Dan_Miller

From this morning's (04/07/09) Seattle Times: Story of fatal climb at Columbia Hills State Park still emerging By Craig Welch Seattle Times staff reporter Authorities are still trying to piece together events that led to the rock-climbing deaths of a police detective and his sister-in-law in a Washington state park this weekend. Tony Silva, a detective in the Gresham, Ore., Police Department, and Laura Dyal-Silva died after falling about 35 feet from the top of the basalt columns at Horsethief Butte in Klickitat County's Columbia Hills State Park just before 1 p.m. Sunday. Silva died at the scene; his sister-in-law was airlifted to an area hospital. A Washington State Parks spokeswoman said the two died while rappelling, though witnesses said neither climber was attached to a rope at the time of the fall. Climbers nearby, who saw the two and another man at the top of the park's popular climbing cliffs, recalled hearing one quiz the others on climbing safety shortly before the fall. State park rangers and the Washington State Patrol are investigating. Members of the Mazamas, a popular 105-year-old Oregon mountaineering-education organization, happened to be teaching a beginning rock-climbing class Sunday at Horsethief Butte. One member immediately called 911, and several students and instructors offered first aid. None of them saw the fall. "Many people heard a scream, and we saw the climbers on the ground," said Mazamas Executive Director Peggie Schwarz, who also was there. The Mazamas did everything they could, said climber John Frieh, who is not affiliated with the group but was climbing nearby. "It was the next best thing to having actual rescue personnel on site," he said. "You had like five first-aid kits instantly produced." Columbia Hills, a 3,338-acre park just across the Columbia River from The Dalles, Ore., is a popular beginner-climbing spot, with about 50 climbing routes, but very few fixed anchors.

Thanks Dane, Chouinard-Frost Laminated Bamboo Piolet. I still have my 60cm. and cherish it about as much as any climbing implement I've ever owned. Finally threw out my old wool knickers some time back though.

You know I can't say for certain, but an educated guess is most likely one would be allowed to. The snowmobilers certainly travel the whole length of the road frequently while it's officially closed. My suspicion is, that if you did not in anyway interfere with the reopening work it would be permissible especially on foot, ski or bike; ie., 'non-motorized' modes of travel. Obviously; if there are signs put up on the West and East sides during reopening operations prohibiting entry, than likely there is some sort of WAC administrative regulation providing a basis for non entry during the clearing process. I guess I'd be curious if anyone knows more definitively. You could certainly put a call or email into Jeff Adamson at WSDOT: adamsoj@wsdot.wa.gov 509.667.2815.

04/05/09 update from WSDOT: Hi all, No new photos today, but I should be getting some tomorrow of today's work on the east side. Our crews only got started today working below Cutthroat Ridge #1. They didn't work at all on Thursday since the avalanche control technicians who must monitor their work when they're in an avalanche zone, all got called away to do avalanche control work on Stevens through Friday. That also meant none of the equipment from Stevens was available. Today, there's a tech monitoring, so they're working. Tomorrow, another blower and excavator, in addition to the avalanche crew's snow cat will be coming from Stevens. Later this week, the big D-6 and D-8 caterpillars we're renting from Lloyd Logging (Twisp) will begin work up in the Liberty Bell zone. The weather is nice today, so if nothing breaks down, everyone was optimistic that they can make up for that lost day. Jeff adamsoj@wsdot.wa.gov 509.667.2815

The Glop Stopper product generally works for me except in a few instances. As mentioned above, it's important to work it against the skin's grain for maximum effectiveness. Tokogirl has it fairly well dialed in, it seems. It can be a little fatiguing and balance hindering with six or so inches of wet snow/ice adhering to the bottom of your skis is kind of an understatement.

