pcg

+1 Even if you live in eastern WA you might see if the Mountaineers offer clinics specifically in crevasse rescue or avalanche safety. For example, the Mazamas in OR offer crevasse rescue clinics ($75 I think) that consist of a three hour class and then a full day in the field. So you would be driving somewhere for one night and a Saturday. Most Avalanche One classes are three full days and are both classroom and in the field so you will have to travel anyway.

First, I'm no avy expert. Second, I'm more a bc skier than a climber, but here's my thoughts on this... No. If you look at the avy report it usually gets worse the higher you go in elevation, so I assume it is progressively worse above 7000'. I'm not sure why there is no prediction for elevations above 7000'. One reason is that most bc skiers don't go that high. I really don't trust anything. Seriously. Digging a pit provides useful information, bit it can never provide a green light, only a red light. I am constantly feeling the snopack under my skis and listening and watching around me for any sign of danger, constantly proceeding under a yellow light and looking for red lights. Summer is different, but not this time of year. While the NWAC report does not report specifically on conditions above 7000', it offers very useful commentary regarding what has been happening under the snow and this is what I pay most attention to. Then I try to extrapolate what avy conditions above 7000' might be based on the temps, recent snowfall, and wind above 7000'. In general the higher you go the consolidation process within the snowpack is happening slower in the winter because temps are colder. Also this means more faceting can be occurring within the snowpack. Also winds are higher above 7000' so that must be taken into account as well. I am always alert for danger signs in weather patterns. For example, regarding this weekend on Hood, Saturday (afternoon especially) is a warming trend immediately after new snowfall - not good. How much snowfall remains to be seen, but the first warming period is generally not a good time to be on new fallen snow in avy terrain (Hood crater). The encouraging thing is that the snowfall so far seems to be rather light. However, lee slopes can still be loaded. In general, two things make me very wary - heavy snowfall and wind. Either by itself is reason to be concerned. As everyone will tell you, there is no magic formula or bulletproof forecast to give you a green light, at least not for this time of year. If the avy forecast in general seems encouraging, then I might proceed and get out on the snow and continue to look for reasons not to proceed.

A picket can be useful for solo climbs on hard steep snow where it is not possible to sink the shaft of an ice axe very far. I carry a picket and an ice screw in those conditions for building a simple "comfort" anchor. If I have to stop on steep snow to remove or put on skis, remove a jacket, etc., it is nice to be able to hammer in a picket first and clip in.

Actually it does… http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1033930 But, back to your main point… I’m guessing the goal of the question you are referring to on the solo app is not so much to see if you are aware of some special technique for rescuing yourself from a crevasse, but more to ascertain how well you have thought things through, as well as to get some insight into your experience level and how you think when faced with unexpected challenges. The fact that you are going to the Internet searching for a textbook answer makes people suspect that you are missing the point, and that you therefore lack the experience necessary to answer the question, and therefore aren’t a good candidate for a solo attempt. Your pushing back at those who understandably think this and are trying to dissuade you invites spray. As to a specific canned answer… Describe your technical method of crossing crevasses safely: How about – if there isn’t already a ladder across it, and if I can’t step across it or ski across it, I can’t cross it. Describe your method of self-rescue from a crevasse: For starters, if you fell in a crevasse and found yourself alive, upright, uninjured, and not wedged above a dark abyss (good luck with that, especially on Rainier), you could start walking. Sometimes you can walk to the end and climb out. If you can’t walk out and have screws and slings you could possibly climb and aid yourself out. Beyond that you have to think on your feet and use your intuition. Maybe you could tie something to the scrambling rope you have in your pack and lasso an anchor up above? There often are not textbook answers to performing a self rescue and experienced people are aware of that. Perhaps a textbook answer is not what the question is trying to get from you.

and a snow saw.

Re. #2... because it's very important and it's not in your summary, I'll mention again... If you skin up to Crater Rock and follow the fall line down in a whiteout you will not end up where you started. Have a great week!

Yes, If someone recommended #4 it was not genuine. As far as I know, what is referred to as the north face (actually is NE face) has only been skied by two people. http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=966443 For the ultimate experts, it is a genuine no-fall zone, in the best of conditions.

