DPS

I've approached Curtis Ridge and Ptarmigan Ridge via White River Road several times in winter and early spring. The road to White River trailhead is plowed in two phases. The stretch from HWY 410 to White River Road will most likely be plowed when your trip is planned, leaving about 5.5 miles of road to the White River Trailhead. If this is the case, then riding bicycles is a very efficient way to make the approach. The White River road is mostly flat and can be biked in short order. Yeah, it's quite a surprise to be coming back out of there on skis and find that someone plowed half of the road you were planning on gliding down back to the car. The highlight of the trip was hearing the straps on your back pack snapping under the added weight of your skis.

I've approached Curtis Ridge and Ptarmigan Ridge via White River Road several times in winter and early spring. The road to White River trailhead is plowed in two phases. The stretch from HWY 410 to White River Road will most likely be plowed when your trip is planned, leaving about 5.5 miles of road to the White River Trailhead. If this is the case, then riding bicycles is a very efficient way to make the approach. The White River road is mostly flat and can be biked in short order.

Although not in NCNP, Mt. Stuart Cascadian Couloir route does not require a partner and is a few hours closer to you. If you are broadening your horizons to the rest of the Cascades, Colchuck Glacier, Adams South Spur, SS Mt Hood would all fit the bill.

Once you make the drive from Northern California, you might as well consider anything in the park. Ruth Mountain, or Ruth-Icy Traverse, Eldorado Peak - East Ridge, Sahale Peak, Silver Star Mt, Mt Buckner south side. None are like Shasta, in that they are not volcanos, but all are high, snowy, scenic and don't absolutely require a partner, although there are some crevasses on Ruth - Icy and Eldorado if you stray off the East Ridge.

It depends on the weather, if it gets hot or what, but I suspect TC will still be in shape and SGC is almost guaranteed to be in shape. I've climbed both routes in April (can't remember early or late) and SGC again in MAy and had very good conditions. This time of year you have to watch out for isothermal snowpack and climax avalanches. There are a number of trip reports indicating spring avalanches are definitely a concern. Conditions change so fast that it is not possible to give an informed answer at this time. Precipitation started out a full standard deviation lower than the mean, but caught up by March and April has been quite wet. So, snow pack roughly normal right now. I've done somewhere in the neighborhood of 30+ winter and spring trips into the Stuart Range and will never use skis again, unless it is specifically for skiing. This approach was made for snowshoes. Conditions change quickly, so ask this question again a day before your trip before you make the decision to use floatation. Current Road conditions should be listed on the Wenachee Ranger District web site. I don't believe a traverse of the Stuart Range has been done in winter /early spring conditions, and I have thought about it for years. I think you are on the right track : North Side route on Stuart - Stuart Glacier Couloir/Ice Cliff Glacier/NW Face An easy descent down the east ridge to Sherpa puts you at the West Ridge, which is fun, blocky rock climbing, most likely mixed at that time, but prolly fairly reasonable, along the lines of the West Ridge portion of the Stuart Glacier Couloir but longer. Argonaut is the big question mark. I've done it twice in winter, and the easiest route is the NE Couloir. A true traverse, that is to say Argonaut via the West Ridge, would be very challenging. Lots of gendarmes and what not. Walking around to the north basin of Argonaut to access the NE Couloir would be easy at least, as all the nasty muskeg and slide alder is covered by snow. Descending off of Argonaut, I have always rappelled the south face which sets you up nicely for an easy walk to the West Face of Colchuck. I know Klenke enchained NE Couloir of Argonaut and WF of Colchuck in early spring in a day, so it is very reasonable. This information is all based on my historical knowledge, I haven't been out in the hills for the last month, but I suspect ice formation on high, north side routes (e.g. TC) will continue to improve if current weather patterns persist or at least until we get some sustained hot weather.

Leavenworth: Clam Shell Crag area. Can be top roped. Leavenworth: Mountaineer's Buttress Leavenworth: Rotowall area. Can be top roped.

Where did you hear 21 hours? I personally know folks who have done it in 18.

You may want to check on the road conditions. April is early season so your approach will be longer than usual.

Last time I was at Camp Muir it looked like there was a semi permanent encampment on the Kautz. I think it is one of the regularly guided routes now?

I remember our feet hurt, but at least it was a long walk.