Here's another update 04/02/09 from WSDOT: Hi all, This is a Westside update. On Monday, Ted Dempsey's crews started clearing the 4-foot deep snow from MP 148, which is about 14 miles above the Diablo gate and got two more miles cleared fog line to fog line. They are using two snow blowers. Tuesday got started a little slower - there was new snow starting at Marblemount, so the crew had to use 4x4's to get up to the blowers. (There were 10 inches of new snow at the Diablo gate! Things sort of continued in that vein. Crews found a couple of downed trees under the snow. The hard way - they had to replace the shear pins on both blowers and ended the day with a cut as far as Easy Pass - another mile and half to MP 151.5. April fools day proved too attractive for my west side counterpart - Dustin Terpening - to skip a chance to tag along with the crew. As a result, you have great new photos and since he's a lot more tech-savvy than I, there's several video clips, too. His favorites are of the two snowblowers shooting snow at the same time and some great pictures of the 5-foot blue ice walls lining the highway. He says it snowed the entire day and never got above 25 degrees (chilly!) Here's the flickr link for the photos/videos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157615892803779/. Here's the map page link so you can track where we are: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/Passes/NorthCascades/map.htm. On the east side, progress may be slowed a bit from what we had planned. The gnarly conditions in the central Cascades is keeping our avalanche crew, their snow cat and the second Kodiak snow blower that we had expected to begin using in the clearing effort down on Stevens Pass. We'll see what the weather and forecast is like on Monday. That's all for now - enjoy the pictures and pray everyone working up there stays safe. Jeff

And I thought it was windy at 6:00am, Check the 10:00am wind speed out: I'm wondering how accurate the wind speed telemetry is. 3-31-2009 Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center Camp Muir, Mt Rainier National Park, Washington Data also courtesy Mt Rainier National Park Wind sensors unheated and may rime MM/DD Hour Temp RH Wind Wind Wind Wind PST F % Min Avg Max Dir 10100' 10100' 10100' 10100' 10100' 10100' -------------------------------------------------------- 3 30 1600 26 52 5 16 29 19 3 30 1700 25 47 5 15 31 28 3 30 1800 23 52 7 19 45 351 3 30 1900 23 49 8 19 35 34 3 30 2000 22 58 4 16 31 60 3 30 2100 19 61 3 16 40 149 3 30 2200 17 85 7 30 56 233 3 30 2300 14 95 5 28 49 218 3 31 0 13 94 6 32 51 235 3 31 100 12 93 12 33 48 242 3 31 200 13 92 7 28 46 240 3 31 300 14 95 4 27 48 230 3 31 400 13 94 18 44 70 225 3 31 600 12 94 43 76 99 240 3 31 600 12 93 65 87 122 235 3 31 700 11 93 71 91 109 233 3 31 800 10 93 81 100 125 237 3 31 900 9 92 70 101 129 236 3 31 1000 6 92 76 111 140 235 3 31 1100 2 88 64 91 114 243 3 31 1200 3 88 27 58 86 238 3 31 1300 3 87 19 50 71 245 3 31 1400 3 88 21 46 67 244 3 31 1500 3 88 21 38 58 239

Today's update from WSDOT (Tues., 03/31/09). They're making progress. Hi all, Our eastside maintenance crew cleared four miles from the Silver Star Gate up to Lone Fir Campground. That's only a mile below the Cutthroat Ridge avalanche zone. The weather for day one was great and there are a few more pictures posted on our flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157615892803779/. So far as today is concerned - I don't think the weather has been nearly so cooperative... Stay tuned! Jeff Adamson adamsoj@wsdot.wa.gov 509.667.2815

3-31-2009 Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center Camp Muir, Mt Rainier National Park, Washington Data also courtesy Mt Rainier National Park Wind sensors unheated and may rime MM/DD Hour Temp RH Wind Wind Wind Wind PST F % Min Avg Max Dir 10100' 10100' 10100' 10100' 10100' 10100' -------------------------------------------------------- 3 30 800 22 61 3 9 16 311 3 30 900 29 22 2 8 25 319 3 30 1000 29 30 4 14 39 11 3 30 1100 30 27 7 16 45 15 3 30 1200 29 44 6 15 26 346 3 30 1300 27 55 7 21 34 346 3 30 1400 31 53 7 19 36 4 3 30 1500 30 31 6 20 44 30 3 30 1600 26 52 5 16 29 19 3 30 1700 25 47 5 15 31 28 3 30 1800 23 52 7 19 45 351 3 30 1900 23 49 8 19 35 34 3 30 2000 22 58 4 16 31 60 3 30 2100 19 61 3 16 40 149 3 30 2200 17 85 7 30 56 233 3 30 2300 14 95 5 28 49 218 3 31 0 13 94 6 32 51 235 3 31 100 12 93 12 33 48 242 3 31 200 13 92 7 28 46 240 3 31 300 14 95 4 27 48 230 3 31 600 12 93 65 87 122 235 3 31 700 11 93 71 91 109 233

Pro Ski Service in Seattle on 89th and Aurora Avenue, (206) 525-4425.

