danhelmstadter

it's hard to put down may'n

Trip: Kulshan - 2 Park headwall laps & CD Date: 7/29/2010 Trip Report: I really should check out the Boulder-Park cleaver route/approach sometime, but I love seeing my friends in Glacer. I left Helio trailhead pretty early since I knew the Park Headwall gets morning sun, and with recent avalanche activity on Rainier, and since the entire Park Headwall avalanched in a massive wet slab two days after I skiied it on July 15th last year, I thought an early start was wise. I tryed to coax a fried in Seattle to come with me, but he was wrapped up in something. Radio & earbuds were my partners this time. During the approach to the base of the glacier -- I listned to a raunchy Canadian based talk/rock show, and the dirty humour had me giggleing pretty hard, I must have appeared as a nut to anyone in the numerous tents nearby. The CD is in excellant shape -- very straightforward and direct. The snow conditons were ideal for ascending as well -- firm. Once on the summit, I downclimbed the Park Headwall to the shrund at the base -- to scout out conditions, looking for ice etc... All clear! SICK!!!!! I quickly climbed back to the top and dropped in with skis. Ripper conditions... A slough caught up with me at the bottom, but i dug my whippets/hands into the snow and braced myself 100%... I was so stoked, I had to ski it again, so I climbed back up and dropped in again, this time however -- the sun was leaving the face (or at least it's direct rays) so the snow surface crusted -- but still skiied excellat. I climbed back up for a third time, then skiied the CD -- which is still in quality ski condition, albeit a little tracked up. Enjoy this video!!! The first minute or so is pretty good. [video:youtube]

yikes! that's really scary! looks like a WS-NR-D3-R4 ? my guess is that the wet slab was triggered by a large and or high impact trigger, probably rockfall during the heat of the day/afternoon -- (nw aspect) -- that looks to be thumb rock on the left (10.8k) (picture from the mt rainier climbing blog) the telemetry from muir looks to be absent on the 19th & 20th, but here's a link to the sunrise data -- note the high temps at 6900' -- http://www.nwac.us/weatherdata/sunrise/10day/ it looks like the temprature peaked in the low 60s around 1pm for both the 19th & 20th, 10 degrees warmer than the 18th.

Trip: Mt. Rainier - Kautz Date: 7/26/2010 Trip Report: Terrible -- is a good one word summary for current ski conditions on the Kautz route. It would be a fitting one word trip report, elaboration is only the result of my current boardem and coffee buzz. For several reasons I was not able get going on the trail until after 10am. I was however registered - which however detrimental to personal saftey (not being able to get an alpine start because of in-person registration regulations increases hazards -((rockfall-snowbridges-travel conditions))- for one-day climbers considerably) I was at least abideing the law. I got up to Muir by 12, lunched, then slogged across the Ingrham Flats. I met a couple climbers camped below the D.C. one I think I recognized as DenaliDevo of cc, but I did not mention it, if it was - it was good to bump into you! I melted some water then scrambled up the DC, which is in good shape, a few cracks up high, but all are super easy to step across or have solid bridges etc... I reached the crater around 430 and made my way to Columbia Crest. Bueatiful weather up there, and views as always. summitshot Skiing off the summit down to Point Success sucked. Nasty sustrugi. Ski conditions dropping into the Kautz Glacier were challenging, but still enjoyable, challenging becuase of the firmish sustrugi. The best skiing of the upper mountain was midway on the upper glacier, where serac fall had smoothed the way - by knocking down the petinentanttes... Once the glacier started to flatten relatively, the sustrugi and petinentanttes grew considerably, becomeing nearly knee deep... most were soft, but some were icy hard... conditions did not improve as I gained the top of the ice chute. It was hainous, the petinentantees hid crevsses, created dangerous fall potential on the steep part of the chute, and needless to say -- they offered a high injury potential. I ardously made turns down through the mess hitting some snice along the way, this took a long time. The upper Turtle was pretty bad too, but improved somewhat as I got lower, however it was now in the shade, and this created the surface to harden and crust. The wilson was smooth really fun to ski, although much of it still had a developing/hardening crust -- thats what I get for leaving at 10. conditions just above the ice chute. Another fun and challenging day on Rainer. I think it's time to start climbing rocks.

yikes!

Cool! Nice work! Looks like a great route. It looked quite a bit dirtier from the nfnwr yesterday, there were frequent cannonballs and rock storms fireing down that wall.

