Major Major

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.

Does anyone have any old climbing skins they want to get rid of? I bought a pair of ascent that aren't worth buying new skins for, but I'd still like to use them for ascending climbing approaches. If anyone has anything that's in semi-usable condition, I'd be willing to pay a reasonable price.

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.

Will, I think this one is at least 8 years old. It doesn't appear to have any waterproof material like the newer bags. This is a good summer bag, but it will need to be water proofed with an exterior cover or something.

These practically new boots were recently replaced by a pair of Cholatses I just purchased, which is basically the same boot, so these have to go. Truth be told, I shouldn't sell these, because I love them. But that makes me a gear whore. And we all know where gear whores go. Please PM for pics. I would say these have been used on 4-5 climbs only. They have the antibott notch on the back. If you wear a street shoe of 12.5 to 13, then these will fit perfectely. The inside from heel to toe measures 12.25. PM if interested. I live in SE Portland - no shipping. Asking $145.

These practically new boots were recently replaced by a pair of Cholatses I just purchased, which is basically the same boot, so these have to go. Truth be told, I shouldn't sell these, because I love them. But that makes me a gear whore. And we all know where gear whores go. Please PM for pics. I would say these have been used on 4-5 climbs only. They have the antibott notch on the back. If you wear a street shoe of 12.5 to 13, then these will fit perfectely. The inside from heel to toe measures 12.25. PM if interested. I live in SE Portland - no shipping.

Thanks for the boots. I promise they won't go to waste.

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

PM sent. I'm local.

PM sent.

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.

PM sent.

where do you live?

http://portland.craigslist.org/clk/spo/1519753644.html I just saw this on Craigslist; not sure if it meets your requirements, but for $25 it's worth it.

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.

Chris, I know this sounds crazy, but you might actually have my other lost pair of crampons that I lost probably 3 years ago (from what I remember). I had strapped them to my pack and was coming off an avalanchy mountain in haste. Classic 'womp-womp' sounds occured at every step. I was definitely not concerned about losing equipment. These were the less advanced grivels that fit all boots (no device to clip in on the back).

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/888469/Searchpage/1/Main/67776/Words/gullberg/Search/true/Re_TR_Stone_Mountain_NC_Hills_#Post888469

Thanks much shortstow. I know it's a long shot, but I really loved that crampon.

If you find a 12-point Grivel crampon on Mt. Hood somewhere between Hogsback and Palmer, please PM me. I lost it. Thanks.