dbb

N. Ridge of Stuart, decently warm bivi on the summit with no bag.

After following bear trails on an approach all day in the Coast range, we suddenly came upon a bear den. A bear den with a severed bear arm and bloddy skull! Apparently Canadian bears have the right to "bear" arms.

I've heard that the MSR canisters IsoPro canisters work better under cold conditions. This may be a good reason to get em, but most of those kind of stoves work with any canister. Dave

I would say that the around-icy lake is a better approach for the route. You drop down over the glacial pass and around right below the route. This is compared to crossing below the entire N face, which may not be as desirable... Also, there are great bivi sites along the lake, as well as a year-round snowfield. As for the route, I'd suggest as late as possible in the year, and climb the left hand side for more challenge (AI3?). Climbing on the left is pretty easy, with only a few steep steps. If you go later in the year, the rock climbing/scrambling on and up to the East ridge is more interesting. my two cents..

Dude, Fred has been looking all over for someone to do that Monarch trip

you must also realize that Mark Twight is absolutely crazy. Just keep reading his book...

my guess is not this year. Assuming that things are a month+ ahead of schedule it is probably melting out as we speak. I heard that last year large parts of it melted down to rock. With this low snow year I'd bet those will be emerging pretty soon. on another note, has anyone around here done the infamous descent (on feet) from the Maude-Jack col? what about ascent?

For carryng a SLR I've used the chest pod system. Using a triangular looking sundog (or other) camera pack, rig up your own packstrap suspension system that hangs it around your neck and loops behind your back. This keeps the "pod" close to your body. This system does have it's limitations, especially when you're rock climbing. Otherwise, I carry a little Olympus stylus for point and shoot. It does decent slides, and great photos in general. here's a picture of some unknown photo bandit with the aforementioned system.. As you can see, carrying too big of a camera can make it hard to get up sometimes!

I believe that the current system on Mt. Rainier fits the needs and palates of most climbers out there. We pay the $15 fee to have those rangers up there on the mountain. They're there to save your butt when stuff happens, not merely to check permits and enforce quottas. If all they did was check permits, I think the program would be a little less accepted (do I hear a NW forrest pass?) My guess is that these rescues generally do not impend much of a cost on the NPS beyond the salaries of the climbing Rangers. Rescues are generally short lived (compaired to searches), and not terribly resource intensive. As it's been said, helicopters used for rescues on Rainier are Chinooks which come as "training" from the military. Rescue insurance is great, but where are you going to use it around here? Rescues outside the Park are generally done by county sherif-lead mountain rescue groups. These are volunteers, along with the use of county helicopters. The public flips the bill for the copters (usually), and they sherifs don't want to charge because they're afraid people won't call in the future if that precident is set. Rescues inside the Park are covered by the military and your climbing fee. Does anyone know if someone's been charged for a rescue on Rainier since the ranger program started?

Anyone have suggestions on how to transport stoves and empty fuel bottles through the airplane system? Seems like different companies have different policies--we're flying continential. I had thought of mailing them (USPS), but have people been hasseled for putting it in their check lugage? Thanks

Scott- I'll take those skis if you still have them. I tried emailing you but it was returned. email me to get in contact: dbb@u.washington.edu Dave

That rocky gully left of 10k insect wall had some massive rockfall recently. I don't know if there were any worthwhile routes there before, but house sized scars were left through the moss on the wall.

This show is tonight! here is a map of where the HUB is, for those of you who do not know the UW campus. Parking can be had in the E1 parking lot (for ~2.50), or on the street for free, seeing as it's after 6pm.

I recall that from looking at the CAG that there were some 5.6-5.8ish routes on there with some loose climbing and some solid climbing. I'd guess that it doesn't get done a whole lot..

One good starting point is to buy the "Washington Rock" Falcon Guide book. It is a survey of most rock climbing areas in Washington, and seems to be just what you're looking for. As for recomended areas, Probably the best sport climbing around here is to be found at vantage (aka Frenchman's Coulee). Steep columnuar basalt, in general. Great trad routes can be found at many of WAs popular areas: Index Town Walls, Leavenworth, Vantage, etc.. Royal Columns has many crack climbs, but only a few are in the range you indicated. As Paul said, trad climbing at Squamish kicks ass. There is more there than could fill your entire trip (lifetime?). Plenty of clean 5.6-5.8 cracks and face climbs, as well as .10 clip ups..

Don't forget the classic Red Wall routes at Smith: Super Slab - 5.6 two pitches and change Moscow - 3 pitches, some .6, option for .7, and 4th. you can easily hook these together in a day if you're not stuck beind the rest of the world

wow, too eerie. exactly one year ago (5/5/2000) I had a simmilar day on the same route. I was taking a few friends up the route in cold, early season conditions. The entire second pitch was covered in ice and made for cool, but difficult climbing. We froze our butts off all day, and got the rope stuck on the rap (from regular bolted station). One last tug saved my new 8 mm rope from the serrated teeth of my knife!

I have a pair of the "newmatic" Grivel G10s for alpine climbing and I love em. They are a full strap on (no lever in the back) and use two plastic cuffs to hook around the heel and the toe. They are super easy to get on--only one loop to do up, and they have "pointed" horizontal frontpoints instead of "flat" (like SMCs) I like the fully strap on idea because I can put these crampons on anything. I've stuck them on tennis shoes, sticky weekends, and giant plastic boots. They probably do water ice as well as any other simmilar crampon, but then again, that doesn't seem like what you want em for. whatever you get, go light.

Dru- hey I remember that guy from Josh. Isn't he an old UW type?

My vote is for the Katuz. When I did it on a super sunny sun/mon trip, there was one other party of three on the route. The chute is not much to worry about, even in August. Maybe a 100 feet or so of 50 degree glacier. You will certainly have a good experience on this route with no guides or clients in sight (except for the mule train up muir). From my experience on the kautz, it is best to go sharply right after the chute towards the Wapotoey (sp) cleaver. This avoids broken crevasse fields that run all the way up to ~13K. Have fun and get ready to puke!

I've heard that the high altitude afliction only applies to the older-technology process that is not done anymore. However, I know someone who did have the eyes done a long time ago, and says she can't see above 17,000. It may also depend on your eye. Some people are not even fit enough to recieve the surgery due to thin corneas. It could be that if you were pushing the limits that you still could have problems at altitude. Also, from talking to my optometrist, it seems that it is not a good idea to get them done when you're "young" (under 40 or so), because the eye can relapse quite a bit. From what I hear, it usually make it difficult to drive at night. Doesn't bode well for all those sleepy after climb miles!

Wow, I was descending the same gully right of Bathtub on Saturday. My feet were slipping all over the place in my rock shoes and I had this terrible feeling with all the loose rock and sand that it was only a matter of time before I went for a ride. We opted to climb out of the gully and farther right where there is a big bomber tree with two very nice new slings.(can see these from top of dome) You can make a single rap down to a ledge and traverse back to the base of the upper tier of bathtub. Glad you wern't seriously hurt!

Anyone want to go climb in the Icicle tomorrow? I was thinking about heading up to Bathtub dome and also check out that much hyped about route on condor buttress. prefer lead in the .8-10 range, but not nesissary. email me: dbb@u.washington.edu Dave

motion to move this topic to "spray"