Trip: Mt. Adams - NFNWR Date: 7/24/2010 Trip Report: I had attempted the NFNWR three years ago when I first moved to the pnw, I got shut down by bulletproof conditions on the steeps, and a tricky crampon switchover ensued. As the years have passed, I've kept a close eye on this route in the prime-time Juneish window, and for the past couple of years -- the face has not formed into ski condition, this year however, it is there. The approach through surreal forest interspered with meadows felt like reliving some bueatiful childhood memory, hikeing through a dreamscape. I set up a bivy in an idealic location underneath the canopy of knotted subalpine trees, next to alpine flower meadows and a bableing brook. I took no haste in the morning, since I knew the face would soften only in late day sun, however avoiding potential warmth triggered rockfall was a concern and I didn't make a picnic of the climb. I slogged to the summit from the Pinnacle, finding exceptional snow conditions with minimal rime and sastrugi/petinententtes. The descent was memorable, quite the contrast from conditions I encountered in 07. I put together a little video, which came out ok, despite my skiing with caution. [video:youtube] camp goats

Trip: Mt. Rainier - Central Mowich Face Date: 7/16/2010 Trip Report: What is that saying? wakeing up is hard to do? well it wasn't this morning, 'cause I was f'n stoked. Great conditions on the Mowich face, buzzing hard from the previous days descent of Sunset Ridge. Slightly breakable crusty conditions on the glacier leading to the face increased the price of the line, however expensive -- it was worth it. My plan was to ski the Central Mowich Face, but I decided to climb by way of the Edmunds headwall, since I figured that the rockfall danger is lower on that route, the Shrund easier, and the crevasse danger leading to the route considerably less. This decision was made easier becasue I had climbed and skiied the Central Mowich Face from 12.5k last year (from the connection), and I knew that no possibley lurking glacial ice exists below the connection to the upper Mowich Face. I dozed on a rock outcropping midway up the headwall, since I was early, and waiting higher wasn't applealing, since the winds were howling and the temprature cold, colder than yesterday... After some time I continued up, I traversed the lower part of the upper face so I could scout out the connection to the central face. I found mostly glacial ice, with a thin ribbon of inch to half inch snow overlying the blue glacial ice -- with big exposure over cliffs below. This scared me, becaue I decided I was going to ski it (with tool in hand) this fear preoccupied my mind for the rest of the ascent and subsequent time until I skiied it. The summit was windy, the snow firm up high, shark fin petinenttentes dominated the upper fields. The upper Mowich was firm, and softend near the connection. I fiddled with my helmut cam and got it to sort of work... and I made a pretty cool video that explains my descent more elaboratly than I can. It's worth watching -- despite a little flashing from my failing camera mid video. [video:youtube] I got back to my truck later that night, Eric had left me a cold beer, it was good.

Trip: Mt. Rainier - Sunset Ridge Date: 7/15/2010 Trip Report: I am not in a very literary mood currently, I do not feel like elaborateing on approach details, times, places etc... Eric did get charged by a black bear high on the mowich glacier, perhaps he will elaborate... Ever since Sky Sjue skiied Sunset Ridge, and put it on the map so to speak -- I have wanted to ski it. Here is a link to a good picture of it on Sky's website -- http://www.skisickness.com/Rainier/MowMap/ -- Sunset Ridge is on the right. I am lucky to have friends such as Eric Wehrly, He is the man. The climb went smoothly, minimal rockfall, and we allowed ourselves plenty of time, and we were on the upper mountain with minimal exuastion, thanks to our slow and steady pace. We met some bretheran skiiers high on the Mowich, who were planning on skiing the Edmunds Headwall. We joined forces and hung out on the upper mountain -- tagging, and skiing off the summit together. Moderate winds gave the upper mountain a slight spice - like black pepper - nothing to hot, but enough suffer-flavour to leave a little wind burn. A period of waiting was nessecary for the face to ripen in late day sun, then it was on. It was my 4th time on the Mowich face, and this was the best condition I've seen it in, when it's in nasty condition -- it's pretty fucking scary... Dropping in was unreal, soo good. My headcam was malfunctioning, and it's too bad casuse the face was soft... After skiing the upper Mowich Face, Eric and I (Eric in lead) took a steep ski traverse to gain Sunset Ridge, the traverse was spicey - like jalepenos -- hot, with good flavor but nothing that causes prolonged pain. There was some rime ice, a little hop, thin cover etc... The ridge proper held excellant skiing, which turned into insanely good corn, and we skiied down with grins. The bergshrund was soft, but easily negotiable. The final turns were on the softside... This is a pretty crappy picture, I'll try and find a better one. Eric bright and W-early Eric on the travese from the ridge to the mowich ballers on the summit dropping, not many pics on the upper face -- just skiing. looking down from the traverse to sunset ridge, skiiers can be seen below. E-money

