dberdinka

+1 for Marks link to Chris Macnamaras website. If you start and learn to aid climb without daisies you will be far more efficent and fast.

When I drag my friends out to climb walls they tend to quickly settle for the single jumar/Gri-gri combination due to a greater sense of security. Two jumars is way more efficent for general jugging/cleaning though I'll switch to the jumar/Gri-gri for significant overhangs (real easy to go back and forth) Frog sounds great for free hanging ropes but I've never tried it as I've never fixed lines on the SE Face of El Cap and I'm of the impression it takes some specialized equipment and tuning to get just right.

I'm not sure whats more impressive. The climbers or the technology used to film it. Crazy world we're living in.

For those of us who don't crank 5.12 supposedly the historic north buttress is actually a good route.

Stunning John. Just incredibly stunning.

Those glaciers are amazing for the variability they exhibit year over year. When I climbed North Rib in 2004? the North Slesse Glacier was hardly more than a snowfield.

That looks amazing!

Wow. Definitely not the Cascades.

You're a hater. What the DEB of Liberty Bell?

Gene and I did this route 10? years ago. P1 off the big ledge is C1 until the last few moves which were either KBs or LAs (A1). P2 (crux) took a SO off the belay then hooks and cams followed by the long beautiful corner where I definitely used LAs. I'm not sure how you would do this clean unless you had a triple rack of Lowe Balls or something, it's not scars just a long 1/4" wide crack in a corner. Couple crappy heads at the top you might need to replace. I would bring 3-4 KBs, 6-8 LA, a couple SO 1/2" - 3/4" and some heads.

Beautiful Area! Question? What is your calorie intake on a day like that. How much and how often of what?

That is awesome. This post needs pics......

Nice photos. I climbed that route many years ago and really enjoyed it. Fact is there are not a whole lot of routes that combine steep (well relatively steep) glacial ice and exposed rock. It's one of the few.

Sunday August 12th. Picked up by Adam (Leavenworth) and Ema (Squamish) as they strolled past. PM or e-mail me dberdinka AT gmail DOT com and we can work something out. Thanks. Darin

Hey Rad. Ramuta just turned around two pair of shoes in less than two weeks. You can always call and ask. Amazing work as usual. I called Barry and it was 6-8 weeks.

Bump for my own TR. Climbed Ellation on Saturday. It's almost completely dry with the exception of a move or two on the 3rd, crux pitch. My Colorado buddy thought it was worthy. Chalk on the route and a small loose hold on pitch 4 had recently given up the ghost so it's getting some traffic. Upper pitches are very clean and the final pitch now goes free with a single move of 11- (or C0). Anything harder than 10b/c is easily yarded past if need be. Climbed another three pitch line as well that ended in "Daves Grand Dihedral" a low-angle 140' 5.7 corner with a hand crack running up the entire thing. From the mid-height grassy ledge of Ellation walk right around the corner 150' and look for an intimidating layback flake that leads to a small roof, 10+ or 11- but really hard to get the gear in (maybe it needs a few B.L.Ts). Next a very cool bolted 10- arete pitch leads to base of the Dihedral, mossy at the start but cleans up quickly. Made for a good picture at least.

If you want to climb a big route on Slesse consider the North Rib over the Northeast Buttress. It is a far superior climb with a much, much safer approach particularly for a heavy snow year like this one when the pocket glacier might never fully eject.

The approach on the east side is absolutely beautiful and the shwacking is tame (all blueberries, (almost) no devils club). Still if you want pitches go to Squamish, if you want a wilderness experience close to home the Green Creek Valley can't be beat. With a multiday trip in there, either basecamping or traversing you could knock off a lot of good routes from the Mythic Wall, to the South Twin, Skookum, Cinderella.....

It's good to see a shout out for the Que-Car-BBQ. They really do have the best food in the Cascades. Their hours can seem a bit short after the long drive down from the pass but so be it. If they're open you would be out of your mind to pass them up for "Good" food.

Thats the backside of the South Twin. I downclimbed the ridgeline (NE ridge) in the middle of the frame. Leland, what did you think of the route on Skookum?

Trip: Twin Sisters Range - South Twin - North Twin Traverse Date: 6/28/2012 Trip Report: Due to a deteriorating forecast and a general weariness with driving long distances to go climbing I chose to hop on my bike and go for my first ever self-propelled climbing adventure. I managed to kill the proverbial second bird as well finally climbing the South Twin Sister after living in Bellingham for over twenty years. The original plan had been to just climb the West Ridge of the North Twin. After 30 miles of pedaling, and using some sort of flawed logic, I surmised that climbing the South Twin would only add a marginal amount of extra effort to the entire ordeal. After the interminable logging roads the approach into the basin separating the two peaks is short and sweet. A short snow slope led to the long West Ridge of the South Twin which struck me as a slightly longer, slightly more difficult and more alpine version of it neighbor. Occasional intimidating sections were always easily bypassed on firm, enjoyable rock. I was a bit surprised to find two climbers basking on the summit of the neighboring Skookum Peak having just climbed the Northeast Ridge (which looks like one of the very best routes in the range). Years ago when I climbed that peak the summit register suggested it only saw an ascent every five years or so. Rather than down climb the ridge I chose to descend the much shorter and chossier northeast ridge. Still third class but quite exposed in places. The Sisters Glacier was rapidly crossed to the col between the summits at which point I decided it would be just as easy to climb over the North Twin for a rapid boot glissade down the North Face (always perfect in mid-to-late June). The southeast ridge of the North Twin turned out to be a bit inferior to the other ridges in the area with numerous deep gaps to be bypassed and a finally bit of unaesthetic traversing below steep towers. It had it's enjoyable sections too and as part of the overall traverse it is well worth doing. Upon regaining my bike the weather had finally changed with a stiff wind and the first rain drops in the air. Fortunately my legs were not nearly as trashed as I had presumed they would be and the ride home was actually enjoyable. Ultimately a great trip and a wonderful way to reset the bar on what seems normal. That five mile approach up the logging roads will never feel long again! Approach Notes: Accessing the Basin. From near Dailey Prairie continue past the normal turn off for the N Twin - W Ridge. After a couple hundred yards take the next left. After passing an old metal culvert (BITD climbers could park here) the road brushes up. Continue to follow a path through the slide alder. Watch out for a point where the road splits in front of a small stream. A more obvious path leads up and left but you want to continue straight ahead over the stream. Eventually the road switchbacks just before reaching old growth. Plow straight ahead picking up a faint trail. It quickly leads to a talus field that is followed up into the basin. 45 minutes from the culvert.

Great trip report on a classic adventure. Agreed that there is still way more snow in the hills then many years.

Holy Crap! Congratulations old man! Welcome to the club, it's an exhausting but wonderful one!

I've got a copy. Say $100 bones? Thats apparently cheap!

Nice tour! I've always wanted to do that.....