Fresh from WSDOT: Hi all, This is the news we've all been waiting for. The reopening officially starts Monday morning. Here's the news release: WENATCHEE - Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) maintenance crewmembers on both the east and west sides of the North Cascades Highway will begin the annual clearing process to reopen 37 miles of the highway including Rainy and Washington Passes, on Monday, March 30. Clearing the North Cascades Highway is a significant effort each year. WSDOT crews will be working 10-hour days, Monday through Thursday through April. "The west side crews have already gotten started on the first 14 miles from the Diablo gate to the Granite Creek Bridge," said Okanogan Maintenance Superintendent Dean Hills. "They'll start with two snow blowers, clearing the new snow that's come down." On the eastside, the eight-person Twisp maintenance crew will start clearing from the east closure gate near Silver Star Mountain with a V-plow, a loader and a snow blower. A snow cat with a blade will move ahead and start work to cut down the snow piles below the chutes in the Cutthroat Ridge zone, which will speed the snow blower progress when the clearing progresses that far in the following week. "Week two we'll bring in another snow blower from Stevens Pass, an excavator and two contracted D-6 and D-8 caterpillars and operators to start work on the huge snow deposits below the Liberty Bell chutes," said Hills. While up to seven feet of snow has fallen since the assessment trip a month ago, Hills says he's confident the crew can get started and move quickly. "Even with another half-foot of new snow from Tuesday to Wednesday which ramped up the immediate avalanche danger, the warm temperatures by Monday will empty the chutes - they've got a well established sheer layer, so any new snow should slide quickly," said Hills. "While it's impossible to predict exactly when we'll have it open - due to weather, avalanche danger, equipment breakdowns and crew health - we're hoping we can match last year." The highway reopened May 1st, last spring and was closed for the season on Dec. 11. The cost to reopen the highway each spring typically runs from $200,000 to $250,000. Visit the WSDOT Flickr photo page to view pictures from last month's assessment: www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157614387037548/. Here are the Flickr pics that Don Becker, our Twisp Maintenance Supervisor (the guy who directs the reopening) took while the crew was staging the equipment on Thursday that they'll be using Monday. (Of course, they had to do a little testing...) http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/collections/72157615622442224/ Here's the URL for the SR 20 North Cascades Highway web page: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/Passes/NorthCascades/ Finally, Here's my contact info: Jeff Adamson adamsoj@wsdot.wa.gov or 509.667.2815 PS: I should have the next update by late Monday or early Tuesday - Becker said he'd try to remember to take some more pictures! _________________________

