Le Piston

Another Julbo Advance fan here. They have served me well in all sorts of conditions. I always use Croakies so I don't lose or forget them.

I also used the BD Speed 30 for quite a while, but last year bought a Deuter Pace 30. I find it much more suitable for alpine day climbing. It has side pockets for pickets or other gear, a rear shovel pocket, and a mesh pocket on the waist belt for small items (GU, lip balm, sunscreen, etc)...very handy. So far it has proved very durable, light, and comfortable to wear on approach and while climbing. Good luck finding a good pack for your needs!

Great pictures! It brings back memories of my trip in 2005. That looks like a fun route...glad you had such primo conditions.

I second Devin27 and Genepires on Sahale, Ingall's North Peak, Colchuck, and Liberty Bell. Ruth, The Tooth and South Early Winters Spire are other favorite fall intro to the Cascades climbs. Check out some of the Trip Reports and enjoy!

Stout work. Now THAT is a TR! You guys are animals. Thanks for sharing your adventure.

It is a great looking mountain. Here's a tease from Saturday.

Stout work gentlemen! I really enjoyed your report and especially the pictures...Damn you got some great shots! Made me feel like a wimp just climbing Challenger in July...you guys are animals!

Thanks Dane...very informative. I just wish I had seen this before I bought my Cyborgs! Perhaps I can find a kitchen use for them...meat tenderizer?

That first picture says it all!...classic. I hate to admit I've had that look a few times. Superb pictures and TR. It appears the approach is scarier than the actual route...typical North Cascades fun. Thanks for sharing a great climb.

One of my favorites, and my first as a youth, is Little Annapurna. It's a long day, but I did it 2 years ago and was out before needing a headlamp. It takes you past Colchuck Lake and into the upper Enchantments...great views. You might be better off easing into this with shorter hikes and build up...depends on how adventurous your wife is. Just up to Colchuck Lake or up Asgaard Pass might be enough. Good luck!

Very cool! I'm glad you can do these trips with your dad...that is very special. I hope to be doing this when I'm 66. Thanks for sharing your trip. Too bad you didn't climb Snowfield, it's fun and offers great views. You guys are animals! Also, check out Psalm 19:1...one of my favorites in the alpine. Cheers!

Way to get after it Val! Sorry you had such grief from the Rangers...I've never had any bad experiences with them and hope to keep it that way. Looks like you enjoyed a beautiful climb anyway with good friends. Life doesn't get much better. I also agree about rapping the couloir...the hungry moats await!

I got a pair of the Endeavor pants this year. It's got a full length vertical zipper, as well as horizontal zipper, so you can take 'em off or put 'em on while wearing boots and crampons. I really like mine, though as Water states, they're not full on 4 season Softshells. I like being able to get shorts or pants from the same garment. Cloudveil used to make a roll-up softshell (Peak or Prospector) pant that I also found worked well for adapting to changing weather/temperatures.

Thanks for posting...appreciate the beta. Looks like fun! Have much problem with bugs?

John, thanks for sharing. It brought back great memories of my trip in 2005. Sorry you didn't get to summit Monte Rosa. The weather can be pretty fickle there...it prevented me from getting the Matterhorn and Lyskamm. The Spaghetti Traverse is certainly a peak baggers dream in an amazingly beautiful area. How was the new Monte Rosa hut? The old one was the worst nights sleep I ever had in the Alps! Good luck with your next try!

Something like this? Not sure if I'm ready to part with them...they belonged to my brother.

Thanks for the great TR and awesome pictures. You've got to love that North Cascades slide alder...builds character (and bruises). Keep up the great work.

I wish I was off that time period! I've done Spickard (wouldn't mind doing it again by a different route), but didn't get to climb Redoubt and want to badly. I hope you find a partner...it's a very cool area.

It is by far one of the best views I've experienced from a summit. Thank you for the kind words.

We went that way based on my friend's past experience. I thought the Hannegan Pass might be easier, but was told a lot longer and more up and down. Maybe I'll go back that way to get Whatcom next time.

