Valhallas

I was just up on Cascade Pass yesterday and today, trying to ski the Sahale Arm. There were continual avalanches coming off Jberg and the peaks along the ridge to the east. We got up to around 6k feet, right before the arm angle mellows out and triggered a large slab avalanche, about 1.5 feet thick and several hundred yards across. We were lucky to be unhurt and turned around. Based on our experiences, any steep snow slopes, especially those getting a lot of sun, might have a very unstable slab layer, which was surprising. We were expecting only wet sloughs.

I found a pair of old Tevas today at the base of the west end of The Bend wall near the Tieton River. My friend and I were the only people climbing on the wall the entire day, so they must have been from the day before or earlier. If they are yours, let me know and I'll try to return them.

I couldn't agree more. I made a blog for myself so I could write about my experiences climbing. I have no idea who reads it other than my parents, occasionally my friends and my climbing partners. For the most part, I like to write it for myself - I enjoy going back and reading what I've done, seeing the progression I've made as a climber from my first lead on Substation at 38 to improving my crack climbing skills last weekend at Leavenworth. It also gives me a context for the photos my partners and I take so that the many details about the experience won't be forgotten in some photo album years later.

I was climbing with him that day, although not belaying at the time. Virtually the same thing happened to another of my friends and I last year on P2 of Duress/Under Duress. Solid looking block the size of a shoebox, didn't move when hit, didn't sound hollow, then flew off as soon as I weighted it. It hit my friend in the head, busted his helmet and knocked him out. It gashed his head pretty good, and almost surely would have killed him had he not been wearing his helmet. I, like the original poster, always wear my helmet there when belaying, climbing, and walking along the wall. It's hard to believe there are people who don't.

I haven't got anything to add other than to say that I'm really enjoying this alpine mystery, if I can call it that, and will be reading this thread keenly to learn the ultimate conclusion. Nice systematic work by all.

I have an entire grivel hybrid crampon you can have. I found it on mount adams and nobody claimed it so it's just taking up space in my closet.

that sucks obadiah (I'm guessing)

Found an oldish looking Motorola Talkabout 250 radio at the top of the second pitch on Spontaneity Arete near WA pass Saturday. Although it was pouring at the time and the radio looks to have been 'well loved' it still emits some sounds even with the batteries that were in it. It's got a green and yellow gear tag on the antenna. If this is yours and you want it back, post or PM me.

I was about to ask this exact same question. looking to do something up there saturday. thanks for the info.

I think several people have made some valuable points. Certainly it cannot hurt to have more information available. It's then up to each individual to determine how much of that information they want to use. Because there are different info expectations for people of various levels of experience (and also for different people regardless of experience), it's probably good to have lots of very detailed information that can be picked through for the essential bits. I would also like to add that, with the invention of new technologies, e.g. GPS, it is now easier than ever to create and transmit certain information. Maybe in 10 years all that you'll see in guidebooks is a list of coordinates that you follow. Maybe there won't even be guidebooks for things like hiking and approaches and you'll just download a set of coordinates directly to your GPS or you'll have a little back-country Garmin thing strapped to your pack.

I was going to do this route a couple weeks ago with some friends but the weather looked shitty for a summit bivy. Also looks like I should read more about it to diminish route-finding confusion. Or maybe I shouldn't read anything and just climb. Anyway, we ended up doing the east ridge of North Ingalls and saw the fire right around the time it started. Ran into a ranger on the way out with a shovel. He said he had put up a sign to stay away and that the fire had mostly burned itself out. Lets just hope his job didn't depend on him being right!

Yesterday (08.23.2008) I found a single crampon on Mount Adams that looks to be in pretty good shape, probably lost this season. If you lost a crampon on Adams, tell me where it was lost (route, approximate location) and what kind of crampon it was, and it will be returned to the rightful owner.