layton

Nice going fellas! Maybe Tami Knight stole your shit?

Maybe I'll stick to Teacup peak.

What are you going to desend Colonial with if this stuff sells, and how pray tell, will you approach Greybeard in winter?

Is he the dude the put up the A5c route solo that took several years to do and may be the world's hardest route? If so...jesus chirst almighty!

I done f'ck up. The Trangos are size 43.5 (USA men's 9.5), not 42.5 Also dryloft is for pussies.

Yeah it was Jim Sinclair. Funny guy, love those Squamish locals!!! Thanks for the beta folks. I'll add that one in the backfiles. Jim had some interesting ideas about a winter ascent. As we all know it's damn hard enough to get up established easier climbs near the road around here in winter so I think I'll wait for that briefcase full of money and the snowmachine brigade. Nice try on the ascent Don. New ice guide comin' out soon, eh? hehe. As long as we are on the subject, what and where is the Heart of Darkness Coulior on Slesse? -Mike (who's eyes are bigger than his stomach)

Gearing up at the base of the chief parking lot in Squamish, some dude comes up to me and immediately tells me of an unclimbed 9000' peak in SW B.C. Intrigued by this random beta he dug out the photo from his car. Vulcan's Thumb on Pyroclastic peak. He said it had been attemped by some folks who's name rang a bell (athough I forgot) but they didn't get to the top. He later identified himself as the first ascentionist of Exasperator (although I forgot his name). He said there's a photo of this up on the wall at MEC taken in winter by a parapelegic. Looks like a winter ascent would be manditory so bring your snowmachines. Here's a link to it: Vulcan's Thumb Sounds juicy, but quite the epic. Anyone want to let me borrow some $$ and a snowmachine?

Chestbeating: My record on the N.Twin from the car parked at the gate before the bridge up the W ridge, back to the car: 3.5 hours (w/mtn bike) I am lord of the Twin Sisters. All hail.

You da' man!

I'll try n' make it. Hey, let us know about your coulior climb you did. Post some photos. I was surpised to see nothing on bivouac, except an update on Pk 6800 (aka Mt.Compact Crap).

I finally figured out how to do this. Here are some more photos. This is the photo of the other peak Jordop,Necro, and I attempted. I went up through the overhangs in the middle. Yuck

Lighter, more breathable, dries quicker, cheaper, gets wet just the same.

I gathered that he didn't do it from his post and wish that he did.

Frigid Air Buttress is the best climb in the world, do it. I also think Swain is the best guidebook author in the world. Such good info and witty remarks and useful info. How did people climb before it? If I was a girl, I'd want to have his baby. I'm also Napolean and the Queen of England.

Has anyone actually done the coulior route in Selected Climbs Vol II? I approached once via sibley creek and got lost two years ago, and tried eldorado creek and got dumped on two years ago. I have since given up after 2nd hand info of a 2nd ascent which was guided by an AAI guide. It seems like it's way short and if it was guided??? I don't want to speculate since I haven't done it, but it looks pretty short and none too difficult. Seems like a scenery climb with a short burst of climbing effort. I am not knocking this climb or anyone that's done it, but I'd like some info from someone who's done it to get the thumbs up. I was thinkin' of doing it in a couple weeks or posibly soloing it.

Gear is still for sale, I couldn't recieve emails on my road trip since my inbox filled up w/junk mail within the 1st couple days! I'll be around now.

That blows! Well I hope it isn't true. Say bye bye to easy access, and say hello to leg searing, back breaking, diaphragm compressing mountain bikin' w/ a pack on. Fuck. Someone say it isn't so. Oh well, it's sierra time. I'm leavin tonight. Any bets on if I get crapped off of every route by mean Mr. Weather?

It was my partners Nissan (or Mazda?) I don't remember the color. It was wet colored. Were you up there the same day? Lovely lil' downpour!

Thanks again Don! I'm glad you say it's stellar above, that's what I was assuming would happen. It was slick as snot and I was FULLY drenched by the car. We were leading in blocks, and against my wishes, led w/a 9.4 and had a 6mil rap line. Thank god our ropes didn't get stuck on the rap off, but it was hard work pulling a 6mil down. I will stongly urge twin ropes next time. I think we would've been ok getting off by dark, but who knows? The catch is doing it when it's colder so there are less bugs, but that = less daylight. Those first pitches although rotten, were not easy. The layback flakes were hard 5.9, setting the impession that this is not a softie! Bring some bigger cams, that's all we used for the 1st 4 pitches (really more like 3.5-we bailed before the rope ran out on our simul). I'd still like to know what sorta gear that offwidth needs, and if it's very long. Now that Don has given me beta on several failed attempts (Ashlu,Vienesse, Springbok), I'd better buck up next summer. I'm pretty sure Steinbok is outta my league since I've only aided a few pitches in my life. Maybe when I'm old enough? Man it's a pretty mountain. Next summer: Springbox,Vienesse,Clarke,Bardean, Beckey/Choinard, and possibly Grainger are gonna be my lofty goals (again). Luckily I have do the approach to every one but the last two. By that time they'll have given me Canadian citizenship. Thanks again Don, Canada Kicks Ass!!! Cheers, Mike seriously, I'm headin' south. [ 09-27-2002, 05:36 PM: Message edited by: michael_layton ]

