highhatt

The rock was decent once we made the ridge proper and took pro, pretty chossy on the ramps though. That could all be bypassed by traversing the steep snow. Flypaper was still doable but the gulley route on the other side was closer to camp and Tony had been up multiple times before and knew the route well. The eel was quite filled in and we did cross it from Anderson over to West peak. The route down Kevin, Jim and I headed up Echo Col and down which has a better runout for a fall than flypaper. Great write up John and awesome pictures as usual! I had great time hanging out with friends new and old!

Always good to see somone posting for the Olympics! I love the views of the blue, it always amazes me how remote that area is.

Nice! I have been wanting to climb that route for some time now. Those rats in the Olys will defintely attack! I tried the blinking light thing last time but it didn't work for me either.

Great trip report! This was the first trad climb ever for my friend and I over 10 years ago and we almost killed ourselves. I didn't relaize there was so many established lines up there.

I took us to the end to figur out John was taking some of the rocks home in his pack!

I seem to remember that if you wanted to lose a bunch of elevation you could get on snow and get around to the other side for a scramble up the main route. Guys, correct me if I am remembering that wrong. Some of those ridges blur together in the memory already!

It was an amazing trip guys! Thanks again for the great company and for taking the spicy leads you two! Glad to have had such amazing weather and climbing! Here are where I threw up some of my pictures. I put Tylers pictures on here too. http://picasaweb.google.com/highhatt/20100723NeedlesTravese# http://picasaweb.google.com/highhatt/20100724NeedlesTravese# http://picasaweb.google.com/highhatt/20100725NeedlesTravese# http://picasaweb.google.com/highhatt/201007TylersNeedles#

As long as you hit it early enough. By the time I got to it, it was a slush pile that probably would have been fine without the extra 50lbs slinging around on my back.

It was a nice day! We must have summited a little before you. We left camp around 11pm on Saturday. I would agree that the route was defintely in and direct. Tried to board down the inter but first time for me with a big pack and really soft snow. It could have been better. In case you didn't know the father daugther team did make it back to camp as we were leaving. Glad to see them make back safely after watching them all day.

This is one of my favorite mountains in the Olympics! I got turned around the first time I climbed too. Easy to do. But hey, that is part of the adventure, right!

Always love Washington even if it does get crowded sometimes. Did you guys climb the snow ramp at the top or straight up the rock from the ridge? I was up there the weekend before helping with the college climbing class and watched Suprise Col let loose with a pretty good sized wet slide in the afternoon that would have taken anyone out on the climb. Defintely have to be careful as all this snow in the Oly's warms up.

I never get tired of that view from the ridge!

Gotta love the Olympics! I like the top shot!

Take your pick, either climb we did on that mountain was probably the best Olympic schwacking I have done!

I found my camera so here are some of my pictures. Here is a close up on Washington Goats staring us down. Kevin in the upper basin. Pershing upper basin panarama. I want to try more of these and this one wasn't planned so it turned out funky. Kevin at the top of the col. From just below the summit, Jefferson (Thorson). I am still trying to forget that bushwhack! Summit of Pershing in the foreground. Looking down off the summit. Kevin and I on top.