Newman55

Anybody out there climbing at Vertical World in Seattle during the winter? New to gym climbing, just looking for someone to meet up with before or after work to climb with. I'm 25, male, like pina coladas and getting caught in the rain. Not looking for a long term relationship right now. Interested in partners of all ages and experience levels. Just trying to learn. Also please see my personals add on Craigslist. I work at Nuun and will hook it up with free electrolytes. Newman

Been reading Will Gadd's book on modern ice and mixed climbing technique. He recommends practicing abalakov and ice anchor building on frozen lake ice to get a feel for it. I guess this would be helpful for practicing the angle of entry for ice screws in v-thread construction, but I am interested to hear opinions on how helpful/useless this would be in learning to build strong ice anchors. Also open to other suggestions for practicing anchor construction on ice, (other than hiking into an actual route and building anchors) - only one criteria: i don't want to pay for it. Thanks!

No permit required to overnight at the lakes this time of year correct?

Thanks to all that were kind enough to respond to my question despite the faux pas of posting in the wrong section of the forum. Anyone care to shed a little light on specific traits desirable in quick-draws depending on the type of climbing done? Longer dogbones for Sport? Bent-gate biners for Ice? Does it matter at all, or do you all use your quickdraws across all climbing disciplines? Thanks again for all the info - very helpful.

Folks, Asking formy first set of quick-draws for Christmas. Leaning towards the Black Diamond Oz set - basically just because they're lightweight. Any opinions out there about these? Thanks

I was up at Over-Easy and Curtain Call. I was not with one of the clinics, just with friends.

So just to clarify, I was wearing Scarpa SL M3s. That is about as burly a boot as you can get that wouldn't be considered a mountaineering boot I guess. The Vibram M3s are pretty rigid. Definitely not on the level of the Phantom or Mont Blanc from Scarpa - that I understand. I had actually brought a pair of rented plastic boots from REI (Scarpa Invernos). But I had decided to make the approach (two hour hike uphill in deep snow) in my M3s because I trust them and didn't want to start the day with blisters from a rented boot. When we arrived at the base of the route, it was about 20 degrees, and we were all cold and I didn't want to bother changing boots to the Invernos even though I'd carried the damn things all the way up in my pack. So I climbed in the M3s, and the G10s, because those were the only crampons we had that were compatible with my boots. I don't mind picking up a new pair of crampons to support the new hobby. I plan to buy a pair of rigid mountaineering boots anyways for future exploits up the volcanoes (note: the M3s got me to and up Glacier Peak just fine). I just wanted to feel out what the community thought of these options. Thanks to everyone for all the info! It's very helpful - as all responses to CC posts, absolute lack of consensus : )

I agree - it may take a few years before you would find the need to go with mono points. Lots of good info in Craig Luebben's book 'How to Ice Climb'. I climbed ice for the first time this past weekend in Hyalite Canyon at the Bozeman Ice Fest. I was wearing Grivel G10s (horizontal front points)on my backpacking boots. I only own a pair of BD Contact Crampons which would be comparable to the G10s... Was thinking the monopoints looked a heck of a lot easier to use, and was also thinking a more secure binding would be preferred.

Just looking for input from the community. Looking at getting into ice climbing and curious about crampons. I'm specifically interested in the advantages/disadvantages of mono or dual point setups (up front). Interested in personal opinions/experiences (i know you'll give these anyways) as well as links to other resources concerning the topic. Thanks all!

Thanks everyone for the feedback! Lots of good information on this thread. At this time, I'm pretty much set on AAI for a number of reasons; 1.) lots of positive recommendations from the comments above. 2.) Class takes place in Leavenworth, where I have a cabin (free lodging) and do most of my recreating (basing on the assumption that conditions will be most similar to those I will encounter in my back-country adventures) 3.) I have access to a discount as a SAR volunteer. 4.) I can participate on snowshoes since I don't have skis. Cheers!

