layton

Things have not been going well for me climbing recently. Failures, broken partners, and partners that bailed. I know the weather doesn't look great, but I had a trip to the bugs planned from now till Aug 10th and now I got nothin'. So, between now and infinity, I need a partner who wants to climb some long rock routes. Give me a private message if you can climb and when, not if you can't climb and why. Weather depending, obviously.

Thank you for the beta. Email me if you wanna climb some long routes sometime (up there, anderson river, wherever...). I don't hate you for going to the bugs afterwards, but I will be crying myself to sleep tonight. Anyone wanna go up there with me, sniff.

Add that to the list of climbs I've drug my shit to the base of (the coulior in nelsons 2nd guide). I know someone who maybe did the 2nd asent (or not) last summmer in the middle of august. Looks not-to-hard. If you go, approach via sibley creek. Its just nicer and more scenic, although both climbs are long slogs to get there for VERY short climbing. Thanks for reminding me about that one, may have to check it out again.

[ 08-01-2002, 01:02 PM: Message edited by: michael_layton ]

Thats crazy! I was going to climb that route on sunday also. Went up the wrong road Sat Morning, and by the time we found it (the right road) it was 1:30pm. We were going to go back on Sunday to climb monday, but the weather looked like it was gonna crap out. Almost had to B'hammers on an obscure route on the same day. How long did the approach, climb, and descent take? Any othe info, like how did the approach/descent from Clark look? Need crampons or ax? What was the feasablility of mtn biking up there? Good job on Direktissima! p.s. to add to my wrechedness, I bailed off ashlu again today. Partner had a cracked rib from before that didn't heal (screaming). My two partners for the bugaboos just bailed on me for separate reasons. Why, God, Why? I've been good. I will be soon making a pact with the devil. [ 07-31-2002, 07:16 PM: Message edited by: michael_layton ]

[ 07-31-2002, 07:17 PM: Message edited by: michael_layton ]

quote: And it's true, the public isn't allowed to take on their own trail (or other resource management) projects in National Parks Darnitall! There go my plans for making a trail up Marble Creek!

Oh, well that's different. Sorry I though you meant like the 1st pitch! Cool! I wasn't paying any attention to the right side on the approach, and I couldn't see anything on that side once up on the climb. One thing I did notice was that the further right one climbs on the ridge, the worse the rock got. Probably one of those unrecorded ascents. AAJ doesn't bother with such routes anymore it seems. Let's ask Mr. Beckey, he'll know. HEY FRED! Anyone done the right side of the buttress direct? P.S. update your topo.

That was pretty funny. Overly happy people usually aren't very funny, and to be honest, make me a little nervous. I still need a partner ...which is cool because I get to meet a new friend and we can learn things from each other.

[ 07-25-2002, 11:52 AM: Message edited by: michael_layton ]

[ 07-25-2002, 11:49 AM: Message edited by: michael_layton ]

[ 07-25-2002, 11:46 AM: Message edited by: michael_layton ]

Thanks. Just need someone with some emotional problems to go and do it with me.

Different than what? I'm sure each party that's tried the lower ridge has done an FA on their 1st pitch Depends on the snow level and moat depth. Unless your talking the very right side of the buttress? Dunno. Once a few pitches up, it's anybody's guess as to what friggin variation your doing???

I crossed the border south of Nelson B.C. on 9/11, just returning from the Valhallas!! Some old dude asked me what was in the truck and he waved us through. As for depot creek, I PM'd you, but no problems.

Still need a partner. I'm sure Ryland's a great guy and great climber, but he didn't have enought time. Commmmon'! p.s. I'm very very hesitant to climb w/someone I don't know. Have had partners lie and wanted to kill them. But I must go climbing. I may solo. How's Joffre's NE side lookin?

Couple friends of mine just did it bellingham to bellingham. Left the ham at 2am, drinkin' at Casa by 9pm, same day. WOW!

Need partner for this weekend. Fri, Sat, Sun, and/or Monday (but 3 days max) for some long alpine rock climbs in the III-V 5.9-10b range. I have some specific climbs I wanna do in the N.Cascades or Canada. Gimme an email or ring. 360-756-6927. I have a lightwieght alpine gun that I will use if you're a dick or lie about your abilities or want to turn around. I can drive (I think) but if you live in seattle or far from B'ham, I'm not driving to pick up and drop off. That said, anyone still game?

