Alpine_Junky

thank you KingsMM !!! -Scotty

Howdy all, I've eyed some cliffs near Hoodoo many a time and wondered "Do those things ever ice up?". Was at Cougar (terwilleger) hot springs the other day, good access year round but only 1,700' but with wind off the dam it looked possible that some drips could come in around there. Maybe some spray off the waterfall by the parking lot? Anyway, I live in Central Oregon and I ice climb - so obviously I'm frustrated. Anybody know if it's possible to get to Proxy falls in winter? Everything would be strong cold snap dependent of course but for god sakes... something... anything... maybe I should see about farming in meat locker or something HELP!!! -Scotty ps. yes tumalo, paulina, strawberries... I know... but is there anything else?

I agree, the snow is better at Bachelor, and Bachelor is overall a way better resort than Meadows, but meadows has more pitch right off the main chairs... If you're into graceful high speed cruising on groomers, Bachelor is awesome. If you're looking for trees, Bachelor is awesome. If you're looking for great powder, a consistently ample snowpack, and long fast chairlifts, Bachelor is awesome. Great terrain parks too. Just not a lot of steep skiing... -Scotty

Multipitch: Not a ton, there's multi-pitch stuff at Smith, but nothing over 5 or 6 pitches. The local mountains are volcanic, so the rock is mank, but there's a few multi-pitch routes on Mt. Washington. Skiing at Mt. Bachelor is great... depending on what you're looking for. Great powder, great trees... but it is not steep, not very "colorado-like", Hood has some steeper terrain. Backcountry skiing is all over between .5 hrs to however far you want to drive, ton's. I love Bachelor, consistently the best tree skiing of anywhere I've ever skied. Closest ice climbing spots only come in sometimes, there .5 hrs away. The closest consistent ice is at Lake Tahoe (7hrs) or Lillooet BC (10hrs)... Ice does come in at Hood River (2 - 3 hrs) and the columbia river gorge (3 hrs), Vantage comes in (4.5hrs), Castle Crags comes in (4hrs). There is good alpine ice in the Sisters (.5 hrs) and on Hood (2 hrs) Good granite in the area? No, closest is Castle Crags (4hrs), or City of Rocks (8hrs), there is multi-pitch granite in the Wallowas (4hrs). In summary: you will not find better skiing or climbing here than what you're used too, and the ice will be disappointing without driving a ways... However Bend is a cool place to live, pretty good night-life, less douchebags (I kid the CO'ers... or do I?), the ocean ain't far, Portland, Seattle, and San Francisco are nearby, decent mountain biking, great weather, and plenty to occupy your time. -Scotty

looking more and more like it's going to be N Sister. I'll let you know. The SE ridge looks essentially snow free from town, hoping there's decent cover on the traverse & the alley, but we'll see, I hate fuckin' scree! I'll let you know how it goes, unless I get to go up old Jeffy, just as well if I don't because the N sister season is shutting down pretty soon, Jeff will be open longer. -Scotty

Looking to go up Jeff Sun-Mon, Sat-Sun (with persuation), or push in a day. I'm a WFR, Avy I, strong, lot's of glacier experience, full rock rack, ice tools & pro etc. I've got AT gear and prefer to ski if possible, but hoofing it is fine. As for Rainier I'm looking for qualified partners to do one of these routes: -Tahoma -Kautz -Lib Ridge On Sat-Mon one of these weekends: -June 2 - 4 -June 16 - 18 -June 23 - 25 A strong team of three is ideal for the Tahoma or Kautz, a two-man or 2 two-man teams is ideal for Lib Ridge. I have a few partners in mind already but I'm not sure if the scheduling will work out. Let's do it! -Scotty

Memorial Day weekend approaches... Anybody up for Jefferson on Sun - Mon, Sat Sun (with persuasion), or push in a day? I've got AT gear, or can hoof it. Lot's of glacier experience, full rock rack, ice tools and pro etc. WFR Avy I blah blah blah. Don't care about the route taken but I suppose Jeff Park is ideal. Otherwise I'll be soloing N Sister... again... -Scotty

I was there that day with Jfs1978 and we saw the helicopter from kiss of the lepers buttress. It's rope-de-dope crack 5.8 for sure, which is kinda funky... + smith tuff simply isn't that strong in a lot of places. There was absolutely nothing about the incident in any of the news papers, tv news, or anything else. I didn't find anything on Smithrock.com... I find the lack of coverage strange. In any case I hope that girls is allright... not a bad way to go if she did... -Scotty

Way to go Timmy and Josh, glad to see the locals getting at it. Thanks for photo beta too Timmy... I've got to get in there quick. The tools are coming out this weekend baby! -Scotty

glad to see they fixed the fang problem with the old vipers, they'll work much better with tethers now. Looks like the huge cobra handle of old has been wittled down. Interesting stuff. -Scotty

I know the guy who's was sewn wrong, sounds like that's the only case, bad piece of kit to have problems with. -Scotty

Thanks guys, Planning on bringing skis and full avy gear, hopefully things will settle out a little before then. Timmy didn't you do thielsen with jlag? He seems to recall it being pretty mild. Looks like I'll just take some rock gear, skis, one m axe, one tool, an 8.0 x 60, and avy gear. Looks like we'll have two video cameras so maybe I'll be able to post video later. thanks again, -Scotty

