Major Major

I will be in touch. If a window comes up that you're interested in, please let me know. numero es 971-cinco tres tres-4247

I'm looking forward to some winter climbs and would like to extend an invitation to possible partners for Mt. Hood (Reid/Leuthold/Wy'east) or comparable climbs (ideas are welcome). I'm in for January and February (possibly December 26th-31st). I'm a mediocre climber with several summits of Rainier, dozens of Hood, and other places in MT, bla bla bla. Got basic avy and crevasse rescue. Screws, tools, etc, or just plain old ice axe. I'm kind of getting back into this after a one-year hiatus. Oh, AT skiing is a huge plus. Who really likes to descend 3,000 feet down a steady ski slope? Requirements: comparable experience.

hmm

geezuz krist people. there's no end to it.

Uh, yes, "what an illuminating perspective". And now on to ice climbing.

This could be the perfect picture with me sledding down on the left side. Call it 'bowling for climbers'. I actually really admire those nice steps. They were amazing; it was like walking down several flights of a parking garage. I should grab some of my old rope and set up a fixed line right there. Maybe I could even bring a ladder to put over the berg.

Trip: Hood - The Queue Date: 6/28/2010 Trip Report: It was Sunday morning at approximately 1:35. With the lick of a finger to determine wind direction and a deep breath, it was a 'go' decision. GPS on. Crampons ready. Locator/GPS/avy/spot beacon on. It was time to go. We took a steady yet ambitious pace with the goal of reaching the summit in record time. Everything was going fine until we lost a climber due to bad breakfast and a penchant for beer. That's ok, I thought, we can do this. It happens, you know. And so we left the registration hut. We continued on. Four hours later we're watching the red horizon creep into the dark on the top of Palmer. It's beautiful until I look over and a giant female asshole is shitting and pissing all over the mountain. Sublime. By this time, I'm thinking, "fumaroles" and "shitting-pissing women," "by golly, I'm just going to do it." And so, for the first time in years, I pass quiet gas in public. No one notices, not even my climbing partner, who by now is staring at the summit with a bloody wolverine grin. He looked like he was about to eat a small child. And so we continued. By now I felt like sharting, but I knew it was time to enter the pearly gates. Perhaps I could take a shit on the summit, I thought (secretly knowing there would be too many cameras up there). Or, perhaps I could shit off the Pearly Gates. I mean, who hasn't considered shitting on the other climbers. They'd be like, "watch out for the ice fall, fuck, it's shit." This could be the ultimate triumph. At this point we noticed the herds climbing the Old Chute, so we went for the Pearly Gates. With a total lack of ice fall and semi-exposed bergschrund, we soon found ourselves taking summit picture doing ice axes high fives and cheering like titans. And yet, my mind was in a different place. I was surrounded by climbers; there was no outhouse as promised. As I waited in the queue to descend, all I could think of was my bowel problem. This was no ordinary climb, for I was carrying a scatological nightmare. When we reached the ski slope after descending Palmer, I took off on a kid's sled down the hill hitting top flux capacitor speeds. I could see the jealousy in every climber's face, "that ass is cheating." Finally, I was in the bathroom at Timberline. Damn. Constipation. Gear Notes: Pop tarts. Duct tape. Ice axe. Leg warmers. Climbing partner.

For those interested in Denali, we currently have a list of 4 climbers who are highly interested in the climb. I am definitely interested in more people. Please email at montanabartlett at yahoo dot com Look forward to it.

Caution: Latest avalanche report: Q1 C1 at 1 inch at Timberline Lodge.

Thanks for the information on avi conditions. It's nice to get concrete determinations.

I'm interested. I need some altitude this summer. Don't go guided. Save your money for beer. PM sent.

This is a solicitation for CC members interested in climbing Denali in early summer of 2011. The West Buttress is the most probable route that I am considering, since I have never climbed McKinley. I am located in the Portland area. I am 30 years of age, originally from Montana, and have enjoyed most of the major climbing milestones in the NW in the past 5 years. I'm ready for more, but need some like-minded climbing partners. If you're interested in joining up, there are only two requirements (apart from the ability to make espresso in a blizzard and sleep with your eyes wide open): --The financial ability to take three to four weeks off in June 2011. You need to be 100% certain that you can take the time off. --The ability to attend/organize training climbs in the Northwest. Just important as climbing ability is the rapport/trust that climbing partners need to attain before taking on Denali. I know that climbing skills supersede the aforementioned requirements. But these are the things that tend to prevent most people from climbing big mountains. Either they can't commit the time and money, or they're not willing to participate in training climbs, or both. If interested, please let me know. Cheers and happy climbing!

http://www.nwac.us/forecast/avalanche/current/zone/13/

Yeah, Will, tell us about the d-bag.

Hood is cancelled. Avi conditions are unreasonably high this weekend. Maybe I'll just build a fence instead.

