MrClam
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Posts posted by MrClam
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Barely used, always stored un-stuffed, never washed, looks/smells like new. Mountain Hardware Extra Lamina. Comes with stuff sack and mesh storage sack.
$70 Shipped.
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Heat moldable replacement liners for double boots. Size is 29.5 on the mondo scale, so about a US mens 12. Too small for me so I never used them. Brand is Palau http://www.palau-boutique.com/mountaineering-thermo-liners,us,3,14.cfm
$25 Shipped
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$20 Shipped. Slightly worn but plenty of life left in them. They fit my size 14 Scarpas perfectly, and are warm as hell. Closed cell foam on the bottoms, open cell foam around the sides and top.
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I've got a pile of retired cams that I would rather not throw away. About a dozen. Some could probably be repaired, others might make good Christmas tree ornaments? I will try to post some pictures at some point.
$25 for the lot including shipping.
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The girlfriend wants to part with her single boots. Size 40 EU. Great condition, used mainly for ice climbing with short approaches.
$125 Shipped
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Sorry for the delayed response. I would trade for ice screws or rock pro as long as they are in good condition.
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A trip to be remembered for sure. I don't have a camera right now but I did get a few shots on a disposable, better than nothing.
The chossiest boulder problem ever?
Thor and Loki
Camp at the base of the hubert glacier
This could have been a good shot if I had a real camera
Definitely want to return to all the areas visited, especially the Enchantments, our stay there was far too short.
Not sure if you guys post on here but thanks to Jeff and Jason for sharing gourmet food with us at hidden lake! And to Kip for letting us crash at your place! You guys made a great trip that much better!
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It was a fun trip, snowshoe's fo sho next time (i think thats the third year ive said that...)
Here's some more pics
Camp
The face
Anyone climbed the obvious line on the right? It's the best looking route on the face IMO, I wanted to give it a go but it was way too warm.
Hurwal divide
Sacajawea
This face was my original goal for the trip, we came nowhere close... next time...
Chillin on the summit
The way down
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Anyone have any retired biners they want to sell? I need about 6 for my slackline and I don't like to put the wear on my climbing biners. Im in Portland.
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Actually there is a guide book! Someone beat you to it Bill, 70 years ago!
Just in case your local book store is out of copies here's the cooper spur route description. (aka Route 2)
Don't forget to bring some grease for the sun!
And bring an extra tobacco pipe in case you drop one in a crevasse.
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Hey Clam, we've seen your tent on the way down
Nice outing
If I had known of your suffer fest, I would have invited you guys in for a cup of tea!
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Photo of my campsite (taken the next day)
how you like that tent, clam?
I love it, it's bomber. Weighs a ton though. I actually only brought the rainfly, and it was still heavier then my old 4 season (which got flattened in a storm because it wasn't burly like the eureka).
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Almost forgot, here's a few short video clips i took on sunday
[video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLVbi35fccI
[video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3QUAtff5ic
[video:youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOhGHagbI7U
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Trip: Mt. Hood - Multiple routes
Date: 2/22/2010
Trip Report:
I decided to procrastinate on studying for my exams this week, and spend the weekend on Hood instead. With the weather forecast the the way it was, its not like I had a choice.
After a couple bus rides and a short hitchhike I got to the mountain around 3:00 on Saturday. Wind was blowing pretty good on the way up the palmer.
Originally I had planned to camp fairly low and do the Wy'East route sunday morning, since I would have a short day I packed pretty Luxuriously. However since the wind was coming from the east I figured if I went high enough I would be sheltered by the steel cliffs and could camp in peace.
I ended up setting up camp just below crater rock (I almost climbed the whole mountain with that heavy ass pack, sheesh), and it was completely calm.
Got settled in right at sunset.
Photo of my campsite (taken the next day)
I got up sunday morning just before sunrise and as I was drinking my tea, I decided that I didn't want to fight that wind all the way up the Wy'East route. Instead I would climb one of the chutes on the east crater to hook up with the finish of Wy'East.
