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It took just 7 seconds after arrival for Senator Poopy Head to find cow crap and roll in it. You have got to be kidding! That is hustling!

Congrats Paul! There is no doubt about it, in your accomplishments, knowledge, ability and enthusiasm you represent the best of what being a Cascade Peakbagger is all about. Way to go!

Some years ago my Dad and I went on an outing to climb Sherpa’s west ridge. As we were packing up at the car we debated whether or not we should take our wallets or risk leaving them in the car where they would be vulnerable to trailhead thieves. We decided to take them with us. On the approach, we stopped and ate lunch along side the Ingalls Creek trail, then left the trail and started gaining elevation working our way through some slide alder bands and meadows. After gaining about 2,000 feet of elevation, I felt something hit me in the back of the head. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the top pocket of my pack was open and that the only missing item was my wallet. We had traveled through a bit of brush to get where we were and the odds of retracing our steps and finding it were improbable. Regardless, we dropped our packs and headed down the hill to look for it. To our amazement we luckily stumbled upon it in a stand of slide alder and jubilantly headed back up the hill to continue our trip. We got back to our packs and were preparing to continue, when my Dad turns to me and says “You’re not going to believe this, but I can’t find my wallet.” His pack had been securely zipped up so we knew the only place it could be was at our lunch stop. Back down the hill we went to find his wallet waiting for us there.

I’m looking for a partner or partners that can get out mid-week on a somewhat regular basis starting now through this summer. I like doing just about everything, but prefer climbing mountains any time the weather is good enough to allow a chance at success and when it isn’t that good, then go rock climbing somewhere dry. I have 16 years of climbing experience. I live in Seattle. I’m pretty open to any objective, ranging from scrambling (I actually like bushwhacking) to intermediate routes (the classics aren’t crowded mid week!). I’m just looking to get out, enjoy some climbing and then talk about it over a beer or two or three, when we get back to the car. Send me an email or PM.

The picture you call "crack bolt 2" clearly shows 2 rap rings on the bolts that would indicate this is a rappel anchor. Wether or not that justifies it's placement or not, is hard to say.

Unless a county sheriff follows you the whole way.

Nice job obsydian! I just posted some info on the Jack's north ridge here a couple of days ago and a picture of the summit block. It's a nice scrappy climb. http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/showphoto.php?photo=1453&papass=&sort=1&thecat=504 How steep would you estimate the snow was on the steepest part of the traverse (going over the cornice remnant to the east ridge)? I got that lead and it felt like it was steeper than 60 degrees, but sometimes my judgement is clouded by the intensity of the moment (i.e. fear). I'd like to hear what you think? You guys didn't happen to find my altimeter laying in dirt in the cliffbands at 4,000 feet did you? I miss that thing and would pay handsomely to get it back. Anyways congrats.

7/21

Heres a pic of North ridge and traverse below summit block. http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/showphoto.php?photo=1453&papass=&sort=1&thecat=504

I climbed the north ridge of Jack via the May creek approach. The approach was not very pleasant, definitely one of my worst (oppressive heat and bugs were contributing factors). From May creek to about 4,000 feet the going isn’t too bad. But then there are some cliff bands that you have to negotiate for about a thousand feet requiring some bush belay class 3 dirt climbing. Then the traverse from the 5,000 foot level over to the moraine is pretty brushy. Between the mosquitos and the brush, we lost a lot of blood on the approach. Figure on 6 hours or more to get to a moraine bivy sight. To climb head up the left side of the Nohokeem (sp?), gentle grade, no problems here. But getting off of the glacier up to the north ridge does provide some challenge. We took a slanting ramp of steep snow 40-45 degrees, but where the snow got too thin to safely climb on one section, we took off our crampons and transferred to the rock. Scary, wet, sandy, slabby third class terrain made us wish we were back on the snow. We climbed up this section unroped, but roped up and stayed on the snow when we headed down. The north ridge is cruiser to just below the summit block. Class 3 with only a couple of exposed sections. Then the TRAVERSE, 2 pitches of 50 to 60 degree snow above the northeast glacier (maybe steeper for a short section to reach the east ridge, seemed like it was). Awesome exposure. Good belays can be found by climbing into the moat, making this more reasonable than it first appears. But it is steep and exposed. Really cool!! Finish off with one 50 meter pitch of 4th class rock and then scramble up to the seldom visited summit.

Flee Fly Flue is a good 5.7 chimney on the middle wall at Index. Its been awhile, but I think I remember, about 20-30 feet of nice wide bombay chimney action with no pro. Then placing the big green camelot and a brushy finish to the anchors. The rock isn't worn smooth like the aries chimney.

Below is an excerpt from my notes: As described in the guide book, the key to finding the route is to locate the right hand turn out of the first gully at 3,870ft. Look for the really obvious cave at the cliff bottom, the route goes right underneath it. A short scrappy dirt-rock-snow scramble past the cave cliff and we were in the final gully leading up to the bowl under the south face.

I had the same problem with the met adj, the yates can be lengthened under tension and I like having that option.

I’ll be interested in hearing what you think of your fifi after you’ve used it. I bought one last year, after reading of its virtues from ptpp. After some experimenting , it has found a home at the bottom of my blue gear tub. My 2 main gripes: 1) the hook adds to the cluster via its hook like nature. 2) the kong hook appears to have less room in the concave section of the hook then some other fifi hooks and kept surprising me by coming unhooked when I unweighted it. After some experimenting with 1) the kong hook, 2) metolius adjustable 3) yates adjustable and 4) carabiners at diff lengths on pocket daisy, I found I like the yates adjustable best as the tool for clipping in short after I’ve moved up in my aiders. I like the carabiner over the hook, because hooks equal cluster. I liked the yates adjustable because it is the easiest to lengthen (all of them can be made shorter easy enough). Seems to me most of the advantages of the kong fifi hook were made obsolete by adjustable daisys. IMHO

My C&S chalk bag (circa early 90's) finally wore out. It was one of those big ones that you could dig into and come out with chalk half way up to your elbow. Where I can get another one like that?