JonNelson

This is really intense climbing. I'm grateful that you could be composed enough to get these amazing pics. And thanks for writing up the account here. About the "atmospheric displays": What Olyclimber wonders about: it is not a sundog. Sundogs are white spots either side of the sun, slightly higher in elevation when the sun is high, and sometimes a bit reddish at the outer edge. Those colors are most likely part of a "circumhorizontal arc", a very beautiful display. Happens when the ice crystals are quite small and hang in the air perfectly stable, like a hexagonal plate on a table. I can't tell from the pic, but I'm guessing that the arc should be about 50 degrees below the sun. The above two pics by Priti: The top one is also a circumhorizontal arc. One of my favorite ice displays. The bottom pic is really amazing though. The oval around the sun is a "circumscribed halo". Rare to see it so distinct. The line arcing through the sun is the parahelic arc. It is due to reflections off the sides of ice crystals. Also rare to see it extended so much. Perhaps it went clear around the horizon to make one large circle? (I've seen it do that once.) And then there is that strange bottom "hump" below the sun. I've never seen it myself, but it appears to be an excellent case of a Parry arc. All of these are due to small ice crystals. So glad that you noticed it and took pics. Keep your eyes peeled and get more pics like that if you can.

If you have the free imaging software "ImageJ", you can reduce the size using the Image-->Adjust-->Size feature. It should be possible in Inkscape as well, which is also free. This software is nice for drawing and has some similarities to Photoshop (which I don't have). Jon

This is all so incredible. A climb of a lifetime, plus a book-length TR with movie. Very well-done write-up and nice video, thanks a lot. We need good things to read these days. The first, and only, mountaineering book I read was Harrer's "White Spider". I was in high school and my friend Jon Carpenter told me it was good. Our school library had it, so I read it. Ever since, the face has a deadly mystique about it for me, unmatched by any other face. Still looks super scary.

Too bad about your azz. And I don't know about recent activity at Spring (fantastic place), but at Index, I've been wearing my kama down like mad the past few years. Good thing new ones are available for just $1.50.

Sounds interesting. Who is this professor? Do you have any links to some of the background studies? When do they bloom?

It also seems like fewer folks drive up together. Gas is too cheap, it seems, so those 8-10 people hanging out together next to one rope actually came in 8-10 cars, practically filling up the lot. I try to carpool up, but alas, I too often drive up alone. (Though avoid the parking lot.)

Thanks G-spotter for those links. I didn't see anything about the higher-pressure ice deforming less or limiting crevasse depth, but it sounds interesting. I'll look into more later. In my limited reading of ice, I don't recall any definition of "hardness", but I once learned that the grain structure affects the flow properties. Who knows though how any of that related to the guy swinging his pick. I'm not even sure what I said about hardness depending on temperature is right, but there is the interesting phenomenon of regulation, where one can (very) slowly pass a wire through ice at temperatures near the melting point. It is not pressure-melting. It does suggest a "softness" of sorts. Ice is a fascinating material.

I would guess (not being an ice climber), that the perception of hardness might also depend on the rugosity (i.e., bumpiness). The fairly flat ice walls of a crevasse would then seem harder to penetrate even if the inherent hardness was the same as a solid piece of ice with corrugations from drips because you could aim your pick between corrugations and get it to stick better.

The role of pressure is to remove the air. Once the air pockets are gone, the ice is solid, then the pressure has essentially no impact on density. It should be the same as glaze ice that forms over rock without any air bubbles. Ditto for "black ice" on roads--all will have the same density. But the hardness also depends on temperature, with the colder ice being harder.

Back in about 1988 or so, I climbed up it a few pitches with Isao Fujita. We hiked and scrambled up a gully that had a few tricky spots where we might have gotten out our rope. Then, upon getting onto the wall itself, the rock seemed fine, but did not have the nice crack lines of the more popular walls at Index. So, at the time, we weren't super impressed with the quality. But seeing the stuff people climb on these days, one might regard the rock in a new light. Not having a drill with us, we avoided the blanker face lines and fought through a bit of brush. Some years later, two huge rock falls happened.

