Alex

Goat Basin is entirely snowmelt fed. As such, it does well with wet, heavy snow and some Mr. freeze/melt cycles. Judging from what I saw up at Alpental today, which is a little lower but similar, I'd guess its not got enough meltwater going to form leadable/protectable ice and that the approach would be heinous in the current snow conditions.

sick send yo!

thats ok, i have other plans as well, see you dawgs later

A great place to learn is Marrymoor Park climbing structure. (Just don't learn by example there, you'll see alot of crazy and stupid stuff.) Another great place to learn is in the gym. There you will be in the most controlled environment possible, with lots of expierienced climbers around to ask questions to.

There is plenty of good unclimbed routes to be climbed in Washington if you are willing to tramp around the woods a little (most people arent though). As for the rock at Strobach, its basalt. In general its fairly weathered, friable, not particularly solid, reliable natural pro is sparse. I drytooled something there on TR this past year where I would have gotten only 2 decent natural pro placements in 30 meters.

How'd you like the route? Looks the same as it always does. What else was in when you guys were there?

Thats funny, looks like Layton disagrees with your friend, gyselinck http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/524676/an/0/page/0#524676 That's Sad Ce'bu he's climbing.

no idea about current cond's, but I've been in there a number of times in Dec in previous years and one or two routes is usually in by first or second week of Dec. As to routes being still unclimbed, yes, many of them are still unclimbed. Winter access makes casual attempts at climbing stuff in the area very difficult for anyone except those who live in Yakima.

Ptarmigan Traverse is very tame as far as glacier travel goes, but that doesnt mean it can't be dangerous and that glacier travel skills are not needed. both times I've been on it we only roped up for some shorter, select sections of the glaciers. Still, the top of the Middle Cascade glacier and LeConte glacier especially are dangerous and it would be unwise to travel over that kind of terrain with no clue.

I and two partners tried the right hand steep crack/dihedral today. We collectively cleaned the route of a large loose flake and a troublesome bramble, but otherwise the route went, pretty fun, powerful moves but not as long as the other two lines. Setting a TR anchor for this line should be feasible.

it might be, but to be honest i can't really tell from the pic ..

"Flight to Mars" is Sean Courage et al's name for what I called "Bryant Buttress Right". If stuff is starting to form in the lower valley, by next weekend there might be something to actually climb....somewhere in Washington...!

Alpental Falls is the much higher volume flow out of view to the right of the stuff you took a picture of. What you've got there is "Alpental 4"...

Ah that might be then, when I tried them it was (what March 2004?) and I was with the famous genepires, who had gotten his mitts on some to mess around with.

The Cascade River road (Eldorado) stays open as long as it doesnt snow in the valley. If it does snow you are usually SOL. The road to Mt Baker Ski area (Shuksan) stays open all winter. The road to Heliotrope Ridge (Baker) closes and does not reopen until April/Mayish, however if you are an enterprising and fit ski mountaineer, you can approach Baker the long way from Mt Baker ski area and Table Mountain. Mt Adams in winter...good luck! The road to Timberline (Mt Hood) stays open all winter. As someone else mentioned, Mt Hood is by far the easiest winter access peak (besides Rainier, I guess) and is routinely climbed in an easy day during decent weather during the winter. The specific route wont matter so much as your own experience level. I am taking a wild guess that you have not climbed these peaks in the summer season, or you would be more familiar with them and not have to ask such questions. With that in mind I would recommend you be highly conservative in what you try here in the winter. These mountains are big, all the peaks you list have extensive travel through avalanche country and above treeline, and have typically terrible weather in the winter. Your best bet is to do the South Side of Mt Hood, Hogsback, as your first trainging route, and then perhaps do some of the suggestions that danielpatricksmith made, before trying some of the largest peaks in winter.

Thats the marketing pitch. In reality the Aztars are shorter (by 2cm, which results in less efficient climbing) and just dont compare to Quarks for water ice. I just got the pinky guard for my wifes Quarks and while they sometimes get in the way on real technical ice (we've found while leading a hard 4), they overall verdict is good and they are a nice addition for mixed terrain like Hafner, where alot of people are now climbing on completely leashless standard Quarks with pinky guard rather than the ergo tools.

we should move this to Events Forum

that sounds pretty cool

thought i would post a quick note General Conditions: Warm. Its been above freezing in Canmore and even Lk Louise for the last week and longer. Its been clear and dry in the Bow Valley, but elsewhere (Golden, Columbia Valley) there is a thick "fog of death". The cool down is supposed to happen this week but its been very slow in coming, highs are supposed to be -5'ish by week's end. Specific: Field: some Dennis climbs are in though didnt see much as this was a "Fog of Death" kind of day. Massey's is in. Silk Tassel is in with very thin top out. Super Bock is in but the approach pitches are so fragile that they are scary and wont stand up to any traffic (and then you're screwed). There are some routes forming above the train tunnel outside of Field up the big hill that are new routes for sure. Parkway: Pretty much what you have heard from elsewhere. Bow Falls in, stuff in David Thompson is in (from ltv), but along the parkway proper the only thing formed is Shades of Beauty, Murchison, and Polar Circus. Shades of Beauty is in easy shape, with its last pitch being wet WI3. Polar Circus approach pitches are thin, but as you can walk around them not a huge problem. The WI3 pitch above the first WI4 pitch is in 2 shape. Bridal Veil is there but rotten looking. Everything else is running water. Wilson Major is there, but the LWC is running water. Oh Le Tabernac is running water. Curtain Call was in 6+ shape when we saw it last Sunday, but I hear it fell down...no surprise really. Bow Valley & KCountry: wazzumnteer told me Little Gem was in. Other than that Sea has been climed a week ago but is very thin now. Terminator et all a far way from touching, but Postrcriptum is there. Still, if it gets cold soon enough it will stay up. Bourgeau's were in but Left fell down (from ltv). Will reform with cold weather. Cascade and other standards are all running water. Radium Highway: did a really fine trip up to the Stanley Headwall. All routes are in and getting a fair amount of traffic(!! amazing how high stdrds are in the Rockies these days when people are climibing Nemesis every day early season !!). The "fog of death" was affecting this valley making vis especially tough, but we were above it all day. We did Sinus Gully, which if you do just the first pitch is a long walk for a pitch of 3. But the rest of the route (rock pitch, traverse, exit ice, walk off) makes for a really nice day! The exit ice is WI4 right now. Nemesis was looking great! Suffer Machine too, French Reality looking a bit thin. There is enough snow up there now to make the walk off off Sinus Gully av-threatened. Rapping the route is sort of possible. Hafner has formed up great in the last week. Tons of traffic of course but a great time over 2 different days. Met team BD one of the days and got to check out some prototype thingys, was cool. Thats about it, there is plenty of ice to climb especially in the alpine, but you have to drive a bit to enchain a week's worth.

but the ergos climb ice like crap compared to any ice tool (i've discovered). std quarks are the e-ticket.

I've gone in with my (old) snomo from Mazama, and the road was impassable to us around the Silverstar area, since the av fans were so large and my sled was not powerful enough to punch through and climb over that stuff. We skiied up the road the rest of the way, it was casual and ended up being just a daytrip (the drive to Mazama in the winter, of course, was loooong). Modern $led$ should be fine.

usually the route Endless Bliss at Gunshow dries out pretty fast.

Thursday 3:30pm at the Issaquah Park and Ride off exit 15. See you then!

i like the panorma shot of southern and northern pickets

This time of year those routes are *always* in shape.