Major Major

I rarely respond to or even read trip reports with near bad endings like this. First let me say that I'm glad you're ok and that things didn't turn out worse. You seem to have a spirit of adventure borne out of passion that drives you toward greater goals in your life. That said, there's something odd about your write-up. Between Canada nearly not letting you in, overhearing a supposed murder in the forest, and getting struck by a rock on mere class 4 scramble, I’m really not sure what to think of this write-up. Anyway, nice pics, but please watch out for the loose rocks, and maybe consider focusing your write-up more on the incident and less on peripheral events that just clutter the story. I'm interested to know what you learned from the incident and your advice to others and yourself.

By chance was anyone climbing the Pearly Gates? If so, what condition were they in?

Yesican, So-called narcissistic douchery pales in comparison to enigmatic, senseless diatribes like yours. But correct me if I am misinterpreting. Either clearly explain the intent and meaning of this seemingly unjustified statement, or stop spamming and thereby insulting the intent of this community of well-intentioned climbers.

I must say, the c2c time would be much harder to achieve. For me, descending has always been the challenge but also the delight when skiing. I ditched the skis at the top of palmer and transitioned to crampons. The transition sucks up time, for sure. But, I simply refuse to 'climb' that mountain without skis. No one should walk off that mountain, ever. When I carry skis to the top it takes much longer, like 2:30. The guy who set the record did it in sneakers. I'm tempted to try but apprehensive to do it sans climbing with crampons, axe, etc. His aim was to open up the realm of Trail running. My message: speed is safety, plain and simple. Ski gear: 187 dynafit manaslu, sportiva spitfire, and broken dynafit bindings, among other a acoutrements.

What is your estimate of how challenging it would have been to carry skis to the top, given these conditions?

Ha ha! That reference resonates with me in so many ways. Nah man, just a fun day out with fellow climbing partner, Astrov. Now I need to do some real climbing.

Also, the berg is completely filled in.

My sense is that between now and mid to late April a lot of the precarious snow situated in cornices and vertical rock will have fallen, but if there are still loose pieces, one must take caution. Conditions were mixed on my climb. Chicken head ice in the trianble moraine and then higher up there was variable crusty, icy, and even punch-through snow. The Pearly Gates were definitely preferable to the old chute because of the directness of the route and the nice yet low-angle ice step. Bring an ice axe or just a tool. Steel crampons are preferred if you want to descend the Pearly Gates, which I recommend. Other than that, the condition for your climb could vary depending on weather between now and then.

Here's the record. Apparently he ran up the mountain in sneakers with 2 poles. http://www.mlive.com/sports/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2013/02/mountain_running_is_passion_fo.html

Nope. Just to summit.

Trip: Speed Ascent of Mt. Hood -- 2:02'37 - South Side - Pearly Gates Date: 4/10/2014 Trip Report: For about a year I have been curious about my top speed on the SS of Mt. Hood. With the fast and light style in mind, I still wanted to maintain the actual 'climbing' of Mt. Hood while reaching my max speed. So I decided to skin up on my 187s as high as possible then crampon on up the rest of the way. With the record-setting speed at 1:56, I knew it would be nearly impossible to beat the trail runner's record, as I was wearing ski boots/skis and crampons, and equipped with a whippet and small back pack. But still, maintaining the purity of the climb -- including climbing the Pearly Gates with ice -- meant something to me (even if not the hardest climb). I also know this was an unsanctioned, unwitnessed climb (apart from my climbing partner), but also unsupported. Whatever, I gave it my best and had a great time. Conditions were so-so. Wind was a little colder and faster than forecast, and the snow above Palmer was all chicken heads and punch-through snow. Further, the Pearly Gates, were, er, not so pearly. But, haven't we all had worse days. Again, this timing is based on the honor system, but I'm sure my friend can attest to the milestones i reached en route to the top. It was a typical blue sky day. Gear Notes: 187 skis/skins Sportiva ski boots Trekking pole Whippet Small back-pack Minor snacks Helmet for safety

