. Then they didn't even stick around at the top because they were so thirsty. - Also interesting that it took them 40 days when nowadays it can be done in hours (I'm assuming). And they would come down each night and do interviews. - Sad to hear that one of the dudes died in a rapelling accident only three years later... Thanks for the heads up. rbwen

I've heard this debate a few times but never gotten a definitive answer so hopefully people can shed some light... If you are sleeping in a sleeping bag and it's very cold is it better to sleep with all of your clothes on (which seems to be the case in high-altitude climbing scenarios) or nekkid (or close to it)? Sleeping naked would mean the sleeping bag is just warming your body up without clothing in the way??? Me, personally, I've always put on as much as I had because of the drafts. rbwen

Last year we talked to him on our way to Poison Ivy crack. We were worried because we were directly on his property when he saw us. We asked him if it was okay to use the trail to get to the crags and he responded (in a friendly way), "I don't know how you will get to your climbs if you don't use the trail." He seemed pretty easy-going about it and didn't have a problem with it. This was last year pre-structures...but our understanding was "go ahead and use the trail." I believe there is a phone number on the sign too. Here's the thread from last year.

My wife skis on the Sirens and she loves them. Very stable off-piste, carve well on-piste. She's upper intermediate in ability. Bought them at Second Ascent last year for a good deal with G3 bindings. I love my G3 bindings and although I've broken two of the tour throws (heel clamps) because I was trying to get on the lift too quick and didn't push my boot in all the way ;o) they've always sent me a new pair of throws right away without charge. I have to send the old ones back so they can see what happened but their customer service and product is great.

We skied yesterday off of Blewett/King Creek and on the way up there is a beautiful looking peak, about 5,500 feet, that looks like it would make a great scramble. The southern face has some cliffs that looked climbable (depending on the rock quality) but what I was seeing were the easier ridge lines on the E/SE slopes (pointing back towards Wenatchee). We were about 10.5 miles south of Highway 2 on 97. Is this Iron Mt.? Anyone who has climbed it have any beta? There was one soul with a helmet and ice axe heading up before us on foot and we assumed he was heading there. Thanks! rbwen

Well, I did some fossil fuel burning reconnaissance today up the Tumwater and Icicle. February Buttress and Clem's Holler were snow free. There was even a party at the base of FB at 6:30pm. We drove up to Icicle Buttress and everything south-facing from Mounties to IB was snow free too. The new dusting on Cashmere was mighty purdy too. rbwen

You might find something on Wenatchee Craigslist too.

Any granite thawed out yet? How about February Buttress? Thanks! rbwen

They didn't get any new snow last night and the forecast isn't calling for a whole lot (if any) tonight (slight chance of snow). S'gonna be hard and icy because we haven't had new snow in a while. Some friends of mine have backed off because of the conditions and the track might not be that great, especially the last few miles. Not trying to poo poo it because I love the Hog...but...the views ought to be pretty good

Haven't shown anything yet. Party's on Friday. Hard to get some of those flicks over here in the sticks...

We're having a ski stoke party and wanted to show some cool Tele movies (or cool alpine movies, NOT Warren Miller types). Any suggestions? Thanks! rbwen

I should have differentiated between the decomposing sandstone slab and the nicer looking granite slab. I think the decomposing one is closer to town and has supports and water pipes coming out of it. Everyone knows those are aid and therefore that shouldn't be climbed. No, this slab is a bit further east, I believe it's just around the corner from Prey's Fruit Barn and the new Homefires Bakery. Mmm...Homefires piques my interest too. Anyone been to the new one? Wait...wait...answer my first question first. rbwen

I drive by that large slab on the south side of the road about two miles EAST of Leavenworth a lot and always stare up at it wondering if someone has climbed it. I think there's a short description in the Smoot book on Washington. Anyone stopped in the pullout and ran up that slab? Top-roped off the trees? I'm not thinking of climbing it but my curiousity is always piqued when I'm there. Thanks! rbwen

Thanks Trog.

I have this friend...(honestly) ...he asked if there were scramble routes to the top of Stuart. Having never climbed it, I don't know. If there are, are they chossy, death-filled boulder gullies? Snow fields? Moderate walk-ups? Are there names for any specific routes? Thanks! rbwen

Wife got stung there two years ago without her epi-pen!! Yikes.

Our first is a month old on Monday ;o) Her name is Eleanor Ray... NSFG(randmas!)

PM sent rbwen

A little hard to follow your post but I think the 2-pitch bolted slab you're referring to is Cocaine Connection, 5.7. I've crossed over to R & D at the obvious ledge at the top of the second pitch (there's some webbing and I think a rap ring there) and also a bit higher up under the obvious roof with the great crack at the base for making a natural anchor. Climbing is inherently dangerous, that's why that is printed in the beginning of any guidebook. Accidents happen to all of us. The climbing is easy on the route but there are many variables that can come into play even on an easy route (experience of climber, weather, pro placement, condition of route, number of parties, etc...) Don't blame the route. rbwen < name of the route and where excatly it's ment to cross over to r&d (well it did at least when i climbed it lol) the lowest slab 2 pitch bolted left side of wall and then you come to a ledge at the tope of the second pitch over that and then traverse over to r&d is this a route or did i just get lost? and is r&d really that dangerous? it seemed perfectly fine to me when i was up there no problems and not very much to be sketch about but from reading some of these i'm wondering.......>>

Look here... http://tinyurl.com/yqbhwj

And this from Wenatchee radio station KPQ... http://www.kpq.com/cgi/benews/be_news.cgi?show=article;articlenum=2135 A man who was hurt Saturday afternoon while rock climbing in the Leavenworth area was listed in satisfactory conditoin Sunday at Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee. The Chelan County Sheriff's reports that 61 year old Richard Kennedy was climbing on the Icicle Buttress when he fell about 20 feet onto a ledge. The Chelan County Mountain Rescue and the Sheriffs Office's High Angle Rope Rescue teams helped get Kennedy down safely.

Use Quick Time

This from today's Wenatchee World... http://www.wenworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070702/NEWS04/707020350/1001 Rock climbing accident sends one to hospital Posted July 02, 2007 LEAVENWORTH -- A 60-year-old man rock climbing Icicle Buttress near Leavenworth fell about 14 feet Saturday afternoon, according to Chelan County Sheriff Mike Harum. Richard Kennedy of Olympia was listed in satisfactory condition this morning at Central Washington Hospital. According to Harum, Kennedy may have suffered a broken ankle and rib injuries. Technical climbers were able to reach the man within two hours after the fall was reported at 3:09 p.m., with the man on a ledge about 100 feet from the top of the Icicle Buttress rock formation. Rescuers began lowering the man down the rock formation at about 6:20 p.m., and by 7:16 p.m. the man was headed to the hospital. Harum said rescuers had to lower him about 800 feet. The man fell after not affixing rope to an anchor point on the formation, though an upper anchor was roped to the formation elsewhere, keeping the man from tumbling farther down, Harum said. Harum said climbers from the sheriff's office High Angle Rope Rescue Team and the volunteer Chelan County Mountain Rescue groups helped the injured man down the formation. -- Jaime Adame, World staff rbwen