ScaredSilly

Second ascent of the West Buttress: Some great history and humor.

Nice photos but did ya get any frequent flyer miles?

IMHO if one wants to avoid the lower part of the glacier and get directly to the business of the headwall with out a lot of traversing I would suggest doing a route that deposits you at the Queen's Chair. Which is pretty much includes almost every route from Leuthold's Couloir over to Cathedral Ridge with Leuthold's Couloir being the most direct. From the Queen's Chair you can access the headwall pretty easily with some very straight forward traversing. Some folks did that last year to do both the original headwall finish as well as the variation which oddly enough does the opposite of what you are thinking. In that they gained the col from the Elliot Glacier and then continued up the North Face. From the glacier to col is about 100 meters of climbing.

From the col one would need to drop down a bit to get around the upper buttress across from the col and then traverse right. That would put one approximately 2/5 up the headwall The original finish to the headwall would then be up and further right. There are other variations.

I am not sure writing has anything to do with it. While some were writing others were being written about. When I first thought about the list I tired to think about in 10-15 year increments over the past 40 years as originally stated (not 50 years as stated above). My first thought was Lowe, as in George, Jeff, and Alex. But upon reflection I started thinking about Beckey, Chouinard, and Twight. Certainly in the modern era Mark has had influence because of his writing. However, others did similar ascents just did not feel the need to pontificate as much. That said Mark's most recent comments are 35 years late and are quite trite. If he had written it a year ago most folks would go meh. Messner argued quite successfully about climbing via fair means some 35 years ago. The only reason anybody is thinking about the whole cheating issue is because of Armstrong's confession. So Mark's comments are really nothing more than a piggy back ride from the cycling world to the alpinism world (pun intended). So that from that respect nothing to see, time to move along.

Climbing at altitude causes blood doping. You are all a bunch frickin cheaters.

Epoxy is brittle - patch it with ShoeGoo.

As said springs if made properly will last a very long time. Think about clocks. it take a huge number of cycles for a spring to fatigue especially when they are kept well within the elastic limits. For the OP I have binding that are probably as old. Not dynafits but others. Have them checked out for signs of corrosion/rust and then grease them up.

Slightly OT but Plaidman conditions here in Oootah are shit unless you want to play Roulette. http://utahavalanchecenter.org/avalanches/avalanche-provo-canyon-1 The Fang as well as the rest of the climbs up canyon from Stairway are death traps.

Damn, that is a lot of pictures. A few more and you could splice them together to make a movie ;-). I have always like that side of the hill, especially if one take the time to hang out at the Queen'c Chair. A perfect place for a picnic before heading to the summit follies.

My wife is going to cry when I tell her my lycra is back in style. Dane you going to be in SLC for OR? If so send me a note as the ice is in.

Your best bet would be to head to Zion National Park area. Lots of good stuff to keep you entertained. I have never used a guide for canyoneering as I have managed to keep the nonsense level high enough. That said send Tom a note: http://www.canyoneeringusa.com He can point you in the right direction. Though be advised that there is no guiding within ZIon National Park proper. However, there are a few canyons inside the park like the Subway, Key Hole, and Pine Creek that can be done guideless without dying though that has not stopped many.

Typically a group can assemble on National Forest lands and not need a permit when group size is below 75 people.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/willamette/recreation/wintersports/?cid=stelprdb5109521&width=full#fuji

It is not necessary that a rescuer or litter be involved. Merely that the rescued be picked up and not be brought into the helicopter. Speaking from experience it is a fun albeit short ride

Not surprisingly Alt. 3 was chosen. However, no crushed rock will be imported. Hello - please see the attached letter from Randy King announcing the issuance of the Finding of No Significant Impact for the Camp Muir Rehabilitation Plan Environmental Assessment. The EA, Errata and FONSI may be downloaded directly at: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/muirea Thank you for the time you took to comment on the EA - your participation in the planning of activities at the park is appreciated! FWIW I am not surprised that Alt 3. was chosen however a few of the reasons behind it leave it a lot to be desired.

As note in the other thread I did not get out as much as I would have like so fewer success and even fewer failures but this one had the potential: Left Timberline headed for Illumination Rock for the night. Midway up the Magic Mile my partner starts to fad. Sure it is already dark and windy but we had hardly got going. He admits to staying up drinking until 3am the night before. So we bivy under the lift. At day break we wake up to the sound of a cat coming by then the lift starting up - we hustle out of there cause it is one thing to be caught by a cat drive but not making it up to the top of the lift before the skiers come by is another.

Though only climbing related, I should have added these but forgot as both were last Jan. 4. Hanging at my house with Fred Beckey and friends who did several of the FA with Fred that made it into his book. 5. Chatting with Reinhold Messner.

Steel caribiners have the same issues and aluminum caribiners. The only difference is the amount of time. A good example are rap station chains. Look at the wear they get from idiots who TR and lower down from them instead using their own gear and rappelling respectively. That said I agree it is going to be hard to solve unless a mfg comes up with a solution.

I should have noted that I am familiar with the summit terrain but was there in the day light. I really do not recall the chimneys you are describing, I just remember a wandering through the rock "buttress." Perhaps in my own haze as I had been recovering from a bronchial infection. However, given your experience of down climbing chimneys and running into steeper terrain does make me recall why the last bit wanders around. To avoid those steep sections as I do recall wandering to the north of the summit. That could well be what caused Greg's difficulties and why he waited. Thanks for jogging my memory. As for the south face - I saw that scenario play out on the Polish Glacier. When a climber, oddly enough from Poland did exactly that from along the top of the glacier to the summit. One minute he was there and the next he was gone. He was never found.

Indeed sad news, I read the news article above and have been pondering it. I am very curious to know of the conditions that made it difficult for them to find the descent route. It sounds as though Eric went up and over in the dark but not to the summit so I can see him missing the Canaleta but I wonder what caused Greg's difficulties as it sounds as though he waited on the summit? I can see not going far enough towards the south summit before heading down into the Canaleta and running into issues but I am a bit baffled. Sad indeed.

My year was not really all that productive so only a top three. But a top three that all included good friends, as climbing should be. 1. Mt Hood - Luthold Col. followed by Sandy Glacier Headwall the next day. Did it with a great partner who turned 65 this year. 2. Couple FA rock routes with one of my one of my closest friends. 3. A Beckey Route - the route is of no significance but my partner was, we had not climbed together for over 25 years!! It was great to share a rope again.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2245763/Booming-Ice-Chasm-Underground-chamber-beneath-Rocky-Mountains-giant-ice-slides-melt.html

Bummer about the boots. I have to echo Dane's comments. Over the years I have bought many boots. Most are gone but for some reason the $40 gaiters that I bought 15 years ago have survived more than one crampon rip and have saved the boot. Besides even boots with integrated gaiters just help some but not all of the crap out.

Not always. Two points will distribute the weight the better than one. Thus more often than not you will not shear out. For alpine ice, dual points is far better as here again the weight is more distributed which is easier on the feet. They are also more stable which is helpful as when alpine climbing you will more than likely have a pack weighting you down. I would never consider taking a pair of mono points to AK. For that matter I used a pair of old Coonyard rigids which a friend used the same (not the exact same ones) 20 years before. The seemed to get us up the Cassin just fine. To the OP - mono points have their place but are some what specialized. Find yourself a good pair of dual points and then you will at least limit the discussion to vertical or horizontal points.