Trip: Mt. Rainier - Liberty Ridge Date: 7/7/2010 Trip Report: Plans were made with great excitment, anticipation, and some anxiety. Us skiier type Washontonians have suffered greatly this spring, clouds, rain, clouds, rain, finally sun and warmth have arrived, so Eric Wehrly, Casey Ruff, Antonio Jenkins and I developed a plan to make the most of the few days of good north-side ski weather in the forecast. The approach went smoothly, although warmly -- our plans to get an alpine start were dashed becasue self registration is no longer available and we had to wait till the ranger station opened. Camp was bueatiful - too bueatiful, the kind of sweet bueaty that once tasted becomes adictive, and the bitter thought of returning to the city for drudgery a dismal reality - although the thought of return was comforting, since we were there to ski Liberty Ridge, which we could see quite clearly from our camp, it's dramatic bueaty and asthetics jutting out at the top from 500' vertical ice cliffs, then slopeing bueatifully away from the 5000' wall of choss and destruction on either side to meet the notorious Carbon Glacier. It was a sight to behold, although not to closely, for it is one thing to look at such a sight, and another thing to meddle with the power that it possesses. We crossed the Carbon roped in the early hours of morning, the route being fairly direct, although some end running of giant cracks were nessecary, includeing the shrund at the base of the route, which had to be circumvented in a way that exposed us to possible enileation from the Liberty Ice Cliff. The slopes to Thumb Rock were glowing in pink dawn, the climbing firm, the rockfall - sparse. At Thumb Rock we bumped into Hannah and Aton who were climbing LB and skiing the Emmons in a push. Funny how Hannah seems to live on Rainier... Continueing up, we eventually encountered some ice, I opted to traverse around on slopes to the right to scout out an ice free descent line, while Tony, Eric, and Casey continued up the direct route. We regrouped on the steep slopes near the Black Pyramid. The wind began to pick up and whipped spindrift at our burned and burdened bodies. Some more ice became exposed but we found a snow rotue. We breaked to melt some water on the flats just below the bergshrund, I was feeling ok, and stoked to reach the summit, but my compadres were suffering from altitude and fatigue. After talk of plans I set off for the summit alone. There was an short bowl above the bergshrund held several ice steps -- which were fun to climb. Above the bowl it was a short slog to the summit where I bumped into Aton and Hannah again, they were quite stoked and their energy was contagious. The skiing off the Liberty Cap was excellant, I did take the skis off and downclimb the ice steps in the bowl around the shrund, perhaps they could be skiied on a hotter day, but I was sticking to my plan, and had saftey foremost in my mind since I was alone, and the margin for error or accident on LB quite slim. The ski on the falts to the roll of the "sheild" was variable but a nice warm up for the serious nature of the turns below. The steep turns on the "sheild" (the slope to the climbers left of the black pyramid) were unforgettable -- turn breath turn breath, five thousand feet of cliffs below, the snow surface a winterlike windboard, edges gaining little purchase on the scoured 50dg slope. I saw that the Eric, Tony, and Casey had skiied down and to the right, I decided to ski the route I had climbed (the variation that goes onto the Liberty Wall below the black pyramid.) The entrance was thin snow over ice, then ripper variable, there was some sugar, some wettening snow, some powder, yes July powder in the sunshine. I regained our bootpack at a point before we had encountered the ice, and skiied a steep gully that dropped towrds the Willis Wall side of the ridge. The Lower slope below Thumb Rock was in slayer condition, and was redicoulsly fun to ski, near the bottom, I rejoined Casey, Tony and Eric, and we skiied crossed the shrund together dodgeing spicy rockfall, and makeing haste to clear the death zone of the Libety Ice Fall. Turns down the Carbon back to camp were excellant. I did not take a helmut cam or many pictures. It felt more appropriate to be in the moment and concentrate on climbing and skiing rather than photography or documentaton, although I did still snap a few. What a great trip in great company, great is not a good enough word. Lookin down fall line below the Black Pyramid Eric skis a bridge