Thanks! If you need any more specifics, just PM me.

Trip: Mount Challenger - Challenger Glacier Date: 7/9/2011 Trip Report: My friend Rod offered to climb Mt. Challenger again with me...a gesture of true friendship considering the tales of wicked bushwhacking and long miles he told me about from his last Pickets climb. On Saturday we took the water taxi from Ross Lake Resort to Big Beaver and started hiking up to Beaver Pass, where we'd spend our first night. Sunday morning we began the bushwhack up Eiley-Wiley ridge. Thank goodness the devils club isn't full grown. By staying in the more timbered areas, the going was steep, but not too bad. We opted for the high traverse of the ridge, and regretted it...a lot of steep up and down that just wasted energy. But all the hard work rewarded us with a great camp above Wiley Lake. We had time to spare after setting up camp, so we decided to try and climb Challenger. We didn't reckon on the toll the approach took on our bodies, so it ended up as a recon of the best way down to the Challenger Glacier. The views of Luna, Fury, and the Northern Pickets were amazing.The next morning we made an early start and climbed over Point 7374, over the col and down a steep snow gully to the Challenger Glacier.The glacier was in great shape, firm snow and not much crevasse action. The final snow arete leading to the rocky summit was exposed, but again the snow was perfect. We dropped packs and crampons in a small moat and made the scramble to the base of the rock. There were plenty of rock horns and fixed pins to protect the 50 foot exposed rock. I still added a #9 Rock and .75 Camalot on the route. The crux is mid 5th class (basically one move), and I'm glad I didn't have an audience...my lead was not pretty, but got me up. I belayed Rod up to the true summit, and we enjoyed our Ritter Sports and the spectacular views. We got down to the glacier about 11:00 and decided to go for Whatcom Peak, but alas the weather started getting ugly and we decided to head back to camp. This time we contoured around the west side of Point 7374 and up to our tracks from the previous day. In hindsight, a camp on the northern Challenger Glacier to the southwest of Point 7374 would have made more sense, but the views at our camp were hard to beat. Mt. Challenger is a lot of work to get to, but worth every scratch, bruise, ache and mile of carrying a heavy pack to get to. We awoke Tuesday to lowering clouds and showers, so beat it all the way down to Big Beaver and sweet camping by Ross Lake. We opted to hike out about 6 miles to the resort (saved a couple hours and $50) and payed $2 to get ferried across the lake and begin the hike up to the car. We were tired, but had experienced a great climb in one of the most beautiful parts of Washington. Gear Notes: Pack light. Helmet,picket, glacier gear. If you are a better rock climber in mountaineering boots than me you can get away without any rock pro and just bring slings and biners. Bug juice...there's lots of mosquitos. Sturdy gloves for the bushwhacking. Approach Notes: The Big Beaver trail is in great shape. Some snow around Beaver Pass, but we slept on dry ground. The bushwhack up Eiley-Wiley ridge isn't too bad right now. My advice is take the lower traverse, contouring just about 6200 feet. The snow was in great shape. I'd rather traverse steep snow gullies than wet downsloping heather!

I had a similar frustration with the Mountain Hardwear Pack Pants. The original design was the best and most comfortable hiking/climbing pants I ever found. They "improved" it by changing the fabric and belt. I had 3 pair of the originals. One pair shredded by constant use, one pair stolen from my car (DAMN!), and one patched up pair still going strong. Like you, I wished I had gotten 5 pairs.

If you are considering climbing Fernow and 7 Fingered Jack, you might consider going via Copper Creek Basin (4 miles from Holden). I was there 2 weeks ago. We camped on snow, but had running water. We were planning on climbing Copper Peak and Fernow, but I got sick. This is a picture of our camp at the basin. It is just an alternative to consider.

Thanks again for buttoning up our tent while we were gone. That was nice of you. The chockstone was actually fun getting up. You guys had quite the camp...we were envious!