TofuTodd

Thanks for the TR! How is the pro in the top of the 3rd couloir? I've done backbone ridge in the summer and after doing the fin, it looks like it shares the top out of the same horrid couloir of unprotectable choss and decomposing rock that was one of the sketchiest parts of that climb. I guess with snow and ice it will be held together, but I know the rock gear is worthless in that section.

Trolls on trolls on trolls. This intertubez site is strictly for loving and poetic posts only. Everyone back to work. PS. Can you guys keep in down next time you're on a 50 classic rather than moan about how good the ridge feels rubbing on your nuts? When I'm two hours from Seattle on a weekend, I like to pretend I'm all alone out there. PPS. To whomever (not you two) left the huge shit on route, throw it off the GD mountain next time please.

Aiding on pickets?! nice job sending when the pros went packing! Thought you might be interested to see what the AI4 pitch looked like on Memorial Day weekend a few weeks later... That snow mushroom turned into a fat ice mushroom!

Gawd Damn. Thanks for the TR! Makes me feel a lot better about why we bailed!!

BPF and I tried it July 4th. We did North gl apprach across notch in North Rib. Rappelled from notch for time (vs complicated snow/dirty wet rock/moat downclimbing) off a small slung tree. Then crossed on the pocket gl. One axe was fine with crampons. Just getting onto the pocket took twice as long as the 2.5 hour late August TRs will suggest due to snow cover and navigation. Tried for bypass route but start was blocked by snow as calamity described. Other means of gaining the rock were either blocked by moats,ice-fall, or unknown/run-out climbing. We hiked down off the pocket glacier and downclibmed wet 5th class slabs to try for direct start at the toe. From the cliff above the drainage, snow covered the slabs to the toe start and looked passable but it was 1:30pm . Between late start and potentially complicated snow covered cross-over descent we bailed. No way on the 2wd. PM your email if you want pics

Nice TR and pics! I popped out of my tent at the flats and chatted with you 2 on your descent. Holy f*ck 2 hours from paradise to muir??!! Nice work!! I'm glad we slept in the wind was horrendous just an hour after you left.

Ugh realize this is a longshot but my red camp nanotech aluminum semi-auto 'pons appear to have come off my pack while glissading down the muir. Doh!

When I mentioned the Kautz summit date that was on the board behind him the ranger (who was a non-climber because he deffered route conditions to the other ranger) only said kautz was in if you were seeking ice. sorry didn't ask for any more details of as we were looking at the dog climb. Yeah any alternative to the lower nisqually is highly advised. Just from viewing the route on the drive in, the turtle snow field is still mostly snow but camp hazard is all rock. As I mentioned the kautz glacier has some serious open crevases but I didn't bother to scan if there was an easy way around. thatz all the betaz i gotz

I thought you'd ask... DC. We camped at the flats and were hammered with 50+mph winds in the AM. Hit the snooze and broke in my new sleeping pad instead ;-)

Just returned from rainier and was eyeing Katz because I did it two years prior in the early season. The chute looks in! But.... The nisqually looks like black death and the Kautz glacier isn't very inviting either. Fwiw last summit via Katz was aug 14 per rangers. Sorry no pix except of the nisqually. Pm me your email if you want it. Edit: Katz=kautz Gd iPad autocorrect

Thanks for the TR! we were considering it this weekend, but expect a crowd. Is there room on the bivy ledge for more an one group? Also I heard from someone who did the west ridge 4 weeks ago the moats were already getting impassable, but I guess you dont have beta for the descent rap since you downclimbed the gully which is probably out of season hence your regret on that? But I suppose everyone has to wrap into the berg and figure a way out? Thanks for the beta we may have to go for it!

cja - at least a year. It's sad really. Breakfast cracks are the bomb. I haven't seen any bolted anchors west of the guardrail. There is a arete with a new shiny bolt on it viewable at the west end of toothpick wall - any idea what route that is?

manieiac, sorry about this lack of commincation. For what it was worth we couldn't hear you so I assumed you couldn't hear me. Also, I didn't realize you may have been simply waiting for us to tell you to go. So your means of sending ice down on us to alert us to your line just came across as hesitation or just taking things slow as you set up your line. I switched from looking up at you to looking away so I wouldn't take ice to the face and relied upon my team members in the clear to alert me to any big ice. No hard feelings at all and don't worry I don't take anyone on these forums too seriously. My post was really in humor even though it doesn't read that way at all...

Hey Nate, this was my first climb with them. In the class they do cover ethics. They cover restricting group size, letting people pass, giving right away, and carrying out *everything*. I have to say they are extremely good at everything but the large groups part, but adhere to the law of 12 people max. Many people passed us as we were roping up. we got off the trail when we stopped. I didn't feel we were being asses. As for the 1 or 2 at a time thing? The mazamas putover 250 people a year through their basic climbing education program and have thousands of members. Having one climb leader per student is just not possible.the bttom line is that They need more climb leaders... These are just people who love getiing people into the sport and give their own time up for it.