Dave A.

Work has begun clearing the mudslide at eightmile campground. The FS notice at the closure said they were hoping to have it doneby the 27th.

I agree the DaKine is a little heavy but for carrying somewhat awkward loads a little beefier suspension is nice. I've carried a 600 ft. rescue rope on mine (heavy!) and it worked fine. I've used mine none too gently for many years, good thing I like it because it just doesn"t wear out.

I have numerous friends, skiers and boarders both, that like the DaKine packs. Mine is bomber, you can strap anything to it, the rear entry makes it easy to get into. Customer service is also excellent. I broke a buckle after a number of years, called them and they overnight mailed two of them at no cost. I was amazed.

I have a couple of 5 yr. old granddaughters and a 2 yr. old that like to go rock climbing with Grandpa. The 5 year olds are just getting comfortable being lowered on the rope. I live in Wenatchee, anyone heading for Leavenworth with kids I'd be happy to meet up with. PM me. Dave A.

USFS recreation report says clearing of mudslide debris is out for bids, and is expected to be complete by mid-may. Dave A.

It's about one mile from current parking to where the road has been closed for the winter(at Eightmile road and Bridge Creek CG). As of Saturday none of the slide has been removed, and there is no equipment onsite. The mud is dry enough to walk up and covers about 1200 feet of roadway. Boulderers, get your brushes out. There's a new, house-sized boulder a couple hundred feet above the road. Dave A.

It was intended as a joke. I don't believe I told anyone it would save them.

Nobody forgets to bring their pot. You might add a pan to go with the stove and fuel, though. Dave A.

Hi, Brad. According to the news release they are building a temporary bypass through the campground. This will only be for use by the few people who live above there and the contractor who will be hauling the debris to a dumpsite upvalley. That part surprised me, I would have figured on it going the other direction.

According to news release from Forest Service yesterday the barricades have been moved 1.8 mi. further up the road and the contractor is beginning work. Opening date unknown, will mostly depend on how much damage to road and culvert. This opens up quite a bit of the rock climbing. The road is open for pedestrian traffic past the barricades. Those heading for Colchuck or Eightmile will have about two road miles to walk to the bottom of Eightmile road. Inconvenient, but not much compared to the slog up Eightmile road. Dave A. P.S. Rat- your post made me feel stupid. I've seen the road grader parked up there numerous times and knew it was private. Just didn't think.

The road is a public, forest service road. I don't actually know but I would guess the residents don't pay. Just like I don't pay (directly) for the plow that pushes the snow from my street into my driveway. I'm guessing again, but I suspect the mess will be cleaned up with front end loaders and dump trucks and will take somewhat longer than just bulldozing it off the road. I suspect the longest delay will be the Forest Service coming up with the money. I hope I'm wrong.

Yes, thank you.

Mud. I got curious and drove up there. The mud came down the drainage several hundred yards left of 8 mile buttress. I hiked up from xy cracks to about the middle of 1st tier of the buttress. I was standing on mud on a bank probably 60 feet above the raging creek. The mud had been thrown there from below. I was impressed. Large boulders and logs are deposited on the roadway, I don't figure it'll open anytime soon. Dave A. looks like brad got pictures up while I was typing.

Hi, John. What happened up the Icicle? Dave A.

Well put, mattp.

I don't know her but I believe that is Monika Johnson. She died this winter skiing near Snoqualmie Pass.

Good video medicsandy. Thanks for sharing. Dave A.

What he said. I've been using the black mark, but my next rope will be bi-color in spite of the price.

I started taking my grandkids out last year. the younger ones (4 yrs.) didn't like the harness much but really liked easy boulders. The older ones did fine with harness on easy TR. We have mostly gone around Barney's Rubble up the Icicle. There is a nice easy boulder on your left just as you drive into the parking lot that the little ones really like. The tallish boulder to the right as you look from the road has an anchor on top and made a good starter climb for the more adveturous. Be creative, the kids will have fun on rocks that we don't really notice. I bought a Trango Junior harness, it fits kids weighing from low 30's to 80 some pounds. La Sportiva makes a kid's shoe that is designed to cover two sizes. My grandkids really liked wearing them, once they had them on they didn't want to take them off. Dave A.

I was up there on Wed. Most of the rock in the lower canyon was dry and the access was reasonably dry. Boulderers were out at Mad Meadows and Forestland. Hobo Gulch looked good, and there was a couple climbers there. As genepires said your biggest issue will be the weather but you should be able to climb any day it's not raining. Dave A.

I have fallen into voids around rocks like you describe and was fortunate not to get hurt. The voids can be rather large, much like a crevasse under a snow bridge. There is a field of large boulders on Mt. Cashmere where you can look down sometimes 20 or more feet. These can be covered by thin layers of snow in the spring or early summer and would be deadly if you punched through. The tree wells can also be covered over by blown snow and not be visible at all. I fell into a small one, and I'm not sure I could have got out but was fortunate that my arm with my ice axe was sticking out and I hooked a nearby tree branch. A very good reason not to hike alone.

Dan, if you are unable to find a guidebook before you go I have one you can borrow(LaBelle's Rock Climbs of Central Washington). I live in Wenatchee. I'm sure I saw a copy at Feathered Friends a week or two ago when I was over there. Dave A.

Ground is clear in Wenatchee. Dave A.

Poor weather can hit any time, June can be very nice. Stick with your plan until you see what the weather forecast is. If the weather looks iffy as your time approaches start looking at something on the eastside. Mt. Maude or something else up the Chiwawa drainage, maybe something up the Entiat River.

I'll give it a go. The new beau isn't going to ask outright what happened so he might well say something like chummy. "Friendly" or "pretty close" might work, too.