philfort

They are certainly like skiing in climbing boots. I don't think I've used them for climbing yet (use them for snowboarding). The ankle doesn't flex much.

Aluminum crampons should be ok on low angle stuff like the Eldo glacier (especially if its warm out)... I took them on the ptarmigan traverse in september last year, and managed ok on all the bare ice.

Having tried both Whitecap approaches, I would have to say Connel creek is way easier (unless roads have changed in Whitecap creek) - long, but no bushwhacking at all. (btw, PM me if anyone is interested in heading up there...)

Plenty of good scrambles there. Do a google for the Trap Dike on Mt Colden... 2000ft of 3rd and 4th class scrambling. Eagle Slide on Giant Mtn is a good one too.

Don't laugh. Creation Scientists are leading the fields of research, with noted Nobel-worthy intellects such as Trevor Murry (grade 4), and Jonathan Goode (grade 7).

When I did it in september, the most tedious (care required) parts were all the sidehilling on bare ice approaching the Leconte glacier, and a short section of 50 degree dirt on Mixup Arm (probably there was a better way). Descending the Spider-Formidable col is probably the steepest snow on route. I think you could ride a bike across the red ledge And I don't recall the snow getting there to be very steep, and we could walk behind it in the (shallow) moat.

I also have no idea about the lower route (sorry), but if your partner was concerned about the red ledge, he should know it certainly isn't the crux of the route. Red ledge in september (looks worse than it is): Ok, so that doesn't help you. Last time I was in the area in June, I think I saw ski tracks going down lower than the red ledge. So yeah, someone should know.

Kermit says screw Rainier... let's get trashed!

I don't think it's legal, but I seem to recall the first 3 miles of trail (to a junction) would be really good for mountain bikes. After that, less good - I think there are some brushy/rocky sections?

The true summit is the southernmost (jagged) peak. There is a steep snow/heather gully that climbs up around the east side of it.

Hot off the presses...

Well it's still available I found enough space to store it until I sell it. Maybe I'll have more luck when the snow starts flying and the ice starts forming. In the meantime... I picked up its replacement today: But I don't know what to do for bumper stickers I need some kind of left-wing thing more up-to-date than the Nader one... Darn modern curvy chassis isn't very bumper-sticker friendly...

Do you mean just the Forest Service won't build trails, or new trails are not allowed at all? The brand new Mason Lake trail is partly in the Alpine Lakes wilderness, suggesting it is allowed.

There don't seem to be very many roads within the actual proposed wilderness area: http://www.wildsky.org/fram?url_id=21 In what way would the wilderness area negatively affect climbers?

Arctic Cat 2-up touring T660... the minivan of snowmobiles! Is there any place I can still drive to snow this time of year!?

Once I car camped just outside the park... drove south then east on some road, and there were lots of riverside spots. In fact, we camped on a sandbar in the river. Looking at a map, it must have been along the Nisqually. Take the very orthogonal road that heads across the Nisqually about 3.5 miles west of the entrance, then turn left.

never! This is a nice respectful snowmobile , it has never been driven off logging roads (by me anyway). Donating it to a good cause isn't a bad idea though... hmm - I wonder who could use a snowmobile.

BUMP Hey! Somebody make an offer! I'm getting the new one next week, and this one will have to be dumped off at a dealer!

Wow, I was holding up the tail fin of a jumbo jetliner!

When we passed by them at about 8000ft, they were moving her pretty quickly down the snow. They had 6 or so people holding onto the litter with straps, and then another group hand-belaying the litter with a super long rope from above. Down below where the snow started to get patchy, they had a crew waiting with the "big wheel" to stick under the litter. Would have been interesting to see how that thing handled the snow... maybe that's what sobo was alluding to :-) 'cause once the "big wheel" was on the smooth dry trail, I imagine it would have gone really quickly back to the trailhead... Seems like if the rescuers had had skis (and ski patrol training), they could have moved much more quickly down the snow. Nonetheless, good job and kudos to those getting her out

Check out: http://www.turns-all-year.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=tr0407;action=display;num=1089669814 Sun cups? Yes, on the bottom two thirds. Steepness? Nothing over 35 degrees I'd say. The approach is fine... wide easy dry obvious trail until snowline (7000ft?). On the descent, after the snow ends, make your way downhill until you hit the round-the-mountain trail (well-travelled and obvious) which meets up with the south climb trail.

On the way up Sunday, we met two climbing rangerettes coming down who helped out with the lowering from the false summit the previous day. They were very cute.

3 SAR teams arrived in at the trailhead at about 2am Sunday morning. They set up about 20 feet from my bivy sac, huge bright lights, people shouting, gear clanking, cars moving around, for about 3 hours, until around 5am when most of them had headed up the mountain. Ahhhhh.....

Wow! What climbing's all about!