Bigtree

Mt. Baker Forest Service web site says the Glacier Cr. forest road #39 is closed 1 mile in until further notice...http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mbs/news-events/?cid=STELPRDB5420737. Does anyone know how bad the washout is and whether there is any apparent movement to repair it soon? Say, by May 31st when I was planning a climb.

This is funny thread. You folks are over thinking things. You want to burn fat? Do more. Eat less.

Phay? As in Eddie Phay the Alaskan guy who posted those great ice climbing vids on Vimeo? If so, post more. They're fantastic. I really enjoyed them.

How interesting. I just finished reading a book called Coming Home by Alaskan author Lynn Schooler. He tried to circumnavigate Mt. Fairweather starting from Lituya Bay - the site of the worlds largest tsunami. Very good read. Lots of local historical information. No surprise the area remains so geologically active.

Good for June - no bottomless post-holing. The ridge looked stable as well.

Trip: Mt. Rainier - Liberty Ridge Date: 6/14/2012 Trip Report: Just getting back from an attempt on Liberty Ridge with two partners. Camp ground at White River still closed so bagged permits afternoon of Wednesday June 13 and drove back out of park to camp Crystal Mtn. Road overflow parking lot. Headed in Thursday June 14 and had a straight-forward hike to Curtis Ridge. Winds and weather started to pick up beyond St. Elmo Pass and started to get some precip and low clouds. We met a pair of fellows from Colorado who decided to try and push on to Thumb Rock and seize the predicted good weather the next day. We opted to set up camp at Curtis Ridge and spent a windy/sand blown night. We awoke to blue-bird calm skies the morning of Friday June 15. After much discussion we decided to turn around rather than risk getting trapped for several days at Thumb Rock due to predicted poor weather Saturday June 16 and for several days following. Hiked back out and drove to Squamish for some consolation prize rock climbing but couldn't escape the rain/weather which subsequently arrived as predicted. Ps. Not sure if the pair from Colorado made it up but we did see a party of two at the top of the black pyramid at ~ 8 am Saturday morning. Pss. Also saw Chinook Heli flying back and forth along the ridge/summit (either practising or searching for a group). Psss. As you can see from the video below, the Ridge is in excellent shape. Pssss. The Colorado party had a long hike down and around Curtis Ridge to get on to the Carbon Glacier. After they had left I found a large/secure boulder with several slings around it within 25 m of our camp where the YouTube footage was taken where folks had clearly rapped down onto the scree and glacier below. Looked straight-forward and likely shaves the better part of an hour off your Thumb Rock approach time. [video:youtube] Approach Notes: White River to St. Elmo Pass to Curtis Ridge ~ 6 hrs at a rather relaxing pace.

Pete, we're flying in with a group of 6 July 15th in two lifts to Rainy Knob using Mike's new Bell 407. Myself and 2 others are flying out 10 days later and the remaining 3 on the 28 or 29th. Not sure if this could work for you and your friend, but we certainly have room heading in and out and would consider coordinating to keep costs down. Jot me a PM and we can connect and discuss further.

Thanks for the post Al filo.

The latest from a TAY post: "Still cant get to the trail head. We skinned 2 miles-ish after parking and walking for about a mile. there's just enough snow to detour most from driving the mile we walked." More here...http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=24712.0

I'm planning to be in there for 2 weeks this July with a small group of guys. If the main summit goes quickly for us we'll likely head across the Tiedeman from Rainy Knob and start knocking off other objectives like Combatant. Will endeavor to post something upon return.

jordansahls, 6 people is an awkward number. You should try for 4 or 8. Am in the midst of planning a trip there this July with some friends. Have looked deeply into a number of options, including flying out of Campbell River. Nothing beats Mike King/White Saddle Air out of Bluff Lake for price, machines and experience. Mike has a couple of machines - an L4 with a high altitude tail rotor and a new 407. The L4 carries 4 guys/gear + pilot. Payload for 4 guys and gear is 1,300 lbs (590 kg). Mike recently quoted me no more than $3,000 for a drop off and pick up to and from Rainy Knob on Wadd. Price may fluctuate a bit due to fuel. Includes VHF radios as well.

Best thing to do is call the 1-800 number for MEC and ask them about shipping. I order stuff stateside and get it shipped north across border regularly with no problem although I sometimes have to pay extra duty. I always just presumed folks could do the same shipping the other way, but as per above, that might not be the case.

Not a lot of ice on the island this year Graham, but you can find some good entertainment and maybe some climbable ice on Mts. Arrowsmith and Cokely (easy access). There's also some more up around Boston Lake and Mt. Washington. You can Google all this stuff for some more info or pm me.

