alpine et

Anyone been down the Cascadian recently? I'm guessing it's all dry by now, but didn't want to get surprised by a few hundred feet of bulletproof snow up high... thanks Erik

Two weeks ago there were enormous suncups below Lunch Counter. Descent snow on Piker's south face (and probably the chutes as well). Generally the chutes were smoother I heard... and you basically ski better snow until you need to schwack down to the round the mountain trail. Skiing from the summit was absolutely terrible, and I enjoy skiing shitty snow.

A single 30m rapping down on the Sahale Glacier side will get you to about 10-15' of easy scrambling above where it flattens out. Twin 30s, or a single 50 etc will all get you comfortably down.

..ha! hadn't thought about how wedged that knot would get in there. Difference between textbook/backyard practice and reality is stark!

Regarding prussiking back up - you could bump your upper prussik above the knot, and then once the knot is unweighted you could untie the butterfly and continue to ascend. It is a bit of a pain, but if the knots aren't there, you and your buddy might both be at the bottom wondering what to do. You can make similar accommodations to pass knots while doing a pulley system. There might be a simplier way, but rigging the ratchet prussik via a pair of load releasing hitches that you use to leapfrog over oncoming knots.... you'd also have to tie/untie the mech advantage prussik as well... don't fall in.

some info here: http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=34350.0

I would assume none of the former and plenty of the later. Was up there last July and we saw only tiny patches. Did a loop up to Cathedral and Remmel.

I know I'm just a shitty climber, but that friction pitch (or even just pictures of it) gives me sweaty palms. Have led it twice... scared both times. Strong work finishing up the OW! I don't recall a bolt at the summit. There is a more straightforward descent route down the north face. I've only ever done double rope raps, but I think there are stations set up for single raps too. Either right at the top of the 5.8 OW, or just further climbers left of the top out is where I've started raps previously...straight down, not along the route.. not that this shows it well... but notes were made when the route/descent were fresher in my mind...

... thanks - as I feared! ok then, volcanoes it is.

Dreaming up ways to occupy myself during a week between jobs... and am interested on conditions on the Garibaldi-Neve traverse. Mid-May might not be late in normal years, but this wasn't a normal year... anyone been up that way? Is the lake melted out? Any thoughts would be great... thanks

mountaineers group turned around last weekend, I think. I believe they found knee deep snow. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152712725581433&set=pcb.10152712729771433&type=1&theater

Gotta second or third the great photos sentiment - thanks for delivering the stoke to get out to this zone again... hitting refresh on weather at work now...

I think he was after the coveted FPWA: first poor weather ascent. I'm looking forward to the new geologic epoc where I nab fist descents where there is no snow... FSDOS: first scree descent on skis.

May is prime time for St Helens skiing. Winter skiing on volcanos can be fun, but is often very wind effected and you're susceptible to the weather much more so than lower down in the trees where soft snow might persist longer between storms. Not discouraging... but if your only motivation was to hit snow, not a winter ascent, spring is the prime time...

darn - saw this a bit too late. What did you find? I haven't been chasing the ice too long - forecast for today says high of 39 with a low of 25 overnight... think anything worthwhile will be up there on Wed AM?

Depending on how much adventure you're looking to get into, Prussik peak w. ridge isn't a terrible beginner route. The first two pitches are straight up and easy to follow. The next few pitches do just as much traversing as they do climbing, and are somewhat difficult to protect for a nervous follower - hard to avoid pendulum potential without causing undue friction.... The raps are fairly easy... recommend double 60s - what I've always used and it's always landed me at very nice benches, well suited for newbie climbers... here's a TR from a climb I did last year...

Conor - if you had good experiences with the basic course, try the intermediate course. if you had bad experiences with the basic course, the intermediate course is WAY different, and much better for someone who wants to apply themselves to learn. At a minimum you'll learn some rope rescue skills, a good base knowledge of rock and ice leading, and most importantly, a few partners to get out with. FWIW I went through the basic, intermediate classes. Good foundation in basic, but it was very regimented and didn't really let you mess up and learn. Intermediate is much closer to actual climbing... Also, my schedule isn't that great, but feel free to PM me if you'd like to try and get out sometime. Erik

September is often amazing and dry! http://www.seattle.gov/html/weather_averages.htm

Awesome work guys - a ride from Seattle to Rainier has been on my list for a while, thanks for the prod to keep it on the list and bump it up!

Thanks anyway... guess we're not the only ones loosing stuff up there

Shot in the dark... have some friends in town from the east coast and trying to grab day of permits on Thurs morning.... anyone have a lead on a place we could crash Wed night out of the weater? Even just something to camp under so we can be out there Thursday AM without driving over absurdly early. Beers, cookies, or whatever else you need will be brought! thanks Erik

cut to chase: there is a 50m half rope stuck on the top rap down into the gully on the W. ridge approach. Short writeup since I'm heading right back into the woods. The snow gully is tricky now... about halfway up there was a 4' wide gap which is now surely wider (it grew a bit even during the few hours we were up there). Above the crack is a thinning snow bridge which was passable for us. Another party behind us jumped the crack... props. I climbed down into it, mixed climbed up along some rocks and then stemmed my way back out onto the snow above it. Took way longer. Was more annoying, but was so totally fun. Stoked. Climb was amazing, such great rock up there. Things went south on the descent as it just took forever. It was dark by the time we were back at our boots atop the gully, and raining. We used our twin 50s to rap down the gully. Despite pulling each rap cleanly on rock, one of our ropes got snagged real well on this first rap down the gully. I started to climb back up to it, and experienced a fun soft snow slide out and self-arrested before I got below my partner for the belay to even kick in. Feeling spooked, and knowing we needed to move down fast in the poor weather, we left the rope. I was hoping to just climb up to the first snow lip it went over and free it there, but I could see after climbing it was likely caught even further up above the snow bridge which I didn't want to reverse again. Feel badly about wasting cash on the fairly new rope. Feel worse about leaving my junk in the alpine. I picked up as many clif bar wrappers and other junk I could find on the way out as possible. We ended up walking down to our camp, then packing up and down straight to car for 30+ hours of motion. Ate everything at the Marblemount gas station. So if you're up there, get yourself a rope. And if you feel like it, drop me a line if you snag it. on route: such views in this area: fun climbing west ridge summit... ie.. the west summit. at least we had the wherewithall to flip it here at least. should have earlier... headlamp on already... ready for what we've gotten ourselves into: arriving back at car... soaked. tired.

Howdy - wondering if anyone is planning on heading out from Seattle (or nearby) bound for the north side of Adams on Friday (6/13) evening or Saturday (6/14) morning. I just need a one way ride and can chip in for gas / beer.

...slight thread drift... if anyone is driving into the north side of Adams this weekend, let me know. I'd like to purchase some beer and gas for you if I can tag along for a one way ride.

"ice falling entropically" nice. good work! with an east coast move likely in my future, glad to see some folks coming over and sneaking in a quick fun filled trip!