TofuTodd

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.

Just FYI I was on that "10 man" mazamas rope team. It was actually (2) 5 man teams both using running belays. He were just going to do i-rock and the snow conditions were so perfect we went for it. 8 of our 12 climbers are new and that was our first time standing on hood. Yes, roping up wouldn't have been necessary for more experienced climbers, but the leader had us newbs so what was he to do. Anyways, regardless of your skill its nice to know if a big chuck of ice smashes you on the head you won't go ragdolling down the mountain. Maineiac, I'm talking about ice from you! j/k i was the guy directly downslope from you where your ice was pelting me. we knew what the hell you were doing but just wanted you to get on with it!! sliding on edge / getting our attention with ice / growing the balls to drop in while we were getting zinged. yeah, maybe we deserved a little ice. let that be a warning to everyone, the mazamas basic climbing class just ended and there are going to be a ton of us out there. Going back next weekend too. i'm sure the running belay will once again be in effect! So go early and fast or get stuck in traffic. I feel bad for the 2 man team who came up behind us off the hogsback and had to go wide up the west and sunny side of the old chute to avoid us, looked super hot in that sun with extra soft snow. think they were the last ones up.