ScaredSilly

By the end of July your best options are either the DC via Muir or the Emmons. These are the two std routes. Both will require some traversing because of crevases but will there will be a well trodden path to follow. Not much of a wilderness experience but probably you best bet. If conditions are good about the only other route I would suggest is the Kaltz Glacier but it more than likely be sun cups to hell.

I am going to say ditto on the comments too late in the year. May is a better time frame for skis. At least that is when I skied off the shoulder of North and then up and off Middle.

No roping, just watch out near the top of the gully around the rocks. Due to the warming, the snow is weakest around the rocks and little moats can form. Probably will not die if you fall into one but it might hurt.

Sometimes the conditions are the lower part of the hill are sidesways piss. Higher up is blue bird with a breeze. The hill makes its own weather. Twice I have walked up from Muir in piss and found descent weather the next day. The last time was 10 years when I took a friend up the hill. Raining at Paradise when we started. The morning we left the Flats for the summit it was cloudless. Of course I have also started out the day with blue bird skies and spent the night on top in a raging white out. So as said go for it. Besides if the weather is clear it is just a walk. If the weather is shit it is an adventure.

One year at the Pearly Gates I ran into two guys who got lost on the summit ridge. That was kinda funny but it was a bit of a white out. I spent 15 minutes on top and headed down. Got to the Pearly Gates and here comes my partner with no crampons but two axes. Behind him was my other partner with crampons but no ice axe. Warren did not want to nick his new leather boots with his crampons so he decided not to use them. Dale did not want Warren to fall so he gave him is axe. That was really funny and we all laughed as we went to summit. (Yes I went back up to the summit).

The ice fall danger is over in less than a minute. That is if you do the rap and go straight across and not like the knuckleheads who we watched walk up along the side at 3pm. As for the rest of rock nothing I would be too concerned about. I should add that whether going for it in a day or over three days going up and over is a hoot. I have done 6 such up and over traverses and really enjoy doing the hill in that style.

Anything is feasible ... we did this traverse last year. Albeit on a more leisurely schedule. You say in a day which to me means car to car. I guess the biggest question is timing. If you want to hit the summit around 9pm that means coming up during the heat of the day when snow conditions could be rather sloppy. Just make sure you start your descent soon after the show is over otherwise you will be dealing with the masses coming up in the morning.

Dane, I will see your Idaho and move it east. All of my north side climbs have been while living in Salt Lake City. And like many others after doing to the north side I played around on Willis (1/2 up the East RIb) as well as venturing over to the Mowich. Funny last year I did the Kautz for the first time. I had as much fun on it as the other routes. BTW I flew over Rainier today. Sitting on top of it was one of the best cloud caps that I have ever seen. Bet no one was on top.

Mark, my quote on that number came from discussions with Eric Simonson, Gaiter and Wickwire. I got Wickwire in there as being the first but needed to include a few other routes like those on Willis. I think Dee mentions this fact in his book as well. Needless to say what the number is actually I would still venture to say it aint many.

To my knowledge there are probably less than ten people who have done all three of Rainier's Norwand ridges. I think the first was Jim Wickwire. My climbing partner and I did all three over the course of 12 years, Liberty (89), Curtis (98), Ptarmigan (01). Liberty is probably the best from mountaineering point of view as it has a bit of everything, glacier travel, objective danger, great bivy, long continuous but not difficult climbing. Unfortunately though today the Ridge has become a trade route with some days a congo line above Thumb Rock with no real climbing as it a nothing but a set of steps. Both Ptarmigan and Curtis have easy approaches up to 10k where the business begins. The climbing is more difficult but after 2500 feet they end. Short but sweet. We did both Ptarmigan and Curtis under icy conditions. But found Ptarmigan easier and finished using the left hand variation. Ptarmigan was the most "business" like climb I have ever done perhaps it was because my climbing partners were the same ones with me on the Cassin. There was little discussion while on route we swapped leads once. Even the summit bivy was just another night in a raging storm. Curtis on the other hand presents a couple of interesting sections. Gaining the ridge is the first - we by passed the aid section and found a by pass similar to what Wickwire did. We did not repeat his variation as the rock section was little more than a few steps of easy 5th class. The middle section was icy but straight forward. The exit gully was fun, a couple short rock steps to pull over before climbing towards headwall exit. From my view point Curtis is probably the best as it has point of no return after the rap and the climbing is varied. Too bad it is so short.

Anymore my typical schedule is to plan for 4 days including flying in on the first morning and flying out on the afternoon on the last day. Done that for something like 5 of my last trips up the hill. I would agree three days is reasonable for most parties on many routes. For Liberty many will spend a 3rd night at Shurman and then head down. By mid June the White River road will be open and there will be a congo line trail beat up to Thumb Rock. TR can get crowded now a days so I would plan to hit it mid week if possible.

Very nice ... But how can be sure you really did the climb? The photo date is for 2010 ... you guys must have gotten up really early.

I am for the latter day ascent. The one time I skied from near the summit was back in '85. Was not really meaning to go that high as I was just out for some exercise while my friends skied T-line. It went something like this left Corvallis at 6am, started skiing around 9:30am, 11:30am Hogsback, took skis off start kicking up the Hogsback, stopped about 100' shy of the Gates. I would have gone to the summit but I could not kicks steps anymore and did not bring an ice axe or crampons, dumb I know but as said I was just out for some exercise. ;-). Anywho I skied down on some great corn, back at T-line around 2pm. This was BITD of Europa 99s and Asolo Summits - gotta love pulling tele turns on double camber skis and floppy leathers.

Just a follow up I know lots of people love the NF VE-25 but IMHO the the floor plan sucks. It is fine for two people but for three forget it unless you like sleeping side ways. The floor of tents like the Sierra Design Stretch Done 3 are better for three people. Just my experience on using both for extended periods of time.

Here is what is in my quiver: tent - Bibler Eldo pack - WIld Things Andinista mummy bag - Feathered Friends Ptarmigan parka - Feather Friends Frontpoint Jacket stove - MSR XGK boots - last trip Scarpa 8000m anything something similar with the integral gaiter. One comment on boots - the above boots are hard to use for anything else in the lower 48 so may not be practical. But if think about spending $80 on each toe the cost is cheap.

Rather than descending to Timberline consider traversing around on the Newton Clark coming back to the spur. I did this traverse years ago in the fall. Was a great decision.

"Members of Deans' climbing party were able stop initial bleeding of her leg that was caused by the falling ice and crampons." Alright who had a tissy fit an threw their crampons???

Take the Ikea bag to your local manure pile fill it up and then drop it off at their door. Then recycle the bag. Sorry I am not an Ikea fan. Mostly cheap furniture made from particle board that will last less than decade. Go buy some good furniture that will last for generations.

Worst thief I have ever encountered was at Camp Muir. Caught the motherfucker rifling through my pack taking what he damn well knew was mine. He took it only because he was lazy and could not be bothered to bring his own. The SOB smiled and walked off as he knew that I would not come after him. A few minutes later he returned. All I could do was rope up and hope that my bowels would hold fast as all he left was a few squares.

Hitchhiking is the cheapest ...

Get your VISA and MC ready. While I certainly hope when people need assistance it will be available but on the other hand perhaps this will be good in the long run.

Check out the lightning that can come from an eruption. http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/apr09/8249

I'll take -50 and no wind over a wind chill of -35. Either way sounds like some good times for those with a ski-kite

Found this interesting ... anyone read it? Holding Fast: The Untold Story of the Mount Hood Tragedy http://www.topworldbooks.com/detail.aspx?s=25121

Part of me wishes the perps would be locked up in a Mexican jail instead of brought back to the US for trial ...