Trip: Hood - Leuthold Date: 5/11/2013 Trip Report: I'm writing this TR to provide beta and useful observations of Leuthold this time of year. First, the entire slope of Leuthold has been flushed out by warmer cycles during previous weeks. This 'spring cleaning' is a positive indication for climbing Hood in the next several weeks assuming there are no other major weather changes. The so-called berg is covered with snow debris from the mountain but caution is still advised. Reaching the hourglass requires a small traverse over/through a nose deep runnel, but it is very straightforward and fun to cross. The hourglass is passable with a single axe or tool, making two tools unnecessary and a luxury. Above the hourglass is very straightforward: it required simple front-pointing all the way to the summit. In my opinion, Leuthold will continue to disintegrate considerably in the next few weeks, and this will make it a much less enjoyable and/or safe to climb. Two in our group of four carried skis to the top. However, on Saturday morning at approximately 8:30, the snow was still pretty crusty, so we hiked down to Hogback and skied from there. Not only was the snow not ideal for skiing from the summit, there was quite a crowd on the old chute, which would have prevented most ski descents. My partners in crime, Matt M, Al, and Nat have photos to share and stories to tell I'm sure. Gear Notes: All necessary crevasse accoutrements for a group of 4. Two ice tools (only needed one) Skis Special cocaine cookies Approach Notes: Straightforward: go to I-saddle, prep/eat, and move on.

I'm looking to climb or ski Rainier this weekend but having trouble finding available partners. Any level-headed climbers/skiers want to team up on weekend of May 4/5? Looking for people who have previously climbed Rainier with crevasse rescue experience. IM me.

This is a story about love, redemption, and long-waged battle with the mountain (Mt. Shuksan). [video:youtube]

I am the one whose head was pelted with something large enough to jog my cabeca and instantly cause a headache. The problem with the route is a narrow ditch approximately 3 feet wide and 3-4 feet high on each side in which snow is constantly flowing down when any bit of wind is coming from the top of the mountain. It forces one to cross at the hourglass (now a crux) from left to right side. Both sides are precarious crusty layers of 3-6 feet of unstable ice and snow. There's no way to know if this crust would fail, thus pushing the climber down into the ditch and into a tulmutuous ride approximately 300 yards down from the hourglass. These characteristics were so unrecognizable, I couldn't even identify it as Leutholds. I believe it is possible to climb Leutholds, but I would also recommend a completely windless day, plenty of sunlight, and plenty of time to ensure safe passage to the summit. Otherwise, I suspect Leutholds will clear up in the next few weeks. The so-called ditch in the middle should get flushed out or fall out, allowing climbers to pass without interuption.

Hi All, does anyone have any beta on the Tilly Jane to Cooper Spur area? I'm interested in snow conditions for skiing from anyone who's been there this week. Thanks.

The true attraction to this incident is not the incident itself, but rather the perpetual discourse and attention this conversation has stirred up. It’s as if one’s attention is solely focused on the blurry foreground when a more relevant reality remains in the details of the background. Friends: this is not about a single incident on a mountain. The incident, ironically, is about us. It’s a necessity; we are compelled to poke and prod our judgment into this climbing incident. My theory: we are all trying to find ways to justify and/or navigate our actions on the mountain (and, more importantly, in life). It’s not about which side you take in this conversation — whether labeling a climber’s naiveté or praising his good judgment to seek help — that matters most. I assure you, your point of view on this topic will change from time to time, as your experience changes. It’s that we all grapple with the reality that we have or someday will enter risky climbing situations; and some of us will experience pain, and yet we proceed willingly. We somehow think that the way we judge this and other incidents will prevent, save and/or exonerate us from similar situations in the future, but in many cases it won’t, and it doesn’t matter. For as you know, climbing is inherently risky. When I read this discussion, the real tragedy I observe is neither the incident nor the judgment of another climber. It’s the tragedy of lacking self-reflection. In self-reflection, that is, in asking, “Why am I compelled to enter this conversation? To judge this man? To justify his actions? (or whatever)”, a climber can ask an even more important question: “Who am I as a climber?” The fact is, there is a certain compulsion and psychosis that goes along with climbing that cannot be controlled, but if we take a step back, we might be able to perceive this reality and accept it our own lives. I’ve enjoyed the volley of this conversation as much as I’ve enjoyed analyzing my own climbing philosophy.