With camp so high up, I was at the devils kitchen in no time and decided to try the chute closest to steel cliffs. This was easy until the very top where I met 15' of overhanging rime. Not my job.
Looking up at rime step
I downclimbed and traversed left to the next chute, this one I couldn't even enter because of a sketchy moat. So I downclimbed and traversed some more and spotted a fun looking mixed chute.
Mixed chute
the first ~60' feet was awesome, solid ice and decent rock with a wall of rime on the left to stem on. But as I came to a cruxy section the ice got thinner and started peeling off the rock when I was trying to get pick placements. Not equipped for a rappel if things got worse I decided to downclimb while I still could.
So I made my way over further left to a chute which I believe is the rightmost variation of DKHW. This route was super easy with a fun low angle rime finish that brought me to the Wy'East route.
The upper part of Wy'East
The route along Wy'East to the summit was strait forward and alot of fun, the wind was pretty intense at times but not too bad. Snow conditions were absolutely perfect just about everywhere, and temps were low enough that there was little to no icefall.
The route I took
I descended the old chute and was surprised at how few people were up there on such a nice day. I got back to camp a little before 10 and had a long lazy rest day. I basically drank tea, ate food, and listened to music for the next 8 hours.
Winter camping at its finest
The next morning (monday(today)) I decided to jolly over to illumination saddle and give the Reid Glacier Headwall a go.
I-rock at sunrise
The snow was a little soft on the glacier, which made for some annoying postholeling, made easier by the fact that there was someone ahead of me. When I caught up to the friendly fellow, I found out that he was doing the RGHW as well. I proceeded to break trail in the superb snow conditions on an awesome route.
Climber on Reid headwall
The route finding was pretty strait forward, and the white walls of rime surrounding me were breathtaking. The crux/highlight of the climb was a really fun rime tunnel that you can just barely squeeze through at the end of the last chute, right before you top out on the summit ridge.
Some shots from the route:
View across the Reid
Mountain shadow
Castle
Fun climbing
Looking back at the chute in the previous photo
looking up at the final chute
Looking back down at the supa dupa fun rime tunnle crux
summit ridge
hogsback
I descended the old chute and packed up camp as fast as possible, then proceeded to sprint down the mountain. With some luck I was able to make it back to PSU only 5 minutes late for logic class.
Gear Notes:
two tools
Approach Notes:
Heavy pack
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Actually you said nothing about climbing to not get busted!
On a more serious note, the real reason I continue to climb is the fact that life is simply to easy. I feel that suffering brings about the potential to experience happiness, climbing is the perfect way for me to add more suffering into my life because i can trick myself into thinking its going to be fun! It also inspires me to train which is just self induced suffering. All the while creating great stories and building strong friendships! Nothing beats it.
To quote Nietzsche (a philosopher not a climber) "those who are addicted to the religion of comfortableness are small mean people who hide in the forest like shy dear, but those of us who dare to climb up above the treeline will see the views and breath the air, it is then that we'll understand the benefits of abandoning comfort for true fulfillment."
Not that I have any problem with small mean forest people (some of my favorite musical artists are trolls!), to each their own and all.
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My reason for starting to climb was completely logical.
In high school a friend and i took a tram up to the top of a popular mountain, but there were to many people around to smoke weed. So we climbed to the top of a big rock pinnacle where we were could see people before they saw us. The thrill and the resulting weed induced ambition led us to climb more stuff that day, and ive been hooked ever since.
So basically I climb because i tried it once and got addicted, weed IS a gateway drug.
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I just moved into the dorms at PSU and don't have a car. I have a full trad/aid rack and plenty of mountaineering gear. Trad, sport, aid, alpine, ice, slogs, I'm down for anything, I just want to get out there. I have most weekends open as well as two 25 hour openings during the week (5:00PM mon to 6:00PM tues, and 5:00PM wed to 6:00PM thu) so if your headed out to a local spot on a tuesday or thursday morning BRING ME WITH YOU!!! I will pitch on gas/beer.
Phone: 541-961-6665
-Gabe-
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You give yourself too little credit Bill, you were a good partner!
