DPS

NWD - the material used in HMG, is not abrasion resistant, so don't expect the pack to last long if you climb with it. The material was developed for sailboat sails, not for dragging up coarse alpine rock. Also, it is really expensive! I agree with Darin, if Osprey packs work for you, stick with them. The Osprey Mutant 52 looks like a decent alpine pack. The right size, not too much crap on it, a nice big top pocket, and only $200, which I am sure you can find on sale somewhere on the web. Water resistance in a pack has never been an issue for me, ever. If that is a concern, line your pack with a garbage bag and put everything inside the bag and roll it closed.

The thing that sticks in my mind from my last visit to Index is the number of women climbing now, and they are pulling down as hard as the guys.

I have a pair of Grivel Air Tech Light aluminum crampons with universal binders. They work great on approach shoes, mountaineering and ski boots. The flexible bars and anti-bot plates are very nice. One draw back is the points are short, which makes walking easy, but in certain snow conditions on glaciers they can be a bit dodgy. I have ice climbed with them a couple of times with Scarpa Charmoz boots, which have a stiff sole. I used them to good effect on Shuksan's Fisher Chimneys in September, which had a couple of steep ice sections. The second time was the NW Face of the NR of Forbidden. We had planned on climbing the NW Arete, but a storm the week prior had plastered wet, melting snow on the route. The ice climbing, and it was ice, left my toes too bruised and swollen to put rock shoes on for the upper NR. After that experience I bought a pair of steel fronts for them for when I want a more performant crampon, but don't need a full on Petzl Sarken/Grivel G-14, etc. This set up is very versatile and I feel good and wholesome using them for basic mountaineering.

I was shocked the last time I climbed with Alex in Icicle Canyon. Cars and vans parked all up and down Icicle Creek Road, but there were very few climbers on the routes. Far fewer than 20 years ago. According to Alex all of those 'climbers' are boulderers, which I tend to believe given the chalk on the boulders by the side of the climber's trails.

You don't look 50.

Strong work boys! MT. Hunter is no small consolation prize! After we climbed it my partner and I thought about taking a victory lap on the Cassin, but thought better of it and made the rational choice of spending our remaining time in AK drinking at the Fairview, which lead to other memorable shenanigans.

I love that side of Adams.

Jason is spot on, avalanches should not pose a problem, but a low cloud cover and rain/snow sounds like a miserable time. You can climb anytime in Washington, you just need a backup plan in case of inclement weather, permit issues, washed out bridges/roads etc. Stubbornly following a fixed itinerary, forecasts be damned, is a recipe for a lot of 'character building' experiences. Pack the rock gear and if the weather is inclement at Cascade Pass keep driving further East over Rainy Pass to Washington Pass where the weather is often better. Sample what Beckey called 'Dolomites of the Cascades'; the Early Winter Spires, Conchord Tower, Lexington Tower, Liberty Bell, Vasiliki Ridge, Juno Tower, Kangaroo Temple, Half Moon, the Wine Spires, and Cutthroat Peak. If the weather is still iffy keep driving to Mazama and the Goat Wall, Fun Rock, and Prospector's Rock. So many quality routes available from 5.4 to 5.13 with some of the easiest approaches in Washington.

Thanks for the info! I have a few more questions: Did you feel like you scheduled your trip for the optimal time? In retrospect would you have planned an earlier or later trip in the season? Did three weeks feel rushed for acclimatization, travel, and all the peaks you climbined? If you had an additional week in Bolovia are other peaks you would have liked to climb in the Cordillera Real? For an Andes newbie, (but no stranger to big, cold peaks), would you recommend Peru or Bolivia for a first trip? Can you comment on the relative expense, booking accommodations, obtaining basic supplies (stove fuel, food), and transportation to the mountains between the two countries? Thanks, DPS

Thanks for the TR, Bolivia is my next big trip if I ever get healthy. Can you share a gear list? How cold was it? Did you go with 6,000 meter boots or insulated leather boots? Thanks!

Yes, it really is that expensive in Seattle. But then again Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Tableau, etc. all pay pretty well. A software developer with C.S. degree and a few years experience can earn $150,000+/year without much effort. It is cheaper the farther you get away from Seattle. Get east or west of the I-5 corridor or north of Everett or south of Tacoma and prices start dropping.

There was recently an article in the Seattle Times reporting on the city's efforts to have 'derelict' RVs removed, which is the only affordable housing for many working poor. Regarding the Coach, he was in interesting guy, who got his nick name by goading climbers into following him on his workouts, which were recorded in painstaking detail in his note book. He would fill his backpack with pea gravel and then do an insane workout; up and down a crack five times, boulder over to another crack and do some laps on it. I was a victim once and made it to about three laps before calling uncle, and I did not have a pack full of rocks. Seeing him in his final days was sad. Always a big guy for climbing, he had put on 50 pounds after he could no longer climb from a window washing accident. I also understand his schizophrenia had become much worse as well. RIP Coach.