Trip: Colchuck - NorthFace/NBC Date: 6/30/2010 Trip Report: north face colchuck, PICTURE FROM APRIL 2010 ^^^picture is from april, but coverage yesterday was still FAT! I had climbed and skiied Colchuck's North Buttress Couloir back in March - unaware that there was a sick face above. Weather this spring has not yeilded a good corn cycle in the local area thus far, the snow I skiied yesterday was almost corn, close enough, and it probably will be gone-melted within a week. I left around 8am with cloudy sky's overhead, the FR level overnight had been forecasted to be under 6k, and it felt like it. Knowing that any snow above would be well morphed by M/F cycles, and the route being multi-aspected, I knew I needed warmer temps and SUN. I waited on a rocky bench over looking the Stuart Range for several hours - drifting in and out of slumber - as the clouds slowly gave way. Temps warmed quickly, snowline started on the far bank of the lake. Low in the couloir, I encountered a rock step, which required some trickyish moves esp. with skis, then found continous snow to the col, albeit with some minor runnels. The traverse to the face was almost entierly snow. The face held excellant corn/proto corn. I found icy/firm conditions up high in the little gully connecting the top of the face to the summit region. My video speaks well for my descent. [video:youtube] drop'n the couloir rappin the rock step with webbing and a munter hitch the upper face

Trip: Mt. Hood - N/NE face Date: 6/27/2010 Trip Report: I've had my eye on the north side of Hood for several springs now, and not meeting my goal to ski it becasue of the usual impediments to a successful steep skiing venture -- weather, doubt, conditions, etc... had started to wear on my stoke, but yesterday me and John Plotz climbed and skiied it in good form. Cloud Cap road was still closed at the gate, so we started from the Tilly Jane TH in the early morning. As we were leaving, we bumped into a group of climbers returning from their climb. "we turned around at 2am on snowdome 'cause we were postholeing to our knees" was what they said. John and I had drivin too far to not at least go for a little hike and check conditions out for ourselves, but the "conditions update" was disheartening and cast a sad shadow of doubt over our mood on the approach, this however melted away with the bloom of sunrise, and an approach trail through recent burn and blossoming beargrass illuminated with changing tones of violet and pink light. We met continuous snow just past the cloudcap trail junction, and before we knew it - we were charging up towrds the Cooper Spur on consolidated snow! The snow remained consolidated to varrying degrees on the moraine leading to the base of the Cooper Spur, there were some softer spots, but nothing like the conitions the retreating group had spoke of. As the slope steepened, we traversed out to the right to gain the N/NE face, the angle and exposure increased, and we booted up generally finding softening snow over an icyish layer. After a short gully a small traverse brought us into the upper left gully proper, and we made the summit without encountering any rockfall or nastyness. The summit was breezy and surpriseingly we saw only a couple other people. The lifts and ski trails were buzzing with buisiness to the south, volcanoes in idiylic spring conditions to the north, low wafting orographic clouds to the east, ahh what a day to be up there. I was super stoked to be dropping a line that has haunted me for years - everything felt rigt. Ski conditions were pretty damn good, there was a bit of an underlying ice crust, and we had to be smart about sluff control, as the thin soft layer slid with ease -- quickly gaining power, size and speed. Bueatiful exposed turns on soft sunny snow through interesting terrain features led to the lower face, where we opened up a bit more and got some bigger faster turns -- soo good. Skiing past the bergshrund required care since there were numerous stacked and hidden cracks, then we ripped the glacier and were on the moraine smileing and admireing our line in no time. We could ski back to the "theater" near the campground. My pictures really suck, but I think John got some good action shots. the line John Plotz - stoked! URL=http://sports.webshots.com/photo/2283683850103935217VMLGxG][/url] Plotz shredding

jebus croyist Aaron! i get shivers watching that bergshrund scene. here's a vid from the sgc, best turns start at around 1 minute in. [video:youtube]

