t_rutl

+1

I saw that quote too. But it made me wonder if we tell ourselves those same stories regarding other activities too, not just alpine climbing. How risky does something need to be for someone to cut back on it when they get kids? Or how risky does something need to be for someone to want to convince themselves that they are above an accident? absolutely...we're taught "be a safe driver...dont speed, stop at stop signs and red lights, dont drink and drive...you'll be a safe driver then"...but it is more often not you who get's hit by a speeding drunk driver who just blew through a stop sign...such is life however...we could confine ourselves to padded indestructible houses and never leave only to die of cancer because your family was prone to it...risk is always an inherently subjective choice...i have a friend who's life insurance policy is stricter than a catholic school teacher...he was never a climber but when i invite him for some top roping he cannot...because he is not covered should something happen...how freak it may be...he made this choice for his children...the policy is to ensure his wife and kids have something should anything bad happen to him...that is a personal choice of risk acceptance and sacrifice of certain liberties...on the other spectrum...there is Jon Buchar and Shane McConkey...both fathers...both pushed the absolute limits...both paid the ultimate price for their own assessment and acceptance of risk...not criticizing them at all...just two different perceptions...its a paradigm we all have to shape individually…i don’t know that either be right or wrong

what about if you live in Detroit? but in all seriousness i think OF said it best in the Luebben thread:

got a buddy coming in from MI who wants to give Rainier hell...made our reservations at the beginning of the season for 3 days so he'd have some snow skills practice blah blah blah... with the extra time thinking of lugging up the picks if there was an easily accessable area outside of Muir to do some ice climbing off serac/crevasse walls anybody up there recently who could comment? word, -T

climber's right has the only real feasible accessibility if it's busy be wary of crap kicked down from above!

the gulley to the side of the rap line was the ascent of choice by the parties on the West Ridge...although there weren't many nice things to say about it...that's why we opted for the E-W travesrse look forward to a TR if ya make it out!

took a pair of aluminiums but never pulled them off the pack...when we were out the freezing level hung around 14k...i'd pack'em and when you stop by NPS in Marblemount check the weather and make the final decision there!! but for us it was soft enough at 4am to use just boots. good luck!!

helluva trip...gratz on the FA's!!

brilliant topo

http://www.backcountryoutlet.com/outlet/subcat/34/Climbing-Ropes-and-Bouldering-Pads.html

after this past weekend i shutter at the sound of one...horrid buggers looks like a nice trek!

+1

Forbidden has been bolted...although just rap bolts its a start...

dang... very sad

thanks man. we had heard mixed reviews of the e. ledges but mostly stating they sucked...ran into a couple CCer's who got off Sharkfin (Calder was one)...he said he did the TFT (with Alpine Monkey) previously and tried the e. ledges...said it was the biggest pain...that was the icing on the cake not to go...that and i had never been on the w. ridge before so a traverse sounded like a unique and fun climb...which it was all that and then some...the climbing on the e. ridge is much more involved that the west and truly a lot of fun! although ya gotta search for good gear placements...a lot of the cracks you'd like to protect are formed by stacked blocks...no bueno...nut placements were few and far between...i think we placed all cams but for 2 nuts as far as the descent goes we got some good beta from a group coming off the day before which turned out to be spot on...the crest between the first two gulleys to the climbers left of the couloir has 5 perfectly placed single rope rap stations going down it...scramble from the notch down to where there is the obvious divide and coming off the nose of that is where you start...when we were up there it was army green slings...stay on that crest...dont be tempted to cross to the gulley though...the raps are money down the rib and your more clear of rock fall from above...the last rap is actually off of bolts if you can believe that...Forbidden has been bolted...

that's wild...they were sure looking thin up there...such a crazy diff for only 5 year!!

that dude conquered big mountain routes and Nazi fascists and still lived to 100

Tabata...ugh

helluva job Leor!!

hellz yeah

you'd be happy with it and it'd get ya up the routes you hope to conquer a-ok

solid work! looks like a helluva an outing

Trip: Forbidden Peak - East Ridge to West Ridge Traverse Date: 8/2/2009 Trip Report: Out to Boston Basin for a shot at Forbidden over the weekend. Wanting to improve the alpine leadership skills I hooked up again with Matt from Peak (www.peakmountainguides.com). Original plan was to head up the West Ridge. Hearing the approach couloir being shot we decided to do a traverse of the peak ascending the East Ridge and descending the West. First off I gotta say the biting flies were out in epic Biblical plague proportions and hope to NEVER experience that thick of a cloud of those horrid bastards again anytime soon. That being said we hoofed it to camp in a shade over two hours. The smoke from Chelan's wildfires filled the air and our lungs. The next morning the alarm went off at way too early and shortly we were under way by the light of headlamp. After a couple hours on trail we were ascending the snow heading for notch at the base of the East Ridge Then time to gear up for the rock...is Nike approved mountain wear?? The route was a hoot! A mix of super airy traverses and fun 5.7 stints up and over and around gendarmes all with PLENTY of air under your shoes. One section dubbed the "Wheat Thin" (I've seen crackers with more substance) had you doing some funky lieback hand traverse with wicked exposure between the heels...super fun!! The crux came a pitch short of the summit...a pillar guarding access to the home free feeling...standing maybe 30-40 feet tall it was all of 5.8 and then some with one helluva view! After that it was low 5th onto the summit for some photos and a quick convo with some Russian comrades. It's always enjoyable heading down a different way than you came up...the West Ridge was straight forward...the East I'd say was quite a bit spicier and an absolute blast!! After some rapping and down-climbing we were at the base of West Ridge. 5 single rope rappels got us to the snow and off to camp we went. Roasting in the sun all day had me dehydrated like a mother so it was heaven to suck down about two liters of glacial melt off...although the glaciers are looking quite dilapidated and sad in this heat I did find it funny seeing a small patch of 8 or so flowers sitting in a nook at 8500' and bees traveling for their nectar...now that's dedication!! Gear Notes: ice axe, med rack & sunscreen...rock shoes were a huge plus for the East Ridge wish i had a portable bug zapper or some Raid... Approach Notes: Washout past Eldo fixed. BB trail straight forward...stay low at the last water crossing (large creek ~5000')...run the grassy moraine out from the low camp

hell...i see bag check notices at gas stations i'll give FF :tup:

just came outa BB...you can drive to the TH just fine...washout just past Eldo has been repaired...trail is straight forward...just cross the largest "creek" around 5000ft low so you dont skirt the low camp...take the grassy moraine to high camp...3-3.5 hrs to high camp