JasonG

It should be fine from an avy standpoint. The final slope on Eldorado isn't super steep, at least where you can't mitigate the hazard by moving to the edge of whatever slope is of concern.. Of course, you'll have to make those calls when you are up there since you can't know if you don't go. That said, being a weather weenie will serve you well in your climbing career (it has for me). I typically always have a east side backup if the weather is crap on the crest. Silverstar, for example.

Actually, I prefer coffee

Did you say Lemon?

Thanks for bumping this back into our collective memory @Lowell_Skoog. Amazing!

Trip: LIBERTY - The path of freedom Trip Date: 06/01/2019 Trip Report: Sometimes you see a mountain enough that it must be climbed. Such was the case for @Kit and I and this mountain called Liberty. Both of us have been driving by it for more years that we care to think about. That, and who doesn't want to be free?? Despite the reports of horrendous brush, washed out roads, and failed attempts, we were smitten. What is wrong with us? Well, we don't have time to cover all that here. But, if Liberty is wrong, I don't want to be right! It helped that we happened to stumble upon an actual pleasant route up and down the peak, with minimal brush. Really! I even recorded a track for all you obsessive P2K baggers out there. So go get it before the brush reclaims the 4130 road once again..... The massive south face of Three Fingers: LIIIIIIIIIBBBBBBBBEEEEEEEERRRRRTTTTTYYYYYYY @Kit crossing the South Fork of Canyon Creek: Pretty reasonable actually: The upper part of Liberty: The view north into the Slabbage Patch: I remember some good trundling down this face in about 1994: We only used the rope for a short rap on the way down: Extreme! More South face of Three Fingers Who doesn't love LIBERTY??!! and lots of solitude? And blown out roads? And blown up stuff? Gear Notes: We brought a rope and used it in a couple places to rap on the way down, mainly because we had it. We didn't rope for the two 4th class bits on the way up. It is actually likely better after the snow is gone and the crossing of Canyon Creek low. Approach Notes: Walk 4130 for 4 miles or so until you intersect the GPX track I've posted. It will serve you well to the summit and back. A couple more years and the road will be totally brushed in and very annoying. Go now! LIBERTY!!!!! 6_1_19 8_30_51 AM.gpx

Trip: Royally Smooting - North Ridge of Clark, Deception, from Royal Basin Trip Date: 06/15/2019 Trip Report: Who else out there is working through the Smoot book? C'mon, it's OK to admit it, Jeff came up with a great list of peaks that will get you to the corners of the Cacades and the Olympics. Take Royal Basin, for example. I wouldn't have thought of dealing with the hassle of ferries, permits, and bear cans if it weren't for that long out of print tome. And, I would have missed out on a great adventure with @ZakG. I'm continually reminded that there is a lot to recommend in that book. If you do go Royally Smooting though, you may not want to haul all the gear necessary to climb the North Ridge of Clark (as recommended by Smoot). While supposedly the "best" climb in the Needles, Zak and I thought that it wasn't THAT classic. The regular scramble route is interesting enough and easily passable with no rope, harness, or pro. On Deception, you'll want enough snow to cover the amazing amount of loose rock that this peak is known for. Shoot for when Royal Lake is snow free but the upper basin is still snowed in....like we did. It was just about as good of conditions as you could ask for. Captions refer to the photos below...... You know you're hiking in the Olympics in the spring when you see rhododendrons on the trail: Shelter Rock is aptly named: First look at the Needles, Johnson and the Sundial (L-R): Hiking up to Clark with Deception behind: Clark. The North Ridge is the right skyline: Mount Johnson: Leading up the North ridge of Clark. Lots of lichen and mediocre rock. Good, I guess, for the Olympics: Summit views from Clark looking across Royal Basin to Warrior, Constance, Inner Constance, Stone(?), Mystery, and Deception (L-R): Descending Clark, don't go this way. Up and right from where the photographer is instead: The regular route on Clark is impressive and actually pretty pleasant, despite appearances: Mount Mystery: Gray crested rosy finch, lord of the high alpine: Heading up the regular route on Deception with Johnson behind: Gilhooley Tower: Last look at Deception leaving upper Royal Basin: The classic finish to an Olympics trip. Waiting for the ferry at Kingston: Gear Notes: Light 40m rope, small rack of nuts and tri cams, helmet, crampons, ice axe. Approach Notes: Royal Basin, the permit is key. Go early in the season before they allow for advance reservations. We had no problems securing one, although we started on a Thursday and finished on a Saturday.

That is impressive, no matter the time!

Believe it or not, I was remarking in April how much better the trail is than when I first went up it in 1999. Almost a real trail with hardly any brush. But yes, the elevation gain/loss isn't trivial.

Such a fun route, check out the SW buttress next time!

Woah. This seems like a lot of work for a Luddite like me. Got that @jon?

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo........ Thanks for the heads up @Marcus Russi ....I hope @jon figures out what the deal is.

DUDE, CAN'T YOU LISTEN? The entire Coleman glacier is OUT! Interesting that it is that close to being problematic this early in the year....

So awesome!!! This has been on my list for many years....thanks for the details!

Ah, but how many hangovers and children is cc.com directly responsible for??

I have friends who really like Wenatchee. But that is further from the classical mountaineering photos that has likely drawn you to the PNW, and I'm not sure if they have much in the way of clubs or instructional courses. Or, there is always Bellingham, because they're looking for people to support the baristas who have graduate degrees but can't leave the town they went to school in. And they have lots of mountain guides who could use your instructional $$.

It is climbing season and surely there is a poor dirtbag in need of cheap tools. Make me an offer if this seems unreasonable

Same thing has been done periodically on Heliotrope after the fatalities the past few years. Unsightly, but better than the alternative.

Make sure you buy a lottery ticket on the way to the TH. And post a TR!

Whoah. Those boys knew how to suffer.

Yep, that is about right.

"Despite the objective hazards, the Willis Wall is a popular objective, in theory if not in practice. To climb Willis Wall and survive seems to elevate one to “”immortal”” status among Northwest climbers”. Climbing The Northwest Volcanoes, Jeff Smoot, 2nd Ed. From a TR in the db from a 1989 ascent of the wall

Oh, I wouldn't be too sad. While this spring is very lean, we've had some years in the recent past that looked very much fatter at the same date. The ice step on NR will be good for many years to come. The crossing of the Coleman though.....

Oh no! That sounds grim.

Oh, there is plenty of data out there (table below from one of the MORA annual mountaineering reports): http://www.stephabegg.com/home/projects/rainierstatistics https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/annual-mountaineering-reports.htm https://www.nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/upload/Liberty-Ridge-Routebrief.pdf

Nice! Such a great spot, so close to town.