The Real Nick Sweeney

Awesome climb, photos and report!! I want to do this one!

Trip: Boston Basin - Torment-Forbidden Traverse in a day Trip Date: 08/03/2019 Trip Report: This was a big day for us! My legs are still aching and I've been sleeping like a dead man. I love the North Cascades. Check out the full trip report on my site: Spokalpine Gear Notes: Single rack .2-2, a few nuts, 60m twin rope Approach Notes: It's not bad, really

I will go back to the Cordillera Blanca again. Maybe not for my big trip next year, but in the next 5 years for sure. The ease of access is amazing for such huge, dramatic peaks. Feel free to contact me with questions on climbing and logistics there, I learned a lot over the last couple of trips!

Trip: Cordillera Blanca, Peru - Tocllaraju - NW Ridge (D) (and others) Trip Date: 07/09/2019 Trip Report: I've posted a few trip reports on my site for my second trip to Peru's Cordillera Blanca. This range has many incredible objectives, relatively easy logistics, and is CHEAP compared to high altitude climbing areas elsewhere. Here's my report from Tocllaraju: https://spokalpine.com/2019/07/26/tocllaraju-6034m-northwest-ridge-d-ai4/ Gear Notes: Some screws, two ropes, pickets can be bought in Huaraz. Approach Notes: Make the donkey carry the good stuff

That was our original goal. It looks awesome and I'd like to do it, but I'm not totally sure that I can convince myself to do that approach again for a while...

Trip: Eldorado Peak and Dorado Needle - E Ridge and NW Ridge Trip Date: 06/16/2019 Trip Report: Conditions are quite good in the Eldorado area right now. We made a casual ascent of Eldorado on our approach day and climbed the NW Ridge of Dorado Needle on Sunday. The climbing was easy but damn... that descent to the car was pretty punishing. Full trip report and photos: Spokalpine Gear Notes: Crampons/Axe for Eldorado. Light rock rack for Dorado Needle. Approach Notes: Wear a knee brace

Thanks Jason, seems like C-W is best done very early on a cloudy day. DPS, sounds sporty! I was very relieved when I saw we’d be able to sneak past the cornice.

We also attempted Cauthorn-Wilson on Cutthroat Peak the next day.

Trip: North Early Winters Spire - Early Winter Couloir (III AI3 M4+) Trip Date: 04/20/2019 Trip Report: I've been dreaming about this route for years, ever since I saw it in the Supertopo guidebook for Washington Pass. It seemed so rad, but also hard, so I kind of wrote it off. With a last minute partner and plan, we got the thing done. Thanks Dane! This was a really good route, one of the best couloirs I've done. Go get it! You can view the full TR and photos on my site: Spokalpine Strategy Notes Start early to maximize your time on firm snow, but not too early because sleep is important. Be prepared to aid climb the cornice pitch, but hopefully you’ll be able to bypass it with moderate mixed or AI3 ice. The descent follows the standard summer descent on bolted anchors until you reach the chockstone in the West Couloir. There is a piton and nut anchor in the skier’s right hand wall that gets you down past the chockstone with a single rope. Gear Notes: One 60m rope is sufficient. There are no fixed anchors on route, but it seems that a descent could easily be done with a single 60m rope by leaving rock gear if bailing. We brought cams .2-3 (small sizes most useful), nuts (small sizes most useful), 5 ice screws (useless), two pickets (one would be ideal), and 5 pitons (angles and lost arrows). Approach Notes: Walk straight toward it

Thank you!

Trip: Selkirks - High Traverse (III 5.4) + Harrison Peak Trip Date: 08/18/2018 Trip Report: This was a super-fun day of playing in the mountains. We kept it casual and still did the route in 10 hours, including a stop at Harrison Lake for a swim. If you're in the area and have a day to spare, this is a fun objective! For more info and photos, check out the full trip report. Gear Notes: Nuts, cams .3-2, 60m rope (but any length will work) Approach Notes: Wet bushwhack to Beehive Dome from Pack River road, but it's impossible to get lost.

Scott, you're the man. Thanks to all of you for your hard work. I'd like to go back for the Great White Corner before this season is done!

He simply slipped off of the slabs while he was walking near the cliff edge, where all the waterfalls are at. 90 foot fall. It was bad.

Trip: Forbidden Peak - West Ridge Trip Date: 08/04/2018 Trip Report: I had a great climb of Forbidden Peak before being involved in an attempted rescue. The climber fell on the slabs below Forbidden while descending. It was a tough day, and I understand that there had been two accidents in the two days prior to this one. Be safe out there, and make sure that you have some form of communications available. Here's a link to my TR: Spokalpine Gear Notes: 60m rope (we used a 60m twin folded in half – perfect system for this route!), single rack .3-2, nuts, 6 alpine draws and four double length slings. Neither of us brought boots or climbing shoes, opting to do everything in approach shoes. Aluminum crampons worked well for the short snow section and my superlight CAMP Corsa Nanotch axe was great, as always. I was really happy with our gear choices. You never really need to carry more than a liter of water in Boston Basin because water is so easily available from the multitude of streams and snowfields. Make sure that you have some form of communications device in case of emergency – I believe that an Inreach is the best option given its capabilities. Approach Notes: Easy

Trip: Cutthroat Peak - North Ridge Trip Date: 07/27/2018 Trip Report: This was a great day out! Although this route is shorter and easier than the South Buttress, it is a worthy climb and feels much more remote. A couple of runout pitches must be overcome before getting onto the awesome granite of the ridge. Full trip report: Spokalpine Gear Notes: Single rack .4-3, nuts, one 60m rope Approach Notes: We came from Washington Pass.