Wow Snoboy; speak of the Devil. This just received: Hi all, This is the news we've all been waiting for. The reopening officially starts Monday morning. Here's the news release: WENATCHEE - Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) maintenance crewmembers on both the east and west sides of the North Cascades Highway will begin the annual clearing process to reopen 37 miles of the highway including Rainy and Washington Passes, on Monday, March 30. Clearing the North Cascades Highway is a significant effort each year. WSDOT crews will be working 10-hour days, Monday through Thursday through April. "The west side crews have already gotten started on the first 14 miles from the Diablo gate to the Granite Creek Bridge," said Okanogan Maintenance Superintendent Dean Hills. "They'll start with two snow blowers, clearing the new snow that's come down." On the eastside, the eight-person Twisp maintenance crew will start clearing from the east closure gate near Silver Star Mountain with a V-plow, a loader and a snow blower. A snow cat with a blade will move ahead and start work to cut down the snow piles below the chutes in the Cutthroat Ridge zone, which will speed the snow blower progress when the clearing progresses that far in the following week. "Week two we'll bring in another snow blower from Stevens Pass, an excavator and two contracted D-6 and D-8 caterpillars and operators to start work on the huge snow deposits below the Liberty Bell chutes," said Hills. While up to seven feet of snow has fallen since the assessment trip a month ago, Hills says he's confident the crew can get started and move quickly. "Even with another half-foot of new snow from Tuesday to Wednesday which ramped up the immediate avalanche danger, the warm temperatures by Monday will empty the chutes - they've got a well established sheer layer, so any new snow should slide quickly," said Hills. "While it's impossible to predict exactly when we'll have it open - due to weather, avalanche danger, equipment breakdowns and crew health - we're hoping we can match last year." The highway reopened May 1st, last spring and was closed for the season on Dec. 11. The cost to reopen the highway each spring typically runs from $200,000 to $250,000. Visit the WSDOT Flickr photo page to view pictures from last month's assessment: www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157614387037548/. Here are the Flickr pics that Don Becker, our Twisp Maintenance Supervisor (the guy who directs the reopening) took while the crew was staging the equipment on Thursday that they'll be using Monday. (Of course, they had to do a little testing...) http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/collections/72157615622442224/ Here's the URL for the SR 20 North Cascades Highway web page: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/Passes/NorthCascades/ Finally, Here's my contact info: Jeff Adamson adamsoj@wsdot.wa.gov or 509.667.2815 PS: I should have the next update by late Monday or early Tuesday - Becker said he'd try to remember to take some more pictures!

Here's the text of my post from a month or so back from Jeff Adamson at WSDOT below. I'm on his update list and unfailing post them here as soon as they arrive. My guess is that all the month of March's snowfall (heaviest of the winter) will hinder their reopening work. The weather predictions for approximately the next week calls for a good bit more of late season snowfall. I can hardly wait and I know others are in the same boat. Here's the North Cascades Highway Reopening Assessment Trip results from Jeff Adamson with WSDOT. Looks like it's time to start thinking about the North Face of Graybeard Peak, etc! Hi all, The preliminary best guess is that we'll be able to start reopening the North Cascades Highway the last week in March or the first week in April. Our Avalanche Control and Maintenance technicians traveled from the east closure point at Early Winters, west of Mazama 20 miles to Rainy Pass on snowmobiles and a snow cat this morning, assessing the conditions. They encountered overcast skies, 27 degree temperatures and no new snow. (Only 4/100ths of an inch of precipitation was recorde in the last 24 hours, and most of that was rain. We expect to be able to free up the personnel and equipment we need for the reopening from Stevens Pass and some of our other facilities by late March or early April, depending on weather, equipment and manpower. They found only moderate snow depths this year. For example the snow at Washington summit is only 5-1/2 feet deep when it's usually 7 to 9 feet deep. At the same time they found more slides and they're a different consistency - they look like lava. The slides at Liberty Bell Mtn., just east of Washington Pass are an example: The highway passes under them, and loops back to the east around Spiral Gulch. The snow is 40-feet deep and 1200-feet wide below LB 2 and 3, but it came down with such force that the same slide covered the highway on the opposite side of the gulch with snow that's 25-feet deep and 1200 feet wide. Further east in the avalanche chutes in the Cutthroat Ridge zone,some slides were as much as 20 feet deep and 12 to 1500 feet wide. Another anomaly for this season is a 40-foot deep slide near Bridge Creek, between Rainy and Washington Passes. The avalanche crew had never seen a slide there, before. The highway was closed for the season on December 11th. Last spring, the highway reopened on May 1st. Visit the WSDOT FlickR photo page to view pictures from the assessment: www.flickr.com/search/?q=WSDOT&s=rec For more information, visit the North Cascades Highway web page: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/Passes/NorthCascades/ The official news release with the official scheduled dates and some of the photos should be approved and posted sometime tomorrow. Lets hope that the lava-look avalanches are only a crust and won't take any longer to cut through than normal - a nice, uneventful 4 week clearing effort would be nice - we've had enough "disasters" this winter...!

