David_Parker

Doing the N. Butt of Fury first and then trying to get over to Challenger does not sound ideal. If you want to climb both routes, do Challenger first and then traverse Luna cirque over to the n. but of Fury. Once up Fury, you really don't want to try to get back down into Luna cirque again. Just my humble picket opinion.

Alisdair, just call me and I'll give you beta. 206-714-4300

Hey Wayne, which shoes/boots did you use? On my 17 hr trip I found out too late it really helps to lace the forefoot section of my Towers really loose for the hiking sections. Big blister on rt. big toe is new to me. No heel blisters though!

I like a pole up to a certain steepness where depending on conditions, I feel I would need an axe to stop myself. I feel confident in my feet and will even switch to crampons and keep using the pole. This allows me to carry a much shorter ice tool which I prefer when it's steep. I really don't like ice tools over 55cm and the pole is coming with me anyway so it helps in more ways than one! The extra balance point is a big energy saver imo.

Wayne, that must have added at least 1 lb to your pack! I'm blown away you carried it out! Were you on drugs?

I am a NATIVE MAINIAC since I was born in that state and lived there until I was 22. As to an approach to Alphabet ridge, I can't say. I left the "trail" where NF Tunnel creek splits again and where I presume it continues towards Charlia Lakes. The Robert Wood hikers guide describes it as an unimproved climbers path. It was not too difficult to follow to the point I went although it is not maintained so there were plenty of blowdowns to go around. Looking at the topo map, the trail must ascend fairly steeply for a ways to get to Charlia Lakes. In retrospect, I wish I had gone that way. In another trip, It could be fun good to set a base camp there and attempt to ascend directly from the lakes up onto alphabet ridge, knock off Infinity Tower and a few of the other "towers" and then maybe Warrior too. The more established approach of course is over marmot Pass from the Dungeness drainage and then Cloudy Peak. From high in the NF Tunell creek drainage, the chute up to between Papoose and Squaw was mostly scree already. Another chute led up to between Warrior and the Brave. It was quite narrow at the top and had a schrund that was hard to tell if it was passable. In the Olympics, you have to take into consideration (lack of) rock quality when soloing! I have photos of all this stuff. Ironically I did see a couple people from a distance and it was a little baffling. There is a major morraine between the Constance Glacier? and I just as I was getting to it I heard voices. 2-3 people were bushwacking down through slide alder just above the forest level. They did not have packs on! On the way in NF Tunnel Creek I occasionaly saw freshly cut tree branches or topped small trees. This must be a technique used to mark the return route vs. using orange tape. They did not see me, nor did I call out. Since there was another car at the trailhead the night before, I'm thinking they came in and had a camp somewhere, went for a day hike up towards Crystal Pass but stopped at the tarn well below and went back down which is when I saw them. I would be interested in doing the approach the same way all the way to Charlia Lakes (bigger than Lake Constance) and seldom visited I'm sure and forging a way up onto Alphabet Ridge. If you gain the ridge, everything seems really straight forward from there. It's a pretty cool and remote section of the Olympics without a long car drive!

Yeah, I'm not ready to go boating yet unless you come pick me up!

So is Woolite really ok or should you get the "special" stuff??

Just like you're on the "bus" with tele boots, eh Beck!

This was supposed to be my Warrior Cirque traverse. I think I was dillusional! My plan was to approach via N. Fork Tunnell Creek, ascend the Papoose and then start traversing the ridge over the Squaw, Brave, over both summits of Warrior and then over Cloudy Peak and out Alphabet ridge topping off with Infinity tower. It looked doable on the map. I got messed up from the begining because Friday night I approached 2.5 miles up S. fork Tunnel Creek and slept in the shelter. So Saturday began at 5:00 am by hiking 2.5 miles back to the car and finding the proper start. The forest service road shown on the Gazateer is abandoned, so it's a longer hike up the seldom used trail towards Charlia lakes. I expected slightly better trail because this is an alternative "approach" to Constance, but I don't think too many climb from this side ever. About 3 miles in I left the trail l and crossed the river and made the approach up NF Tunnel Ceek which reminded me a lot of my bushwack up Access Creek last year. There were very few signs of traffic in the area. Well it's way too rugged on that Warrior Arm and the notches between summits are gnarly, so after breaking out above tree line I ended up just climbing up snow fingers as much as possible and a final ridge scramble to Desperation Peak which is just above Crystal Pass. Nice view of Warrior, Inner Constance, West Ridge route of Constance and all the way down Avalanche Canyon to Lake Constance. I was carrying bivy gear, stove, 8 mil rope and a medium rack. I concluded that from my position the only realistic way out was back the way I came, so I headed down again. The schrund on the glacier?/snow slope was huge and I was not sure I could get across, but the far west end was a small enough gap that I could jump. My plan was to then just bivy when I got to the bottom of the open slopes before going back into the forest. But it was only 6:00 so I decided to keep going. I didn't relish the idea of sleeping in the forest with mosquitos so I kept going into the dark and I made it back to the car around 10:30pm and in my bed at midnight. This trip can be improved I think if you approach all the way to Charlia Lakes and start up Alphabet Ridge and go the reverse direction. Like I've always said though, the Olympics are not a range to be underestimated. It's very rugged and remote out there!

