Alex

Now, there's an idea!!

I remember there being some really large cracks at the Shurman level of the Winthrop. I would suggest you just hoof it down the Interglacier, and go over the pass again to cross the Winthrop down lower. The Winthrop down low is a snooze.

prob Hozomeen

Thin Fingers is actually a pretty easy route for Index. Its sinker hands all the way up. Here is a brief stab at something similar to the "Crack List" in your second link Index Cracks: 5.8 p1 Even Steven p1 that approach pitch to GNS, forget its name - wide p1 GM "5.9" - these are all pretty real for 5.9s Toxic Shock p1 Jap Gardens Godzilla Rogers Corner p1 Davis Holland 5.10a p2 GM -> Heart of the Country as one pitch sinker great practice for Thin Fingers! Breakfast of Champions - more great practice for Thin Fingers! "5.10a" Libra Crack - thin hands! Saggitarius - long pitch with everything! hard 5.10 Davis-Holland on UTW Godzilla p2 and Slow Children Thin Fingers (I dont think its 11a at all, sorry) 5.11 Even Steven, upper Iron Horse others I am not good enough to climb

I went to the gym. It was damn hot and stuffy.

ken4ord, I was the guy who removed the thread prematurely, sorry about that. I had read it and thought you had your question answered, but missed where you asked for route recomendations, so just ditched it. Sorry!

Please don't make me go back to the gym!! IceIceBaby doesnt have a car... I can meet in Eastgate or points East after 4:30.... Alex

yes

A post supporting Leland. You, and only you, are responsible for your actions and choices in the mountains.

assmonkey is right on. if your SO digs climbing, let her progress at her own pace, not your pace for her. if her issue really is exposure, it will take a long time for her to get over it. I suggest you top-rope climbs at Castle and Index, such as S Face Jello Tower or Godzilla, to work on her comfort level with real exposure. Greg_W also raises an important point, spouses and SOs rarely make the best teachers for climbing: if you have a good male or female climbing friend you can trust to teach your SO, instead of you teaching, it might be really good to do that and mix it up. If your SO really likes the climbing, it wont matter to her that much who she is climbing with. If, however, her issue is that she is climbing primarily for you, to be with you, then she will not be interested in climbing with anyone else, and eventually her interest and progression might plateau or cease.

Where's the damn monkey, Tom? Did you give up the monkey and go to a kite??

Moving to Events forum

moved to S WA Cascades section

rbw1966, Mowich lake road prob sees alot more traffic. Wet + unpaved + steep == bad washboards. In the summer it doesnt rain much even on Rainier, so it seems like a reasonable plan

another vote for Kautz

I guess I should add that your climb through the Kautz Ice Chute sounds hairball! When we did this route it was a 50 degree hard neve/ice chute, but not particularly long and was fairly casual, we didnt belay anything. This was first week of June. Your summit experience kind of sounds like ours: it was blowing 80mph on top, and Dan and I couldnt stand up - let alone crawl - to the summit. We really felt like we might get picked up and tossed back down the Kautz by the wind! So we preempted that and turned around, sans summit, from Pt Success. Our climbing day was very cold, it was one of the only times I can remember ever wearing my down jacket the entire time while climbing, incl Alaska. And we were climbing damn fast!

TrailPair, I believe the reference is specifically to people who travel to climb Rainier from outside the state of Washington. Rainier is a very popular desitnation climb, especially for "East-coasters" who rarely if ever see glaciated peak, let alone one so dramatic. I tend to agree that the economy might be a probable cause. Airfare and renting eq *does* cost more than a trip to the White Mountains or Adirondack High Peaks, after all. You could back that theory up by comparing Denali climbing records, since the situation climbing in Denali Park is very similar.

The standard way is the "ice chute" that Alex describes climbers left of Camp Hazard. I wouldnt tackle the serac band directly, it *does* calve fairly regularly. When dps and I climbed this route (seems like) many years ago, we walked through a very large debris field that completely buried Camp Hazard to get to the ice chute.

Ooops, I just checked, it (Inifinte Patience) was climbed Oct 23rd or so, so I dont think thats technically winter...?

You've heard of Infinite Patience right? Thats the Emperor Face in winter, done by Bubba.

Greenwood/Locke had apparently never been done in winter, the Elzinga/Miller has been done 3x, though. Alex

There was some discussion of the Greenwood/Locke in winter on LTV, but I have not heard the official story. Was a report published anywhere? Thanks

How about a direct ascent of the Black Spider? Or did I just "out" Wayne?

did you see danielpatricksmith in the boulderfield??

You guys are getting too well organized with this pub club thing. The place was agreed on in like 3 posts! I might just have to make an appearance.