One of you two guys has got to work for REI, or the Base Camp? Am I right?

Send me an email. I may be into Yak Check. The other ones are really fun. [ 07-24-2002, 12:17 AM: Message edited by: michael_layton ]

Don, I'd like to do a N.Face route on Vienesse and then the N. Ridge of clark. You seem to be the local to ask. is this a good plan? DAY # 1. drive and hike in to below vienesse and bivy 2. climb vienesse, descend to nursery pass, back to bivy below route and then move bivy back to clark 3. climb n.ridge of clark w/a carry over (yikes!) back to nursery pass and car and drive home and puke. Seems like a cary over on clarke is less trouble than going all the way around the backside(S.side) of the whole range, down to the pass, back to the bivy, and then back out again to nursery pass!!!! Or is there a desent of clark that gets you back to a bivy spot. McLane doesn't mention a good one in his SW BC guide. Also, are there sections I need an ax and or crampons for? Could I get away with a sharp rock and insteps (which I hate doing...lost a few years off my life being so friggin' scared). Thanks Don!!! (or whoever else gives beta) p.s. I need a partner this weekend (fri-mon)

I'll post a topo and photos of Bear when I get a chance. I need to finish my roll of film, delvelop them, then go to WWU and scan them, etc.. May be a long time, but I'll do it. I'll include Gimly and Asguard too, but Dru's photos are almost exactly like mine. Hmmmm.... Erik, I was Vertical Turtle's partner on that. You made fun of me for laybacking. You're right, I don't have any technique. How do you add photos w/o a website to insert from? Do you just cut and paste? [ 07-23-2002, 03:44 PM: Message edited by: michael_layton ]

What works best? I took a deet shower and formed a perimeter of deet around my bivy and it barely worked. I even tried putting an MSR pocket-rocket on my head on full blast, but although many perished, they were attacted to the CO2. Screaming doesn't work either. Any luck with Citrolnilla?

Just because I posted the TR doesn't mean that Climzalot didn't MORE than do his fair share. He got some of the nastier pitches in my opinion, was an awesome friend and partner, and doesn't spray! I was just poking fun at him about our rerturn to Bellingham, it's hard to convey sarcasm and good-natured chiding over the internet w/o resorting to gremlins and little punctuation emotions , etc... As for Slesse... Did that with Necronomicon last August (late). He too pulled more than his fair share, and also is an awesome partner and friend. Here's the beta: Bear isn't as pretty as Slesse, as far a positions go. Nothin' comes close to how amazing the NE butt on Slesse looks from afar, and the views down below. You can't really see much on bear, as far as exposure goes. The views of the mountains from Bear at the bivy cannot be beat, however, and the rock quality is much much better on Bear. Less scrambling, and mossy licheny rock. Sleese has less splitters, and more broken face cracks. Also the pocket glacier crossing on Slesse is a trip in itself. Oh my God! You can do it w/your nut tool and a sharp rock, but you will probably die if you slip. Serious stuff. The approach for Slesse is like driving to the video store compared to Bear, but the Descent on Slesse is the most grueling, horrible thing ever. Bear is a walk in the park, dum-dee-dum descent to the car. More pitches on Bear, lots more technical climbing, and the 4th class on slesse is WAY easier than bear's 4th class. I reccomend (and this is one of the only times I'll say this) bivying on Slesse. Amazing ledge, water, snafflehounds, and just an awesome place to be. The only other place you should concider bivying on Slesse is on the summit, for the upper ledges suck and are pretty close to the top anyways. Take some NSAIDS for the desent and maybe a pair of neoprene knee braces (it really works wonders). Take 5 liters of water if it's sunny, cuz after the bivy ledge, there ain't shit for water till the car (you're hundreds of feet above the river at the car). There may be snow on the summit, but I don't recall any runoff, and who wants to lug a stove up the route. Take 2 packs if you're gonna bivy. I used a 1/2 bag, a warm coat, my backpack, and the rope to bivy with. A water bladder and a top lid make a good pillow. A bit of advice for the upper pitch were Beckey says that the "left side is easier". He means just a little bit left. Not left of the buttress crest where a 5.7 looking layback flake is. I took that way and it became a full rope legnth of 10b (no joke) with a one nut belay and a traverse back on route. Needless to say, Necronomicon was a bit pissed at me. So Bear = better climbing, better camping views Slesse = more asthetic line and mountain Nothing beats the S.Ridge on Gimley though for fun cool climbing.