I have a cool objective involving both summits of Warrior mapped out but am flexible for anything. Anyone?????

ok you fellow Oly climbers, I've got a really cool objective for this weekend. I'm a little nervous to solo it because its some serious route finding and involves at least two raps. Can't tell you what it is, but I wonder if it's been done before. It's a "traverse" in a way. Anyone interested??? call me at 714-4300. Flying ned, got room in your party for me. I can do mine another time.

You can create a slide show for everyone for free at www.shutterfly.com

Have you factored in drinking and driving without a seat belt? What about drinking and driving boats without a seat belt?? I can tell you a story about that!

Ed Viesturs made it to the summit of Nanga Parbat, knocking off the unlucky #13. Only Annapurna to do now to become 1st american to climb all 14 w/out oxygen.

Anyone interested in something in the Olys this weekend, I'm probably going. Pm or email me if interested.

The only thing the gps would have helped you with is retracing your steps. I don't see how it would have helped to keep going. I soloed Constance 2 years ago and it was fun. I always recomend going up the north chute and down the south chute although if it's your first time, route finding is not straight forward. Some people scoff at the Olympics, but they are real mountains. Also, after the notch, the rock is much better. On my solo, I knew there was nobody else on the mountain and I skied the scree down south chute with no worries about what I was sending down. One advantage of soloing! BTW< I'm looking for someone to climb with this weekend and was thinking of anything in the Olympics. Give me a shout if you want to do something.

You should be able to re-fi for less than 5 right now. Prime dropped 1/4, but home loans may not because they are considered longer term. The fed is trying to head off deflation and spur consumer spending. It's keeping me busy too! If you need more advise, email me. David Parker Associate Broker Windermere Real Estate 206-842-5626

Easy ridge is really asthetic and offers fabulous views to either side so I was glad I went that way. I think it would not have been difficult to gain the north (nw?) ridge of Whatcom from Easy Ridge and bagged that. The way down the back of Whatcom looks easy and brings you right to Perfect Pass. You then get in an extra peak and don't even have to mess with the imprfest impasse which btw didn't seem that hard to figure out. Another option would be to skip Easy Ridge, hike to Whatcom Pass and then go over Whatcom Peak from there and down to Perfect pass. Wayne and Alisdair and I feel like we kinda missed out by not bagging Whatcom, especially since all our days were over by about 2:00 pm! I'll give for going out Challanger Arm and down Big Beaver. Ending up at the lake with beer waiting and swimming in the lake was a nice finish!

With SARS in the air, you can forget about going to China for awhile. I'd pick a more friendly summit in Nepal doesn't carry such a high peak fee.

I use both.Reverse curve on my Cobras for waterfalls and AK on my x-15 straight shaft for alpine. I did a lot of water ice with the AK and it was good, but not as good clearing bulges, hooking or coliflower ice. As for alpine, I think it's funny that people use reverse curve picks. They suck for less than vert ice or making that placement when your reaching over a bulge. Alpine climbing is about speed and I move faster with the alaska pick by far. I'd use a classic curve before I'd use reverse in the alpine.

Ed works very hard when he is not climbing. He does corporate motivational speaking, slide shows and has a book out and been involved with other things that bring in $. I'm sure his sponsers take care of him as well. He has a nice home on Bainbridge where he raises his family. Pretty normal, nice guy whos worked hard for all he has achieved in life.

FUCK THE SEATTLE TIMES!! This just goes to show how fucked up the media is and how they only think of themselves. Ed shared with me why he was keeping a low profile and said I was not to tell ANYONE where he was or even share the link to his website. It was hard for me to not tell you guys, but I considered it a breach of security. I just hope it wasn't one of his "family and close friend" that gave the link away. I know it might not have been a huge secret, but the TIMES (media) blasting it all over the place is exactly what he was trying to avoid for security reasons. What gets me is they even SAY that in the article and then go on to publish it anyway. SHAME ON THEM!

You guys are fucked. I'm coming in my boat and you expect me to try to get to fucking Green Lake. Well piss off. I'm going to go drink with Hikerwa instead. No reason why this couldn't be closer to downtown like at Lindas, or some other joint on Alki. Have fun cause I won't be there unless you change it from Zeekes. You act like downtown is in fucking Tacoma!

Anywhere downtown in vecinity of Pike Market works for me as well as Alki. I can park my boat at the Bell Street Marina. Easy walk from there. If the weather holds, I'll be coming by boat tonight! So make it fairly close!