Trip: Mt. Hood - Powder Skiing - Zig Zag Date: 12/8/2012 Trip Report: My friend describes the details in this blog: Early Season Skiing Overall, despite low visibility, we had some amazing runs. The lesson learned for me: you don't have to ascend thousands of feet to enjoy fresh snow. The traverse into the snow line made all the difference. We used altimeter for navigation due to low visibility conditions, and it was sort of fun driving blind. Gear Notes: Backcountry ski set-up. Approach Notes: General traverse with some altitude gain. In general, we played at the 6k level to access the finer snow.

I would defer to Water on specific tips. It definitely feels counter-intuitive at times when navigating the chims. Don't be afraid to take it slow. Water, any specifics you can provide to cookiejar?

Trip: Shuksan - Fisher Chimneys Date: 8/11/2012 Trip Report: Here's the trip report on video: Gear Notes: 30 meter rope pickets axes no pro

Excellent post Saxybrian. I appreciate reading a trip report in which a person makes a smart choice to turn back. It took me many years to learn this lesson, so I can only now fully appreciate the decision to turn back when one is zapped. As for the rocks, there are a lot of close calls every year here. Glad you made it down ok.

Trip: Mt. Rainier - Emmons to Winthrop Date: 7/22/2012 Trip Report: We departed early Saturday and reached Camp Schurman by mid afternoon. Temps were reasonable and I wore shorts all the way to camp. I love wearing shorts on the mountain. As usual, I was glad to see the shitter. And even more so because now they have an outdoor urinal, although the exhaust fan from the shitter flows right into the urinal stall in your face (secretly, I wasn't complaining; I prefer the smell of shit over anchoring off the side of an icewall to blue-bag in moonlit sky). I would like to explicitly state that I no longer take pictures while climbing; for me it changes the experience. This is not an apology but a notification to prevent people from asking. Gear Notes: The usual stuff 30 M rope 3 pickets My secret cocaine cookies (no joke; they're amazing!) A jacket TP Approach Notes: After we set up the NF (not MF) tent, I scoped out the route. The boot trail ascended directly up Emmons until 11,450 feet. At this point, we traversed directly to the right. Now, this is different than the previous Emmons direct route. We continued through less-than-precarious glaciated terrain for approximately 600 feet. Again, starting at approximately 11,500 feet, we began the long 3,000-foot ascent toward the summit. Here's where it got interesting. There were some wind gusts on the way up; nothing unusual. However, about 200 feet from the summit the wind became arduous. At the moment we hit the crest of the crater ridge, the wind speed shot to its acme. I would later find out that wind was measuring gusts up to 65 mph that night. This was anticlimactic in a sense, but the fact that we had stellar visibility all the way to the summit made up for all the wind. We were on top of the clouds, and I couldn't have felt more enthralled to be on top of the world. The descent off the mountain was typical: a little fatigue, one careful step at a time, and sublime scenery. Upon arriving, we napped, cuddled, and packed up. We roped up out of Schurman until right before Curtis. I know some guys do this unroped, but I don't take chance with the crevesse-caverns in that area. A final observation: I've been on Emmons direct before. The Winthrop route has far fewer crevasses. On Emmons, one can be faced with some real jumpers; Winthrop was not this way. After we got onto Winthrop, it was very steady and not very exposed. I'm writing this having enjoyed a bottle of wine. Please excuse the typos and lack of poetry.

Anybody want to beat the crowd and skin up on Friday?

I'm looking for a climbing partner to skin up and summit from the south side or Cooper once things get consolidated (i.e., once avy conditions improve). I'm not interested in not skiing unless someone would like to climb something more challenging. Anyway, the next few weekends are looking good for me. Give me a shout if you're interested. 971533424seven.

Always bring a shovel in cold weather in case you need to quickly dig a snow cave.