DPS

What happened to Godzilla? Its been a couple of years since I have climbed at Index.

Smash and grab beats sitting on the glacier for two weeks waiting for a weather window. Way to throw down!

Alex, was that the Honda that we were rear ended in coming back from Big Four one winter?

I haven't been this season, but in winter's past they have allowed parking in the lot at the end of the road past the main Alpental parking lot. During the rest of the year one needs a pass to park there. Maybe sleeping in your vehicle is techinically not allowed, but I doubt anyone would hassle you if you keep a low profile.

Way to represent the PNW!

What Gene said. I think the 'soft skills' are easily as important as technical skills. I think with favorable conditions most reaonably fit persons can climb Rainier. That said, the fitter you are, the more enjoyable the trip will be.

Are you asking about the North Buttress Couloir? It leads to the West face and the difficulty is conditions dependant.

North Buttress Couloir is easier than the Northeast (AKA NE Buttress) Couloir.

The first climbing area at Little Si (Exit 32) has a few cracks that you could spend a couple of hours dinking around on. Plus you get a nice hike out of it too.

Gene is correct, Hugh Herr was a double, below the knee amputee. He also has a PhD from MIT in prostetics. Malcom Daly is onother one who would be good to talk too. Not sure how to get a hold of either of them, but I am sure some Googling would come up with something.

Dave May, I sent you a PM. Dan

KirkW, Nobody has a problem with you voicing your opinion, however, folks tend to get their backs' up when you act like a dick. Dan

Re-read my original response to the OP above.

Is the road to Hell paved with good intentions, or is it more of a gravel road?

The irony is staggering. So I'll take that to mean you stand by your previous suggestion that someone from the flatlands with no mountaineering experience should try to do Baker or Adams in a day? Mt Baker was my first real mountain. I climbed it with a friend. Our collective experience climbing glaciated peaks consisted of reading Freedom of the Hills. We did it in a day. I was 50 pounds overweight at the time. I think it was a reasonable thing to do. I know Gene, Alex, and Rob well, and I have a lot of respect for what they say.

Blah, blah, blah.

The clubs get dumped on (sometimes for good reason), however, I have climbed with some very skilled and accomplished climbers who started out with the Mountaineer's basic course.

What about Mt. Shasta? May is a good month and it is only a five hour drive from Portland. Avalanche Gulch is standard.

Bill, I expect to be back in the hills pretty soon and I will need to get back on the horse gradually and will looking to do some easier routes to get started. If interested shoot me an email: bighurtbob AT hotmail DOT com Dan

Silver Star and Shuksan both require scrambles up their summit pyramids, something the standard route on Eldo doesn't have. While the climbing is not difficult, if one has never rock climbed before it may be a little intimidating.

CC: I believe that is a rap station that SummitChaserBJ left after he soloed that new mixed route on the Haystack.

Right now I am jazzed on Sleater Kinney so I would say Corin Tucker. Their live covers of 'Fortnuate Son' and 'Keep on Rockin in the Free World' with Eddie Vedder are the end all be all for me.

Seems a bit early for some of the approaches. What routes are you considering?

I have done both in good conditions. Technically they are both fairly similar and they can both vary significantly in difficuly. They are both exposed to rock and ice fall, although Adams Glacier more so. Driving from SeaTac to the north side of Adams and the North side of Baker should take about the same time. Baker is definitely a shorter route and less committing as Gene pointed out as well as has a shorter approach. They are both very good routes on great mountains in really scenic areas. The camping the meadows below Adams Glacier is really pretty fantastic. If you camp on Baker, coninue up the glacer past the encampment below the Black Buttes. Below the North Face of Colfax Peak turn right and find Mr. Purple Nice Guy pass tucked between the east ridge of Colfax and a small sub summit. Outrageous position.

My running partner just had his torn miniscus repaired. He had surgery, did physical therapy, and is back to running two months post surgery.