mthorman

I climbed Glacier in June 18-20, 2020. We had great corn snow a few hundred feet below the summit about 9am. Walked in hiking boots until we hit snow in the switchbacks before meeting the PCT, then skinned from there to where we camped at the base of the mountain. Put crampons on ski boots for the morning ascent and skied down. In general I prefer a lighter boot for Cascades in the summer (June-Sept)....something 3 season like the Scarpa Charmoz or La Sportiva Trango etc.

2nd vote for your phone. In my opinion Gaia has a better phone app than Cal Topo but Cal Topo's website features and layers are way better than Gaia. If you only get one I would say Cal Topo. Either way they are way better than my handheld GPS....it now just sits on the shelf collecting dust.

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I haven't climbed Mailbox Peak, nor have I done Glacier Peak in a day or the Bulger List but I did climb some ice in Banks today. Most routes are not in but we found good ice on the Corner Route at MP 9. Left MBI 1 was also in. The cable and H2O2 are trying but not really close. We climbed U1 and U2 at MP 14. Peewee #1, 4, and 5 all looked in. Zenith wasn't even close although it is trying. Most other lines were either non-existent although a few of the brush routes were trying.

Yea everyone should be commenting. Also just a point to remember that there are actually 2 different proposals. One is for the NPS and the other is for the USFS. You can probably just copy and paste your comment but make sure to hit them both. Both proposals are both linked in the 2nd paragraph of the article above.

Wow! Thanks for posting, and great effort out there. So many things broke or went wrong but you still managed to get it down and have fun in the process!

I am a huge fan of CalTopo personally.

If the money from these permits actually went directly to salaries for climbing rangers, I wouldn't be too upset. But like most government bureaucracy I am sure it will just get sucked into all sorts of special projects.

Thanks for the report! It looks so beautiful over there. I love Caltopo. There are so many great features and it can help so much in the planning of a trip.

I think it might depend on when in the spring. If I were going in early/mid April I would plan on double boots. If it were a mid or late May trip I would lean towards single boots. Sometime late April or early May and I would probably bring both. In 2016 I took Spantiks on a 2 week trip in early May and was happy to have them. In early May 2021 I took both Spantiks and Nepals and never put the Spantiks on as it was a warm trip. However a week prior to the 2021 trip it was -20F and I would definitely have worn the doubles. Personally I am a huge fan of overboots as they definitely give you more latitude in your boot selection. They also work super well to wear around camp over your down booties (it keeps the snow out and the down booties dry).

Wow that is impressive! Did anyone else notice the caption on the 2nd photo? Since when is Eldorado a "Chilliwack Peak"?

Yes it definitely looks pretty melted out already. This is similar timing to when we did it back in 2014 but in general I think those routes are coming into shape earlier and earlier now. Go give it a go in April and let us know how it goes!

Thanks for writing this up, it was a good read. I have thought about the Price Glacier route for awhile but this report makes me want to go and do it! My partner and I were the "two climbers" you saw camped at the base of the summit pyramid who descended the Upper Curtis at the end of your Day 5. We climbed the Northwest Arayete on your Day 4 and camped near the base of the summit pyramid. Then we climbed the summit block on your Day 5 trying to follow the old Labor Day route (wouldn't recommend) and came down the standard Fisher Chimney's route. Sorry about all your navigation troubles....I can see how if you hadn't been down the Fisher Chimney's route it would be hard to know where to turn off because the main track up there goes down the Sulphide. Good job on holding it all together through the epic and figuring it out even if it took an extra day or 2!

There are several steep snow traverses and the later in the year the worse the conditions typically (harder snow/ice). I did it in late July and was very happy with my light mountain boots and contact strap crampons and 1 ax. If I were going in late June or early July I would probably consider just using approach shoes. Anytime in August and I would definitely bring some kind of light boot.

Wow...I initially was led to believe this was a super obvious error in judgement based on the avalanche forecast. But after reading that report, I would say that was not the case. I could easily see myself and many of my partners climbing that route or something similar on a 2,2,1 day. It is a good reminder that even a low avy day can have serious consequences. My condolences to all those affected.

Avy hazard is pretty minimal. There are a couple of avy paths on the approach to the lake that can be avoided if the danger is high. The approach from the lake to the 3 tiers is no issue and there is no overhead hazard on the 3 Tiers or Thunderdome routes. The only place around the climbing areas where we have seen any avalanches is in extreme conditions in the main gully between the 3 Tiers and the Thunderdome. You would need to go a little way up this gully to access routes like Mad Max or Road Warrior. Also there is good skiing in the bowls around/above the lake but those are definitely in avy terrain.

Look into Granite Lake ice climbing in the Cabinets Mts of Montana. It is a fat year this year and typically the end of March is pretty good in there (baring we don't get a crazy warm up in the next couple weeks).

Nice! I haven't been as active as normal on Strava recently but great idea of getting a group going there.

What a great trip report!! That looks like such a fun moderate climb too. Although I think I would take Tyler up on the boat transportation if I ever went. Nice job finishing it up and having all the necessary stuff to ensure a late night didn't turn into an epic. Can you comment a little more on the pitch count and individual difficulties? Mostly WI3 with a couple harder pitches....or easy first half steeper 2nd? Great job putting up a big line.......and some say that all ice is crowded and has been climbed.

I was at Banks lake earlier this week (we climbed Peewees 3, 4, and 5). I didn't get out to Moses Coulee or south towards Park/Blue/Lenore Lakes so unknown out there. The weather is looking good for continued ice formation. There was snow on the ground and plenty of running water everywhere so just need time at freezing temperatures. Oh and the lake hasn't even started to freeze over really. Absent Professor - Trying but not much ice The Cable - top half is forming up nicely but needs a lot more to be "in". H2O2 - looked climbable although probably full value in its current shape Salt and Pepper - nothing More Banks Ice Climbs (MP 9) - several of these climbs are formed but with horrible or nonexistent top outs. The one exception is the longer WI4 "corner route" which is the right hand climb of the bunch. It looked good to go. Brush Climbs - Getting close Razorblades - no ice The Emerald - no ice MP 14 climbs - several climbs are trying but still need time, nothing really close Zenith - fully formed but the bottom connection point looks very thin and could be quick spicy. Another couple weeks and it should be great! Peewees - Most of them aren't really that good yet. The exception was #3 which we climbed and found really good quality and plenty of ice. We also climbed #4 and #5, both of which had quite a bit of thin shell and then ended in very desperate rock or grass pulling above where the ice ended but before any kind of tree/bush anchor. Trotsky's - Folly is in but looks sun affected. Revenge is in with some overhead hazard. Punchbowl - in but very nasty overhead hazard currently. Last Lap of the day on Peewees #3! Zenith current as of 12/12/2022.

This is a bit ridiculous and very limiting. It is going to be pretty hard to try and get any kind of winter ascent of Rainier now.

Haha...Adrien is missing more than just a foot. He is an above the knee amputee and climbs like a boss. I am not sure how he does it all because when he climbs, he "locks out" his knee in a straight position! Trying climbing ice, or rock or even aid when you can't bend your knee to step up. Sorry Adrien but I had to brag on you a bit bud!

Heck yea dude!! That is probably my favorite route I have done on the Capitan. Congrats on the solo effort! Oh and nice to see you had a #6 for the Bismark pitch....I was a little mad at myself for only bringing a 5!!

Sweet....it was the highest priority last summer but could never find a pysched partner. I will definitely be getting in there sometime though. Cool to see people putting stuff up in there!

Nice job on finishing this up! It is cool to see new development going on in this area even if the routes are a bit above my current pay grade!