Check out Lake Wenatchee State Park. Mid-80s in the Summer, but stays cool right on the lake. Great recreation in the area - hiking, fishing, boating, floating the Wenatchee river with a couple cases of beer is a blast. There are a ton of rental cabins in the area too. Groceries available in Plain (20 minutes), Midway (5 minutes) or Leavenworth (30 minutes). If you're in the busiest part of the season, you may have trouble with noise annoying other campers, as the group sites aren't far removed from the rest of the camp (if I recall correctly) Good luck! http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/?selectedpark=lake%20Wenatchee&subject=all Group Accommodations: The park offers a group camp that accommodates 20 to 80 people. Only tent camping is allowed in the group camp. Fees vary with size of the group. To make a reservation, visit online or call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.

I need to gain a little avalanche safety knowledge. I'm doing some research on AIARE level 1 courses, hoping to take one this spring. Just looking for recommendations here. Did you have a good or bad experience with one course/service or another? Which organizations have the best reputation? Which is the best value? Thanks everyone!

Do you have to be somehow connected to Boeing in order to qualify for membership? I have no relations that have ever worked for the company. Thanks

I'm in the early stages of planning a 3-day summit attempt on Glacier Peak. We want to travel as fast and light as possible and I'm wondering what we need to bring for the mountain. Right now the plan is to carry ice axes, and perhaps a 30meter rope. Not sure about crampons, will probably opt for lighter micro-spikes or yak-trax. Leaving behind pulleys, pickets, etc. Any tips on snow conditions this late in the Season would be a huge help. Thanks!

I found this from another post in 2008- Anyone have more recent experience to offer? Little Wenatchee River Trail #1525: Trailhead at 3000 ft, 45 miles roundtrip to the summit via White Pass, with about 11000 ft total gain. Apparently, there are no difficult creek crossings or washed out bridges. Also, a newly built (but unfinished) trail reroute to the north of Meander Meadow saves about 1.5 (?) miles in each direction, so closer to 42 miles roundtrip. White River Trail #1507: Trailhead at 2300 ft, 51 miles roundtrip to the summit via White Pass, with about 10500 ft total gain. Three difficult creek crossings with washed out bridges in the first 9 miles. Note that it's much shorter to leave the White River trail after about 9 miles, then bushwhack north up the Lightning Creek drainage to reach the Honeycomb Glacier via a 7100 ft gap, then ascend west to cross onto the Suiattle Glacier at 7800 ft and descend north past Glacier Gap. This route is about 37 miles roundtrip to the summit, with over 11000 ft of gain. Thanks!

The enchantments are certainly worth the trip, but if you plan to overnight up there you need a permit, and the lottery for the permits took place in April. You can stop by the Ranger station in Leavenworth, WA on the day you plan to hike in, as they reserve a certain number of permits for a daily lottery system. Leavenworth is a 2.25 hour drive from Seattle, and you have to arrive just before 7am for the daily lottery. If you don't make the lottery, you can through-hike it in a day by entering at the Colchuck Lake TR and exiting through the Snow Lakes TR. It is a pretty rigorous 20 mile trek to be done in a single day, but people do it often enough. Great fishing for brookies in several of those lakes, especially Lake Vivian and the Snow Lakes. For a 3-4 day backpacking trip in that same region, look up the Napeequa Valley. Just SE of Glacier Peak in the GP wilderness. TR is about 40 minutes North and West of Leavenworth.

Going to try Glacier Peak in September - have a place near Plain, WA and would like to trek in from the East Side of the mountain from a trail-head North of Lake Wenatchee up W.R. Road or outside of Trinity. Haven't been looking long but I've found almost nothing online about approach routes from this side - everything is from the North Fork of the Sauk River TR. Anyone hiked in to Glacier Peak from an East-side route? Also interested in any info/tips on climbing Glacier Peak at this time of year - best routes over glaciers, what is the crevasse density like, etc.? Thanks