Dan_Miller

As Lowell remarked, you certainly chose the proper direction of travel. Very good effort gang! It's got to feel quite isolated at this time of the winter! As close to an Icecap Traverse as we've got. I don't recall another winter TR for a while.

Looks like someone else got their monthly AAC email this morning as well. It's quite the nice granite formation. It's tough to understand that the whole area surrounding it is very little climbed. Lots more stuff to do in China it seems.

Thank you kind gentlemen, for the road and trail beta. I'm not certain if I can recall such snow free conditions in a lot of years of skiing up aound there. Even in the winter's of 76/77 and 80/81, as well as the low snow year of 2006. Any body care to argue about the existence of the El Nino and warm air over the region this winter? Well it seems, this coming Thursday is the day it would appear. "Nice. Well, sort of. Low snow years are a double edged sword". Ain't that the truth! It could turn around. I've observed it before but if it continues in the present vein, we'll have to go early in the season for good snow cvered travel and be prepared for route finding highly broken crevasse messes. So it goes. Thanks again, sumchasCJB and Gene.

Am I correct in assuming that the road is currently ungated and likely driveable to the trailhead or thereabouta? Inquiring minds want to know!

A trained philosopher here. It's a practical question, or more properly a psychological one, not truly philosophical; in that it's not an analysis of concepts. If you're looking for some sort of quasi-psychological reason read Albert Camus masters thesis, The Myth of Sisyphus. Asking 'Why climb,' when one didn't lost anything up there and must at some point descend is by no means easily answerable in a manner that all might agree upon. If someone asks me that question (and I've been at it a long time) I usually respond only, because I like to do so and it is fun. Next question please.

Let's all of us give a very big thanks to Seattle Mountain Rescue and the many others involved who sent letters and emails on HB 2619. Most hopefuly, everyone's strong efforts will result in a complete quashing of this misguided attempt to limit the freedom of a quite small number of hardy wintertime climbers and backcountry skiers. I certainly feel better following today's collaborative efforts. Do please bear in mind that: 'it's not over, until it's completely over'!

Good to hear that at least one other person has had a problem pulling a rap rope on the descent. Appeared to be a nice trudge up to Pineapple Pass, that can be fun!

I am too old to participate in this thread!

That might of hurt!! The volume of snow, elevation lost and distance traveled is astounding! How cool would this have been to observe from a close, yet safe distance. Never underestimate the power of nature.

Ballard Health Club, has the mobile hydrostatic testing rig onsite every so often. I no longer train there, so I'm unaware of the next scheduled appearance. (206) 706-4882 · 2208 NW Market St Seattle, WA 98107

A few days back in one of my posts on the PLB brouhaha, I invited any readers who held the position that HB 2619 was a prudent idea to kindly post they're 'well reasoned' views here. This would allow us to discuss the merits of mandatory, winter, above treeline PLB use. To date not a single, solitary person within the general climbing community has done so. This should, it seems, stand for something. The offer is again extended! Aren't there any non-choir members out there?

Posting your BD Verdicts on TAY (Turns all Year) might be more productive. I have last year's Verdicts and like them a ton.

My thanks also to Bill Belacort and Black Diamond for stepping into the fray of this one. Now we're getting somewhere. Not that we weren't, with Halifax and Dane. Just another strong additional input, from a manufacturer's viewpoint (even if some corporate secrets may not be revealed) is quite welcome.

Jens, A little scare tactics here! Bail off from boulder problems with extreme caution even for a young'un such as yourself. Compressing/herniating interverterbral discs, particularily cervical discs may well result tin as much pain as you could nearly imagine. In many years of climbing I've had numerous orthopedic injuries (too much rigorous training). None of them conpare to the blown disc with its serious neurological effects. That excruciating pain will also include significant loss of function in your hands, arms and a ton of other vital area, even your pectoral muscles perhaps It sll depends on the impacted vertebral level. All of this, is just as, or perhaps more so true for your lumbar spine discs because being at the base of your truncal skeleton, they take even a greater load. How do I know this? Last July, I blew the cervical disk at the C-7 L-1 (base of the neck) vertebral junction. Untill I had neurosurgery on August 31st. I suffered unlike I ever have, this included very significant loss of function in my right arm, especially the hand, along with continual pain in my right pectoral muscle. Thankfully the serious surgery was pain relieving. However who knows when full function will return to the ulnar nerve in my dominant right hand. Nerve repair is undeniably pokey. Climbing with something less than two fully operative hands is increasing climbing difficulty more than I need! Take home point: Do not frequently bail on boulder problems without one or two serious pads, even then who knows. Your spine and it's discs, and equally important nerve roots will really thank you, both now and in the long run. Just ask any sports med physician or Neurosurgeon. Best of luck!

My thoughts with regard to your statement that some members are inexperienced (how much so is unclear) suggests the following: While the Ptarmigan Traverse is an extraorinary trip through the Glacier Peak Wilderness (actually only a little bit at the Northern start begins in the North Cascades National Park. The P Traverse does require some understanding of crevasse rescue ability and occasionally steepish snow and glacier travel, which for many necessitates roped travel. Ton's of moderately experienced (or better) parties complete it. Good longer trail trips (with peak bagging opportunities enroute)in NCNP are Thunder Creek Trail up and over Parkcreek Pass then down the Park Creek Trail to the Stekekin Road/Trail. And the Hannegan Pass Trail to Hannegan Pass and down into the Chilliwak River Trail then up to Whatcom Pass and down one of either Little or Big Beaver Trails to Ross Lake. This trip provides peak bagging opportunities in the vicinities of the passes mentioned. As Gene stated, the Hoh Valley Trail to Mt. Olympus is doubtless great, however I have no personal experience with it.