I agree with much of what the article's author says. For my last two backcountry trips, I've brought some of the iodine pills to put in the water, but never did that before and have never filtered my water. From what I've seen in restrooms, I suppose that most people do not clean their hands as much as they think they do. And it is bound to be much worse in the backcountry. Also, I am not sure where the idea about fast-rushing streams being safer came from. It's quite the opposite for me, I like to skim the top surface of stagnant water, with the idea that such water has had more UV exposure recently. And no, I've never gotten sick from drinking such water. I do feel a little safer though with the boiled water at camp, and as I said above, I do bring the iodine pills recently, using them for the stream water.

Enjoyable article appeared recently in the Seattle Times about someone who occasionally posts here. Perhaps some of you will enjoy reading and viewing this article as much as I did: https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/the-mountains-have-taken-a-lot-from-outdoors-pioneer-lowell-skoog-but-they-always-call-him-back/

Beautiful stuff, thanks. But what is the meaning of "day 42 (aged 42)"?

For a period of a month or two, I had a problem with cramps in my calf muscles. Very painful. But they just seemed to go away on their own. I didn't try ingesting any concoctions, including more water, and am a little skeptical on their efficacy. I googled 'cramps', but concluded that nobody understood them. My guess is that the reported 'cures' are placebo. And I also suspect that psychology plays a major role. But I would like to be proven wrong here, and find enlightenment on the issue.

One large Entreprises board. Made of a type of mineral composite. Fairly heavy. Has a crack, but is securely fixed to a backing board. One small board, has the name "Pusher" printed on it. Either one is $10 or best offer. Contact me by email: jontne on Gmail Jon

That is sad to hear. I know she was an enthusiastic contributor to Mt. Project and an Index regular. But I didn't know about this Alpine Mentors. Seems like she spent a lot of time helping other people out. And far too young to go. But we all are very lucky to make it as long as we have.

Sorry to hear about your partner bailing -- particularly in such a fantastic area. Good luck! And I'm hoping that Exit 47, aka, the "Fun Forest" has not been reclaimed by the forest...It has had a bit of a publicity problem, with it appearing only in Cramer's Sky Valley Rock (despite not even being in the Skykomish Valley!)

Trang, I noticed a few people on Mt. Project looking for the same: http://www.mountainproject.com/v/pacific-northwest-partners/105795214 As for myself, I wouldn't mind finding someone to go check out the nice granite cragging at exit 47 near Snoq. Pass. It's been about 30 years since I last visited the place... Also, my knee is recovering from an injury, so am mainly looking to TR or follow routes. But there are some great cracks there, 5.7 to 5.12. Half-day trip is fine, any day Thurs - Sunday. gmail me 'jontne'.

Thanks for the entertaining writeup. Seems like you guys have a great attitude for just getting out and experiencing things. Interesting names for some of these places... I also get freaked out on that granite 'sidewalk' at Darrington. Each time is "the last time"...

Does anyone know if this has anything to do with how the Index climb "Deal With it Ranger" got it's name? Oh man, that was my worst ever Index route name. Indeed, it originated from those rangers at Classic Crack.

The elderly people write the best TRs, it seems. Thanks. All excellent photos. That sunburst with all the colors is amazing.

I hope they don't keep that title. Should "Dirtbag" really be the first thing that comes to mind when one considers such an iconic climber, explorer, and with all his geologic descriptions, basically a natural scientist? I hope not. Perhaps the filmmakers were just trying to get a cheap laugh, and soon will come to their senses and correct it.

Welcome to Index, Leeuw. It's great to hear that you are out exploring. Thanks for the pics. I imagine that couloir had some steep steps in it. It was so when we went up there to access the start of the wall, and it must have some even bigger boulders in there now. It's rather scary how some of these walls shed rock. The "quarry" area between the LTW and the Country used to have mega-huge roofs with at least one route going up. Now those roofs are boulders on the ground.

I've heard a name for it before, but forgot. It may be something like Tom Thumb. I did a route partway up it in the late 80s. We didn't reach the top, but ventured into that region now obliterated with the obvious and huge white scar. I heard later that that rockfall came down in two events, each one waking up the townfolk.

The whole TR is great, but I particularly like that last picture of the fog pouring down through the gap. Did you capture it on video?