Trip: Stuart - Ice Cliff Glacier & Stuart Glacier Couloir/nw face Date: 5/12 -13/2010 Trip Report: Aaron Scott and I skinned up to the high bivy and got some good sleep late Tuesday, a week old sprained ankle thankfully proved painless and not overly swollen for the approach. Thrusday 'morn we booted up the Ice Cliff route - (ropeing up on the glacier). Climbing conditions were generally shin deep with breakable crust, and some sections of powder and hardpack -- the NE aspects were going off - some would dump into the couloir as we climbed -- but would follow a growing runnel. We continued on to the summit from the col, in shin deep sluffy glop -- cutting quite a few lanches on our way down. Ski Conditions in the Ice Cliff were variable, but mostly quite enjoyable, a scare from the bergshrund aside... We didn't need to rap or downclimb any sections -- a few pick placements with skis on were nessecary for the entrance, the broken glacial section low down was completely covered and really fun to ski. proto corn and mank back to the camp. Aaron cllimbing in the upper portion Aaron busts a jump turn on firm snow Aaron had some work obligations the next day so he skiied out, and I made friends with a grayjay -- who became annoying and slightly dangerous after looseing his fear of humans -- experience gained by - his persistant scavenging. There were a few loud crashing ice falls/avalanches during the dark hours, and quite a few large PR avys on my skin up to the Stuart Glacier. The Stuart Glacier Couloir route was shaded until late day -- because of it's incut nw faceing nature. Most other aspects were dumping hard. I made an anchor and belayed myself across the bergshrund, but the snow bridge proved solid. Climbing the couloir was a mixed bag, with plenty of powder, but also plenty of knar icy knobby crust. A runnel existed in the center of the couloir, the NW face held glorious powder for it's lower portion, then various crusts higher up. The exposure was intimidateing at times because of its 50dg - variable snow, and a fall would launch one off fatal cliffs. I topped out on the col at the top of the face -- which is the obvious high point for the ski route since nothing but rock and rime exists from there to the summit. The south side was a giant slurpy slide ready to go. The skiing was meticoulous through the crusty section -- then glorious pow turns for the good snow poriton, I skiied the route without rappels or downclimbing, although a few side steps were called for through the icy runnel section. I've got some video footage that I might post here later. I packed camp and headed out, going all the way to Bridge Creek CG since my truck had been makeing noises and I wanted to save it from that incline up to the TH. Here are a bunch of crappyish pics from the descent. Great skiing wit you Aaron! if you got any cool pics feel free to post 'em.

i've been out this week with a sprained ankle - but i just checked the nwac - they posted a watch for thursday calling for high afternoon danger (natural & human triggered avalanches likely) - they say there's 2 to 5 feet of fresh. i'd go early.

awesome sounding adventure and great pictures! how windy was it up there?

thanks for the positive comments! SWH, yeah you guys really made things easier for me, especially on the approach - you took a really direct line through the trailess woods, sucks about your camera - they always seem to die just when you could use them the most. I hope you get to ski the cliff next time - Sky wasn't kidding when he mentioned in his TR how difficult it is to find good ski conditions on that route! Rocketparrotlet, I don't think the route is very technical currently, though there was a steep section of glacier with very shallow snow cover - but I didn't need to bust out my second tool. no worries John!

Trip: Argonaut - NE couloir Date: 4/26/2010 Trip Report: Argonaut and NE couloir Once again my watch alarm failed to rouse me from slumber, and I woke around 8. I pretty much knew the snow or rather ice in the gully was going to SUCK for skiing, but since I was in the area, it deserved a closer look -- which confirmed the predictable results -- ice, frozen death cookies, runnels - YUCK. I decided to climb it and determine whether or not I would want to ski it once on top. Easy climbing conditions and I climbed continous snow to it's end just below the rocky summit. The upper snow field held the best snow, but it was still pretty Icy. I skiied down -- side stepping through an icy crux - to the couloir, where I proceeded to make some scary icy/crusty turns. A little sidestepping in spots to get past an ice runnel or particularly nasty ice crust, then conditions improved somewhat in the constriction -- as the heat of the day softened the ice crusts ever so slightly. Smooth firm neve led to soft corn on the lower slopes. Started raining/snowing on my deproach -- good! let the nasty ice crusts get burried in powder!

