Le Piston

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!

Trip: Austera Peak/Primus Peak - Date: 7/3/2011 Trip Report: My friend Rod and I had wanted to climb Austera Peak on our trip to climb Dorado Needle, but bad weather changed that plan. So, with perfect weather we headed up towards Eldorado with hopes of climbing Austera and Primus. The trail was no less steep (my body is getting too old for this!), but the snow on the upper boulder field and slope leading up to the Eldorado glacier was a highway of steps.We wanted to camp at Klawatti Col to be closer to our goal. The Inspiration glacier crossing was the easiest I've ever had before.We set up camp and enjoyed the splendid views in either direction.Sunday morning we awoke to rain and whiteout conditions. I was afraid we were going to be stuck in "tent city" for the duration, but it stopped raining about noon. We ate and headed out in less than perfect visibility.Thanks to all the previous climbers...the tracks made routefinding a lot easier. We decided to do Primus first, as it is a walk-up...safely done in marginal conditions. We dropped down to the base of Austera Towers ridge (about 6800 feet) and started traversing up to Primus. The weather started to improve as we hit the summit.It isn't the prettiest mountain or technically challenging, but after getting skunked on Copper Peak last weekend due to illness, it felt good to summit something.Even though it was afternoon, we figured we had enough time to climb Austera and get back to camp before dark. We retraced our route and headed up to the base of Austera in perfect step kicking snow. We had been told the chockstone gully leading to the summit was solid ice, but I found only a few spots of ice in the chimney. I slung the chockstone (the only protection I set the whole trip) made a stemming move to get onto a small snow patch, then a few feet of rock to the summit.The views were pretty fine of Dorado Needle and the backside of Eldorado. We made it back to camp with light to spare, glad to have gotten to climb two peaks in such a beautiful area.The hike out, the snow was pretty hard, so crampons came out for the first time. Gear Notes: Standard glacier gear. We brought pickets and a small rock rack for Austera (there is an exposed 4th class rock option for the summit) Approach Notes: Lower boulder field snow free. Upper boulder field melting out quickly...lots of holes to drop in (I hit a couple) Well packed footpath on the Inspiration glacier with very little crevasse action. A few cracks on the North Klawatti glacier.

Choss is right! I think we did the same traverse to the summit.

I climbed Spider 3 years ago the first week of July. I found the gullies on the south side pretty wet and slippery, so opted to descend one of the steep snow slopes and contoured back to the Spider-Formidable col and returned via the Middle Cascade Glacier/Red Ledges to our camp at Kool Aid Lake. There's bound to be a lot more snow than we encountered, but I haven't been up there yet this year. Spider isn't the prettiest mountain on the Ptarmigan, but great views from the summit!

Them's my kind of calories! My partner and I have a summit tradition...Ritter Sport chocolate bars. Nothing like a reward for all the hard work getting up and energy to help you get down.

You might check out the REI brands. Not as alpine chic as Mountain Hardwear, Arcteryx, etc. I have one of their older light synthetic puffies (Gossamer with hood) and have gotten good use out of it. I don't know if you can go under $100, but it will probably be at least $40-$70 less than the top models. Otherwise look for sales on-line and at your local climbing shops. Good luck!

I climbed the south slope route 2 years ago using the Depot Creek approach. Except for the waterfall section, I don't think you'd have any more difficulty toting skis that way. Definitely an early summer ski, as by August the glacier was icy. I too would love to see a TR from your trip.

Alpine Climbing: Rod Xuereb on the West Ridge of Forbidden Scenic:Panorama of Monte Rosa, Lyskamm, Polux and Castor: Swiss Alps Humor: Hitching a ride at Hyak

I hope you get some coin for that. Thanks for the update...been wondering about conditions on the NEB couloir. Thanks for the great pictures too!

Sweet! I see what you mean...looks like some sporty climbing and definitely a beautiful location. Nice Pics! Can't wait to see the video. Some of us poor suckers had to work this weekend!

My personal experience with Merino Wool base layers is that they are comfortable, less funky smelling, but take way too long to dry. I hardly ever use my wool stuff climbing anymore, and stick to my Capilene. For summer, I like the thinest variety in white or light grey for sunny weather, and like Genepires, layer over it. In winter, I will go for Capilene 3 or R-1 hoody for baselayer. Hope that helps, but either one should work just fine.

Strong work gentlemen and great TR!

Nice first posting and sweet pictures. I hope we see a lot more of these from you. Brought back good memories of those peaks...except for my own postholing hell coming back from Klawatti!

This is real good advice. I've been up there many times and often have seen footprints near the crater rim with cracks forming behind them. I also second the ice axe and crampons...and knowing how to use them. I hope the weather cooperates for you! Myself I'd rather have snow on the route rather than nasty ash and rocks. Have fun!

Trip: South Early Winters Spire - Southwest Couloir Date: 6/4/2011 Trip Report: More of a conditions report on a well known route. My usual climbing partner was concerned about avalanches with the recent warm weather, so I decided to try the Southwest Couloir solo...hoping that an early start would see me up and down before things warmed up too much.I left home about 1:30 a.m. and arrived at the trailhead about 5:00. The snow was firm, so the snowshoes stayed in the car. The approach trail was easy to follow. The couloir was in perfect shape...no chockstone, no ice, nice step kicking snow!There was snow all the way to the top of the couloir, and just 20 feet or so of 4th class scramble to the summit. I shared the top with a couple of guys named Nick...enjoyed the company! I had lugged up all sorts of gear, so we set up a rappel, but the downclimbing was faster and solid. The late morning snow was softening, so there was a little postholing until we got to tree line. The Nicks were kind enough to give me a beer back at the cars...great guys. Thanks! The weather and views were stellar. Now is the time to climb the route. Gear Notes: Took a picket, rope, rock rack and only used it for balast and one rap that wasn't needed (new rope needed stretching). For current snow conditions my Venoms worked perfect, better than ice tools...especially for the downclimbing. Approach Notes: Better make it early, unless you enjoy character building postholing. The trailhead parking lot is still snowed under, but plenty of roadside parking.