Alex

I saw that pillar from the highway, it looked like it formed because the E wind was so strong, kind of formed slanted to the right

you could TR First on the Left, Sudden Change of Plan, or Sad Ce'bu if you can keep your energy going and hike up the gully and around to the top. Its totally doable. Just need the Mo Jo.

dude, who IS that ultra-hot gal you're climbing with?? only soviets are that tough

Ergo, there should be a parking lot bulldozed to Colchuck Lake?

I have seen some very recent pics that show Banks is in very similar (extremely thin) shape that coldiron's pics also show from last month. Cable is mostly a dry-tooling/thin ice problem right now, Zenith is very thin but connected for those hardmen out there, and some other thin stuff. It's certainly cold enough, just not a lot of water.

top rope, ice climb, and state of Washington are unfortunately never found in the same sentence

Index granite is The Breakfast of Champions??

Yeah, its not really visible from the road so it gets only occasional traffic, as you can see from the other thread.

someone local should weigh in with real facts, but my magic 8-ball says this is the warmest, driest, and least PNW-ice-friendly season in my 20 years of living here. It is Jan 29th, about 2 weeks prior to the "normal end of our ice season", so if you are swinging tools on something other than pandome, you're doing pretty good.

all this said, if the current drought continues late-May will be too late this year, so best post this kind of question here about a week before u go

Index, DerWorth. I was there today too Wayne and it was just pure magic. That said I have never been nor will be a solid 11/12 leader so Index leaves me with not that many routes, which takes me to De Worth, where a decent 10 leader can get alot more mileage and honestly I just love camping in the Icicle especially in te Fall. Leavenworth reminds me a bit of the NE, where I learned, so I like that ambiance

NE Ridge Black W Ridge Stuart

One thing you might consider is re-slinging any older cams etc, to make the safety factor ++. I've found older gear still as bombproof as the day I bought it, but nylon is nylon...

8 Mile Road because it's around the 8-mile marker from town up the Icicle.

"merely the third"... good job!

Banff is two hours drive closer than Hyalite from SEA, if you go 90 then through Cranbrook.

ah yes, Duncan. geez some things never change.

glad you got some, looks like itll be slushy shortly, strange year!!

nice

There aren't many, but some of the better places for beginners in WA (when in...) Rainbow Falls area Leavenworth (when in and not threatened by icicles from above...) Devil's Punchbowl Banks Lake (when in...) Fugs Falls Vantage and Umptaneum Falls near Ellensburg If you really want to have a good excursion and are ok with a weekend trip, best bang for the buck is Marble Canyon and Rambles in Lillooet, BC

Yeah Pat you are right sorry for some reason I thought the poster was already skiing just wanted to get used to b/c gear.

I actually don't think a resort is a good place to go, the conditions are not "real", and the patrollers for one might not be very happy with you if you are toodling around during business hours. I would offer the Crystal backcountry, eg the uphill track heading out of the lot on the N? side to go into Buillon Basin or the track to get to Hermann Saddle next to Table Mountain as much better exercises in travel with skis even for the beginner. These are relatively safe, well travelled winter backcountry corridors. And once you are ready, you simply drop into the other side, eg into Gold Creek or Buillon Basin, or back side of Table, for real turns ...

kudos for some great pics and a nice experience! Star filled night on Rainier is hard to beat, but the Christmas lights are a comeup for sure

These are my def of easy, YMMV... Cascade Pass Gothics with a nice view of Del Campo et al. Vesper with good views to Big Four Cutthroat Pass Get into Fisher Basin, or get to Wing Lake under Black