Got rained off 4 pitches up. Since there is almost no info on this site on this climb, I thought I'd share. Bring a 6-pack for the logging camp boys and they'll gladly let you out at any time of night (or give you the key like they did us). It's easy driving right to across the peak. The schwackin' looks short, but boy it ain't. Even though it only took 1hr 15min to get up there it seemed like forever, kinda like a krumholtz traffic jam. There ain't much for agua at the base, just a hard patch o' snow. Bring extra, it doesn't take much more to bring it up. There were no bugs, but I bet it'd be pure hell up there in mid-summer. Don't climb it in the rain. uhhh.... the 1st 4 pitches were kinda chossy (really chossy) but fun. The bivy spot is perfect (except for no water). I nearly good my head blown off many times due to rockfall. Anyone know anything about past pitch 4? Does it get better not much farther up? I'm real excited to do the decent next year!!! Yeeehaw! Anyone done NE butt of steinbox, the original route? See ya, I'm going to the Sierras. [ 09-26-2002, 06:19 PM: Message edited by: michael_layton ]

GenePires and I went up this climb yesterday. Somewhat of a "mystery" area due to lack of good info (thanks Jeff and Matt). It is an "adventure" climb w/exciting routefinding and rappelling. The granite sidewalk is awesome and so are the views of the 3 fingers, Whitehorse, and the slab routes across the valley. Looks like some really sweet other routes on Blueberry hill! There's a bolted line just to the left of W.Ridge that looks amazing, although pretty tough. Anyone know about this bad boy? And who did the FA of the W.Ridge, Beckey maybe? Bring 2 ropes to get off lest you be rappelling all day long.

I cannot believe you guy trashed a Unimog! I can't even fuckin' believe you were using one. Can I borrow it? PLEEEEEAAAAAAASE!

I added a 10cm ice screw. I'm gonna split on the 1st probably, so I may not PM you back for the 1st 2 weeks in october. Feel free to PM me about gear during that time, and I promise I'll get back to you.

Our line went up what looks like a face(really a ridge) on the right hand peak. We started to the right and below the treed section and make it a quarter of the way up. Jordop, Necronomicon, and I headed back to our "spot" to climb the modest peak on saturday across from the Back of Beyond Buttress . An easy 1.5 hour approach put us at the base and ready to climb. We wanted to climb the right hand buttress as the left has a disgusting missing sectoin that would be pretty nuts to climb (go do it). We scoped out the base which proved to be challanging to find a direct way up. I wanted to climb up double roofs, what I found to be the "best way". To the right and left were indirect lines up nastier looking rock. Since my partners so eagerly gave me the rope I swallowed as I wondered why they were so eager to pass the 1st pitch to me? I found the 1st pitch to be challanging route finding, although I did not wander much at all. I went up directly through the 1st roof and bypassed the 2nd roof/offwidth/wet chimey on the left after much hesitation. As rope drag and exposure increased, so did yells of "hurry the fuck up I'm freezing". I told them to fuck themselves and freeze. Finally I found a pod to stick two #1 camalots in. Belaying them up on a stance w/a gi-gi really hurt my shoulder and I too began to freeze me ass off as they came up. They were a little pissed I didn't bail when they came up, and once again eagerly gave me the rope (mostly cuz of the way our twin ropes were set up, leading in block was much more time saving-both of them could've led either pitch blindfolded). 10 feet of nice (and only) jamming led to all sorts of crap and exciting rock-climbing including a cool chimney I was sure my partners would enjoy. Finally after most of the rope went out, I belayed on a ledge. Another shoulder burning belay ensued. By the time they were up we were all hypothermic. Jordop was having trouble feeling the rock, while Necro's flu was raging (always fun when sharing a water bladder). So far the rock was nasty, slick, and crackless. "Mossy snot cracks" as Jordop called them, bottomed out seams filled w/moss that only lent to toe smears. Pro was not that bad, but it certainly was poor climbing so far. We scoped and scoped until it came to a decision to bail. I think our hypothermic conditions were to blame, cuz I wanted to go on. NEcro was in fine form lashing out insults against my better judgement, so I gave up too. We rapped and climbed the backside only to find a Dept. of Defence tripod and optic lens on the summit w/a survey marker from 1970. Two drums of helicopter fuel rusted on the summit area. Well maybe we were the 1st ones to actually climb the peak, but none of us really gave a rats ass. However, it was soooo beautiful, making it totaly worth it. We looked down onto the ridge and were thankful we didn't finish the route. Compact rock, no cracks, and small roofs galor could've made it an epic w/o a cause. I'm sure someone better than us will finish the route, it's too obvious. I can give no gear beta except for maybe pins and jackets. Go get it!!!! Jordop, post a picture or two of the "stellar climbing" when you get your film developed. [ 09-22-2002, 11:40 AM: Message edited by: michael_layton ]

seems like everyone is booked. Whaahahahahaha.