ScaredSilly

Your memory is correct, the route is listed in Oregon High, Route 7A: Stay close to the cleaver and gain the col behind Cathedral Spire, follow the last 500 feet of the North Face to the summit, FA Bohn, Maki, Combs 1958. The ascent this week was done in much leaner conditions than previous ascents when I am sure there was much more snow in the gully. Looks like a fun couple of pitches before gaining the N. Face routes. It is interesting to compare the summit cornice from two years ago versus this year: Above July 2010 lots of snow - below May 2012 much drier.

The Finger is now a defacto ski route for many. There can be cracks and there can be rock fall. The rock fall is more of a problem on the descent (assuming an early ascent). But you are going down and will only be in the Finger for 5 minutes at best. So little exposure. Early in the year the cracks are also not a problem - if the right path is taken one can avoid them all together. Check out www.turns-all-year.com

4-5 hours to walk up the Palmer. Bloody hell, if it takes you that long taking the cat is probably a good option.

Those tests were done when the ropes were saturated with water. Which in those cases water acts a lubricant and allows the fibers the slide more easily and thus elongate more and break.

Nylon-6 is used in many automotive applications because it is resistant to oils and many other chemicals (acids are a rope's worst enemy). So no you did not trash your rope. You did not do it any favors, either as oil will pick up dirt much easier than not. Hand wash it in hot water with Dawn or other good surfactant based soap which will remove the oil. If you are really concerned, chop that section off.

Getting a jump on the Memorial Day weekend I see: Date: 5/27/2012

Early summer for the DC. Skip the tent and stay in the public shelter.

If yer doing the West Butt. Throw out about half the shit you think you need (half of which will be food) and pack some booze. As for food. To be honest while calories are good having something you will eat that will not 1) taste like shit 2) give you the shits 3) prevent you from taking a shit is far more important. Especially if it involves liquid. A meal of soup, mash potatoes, noodles, dried meat, and candy bar with some tea can do far more than than some gourmet meal with 2000 calories that does one of the 3 above. As for the more practical advise on tents - take two. Multiple reasons. One person can be in one tent and cook for all when the weather is crap. Second if one person is not up to moving up the other two can move up leaving the other behind with a shelter. Finally if a storm blows one tent into shreds ya got another tent for all.

Fromage, many of us on this board could climb/hike Adams without crampons or an ice axe. After all the south side is a mule trail. But we all have years if not decades of experience on the snowy hills. But that is us and not the OP. As DPS said having them can add a huge amount of security as well as make the ascent much easier. This statement is spot on: Now we can contrast the above to the thread on Rainier and whether to take a stove on summit day. All pretty much agreed a stove would be unnecessary if an adequate amount of water was taken. The more interesting part was the recommended amount of water. FWIW - years ago I went to slide show that a guy did on his trip to Aconcagua the funniest damn part was his summit day as decided he did not need to take crampons or a ice axe just ski poles. Well just before the Cantaleta he ran in to a patch of snow that he could not cross safety so he had to abandon his ascent. He eventually summit a few days later after going back down and getting his crampons.

I am going to disagree with those saying do it in a single push. For two reasons, one it does not sound like the OP has spent any time at altitude so he really does not know how his body will react. Second the OP is making their first trip out to the hill - take a vacation and enjoy yourself. BS with others at lunch counter and enjoy the views. Years ago when we came down the route we got to watch the ole Hag to the south belch a nice plume of gas and see her heart of stone glowing. As for difficulty ... the SE Spur is a mule trail. Most others have covered it

I'll try to bring this thread back from being a spray fest ... As someone who was part of a climbing climb in high school in the late 70s early 80s that between us had maybe two pairs of EBs and a couple of pairs of Robin's klutter shoes while everyone else climbed in keds, mtn boots, etc. While at the same time used a hip belay. I can say with out reservation that your observations and feelings are grossly out of line. People have been climbing in all types of shoes for longer than anyone on this board have been alive. Rocks get polished just as badly by shoes as they do with hand grease and chalk (if not worse). While I do not know much about the group in question but many groups do not have the funds to have the latest and greatest equipment. Sure having it might make the experience better but if they were being safe who cares - especially if they were having fun. As for the comment about the hip belay. It is actually quite safe and quite effective. In fact I used it last week with a friend who I gave my belay device to as he was traveling and only grabbed his harness. And the horror of it all, I used a biner brake to rappel. Now about the concerns about the location of the rope while hip belaying. Without actually seeing it there may or may not have been a problem. But if standing having the rope up off the hips is better than right on the hips. But at least he was showing them an alternative method to belay and was backing up the primary belayer. Many climbers today would be screwed if they dropper their gri-gri or belay device. So all in all I am not sure there is any reason for concern. However, if you truly have concerns I would suggest that you contact the director of the group. I am sure they would welcome a donation so they can buy shoes for the kids so the rock does not get polished.

