AlpineK

Get one of these Ktrack Mountain biking + Skis You can retrofit your dirt bike too Snocycle Skidoos are last century

Bring skis. Check weather and avy conditions. The White River entrance will probably be closed at the turn off to Crystal on 410. At least given the forecast for this winter. Better yet make sure Rainier is one of many options for April.

People get psyched to climb without having a previous outdoor background. That wasn't usually true of climbers 30 years ago but that was then and this is now. Placing a sign directing folks is pretty cheap and low impact. I like seeing signs on trails indicating vegetation restoration areas and blocking unnecessary side trails. Signs to crags do not equal spray painting rock. I could probably drive all over the state without road signs or arrows pointing the way, but the same isn't true of someone new to the region.

I don't think the issue is climbers following a trail, it is climbers/hikers making and following multiple trails which damages the environment particularly in fragile ecosystems like the alpine, artic, and some desert zones. Exactly. Pick 1 trail to a crag and preserve other areas by marking the designated route. Climbers should be good at off trail navigating, but areas with high use need some management.

Fairweather will be talking up Dino Rossi the next time he runs for Gubernor and drinks approved tea party caffeine+alcohol beverages

I should have commented on the hand saw. Sorry. Yes you would use a saw like the one ilookeddown posted a picture of. People carry those for constructing avy pits. Site selection is important. Pick a leeward slope and go over the site first with a probe pole to make sure snowpack depth is sufficient. Shoveling downhill is easier than shoveling uphill If it isn't deep enough you'd have to dig and build a giant snow pile then dig into the pile to dig out the cave.

You need a $20 permit to climb above 10 grand. Here is a link to info on conditions and roads http://www.shastaavalanche.org/ The Sierra Club has a camp a few miles in before the big climb to Avalanche Gully Horse Camp

Here's a good video [video:youtube]

There are some techniques for snow cave construction that minimize the amount of, "mining," necessary. Of course I don't have the latest FOTH so I may have missed something. Digging a T shaped slot then filling in the front of the cave with blocks works much better than the old school tunneling technique.

[img:center]http://www.stockphotopro.com/photo-thumbs-2/stockphotopro_2163768UGD_ima56995.jpg[/img]

I was laughing when SC posted pictures of his bad ass ice climb on Chair Peak. Ice climbing ski runs is way out there. [img:center]http://www.danbbs.dk/~rep/pictures/animation/skianim.gif[/img] BTW

Folks who are, "smart," don't make statements like this. You can make posts in Spray that have nothing to do with politics and avoid political threads there

They should be begging you to leave, or moving you to the Spray Department.

Think globally act locally

Yep sure is

In case any of you missed the news Dino Rossi lost the election and conceded defeat to Patty Murry. FYI Possibly somebody should change the thread title to

1977 or 78 snow camping near Cedar Creek (HWY 20) [img:center]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs480.ash1/26300_383603059874_520749874_3671151_3514870_n.jpg[/img]

Minx, did your pack, "drop you," while climbing? I'm sorry. :kisss:

At Outdoor Emergency Care training you have to act out proper procedure when you encounter someone who looks like they need help. One thing you always run into (you're being tested on) is a, "victim," who says, "Oh I'm fine," when in reality they need some help. Problems with altitude are possible high on Hood. Frostbite, Being diabetic and forgetting to inject yourself... Maybe none of that works with your story but...

Driving into Tibet years ago our group and expedition gear was all in one bus. The easy part was involved trundling boulders out of the road for the bus. Things got harder at night when the bus lacked power to drive up a steep grade. Eight of us would get out to give it a push uphill The high point picture of postholing uphill reminds me of my high point. Postholing is hard enough at low altitude. Lack of oxygen adds a huge element.

[img:center]http://www.gearfuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/dino-van.jpg[/img]

Nice

The right side of the road where the, "cliff," starts is very straight. The crew must have polished and smoothed that side of the road. I'm not sure why they skipped the left side and did a little more trundling.

Too bad Christine didn't win [img:center]http://freedomist.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ChristineODonnell.jpg[/img] She would have really fucked things up for the Republicans in 2012. At least Sarah is still in charge

One crew built the road, then the photoshop crew came in for some final detailing.