ScaredSilly

I worked at the ODP in the early-mid 80s and have one of the last original club patches. Used to have it on a hat for a long time. While cleaning up the ODP we came across several scrap books with articles and pictures of past activities. Mostly stuff from the 50s and 60s. It was a hoot to look at.

Not to sounds snotty but if you are reading a forecast such as this and are not sure what to make of it, it is probably best to stay home. As Ivan said "results can vary violently"

Nice write up with some introspective thoughts. Glad that you made it out okay and on your own. More than a few climbers have spent the night down in a hot pocket. As a good friend said to me. We all do dumb things once in a while and fortunately most of the time we get away with it. Sounds as though you will be adding a few things to your pack and keeping your partner close by.

I have a set of straight shaft BD carbon fiber Black Prophets as well as a set of the old style Cobras. I have used both sets for WI5 ice and gnarly alpine climbs ranging from the Cassin to Willis Wall. The steeper and rockier the climb the more I tend to use the Cobras. As for straight shafts - not needed as long as the shaft can be plunged down into the snow easily is what is important with one caveat - curve shaft tools when plunged should be used as anchors very thoughtfully as is not set right can come out much easier than a straight shaft tool.

Just stop by REI along the way. There is one that is 10 minutes from Sea-Tac. We usually buy a gallon of white gas though. We fill our bottles and dump the rest inthe rental car. White gas burns nice.

Naw, Liberty was quiet and all of my other bivies we have been the only people. It was below Wilson in the rocks as to head up the Finger. It would not have been so bad but we were doing a late alpine start. Which means 4:30am.

For some reason I recall reading or hearing that the minimum was around 400 feet for a good deployment. But I know nothing about jumping off of a perfectly good piece of rock.

My story did not happen on on either route, so see Rule 100 - You are not the only person on the hill.

http://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/road-status.htm Road is open to hikers and bicyclists only. CLOSED to motor vehicle traffic due to flood damage. Pets are not allowed beyond the parking area. Road may close to all use at any time due to flooding or other adverse weather. Call the park at (360) 829-9639 for current road status. Road is subject to washouts.

This year though there is more than just RMI guiding on the Muir side. Got three choices. Using one of the three is probably your best bet.

Vickster, your story reminds of the guy who started yelling "Hot Water" at 3am thus waking me from my sleep and planned late alpine start. After about 10 minutes of this I stuck my head out of my bivy sac and said that if he did not STFU that I was coming down, taking his hot water and giving him an enema with it. All was quiet after that.

Std answer ... 20s-60s, party sunny between scattered snow showers, chance of horizontal sleet with low lying clouds. Winds 0-60 mph with reverse gusts up to 100 mph on the summit. Freezing levels from 6000k - 12000k rain showers possible at lower elevations along with white out conditions.

So you took a dump last night. Glad it was excellent. Thanks for sharing.

1) If your pack weighs more than 60 lbs you have too much crap in it. 2) If you can not use a compass, learn before coming up to Muir. 3) Do not rely on others to help haul you out of crevasse. (Your carcass yes) 4) If climbing from Muir consider taking three days and camping at Ingarham Flats, making the summit day a bit shorter. and finally ... you are not there to have fun, you are there to climb the mountain

A bit knotty for me as well. Rarely do I clip all three piece together. I would equalize two anchors and clip my daisy chain to it. The third anchor I would clip the rope into. When the second comes they can do the same. By not having everything tied together this allows the second the the ability to start dismantling the anchors once the leader has the next set of anchors built. Depending on the belay I might undo the two piece anchor or the single before I am on belay. This reduction in clutter can help speed up the climbing.

For those who missed this: http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web08s/newswire-alberta-wintry-house-anderson

As folks have said wander about but watch the weather. It can and will come up fast. Be prepared for a major blizzard and to be able to return to Paradise in a white out. Take and map and compass and know the way points in between - it ain't a straightline. The one hazard to watch out for are underground streams. People have fallen through and drowned. This is problem typically near the terminus of the snow fields.

I once had the opposite - got accused of stealing gear. The guy and his friends were real asses about it so I had fun with it. They demanded to see what was in my pack. I declined and politely said they could follow me back to my truck and record my license plate number and have the sheriff visit. The guy tried to grab me, which was a big no-no as touching someone in such a context is considered assault. In the end I did show them what was in my pack cause they threatened violence. But I did it very slowly and talked to them in tone one would a four year old (very slowly, explaining everything). When I got home I talked to the deputy who they had filed their report with the day before. His first comment was do you want to file charges, I said no just have a long talk with them. It used to be everyone knew each other so leaving packs at the base was not a big deal. Anymore I just carry my pack - it is just training.

20s-60s, party sunny between scattered snow showers, chance of horizontal sleet with low lying clouds. Winds 0-60 mph with reverse gusts up to 100 mph on the summit. Freezing levels from 6000k - 12000k rain showers possible at lower elevations.

Not really, just not easily impressed. Too many wannabe's out there trying to be the "first". To the point that most of the antics are uninspiring and boring.

Not so impressive - the euros have been ski hucking themselves off cliffs for quite some time now. I am actually surprised no one has done this before. And I surely would not say that this history or a first to ski base jump OFF of Hood, Mississippi head wall is at 7k so he started 4k low.

I have done this - the snowshoer is the crevasse poodle while the skier is the anchor. Otherwise it is not too much of hassle. That said it is better to have the same transport on the same rope as it is more efficient.

Gotta agree with Mark on the East Face of Denali. I had a nice conversation with Brad a few years ago when he learned I had been on the East Buttress a couple of times. When it came to the East Face I told Brad I thought it was nuts to go through the Traleika. There are better objectives out there. As for the trifecta - there have been many very strong climbers who have taken many seasons to get all three. Hell 95%+ of those coming up to the range who sign in for the Cassin never even step foot on the route. Probably the person who comes the closest that I can think of doing the trifecta is Michael Kennedy. Though he did solo the Cassin a couple of years after doing the Lowe-Kennedy and the Infinite Spur and of course did the route on Moonflower many years latter.

I spent three years at OSU. Even worked at the ODP while there (I understand that some of our schanigans are still in place twenty plus years later ;-). To be honest neither school is that close to any real climbing. Yeah there are the Columns in Eugene but you are going to be traveling to get to other cragging. Similarly for running up a peak - you are going be to driving for a couple of hours. I would just pick the school that best matches your educational plans. Then go to grad school, pick a good climbing town, and then take 8 years to get your degree. That worked for me. Oh yeah as for the school rivalries - who gives a flying fuuck, when comes to sports Oregon schools in general stink. Fuuck a duck, beat a beaver.

Send me a note - I am PNW transplant, been here 20 years now. Lots of good stuff here - and some BS that is best ignored which is not much different than any other place all depends on the flavor of koolaid you like to drink.