tbrugh

Trip: Prusik Peak - Solid Gold Date: 7/6/2014 Trip Report: After a solid day of cragging at Index last Saturday, we headed east to chase the good weather. We camped at the dirtbag site, and made a relatively leisurely sunrise start. 0500 depart Snow Lakes TH 1000 start first pitch 1600 top-out on west ridge 2130 back at car 2150 1-lb bratwursts at RudLoof’s in Ltown 2400 back in Seattle 0800 work. P1: Sustained, amazing .10a crack/chimney leads into .10d perfect corner “Solid Gold” pitch. Endurance required. P2: Challenging but adequately protected .11a move turning roof, leads into perfect hand crack P3: Continue perfect hand crack .10a P4: Lowest quality pitch of route, which would likely be a well-traveled route at any crag—speaks to high quality climbing on route. 5.8ish, a little loose P5: Incredible tips crack in dihedral. Mixture of stemming, edging, and laybacks before stepping right into fun easy cracks to top P3/P4 could be linked with 70m, as others have mentioned, we had a 60. Any of these pitches would be a classic route at the crags, and linking them together…is also classic. P1 felt sustained and challenging because of the sustained nature of the pitch, but P5 felt like the technical crux in my opinion and Mike led like a champ. Route is highly recommended, and a little more traffic would never hurt clean up some of the grit (of which there isn't much). Great route, highly recommended. Gear Notes: Double rack .3 to #2, 1x#3. Seemed comfortable, could have gotten away with less but we were happy to have more. Approach Notes: Snow Lake approach snow free. Mosquitoes moderately bad. Several ticks flicked during climb.

Trip: Mt Stuart - SGC Date: 5/15/2014 Trip Report: In the spirit of giving back to the great community of cc.com, where I constantly gather conditions info and rarely give back my share, see below for a conditions/brief TR for the SGC from this past Saturday. Mike and I set off at 3am, and were fortunate to follow behind a friendly pair of climbers from Portland who established a nice boot pack all the way up through Stuart Lake and across to the couloir entrance. The bergschrund crossing was no problem: The couloir is in great condition, with enough water ice at the constrictions that I was able to place solid 13 cm screws at each step. The West Ridge was mostly snow free, with some exceptions particularly the pitch that ventures out onto the North Face, and the shaded offwidth crack pitch up higher. We came out in 16 hours car-2-car. Gear Notes: 30m rope, nuts, pins, cams, 2 screws, 2 tools, 2 crampons, 1 block of cheese, 1 bag of pepperoni. Approach Notes: Approach via Stuart Lake, descended Mountaineers creek.

I found a right-handed, black, largish, lightweight, VaprThrm Mitt on the Sherpa Glacier yesterday afternoon. It was on the snow surface, so must have been dropped in the last couple of days. It looks very new, and surely the owner would like to complete their pair. Drop me a PM if this is yours -Taylor

I was the last group to "Check out" of the public shelter at Muir yesterday, and found a pair of very nice pair OR gloves that someone had tossed in with my gear. I have them and will happily return to owner, just send me a PM with some sort of unique identifying descriptor and I'll get them back to you.

I was a competitive swimmer for 12 years, I had one labrum repaired, and need to have the other eventually. The best thing I can share is to use it as an opportunity to refine her swimming technique. Lots of coaches love to hammer the yards at her age (and beyond), so with a surgically repaired shoulder she'll need to get her technique perfect-especially freestyle-to make it through without more shoulder pain down the road. Also strengthening her back-rhomboids(I think? stabilizers). Swimmers tend to be overdeveloped in the front, good to equalize it out. At least that made all the difference in the world for me. Good luck! Recovery takes forever, and like others said, take it easy. -t

With the splendid weather outlook, I'm looking to connect with a few more partners to get out. Prefer alpine, but I'm open to ideas. I'm more or less available whenever (weekday or weekend), will be soloing or riding my bike when partners can't be found. I am an average all-around climber, fairly experienced, with good fitness and safe. I'm pretty agreeable on routes-Stuart Range, volcano slog, N Cascades, open to ideas. I was in a snowstorm on Black Peak in May and turned-around, would like to try it again. I live in Mill Creek. Drop a PM or email if interested-taylor dot brugh at gmail dot com Taylor

A Canadian Wonderbear was found midway down the Sherpa Glacier. Please PM me if you would like it back...

Trip: Mt Rainier - Liberty Ridge Date: 6/2/2013 Trip Report: I'm finally sitting down to right my first trip report on cc.com after years of lurking on here to gather route info. Time to contribute I suppose, although a little late for this one as there are already a couple other TRs for the route during the same window. Would have had a quicker turn-around if work hadn't sent me to S. America................ In late May and early June, Z-man and I connected for a 2-week stint of avoiding responsibility and chasing weather windows to put together a enjoyable string of climbs in Leavenworth, Washington Pass and Darrington. As a conclusion, we enjoyed fine conditions on a trip up Liberty Ridge. This was my first time up Lib Ridge after years of staring at the line from a distance on sunny days from the city. It was all that I had hoped for: enjoyable and at times tiring climbing, and spectacular views and position. Couldn't have asked for a better partner either. Approach was wet, shin-to-knee deep snow: Camp at Curtis Ridge was comfortable with water dripping through the rocks, a light breeze, and sunshine. There was a tent platform dug out at Thumb Rock that we set-up on. Having been 5 feet further down the ridge would have been awesome, we were battered with winds all night. Steep and fabulous snow above Thumb rock. Occasionally knee-deep, but mostly better. The tracks from the party the day before were unfortunately mostly gone. Approaching the 40 degree ice noted in other TRs found ~12,000'. We were only on the continuous ice for what I'd estimate to be 800'. Above which the ice can be avoided to the right, closer to the ridge crest. Rather than cross bergschrund, Z-man suggested we climb the directly left up ~100' of enjoyable easy-moderate ice. Good call, as it put us on the summit in no-time. Cruiser snow approaching Liberty Cap, variably wind-blasted, firm to ankle-deep The walk down down was basically a 6-hour debate about whether it would be worth carrying skis all the way up the route, since walking down sucked. Still undetermined, will need to repeat the route with skis to figure it out. Gear Notes: tools, crampons, ice screws, 30m rope, sunscreen.

The weather looks just great: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Index&state=WA&site=SEW&textField1=47.8208&textField2=-121.554&e=0 406-five four six-1630 Friday looks good also...

Looking to get on some 10s on the LTW tomorrow. Anyone interested?

Life is too short to be inside. I'm Looking for a partner Thursday Friday and Saturday or any combination of the three. Alpine or rock; really anything as long as its outside. I'm in Seattle Taylor

I like climbing...don't get me wrong, but a keg on top of godzilla...that's incentive!!

I'm looking to get out on rock or mountains this weekend, regular partners are busy being responsible. Anyone want to get out? I was thinking Prussik, Stuart, cragging...working too much lately, need some mountain time. I can drive, lead low 10s...Any takers?

What time were you planning to head out? I can leave around 430 if you or anyone else wants to go around then.

Surprisingly free this weekend, and looking to head to the mountains. No particular intention other than being outside and climbing something. Sport, trad, alpine, volcano, whatever. Any takers?