I would post some pictures of the climb but all attempts to upload them have resulted in error messages, I'll email them and let Bill do it.
Despite the weather this was a very enjoyable climb, I'm glad we got off route. I can't wait to see what we end up climbing when we try the north side!
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Wallowas in winter is the best climbing Oregon has to offer in my opinion.
If you are looking for a non technical adventure you might want to check out this trip I did last year. The High Wallowa peaks are absolutely beautiful in winter.
I have also always entertained the Idea of following the whole hurricane creek divide in winter...maybe this year.
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Some pictures from the climb:
A close up of some ice on the south face.
Looking south from the Moraine.
Matt nearing the summit.
Edit: I can never get pictures to show up on these damn forums
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Some things came up and now the earliest I can be at rainier is Saturday night (the 1st). I'm up for a climb sometime between then and the 4th. Number is 541-961-6665.
-Gabe-
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I am looking for partners for Rainier sometime between the 27th of August and the 4th of September. I made an attempt last weekend but we were turned around by bad weather.
I was thinking the DC route but am up for others.
I'd be up for a day hike or a multi day (would prefer day hike).
I have glacier travel/crevasse rescue skills and all necessary gear.
E-mail me at Mr_Clam00@hotmail.com if interested.
[TR] Mt. Challenger - Challenger Glacier via Easy Ridge 6/24/2017
in North Cascades
Posted · Edited by MrClam
Trip: Mt. Challenger - Challenger Glacier via Easy Ridge
Date: 6/24/2017
Trip Report:
Climbed Challenger via Easy Ridge from the Hannegan TH over 5 days starting 6/21/17. My first trip in the Pickets.
My wife and I recently relocated to Bellingham from Juneau, AK so that I could attend graduate school. Even when the move was still just an idea, I've justified it with the Pickets.
"There's too many people here, lets go back to Alaska"
"Ya but... the Pickets!"
I can't count how many times something similar to those words have been exchanged between us since we moved here...
After a spring of far too much work, and not nearly enough mountains a perfect weather forecast finally aligned with time off. We set off after work obligations were finished on Wednesday and were hiking by 7:30 PM on the Hannegan Pass trail. Sure we could of just gotten a early start on Thursday, but more time in the mountains is more better.
Day 1:
We hit snow at Hannegan camp just as it was getting dark and decided to camp there. The pass, and surrounding peaks still have plenty of snow, the words "should have brought the skis..." were uttered enough times on this trip that it probably means we should have brought the skis, though there were a few sections that I was very happy to not have skis on my pack.
Day 2:
Snow lingered for a little over a mile after the pass, and we felt pretty lucky when we picked up the trail almost immediately after bare patches of ground started to show. There were a few creek crossings on the trail that were annoying but not too bad, Hells Gorge being the worst, mainly because if you slip your going down a water slide from hell. The path down to the Chilliwack crossing was easy to spot, marked by a big cairn just after the river comes into view for the first time.
Hell's Gorge
The ford was knee deep, and the water was swift enough that staying upright while walking over the slippery rocks was not trivial, but using each other for balance we were able to make it across without drenching our gear.
Chilliwack Crossing
The climbers trail is well worn and easy to find. Aside from a few annoying treefalls the trail was easy to follow and we stayed on it until hitting snow maybe 2 or 3 hundred vertical feet below the large saddle on easy ridge. We camped at a running water source near a patch of trees just above this saddle.
Day 3:
Our day started out with our first ever sighting of a wolverine! We spotted it on the ridge crest and watched it move with uncanny speed across the slushy snow down to the slopes below Easy Peak. By the time we had the camera out it was pretty far away.
[video:youtube]
The climb up Easy peak was not as easy as the map made it look, we opted for a direct route that involved some loose 3rd class but avoided the steepest snow. The views from the top of easy peak are spectacular, the ridge walk toward Whatcom Peak was one of the most enjoyable sections of the trip.