Best suggestion, but don't skin straight up the bottom of the canyon above the upper lot. I am constantly astonished at how often I see people skiing right up the middle of that terrain trap. And make sure you carry compass and altimeter and review the navigation instructions for south side Hood that can be found in the climber's registration room just right of lower entrance to lower lodge. White out conditions are common and you can get cliffed out or find yourself in Zig Zag Canyon (big time avy danger) if you don't know your way down. BC skiers are supposed to register as well. If snow conditions are lean and fast and hard like they are now you can pretty safely find lots of trees to ski in around the Mt. Hood area, but good luck with that. If there is deep fresh snow, it will be difficult to access trees steep enough to ski in without traveling in avy terrain. Good advice, also try Turns-All-Year partners wanted

I'm not an ice climber (yet!), but posted this for those who are and are interested in current conditions here. I hiked up to the Coethedral area today and snapped these pics on the road to the west of the Rectory, past the Steeple and sort of under High Lake I think. Looks pretty thin, but higher up is fatter - last pic is a couple hundred feet above the road. There is no ice on the Rectory. Couldn't drive past mile post 7.5 due to ice on the road so to get to this point required about 3 miles walking on breakable crust. I imagine after next week's storm it will be a ten mile hike.

Here... http://www.mountaingear.com/pages/product/product.asp/imanf/Recco/idesc/RECCO+Reflector/Store/MG/item/640258/N/0 Is anyone aware of an actual rescue that has been credited to this system? I thought it was mainly a corpse finder. If you are buried and have survived trauma and your companions can't immediately rescue you, it is extremely unlikey that patrol will arrive in time with Recco gear to rescue you.

I have found a viewfinder to be a necessity when on bright snow, when the LCD is not viewable.

Maybe so, but the GPS features only work if it can communicate with a cell tower.

No, I think a traditional barometer/altimeter is perfectly acceptable as long as you stay oriented so you can recalibrate often. In fact I prefer it because I have the added benefit of seeing how the barometric pressure has changed every time I recalibrate from the same location (i.e. overnight), which greatly enhances my ability to be tuned in to what the weather is doing. I have an analog altimeter so I never have to worry about batteries.

Yes, Dane is correct. I have OR supergaiters, not overboots. They are knee high and have foam inside that insulate from ankle to sole of my boot. It's a great option for me because if temps are marginal I just throw them in my pack and only use if needed. I have no problems keeping my old Salewa strap-on hinged crampons on with them. Dane - thanks for bringing up that point as I have been considering ordering some 40below Fresh Tracks for my AT boots, but now realize my auto crampons are likely not going to work well with that design. Who makes good supergaiters now? It appears OR no longer does.

25 min. and at that distance I am weighing building a climbing wall here at home.

Have you thought about overboots?

I'm driving down in May to do this with friends and we decided Vegas would be closest for me to meet them. Lots of cheap flights and it also allows a couple days at Red Rocks. I've done the drive across Death Valley and the road is good with very little traffic.

Coffin Mtn. http://www.summitpost.org/coffin-mountain/154582

Same here. Started caving in Missouri and Illinois then started climbing on the rotten limestone bluffs along the Mississippi River up around Grafton, IL. God that rock was awful! I have old maps from the 70s of both Dynamited and Deadhorse caves if anyone is interested. I'm sure much more has been mapped since. I won't post on the Internet, but PM me and I'll send them along.

A lot depends on the time of year and the terrain you'll be traveling on. If it's mainly rock and stable summer snow then I get by with 30L with stuff tied on the outside. If it's winter and I'm carrying skis, avy gear, snow saw, etc., then 45L. If you are leaning towards larger, the Cilogear 45L can hold far more than my 50L Kelty Redwing, which is not a great climbing pack, but fine for hiking.

I have the Cilogear 45L and if my old Mountainsmith 30L ever gives up I'll replace it with the Cilogear 30:30. I looked at these Mammut packs this summer and was impressed. Now they're on sale. http://www.rei.com/product/798294/mammut-trion-guide-35-pack http://www.rei.com/product/798293/mammut-trion-guide-45-pack

PM sent on Shuksan jacket.

I wear OR insulated overboots over hiking boots. They work well with strap-on crampons.

I was walking on snow at 5250 in Goat Rocks on Saturday, 4" at 6000' and I turned back for lack of crampons at 7000' where it was a foot deep and icy in spots. However, on Sunday there was no sign of recent snow on summit of Pinnacle in the Tatoosh at 6250'. Here's a pic of Adams from Saturday...

Yesterday afternoon...