Oh, thanks for asking about my leg. Much better. I'm ready for some climbing and I feel like I missed all of December and January. I'm chomping at the bit. It looks like avi danger is out of control today/tomorrow, so we'll see about Monday. The mountain temps will have to drop signficantly and the mountain will have to clean up a bit. I'm sure there are a lot of little slabs waiting to disconnect. So, I'm going to play it by ear.

I'm thinking Saturday, Sunday, or Monday. With the possibility of higher temps, I might have to postpone until Monday, waiting for a possible cooling trend. Conditions are pretty mixed right now. New snow has landed on an older soft slab. Some atmospheric temperature increase could heat up the middle layer and create a semi-wet slab. So, I'll play it by ear.

Anyone up for Hood this President's weekend. I'm up for any day of the three-day weekend and just about any climb. SS, Reid, Leuthold, Wyeast, you name it. Just let me know.

Isn't 'Jesus' a bad word. I guess my answer is 'no' then. Unless it's like a placebo device, which really works. Here, take this sugar pill and see what happens, friend.

Bug, I like #2. That's funny.

PM sent.

I'm considering Denali during the same time period, but I live in Portland.

Agreed on the toilet. How am I supposed to trust improvements will occur when there is a failure to maintain the current hut. No registration cards/forms and a locked bathroom door suggest no one really cares in the first place. How about instead of focusing on building some solar powered XJ9000 registration center, let's just make the existing space work as it was designed. Sorry about the tangent, but someone in middle management has missed the point here.

Avi risk was almost zero. There were some icy sections covered with 3-9 inches of snow slab, but most of this was limited to small sections.

Trip: Mt. Hood - Reid and Leuthold Date: 12/5/2009 Trip Report: We started around 2:00 a.m. and reached the top of Palmer before sunrise. My partner, Ryan, was cold so I dug small snow cave and we sat waiting for the weather to clear. To some surprise, the sunrise offered clear skies with decent wind conditions (15 mph sustained, and up to 40 mph gusts). It was cold but very ideal for a Reid climb, or any climb. On the top of Palmer, my climbing partner and I met up with two other climbers (Matt and Scott) going via the same route. We all decided to team up and enjoy the company, which definitely made things interesting. After crossing I-rock ridge, there is a semi-steep, traverse that requires a straight shaft ice axe for potential self arrest. I could see the crevasses on Reid Glacier at the bottom. After reaching the bottom of the Reid headwall, the next challenge is to find the best route. It was my intention to climb straight up the Reid headwall, but my partner convinced me to carry on toward what is either the left side of Reid or the right side of Leuthold. I know for a fact that we didn't ascend via Leuthold proper, since this is merely a straightforward slog up a friendly, 50 degree couloir. The route we chose was a bit less friendly but fun. It required an ice axe and at times a second tool. My partner became fatiqued early on the headwall, so I tied his back pack to my body while carrying my own backpack to give him a rest for about 1,000 feet. He was definitely reaching his limit. I convinced myself at this point that it would be easier to ascend than to turn back. He looked in a very bad way. After climbing the crux (a 30-40 foot ice run), I was a bit fatigued. But thanks to Scott and his just-in-time rappel, everything turned out well. From here on out I was very tired, but not more than one would feel after having dragged an extra 35 pound bag up snow and ice. Anway, after the ice crux, we came to an impasse on Reid. It quickly became evident that our continuation of this route would result in getting lost and, thus, a forced down climb, which I do not favor. So, we traversed left until we reached the very obvious top of Leuthold couloir. My partner carried his bag the rest of the way up to the summit, and I continued with extreme fatigue due to carrying his bag. The blue-sky summit was intermittently decorated with vertical oriented clouds and the warmth of sun. After this, we descended via the Old Chute with fresh tracks. Everything went without a hitch until my crampon fell off and I tripped and tore an ankle ligament. A half mile later, I felt (and maybe heard) the ligament literally snap. Matt ran down to Timberline and retrieved a Snowcat to take me off Palmer (thanks Matt). I was unable to walk and had to wear a cast for two weeks. Other than this silly incident, it was a very memorable climb. Watch out for the ice on Reid; it requires one or possibly two ice tools, a rope, and good judgment. Note: this is the first time I watched the sun set twice in one moment. It set in the clouds; the clouds departed, and it set again. Incredible day. This is descending near Crater Rock. Here's me stopping for a break before the crux (self portrait, ice tool in hand). Gear Notes: Cold weather equipment: Bivy Sleeping bag Foam pad Second down coat extra pair of mittens Wool sweater Two liters water Ice axe Ice tool 30 meter rope Snow pickets (didn't use) GPS (activated in case of white out) Crampons Sunglasses All the other acoutrements one would expect for a fun winter climb. Approach Notes: Although labeled a Class II climb, Reid definitely exhibited Class III characteristics. Just a note to those who might assume this is just an 'easy' climb. I think it changes to a Class II climb as more snow builds up over the ice during the winter. Leuthold, however, is very obviously just a steep Couloir. More photos: Reid Headwall and summit view.