Easy Peak
View from Easy Peak
After losing a tragic amount of hard earned elevation on easy snow slopes we arrived at the "Imperfect Impasse". The canyon was chocked with snow, which probably made it easier, but it was still not trivial getting in and out as there were deep moats on either side. We spotted a easy looking ramp that would take us to the snow and decided to go it un-roped, but after a spooky move around a corner I decided to make an anchor and toss Melissa an end of the rope. She belayed me across from there. I set a picket in the middle of the canyon to protect the move getting off of the snow and on to the rock. There is a big ledge on the opposite side where I was able to make an anchor and belay Melissa across. From here it was pretty straightforward, but exposed, 3rd class slabs up to the snow slopes above.
Imperfect Impasse
Route up to Perfect Pass
The slog up the snow slopes to Perfect Pass was exhausting, but we made it to a nice camp site pretty early, and had plenty of time to dry out our boots, and enjoy the sunshine and great views, and rest up for summit day.
Perfect Pass Camp
View of Baker River Valley and Blum
Day 4:
The Challenger Glacier might be the easiest part of this whole climb. Soft snow, a gentle angle, filled in crevasses, and light packs made this a quick and enjoyable jaunt up to the summit ridge. A thin layer of steep icy neve clung to the north side, so we decided to stick to the ridge crest. We made a picket anchor and Melissa belayed me across a thin snowbridge over a moat to the rock. Three short pitches of easy fun airy scrambling brought us to a ledge with a piton. It is basically a sport climb from here with 4 fixed pitons and one fixed cam up to the rappel anchor.
Challenger Glacier
Summit Ridge
Near the top
The summit of Challenger is one of the most awe inspiring places I have ever been. We took in the views of the jagged peaks surrounding us while watching cornices on the ridge line connecting Challenger to Fury break off and plummet down toward the glacial lake spotted basin below.
Summit of Mt. Challenger
Northern Pickets
Our 30m rope was just long enough for the rappel, and on the way back we stayed below the crest traversing slick snow with good rock handholds. One more rappel brought us back to our picket anchor. We quickly descended the glacier back to camp to start the long journey home. Our goal for the day was to make it back to Easy Ridge, the descent down the snow was fine, but getting back across the impasse was no easy task. Down climbing slabs is never fun, but adding wet boots, heavy packs, and death exposure makes for a stressful situation indeed. We moved slowly and carefully, and eventually made it back to the ledge where we belayed the day before. This time I spotted an old rusted 1/4" bolt, no way were going to rappel off that, and there were no good boulders or rock horns to sling, so I made the small cam and nut anchor and lowered Melissa down into the moat. The bridge we had crossed getting onto the rock was gone but she impressively was able to surmount the overhanging snow using an ice axe and a picket. She made a picket anchor in the middle where she would be able to belay me up out of the moat, but first I had to get down. Not keen on soloing the downclimb, and definitely not willing to rappel off that old bolt I made a compromise and rope-solo-down-climbed off of the bolt. No idea if it would have held a fall, but it made me feel better and I was down in the moat in no time. Melissa belayed me up and over to the other side where I set anchor in the same spot as the day before. I belayed her as she downclimbed around the spooky corner and she was able to place one small cam for me before making to a large tree to belay from. Downclimbing this section with just that little cam between me and the tree 100ft away was the psychological crux of the whole trip.
Hmm...
It was a huge relief to be done with the impasse and after a short break we started the long slog back up to Easy Ridge. We ended up making to the summit of Easy peak just as the sun was setting and made camp there 12 hours after starting our day.
Sunset from Camp on Easy Peak
Day 5:
The hike out was quicker and less painful than expected, we were mentally prepared for the usual death march that happens and the end of most of our multi-day outings, but we made it down to the Chilliwack before noon and to the car by 6:00 PM. The crossing was deeper on the way back (it was scorching hot out), but still manageable.
Hannegan Trail
Overall it was a grand adventure, and a much needed break from life in the city. We didn't see a single person, or any tracks past Hannegan pass, and it felt like we had the whole northern part of the national park to ourselves. Can't wait to get back out there.
Gear Notes:
Hiking boots and strap-on crampons
Ice Axe
2 pickets
2 small cams
3 nuts
6 alpine draws
30m glacier rope
Approach Notes:
Long