bedellympian

Last Tuesday I was climbing at Smith Rock with some friends. One of them got a call from another mutual friend saying he had fallen while soloing and needed assistance. We ran over there just as the park ranger arrived on scene and generally felt useless until we helped SAR take the litter out. He had been soloing Super Slab (3 pitch 5.6). He was 25 ft up pitch 1 (5.5), it was still a little damp from recent rains (compromises tuff integrity) but he thought it would be OK. He thinks a foot hold broke. Luckily he landed feet first and tumbled down the hill to a switchback. He got out of the hospital next day with 4 staples in his head, 5 broken ribs, broken elbow, bruised lungs, swollen liver, sprained wrist and some serious bruising/road rash on his thigh/butt/torso. All in all pretty lucky and he is now walking around without assistance less than a week later. In case you think he was out of control: he has redpointed many 5.12s, is solid/onsight 5.11 trad and sport, had soloed this route 8-10 times before (it is known for solid rock). I have climbed the route probably 8 times and soloed it 3 times myself. I wouldn't consider either of us unsafe, and most people who have climbed with him before commented that they felt he was a very safe and proficient climber. Everyone who knew him was surprised that it had happened to him. I guess the reason I'm posting this, besides saying don't solo or climb sketchy gear routes at smith when the rock is damp, is because it has definitely taken away some of my psyche and made me unnecessarily fearful in certain situations. It's not that I'm aware of new dangers, I knew and accepted all the risks before and did my best to negate them within my chosen style. I feel like this fear has the potential to be paralyzing and to prevent me from enjoying certain climbs. I recently read Twight's Kiss or Kill, read about Chad's death on Fitz, and now this. I've been thinking a lot about accidents and death in climbing. I don't want to stop, I still feel the same way about risk taking and how I climb when I assess it objectively. I guess I wonder what other, more experienced climbers feel in this situation. Do you cancel a trip if you know a climber who gets hurt? Does it just not faze you after a few years? I know I'm asking for personal responses and ultimately I need to decide for myself. I guess I'd just like a little perspective from others who have been around the block. If anyone has questions about the incident too, please feel free to ask. I went up on the Super Slab Saturday (w/ partner and rope). It was just as easy and solid as I remember. I did see a fresh flake scar in kind of the right place but it seemed too big and I don't remember seeing it from the base on Tuesday.

I'm a relatively new user here. I just started climbing two years ago and moved back to the PNW then too so I have no concept of what it used to be like. I guess I'm guilty of posting TR's that are photo-less little conditions reports and just linking to my blog. I guess sometimes I feel like my trips aren't super cool and climbers are more interested in some basic beta and conditions. Plus I also post to share with friends and family who don't come to cc.com. I guess what I want from the site is a way to connect with and tap into the collective knowledge of the greater alpine climbing community in this part of the world, possibly meet mentors and other like minded people, and learn as much as possible. Sure I check twit and facebook, etc. but I would rather read a good TR any day, even if it's a blog. But I will keep that in mind and try post more photos and story, especially if that's what you all want to hear. -Sam

Thanks for the stoke! Sometimes the internet spray-feeds makes it hard to remember you don't need to be a sponsored 'rado rock jock to do something big and awesome in the alpine.

Thanks for sharing. I've been reading your guys' blog for a while and it is really inspirational to see people living in OR with regular jobs and tackling some really awesome rock climbing all over the place! Keep on trucking!

Nice work, sounds like one of those climbs that makes you realize you can take it to a whole other level!

Thanks guys, I appreciate the praise. Already looking forward to the next climb. Water, I would say that lower angle and ridge objectives are in decent shape. However, warm temps and underlying ice/weak layers are a problem so I don't think steeper headwalls or ice climbs are very doable right now.

