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DPS

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Posts posted by DPS

  1. I am taking some newbies up Rainier this summer. All of them have limited climbing experience. I want to take them out on a relatively easy climb where we will have an opportunity to review ice axe arrest and other skills before we try Rainier.

     

    I was thinking of something like Mt Ruth, but I would like to have a bad weather plan somewhere on the east side of the mountains. I was thinking of Colchuck, but it is permit season and I worry that I might not score a camping permit. Also I don't want to completely demoralize the group by making them walk the road.

     

    So, what are your suggestions for mellow snow/glacier climbs that would be a good two day trip and would allow for ample time for skills practice? Suggestions for both west and east side of the range would be appreciated. Oh yeah, we all live in the Seattle area, so something within a couple hours drive would be just ducky.

     

    Thanks!

  2. I have the 15 degree Western Mountaineering Apache Super Dryloft. I have had it for 10 years and it is an excellent bag. I have used it for 4 seasons in the Cascades, in May in the Ruth Gorge and June on Mt Hunter. Very versatile.

  3. I'll bite:

     

    Mon: Swim 4,000 yrds, run 8 miles, climb in the gym

    Tues: Lift weights 75 min, bike 40 miles

    Wed: Swim 4,000 yrds, run 8 miles, climb in the gym

    Thur: Swim 4,000 yrds, bike 40 miles

    Fri: Lift weights 75 min, run 8 miles

    Sat: Swim 4,000 yrds, 3 hour trail run on Tiger Mt

    Sun: Bike 60 miles, easy 90 min run up and down Mt Si

    Rest: What for?

  4. The first time I climbed Outer Space it poured rain all night long. Woke up the next morning and the route was dry. My guess is you should be ok unless it is actively raining on you while you climb.

     

    I have found having extra pieces in the #1 and #2 Camalot sizes is helpful, but not absolutely necessary. Hexes in that size range work well.

     

    Shoes are nice to walk off in.

  5. anyone been up the side road that goes to the Snowking trailhead? any conditions update on this?

    I was just talking to a colleague yesterday who mentioned he was able to get up most of the way to the trail head but there was some blow down blocking access all the way. He said the snow line was surprisingly high, around 3,000 feet.

  6. I think the fellow who mentioned that it is important to choose a good surgeon is spot on. I know a fellow who had a very minor version of the same surgery I had who can barely walk following his surgery.

     

    In my case the disk had ruptured, became infected and the adjoining vertebrae also became infected. The surgeon said the L5 and S1 vertebrae were the consistency of cottage cheese when he operated on me. He had to remove half each of the two vertebrae, bridge the gap with a piece of femur from a cadaver and screw it together with two steel plates and 8 large screws. Today I run ultra marathons, climb, ski, swim, and bike. The surgery has not held me back at all.

     

    If you decide on surgery, or just want a really good second opinion, I would highly recommend Dr. Reginald Knight at Orthopedics International in Kirkland. He is certainly one of the best spine surgeon in the PNW.

     

    Good luck!

  7. Is it accessible this early in the season? It looks like the Cascade River Road is usually open sometime in June. Before this, is it possible to find parking along the road and hike the few miles to the Cascade Pass trailhead?

     

    Yes

  8. It's probably just sprained cause if it ws broken it would hurt a lot more.

    That is what Alex told me after I broke my leg.

     

    :o how bad did you break?

    The break was not bad, it only took 6 weeks to heal. The sprain was much worse, 4 months later and I am still back to full activities.

  9. It's probably just sprained cause if it ws broken it would hurt a lot more.

    That is what Alex told me after I broke my leg.

  10. I climbed it exactly that way once. We went that way when we came up and found zero ice in the runnel section that would lead to the second couloir.

     

    Same here in February 2000. I came back a few years later in April and we found the crux ice couloirs well iced. The route we did the first time was significantly more difficult than the standard route.

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