dberdinka

Somewhere lonesome

We skied those BITD when no one ventured beyond Herman Saddle, Bagely Basin held untracked powder for days, the low elevation snowpack was consistent and deep, Anderson Creek was routinely groomed and we had to slog around on telebindings that didn’t have tour modes. once met a group of three Canadian guys in Anderson Creek on downhill gear. They would routinely end their day of lift skiing by postholing to Herman saddle then ski/skate out Anderson Creek. Don’t see that anymore!

8 failed trips sums up the Sefrit experience pretty good. I still haven’t stood on top. Did your trip many years ago and must have got stymied by the tower. Skiing was horrible. Someday someone has to go climb that buttress. The rock looks surprisingly ok.

Sluiskin was my first significant solo when I was 14 or 15 years old. Mom dropped me off at trailhead and went hiking with Mountaineers to whatever lake is up the carbon river. Rocked out to a cassette player on the hike. I climbed up and down past a roped up party who sternly admonished me. Everyone must have thought we were crazy. I miss those days, when the mountains were new and wonderful, so much.

Cool photos of UTW. Love the ice axe in first photo. Certainly even then there were more appropriate tools?

This is stunning and original

Keep up the CPR. I like mine more.

New Job!??? Is the endless vacation over? This was a very, very good alpine route. And the ease with which the intimidating approach unfolded around the backside was a joy. Glad to have been there before it becomes another crowded classic.

This summer Zigzag, the boat launch wall at Larrabee and a very good route in the Twin Sisters have all been retro bolted. I would assume by three different parties. I’d say it’s a general and growing trend. Drills are cheap and good. Being a route developer is in vogue, rock is a limited resource and our general cultural illness of “don’t tell me what to do” continues to grow. Expect to see a lot more of this in the near future.

I did the Green Circuit this weekend with my daughter. This provided a very different perspective on the objective hazards of traveling though this range. We climbed Jaw Tooth/Skookum and the right side of central arete on Little Sister. While there's lots of solid rock the amount of loose debris on ledges just waiting to get knocked down on your belayer was startling. We dropped our gear to climb Skookum and then rappelled back down the northeast ridge with a single rope which was a very trying experience requiring several simply inadequate rappel anchors. On Little Sister we stayed further right of the supposed bolt anchors and did not find any on the upper ridge. So whatever bolting has occurred appears limited. The Northeast Face of Little Sister now has several piton-based rap anchors. While I've always downclimbed this face previously, these were welcome particularly after the prior days experience. I think the community as a whole would find it unacceptable for guide services (or anyone) to retrobolt existing well-traveled routes so ultimately no one should plan on those bolts still being there in the future, but personally I feel fairly cowed after taking responsibility for someone other than myself out there. One big change seems to be the number of guided groups now accessing Green Creek Valley. On the east side of Little Sister we encountered an AMGA guide certification group as well as a Canadian guide sussing out the range. The appeal is obvious, reasonably easy access a diverse variety of moderate terrain along with I presume a lack of regulation compared to other areas that are increasingly crowded/competitive. The amazing wilderness character of this valley would be seriously compromised if was stacked with multiple large parties every day of the week. I'm considering reaching out to the Forest Service to see if they have or care to have a management plan commercial guiding in the Twins. (And yes I realize the hypocrisy in my concern considering I spent years spraying about this place).

Just amazing. Thank you.

Earth gods Angry Twin Sisters Earthquakes

Not sure I have a leg to stand on but that seems totally unjustified. The arete was first climbed onsight solo by Ben Peterson eight years ago. Seems unlikely that they would have asked and he would have agreed to his line being bolted. It would be nice to know who the guides were and what guiding form they work for. If they feel their decision was reasonable they should be happy to defend it.. .

Well that's a 180. People are dumb and I can't really blame considering what were already unusually dry soils and unprecedented heat. I got to think enforcement is nil though.

Went again. ~6' of melting in 6 days. 1 sketching crossing and 1 solid left. Still snow under 5930' but probably not by end of weekend. Didn't know a snowpack could melt that quick.