Thanks to Dane. It seems there is almost as much brouhaha concerning Stainless vs. Chromolly as there is in PLB useage. For my part I'd trust the pistolsmith.

Be certain to put the Mammut Tripod into the mix, you could PM Steph Abegg perhaps for an in depth opinion. I'm strongly considering replacing my older Petxl Elios with one.

Edelweiss ropes are quite good. The Mammut Serenity may be worth a look as well, however kind of pricey. The Mammut's 8.9mm. 60 meter (lighest single rope currently available) may fit your stated uses, i.e. mostly glacial travel with the ability to be adequete for alpine rock climbs. Your uses seem to indicate a smaller diameter rope would be a good bet. Lots of possible opinions here, however. Others, please chime in!

Gaston, I could be mistaken, but I believe that Jordansahls statement of Approach Notes: No snow on the road. would indicate that at the time of their ascent you can drive to the gravel pit parking lot adjacent to the river crossing to access the climber's path up Roush Creek. It's not at all uncomman for this to be the case in the winter time (approx. 2120ft.)

Thanks a ton for passing this valuable program along. You just never know where cool stuff is going to come from!

As someone who has a reasonably fair idea how we may most effectively really defeat this ludicrious, wrongheaded and very narrowly focused bill, I can't overly stress the importance of following Off White's comments posted just above. Directly attacking a legislator, or his friends for that matter, will not sit well with anyone in our state's legislative bodies. In fact, we will lose ground on our conquest and be viewed as a fringe element, that is unworthy of being listened to. Let us be reasonable, curteous and cordial to the legislators we contact. Don't forget this bulletin board is 'an open book' to essentially anyone who takes the time to register and view or comment as just evidenced by Mr. Stolz' recent post.

Kudos to Mr's Wallace and Welch. Kind of preaching to the choir here; but, perhaps a few folks may get enthused, involved who may not otherwise. Not surprised to hear that the most visited spot in the Park is the Diablo Lake overlook, on the paved sanitized Hwy. Really great to see and hear Saul Weisberg, a many year former NPS Backcountry and climbing ranger. And Fred, as enigmatic as ever. I guess I would have liked to have seen more photo's, overflights of the Park's capping jewels, the Peaks themselves. However. that's likely to be too scarey, and austere for the majority of the potential viewers. The online version was nice but It'll be even better to view on the larger screen of the HD TV. Finally, thanks to Enrique Cerna, host and Exec. Producer who's been involved with a number of valuable programs on KCTS for years now.

Some real 'voices of reason" just posted. I suspect you know who they are. FYI: House Bill 2619 status to date (It's really nowhere'sville at this early point, that's a good thing.) HISTORY OF BILL: HB 2619 Friday, January 15, 2010 2:22 PM Requiring the use of electronic signaling devices in certain conditions. Sponsors: Representatives Liias, Roberts, Moeller, Simpson, McCoy, Jacks, Williams, Goodman, Appleton 2010 REGULAR SESSION Jan 8 Prefiled for introduction. Jan 11 First reading, referred to Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness

Further on the PLB Brouhaha: The power of the Vote is crucial, even though we greatly appreciate the comments and concerns of like minded persons in Oregon, or anywhere else for that matter. The WA State legislators know exactly who and who cannot vote for their reelection. Thankfully, none of the legislaters in my district (36TH) is a sponsor of this legislative endeavor. Thus, I can't write them and promise to strongly work to get them unseated (this is getting them where it will really hurt and a crux issue, more on this below). This is an incredibly narrowly focused effort by the bill's Sponsors There are very few, actual individuals after all, engaging in above timberline winter mountaineering. Most assuredly the Sponsoring Legislators are counting on this fact in an effort to steamroll a miniscule number of the Washington State's populous. I certainly have and will continue to climb and ski in the above treeline winter without such deivices. If you are really a concerned Washington resident climber, learn who the representative in your legislative district is. Even if their not one of the nine direct sponsors write, call, etc. The real individuals to address your concerns to are the nine state Representatives I posted yesterday. If they are your district's Representative then you can put the pressure of the thier continued District Representation upon them.

More on the Brouhaha. A step in the right direction I beleive. The collective group (Not just Rep. Liass alone, there are after all nine like minded representatives sponsoring this legislative attempt)of the bill's sponsers need to hear from all of us that have some concerns on this matter (and among us, who doesn't). It is positive, that Rep Liaas (or perhaps a staff member) took the time to respond in a generally cordial manner given the legislative impropriety alleged against him. I'm curious here, are there any brave proponents of this potential requirement willing to provide a calm. well reasoned argument for why this would benefit our particular group in particular and even the whole of the citizens of the State of Washington as well. Don't worry I personally won't flame you. I can't however, be even vaguely certain that others will restrain themselves (there is a First Amendment to the US Constitution after all). As I noted yesterday (when I provided all the sponsers names, etc.) let's keep the effort going in a manner that is most likey to be effective!