DPS

North Face Shuksan Approach difficulty: Overated Route quality: Overated Quality of the company: Could not have been better (Colin and Juan)

Looking over the NE Couloir from Triple Couloirs last weekend, it looked to be much more filled in than when Alex, MattP and I did it. I don't remember any 70 degree headwall. I remember a short section of steepish water ice, though. One piece of beta, at the top where it forks, take the left hand coulior as the right hand one ends in steep rock. Unless that's your thing, then take the right fork, who am I to tell you where to go?

And your cell phones!

Jon, Did I get the facts wrong? Please tell me what part of my statement is incorrect. What is the truth? I would like to add that I never critisized Lambone'd decision, I just saw irony in it.

In another thread ehmmic received a lot of flak for placing a couple of pins on Green Dragon. Ignoring the hyperbole and posturing that characterized many of the posts, it should be pointed out that she did not use the pins for upward progress, but as anchors to facilitate a safe retreat. Leaving pins is far better style than to have a catastrophic anchor failure. One can argue that she could have used clean gear, but unless you were there you don't have the right to judge. Life and limb is far more valuable than some nebulous 'route quality', especially on a route that goes clean only because of previous nailing. Am I the only one that finds irony in the fact that Lambone, ehmmic’s most vociferous critic, made a (rather large) judgement error on Glacier Peak that eventually precipitated the use of a cell phone and involved a large scale rescue effort? I see a parallel between pitons and cell phones; if you bring either and get into trouble you will use them. The thing is, ehmmic retreated under her own power and endangered no one else’s life. No lawmaker is ever likely to point at a couple of pins in the rock and use that as an argument to institute fees for climbing rescues. Leaving the pitons did not reflect poorly upon the climbing community. If the next party to climb Green Dragon has any character at all, they will clean the gear and return it to ehmmic.

The Mountaineers must have a Scotland branch. I ran into a similarly outfitted group on the hike into the Bugaboos. These Scottish fellows (really nice guys BTW) brought no other footwear than plastic boots. (This was August and about 70 degrees with no snow in sight.) They managed to climb the Kain Route on Bugaboo Spire in said footwear.They carried two packs. They would hike one up the trail a couple hundred meters, drop it and go back to pick the other one up. Rumor had it they brought an entire ham with them to eat.

We ran into Iceguy and DBB and could see a number of parties on Colchuck. Don't know about Sergio though.

Did TC on Sunday. Avy conditions were fine.

I have some old style Gaz-Bluet butane canisters that I would like to give a way. The cartidges lack the the threaded nipple that many of the new stoves use. Email me if you are interested. bighurtbob@hotmail.gov

Did M.B write this?

Catbird, You haven't climbed Ptarmigan ridge, have you? Altidude is not really a big deal on Rainier, the weather is what it is and believe me, getting brained by a sizeable chunk of rock is plenty dangerous.

Cascadian Couloir on Stuart, Colchuck Peak via Colchuck Glacier, Dragontail via Asgard Pass are all moderate and east of the crest. Washington Pass (if open) offers some other possibilites as well: SW Couloir on South Early Winter Spire, Silver Star mountain.

Bullshit, the crux will be the long approach you will have to make at the time of year you are planning. That and dodging the volleys of really large pieces of the mountain that will fall on you when you climb it when you are planning to.

I apologize for using the term 'dumbass'. I hope I did not hurt your feelings. Your questions are all valid, however, I would expect someone who is planning to climb routes like Ptarmigan Ridge, Thin Red Line and Slesse to have their systems worked out. Your questions made it sound like you had your routes all picked out, now you just need to buy the gear and learn how to use it. I have done most of the routes you mentioned but it took me 10 years and many attempts before catching the right snow conditions and weather.

Is anyone else tired of Flatland's dumbass questions?

Thanks for your input. I think I am going to pick up (with my hands) the Fish Behemoth. Emhemic, check your PM.

Hmmm, yes, well that's not really very helpful, but thanks for taking the time to respond.

I'm looking for a big duffel bag. The North Face has some nice looking ones with shoulder straps but the 9,000 cu in model seems a bit small for its advertised size (and price). Anybody have a bag they can recommend? Army/Navy surplus duffle worth getting?

Hello all, Today's weather forecast for Scottsdale today is for morning sun followed by afternoon sunshine with a chance of evening sunbreaks and a high of 77. I've been running, hiking and climbing at Pinnacle Peak, a nice park in the north side of town. Scott Baxter put many of the routes up in the 70's. The rock is very similar to WA Pass, but less water worn. Formations remind me of J-Tree with the very summit of the peak not unlike the Headstone formation. I'll try to bring some sun back with me.

Word on the street is that the photo is of a new route on the south face of Prussik. Or maybe that is just the word on the back of the catalogue.

So where is this going to be? What is the address?

In reply to Catbirdseat: If you had read my equipment list, you would know that there is a large margin of safety built in. It is suitable for a multiday trip on Rainier. Carefully substituting lighter mulitfunctional items for heavier ones still leaves a margin of safety. ie, a Northface Mountain parka weighs 3 pounds. Will it keep you six times drier than a 1/2 pound Marmot Precip? Do you need a 10 pound assault tent for camping on Ingraham flats? What about taking a shovel and a bivi sack? Look at my list and tell me what gear I am leaving out that most people would take. Books, cell phone, CD player? Do these increase one's margin of safety? Courtney, I agree that most people carry too much weight, but rather than saying that's just how it is, why not offer suggestions for better, lighter gear? You stated that most people who attempt Denali for the first time have not figured out the tricks of lightweight packing. If one has not figured out how to pack for a climb, should they be attempting Denali? Maybe they should knock around a while and get their systems dialed. This reflects an attitude that has become very prevalant, that all one needs to climb is lots of 'bomber' gear and that will save their asses when when the shit hits. Lightweight gear is often cheaper than the heavy stuff. ie Betamid tent, Stubai crampons, Precip Jacket. My winter bag is a $60 REI special, weighs 2 1/4 pounds, my shell also was $60.00 and weighs 1/2 pound. The BD Ice Sack is $150.00 far cheaper than a Dana Designs. I fully agree that making oneself hard to kill is a good idea (it is my mantra when I get up at 4:30 in the morning to lift weights or do 25 mile trail runs). My point is that you are harder to kill by being fast and being fast comes from a)being fit, b)being light, and c) being strong. I think we both agree in principle. Our difference lies in the means to these goals. I believe running and lifting weights makes one stronger and faster than hiking with a heavy pack. I find it ironic that you would quote Twight yet ignore that most basic premise of his. He never suggested hiking with a heavy pack as good training. Long trail runs ("hour long flat runs gain you nothing") intervals, and weight lifting are his recipe.

I saw a couple of guys clean aiding GNS, so I suppose it is now a clean aid route.

or a group of suicidal maniacs bent on self destruction...

Cliff Bar has added a number of flavors recently, most of which I do not care for. Their Lemon Poppyseed variety, however, is very good. I still wish they would bring back the giner snap cookie though.