MEC currently has the BD Guide 3 gloves on sale for $99. Great price for the quality of the glove you're getting. I have a pair. http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Snowsports/MensClothing/GlovesAndMitts/PRD~5022-368/black-diamond-guide-3-gloves-mens.jsp

"After 16 days on North America’s Tallest mountain, including past 7 days spent in a 4×4 snow cave from brutal weather, Lonnie Dupre on Friday abandoned his effort to become the first person to scale Denali alone in the month of January. Lonnie spent 7 days and 6 nights in a 4×4 snow trench in up to 97mph winds, but still remained mentally strong and physically healthy with every intention on continuing upward. Spending all of yesterday analyzing weather it seemed that there may be a possible break in the winds for a day, but then picking up after a series of low pressure systems blow over to the South. This would possibly allow Lonnie to climb to 17,200ft (high camp), but would then pick up again and not diminish in the foreseeable future. To be stuck at high camp with only 8 days worth of supplies is too big of a gamble without having at least a three days of probable weather. Lonnie Dupre, having great appreciation for mother nature, had to make the call Friday to descend after counting rations and fuel and adding those up with the weather probability. “Due to poor weather, low visibility and extreme winds, I was forced to make the decision to descend after receiving word that there was another week of the daunting weather around the corner. You just can’t climb being blown off your feet!” -Lonnie Dupre. We do not see this climb as a failure, but as a truly inspiring man testing the limits of dark, cold extremes to bring attention to climate change. Lonnie will be also be descending with the microbe samples collected for Adventurers & Scientists for Conservation‘s study of how climate change will affect the production of living matter in extreme environments. Lonnie spent the day in heavy winds climbing from 14,200ft over 1,000ft to collect his stashed gear on the Headwall and then descending all the way down to 11,200ft. On his descent yesterday Lonnie managed to get around Windy Corner without being blown off his feet by using both ice axes and crampons to dig in as the gusts would hit him. He then proceeded down Squirrel Hill, an ice slope at 12,000ft, in the dark. The gusts were up to 80mph and blew Lonnie off his feet, but was able to self arrest. He then had to down-climb the remaining 3/4 of Squirrel Hill backwards daggering with both ice axes and using crampons to prevent being blown off his feet again. Lonnie arrived at 11,200ft yesterday evening after a very long day of traveling over 4,000ft in various elevations. We’ll keep you posted on his progress on the journey back to 7,200ft as we hear from Lonnie. The image above was taken by Buck Benson showing Lonnie Dupre and Tom Surprenant on Windy Corner during the 2010 summit of Denali."

Great share. Thanks. Looks like a great lifestyle up there from this and his other videos.

Today's post..."Lonnie woke up to to -30F and 45mph winds bringing the temperature down to a bitter -72F." Now that's cold. His next move is supposed to be to 17 thou camp.

All that solo climbing chatter on the current Rainier thread got me thinking about this guy who is making a solo winter ascent of McKinley. He's 9 days in at 12,500'. Seems like a bonafide hard man. Hopefully it doesn't end like it did for that Japanese fellow a few years ago. Lonnie Dupre http://www.lonniedupre.com/

I try and climb Rainier once per year and always the second week in June. Usual start time from Muir or Schurman for me is midnight. I enjoy and climb most efficiently in the colder morning temps. I also find the elevation ticks past me more quickly in the dark. I usually top out at 6 ish leaving me the morning the get back to camp before things heat up (can't stand the heat), snow starts balling up on my crampons and the bridges, rocks etc soften/loosen up. The conga line never bothers me when I do encounter it. In fact I enjoy it in an inspirational way - lots of people from all over the world climbing their own "Everest". Some make and some don't, but they're all trying to achieve something.

I bought the Ti ~ 7 months ago. Set it up on work bench at home for test burn and was disappointed at how floppy the burner was when mounted to the canister. Struck me as an accident waiting to happen ( ie spilled boiling water in tent). Immediately returned it and bought the Reactor. Have been very pleased with performance so far. Was camping this past weekend in the local mountains in very windy conditions (bivy bag and cooking outdoors). Every JetBoil in group was having trouble staying lit but the Reactor performed flawlessly. I have 4 stoves in the workshop and have had an older JetBoil (unregulated version) but the Reactor is my hands down favorite. Get one.

Beautiful country. The last shot is the pick of the litter of course. Thanks for posting.

Alexis, the link works for me but it's in Google +. Do you own due diligence but I just bought myself a lightly used pair of the these in mint condition with spare picks and leashes for $300 cdn, shipping included.

Am selling a pair of Petzl Aztar ice tools. Great condition. Never dropped or abused. Asking $250 obo. Description: - A multi-purpose tool for use in alpine or ice climbing. - Thin, forged, finely worked pick for hard ice. - Steep angled first tooth for thin ice and hooking. - Curved upper shaft for ease of placement and hooking. - Small-diameter molded elastomer handle ensures an excellent grip and insulation. - Good penetration of the shaft for hard snow: straight bottom shaft for piolet canne usage or as a deadman anchor. - Comes with 2 sets of leashes: Freelock leash, which is tightened and loosened with a simple rotation of the wrist and a pair of quick release Clipper leashes. - Length 50 cm. - Weight 590 g each. Ps. Located on Vancouver Island in Canuckistan, but will ship. [img:left]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/516/medium/DSC_00164.JPG[/img]

Jason, swing by your local drugstore and pick up a bottle of Benzoin Simple Tincture. I've carried a small plastic bottle of it in my first aid kit for years. Before applying moleskin or tape on my feet I sparingly rub a little of the tincture on the area of foot in question, let it dry for a minute, then apply the moleskin or tape. The tincture greatly enhances adhesion, but not to point that you'll remove skin when you remove the moleskin/tape. I regularly apply it on day 1 of a muli-day ski or climbing trip and it will stick throughout.

Stellar stuff.