AlpineK

A few weeks back we skied around Blanca lake. It was a spring like day, but we saw one large slab fracture on Columbia. I'd agree the weather patterns this spring after the winter before set up some unusual conditions. One report mentions a missing skier on the mountain in the area where the avy took place and buried the climber

Trip: Mount Shasta - Avalanche Gully Date: 5/28/2010 Trip Report: In early May some friends and I started talking about cool things to ski over Memorial Day Weekend. A number of peaks made the list, but after multiple views of NOAA weather A Blitz brought up Mount Shasta. Weather in Washington wasn't so hot, but the northern California the forecast looked better. In the end we decided to drive south. We left early on the 28th and made it to the Forest Service office in Shasta in time to get a permit. From there we drove to Bunny Flats then skied to the Sierra Club Horse Camp that night. The sun was out the next morning, but looking up at higher ridges you could see the wind was whipping up high. [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_rxgbPHdbZ9I/TASiqlD52II/AAAAAAAAAds/VDDRHukHXTk/s912/2-Shasta-form-Horse-Camp_Pa.gif[/img] [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_rxgbPHdbZ9I/TASirOtR2xI/AAAAAAAAAd0/ogqu18XZW4o/s512/4-Below-High-Camp.gif[/img] About two thirds of the way to the Helen Lake camp we met up with the winds. Winds were in gusts which you could see coming. That gave some warning to dig your poles in till they passed. At Helen Lake there were a few campers already there. We dug a camping pit to combat the winds then hung out. More and more people arrived to camp. In the afternoon winds died down and we went for a ski up the hill above camp. We got a nice afternoon ski in calm warm weather. [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_rxgbPHdbZ9I/TASi9zIM1fI/AAAAAAAAAeA/nkp1iXIlW-w/s512/7-Climb-5-29-Ski.gif[/img] You can see how Helen Lake was building to a small city in the photo [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_rxgbPHdbZ9I/TASirazUdbI/AAAAAAAAAd8/odS2NOtn1cE/6-Down-to-Camp-5-29.gif[/img] That night in camp everybody was entertained by some fellow who brought an inter-tube or equivalent sliding device took it up on a steep slope on skiers left of camp then launched. The dude lost his hat on the slope as he disappeared down the slope out of sight. A FS Ranger in camp walked over to see if the guy was ok. He told us later the fellow lay on the snow at the bottom of the run for a bit but then got up and walked away. Early in the morning of the 30th we were kind of slackers in camp, but we started skiing towards the top about 4AM. Clouds were in and the warm weather was gone, but overall a decent day. Snow had hardened and ski crampons helped. [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_rxgbPHdbZ9I/TASi-FzlCgI/AAAAAAAAAeI/9ZpU3l13Msg/9-In-Clouds-5-30.gif[/img] After climbing the slope, Misery Hill, we skied the ridge to the summit plateau then ditched our skis at below the final summit tower [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_rxgbPHdbZ9I/TASi-jNEj6I/AAAAAAAAAeQ/x_ViI2XFL0g/11-Summit-1.gif[/img] On the summit the sun came out. We had a nice ski down Avalanche Gulch [img:center]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_rxgbPHdbZ9I/TASjgmmOQ3I/AAAAAAAAAek/m3MbJKIzQYo/15-Descent.gif[/img] [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_rxgbPHdbZ9I/TASjg_wS8MI/AAAAAAAAAeo/8z9cGHVrmnI/16-High-Camp_n_Below.gif[/img] At camp we packed up then skied Lower Avalanche Gulch [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_rxgbPHdbZ9I/TASjnY9pD0I/AAAAAAAAAew/OvsK62pzHik/19-Clouds_summit-Tracks.gif[/img] From there we skied to the car. We talked about camping near the car. Given all the people and snowmobiles we changed our minds, so we drove north. Skiing was fun. It wasn't corn snow, but it was nice. The area has 140 percent of average snow pack this year. I'd never skied on Shasta, so the standard route was fine this time. If I went there again Left of Heart and the West Face Gully look like good lines to ski. Gear Notes: Ski crampons were nice to have. We were the only ones who had them, and I had to explain the concept to a few people. Approach Notes: Right now you can ski from the car. I hear most years folks end up packing skis for a ways on the route.

Before we do that maybe we should sink all that radioactive waste we keep talking about finding a repository for.

Dennis Hopper was in some great movies.