America's Most Wanted broadcast pays off. Finally, a little bit of better news! From this morning's (03/26/09) Seattle Times: Fugitives in attack on skier captured in Mexico A man and his son, both fugitives being sought for the vicious attack on cross-country skier Robert Kevin Tracey in Skamania County, were apprehended this morning in Ensenada, Mexico. By Seattle Times staff A man and his son, both fugitives being sought for the vicious attack on cross-country skier Robert Kevin Tracey in Skamania County, were apprehended this morning in Ensenada, Mexico. Michael David Collins, 33, and his son, Teven David Collins, 16, were tracked by Mexican State authorities, with help from a U.S. Marshal's task force, the Skamania County Sheriff's office said. The suspects were charged in arrest warrants with attempted first-degree murder and robbery. Tracey's black 1998 Ford Explorer, with Washington license 455YHY, was stolen in the Feb. 9 attack near Dougan Falls in Skamania County and has not been found. The sheriff's office said a tip, which came after a segment about the case was aired on the "America's Most Wanted" TV show Saturday night, helped lead authorities to the fugitives. The two are being deported back to Washington state. Copyright © 2009 The Seattle Times Company

I can highly and unequicably recommend Chris Glatz, PT, MTC at Advanced Manual Therapy & Sports Rehabilitation located within: The Sports Medicine Clinic's Ballard Office 1551 NW 54TH ST Seattle 206-782-0218 Chris has helped me immesureably in recent months with both lumbo-sacral spine issues and a troublesome left hamstring. He is quite astute and knowledgeable with respect to manual therapy concerns Best of luck! Don't hesitate to PM me with other questions. They handle most major health insurance.

From today's (03/16/09) NPS Daily Ranger Report. This is posted for your information and discussion. I've no experience whatsoever with this particular Petzl hauling device, so can't speak with any authority on it's useage. This will be left to others who have some knowledge of it. Zion National Park, UT Results Of Investigation Into Climbing Fatality Released On October 17, 2008, James Welton fell to his death while climbing the Touchstone route in Zion National Park. The National Park Service subsequently conducted an investigation into the cause of the accident in cooperation with the Washington County Sherriff’s office. Their findings have been released. The three-person climbing party had climbed three pitches (approximately 180 feet) without significant event. When the member leading the fourth pitch had reached the pitch’s top anchor, he tied the end of a rope into it. The climbing party’s gear, weighing 104 pounds, was attached to the bottom end of this rope, which was to be used as a haul line. The climbing partner then ran the haul line, which was also Welton’s ascending line, through a Petzl Pro-traxion device, a pulley which incorporates a cam allowing for rope capture as rope is hauled in. The climbing partner pulled 15 feet of slack through the Pro-traxion prior to Welton starting his ascent. The group planned to haul the gear to the top of the fourth pitch after Welton, the second climber, had completed his ascent. The third party member planned to ascend a second rope, the leader’s lead climbing rope. Welton’s fall occurred when the Pro-traxion failed soon after he started to ascend the haul line. The Pro-traxion operates with a cam and pulley mounted to a fixed plate. A sliding plate allows a rope to be inserted into the device. When the sliding plate is properly closed, a button locks the device together. NPS investigators were able to reproduce the failure of the Pro-traxion during informal tests when the device was closed improperly. They noted that the device could appear to be properly closed (but not truly closed) if the device was weighted prior to the side plate sliding into place. When improperly closed, the device can deform when weighted, causing rope to move rapidly past the cam in the unintended direction. When the Pro-traxion failed, the 15 feet of slack ran rapidly through the device, causing Welton to fall this distance while still attached to the rope by his mechanical ascenders. The force generated by the fall transferred to Welton’s ascenders, which severed the rope, resulting in Welton’s tragic fatal fall. [submitted by Ray O’Neil, Plateau District Ranger]

In addition to the excellent resources noted above; there are I believe two, guidebooks which detail the route, approach, etc on Denali's South Buttress. It appears you may be well served to check them out. My experience with the route is that it can be at times somewhat 'wind prone.' Best of luck.

Yep, that's the Sisters group. Nice photos Paul. You made excellent use of the day. I'm assuming that's the snowmobilers track so obviously heading up the Easton Glacier to the crater rim. Pretty obvious isn't it?

