khu

Yeah, may try and give it a shot next week, but chances could be slim. Seems like I missed the window these last couple weeks. Dang Squamish, seducing me all sexy like...

Was looking to do the DC Friday and Saturday, but the forecast has evolved into something less than favorable. I've been monitoring the forecast vs telemetry data for Muir and there has been quite a bit of discrepancy. Just wondering, from those who have spent their time on the mountain, when you take the forecast for scripture and call it off. i.e. today the forecast called for 35mph avg wind at muir, but telemetry read 13avg. The summit avg of 50mph is what's disheartening. http://www.atmos.washington.edu/data/rainier_report.html My only worry is waiting and rockfall/snow bridges becoming weaker and more prone to failure as the season starts wrapping up. I appreciate the input

I thought deadman anchors were best saved for deep or fresh snow. This was my original setup, but reading and searching seemed to reveal the "post" orientation being more common.

I use a 50m rope with 10 coils on each climber, for a two person set up. I've also got a fairly long waist prusik in position going to the other climber, so I'm not too worried about that. The cord isn't a huge deal as I will have it for other things, and in an emergency I can double rap off it if needed and then climb the anchored line going to the victim. Obviously I would pad the lip going into the crevasse if I were running the cord over it, to avoid cutting pretty deep. My main question about all this is where to use the wire gate vs screw gate biners. I've got Freedom of the Hills, but the section on glacier travel seems to glance over other setups than 3-4 man teams. I will look into Andy's book. It sounds like a winner. I've got an idea of what I'll have on my very limited camp ALP 95 harness and I'll try and fit some stuff onto my backpack straps to act like gear loops.

I figured the second position so I can dig a decent trench for the sling or for the scenario where I'm not able to fully drive the picket; to avoid redoing it when I really need to place it. Is it more common to just use the top? I wanted to avoid having it loaded where part is cantilevered above the snow. I'm not sure the exact length of my waist prusik, but its more than enough for 4+ wraps with an overhand knot and extra loop. My foot one has loops about the length of my inseam with figure 8 on a bight. And I take the extra cord because I've not really been able to get a good ZxC with my coiled rope being used for the Z portion. Usually a little short. Plus I always like to have extra cord and could rap down to a victim on it if needed, or use if for anchors or other things.

I've got a couple questions, but I'll run down my gear first so you know what I'm working with. This is for a 2 person team. Here's a run-down of what I'll have: - 2 pickets, one with single runner and locker, one with double runner and locker. Both hitched to 2nd position on post. -Ice Screw - Rope coiled around chest. Overhand knot through loop and connected to harness with Wire-gate biner - Prusik on rope to climber attached with locking biner to harness - Petzl Basic for ascending or for pulling out climber (wiregate or locking biner??) - Petzl microtrax for self-tending pulley, would also use for ascending, with screwgate at main anchor point - Petzl Partner pulley on wiregate for Z system - Extra oval biner with plastic petzl sheave for ZxC - 50ft of 6mm cord for ZxC haul My questions are: 1) Do I have the lockers or wiregates in the correct spot in the system? I figured anywhere an accidental open gate doesn't mean falling into the crevasse, a wiregate would be sufficient. 2) what is essential to have on your rope and harness while traveling? what can I have in my bag for when I escape the system? I know the prusik needs to be there, but what about leg loops and an ascender? My set up now keeps the extra cord, oval and pulley in the bag for a ZxC system. I also store the partner pulley and wiregate for it. I keep my basic on my harness for ascending fixed lines if needed, or to ascend after a crevasse fall, and the microtrax for ascending after a crevasse too. The ice screw I'd like to have handy if I cant drive a picket. Just curious what people's set ups are. Thanks for the input khu

Careful with daisy chains. Each loop is only rated to 3kn/670lbs, typically. The daisy end-to-end is full strength, but if you were to blow through those loops you can shock load the system (bouncy climber ascending the rope). The PAS is a much better alternative as each loop is full strength.

I have never used them before. Just wondering what the practice is for these in two situations: 1) crossing a ladder - can you just clip a biner on a sling for added protection? 2) ascending a steep section - could I throw on my Petzl Basic and just tend it while I climb? I'm assuming these are more-or-less just two anchor points with a taut rope between them I'm talking like the DC on Rainier. Thanks

Part of the benefit of teethed hardware is their ability to work on icy/snowy/muddy/wet ropes. I'd actually be interested in seeing test data for a prusik installed on a saturated rope vs dry rope. Not implying it's a good idea to employ the tiblock/microtrax in a dynamic situation, but just out of curiosity, it'd be interesting to know.

This would be unfortunate [video:youtube]

Ah, I see. Thanks for clearing up the question guys.

What's wrong with Mammut ropes? I've been rock climbing on them forever and love them. The pattern on mine matches the 8.5 Genesis half, which has the coatingFinish, so it seems to be a perfect glacier rope. Please help me understand this though, I read in the standards that half ropes are tested single strand (and assume a small amount of energy is absorbed by the second strand when falling past protection), but double ropes are tested together. I just want to make sure using a SINGLE half rope is ok, not in a twin formation. On Mammut's site they show single strand clocking in at 15-16 falls (crazy for 8.5mm!). I'm curious why they they state this for their 8.3 glacier rope: "N.B.: Under no circumstances to be used as a Single Rope for mountaineering or rockclimbing!" here's the link: 8.3 Glacier Line - Half and Twin Ropes Thanks!

For the weight, I had pulled weights for 7 and 8 mm, which are what I had for an old 10mm rope. But I've recently picked up a smaller rope and will need to adjust my prusiks and yes, making them lighter. I just didn't want to deal with prusik minding pulleys, as they've been a pain in the past. It seems safer to just stay with the prusik at the live strand of rope off my harness.