Trip: Mt. Jefferson - Jeff Park Glacier Date: 1/19/2014 Trip Report: With a three day weekend I couldn't bring myself to submit to the banality of mere cragging. The low snow, warm temps, and everything else condion-wise about this crappy winter made me decide that I should try a late spring mountaineering route. I also wanted some peace and quiet so I skied into Jeff Park Saturday night and climbed the Jeff Park Glacier to the summit of Jefferson Sunday morning. I left camp at the base of the glacier at 4:30am, topped the glacier at 6:15am, summited around 8am, and returned to camp via the Russel Glacier by 10am. On the approach the snow was variable and skins did not stick on the ice once the trees thinned out. Up on the glacier the snow varied between rime blobs, firm and crunchy, breakable crust and a few inches of loose stuff. I found good, if steep, snow bridges across both schrunds, sustained 45 deg sections with a few slightly steeper rimey bits where the uphill slope rolls over into a crevasse. The knife edge was the technical crux of the route and has snow and rime on it, multiple feet thick in places. I rode it horsey style for the most part. The gendarme was really rimed up and a little sketchy. I was able to downclimb steep snow and rock on the back side. The summit pinnacle took some figuring out. I think I basically followed the fourth class route but I wouldn't know as this was my first time on the mountain. I tried and backed off of 3 separate rime chutes before finding a good gully at the far right of the pinnacle's NW aspect. I down climbed the pinnacle (didn't bother to bring a rope or pro, not that there would have been a good place for it). I contemplated descending the East Face route but after looking at it decided that rock fall and unstable snow made it too dangerous. Instead I went down the North Milk Creek Gully (gully north of the West Rib) and then traversed various gullies to the ridge above the Russel Glacier (40-45 deg snow). From the top of the Russel it was an easy slog down to camp at the base of the Jeff Park. Definitely a super fun route and the best ice/snow climb I've been on. Although the knife edge is a little scary right now, the glacier is definitely easy and given the good weather I'm afraid it might count as a giveaway winter ascent. Other questions for the collective genius of CC: The Mohler Tooth NF is dang impressive. Any ascents? What about the gully L of Mohler? Looks like a good potential ice line but maybe it doesn't get enough snow above it. Cerro Jeffe definitely has some cool terrain and relatively solid rock! Pictures and more specifics of the climb on my blog: Mountain Mischief Gear Notes: Two tools, two eyes, two balls and a brain (preferably covered by a helmet). And no, I did not see anywhere that would have taken pro... its called RIME ICE MUTHA FK'r! Approach Notes: Whitewater TH: FS road has some snow, was able to drive to within a mile of the TH. The trail itself is mostly bare dirt for the first couple switchbacks, after that it's good snow cover. I used my AT setup and did not regret it.

Thank's for the book info guys. I will have to grab a copy now, no excuses! Ptown... yes the route tops out near the top of Wy'east, depends on the variation. The topo from Oregon high is on my blog post and there is a good one on Ben's MP page for the route: http://mountainproject.com/v/devils-kitchen-headwall-dkh---left-variation-/107565601

Wowsers! Sounds like type two fun. I was soloing DK Headwall that day and had some ice come down but nothing like you're talking about. Makes me realize how lucky I was! I'm sure the route will be less dangerous at other times. Why did you wait at the top of Palmer for the sun? Obviously it didn't sound like a bad decision at the time in terms of route condition but sitting around for 2 hrs seems like a lot of unnecessary shivering.

Thanks Scared, I was mainly complaining about the past... I have access to a copy as of this fall. I would go get the copy at Powell's too but I live in Bend and am not sure when I will next be in Portland... 4 hr drive for a book seems a little over the top.

For new climbers and/or climbers new to Oregon it's really hard to get a copy of Oregon High or even know it exists until someone tells you about it. I knew you could do the regular south side route of Hood and I'd seen an OPB show where people climbed from the north side but I didn't know there were more difficult routes on the mountain until I heard about Yocum Ridge. I think for a lot of climbers Mountain Project is a good place to start, not that it has that much, but it is well known and includes routes all over. I would look at Summit Post too but I quickly got annoyed by the lack of information on real climbing and how timid most users were about technical routes. So yeah, I think MP is a great starting point for finding established routes. Thanks for putting info on there to help cheap-ass guide-book-less climbers like me find something fun to do!

That looks awesome! I was on Vancouver Island this summer and then flew over it on the way back from AK. I was blown away by the mountains I saw, especially Colonel Foster from the air. It's too bad it's such a haul to get there from the US, although that remoteness is part of the appeal for this Yankee.

Thanks Ben. Reading your beta on the route on Mtn Project is what gave me the idea to get on it in the first place. It's definitely a fun little gully!