Just a note on Mountain Guides operating in Mt. Rainier National Park without a permit. Conctact Yvon Chouinard concernng what happens when caught guiding in the park with out proper credentials. My suspicion is that penalties are more significant nowadays. Just a word to the wise.

Woodchips, Possibly this link will prove some benefit: The Black Art of Piton Placement http://vertical20.com/uploads/Pitoncraft.pdf I've only scanned it, so caveat emptor.

Lost Arrows, Knifeblades and the occasional shallow angle piton seem to be the most useful in the Cascade's often shallow incipient cracks. I've some experiecnce with them, especially Lost Arrows. Still carrying 2 or 3 on previously unencountered climbs. Pitons were just becoming eclipsed by varities of Hexes and Stoppers at the time I began to start climbing so I can't by any measure be considered any sort of expert on thier use. To a large degree, the security of a given piton placement is tied into the sound the steel/iron makes when it's pounded into the crack. If you can hunt down an old copy of the Mountaineer's, Freeedom of the Hills from perhaps the earlier 1970's you will find fairly good guidance therein. Practicing placement on low level cliffs somewhere after you've purchased some and of course a piton hammer and/or an ice tool or northwall hammer wil likely yield the results you are interested in. No doubt some of the IFMGA/UIAGM certified guides in this area could likewise teach the requisite skills. Best of luck.

'Humilate your surroundings' with the Flextrek 37trillion. Got to have it, got to get it now!

My favorite to date is: Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain by: Bruce Tremper, published by The Mountaineer Books in 2001. More technical 'snow science' then many of the others. Seems like it may meet your stated goals quite nicely, (it sure did mine). For the Pacific Northwest maritime climate though, An Avalanche Manual for Backcountry Travel in the Pacific Northwest by Gary Brill is extraordinarily useful for our specific climatological conditions. Gary Brill's Manual is the basis for Gary's Level I and II Avalanche classes. It may not be available unless you're a student in one of his classes however.

Once again, Rigorous Attitude saves the day! Very good, self-reliant work guys.

Here's the North Cascades Highway Reopening Assessment Trip results from Jeff Adamson with WSDOT. Looks like it's time to start thinking about the North Face of Graybeard Peak, etc! Hi all, The preliminary best guess is that we'll be able to start reopening the North Cascades Highway the last week in March or the first week in April. Our Avalanche Control and Maintenance technicians traveled from the east closure point at Early Winters, west of Mazama 20 miles to Rainy Pass on snowmobiles and a snow cat this morning, assessing the conditions. They encountered overcast skies, 27 degree temperatures and no new snow. (Only 4/100ths of an inch of precipitation was recorde in the last 24 hours, and most of that was rain. We expect to be able to free up the personnel and equipment we need for the reopening from Stevens Pass and some of our other facilities by late March or early April, depending on weather, equipment and manpower. They found only moderate snow depths this year. For example the snow at Washington summit is only 5-1/2 feet deep when it's usually 7 to 9 feet deep. At the same time they found more slides and they're a different consistency - they look like lava. The slides at Liberty Bell Mtn., just east of Washington Pass are an example: The highway passes under them, and loops back to the east around Spiral Gulch. The snow is 40-feet deep and 1200-feet wide below LB 2 and 3, but it came down with such force that the same slide covered the highway on the opposite side of the gulch with snow that's 25-feet deep and 1200 feet wide. Further east in the avalanche chutes in the Cutthroat Ridge zone,some slides were as much as 20 feet deep and 12 to 1500 feet wide. Another anomaly for this season is a 40-foot deep slide near Bridge Creek, between Rainy and Washington Passes. The avalanche crew had never seen a slide there, before. The highway was closed for the season on December 11th. Last spring, the highway reopened on May 1st. Visit the WSDOT FlickR photo page to view pictures from the assessment: www.flickr.com/search/?q=WSDOT&s=rec For more information, visit the North Cascades Highway web page: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/Passes/NorthCascades/ The official news release with the official scheduled dates and some of the photos should be approved and posted sometime tomorrow. Lets hope that the lava-look avalanches are only a crust and won't take any longer to cut through than normal - a nice, uneventful 4 week clearing effort would be nice - we've had enough "disasters" this winter...!