YocumRidge

For cutting rutschblocks. I have BD flicklock poles. Should I be able to get away with just a static cord setup? Does anyone have experience with it in the dense layers? Or should I get the saw? How long is the BD saw blade? I cannot find this info anywhere.

Dirty electronic fusion (DEFUSION) from Vienna by Karl Moestl [video:youtube]U9OR7ostaFI

What would be your choice for the snow saw as defined by: 1. Lightweight 2. Ease of ski pole attachment 3. Less bulk Thanks

Yep, just like on Eiger in the recent "North Face" movie. The train to the summit is missing though.

I am planning on attempting Rainier via Nisqually Ice Cleaver and camping at the base of Cowlitz Cleaver in March. In case we bail, what would be your recommendations for ice cragging areas/seracs nearby? Thanks guys.

Bill, when is the publishing party?

Right on, Bill. Totally agree to avoid SS at all cost. I think this pic has more light on the upper CS and shows the couloir Bill is referring to more clearly. Also, Sunshine is another nice alternative on the N side of Hood. Not so technically demanding, just long, especially when the gate is closed. Last Sun/Mon was the perfect timing to hit it though and while we were so tempted to bivy on the Snow Dome, Oleg had to be back to work on Monday.

Thanks, guys. It is a great variation, especially when done in winter. The conditions were superb: low temps - no rock & ice fall, steeper slopes - less avy danger. I wish my folks would share the delight but unfortunately they don't

Nice vid, thanks for posting! Didn't it feel weird to climb alone - on HOOD? And break your own trail?

Thanks. Might as well do that. They dont leak water yet and yes, the supergaiters help extend their life.

Yes, the hockey tape worked great for me: either Friction blade tape (double-sided, Gordie Howe?) or Joyco Co-adhesive grip tape.

I hear you but it looks like that:

Still, a nice attempt. Thanks for reporting the conditions.

I now get it - Oleg - why you climbed so well and in a new style: "tool-less"!

Trip: Mt. Hood - Eliot ice cragging + Ski + Rehab Date: 2/7/2010 Trip Report: My long-time friend (OlegV on here) has decided that the time finally came for him to try out his leg in front pointing on vertical ice. After all, the leg was a reconstruction masterpiece with all possible types of metal hardware put in it after he suffered major open fractures and all the works in a car-bike accident. The plan was born to head up to the Eliot glacier seracs for some ice “cragging”. After having climbed the North Face of Hood through and through, Oleg was confident that getting to the upper Eliot from the closed gate at the Cloud Cap road is going to take a couple of hours. This is where he proved himself wrong. My slow ass does not run ultra marathons with 50 lb “training” packs and skis on the regular basis the way he does. But to make him feel better I did carry one like that while skinning up the approach. On the approach to the Tilly Jane: By 9 a.m. we reached the cabin where we had breakfast Tilly Jane cabin in winter: and then continued up to the Cooper Spur where I stashed my skis and we dropped down to the Eliot. Knee-deep postholing was in order. North Face, Cooper Spur, Eliot and Oleg: Upper Eliot seracs: Ice on the CSs drop offs was not in but the serac field on the upper Eliot looked temptingly blue and this is where we headed to. The optical illusion of them being 30 min away ended in us approaching the base of the perfect avy-prone slope and then realizing that we are looking at another 800 vertical feet before we can even get to the first set of seracs. And sure enough, the avy-prone slope did have a recent avy debris trail right in the middle of it. Being reluctant to dig the pit, we geared up for the crevasse rescue and traversed eastwards across the Eliot to the lower seracs. We rapped off the two screws down to the serac field that took some time to explore. The exploring however involved crossing snow bridges over the crevasses but luckily they were more solid than not. Rapping down to the lower Eliot: Lower Eliot Seracs: The ice was dry and brittle like one I found in Hyalite canyon at -14F and needed a few whacks to get good sticks. Oh well, but it was better than nothing. We climbed a few lines of different angles and some overhanging blocks. Then I went up to clean the screws and downclimbed the other side of the serac where I fell into the crevasse. In the meantime, Oleg found a sweet terrain park of ice features that we surely had to get on. Ice features: The sun was going down way too soon, so we bailed, headed up to the CS and skied down or not the approach back to the parking lot in the dark. Overall, it was a good day to celebrate Oleg’s recovery. NB: O/N bivy on the Eliot is recommended to enjoy an entire day of “cragging” rather than suffering a total 15 miles approach c-to-c. Gear Notes: 15 screws (used 4), screamers, CR gear (used), 3 pickets (not used) Approach Notes: Long

Nice. Thanks.

I own a pair of the 2004 Salomon's SM Lite boots which I adore. Salomon as a ski company makes very comfortable footwear (at least for me) but unfortunately this particular model has been discontinued. Does anyone know of a repair shop that can re-bond the deteriorating rands and peeling leather?

As of 02/07/10, we found the avy debris trail right in the middle of the Upper Eliot that is heavily crevassed as well around the seracs. Snow Dome and Cooper Spur looked good with great fresh powder skiing! Watch out for crevasses above the Snow Dome if you are heading up that way.