Just like The Coach towards the end of his life.

You bet.

Brief article that describes what kind of apartment you can expect to get for $4,200 a month in rent in Seattle. All three of the areas mentioned are in the downtown business district or in close proximity to it. http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/renting-in-seattle-what-will-dollar4200-get-you/ar-AACNNjN?ocid=iehp

There are a number of lovely Seattle neighborhoods that I personally like; Queen Anne, Freemont (Adobe, Google, Tableau and the center of the universe), U-District (University of Washington), Mount Baker (easiest access to I-90 and the mountains in Seattle), Montlake, Ravenna, Ballard, Wallingford, Green Lake, Phinney Ridge, Laurelhurst (Bill Gates Sr.), Madison Park (Tom Skerrit), The Seattle Highlands, and South Lake Union (Amazon). All of these neighborhoods have a different vibe than each other and you could find one that appeals to you but unless you earn a fuck ton of money you will not be able to afford to rent a house with a yard. Also, access to the mountains is more difficult than the east side (of Lake Washington), but there are a number of climbing gyms throughout the city and some nice parks for trail running. Traffic is as bad as the media makes it out to be. Renting in Bellingham is tough because it is a college town, but certainly less expensive than any of the Seattle neighborhoods. If you can work anywhere, somewhere like Preston, Fall City, Carnation, North Bend (Twin Peaks fame), Wenatchee, or one of the smaller towns near Bellingham like Ferndale or Mount Vernon would offer better affordability and great access to the mountains while being plenty close to climbing clubs and guide services. I live in Issaquah, which in addition to being an easy 20 minute bus ride into Seattle is a great location for all outdoor recreation: world class trail running from my front door (the Issaquah Alps), 20 minutes to rock climbing in North Bend (Exit 32 and Exit 38), and 40 minutes to Snoqualmie Pass for lift serviced skiing, back country skiing, ski mountaineering, alpine rock climbing, and very accessible winter mixed alpine climbing due to the proximity to the ski resorts. It is, however, very much the 'burbs. Think Mercedes, Lexus, and BMW SUVs, families with young children, good schools, and no singles scene to speak of. It is more affordable than Seattle or Bellevue, but not inexpensive either. If I were not tied to a job in Seattle I personally would look hard at the Mazama/Twisp/Winthrop, Leavenworth/Peshashtin/Cashmere/Wenatchee, and Bellingham/Ferndale/Mount Vernon/Anacortes metropolitan areas.

Gene and I went to school together in Bellingham (along with Justin Sjong, Dberdinka, Jason Martin, and many other strong climbers) and yeah it is pretty awesome. Unfortunately, the cost of living has increased dramatically since we were in college 25 years ago, but so the Seattle metropolitan area in general For some perspective, I went to high school in Washington D.C. during Reagan's first term 1980-1984. Seattle, while having grown dramatically in the last 10 years, is very different than metropolitan D.C. Similar to NYC, it is a city of neighborhoods, most of which are not affordable for me, and I work as a software developer, my wife as a civil engineer. We live in the 'burbs with a very convenient commute via mass transit. I also agree with Jason regarding Wenatchee/Leavenworth. I know people who work in Seattle and rent apartments but have homes in Leavenworth. There is an excellent guide service in Leavenworth, so if by education you mean climbing, you would be covered there. I also know a number of Microsoft employees who live in Mazama and telecommute. Mazama would be pretty awesome and is more affordable than Seattle, Leavenworth, or Bellingham. The downside is that is remote, particularly in winter with Wenatchee being the closest city of any real size.

Liberty Ridge was first climbed in SEPTEMBER (1936?).

Yeah, gag me with a spoon.

Not to mention the ridge itself. It looks more like mid July Than early June.

In 1994 we were the last of six parties at to arrive Thumb Rock. I agree with Gene, since 50 Classics was published (1978?) I suspect the number of climbers on Liberty Ridge has been more or less consistent. I could be completely wrong, but I think the number of climbers on Rainier in general has not increased significantly over the last 30 years because the park de facto limits the number of climbers through camping permits. Also, a significant portion of climbers go with guide services, who are also limited to a certain number of climbers.

The window for climbing Liberty Ridge has shrunk considerably since I climbed it in 1994. The season is also earlier which forces climbers to climb in less stable weather. I could see this as becoming only relatively safe in late winter - early spring, like Gibralter Ledges is now.

I think you have elephantitis.

Mt Rainier is considered the most threatening active volcano in the contiguous US, so when that blows...