bryce398

North Face

Not a bad consolation prize to ski a couple thousand feet of vert on mostly good powder. I've recently been making a concerted effort to go lite in the alpine which led to the decision to only bring the 4 oz bottle for melting snow. An MSR reactor with 4 oz bottle makes about 8 liters of water from melted snow at an elevation of 5570ft which turned out to be good only for our needs Saturday with a few liters left over after dinner. I did get to test my new Mountain Laurel Super Mid and it worked fantastic in the moderate winds and snow, and saved me about five lbs over my trango 2. I was surprised at the amount of condensation my Neanderthal mouth breathing produced which later froze and we had a mini snow storm when we started banging around. I also was using for the first time on snow a sleep system that included a sub 2lb Enlightened down quilt, with a Mountain Laurel .5 lb super light bivy and a MSR Neo Xtherm sleep pad at 15 oz. I also wore a Patagonia nano puff and a Mountain Hardware (some type of synthetic) jacket, camp booties and a hat. It got down (according to the weather forecast) into the mid 20s and I was toasty in that sleep system. Basically I went from a 15-20lb tent/sleep system to one of less then 7lbs and my legs and back thanked me on the approach. Sean is a much better skier then I and as such I did more post holing then he did. I would recommend a few more freeze thaw days/nights before the couloir will be in prime boot packing condition. The snow on the glacier was not particularly fun to hike up, which I only did for about 100 feet before I switched back to skinning. Overall great trip in a beautiful area with a solid partner and thanks to the shitty weather it kept the riff raff away. Approach from the second bridge to the lake is breakable crust and is a pain to punch step through.

PM sent

Pm sent about tomorrow

I heard that the blue mtn gate was closed. So thanks for the updated approach info.

After some research I'm guessing it is FS#38, cross the middle fork and take the Elbow Lake trail to the lake, then bushwhack west?

Any on know what the best/ shortest approach is with all the Gate closures? Thanks for any info.

I guess I should have scrolled down.

Size?

PM sent

Skied past Denman yesterday, middle line WI3 looks in( I could only see first 2 pitches) left WI2 line mostly covered with snow. Sorry no pics. Lines referenced are from last years post by Spinion.

Trip: Mt. Baker w/ side trip to Adams - Coleman-Deming Date: 7/6/2012 Trip Report: This is my first TR so if it blows, is incorect or offers any BS advice feel free to let me have it. Josh, Derick and myself decided to climb Baker and since this was our first expirence with glaciers we decided on a nice easy cattle route. After days of watching youtube how to vids and studying Freedom of the Hills. We set up some 3:1 z pullies and practiced ascending and deemed ourselves qualified to climb. We decided to do it car to car for an added workout. We arrived at the Heliotrope Ridge trail and started hiking at 3:10am. I had hiked up to the Hogsback a day prior with my dad and route finding was easy by headlamp and the moonlight. We reached the last of the tents on the hogsback around 5:30ish just at first light. Looking up at the 1st section of Glacier We hiked up this section unroped, and axes and crampons stowed. Towards the top I noticed a crevasses to my left and right with the boot track running up and then left/east around and over. At this point I thought if I am going to carry a rope I might as well use it. So we geared up at the next flat section below the Black Buttes. Baker-left /Colfax Peak-right Route generally heads south towards Colfax Peak to gain high ground above massive crevasses to the east then turns south east/left towards the saddle Route finding was easy due to the massive boot track and 2 rope teams from AAI in front of us. Almost to the saddle After reaching the saddle the wind picked up, and we put on our shells and helmits. And yes I know I should have hade it on from the the start of the climb. A helmit works great in keeping the hood out of ur face and to keep ur skull in one piece. We then started hiking up the snow covered pumice ridge towards the Roman Nose. View down pumice ridge towards saddle on descent View up pumice ridge on decent. Roman Nose/left We stayed well right/south of the Roman Nose, this was the steepest section of the day, but conditions were perfect for good cramponing. After gaining the false summit it was about 500-800ft of sloging across a generally flat plain to reach this 30ft ish hump that is the summit. Josh and Derick on the Summit. Time: 11am We then descended the same way up with no issues, reaching the car around 2pm. Derick and I then drove to Troute Lake the following day, and Josh went off to train for a half Iron Man he is doing this coming weekend. I soloed Adams South Climb on Sun, and am throwing it in here cause it is not worth its own TR. Time: Left car 2:30am-Summit 7:50-back to car 11am Note to self, Buy AT Skies, from watching other folks it saves so much time and energy. And looks like a hell of a lot more fun then glisading on ur backside. Also if anyone wants to take a n00b out on some AI or moderate alpine rock shoot me a PM. I have full trad rack, screws, tools, etc. Ive climbed trad for about 5 years on & off (probably lead 5.7/follow 5.8 or Vantage 5.10) and followed on WI3-4. I live in Tacoma and will be in WA till the end of July. Gear Notes: Sun screen, my face is still peeling off. Approach Notes: Follow the obviouse boot track if no new snow.

PM sent

I was thinking about going up to Rainier and top rope soloing Ricksecker point AKA the Blue Room. I was wondering if any one has checked out the Ice there this year or been there in the past and what they thought of it?

Im flying out on Sunday to go hang christmas lights on a palm tree in my board shorts and sandals. Ill be back in Wa for a couple of weeks in Jan, and I will take you up on the offer,if work and weather, dont interfere.