I did a quick toenail test up at WA pass on NEWS West face last thursday w/Necronomicon to see if I could handle 23+ pitches, and as I hobbled back to the car I figured that I better keep quite to my upcoming Bear partner, Climzalot. Well the day finally came and I put my Boulders on. A serious slog ensued, and one wrong turn, and Climzalot and I became unspeakably lost in the WORST nightmare of marsh and bush. Several time I stepped in a hole, and sunk down to my waist in warm, methane and mosquito infested murk! We lost like 2 hours till we finally found the trail. I will do my very best to purge this from my memory. "The Horror," and Marlon Brando once said. Damn straight! The next section is 4500' uphill. Yeah, fun! Under the burning disk of the cruel sun we drug our sorry asses to Ruta lake. You actually wind up 300' above the lake (the worst mosquitos in the world) so I'd suggest to all the fucked up souls out there planning on going up there, to fill up at bear camp and avoid going down to the hellish lake, or there are 2 braided streams along the rising traverse to the col. 8 hours later we arrived at the col. It could've taken up 5-6 hours if we didn't get marshed out, and also, we gained the ridge line on Bear way to early. Traverse cross country above the lake, then go up. The col was a windless mosquito bar, but the views are so amazing that it was worth every step, and every bite. You can see everything. We went to bed plenty tired, and my toenails were doing just fine! Day 2 Crampons and an ice ax are absolutely essential to get to the climb. The slopes are fairly steep, and one could manage to do it without them, but to get to the climb... Well my duct-tape crampon harness system failed while I was trying to pull a serac lip. Staring down into a bottemless moat (wicked scary) we went higher onto a slab. Our plan on stashing one pair of crampons and ax here and getting it later went out the window. Our pack was amazingly heavy. 2 pairs shoes, 2 axes, 2 pairs crampons, 5 liters water, food, and 2 absolutely useless puffball jackets, plus shades, sunscreen, headlamps, and some rap slings. Climzalot lead out the nastly slab pitch, and off we went. Pitch after pitch of awesome rockclimbing. Every pitch seemed harder than its rating. One pitch is rated 5.8 in one guide, and 10a in another. Kearney's guide is the one to use. Beckey and McLane leave out 3-5 pitches in their route descriptions!!! Useless. Thanks Alan! Some highlights were a 5.9 pitch that was so sustained that it would've be at least a 10b in squamish. Multiple small cams in loose rock. A Mung-a-lot. A cams-a-bit. Plenty of loose rock amid the good rock. Makes sense, how many folks have been on this route? Feel free to email me for more info on the actual pitches, since my spray time is almost over. Topping out was amazing, and the mosquitos were on us once again. We rapped off a shrub to get to our camp instead of going down a talus path to the snow (bad choice). The bugs doubled their intensity as we hung out and enjoyed the views from our camp. (running water, and lots of it). My memory is begging to fade as I continue to sray...I think it took us 11-12 hours on the rock. 14 hours from camp to camp. Also, the big snowpatch ledge right now is seriously snowy and we had a hell of a time getting around it and through the moat. The 4th class was way slimy, runout, and scarry. The desent is easy and knee braces and Vicoden did the trick. And my toenails. PAINLESS!!! Yup, no more hobbling for me. Anyway its hotter than hell and when I got home I wanted to crawl into my closet with a flashlight and a six-pack of beer, suck my thumb, and read childrens books. Instead I meet my landlord in my driveway ready to evict me, my girlfriend in tears, pissed off and she took my truck, and also Climzalot didn't have room for in his car later to go swimming because it was filled with some obviously better friends . To finish, I got on a bike, and now have a bottle of Black Velvet right next to me and some charred animal tissue . Don't you just love alpine climbing? [ 07-23-2002, 11:04 AM: Message edited by: michael_layton ]