JasonG

Stunning lines as usual Dan! These have got to be first descents?

I think it fits under the "alpine" category.

Well said Dan. The longer I climb, and the more very solid climbers/friends I've seen hurt or killed, the more I realize that it could have been me. "He who is without sin should cast the first stone." This is as good counsel now as when it was written, and I should heed it more than I often do.

You picked a good time of the year for an attempt. The last week of July and the first week of August are statistically the driest weeks of the year. If you plan some flexibility into the exact dates you should have a high chance for success. Depending on how you typically handle altitude, I've found that a three day itinerary is better for enjoying the climb. Good luck!

That is a powerful story Oleg. Your son has a long life ahead of him and I hope this rough patch is relatively short. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, hang in there! That would be cool if Dave's worked out, they're a great company that I love to support.

I read thru my State Farm Policy and didn't see anything that excluded climbing related deaths. Suicide, war, etc. weren't covered, but climbing wasn't listed. Rates were very reasonable.

In some years, the ID stays in tourist shape all summer long. At least it did in 2000 or 2001, when my wife and I climbed it in September, following the established cattle trail. The DC wasn't being used much, or at all, that year.

I think one thing that would make the interface between gallery and TR a lot better would be for a thumbnail to show up in addition to the image tag (or maybe in spite of it?). When I am dumping a whole bunch of photos into a TR, it is a battle to label them as the system is set up (have to do endless previews it seems). Also, for some reason, the images tend to drop into the end of the TR, not where your cursor is (at least I think this is what happens). Lastly, the default image size is a bit small, and I usually go in and edit the tags to make them bigger (another time waster). Thanks for looking into making the TR experience better and more efficient!

Thanks for the info! I hear you on the lens front, it seems like for the zooms you have to get above 1K before you get quality and durability. I know John Scurlock is very happy with his f/4 24-105. Seems like a great lens.

Mark- Is that the 3.5 10-20 Sigma you're using? Nice colors and clarity.

Right, the secret Renton crag! It is surprising we all don't live there.

If harder climbing is your thing, then Leavenworth is probably hard to beat except for the whole job and cost of living thing. It really depends on your profession though. On the west side, Bellingham fits your criteria somewhat well, except there isn't as much climbing in the winter. Again, jobs are hard to come by, depending, and the cost of living isn't super cheap. Which is why a jungle loving skier/pseudo climber like myself lives in Mount Vernon. The town isn't anything special, but it is centrally located and close to the best mountaineering in the lower 48. It is dirt cheap right now as well- decent houses can be found for the low 100's, and rates are ridiculously low. Crazy. Plus I am trying to get more climber types to move here, and I get a commission from the Chamber of Commerce. Kidding.

Just what I was wondering...And, how is the road this year?

I think it really depends on how accessible you want the camera to be when on route. I've found the best option for getting the highest number of high quality images is to have two cameras. Something you can pull out with one hand and take photos with on route like the s100, and a lightweight SLR (Canon T2i, etc.) with a lens or two that stays in basecamp for the low light hours, camp life, landscapes, etc. For harder routes where I will be carrying over or bivying on route, I typically just take the little camera. I've not tried the 4/3 options or slightly larger P&S with lens caps, as they seem a bit big for my tastes. For me its important to have something that I can easily strap to a pack strap or harness, and especially making sure that it isn't bulky enough to get in the way when leading.

The Nikon P310 is another option, though it lacks RAW capabilities, and has a narrower zoom range. I really feel that the s100 is the best P&S going out there right now though, it's a stellar camera.

Canon s100 is pretty much the ideal P&S to have on your harness or shoulder strap. RAW, 24mm on the wide end, manual controls, HD video, and decent optics.

This weekend!

Exactly. I've been buying Power Bar gel at our local GrocOut for several years and it always seems they are selling it right before the exp. date. I buy 6 or so boxes at a time (b/c availability is spotty) and eat them for 1+ years past the date. I can't tell a difference between the 1st and last package; but I'm not too picky either.

Here is the crown line on 4/7: This was by far the largest avalanche I have seen. The crown was mostly in the 10' range with some areas pushing 15'. It ran over 5000'! Wow.

Thanks for showing us around Mark and MattP! I'm impressed with the number of routes you and others have developed over the last few years. A very cool place with great views from all of the climbs. More people should head out and get the routes a try; the more traffic, the more better! Topos available: http://www.rcnw.net/forums/index.php?showforum=41

Wow, I'm impressed you were able to sleep in that debris field. Gave me the willies. We skied it last Saturday, I think it took us around 10 hrs RT (up climbers left, down climbers right). Bring skis next time and start early, it a great day trip- if you have skis. I think the key is to avoiding sun induced sluffage is to go up the climbers left, and come down climber's right after the sun has shifted to the east wall. That way you are always traveling on the shady side.

This time I think they will have crossed enough t's and dotted enough i's to make it happen by 2013-14. I have to hand it to the Darrington office for sticking with it (Thanks Peter!). The general public has been overwhelmingly in favor or re-opening the road (unscientific impression from reading the comments over the years), but the extreme enviros have delayed it on technicalities.

Please take the time to comment, especially if you are in favor of the road being fixed : http://www.wfl.fhwa.dot.gov/projects/wa/suiattle/ Thanks!

Just took a look at those Sum'Tec axes....very nice!

Another vote for the Grivel Air Tech Racing (or the Evo). 58cm should do well on most mountaineering routes if you are around 6'. I really, really like the Grivel pick for a classicish axe. It climbs real ice surprisingly well, as long as it isn't too steep or bulgey. Like Dan and Dane said, pair the Grivel with an ice or third tool (hammer), and you are good for any of the classic mountain "ice" routes. I have had the same combo for the last dozen years (Grivel Air tech Racing, BD Shrike hammer) and they have served me well. Although I am looking a bit dated with all the fancy curved tools in the hills these days....