DPS
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Posts posted by DPS
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I was under the impression Leutholds was generally considered out of season by this point in the year due to junk falling off. Am I off base here?
I think that is a fairly accurate generalization, however, this is an unually cold, wet spring/summer so far.
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I saw the biggest avalanche that I've ever seen live rip down Thermogenesis last year when I was up on Lib Ridge
That was my thought as well. When I did Lib Ridge the Willis Wall never stopped avalanching.
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That is not something you see every day. Hard of fathom.
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The South (West?) Buttess has some route latitude so it is hard to get lost, although there are some variations that are clearly better than others. FWIW, we rapped the route with a 40 meter rope, what was left after cutting my 60 when it got stuck.
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Either Easton or Coleman-Demming routes. Coming from Oregon Easton would be a shorter drive. Either one has significant glacier travel with large crevasses.
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Thanks for the shout out.
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I dreamt about them last night. Wonder what Freud would say aboot that.
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The new story suggests he never meant to ski the Coleman Headwall, a difficult descent, but tipped over and fell down it? Did I understand that correctly?
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Sig,
Best of luck on your venture. Shasta is one of those 'special' mountains. Perhaps it is the famous energy vortexs, perhaps it is the unique vegetation, or because it is one of the few glaciated 14ers in the CONUS. If you have your crampon and ice axe skills down, have done your P.T. and the weather is favorable you will have a good climb. Best of luck.
Dan
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Can't get there from here: http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/giffordpinchot/recarea/?recid=75056
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Dr. Eric Heit at VA Mason. https://www.virginiamason.org/body.cfm?id=1175&action=detail&ref=217 He is an orthopedic Podiatrist specializing in sports related injuries. As a general rule I hate doctors and can sniff out a bad one quickly (hint, they are almost all bad). Eric is very good, and very specialized, and uderstands sports related injuries and how to get us back on our feet again. Best line - "Well, it's not the worst sprain I've seen, but certainly the second worst." He also did several surgeries on both my wife's feet and achiles tendons with good results.
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I worry about the super light fabrics, though.
I have the original Betamid. It is 10 years old and had been my go to shelter for all those years. It looks as good as new aside from a few stains. My buddy bought the SilNylon version and inside of 2 years grew huge holes in the perimeter. It saves a pound of weight, but in a storm I worry about the fabric coming apart. Seems like they could use a techy fabric that saves some weight yet is still plenty strong. I will personally never buy a tarp that uses SilNylon.
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FWIW I have never taken goggles on any of the NW volcanos...in summer or fall. Your Oakleys will be fine and a lot less hassle to pack around.
I always take them, and have needed them several times, just on Hood.
FWIW I have never taken goggles on any of the NW vocanoes either, except in winter, and never needed them. But then again I look at these things called weather forecasts that predict the weather.
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Good point Water. I put the chapstick in my pack this time. I will add some sunblock also as long as I can get a tiny bottle.
1 oz Aloe Gator gel: http://www.rei.com/product/407201/aloe-gator-super-total-sunblock-gel-spf-40-1-fl-oz
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I think it's a matter of soloing at a certain level below what you can climb roped.
Like Derek Hershey?
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If you have dark sunglasses, i.e. glacier glasses, choose googles with an amber tint. They are the best for whiteout conditions when you will be wearing them.
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I think that would work,but you would have to gain unnecessary elevation. Most folks drop onto the Nisqually low down and head up the Nisqually to the FF bivis.
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I think it is very dependant upon where you climb. On the vertical cracks in granite they are less helpful but I have yet to meet a Gunks climber who doesn't swear by them. I have fiddled with them and thought about adding them to my rack, but smallish cams are easier and faster to place.
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Colchuck isn't in the North Cascades either.
By what definition?
Park boundries for one.
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I have carried a 10 x 12 tarp for many years on ski, kayak and hiking trips. It is nice to have extra coverage, in my opinion. Unless there is a bug problem, mice, or on any trip where you will be camping above timberline, I prefer tarps to tents.
I have been on a lot of group trips, particularly winter ski camping trips, where my friends were skeptical at first but by the second night of the trip everybody was hanging out under my tarp and using their tents only for sleeping.
Count me as a skeptic converted. In February one year, Alex, Matt and I climbed the NE Couloir on Colchuck. We dug a big pit in the trees and put up Matt's tarp as a roof. It was really nice to hang out in and I slept in a +40 degree sleeping bag, so I have to believe it traps at least some heat.
As for fitted tarps, Mountain Hardwear has some interesting, and incredibly light designs for four and six people. They say the material is a little stronger than standard SilNylon. The GoLite Shangi Las are pretty sweet looking. My BD Betamid has been workhorse for 10 years. Too bad the Megamid is no longer available in the heavier nylon version.
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Kiwi Coils could be made to work for glaciers, but I like having the extra coils free, ready to use.
Isn't that what a Kiwi Coil does, leaves extra coils ready for use?
A Kiwi coil ties into the end of the rope, then coils part of the rope in between the climbers. Once you untie the coil, there are no extra coils past your tie in point (the rope end) to drop into a crevasse of create a haul system.
OK, I'll but that. I always thought a kiwi coil was tying in short and wrapping remaining rope in coils around your head/neck/shoulders/pack/etc.. What is that called? Tying in short?
I don't know what the official name for that is, I just call it tying in short. The Kiwi Coil ties into the harness with the end of the rope with a rewoven figure 8, then the several loops of rope are passed over one shoulder and under the other. A bight of rope is passed through the loops, the belay loop and tied off.
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Kiwi Coils could be made to work for glaciers, but I like having the extra coils free, ready to use.
Isn't that what a Kiwi Coil does, leaves extra coils ready for use?
A Kiwi coil ties into the end of the rope, then coils part of the rope in between the climbers. Once you untie the coil, there are no extra coils past your tie in point (the rope end) to drop into a crevasse of create a haul system. Like I said, you make the system work for crevasse rescue by untying from the rope end, but I prefer the simplicity of tying in 15-20 meters from the end on a butterfly knot.
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You may want to take a look at these guys as well. I know them well, have climbed with them and they are top notch:
Chris Simmons: http://climbskirun.blogspot.com/
Kurt Hicks: http://kurthicks.com/
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We dropped into a chute on the west side of the ridge, perhaps somewhere between halfway and 2/3 of the way down. As Jason mentions, the Adams Glacier is a wonderful route. We found mostly moderately technical terrain, a few steep pitches which we belayed, and interesting route finding with a few 'will it go' moments.
The NR isn't terrible, but it isn't good either. I wanted to get off it as soon as possible. I'm sure conditions play a part, but we found just enough snow to make the scree slippery, thus we bailed down the chute. The chute was perhaps 35 degrees, maybe a bit steeper? We climbed the route mid July.
Be sure to call the Ranger station to make sure the road (I think there are two possible ways in) is snow free to the trail head, or else you will be walking the road.
I like to bivi as high as possible, so we hiked through the beautiful meadows and camped at the edge of the glacier on sand next to a tarn. The NR descent dropped us right at camp.
To the fathers......
in Spray
Posted
I sent my daughter an email worthy of Alec Baldwin for Father's Day.