It makes me happy. It's that simple.

Cool, thanks. I would love to try out my Garmont Veloce then.

Thanks for fixing it, Josh ! Much appreciated.

M: get ready for the Elliot!

What is missing Ivan - is the tourists, dogs and mega-roped teams. Go get it.

Yes, and the other two brought snowshoes (they sucked too but better than nothing) and the one who did not bailed at the I-rock. Both skis and snowshoes were stashed at the Crater rock before crossing above the DK. Now in retrospect, I wish I brought my teles but I never tried ice climbing in tele boots before. Anyone would enlighten me please?

Trip: Mt. Hood - Devils Kitchen Headwall standard 1c left traverse Date: 1/27/2010 Trip Report: Mt. Hood – Devils Kitchen Headwall - standard 1c left traverse The original plan of our rad team consisting of 5.13 rock climbers (Frank P), skiers (Viviane) and others (Jlawrence10 and myself) included Leuthold Couloir with the Pearly Gates loop but we bailed due to the recent heavy snow accumulation and considerable avy potential. I succeeded to convince everyone to get wasted on something scarier than Leuthold and head up for the Devils Kitchen Headwall (the longer 1c variation) with more ice and mixed challenges. For a long while we were timing a decent weather spell on Hood. It always falls on a midweek as we all know it, so everyone took an "I am sick" day off on Wed and we left our wet PDX at 11 p.m. to arrive into the equally wet parking lot at the Timberline Lodge. We got on the slog at 1.30 a.m. and quickly realized the snowpack consolidation left much to be desired. 3 feet sinking deep into the snow was not a part of the game and required floatation on the approach. And although we did whine a little, we did not whine all at the same time so it worked out pretty well. Frank P however turned around before reaching the I-rock while three of us (with Josh being an equal opportunity climber who does not mind climbing with girls) painfully dragged our asses higher up. We approached the east side of Crater Rock at sunrise and were greeted with a magnificent alpenglow on Pearly Gates, Devils Kitchen Headwall and Steel Cliffs followed by bluebird skies and a big yellow ball. Was it a dream? At the base of Crater Rock: I quickly spotted the gully looking like a 1c variation on the west buttress of the headwall, got excited and rushed through the snowfield above the Devils Kitchen. The guys followed. Our route: The snow consolidation considerably worsened with the postholes now reaching more than 4 feet. What would’ve taken us 10 min under otherwise stable conditions, developed into 1 h struggle of getting to the base of the gully. Finally by 9 a.m. we were ready to climb. I got even more excited at this point: 14F (as opposed to 34F promised by NOAA) and 700 feet of vertical elevation on the headwall I never been before. So off we went. At the base of 1c: Josh and me starting out: The best part was we found some alpine ice up to III, both good and bad, as well as some solid 5.6 rock for stemming in the chimney. Although this was the second time ice climbing for Viviane and Josh, they both were very solid, confident with their technique and did exceptionally well. We did not use any pro on the entire route but could well have on the two cruxes of overhanging 15’ ice bulges. Josh is working his way up the first crux: I am through the first crux: The second crux was through the chimney with a nice alpine rock coated with rime ice. To our surprise, the quality of this rock exceeded our expectations of a typical volcanic Oregonian choss and turned out to be more superior to the dinner plating ice found on the right in the chimney. Viviane is looking good on the second crux in her sweet ski boots: Josh is half way through the chimney: Me getting through the chimney: Overall, a cool sustained section with interesting mixed moves and surreal exposure. Highly recommended while the conditions last. 400’ up the headwall, we noticed a good place to begin a sketchy traverse to the left below the rime iced towers and then headed up the steep (50-60 degrees) snow. Josh and Viviane before the traverse: The snowpack was in better shape than at the base of the headwall and when mixed in with some ice patches, made it for a painless gain of elevation. Next we hit a couple of mellow ice sections before getting to the debris field (that supposedly should lead us to the summit ridge). Viviane and me at the debris field below the summit ridge: Sleep deprived brains and physically wasted bodies - it is when people start doing weird stuff. Josh having a fatal attraction to the Wy’East route after climbing it in December, begun veering off to the right for reasons unknown to mankind. Viviane and I headed straight up. Apparently Wy’east exit did not impress Josh much this time, so he reunited with us on the ridge. Then we all had a pleasant walk along the ridge and reached the windy summit at noon. Josh is thrilled with the NF exposure on the summit ridge: Viviane and me on the summit: The descent was “straight forward” postholing via the dog Hogsback and at 4.30 p.m. we were back to the rig with the total 15 h car-to-car. A great winter climb with cool partners! Post-climb beer: This video is my first try with an iMovie and needs more work but for the time being here it comes. [video:vimeo]9084038 P.S. All pics and footage are a copyright of Viviane and Josh as my camera is dead. Gear Notes: Three tools (used), 40 m rope, 4 pickets, 5 ice screws - 10s, 13s, icescreamers (not used) Approach Notes: Floatation required