Didn't I climb that with you, John Sharp, and Kurt Hicks? Out of the eight or so different routes I've done on Stuart, SGC stands out as the most interesting and 'alpine'.

Both Emmons and DC will have lots of people. Both will have well beaten cattle trails.

Alex and I climbed the Kautz to Point Success Memorial Day WE, 1999 and had nice conditions. Very straight forward, one ice axe, face downhill on the descent kind of conditions. Met Sobo that trip. On top of Point Success I took my mitten off to tie my boots, and put it in my mouth. Alex asked a question and when I opened my mouth to answer, I dropped it and watched it slide 4,000 feet down the route. If you find, you can keep it. I'll send you it's mate.

I did not write nor imply that that other company's bags are not well rated or not accurate. The point I was trying to make is that in my experience FF and WM are more conservative in their ratings or are not necessarily equivalent to the big brand name bag's ratings. It could very well be that the big brand name bags are MORE accurately rated and WM and FF are not accurately rated.

-Go as light as possible. 30lbs max fully loaded for the DC. More weight can be cut by staying in the Muir shelter if possible. Some folks don't like it, I do. -Don't bring anything you don't plan on using or wearing, except for an extra pair of socks and a little extra fuel and food. -Go as fit as possible. Hike with a pack, trail run, run stairs, step master, lift weights. The fitter you are, the more you will enjoy the experience. -Start early. Get ahead of the guided groups. Move quickly under seracs and rock bands. -Consider the Emmons Glacier route. Fewer objective hazards, arguably more scenic and 'wildernessy', less of a goat rodeo. Late July-Early August there should be a cattle trail to follow.

Been a low snow year this year, and each year seems to have earlier and earlier seasons for routes like Lib Ridge or Ptarmigan Ridge. I think the prevailing wisdom is to aim for a trip as soon as the White River road opens, typically Memorial Day WE, weather permitting. (Approaching from White River allows you to make an easy descent via Emmons without any car shuttle business.)

Nobody 'unfortunately' jumped to any conclusions. People, including myself, made a reasonable assumption that since the OP specifically mentioned he had done some hiking and was a runner, that if had done additional skills training he would have mentioned it. The advice folks gave is all solid, conservative, and encouraging.

I have had the pleasure of climbing with a number of newer, enthusiastic climbers this year. What I really appreciate is that these new climbers spent some time educating themselves - reading books, (Freedom of the Hills is a good one), taking some guided courses, and practicing book knowledge in the hills. It is one thing to ask to tag along as a less experienced climber, quite another to show up expecting to be taught everything. At a minimum, teach yourself to ties knots (Prusiks, clove hitch, rewoven figure eight, butterfly know, double fisherman's knot), how to walk in crampons, use an ice axe, self arrest, ascend a rope with Prusik slings, set snow anchors (dead men, pickets, bollards). Do some easy peaks so that you are not totally clueless - folks will be more amenable to take you up something like Red Mt or Sliver Peak and give you some pointers on ice axe/crampon use and then you will have some bone fide experience to advertise when looking for Rainier partners.

Wow, heavy, bulky, and super expensive. My -15 FF weighs 3lb 4 oz and cost $550 custom made with overfill and Epic fabric. And I bet it is as warm as the Wraith.

I've known folks hwo have used everything from +10 to -40. For late May-June in a cold year I used a -15 Feathered Friends and was warm enough with a single foam pad. Be aware, however, that not all bag's temperature ratings are equivalent. A -10 degree boutique bag (i.e. Feathered Friends or Western Mountaineering) may be as warm as a -25 bag from the North Face, Marmot, Mountain Hardware or other big box company.

I drank Fireball. Once.

I skiied the Sulphide in August once, but it was not really worth it. I'm with you Jason, when there is fuffly white stuff I ski, otherwise I climb. Oh, and I wouldn't count on skiing off the summit anytime in July or August.

North Face and White Salmon Glaceier are natural choices to ski after clibming FC, however, by August, especially this year, you may have open crevases and generally icy conditions.

Crikes, glad no one was hurt.

I completely agree. I did many of my climbs car to car when my daughter was young because my free time was limited, now I love to bivi, it is all part of the experience. The bivis on top of Winnie's Slide, right below the entrance to the Upper Curtis, are AMAZING, plus you get running water coming right off of the glacier.