Curious to get some info about thielsen in winter. Road Access? I know the road is plowed to the snow park, not sure if it's all the way to S Diamond Lake (to the trailhead), anybody know? Summit Pinnacle: Rime Ice? Snow? Two tools? Gear (pickets? screws? dig for rock gear? sling natural features? all of the above?). Just what am I getting myself into? -Scotty

Like to get a list going of the best Cali guidebooks. Ideally I'd like something like a Beckey Guide for Northern CA and/or the Sierra Nevada. The name of the climbing region (N CA, Jtree, the valley, sierra, 14ers etc) and the ranking of the books. I've spent way to much money on lame guidebooks. Any and all parts of Cali welcome, I'll get to wherever eventually. Thanks, -Scotty

I'm may be in Portland tomorrow and I'd like to hit the best shops. Is there anything like Second Ascent there? I'm a Northerner that's been transplanted to Bend, can't say all that many postive things about the shops here. I'm looking for ice gear, expedition quality down gear, and 4 season tents. Thanks for the help, -Scotty

Taka, YES I WILL CLIMB WITH YOU! I just moved to Redmond, OR about 15 minutes away from Smith and I don't have to many solid partners. So by all means come on in and we'll get on some routes. -Scotty

What I meant with the ""s is that many don't exactly feel they're in the backcountry when they duck a rope. I know that we should all, technically speaking, consider out of bounds as backcountry as being fifty miles from a resort, especially at Baker. Nonetheless I don't think that's a reality in the minds of most. In truth, you duck the ropes your out of bounds, and at Baker it's serious. Same with Alpental, fuckin' watch out there, nearly lost my Dad to a cliff there in the 80's. It may stupid and unecessary incident, but it's a tragic accident even still. The guy didn't have a death with I'm sure, but ignorance can be a killer. I never met the guy, I'm sure I would have liked him if I did, I think what he did was stupid but I don't know his story. It could be as simple as his friends don't smoke and he went off to smoke a bowl and got in some dicey terrain, you never know. -Scotty

<a href="http://news.bellinghamherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051128/NEWS09/511280336">source</a> My deepest condolences to the family. This Sunday vancouver man skied of a cliff (on Pan Dome) near chair one after getting off "the chute" dbl black diamond run. He wasn't familiar with the area but apparently still ducked two ropes. Very sad, be carefull even "in bounds". So sad. -Scotty

Hello everyone. I'll be in Redmond, OR this weekend and am craving some rock at Smith Rocks. I'm not a super climber but will top rope anything and lead ~5.7-5.8. Smith Rocks is top notch. Beer at the Deschutes afterward? Hot tub and a round of golf at Eagle Crest (got a dope cabin there)? Whatever the important part is to get some climbing in. Doing South Sister for the third time on Monday. Don't need any partners but whoever wants to is welcome to come along. Let me know -Scotty 206-412-7001 Dusekscott@yahoo.com

getting down to the wire. Anyone, come on now you know you want to climb! -Scotty

Okay, Plark42 bagged out, so I'm up for anything. Ruth Icy Larabee Tomyhoi Sahale or any of the big ones (maybe except Ranier, but only maybe). -Scotty

I'm looking for a partner to carpool down to Mt. Adams from Seattle this Thursday night. Will be going for the South Spur in one day. Perhaps going for hood on Sunday, or just come home. Am also open to doing Shuksan in one or two days. Plark42 is going to come up from portland to do either mountain. Mountain and routes are negotiable. Just looking to do some good climbing. Adams is nice because we wouldn't need a rope, harness, pickets/pulleys, etc. Two strong climbers. Probably either: Adams (south spur) Shuksan (sulphide), Hood (south side, conditions don't look to good), Baker (Easton, just did c-d), Little Tahoma (whitman), Or another mountain that sounds good. Don't be shy this is coming up pretty quick. Plark42 (Marc) and I are both easy going, safety conscious climbers. Ready to go, let's do it. -Scotty Dusekscott@yahoo.com (206) 412-7001

I'd say let's do that. Friday South Spur, Sunday Hogsback.

We could try to do the Mazama in a day, we wouldn't be carrying much that way, then glissade down the south spur. Then we could go climb Hood as well. I think I'd rather push it hard one day than have to carry a full pack, remember baker, up to at least 9,000ft then glissade with it (I don't know how low we'll be able to glissade to). I love to get both of them in. Maybe rest one day in between. Anway Marc if I do hood it would have to be close to when we do Adams because I think it would be ridiculous for me to go down come back then go down again. Do you guys think the Mazama is doable in one day? -Scotty

Which mountian are we doing? This is Scotty by the way. I might be able to do Hood with you Marc. Then go for Adams or Shuksan, Shuksan still sounds like a bit of a bushwack unless we go through the fischer chimneys, which I don't think you guys, or me for that matter, are really up to. We'll see. Have you got a bivy sack thatcher? Are we going to descend the South Spur, or back down the Mazama? i.e. are we carry our gear to piker's peak? I'll let you know if I can make it Marc. -Scotty