pnwdevin

Snowpack is real deep in the Olympics this year. Last I heard some parties were encountering difficulties on a large cornice at the top of the south couloir. Don't know what the status of that cornice is.

Awesome. Thanks for the recommendation!

Last season I got stuck about 19 miles down the road because of a fallen tree. I was lucky enough to have a recently retired climbing rope that I was able to attach to my Subaru and pull the tree out of the way with. Definitely bring a chainsaw up there.

Winter ascents of higher elevation peaks can be serious. Careful planning and consideration should be exercised.

175

170!

I climbed the route in May 2015 and also felt the flake flex under body weight. Recall talking to a climber who climbed the route last fall and also said that the flake flexed. Seems to me that this has been the situation for a good amount of time.

While descending the west ridge, I forgot to tell my follower to clean 2 cams that were subsequently left on route. I left a .3 c4 and a red c3 atop the second tower pitch. They are right next to the rappel slings side by side in a horizontal crack. If anyone happens to find them, they can either keep them, or return them to me for some beer of their choice and a big thank you!

Thanks man. I'll have to consider a ski ascent/descent of eldorado sometime soon then!

With the utter lack of snow this year, I was considering an attempt of Sahale. Anyone been up cascade river road lately? I would imagine that the road might be open all the way due to no snow. Thanks

Climbed alpental on thursday. Lots of running water underneath the ice with very thin friable conditions. No reliable ice protection to be found on any of the flows.

pm me description if they are yours

Coleman Deming Would be a good option. Here is a TR from summitpost from a couple years back during september. http://www.summitpost.org/mt-baker-coleman-deming-glacier/470492

very scary! crazy the rockfall was directly onto the route and not climber induced.

Thanks for the beta! I will give either West Ridge or East Direct. I try and put out a trip report.

Hi there, I am planning on either attempting West Ridge or East Ridge direct of Forbidden peak the following weekend. Am I better off waiting until spring/ summer of next year, or would it be worth my time to give it a try next weekend? I haven't heard any reports from the ridge and was wondering if it got fresh snow from the last storm around here. Thanks!

There is no snow left on South Colouir this late in the year btw.

My climbing partner and I saw a rope way down inside the moat on the west ridge colouir that balled up and had been there for years, but not yours. BTW, The crack in the west ridge colouir is very big now, crossing it would either involve climbing a small bridge that would most likely collapse under your weight, and jumping across a 4 foot gap, or 50 feet of grimy climbing inside the moat on the climbers left side of the colouir. Its probably best to ascend up the gully now, as either of those options are not very enjoyable.

I was actually out at forbidden yesterday and spoke to a park ranger about the descent route. She advised climbers to follow a rappel line somewhere on the ridge, that breaks off before the the coulouir and gully. It supposedly save a lot of time. One other climber in boston basin that same day mentioned that it began with 3 or 4 raps of brand new bright blue slings. It eluded me exactly where the preferred rap route begins.

Thanks for all the responses! Looks like I will head back to the Coleman for some practice at some point!

Yeah. I have played around on the Coleman glacier on Baker a bit, but Rainier is much closer to me. Bet there is some suitable crevasses on the Nisqually low somewhere.

I might be heading out there this sunday myself. Ill keep an eye out for it.

Hi there, New user to cascade climbers. I am just getting into alpine ice climbing and was looking to practice my skills on short top rope pitches close to the Tacoma area. Any of you know anywhere I can find some short pitches of ice, preferably within several hours of the Tacoma Seattle area that I could practice my skills? I just need to get the feet in before I feel more comfortable climbing steeper ice and snow while leading, and the best way to do this seems like in a controlled top rope environment. Thanks in advance!