I hope the parents have enough $$ to pay for the plane ride to the Vinson Massif plus guides. The boy needs to finish off the seven summit trek. The kid is obviously motivated and in good shape. He deserves a big for that. Having been on an expedition to that side of the mountain and talking to guided clients from other groups I end up shaking my head though. Our route diverged from the North Col Route at the advanced base camp near the head of the east fork of the Rongbuk glacier. There were several groups with permits for the North Col Route camping there. One or two groups had guided clients. Some of the guided clients had little if no experience climbing. One day, on reaching the advanced base camp, I ran into one client who told me that she had just come down from the North Col and that was her first time on a glacier. Going to the area is a cool thing to do, but there are many cool climbing experiences a 13 year old can have that don't involve a huge pile of money. I have a lot of good memories from the low altitude Cascades. If you (or your parents) have money and wish to spend it that way then good for you. Guides do diminish some important parts of the climbing experience though. I suppose I can expect Asmith to post several long winded replies. I need to work then hopefully go on my own wimpy (less than 8000 M) climbing trip.

70s Peter

I've heard discussions on bike licenses. Yep you collect a fee, but then there's the enforcement costs. With millions of bikes out there enforcement would cost 20 times more than the license fee could possibly generate. I'd agree with the concept of enforcing safe operation of a moving vehicle. If a biker is putting others at risk he/she may deserve a ticket.

They were toll booths on 520 (east side) when I was a kid. I-90 was payed for (at the time), so the booths were abandoned. Now they want to rebuild and guess what they are planning toll booths What little I know about the subject is these days if you want to cross the Narrows Bridge you either stop and pay at a booth, or you get a tag and place it on a corner of your windshield. I believe on 167 you either have multiple passengers, or you have a tag on your window. I think you can prepay, but I'm not positive about that. There's always the bus

From memory they have a practice session with a couple big Chinook helicopters near the end of the climbing season. Practice involves touch and go landings at the 14,000 ft camp. Couldn't they have just given her all the excess food and fuel at the camp then tell her to wait for the practice sessions in July. That way there wouldn't be extra special heli time. Alternately restrain her, put her on a backboard and sled, then tow her down to the SE fork landing site. I imagine she'll never get another climbing permit in Denali.

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I'm awaiting my permanent Enhanced Drivers License. With the temporary one I don't think it's in my best interest to leave home without my passport.

Actually that's the North Col Route he's doing. The NE Ridge has been climbed through the pinnacles, but nobody has completed the route. If he did that it would be a FA as well. In any case there's all kinds of rad climbing a 13 year old could be doing. Possibly too much pressure from the parents who want their own notoriety?

Pop Tarts! I spent about 20 days eating them. We left a food cashe part way through a section of icefalls with pop tarts in it. Due to weather we didn't come back for a couple days. When we did come back and collect stuff as we moved on we found ravens had been through our food. They ignored oatmeal and other stuff and went straight for the pop tarts. Ravens are smart birds!

Yep I'm sure there are plenty of bad apple Mexicans just like the good old USA has a few native ones. The thing is they're willing to do a lot of work we want done, but the majority of Americans just won't do. Immigration reform would be a good thing, but targeting folks because they have brown skin isn't very American.

I almost never look in the ice climbing forum, so I didn't realize you had posted this. Nice pictures, and a fun day! Given the temperatures and conditions somebody could have been ice climbing

They sold us some yummy yak meat. A little onions, garlic, and noodles over the kerosene stove.

I've seen yak dung fires in action. Tibetans are tough. I doubt 99.9% of Europeans could hang with the crowd under the tarp where the fire's burned. No chimney

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Umm skis are pretty darn fun in powder No matter what kind of sliding device the Park Glacier pictures look nice.

Real stove? Lets talk kerosene [img:center]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZiGrBpKztEU/S23FrMCwLRI/AAAAAAAABRo/rXsPeKAM3q0/s400/Optimus-Butterfly+Stoves.JPG[/img] I've had some yummy yak and goat meat cooked on one of these. baa Notice the fuel can labeling [img:center]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ZiGrBpKztEU/S23FrtalEFI/AAAAAAAABRw/1I1AR_58azs/s400/Kero+-+Kleen+Heat+Pic.JPG[/img] "Klean Heat"

Nice

Maybe the fence should be an immigration test. If it's a tough climb and you get over it you're obviously talented and may deserve some work.

It was worth looking at this discussion to see Sobo's comment. I hope you have fun on Hood and stay safe. Warm temperatures with lots of spring snow could be a bad combo.

This calls for a giant sign at Washington Pass [font:Arial Black]*****WARNING*****[/font] [font:Arial]Snow slopes around Washington Pass Subject to Shelling[/font] [font:Arial]When you hear the sirens sound you have 15 minutes[/font] WSDOT provides advanced warnings of shelling on phone and internet links 12 hours in advance.

First they were testing a giant drill bit in a cliff down the way. Then scientists took over the man made cave. They said they were looking for the 5th force or particles from space that passed through the earth. I've never heard of anybody actually providing proof of what they were really doing. Rockfall caused by a science project?