kerwinl
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Posts posted by kerwinl
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There is no standard approach to get to the top of the LTW. If you do decide to come in from above use caution as there are loose rocks, vegetation etc, that can be easily kicked down onto unsuspecting climbers on the LTW.So maybe I/we should assess the trees on the LTW so we can get a consensus. I would think also that roots could hold things together in some cases. Where if they are dead then things are going to fall apart.Does anyone know where the trail starts to go to the top of the LTW?
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There are few more blocks on that route that could come out pretty easily. Hard place to trundle given the popularity.
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Wonder if it was related to the first really warm weather of the year? Also via another photo noticed that the chunk of rock that peeled off was topped by a tree covered ledge, I wonder if those root systems worked there way down creating some wedging? I have seen this in a few places at Index, in particular some of the upper sections of the country.
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That is a big day out, nice one!
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Just past the snow creek parking lot, a few hundred yards up hill?
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Which canyon? Which side of the road?
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I can confirm that the walk off is essentially snow free, one small patch to get back into the basin proper as of last week. The Mosqiuto' on the other hand are thick, 100% deet barely kept them at bay last week. Bring your bug gear!
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I wonder if parking in town at the school and walking down the tracks would prevent the break ins. I know that there is not enough parking to make this a viable option for everyone, but maybe is a solution for low traffic days.
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Jake,
REI has the new Marc Bourdon guidebook for much cheaper, I think I picked it up for about $35 about a month ago.
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Agreed, I think the vast expanse of the canyon spreads people out enough. There is a new bouldering guidebook to be released next year, it may increase traffic a small amount, but will also spread out the activity.it almost sounds as bad as Vantage has gotten,
Not even close.
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He was about 25-30 feet up Sagittarius just starting the flake (below the fixed sling I think), when the fall happened.
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Does anybody know the status of the gentlemen that was involved in the accident at index yesterday (8/18)?.
I was nearby when it happened, called 911, there was a few nurses and WFR that helped out before the EMT's showed up. I hope he is doing well.
FYI, I think the EMT's dropped the gentlemens helmet on the way out, it was hanging on the sign post by the porta-potty as I walked out in the evening.
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Will you put on some muscle? Yeah
Will it make a significant difference in your climbing? No
You might even climb better, because all the pack hauling and walking will be a bit easier with stronger legs.
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The Intuition Pro Tour liner is warmer and more comfortable then the standard TLT5 liner, IMO. You sacrifice a little bit of weight increase for a much better liner.
I would try that before getting new boots.
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I went up the DC route on Saturday Night. The route is cruiser above the cleaver, no big holes, no ladders, and pretty much a straight shot from camp comfort to the crater rim. The cleaver is starting to melt out, although it was mostly snow on Saturday I could imagine a few more weeks with these temps and the majority of it could be rock.
I would also not be surprised to see the route flipped from Camp Comfort, back towards the Emmons after the cleaver soon. The snow slopes used to attain Camp Comfort contained some big holes above and below the route, as those melt out and move around it could change a lot.
Have fun.
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Get on it. It is skiing well right now.
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Skied the white salmon/avalanche glacier route yesterday with a party of 3, around 3:30 PM from the summit, small amounts of rock fall (a few small pebbles here and there), nothing came close to us as we descended.
There is a large bergschrund guarding the top of the white salmon glacier, it is easily passable on the skiers right side. There was one other small crack that we crossed after the schrund, and then it was cruiser after that. Good luck!
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Bump for price drops.
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An electric mountain bike would be the ticket!
One advantage of a mountain bike vs. road bike, is that the MB is probably going to be geared a bit lower, maybe a lot lower. For the grade of that road, I would want the smallest gear possible.
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Marmot Zion Shell, Polartec Neoshell, Medium, Team Red. Never worn into the mountains, but worn once or twice around town to determine fit. $200
http://marmot.com/products/zion_jacket
Marmot Greenland Baffled Jacket. Used 10 days, poor fit, excellent condition. $225
http://marmot.com/products/greenland_baffled_jacket
Marmot Alpinist Tent. Used 10 trips, excellent condition. $300
http://marmot.com/products/alpinist_2p
Pictures on Request.
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Bump still for sale!
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GPS track is up now, just import into google earth.
[TR] Colchuck Balanced Rock - Let it Burn and West Face 6/6/2015
in Alpine Lakes
Posted · Edited by kerwinl
Trip: Colchuck Balanced Rock - Let it Burn and West Face
Date: 6/6/2015
Trip Report:
With the low snowpack and high temps I was eager to get back up into the alpine after climbing up at prusik the previous week. My buddy Craig had yet to climb on Colchuck Balanced Rock and was psyched to check it out. We hiked in Friday night, and setup camp below the talus field below CBR.
First up 'Let It Burn', shown as the left line here:
Mellow climbing leads to a big ledge before the first hard pitch of the day, and maybe the crux of the route, P2 5.12-. Moderate fingercracks lead up and ever steepening headwall before the crescendo boulder problem leading to a improbable jug rest. Me very happy to have avoided the flash pump and onsighted the first lead of the day, photo taken by some friends on the 'West Face'.
Craig took P3 a fun 5.11 flake and crack system up moderate angled face with a thin crux 3/4 of the way up. Easiest pitch on the route?
Pitch 4 was a return to the steepness from P2, thuggy and powerful climbing leads to a nice slab belay. Me in the middle of the battle. Rated 11c by the FA party, Craig and I both found this to be as hard if not harder then P2. Maybe with some beta refinement it may feel easier.
Pitch 5, a delicate traverse to another steep overhanging crack capped by a powerful reachy boulder problem. Craig dug deep and put the rope up after a few falls. Truly committing climbing with big air if you blow it. Craig leads the pitch off with the incredible juggy flake traverse, dont fall!
Pitch 6 delicate slab climbing followed by easy 5.7
Pitch 7-9, 5.9->5.7 run it to the top.
Me on top, a little tired and dehydrated, but psyched to have pulled the onsight on one of the coolest routes in the region.
A quick downclimb back to the base of the cirque (easy right now with soft snow), proceeds to dinner and a few hours of chilling before sleep.
Day 2, our original plan of climbing 'The Scoop' was tossed after another party reported significant wetness on the crux pitch. Craig had not done the west face yet, so with a mellow alpine start of 7AM we made our way up to the wall again.
I brought us up to the base of the large corner in two quick pitches before handing over the lead to Craig for his onsight attempt on one of the coolest pitches around. Craig sent in fine style, battling through the wet slime that guarded the belay ledge.
I took the awkward roof traverse, which was also wet, classic. Craig followed with some swearing and grunting, which brought us to the base of the crux pitch. It maybe the hardest graded pitch of the route, but it was dry and craig fired it in style. Pulling into the roof
Sent!
Craig cruised the squeeze chimney (maybe the only person to ever make it look 5.8?) and we ambled to the top, before cruising back down to camp, psyched to have pulled off two routes in perfect alpine conditions. Proud effort by Craig to onsight the West Face after battling up Let It Burn the previous day, in new shoes no less!!
Gear Notes:
The bugs are coming out, bring a tent. Tons of water flowing at the base of the cirque.
Doubles from green alien->#1, single purple c3/#2/#3, plus nuts for Let it Burn. Extra #2 for the west face.
Special nut tool, aka fork. If you want to save some weight for the approach (or if you forget to bring a nut tool like us) turns out a fork works almost as well.
Approach Notes:
Cross at colchuck damn, snow free the whole way.