KAB

Has anyone been up to the W. Ridge of Forbidden lately who can comment on the condition of the W. Ridge Couloir? Is it still passable mostly on snow or are one of the rock-gully options required to gain the ridge? If so, does anyone have experience/beta with the rock gully options? Thanks, Kevin

These photos are probably worth more than all my ramblings. The first is a closeup of the Bypass Glacier, the second is Slesse from the Memorial. Note that we did not have to get on any snow to access the bypass ramps

Climbed the NEB yesterday. The Bypass Glacier is mostly gone at this point, though still actively calving. We probably saw it release 4 or 5 times over the course of the day--small stuff, but nothing you want to be caught under. Move fast on those slabs! The N Slesse glacier is calving quite a bit of small stuff too, though unless you take a route to the buttress base underneath this glacier it shouldn't be of any concern. Concerning pro for the direct bit. There are three points on the NEB where you can take the "direct" option. I assume you are talking about the headwall variation. The direct headwall variation had a pitch with some splitter 5.7 hand cracks, followed by some funkiness to a slung horn belay. The next pitch, which Beckey gives 10a, was intimidating looking but never that hard and surprisingly solid. We never found the thin crack crux in Beckey's description. The third pitch was mostly easy with a tricky move off the ledge midway up the pitch (5.9 maybe?). Overall the rock is solid, moves are generally protected, and I highly recommend the Headwall variation over what looked like 4 dirty pitches out on the face. We brought a rack consisting of a set of nuts, cams from blue mastercam to #3 C4 (doubles from .4-1), and ~12 slings. This rack was sufficient to protect everything we felt was hard and run out the easy stuff. Again, we never found a thin 5.10 crack on the headwall, so I can't comment on pro for that. I think we protected the funky move on the 3rd pitch of the headwall variation with the blue mastercam. Hope this helps, Kevin

Looks like good weather for cragging out east tomorrow (Vantage, Tieton, or Leavenworth). Is anyone interested in joining me for a day trip? I climb 5.11 sport, 5.10 trad, follow whatever you're putting up that's harder than that, and none of this matters too much anyway if we're just cragging... Aside from that I've been climbing a long time, and am very safety conscious (and appreciate partners who are the same!). Drop me a PM if you're interested, KAB, in Seattle

Great pics. Curious, how much snow did you find on the North slopes during the descent? Thanks, Kevin

I believe so. But It may have been even more rock than the obvious crack in your photo suggests. The belay ledge below the chains of City Park in your photo is now level with the "new" belay ledge that remains after the rockfall. It turns out that my phone is a crappy excuse for a camera, and this is the only decent photo I got today. It is of the new belay ledge....

Was climbing at the LTW today and noticed large, fresh rock fall at the base of City Park & Godzilla. We spent some time wondering where it could have come from, since it is right at the base of the wall. Then we climbed Godzilla and it was pretty obvious where it came from... at least I think I remember there being a ledge above and left of the belay ledge for Godzilla, that you climbed up on to to start P2 of City Park. . . Well if I remember correctly then that higher ledge isn't there anymore... The start of P2 CP looks spicier now but I suspect it is still 10ish.. I took some pictures with my phone, and if I can figure out how to DL them I'll post.... I didn't see any other damage to routes on the LTW other than debris at the bottom. It's hard to imagine what knocked it off, because the ledge that now remains (level with the Godzilla belay ledge) is quite positive and large. Just an FYI. Happy climbing, go enjoy the nice weather, Kevin

Hey all, I have this Friday off and my typical partners don’t. I am looking to do something and open to ideas. I ski AT, climb trad (5.10), sport (5.11), alpine, ice (WI3), hike, etc. etc. etc. Unfortunately, right now it looks like the weather and avalanche hazard may conspire to make most of these things bad ideas, but I’d still like to do something besides stay in town. So is anyone up for a cold cloudy day at Vantage, or skiing some trees at Yodelin, or…? I'm open to suggestions, though this weather is certainly tipping the balance towards skiing trees. Drop me a PM if you’re interested or have an idea. Kevin, in Seattle

Climbed Paisano on Saturday, saw your gear from half a pitch away and got so excited I basically ran to it. Knew it was too good to be true when it cleaned with no effort at all... sigh... I have the gear in Seattle, check your PMs for my contact info and we'll figure out how to get it back to you. --Kevin

'twas I who was off to the right. We spent most of the day thrashing around in the brush, trying to find Romantica, only to realize our folly (twice) was that the right fork in the trail that leads to the Romantica area was not the right fork we thought it was... I *think* the correct fork is the one a few feet before the double cairns that you walk between on the approach trail (this rightward fork is also marked with orange ribbon at the junction, we simply didn't notice it until completely exhausting the "run off madly into the brush" alternative). It is definitely not the one a few feet after the double set of carins that heads steeply uphill--though this trail does seem to lead to a solitary climb on an arete underneath the right end of the cloven roof. nor is it found by heading right once you hit the wall at the back of Erocktica (this trail simply ends under the left side of the cloven roof at some very steep brush). So, after getting the full Darrington experience in the brush, we returned to climb Erocktica, due to the then short amount of time we had to climb. Erocktica was a fun climb, worth heading out there for. I definitely recommend linking the 1st and second pitches, being wary of rope drag. It could use another chain on the 3rd pitch anchors for rappelling (the anchor is a two-bolt anchor, though only one bolt has a welded-rap ring). The 4th pitch is the money pitch (or maybe p2...) and stays interesting for a while. I'd recommend plugging some gear in the undercling after the 3rd bolt off the belay to protect an awkwardish move that is high off the bolt (maybe C4 #.4 or .5--I didn't lead it, so I can't say for sure). The last pitch protects well in random cracks and solution pockets. We also found that neither of the last two pitches were as long as the guide suggests (50 and 45 m respectively) they were probably closer to 40m each. Also, I'd be interested to know if anyone has tried to rap the top two pitches with a single 70m rope? It looks like it'd be a real rope stretcher, but maybe possible. Lastly, the final rap from the top of p3 is free-hanging for a bit, so rapping it on a munter, because you're a dumbass and left your ATC in the car, sucks. Great climb, I'll be heading back to for Other Side of the Tracks and Romantica at some point. Thanks to the crew that invested the time to put up these quality routes! The rest of us can do a hand by climbing them to keep em' clean! Kevin

I've got Friday off and was wondering if anyone else wanted to run over there for a day of climbing. I lead 5.10trad and 5.11 sport. It'll be damn near 60°... that's about as good as Vantage gets. Anyone? 217.377.3242 --Kevin, in Seattle

Hey all, Was planning on heading over to Vantage tomorrow to measure my tolerance for the cold and shitty rock, but my partner has had to bail, anyone else out there with similar aspirations? Depending on how inspired I'm feeling, I lead 5.10 trad and 5.11 sport and will certainly follow harder. Call me as late as 10 tonight if you're interested: 217.377.3242 --Kevin, in Seattle

looks like today might be one of the few good days this week. Anyone interested in heading to Index or Exit 38? I lead 10 trad and easy 11 sport. I am free for most of the day, so just call me if you're interested: 217.377.3242 Kevin, in Seattle

Email sent. Kevin

PM sent