David_Parker

For any reading this, here's my opinion on how to do it from Rainy Pass. Drive to Colonial Campground late night before Day 1 and camp. Day 1; Get up and drive to trailhead and hike all the way to a bivy spot above lower cliff bands. BTW, if you guys had continued up to the snowbridge, you can get over lower cliff bands on far right. Day 2; climb route from base camp, go lite and fast, simul as much as possible. Do not rap from summit block, rather descend to black notch and rap from there into SE Couloir. 2 65' raps with one rope. Descend SE couloir, NOT Bedayan (sp?) couloir!!!! Return to base camp via Storm King col (one rap to glacier) If time, pick up camp and descend to Grizzly camp for comfy bivy and even a fire if you're so inclined. Day 3; enjoy the leisurely 15 mile hike out. We dubbed the approach/deproach "up hill both ways", but I found it an enjoyable trip with even a slight side trip to check out the deep canyon of Bridge creek. I think the whole ferry, bus, schedule probs, money thing would detract from the true essence of doing this exceptional route in a remote area. It's an easy 3 day climb and a real classic.

For me, the crux was getting past the goat at the start of the rock climbing from the pass. He was snorting and pawing the air and put his head down, threatening to charge me. I had put my weapon (ski pole) away so felt defenceless. We cautiously passed each other and he meandered off eventually after having followed us 3/4 of the way up Avalanche Canyon from the lake.

If you died, what would your friend do? Do the same!

My solo was a few years ago and I used the terrible traverse. Wayne and I just did the west ridge (see TR)and got a look down the N. Chute on the way down and it looks good. I did not bring crampons for the west ridge but you should have them for the north chute. The finger traverse is no big deal and doesn't require a rope. You have bomber hand holds and you just need to pay attention to your feet. It's only about 30 feet.

Anyone contemplating Constance, the north chute is ALWAYS the best way up as long as you can see snow in it at the top. Don't let the scree fan at the bottom disuade you. As of today, it is still climbable. Just remember there is about 40 feet of down climbing from the top on the other side before you go up the gully to the notch. The first chute up is actually more complicated route finding, especially if you've never been on the mountain before. It is also way looser bullshit scree and loose rocks. And if it helps, the word descriptions in the Olympic Climbers Guide totally suck ass. I finally came down the finger traverse after never attempting it on the way up because the words made no sense even standing there looking at the route on a clear day. It was pretty straight forward. The finger traverse should be your summertime/dry conditions route; the terrible traverse more of the winter/ snow covered rock route (as long as avy conditions are safe). BTW, from car to summit is over 7,000 vert!

And don't forget your Mt. Bikes for the ride up and down the road from the washout. If the west-ridge route wasn't classic enough when Kearney wrote his book, it is now with this added dimension! PS. I LOVE that trail up to lake Constance!! That was my 5th time!

Ahhhh, I put that stick there and scratched the arrow and the word "access" with my ski pole last August (02) on the way out from Fury. I'm surprised it lasted through the winter! Seems like people are finding it and thereby the trail to the river is becoming more defined. It was a bush wack when we did it. I maintain that in situations like this, it is better that everyone leaves the trail at the same place vs. everyone stumbling around all over the place trying to figure it out. Over all much less destructive to the forest.

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.

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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