pinegar

I'm also looking for partners in general to go on jogs within about 5 miles of the U-district. The fastest I _can_ go is a mile in about 6 minutes, and my typical jog-pace is 8 minutes per mile for about 6 miles. Running is a great way to bullshit about climbing, right? This winter I will have (at least) a few much needed weeks of unemployment, and I have lots of not-thought-out goals for skiing and climbing in the NW, maybe even Mexico. I would like to start cultivating partners now. I'm especially interested in people with solo experience. If climbing with a partner is 10x safer than solo, then partners who routinely do solo work are probably 10x safer than a couple of ordinary partners. It's probably for another topic to speculate about how (I confidently assume) accident rates for solo climbers/skiers are lower than for teams. (but what would climbing partners be without spray?) So climbers have fewer accidents solo, but it's safer to have a partner, right? Is anyone on the same page? Also, if you love maps half as much as I do, we should get along great. I love the mountains, and the feeling that I can go anywhere in the mountains. But I like to stay safe too. Cornices are beautiful, but often they cannot be safely navigated without a partner. Snow anchors obviously consume a lot of time, and the days are so short....

I have an unfinished project on the south side of the north peak of chimney rock, which I plan to complete in the next few weeks. I'm working but my schedule is flexible and dry weather is all I need. You can read about chimney rock in Beckey CAG. The protection is generally sparse and the rock can be mossy/dirty around there but my favorite area is atypically good. (steep & south facing, no dirt, grass, etc.) Let me know if you're interested. I did a trip there roped solo at the start of this month, but a partner would make it go faster (and of course somewhat safer). If it goes. After 200 feet of class 4 up from the moat of the chimney glacier, I climbed 100 feet that was easier than 5.10, but overhanging about 10 feet, which I discovered when I rapped off and had to be careful not to be forced to re-ascend the rope. From the high point, the route was not overhanging above, but unclimbed? so could be harder. Ran out of time that day, my first doing roped solo. Just 4x more vertical to the top or something. Plan on a full day to drive/hike in comfortably from Seattle and 1/2 day to get out. Maybe it will be a lot easier now that I know where the climber's trail is. To give some background and since this is turning into a TR, I'll say that on the second full day up there I went for the main peak, but was too slow and turned around roughly 500ft below the summit (2:00pm). A big contributor to the slowness was dirt in my eyes (hard contact lenses suck for this). I have no plans to try the main peak again, at least not without swim goggles or a lot of snow and ice around. East face direct has a great view and a lot of vertical, and it sucks that I wasn't up to the task, but I think the mountain has too much grass and not enough slope angle to make it a really great climb. In fact, from the North peak it looks more like a cow-pie than a chimney.

I've had similar plans, but I'm probably less serious and sometime in January would be more likely, due to scheduling. I want to drive my car around Mexico for a few weeks, seeing some central areas and points on the Pacific coast. carrying skis up would be the best way I think (more self-respecting descent), though I've heard they turn to blocks of ice after about November.

Welcome to the NW. The index peaks do look great in winter. But as the guidebooks say, it may look a little better than it is for climbing, due to the low elevation. Still I'd like to try it winter of summer.

Amazing! Beautiful pics and description.

I'd like to pay about $100--$150 for a Silent Partner, depending on condition or whatever. If no one has one to sell I'll be soon buying one new for about $225. (But they'll give me a free shirt also, so don't try to gouge me!) It is best if you send an email to pinegar at the place u.washington.edu, or call me at 206.543.1372.

I can make an offer of $35 for the slings and webbing, if you arrange and pay shipping (to Seattle). If you want to include the 3 rap rings as well I'll pay $40. (No big deal though, mostly I'd like the slings) I can mail a check and wait, or pay by paypal right away---your choice. Thanks for your consideration. David

Thanks for the pics and TR! You passed me and we chatted at the bottom of the Inter Glacier on your way out.

Very good! I especially love the picture "Top of the Mowich Face: Sunset Ridge is directly ahead. I skied between the rocks where the ridge drops directly ahead." Makes me want to go surfing, skiing, and water-skiing at the same time. I knew you'd be up there somewhere when I didn't see you at the picnic yesterday.

