AlpineK

The BC Government needs a full time maintenance staff for the highway to Squamish. [video:youtube] It could have been part of the Olympics

There are 127 pages in the Garbage Can Forum

Yep, the military is going to go on training exercises no matter what, and training costs money. In this case it's rescuing a couple climbers. The military gets to train and practice while performing a community service. If you start charging for climber rescue then it's only fair to charge boaters and hikers for rescue. Taken to extreme you'll have to pay when the fire department rescues you from a burning building. If billcoe's plan goes into action the only legal emergency locater beacons will send out your credit card number when you activate them.

Yep. Rookies-inexperienced folks make mistakes due to lack of training and or ability to evaluate a situation. Experienced folks can get into bad situations too. Sometimes an attitude of, "I've done this 10,000 times before," causes complacency. The folks injured in the Phantom slide a few days ago had a lot of combine experience.

The avalanche happened just below the start of the Slot Couloir on the Phantom side. The avalanche was a slab (20" I think) of new snow on top of this weekends snow surface. I believe three people out of a group of five were in it. You're right on names. A rescue group put two of the injured on toboggans and brought them out. One broken femur. and a messed up knee. Everybody made it out. There's more discussion here: http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=20449.0

Why trundle when you can joust [img:center]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/04/11x0407n3viz.jpg[/img]

Outrageous! [img:center]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3383/3448753317_c24b3d7179.jpg[/img]

When friends and I climbed the Cassin Ridge we were there in late June and summited July 1. During that year most folks were shut down in May due to bad weather. We had some rough weather experiences, but it worked out fine. I think ideal weather conditions are different every year. Stashing food at 16K on the West Butt is a great plan. We were happy we did that.

On Sunday I saw a number of vehicles parked in Alpental lots with lots of snow on top of them and recent snowplow tracks around. It was pretty obvious they'd been there overnight. Maybe if you have the right license plate number security doesn't mess with you

I sent Jon a message saying it was interesting 3 Moderators won a random drawing for TR prize on April 1. I was a winner, but I feel so depressed now

Just one more reason to stay away from tree wells. You shouldn't expect a bear taking a 3 month sleep to be happy when you wake it up early.

Monika would have kicked Ryan's ass if he suggested she shouldn't carry the pack while following a pitch.

The Cabin between Ski Acres (Summit Central) and the Summit burned down a number of years ago. The Mountaineers have a cabin at Stevens Pass and Baker Ski Areas. They also maintain a hut near Stampede Pass called the Meany Lodge. The Meany Lodge has it's own ski area. They maintain a rope tow with a 500 foot vertical. There is a short beginner tow next to it. The big tow takes some practice. The rope runs at about 20 mph, so you need to learn how to use it. Meany Hill The picture shows the main hill, but you can traverse to other runs. You'll want some thick leather mitts and one of these.

I don't know a thing about the Mazamas. I do know a number of Mountaineers who were active climbers in the club during the 50s and 60s. Back then if you were interested in climbing the Mounties were one of the few choices you had to learn about climbing. Based on the personality of older Mountaineers I know the club was both good and fun. I hear at some point in the 70s the club model or philosophy changed adding strange bureaucracy and standards. My early experiences with the club in the 70s involved skiing at the lodges and taking climbing classes. I eventually decided the club was strange and I wanted out. The climbing standards and education they used at the time didn't match what I read in books about climbing. To be fair I was a teenager hanging out with a bunch of old farts (in their 40s ), and that didn't help. In later years I would run into groups of Mountaineers on climbs in the Cascades. What I saw did not inspire me or make me think things had changed. I have heard the club has put some effort into updating climbing classes and standards over the last few years, but I've also heard about encounters climbers I know have had with Mountaineers that make me question the updates. Things do take time of course. I think the Mountaineers have an important historic impact on climbing in the Northwest, but I'm unsure on how to judge them now. At least I don't see an advantage in rejoining the club at this time.

Those pictures really show me how much glacier loss has occurred since the 80s. When we descended to Schwartz Ledges there was an easy path straight from the summit to the ledges. Based on the photos that doesn't look like an easy or good idea.

I don't know. I was an Intermediate Climbing Class drop out in '80. Re-qualifying to climb doesn't sound that attractive. It is nice to see some changes though

Are you under time constraints? A long time ago a friend and I walked in from the road with climbing gear. One day to Berg lake, then the next day to about 1000' below the recommended high camp. We got skunked by the weather that time. If you have four days walking is a lot cheaper than helicopter. Keep in mind Robson is a magnet for storms. I didn't summit till my fourth attempt.

It's pretty straightforward going from Melakwa pass to the lake then up to either Bryant col or Pineapple pass.

I'd be interested to hear Raindawgs wax poetic on

Here's an article from Alpenglow http://www.alpenglow.org/climbing/ptarmigan-1953/index.html

I just received the news Tom Miller passed away on Monday. Tom was a well known Pacific Northwest mountaineer. He wrote about climbing and took many photographs of the North Cascades. Tom played an important role in the establishment of the North Cascades National Park. He provided his book of photographs to Senators Jackson and Magnuson along with Governor Evans. At the time few people knew what was in their backyard. His book provided photos that swayed votes for the park. My father new him, and I remember talking to him about climbing over the years. He was a fantastic guy and good climber. Tom is survived by his wife Nancy and two children.

Too bad you guys aren't hot blond chicks.

I don't know if it was bs or not, but last year I remember hearing something about an overnight camping/parking fee. If this isn't the case check to see if they're cool with parking in the lowest lot, or the first lot you come to driving up the Alpental road.

Yep, walking around a forested, or formerly forested area with a running chainsaw can draw attention. Cutting a stump here and there may be no big deal, but it can also get the place shut down.