Trip: Stuart - Ice Cliff Glacier climb, Sherpa Glacier ski Date: 4/25/2010 Trip Report: Stuart and Sherpa taken the evening of the day of my ski. I lucked out - and someone had recently broken trail past the colchuck turnoff - so I would have a track to guide me up to the upper mountaineers creek basin -- which can be a little tricky. Leaving the parkinglot around 5pm, I stomped a bivy spot in the high trees/creek at the base of Stuart around 9, my alarm failed to wake me the next morning -- so I got going around 9am. Snowshoers had scrunched by in the wee hours of the morning, and thier tracks indicated they headed up the Stuart Glacier area. lower ice cliff glacier route To my great luck -- There was a fresh boot pack heading up the Ice Cliff Glacier (Thanks to you!) Snow conditions were not looking promiseing - and did not improve as I gained the Ice step, which was completely lanched out in the last wet avy cycle -- and froze hard again, leaving thick ice crusts and frozen death cookies pretty much everywhere. The ice step was easily negotiable, and I donned skins/ski crampons once on the glacier to lessen the risk of taking a dark dive. I followed the boot pack and passed the bergshrund on climbers left, snow conditions temporarily improved as I travesed into the couloir, but then quickly deteriorated as the couloir had avalanched out and left icy runnles and ice crusts in more spots than not, where there was not - there was shallow wind affected pow. Once at the top of the Ice Cliff Glacier couloir, I continued to the summit in softening neve snow, I met several stoked skiiers descending into the cascadian couloir. The summit was cool and breezy - and the views sucked cheese summit shot Since the Ice Cliff route was too icy to be an enjoyable ski, I dropped into the Sherpa Glacer route. A fun moderate angle gully led to wide open large low angle slopes. Conditions in the gully alternated between frozen neve to shallow new wind affected snow. The myesterious bootpackers had also chosen to ski this route. Conditions on the lower glacier went from windblown to frozen neve, to shredder corn in the sun. I decided against heading out that evening, and instead relocated bivys to slopes above the east fork and that is where I took the first picture far above from. It was a pleasant cool windless evening, and I was visited by a single bird in the last minutes of light - it perched on a pine limb and cherped into the night.

Trip: Cannon - west gully Date: 4/22/2010 Trip Report: I had swhacked heinous burn blow down up Pioneer creek the other day on a Cashmere attempt and turned around after triggering some slabs -- but I got some great shots of the Enchantments includeing this bueatiful shot of the Cannon's west gully: Yesterday me and Aaron Scott headed up to give'r a look. There was a bit of scrapy shwacking nessecary to gain the lower slopes of the gully. Out on the open slopes -- the snow was perfect for ascending -- firm nieve. There was a small rock/ice step and some avi debris/runnels that were easy to negotiate. The incline steadaily increased maxing out in the upper 40s in the upper gully - where I felt the first stong gust of wind -- which from there up -- strengthened dramatically. I was kicking the last steps before the roll to the relative flats of the summit area -- when I was slammed with a powerful gust -- nearly lifting me up/off completely -- shaking me around as if I was a kite stubbornly stuck to the ground amid a storm -- if it hadn't been for my ice axe firmly planted in the snow - I would have been airborne - quite scared - I retreated down 10 feet or so where the wind was less and donned facemask and googles, and we traveresed carefully over to the other side wich was slightly more protected. The summit platue was slightly less windy than the rollover of the gully, but still BRUTALLY strong. We found some shelter in rocks by the lee of the summit and waited for the wind to die, and the slopes to warm in the sun - neither of which happened... Aaron on the summit of Cannon climbing It was windy dropping in, the snow though firm was edgable, and we made our way down, expecting conditions to sunsoften, but conditions remained firm, we skiied the crux in good style, finally ripping some corn on the lower slopes. Aaron dropped a 10-15 footer in the cliffy woods lower down, and we skiied all the way back to the truck. Great day - fun to experience moods of the mountains that I don't often see/feel, it helps to deepen my understanding and respect for them. Aaron skiing: I did some climbing - late afternoon the day before with John Plotz, we climbed catapolt, the thorn, and midway direct, super fun, good times. the thorn

Kevino, the snow line is still about 2 miles up, pretty much the same, but the depth is much less and coverage is getting spotty, it's warm 'round here now, so i wouldn't be surprised to see it open late weekend or early next week. Kurt, I didn't traverse left onto the west slopes until way past the gully -- where the drainage started to narrow and steepen.

Trip: Cannon - north gully Date: 4/14/2010 Trip Report: Good times yesterday on Cannon, my stoke was a little low - eyeing the shwacky-shwagy approach up leg-breaker rotten snow/deadfall, but once I got past the minor shwack and mank zone, the ascent was bueatiful. Snow was cold-variable in the gully and aprun, then wet-variable for the remayinder. Skiing was THIN on the lower slopes, but I pretty much skiied to the creek - where the nice log I had used was nowhere to be seen, but I was able to keep dry via some slippery rock hoping. [video:youtube] a view from the gate -- 6k relief

Trip: Icicle crick - classic crack Date: 4/7/2010 Trip Report: Though this may not be the most epicest of trip reports, it was a big & fun day for me cause it was the first time i've been rock climbing since I dropped out of my high school (brookline high) climbing club back in '98 to pursue heights in more delinquent activites. I got some video of the cat-like John Plotz smoothly jamming his way up the classic crack, as well as some of my desperate flailings. [video:youtube]

lokin for a top rope partner for stuff around the bham area -- larabee.. for late afternoons

nice, that powder looks goood!