Carbonj

Excellent write up, creaking old troglodyte here climbed in galiber superguides, habelar wood shanked superlights and realized early on to bring running shoes for approaches and some climbs. Then when the dynafit tlt5 came out got rid of my plastic boots, smaller profile better fit, and could ski well. Do most class 3 and low 5 with running shoes last twenty years now, your legs and feet feel fresher and I feel that well into my 60's that technology has delivered more longevity to my bliss. Like kyle there is times I want to pack running shoes, ribelles,and rock shoes for some adventures. Also a great shoe brand is inov-8, its got rubber that sticks on greasy rock and wears well. In the 90's got passed on a 18,500 glaciated pass by 17 year old sherpani carrying 60lbs smoking a cigarette and wearing chinese converse knockoffs. So sometimes yer engine and tech can only take you so far.

Watched a marten chase a douglas squirrel up and down a big fir finally corkscrew around the tree like barber pole the squirrel was quick but the marten got him in the end, also had one trying like hell to get in our food bag one winter night at colchuck lake, they are one little badass.

Yep from what I remember, went up Ice Cliff glacier,up gully to notch on N ridge to gendarme then left up NE face. Everything was plastered with snice, the cruxes were the ridge snow covered rock and the top of NE face digging thru the cornice. The coolest part of the climb for me was when I was leading on the ridge deeply engrossed in little if any pro and huge shadow came over me, looking up I was staring at the largest and very close golden eagle, I could look right in those eyes don't know who was more surprised thought I was gonna get nailed by big chunk of rock or ice.

We were at base of dragontail when Tim Wilson and John came down after doing that route and Tim said it was pretty cool, weird thing was one of them seemed to be telemarking with ramer bindings. Also in 88 or 89 mike martin and I did a similar climb of N ridge of stuart, left side of lower ridge to notch then to the gendarme out on the NE face, it was late march so not winter,but winter conditions it snowed a foot that night after the climb, cool avalanches.

My brother and I had done the east face direct with the icefall approach and told Peter it was a great route. Didn't turn out great for Peter.

Yep peter was doing east face direct I believe.

Check out wayne wallace climb NW face Mt Stuart, I remember a few friends giving it a shot in late 80's during late fall cold spells.

Just heard climbing on upper mountain might be happening soon.