Trip: Mt. Hood - Devil's Kitchen Headwall (left var solo) Date: 1/5/2014 Trip Report: I soloed Devil's Kitchen Headwall via the L gully (route 1c in Oregon High) with the R finish around the back of the gendarme. The conditions were very thin with mandatory mixed moves but it was doable. Definitely a little sketchy in places, the worst actually being the back of the gendarme where there is steep unconsolidated snow. I wasn't on route til after 7:30 and there was some ice fall, nothing big. More pictures, details and self-aggrandizement on my blog... Mountain Mischief Hopefully we get some more snow and the alpine routes get in better shape... along with the skiing! Gear Notes: 2 tools, there is no place for pro that I could see. Approach Notes: South side from Timberline, no flotation necessary, bad skiing snow (read chunky ice plates everywhere).

"Seems like two harnesses are in order?" -JasonG I have a BD Couloir (super light webbing harness for easy routes). Of course I'm not taking whippers on Hood but any harness can take whippers. At Smith I tend to climb more in the Lower Gorge or get on the classic trad and multi-pitch lines on tuff. Working harder sport climbs happens but isn't really a priority for me. This harness would be more for Illumination Rock type of climbs where a variety of gear is needed.

Also, after reading online reviews I'm interested in the CAMP Quartz CR3 and just getting a new Petzl Adjama... any experience with either of these two out there? Out of these 5 what is the most durable?

Thanks for the input guys... So far... BD Aspect- 2 Met Comp-1 Ptzl Calidris- 1 Some questions: I have skinny legs for my 33" waist but I will take this on Hood in winter and crag at Smith in summer. Do I still need adjustable leg loops? Since the adjustable leg loop buckle is wearing my leg loops on my old harness I am feeling like they are better to avoid? Opinions?

I can get discounts on Camp, Metolius, DMM, Edelrid, Petzl, Trango and BD so I prefer stuff in those brands but I will pay full price if something is worth the price.

I have been climbing in a petzl adjama I bought used off a climbing partner for over a year. It is showing wear on one leg loop strap and I want to purchase a new harness. My budget is... the cheaper the better. I am really looking for an all-around harness (trad, sport, ice, alpine, but more focused on trad and alpine). It doesn't have to be perfect, I'm a skinny guy and I need to be able to do hanging belays, rack a bunch of gear, not have it weigh too much, and not break the bank... sounds like just about any harness they have out there these days so really just asking for some recs... Hit me!

I was up at Paulina Falls (Newberry Crater, Central Oregon) yesterday, Sunday 12/8. The R falls are totally covered but there is water underneath. We TRed both sides of the flow multiple times, one of 3 parties out there. The L falls is in on either side but still a bunch of water coming down the middle, daggers over the middle early in the day but they all came off in the sun.

Glad you like the photos. I am always trying to figure out good winter alpine/ice routes to do in Central Oregon. Got any recommendations?

Trip: Broken Top - 11 o'clock couloir Date: 11/30/2013 Trip Report: Chris Sepic and I camped out near Broken Top Friday night with the intention of climbing anything besides exposed volcanic choss. We ended up climbing the 11 o'clock couli as it was the most obvious line "in condition". "Oregon High" lists the route as 500ft of 50 degree snow with the chance for near vertical snow in the last 10ft as you approach the cornice. The more recent "Best Climbs Cascade Volcanoes" lists the less helpful and more ambiguous rating of grade II, class 4-5, AI2. There is minimal snow right now (Bachy lists ~18"). S face and low elev snow is 2-3" hard crust on top of sugar. NW face I saw at high elevations has windblown pow drifts and exposed rock. Lots of rock is still exposed on steep areas, esp S facing. There was rain, or some semblance of it at our camp (~7300') during the night and it appears that rain hit the snow as high as 8k'. The good side of this is there was no cornice at the top and the neve was quite good. The bad side is we need a lot more snow here before the skiing is even remotely enjoyable, and we need a good freeze/thaw after that to put any of the climbing routes in shape. We investigated the traverse to the NW ridge and the summit but unconsolidated snow drifts mixed with exposed scree/mud lead to a decision to turn around. I think this terrain was easily climbable safely but it would have taken some time. 11 o'clock is the recommended descent route on that side of the mountain so we just downclimbed the route. My blog post with more info and pictures of the route and other possible routes in the crater: Mountain Mischief Gear Notes: Tools, pons, helmets. We brought screws, nuts, slings and rope since we really had no idea what would be out there but never used any of it. Approach Notes: Me: rando skis Chris: slow shoes Both work about equally well right now. We followed the cat track from Dutchman's Flat snow park.

I guess I better start growing out my stache too