Same story with me. I'm also looking for partners. I have a little less rock experience and probably a little more boldness than most people. I have the gear and the Exit 38 book and was there once at the end of last summer. There and at the gym I appear to follow in the 5.10b range, maybe better at exit 38. Always up for meeting people/practice at the UW "rock", as well. Love alpine but exit 38 is more practical, especially want early morning weekends this summer. Email is better than PM, or call my cell 206.393.2639. I'd probably even tolerate most Republicans.

Thanks for all the positive feedback and comments! I really did have a blast on this trip, and I'd been looking forward to it for months. It gave me a feeling of accomplishment that I don't get too often. Where I dug the quick little "snow cave" wind shelter-tube the snow was quite deep and dig-able, though it was steep and the wind was always trying to take things away from me. I wasn't really digging into a wind slab but it was definitely a lee slope for west winds and the snow was nice and "cornified".

Trip: traverse: - Steven's Pass to Snoqualmie Pass (Gold Creek) Date: 4/2/2007 Trip Report: On Monday, April 2, 2007, on the heals of some cold, fresh snow, I set out from Seattle to traverse from Steven's Pass to Snoqualmie Pass, a trip I estimated would require three or four days. Riding Seattle Metro buses wearing my BC ski rig draws some attention, and on this occasion I declined to accept a rather heavy XXL wool/acrylic jacket offered to me by an injured railroad worker while I was riding to the Greyhound station. Later, after helping to free a young woman trapped in a bus bathroom by a defective lock, I arrived at Steven's Pass. During the ride I discovered that I had left my "Steven's Pass" 7.5' quadrangle at home, but fortunately some nice people at the ski patrol office printed out parts of the map for me from the internet. This was great, since I also obtained parts of the neighboring "Scenic" quadrangle, a map I've never bothered to buy. So at about 1:30pm I started to skin up towards the back side of the Stevens Pass ski area. I continued south to Tunnel Creek. I took a picture of myself that turned out to not show anything else, and I reached Tunnel Creek at an elevation of 4070 feet at about 3:30pm. I continued past Hope Lake and stopped for the night at the saddle overlooking Trapper Creek which is due south of Hope Lake. Soft, pretty snow characterized these first days of the trip. The photo below (taken early in the morning) shows the view SW across Trapper Creek, from near the saddle where I slept. The route I followed later that morning is along the valley shown climbing southward out of Trapper Creek leftward from the center of the photo. Trapper Creek was reached at 3540 feet at 8:50am, and was conveniently covered with snow. Tuesday was a sunny day as expected, and the light, fresh snow was about 10 inches deep. (Taken looking north during the ascent away from Trapper Creek.) After a sunny noon-time lunch at 4550 feet that allowed some time to dry equipment, the saddle overlooking Prospect Creek (5620 feet) was reached at about 3:15, and the next photo shows the view SW towards Square Lake during the subsequent descending traverse in that direction. The burned trees and south-facing slope left the snow quite sun-exposed, and I chose to remove my skis to kick my way through a short, craggy section of the traverse. The following photo shows Lake Wolverine, with Square Lake in the background: I traversed Square Lake from north to south and continued south to the smaller lake before ascending the westward ridge, shown from below here: I kept to photo-left. A quick evening descent into the Deception Lakes followed, and the night was spent among trees between the two largest lakes. I departed at about 6:50am, and two hours later Deception Creek was reached at 3370 feet. The crossing was made difficult by steep banks and overhanging snow, and it was necessary to remove my ski boots. This photo, taken from the south-west bank, shows the point where the crossing was made. I used an ice-axe to modify the snow bank so I could approach the water between the two smaller trees on the far bank. Poor visibility for route-finding, combined with some steep areas... slowed the ascent to Marmot lake, and this relatively large lake was crossed at 3:15pm. Next is a south-facing view of the lake, overlooking some thin ice near its outlet: The route southward follows the western bank of the stream from Jade Lake. As afternoon wore on, extremely sticky snow made the skis quite heavy, even though the climbing skins were removed since the sun-warmed snow and icy skis alone gave adequate traction. Jade Lake was reached at 6:00pm. The next photo shows the view southward up the glacier-floored valley extending south from Jade Lake. The next view is northward from the head of that valley, at the end of the third day of my trip. Next are two overlapping, under-exposed photos from the top of the same little valley, showing the view of Mount Daniel and the Lynch Glacier from the north. A breezy night was spent at the western corner of the lake at the foot of the Foss Glacier. As I was preparing for bed I foolishly put one boot through thin