rocky_joe

thanks guys. that makes the decision a lot easier.

Wondering about Ice conditions at Alpental and 11worth. The weather looks like there may have been a lot of melting this week. Don't wanna waste gas driving up from Eugene this weekend if shit isn't in. Thanks!

Potter is a douche because he can't stop blabbering on and on about how what he's doing is advancing the sport. It's not, there have always been soloists, he's just added a parachute. Honnold and Croft are actually advancing the sport, and not making a deal of it, even in the movies they make.

1997 suburban w/ 170k. I get ~20 mpg since I took out the back seat. It sleeps 3-4 plus gear when the 2nd row is folded down. Great clearance on any road, 4WD. Did a trip with 5 pople + gear and 4 crash pads Pretty class. Want it? PS it has a fancy new "sunroof"

Just bought this jacket today. A few things I'm not fond of, but for the most part seems to be a solid jacket. Definitely a step up from the REI jacket I've been climbing in: better hood design, pocket layout, pit zips, and length, but it's a lot heavier. Anybody used this jacket? Thoughts?

that's a 10 Us size i believe.

in fact, the (economic) rent is inefficiently high.

I've also been camping outside the fence for some time. It just sucks that we're being forced to pick from two shitty options now: pay up for an UNIMPROVED camp site, or trample more land to create new sites. Granted, there are a lot of sites already established outside the fence, but as soon as the privatization bullshit happens and the prices get jacked up even higher, more people will move outside the fence and trample even more ground. It's horse shit.

Biggest load of horse shit I've heard today.

one of the better video TRs on the site for sure. thanks for the good watch!

Just checked my photos from last year, looks like we got away with a 30 m just fine. So I'll bring a 30 and maybe I'll see you up there. -Joe

Think I took a 30m last time, not sure though. Not really keen to lug a 60m either.

a 60 m rope is more than enough, you'll be fine. I'm doing it tomorrow, so that'll refresh my memory and I'll let you know once I'm back.

you linked the first 4 pitches?

they're banning RV's and generators? that in itself is worth $5.

I think most climbers would be less pissed off it the $5/night fee brought with it some basic upgrades to the grasslands. Simple things like better toilets, a water tap or two, upgrading all the sites so they ALL have a table and fire-pit. Seriously, if we're going to have to pay for what was always free, we better see some benefit. Otherwise, I'll continue to go 500 ft outside the fence and camp for free.

Getting a new pair of boots this winter. I'm sick of having Koflachs, esp as they're too big, old, and heavy. I'm looking at 3 different pairs, all of which are priced and advertised as being pretty comparable: LaSportiva Nepal EVO, Scarpa Mont Blanc, and Mammut Mamook Thermo. I'd love to hear from anyone who has used the latter two, or anyone who has not had good luck with the Nepals...I haven't heard anything bad yet. If you've used another comparable boot that you're really pleased with, I'd like to hear about it as well. Thanks all.

how long are you in the area? If you're there for more than a couple of days, a drive to check out trout creek would be worth it for sure. Trout is way better than smith for long single pitch gear climbs. smith has a lot of good moderates (and some decently hard stuff in the lower gorge) but trout has a lot less crowds. I'd bring a double rack to 3" and a 4, maybe a 5. Have fun and enjoy. *Trout beta can be found easily enough on mountain project or just a google search will yield the online guidebook.

Steph, great write up. Here's to a quick recovery, I know we''ll all be looking forward to your first TR back from injury! -Joe

My friends just did it two weeks ago in 18hrs. took em a bit to find a trail above the snowfield with some sketchy downclimbing on the other side of it, but 5 of them managed it. the also took the NW ridge on S. Sister.

boo. trundled once, regretted it, never again.

http://www.rei.com/product/752376 look familiar. seriously man, you lucked out. return that shit and with the money buy this: http://www.rei.com/product/811865

Don't go. Wait til the mountain is good and snowed in. It is FAR TOO DANGEROUS this time of year.

Glad you posted this TR. Hopefully it will stop people from making the same mistakes made here. Barefoot, glad to see you're stoked on the mountains! We all are. But you and your friends really need to seek instruction on how/when to climb. You climbed Hood at the absolute worst time imaginable and were lucky not to have any run ins with rockfall. The pictures you posted clearly show your team had no idea what you were doing, no helmets?!?!?! Fuck man, that's about the worst decision you could have made. I don't mean to sound like an asshole, but you really need to learn what you're doing. And roping up but not placing pro? That is MORE dangerous than not roping up at all on that terrain. If you don't know why, please ask. Go buy AND read Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills. This is the bible of climbing. Again, glad you're finding the mountains, just do it right so people involved with SAR (myself and several others here) don't have to lug your body off that hill.

stunning pics, as usual. thanks for the great read!