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shaoleung

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Posts posted by shaoleung

  1. #1 piece of safety gear needs to be yer brain. Sounds like the Seneca Rocks example is one with little info, but we can be certain that regardless of what happened there, with 20mm ropes some folks would still figure out a way to make them fail. Kinda like our education system!

  2. Billcoe I bet knows the report, but there was recently a study done of the tat left on anchors around Yosemite. Supposedly 4 slings of the most heinous, old, faded webbing they pulled off anchors could still hold several thousand pounds.

     

    If you feel like you need to add something, at least take away the crap you don't trust.

  3. Trip: Alpine Lakes - Ingalls traverse?

     

    Date: 7/17/2009

     

    Trip Report:

    Ingalls has got to be one of the best short-approach, alpine environments in the region. Beautiful. I keep going back. This time to attempt a traverse from Stuart Ridge back to Ingalls ridge.

     

    We decided to try the Dyke Chimney route up the East side of the east peak. We ascended the Dyke Chimney to the foot of the snow. The snow was in poor shape and we decided to traverse up the left side. We scrambled and climbed past some class 4 and a few class 5 sections. We passed a lot of tat and bail biners. Eventually we were stopped short of the ridge crest by a short gendarme of unprotectable class 5 climbing. We tried to get around by rapping on the snow and bearing right, then center, but nothing appeared to go. Methinks the FA in 1960 might have had 30 or 40 feet more snow, even in October.

     

    Has anyone successfully climbed this route recently?

     

    We retreated and headed for the East ridge of the N. Peak. Roped up around 6:45pm and swung leads through the scrambles, topping out at about 9:45pm after running 9 pitches!

     

    We bivvied near the top of the South slabs. A windy, cold night. By morning, we were chilled to the bone but rewarded with an incredible sunrise and crystal clear morning views of Glacier, Adams, Rainier, Denny, Shukson, Baker, etc.

     

    We rapped the slabs and scrambled the South Peak.

     

    After assessing the ridge between the South ridge of the South Peak, we decided the beer in the cooler at the parking lot was more enticing. We descended and headed for ice cold IPA.

     

    I love it. I can hardly think of a better way to spend a weekend than exploring the mountains with friends.

     

    Gear Notes:

    With little snow, light-weight approach shoes are fine. We brought ice axes, but hardly used them.

     

    If you try the Dyke Chimney, bring your rock shoes and balls bigger than ours. (Maybe some pitons?)

     

     

     

    Approach Notes:

    Almost all snow is gone from the area.

  4. I usually don't get to retire tied webbing as it goes to raps. 9/16 is great: Cheap and strong. I like to clean up the f-ing mess of crap people leave on raps.

  5. Come on now, 90 percent of the slackers that slog up Rainier don't have a f-ing clue what they're doing. Damn right they should be on a rope team.

     

    Most of the Rangers are obscenely familiar with the glaciers and crevasses on the mountain. While this doesn't completely preclude them from the dangers of that stuff, their qualifications are pretty damn high and I'd bet the stats on Ranger accidents while skiing on the mountain are a million to one. One ranger makes a mistake and we're talking about how they need to follow gumby's rules?

     

    I was hit with a case of giardia in the mountains and while I thought I was passing gas, instead shit my pants. Logically, everyone who has spent time in the mountains must now wear a diaper!

     

    Does Mike Gauthier waste his time on CC? I bet he could give some pretty definitive numbers.

  6. Just got back from Stuart yesterday. Not much snow up there, but everyone we saw was happy to have crampons and ice axe for the few hundred feet of snow fields you must cross. It's pretty steep, and while not crispy it was firm through late AM, then slushy enough for slip-sliding into the boulder field.

     

    If you're thinking Cascadian (especially on a weekend with lots of people), bring a helmet too.

  7. So, I go back and forth on how to encourage climbing with my son. He's only 18 months old and I know a couple years away from roping up, but he recently fell in love with a football and I fear I'll have to start going to football practice and games instead of the Icicle. His SAT prep is going well, as are the piano lessons and physics tutoring. Drivers' Ed is tough given that he can't reach the steering wheel. While his motor and speech skills leave something to be desired, I think he'll be ready for the rock sooner than later!

     

    Any parents out there have ideas on where to start? What are your favorite areas for kids?

  8. Heading up there for the first time in two weeks. Can somebody tell me a bit more about the summit pinnacle? Just a scramble or pro needed? Rap off or downclimb?

     

    From the false summit you can reach the top via a very short section of low 5th/4th class rock. I do a lot of rock climbing and consider myself very conservative in terms of safety. I rope up but don't place any pro. From the top, I belay my partner. For the decent, we down-climb, belayed from the top, then the bottom.

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