There might have been a pebble or two but nothing that was of concern.

Two guys went for stroll up it a couple of years ago (2010) July 4 weekend: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/969283/1

If ya a bad bladder try Depends other wise get a real water bottle.

Both have good points. On glaciers that are flat an ice axe is a tool to arrest with if a crevasse fall occurs. They are not a walking aid as they are typically too short - that is what ski poles are for. Once on steeper slopes and ice axe is used in multiple ways, from stability, a cane, arresting etc. Similarly a ski pole can be used. IMHO the best overall length axe is 60cm for a person who is 6'0" +/- 2-3"

I am a complete Rainier noob. In a dozen or so trips, the majority of the time I just take everything with me, the stove, the fuel, the tent, my sleeping bag, all my food, plus a 1.5 liters of water, not too mention all my garbage. I hump that crap up one side of the mountain and down the other damn side every time. My partner never helps outs. Okay well sometimes he takes the stove and fuel, but I will be damned if he will take the tent. Now being his in 60s and all I think he is just being selfish not to carry more. So if I were you make yer partner think ya gotta have all that crap and get them to carry it. In the mean time just hydrate well and take 1.5-2 liters.

I finally said screw it and went back to using Joanne's book. It may be old but at least it is correct. I have not yet used Handren's book but seem to have heard it was good.

Si, mas cerveza por favor . Actually knowing most of the pleasantries will get you a long ways.

Private trips are easy as explained above. We went via the Vacas Valley in Feb with very few other people which was really nice. For the Vacas Valley the mules will travel on your schedule so all you carry is a day pack. Do not try to be cheap and carry your crap. Go light and enjoy the walk into the base camp. Get a mule for each person and take some luxury items like fresh fruit and melons. I can not remember who we used but they picked us up at the hotel in Mendoza, stopped by the permit office and drove us up to Los Penitentes/Puenta del Inca. I think we hung there for two nights just relaxing. The mules left in the morning and met us at the ranger station that is 8 miles up valley (our first night). We hiked another 8 miles the next day and the mules again met us at our camp. The next morning the mules take off early cause they go up to BC and then head home. We gave our mule handler dinner one night plus a shirt and sunglasses so he made sure we got a ride across the river rather than wadding across 10C water at 7am. On the way out we packed all of our crap up and did the walk out in a long day with nothing but a day pack. The mules came in early that morning and were out by that afternoon. It took me about 13 hours to hike out. And our stuff was waiting for us at Los Penitentes. Most take two days to hike out. If doing the Rutta Normal or False Polish I will echo the comment about take crampons but no ice axe - treking poles are your friend. And even then you will carry them much of the time.

Somewhat moist, windy, and cold ...

Leave all the stakes at home. With two people you will have two ice axes and perhaps 4 ski poles. Use them. Ah? but want about once you leave camp and leave and the tent? Pack yer tent up and dump it in hole with your other extra stuff while you are climbing. If you get back late and want to stay another night just set it up again. Other wise grab it and go. And if you do plan to stay another night no matter what use a couple of poles to hold it down, but drop the tent, and throw some snow on it to weight it down.

While I do not know a lot about the lookout, my guess is that the FS got a legal ruling from DC that they could ignore the Wilderness Act and went about the replacement. Using the helicopter was what probably tip things over the hill. However, the FS has many other structures with historical significance that they has worked on. My cousin was responsible for many of the projects for the FS during the 90s and 00s. I bet if the FS scoped, prepared an EIS, went in via ground and did the work as a repair and not a replacement there would not have been an issue.

No way, I can only handle 10 posts at a time otherwise my brain will explode. That said, take my comments with a grain of salt. There is lots of good info, I just thought it humorous when I saw the page count and thought about my first trip to Rainier - just too many choices. Now where are my wool mittens??? Oh, about Mt. Washington and testing things out, if it was a good enough for Washburn, Bates, and Houston, it should be good enough for the rest of ya

To some extent I find this, now 7 page thread rather funny when I compare it to my trip up Rainier. Hell we just showed up with a pair of wool pants and a wool shirt with polypro underwear. Yeah we had a Gore-Tex jacket and some pants to go over them along with a pile jacket. So a mix of old school and high tech for the time. But the point is quit thinking about it so much, just show up at the hill and throw yourself at it and see what happens. If you are thinking about your gear in the slightest and paying attention to conditions you more than likely will be fine. But perhaps the biggest is to try shit out and learn from it. If going up the Emmons dragging too much may be a drag but if you get up there and have a day to fart around with it then at least you are doing something.

Dump the googles and about half your clothes. As for gloves, light/mid weight windstopper, heavier weight liners, and shells. One comment on the ski poles - take one on your summit day. Ice axe on the up hill side and pole on the down hill to push yourself up - can be very efficient.