snow into the outflow stream, leading to a change of socks and a slight relocation of my intended bivy site. Here we see me early the next morning, with the camera looking northward at my bivy site there at the head of the Foss River. Next is a view of Mount Hinman from the same bivouac site. The shoulder of Mount Daniel extends from photo-left, and the route I followed passes through the floor of the valley between Hinman and Daniel. The following shots show the wide view looking south from the saddle between Daniel and Hinman. Shovel Lake is in the center and Bears Breast Mountain is largely obscured by cloud on the right. Several cliff-bands must be avoided during the descent westward towards Lake Rowena. Lake Rowena and La Bohn Gap from some point along this descent: Here is the west-facing view from La Bohn Gap. The Middle Fork Snoqualmie Valley extends to photo-right, while the ridge containing Summit Chief Mountain stands on the left. Just west of La Bohn Gap I saw the first skin tracks since I left the Stevens Pass ski area. At 4:20pm I crossed the Middle Fork at 4130 feet, using a combination of snow bridges and fallen logs to cross the braided stream. At 5:20pm, at 4030 feet, I put skins back on and began climbing south into the valley of the Overcoat Glacier. There was a strong south wind in this valley, and I bivied at 5250 feet, in a simple, tubular snow cave I dug into the east-facing slope of the spur at the western side of the valley. The next morning I was traveling by 6:30am, earlier than usual, and I ascended to the saddle at 6550, north-east of Overcoat Lake. Keeping this elevation, I traversed clockwise above Overcoat Lake, and then climbed several hundred feet to the top of the prominent saddle north of Iceberg Lake. As expected, the upper Burntboot Valley is quite a nice rock garden! (I hope to go back there this summer. I need climbing partners, :eveeel: :eveeel:, and maybe a mule train to carry gasoline, a small keg, etc. ) This last piece of film was exposed at 11:00am Friday from this 6750-foot saddle west of Overcoat Peak. It shows Chimney Rock from the northwest. Note the rocks visible below the high saddle at photo-left. According to the topographic map, a 200-foot section of this obvious ski descent path (between Chimney Rock and Overcoat Peak) has an average slope of about 55 degrees. It presents an obvious variation to the route through this area. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable negotiating the gaps between the rocks during a true ski descent this season. Later views of this descent path from below also left the quality of that route variation an open question in my mind. My route continued through the saddle just west of the Lemah Peaks, and I carelessly lost about 30 minutes when I trapped myself above a cliff-band while descending from there to around 5000 feet, where I then traversed over to the relatively flat-bottomed canyon about halfway between Avalanche Lake and Joe Lake. Here again I saw tracks: Apparently soon after the snowfall of Sunday/Monday, two skiers had descended the slope I now climbed on my way into the Gold Creek watershed. After traveling to the shoulder of Huckleberry mountain overlooking Joe Lake, I met a south-facing slope warmed to slush by the afternoon sun. On my first full traverse across this slope, my sluff triggered the wet-snow avalanche shown in the cell phone picture :moondance:. As I watched this avalanche run (into the trees well below where I later stood to take the photo), I was a little surprised to see a smaller slope (about 1/4 the area, to skier's left) remote-trigger and also run . Unfortunately it is not visible in the photo, being beyond the trees to photo-right. Following my original plan to descent the NW bank of Gold Creek, things went smoothly that evening, and I camped just after crossing Silver Creek (walking on a log). After a lazy but hungry start (I had eaten my last food the night before), I continued down the bank of Gold Creek as the forest thickened and the snow became harder and more uneven. I skied without skins as much as possible, and walked a little in some patches. Clearings in the forest and ancient cross country ski tracks and kick wax residue lured me toward Gold Creek, until I found that a swamp north of Mardee Lake separating me from my car. In the epic conclusion, it took me several hours to travel northward across the swamp on a network of more or less connected snow-bridges (final cell phone pic), and I reached my car at about 3:00pm, approximately 5x24 hours after I started skiing. The last day made me feel more like a knight of Arthurian legend than a back country skier, but other than that I had a lot of fun on this trip. Although I did run out of food, I was eating well until the last day, and I always had plenty of gasoline. Although I still believe this trip should be accomplished in three days, four or five days is more consistent with my level of experience and physical fitness. Apparently I did just enough skiing this season to avoid over-use injuries on the trip. I'd like to thank Matt for loaning me his ski poles, and I'd also like to thank the weather for being better than expected during the second half of the trip. Gear Notes: Tele skis, no crampons.