YocumRidge

Although a different sport, but close enough...

Ha-ha, that was fun, Phil!

Baker splendor:

How about that:

PM sent on screamers.

What size are the Silvrettas?

Youth? but I wish.

Very Sweet, D&V! Congrats! to that. Nice job, Doug, on a follow-up to this classified ad : So, now when is your honeymoon vacation to the norwegian ice fjords going to happen? Remember I was signed up for it: driving you guys around, shovel the snow and climb ice in between?

It's a catchy one, Bill ! I hear Putin can also ski ...

PM sent on screws.

Did not you guys figure it out yet? SummitChaser has reincarnated. SC: nice video of ice climbing @Lillooet !

Yeah, Phil, I got sick of DTing so had to get on something scary!

Thanks for the stoke - JF! That right side looks wicked but somewhat healthier than what we have been on.

You bet, but John was bored though.

Trip: Darrington Ice - Three Fingers east face - lower cirque Date: 12/5/2010 Trip Report: Last weekend my friend John (aka Badass Plotz / aka Telemarker) and I ventured to the Three Fingers in Darrington. Being inspired by this picture taken by Marko almost the same time last year, we plan to search for some scary ice in the lower cirque on the east side of 3 Fingers. As expected, FS road 2040 is washed out and barricaded by logs, so we leave the rig as close as we can get to the TH and hike out. After 3.5 miles, we got to the Squire Pass creek and drop down to the river valley where we encounter debilitating postholing and numerous creeks to deal with. Crossing the creek followed by a few more: Being smart, we did not bring misery shoes and left our skis in the car. Good luck with that! The long assed sufferfest persists and we keep falling through the giant postholes. With my uncanny and supernatural sense of direction, we successfully end up in the wrong drainage (which is my recurrent theme for the last few months) and that adds a couple of bushwhacking hours to our “Disneyland” style approach. Oh well, by 3 p.m. we reach the basin and get to admire the beauty of the 3 Fingers range. Things on the east side of 3 Fingers are looking sweet, with many couloirs nicely filled in and available for skiing, especially if one survives in the avies coming down the gullies every 5 minutes and can teleport themselves to the base to avoid the schwack. Anyway, we miserably camp in 10s F temps and hit the cirque next morning, desperately trying to find some climbable ice. Not much is in, except a few sketchy flows on the NW aspect of the cirque and most of them don’t touch down. After a few persuasions, Plotz who is concerned by considerable avy danger, reluctantly agrees to head over there and give it a shot. I get to lead the first pitch - the best pitch - that goes at WI3: It starts with some sheisty ice that is gradually thinning out to unprotectable delaminating stuff as you go higher up. Not much of a confidence booster while looking for solid ice gets more time consuming: Plotz comes up and jumps on the next pitch that is mostly thin, hollow and steeper (at about WI4/R), exiting at the snowfield: Thin pillar 15’above the belay can’t bear our abuse any longer and gives up. John falls crushing through the curtain and landing with his crampons 5” from my face. Crushed belay: I am still living in oblivion as to how he was able to get up and re-lead the entire pitch. Plotz re-leading P2: I follow the blood soaked trail to the belay where we rap down to the base. Gear Notes: 10 Screws (used), rock pro (used), pins (not used) Approach Notes: Chainsaw

Why to bolt a retaining wall that goes at 5.0 and as a traverse at that?

Sharing beverages will now need to be moved to the Snow Dome.

Try this: [video:youtube]7Xc5wIpUenQ

Thanks Paul. It's reassuring!

Are there grizzlies on ski slopes in Idaho? Good to know because yesterday I came across one at the Government Camp. One of the relic species.

Awesome! Thanks for the beta. I'd love to check it out.

Wow! Nice flippin' work.

Is the approach long assed? Skis?