How would simul-climbing with the minitrax be different than glacier travel? When looking at a fall. I completely agre with you and the probability of rope damage, I just think its odd Petzl outlines these setups in their manual.

Petzl describes sheath damage occurring at 4.5KN, so I assume that's why the rate the progress capture limit as such. In terms of weight, a 5-6ft prusik harness loop + a 11-12ft foot loop weighs about 258 grams (or less depending on diameter). The Traxion and Basic clock in at 170, so these items are indeed less weight than the cord. Also, with the prusik set up you'll have to throw in a separate pulley to the equation I like the idea of carrying the Basic for using on fixed lines also, otherwise you'd carry the loops and an ascender, if you use the fixed lines. Petzl does outline a setup for self belaying with the Traxion and many uses in crevasse rescue, but not specifically for replacing a prusik. I would imagine they don't address every possible application of their gear. I understand it's not difficult to utilize the tried and true prusik setup, but I'm just curious about using new gear or if anyone else has experimented with these types of systems.

I was wondering if it's ok to use a 50m half, not twin, rope for glacier travel. From what I've read, each strand of a half is tested individually, unlike twins (both must be clipped through the protection points). I would assume they are fine since mountaineering loads are much lower than rock (peak forces for crevasse falls range from 3.5KN-7.5KN typical from tests). The rope I have was given to me by a friend. He bought it two years ago as a means to escape his second story condo in case of a fire and it has been sitting in a closet since day 1. It looks brand new. He has since moved to a single story house... It's Mammut and is rated for 6 factor 2 falls, i believe. So you can imagine I'd like this "free" route to work, rather than drop the dough on another rope. Thanks!

I was wondering what some people thought of using the Petzl Traxion pulley at the harness for holding a fall on glacier travel. If you're not familiar with the device, it's a progressive capture pulley. Here's the setup (except I'd have another biner holding the overhand knot at the chest coil, not on the same biner) I really like the idea of having the pulley already in the system (and progressive capture) after arresting the fall. Especially in a two person (on the rope) rescue situation because this enables me to just clip the screwgate into an anchor point and get myself out of the system without having to work the pulley around a prusik point. Having less at the anchor seems nice. It also is very convenient for falling into the crevasse. This way, to complete my ascension system, I just connect my Petzl Basic and go, as the Traxion is amazing for ascending the rope and will already be in the proper set up. The Traxion is rated to 4KN breaking strength for the progress capture, but the pulley as a whole is rated to 15KN. It seems if the progress capture failed, the pulley would just be loaded normally with the rope going to my chest coil. I'm just toying around with a more modern setup, utilizing all the amazing gear that has been coming out recently. Let me know thoughts, problems, and other ideas!

Awesome, thanks for the heads up. I did not realize it had already been snowing up there, can't see it from my house. I can't imagine there's much accumulated yet, but regardless, it's snow and a different animal. For spring/summer consideration, what are reasonable routes. I only stated the couloir because summitpost labeled it as the easily most popular route, maybe it is for spring/summer conditions then.

Alright, so maybe I'm missing something about the route? Is it iffy this time of year? I was reading that others may be unstable without freezing conditions, but there was no mention of issues on this route.

Looking at the Cascadian Couloir route. I have not been able to find much in the way of guides online for Stuart. Just have a couple questions. - Is there a need for crampons this time of year, or ever? - I know this route is just a scramble, but is there any climbing gear needed for the route or descent? Do people take rope if it's snowed? Does it snow this early?

With my wife, yes, I would carry the majority. With a friend it would be a split. The bag has a dedicated rope area, so carrying it inside is not a big deal. It has a rope loop on top, but I hate having stuff outside of packs. I probably just need to figure out the correct method for coiling and attaching it.

The only bag I had before was a mammut side rope bag, not the best for hiking. It was either that or a 70L backpacking pack, which was not efficient for climbing. This new 45L pack is full with 60m rope, draws, rack, slings two harnesses, and two pairs of shoes. I don't know what I could cut from that line-up and still climb... Solo alpine stuff without a rack, sure I could easily get by on a 30L, but I got this pack for cragging and use on alpine approaches. I guarantee you could not get two individuals climbing gear and overnight gear into a 30L pack. On overnight mountaineering trips I use a 30L pack. Wife will carry a very small overnight pack with food and gear for the night.

Wow, thanks for the suggestions! Doing Adams this weekend (if the weather holds) and will try one of these, possibly, the next week. The approach is not that critical. I don't mind walking, I've just never had a good system to haul my climbing gear. Picked up a mammut neon gear 45 at the REI garage!! So much better for hauling my stuff.

Looking for some suggestions on alpine climbs around Washington, preferably granite or other solid rock, that are 4th class or easy 5th class for my wife and I to try. We climb sport a lot and aren't big trad climbers. I've got a full set of hex's, nuts and a billion slings. I'm looking for something that's more of a blocky scramble and not so much steep hanging belay type of climb. A short approach would be a plus too. Something to get us started in the alpine stuff. Cheers, Khu

So I'm fairly new to climbing in the cascades. I'm wondering what kind of temperatures to expect on a climb of Mount Adams I'm doing next weekend. We're planing on spending the night at the Lunch Counter and I'm trying to figure out what sleeping bag to bring. I've got a 0deg, 15deg and 50deg travel bag. I assume the 50deg bag would be fine in the summer, and I can always slip on a bivy sack in the tent or something for extra warmth. Also, what should I bring for clothes? I've only climbed once in the summer, that was middle sister, and temperatures were on the warm side. What kind of max and min should I plan for during the hike and at camp at night? Thanks for the help! Khu