CascadeClimber

Good: Old-school Windstopper fleece gloves, Windstopper balaclava, Nalgene holders (insulated and not), old style taped Gtex mitts, the little stretchy shorty gaiters, which I use over my approach tennies. Okay: Crocs (should be shorter with more Cordura higher on the inside and none on the outside, strap buckle is prone to getting pulled out). Notsogood: Fall Line gaiters (should be called Fall Apart gaiters- stitching is prone to crampon nicks and then they literally fall to pieces). I still haven't found anything that works better on Rando boots, though. YMMV -L

Climb: Granite (I-90)-South Gully Date of Climb: 3/13/2004 Trip Report: Easy climbing, great skiing for 2000', lots of options. Go get it before any more snow comes off. It was plab...I think...I'm not sure what plab means. Gear Notes: Skins not needed. Crampons not worn, but wise to take. Approach Notes: Trail is in good shape to gully. Yet another trail with too many switchbacks.

My kids are 6 ("Almost 7, Dad!") and 4. Keep me in the loop on this- though I probably won't truck them all the way to Smith. Would also be interested in some half-day 32/38 outings with others with kids. -L

Ice Screamer: 13.75" Reg. Screamer: 9.0" (not including biners) Don't have any shorties. I like the length of the regular ones: They help even out the rope as I wander back and forth looking for the easiest line. -L

Stay away from the ice screamers- if you rack them on the back of your harness they are long enough to catch your crampon points on when you step up. -L

I started too far climber's left my first time on the NF, too. It's significantly harder over there. In the correct groove the climbing is easier, though still a bit runout and often mungy. Go back and get it! -L

The system munched my original post. I've fixed it now. -L

Climb: Das Toof-NE Slab Date of Climb: 2/29/2004 Trip Report: NE Slab is climbable, though I wouldn't call it "in". Some ice, some nice firm snow/neve/styrofoam and plenty of snow and thin ice over compact rock. 2.5 pitches to the ridge, one simul pitch to the top. Ended the first pitch at the tree across the gully from the fixed station, the second pitch at the big dead snag. Gear Notes: Didn't use any screws. Small nuts, small cams, one kb, and some medium cams (WC 2.0, 2.5). Approach Notes: Good for approaching, bad for skiing.

CBS is right about the source of the bounce messages. The sending address on infected messages is almost always forged now. Getting a bounce notification just means that the infected message bounced and it had your addresses forged on it. The list of words is added to spam to fool filters. It depressingly effective. -L

Hey, I have a single here, let's make a set! Oh, wait, that isn't going to work...

Definitely: Hence the name of the last route we climbed there: "Beggars Can't Be Choosers"

I was there on Sunday- is that really representative of "in" conditions? We found vertical running wet slush, sloppy, muddy top outs, and poor protection. Not trying to be critical, just curious. -L

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I saw them Saturday morning at the Reynolds, and I saw their truck in the dark at the bridge that night. I don't envy them that deproach in the dark.

When I climbed it we rapped directly over the face (not down the ramp) from the lowest tree, and just touched down with double 60s. We didn't use an intermediate rap. I just wanted to pass along the info- it would suck it be left hanging in space there. -L

Saturday: High of +1F at the Rambles. Brrrr. Sunday: -5F at Marble Canyon. BRRRRR. Deeping is a fat as I've seen it. IcyBC is pretty anemic. Kudos to the guy who led the first pitch on Sunday. More to his belayer who was patient for an hour while turning into a popsicle. We felt like the two stooges climbing team as we dropped screws and fubared ropes. There is roadside ice from Chilliwack to Lillooet. Have some pics coming. I think someone may have accidentally picked up a biner with two blue DMM double length spectra slings and a yellow Mountain Tools Webolette at the Rambles. Maybe the Guide and his client? If so, would sure like to get them back. Rumor is that someone climbed Shreddie clean in the last week? Another rumor that the ramp rap on Synchro can't be done right now on double 60s. The tree on the face is gone, too. Thumbs down to the Reynolds, who gave away our room on Friday night even though we had a reservation. They've also raised their rates to $43/night, which is only a few dollars less than 4 Pines. Still a great place for a big, greasy breakfast and morning chit-chat with the locals. -L

Here is a 15 second clip of my bud crossing the Cayoosh in 2002. It was more entertaining in the dark that morning before someone put in the hand line, but you'll get the idea: I don't think it's wade-able (but the Bridge certainly is). Cayoosh Crossing Have fun, climb safe, maybe see you up there. -L

Good luck setting up a Tyro in the Bridge. The trees are short sticks on both sides. But if you wanted to do something about the Synchro crossing, that would truly be a public service. -L

Fairweather, you are right: The big picture is that this is yet another erosion of access for non-commercial users, while loggers, drillers, developers, cattle ranchers, and other commercial interests seem to be enjoying increased ability to impart much higher impacts (clear cutting, building roads, airports, encampments, etc) on public land. Can you say "Healthy Forests Act"? While I don't agree with Matt about this being only five additional minutes, my real concern is, what will the next thing be, and by what closed, back-door process will it be decided? FWIW, I think the Middle Fork Road and the roads you mentioned around Rainier should remain open. The alternative I supported from the MRNP draft plans was the one closest to no change. -L

Let's be clear about this: They "groom" about 300 yards of this "trail" leaving the parking lot, some of which is required to allow winter access to the water tower. The grooming usually consists of running the snow cat up the trail to the first hill of any kind, and then back. From that little hill on there is no maintenance whatsoever- the packed out trail is created by skiers and snowshoers going in both directions. This is not a groomed winter trail like is maintained for paid cross country use on the other side of I-90.

It seems like the good Messers Kostanich and Donovan are not on the same page about this, as the statement from the Forest Service clearly states that Alpental is "closing the trail" to uphill traffic. I find it hard to believe that the definition of trail includes the entire south side of the valley. Does this mean that uphill traffic into Great Scott Bowl is also banned? This is a poorly considered, poorly communicated, poorly executed plan, which sure looks a lot more like a response to the unfortunate snowshoer avalanche fatality than any recent increase in incidents between lift skiers and uphill traffic. My money says some lawyer far away from the situation and people involved instigated this. The area has a long, long history of amicable relations between lift skiers and backcountry users. The potential loss of that relationship is what upsets me most about this. Hopefully wiser, saner heads with a good sense of the 'real' situation will come together to resolve this before it gets unpleasant. -L

Because there has to be a point where you stop rolling over and taking it in the rear end, Matt. Where exactly do you plan to park up there anyway, as it sounds like they've restricted access to the Alpental lots? IIRC, the nearest snow park is at Gold Creek. Besides, if the lease is this poorly written, it needs to be exposed so that it can be changed in the future both here and elsewhere.

This will change the first time someone gets mowed down while walking 2 miles up the road from the south side of I-90 at 4:00 AM, or the first time someone falls in the creek and drowns because a public trail was closed to non-paying customers. They've really gone too far this time- the Forest Service is showing what spineless minions they are. -CC

How can they restrict access to public land? I know there is a whole separate thread on this issue, but it just pisses me off to no end that the effing ski area authority would even try, much less have the power to do this. The backcountry does not belong to them, nor does the ski track, or anything else. This is beyond ridiculous and unfucking believable.

Beware the road if it hasn't been plowed. We got most of the way up to the first switchback a couple years ago before losing traction and sliding all the way back down the hill backwards in the truck. At the last moment I got enough traction to turn the wheel and slide to a stop halfway across the bridge. Without a doubt my most frightening moment ice climbing. I thought we were going in the water for sure.