Colin

Mark and I climbed the 1957 NE Buttress route this past week. We skied up to the end of the Cascade River Road on the 28th. On the 29th, we stashed skis at the base of the buttress, and climbed to a bivy at the fairly level part of the buttress, at mid height. On the 30th we climbed up to the flat snow area just below the summit pyramid (choosing to rap into the couloir, rather than do the 5.3 variation). On the 31st we tagged the summit, and then started traversing towards the West Peak, and ended up bivying on the summit ridge, about 2/3 of the way there. On the 1st we tagged the West Peak, and then kept traversing the West Ridge, eventually downclimbing a SW gully. We traversed around the SW side of the peak, and then climbed up to a col in the West ridge (in other words, we used the west side descent/ascent route). We descended towards the North from the col in the West ridge, and got about 1,500 ft. down before bivying. On the 2nd we staggered down the rest of the slope to the Cascade River Road, and back to the car. Today we snowshoed back up to the face to retrieve our skis, but found them buried by avalanches! We had very difficult weather and conditions, with lots of wallowing, and new snow every day and every night. I would not reccomend the West side descent route, unless you want to climb the West Peak specifically, because it was very long and tiring. It was a really fun winter route, and I'd reccomend it in general (although I would also reccomend waiting until later in the season, and for firmer/safer conditions). There is not much ice in that area yet, although it is definitely forming. The short three-tiered waterfall on the left, about 1 mile up-valley from Eldorado Creek looks like it will be climbable soon. To drive up to Eldorado Creek you will probably want to carry chains.

I'm hoping to get in touch with either Carla Firey or Piro Kramar. If anyone knows either person's phone or e-mail, I'd appreciate it if you could send me a PM or an e-mail. Thanks. colinhaley@attbi.com

Yes, I know - but we're talking about once crampons WERE in use.

I agree, Winter, but just to clarify: I don't think anyone took their crampons off when the ice got steep - Rather, they had to cut steps when the ice got steep, and the crampons kept their feet from slipping out of the steps.

Smoker, Don't Rambo's have vertical front points? I would assume that no one files their vertical front points from the top.

I can't seem to decide which is a better method for filing horizontal crampon front points: -from the sides, creating a very triangle-shaped front point -from the top, creating a trapezoidal-shaped front point Sabretooth crampons come with the front points already somewhat "top-filed," while most (Grivel, DMM, CM) come with the front points "side-filed." It's been my experience that if you "top-file" them, then as the crampons get older (and points shorter), your front points get wider, and therefore less effective. On the other hand, perhaps "top-filing" them preserves the life of the front points more than "side-filing?" Thoughts?

Good morning, Worm your honor. The crown will plainly show The prisoner who now stands before you Was caught red-handed showing feelings Showing feelings of an almost human nature; This will not do. Call the schoolmaster! I always said he'd come to no good In the end your honor. If they'd let me have my way I could Have flayed him into shape. But my hands were tied, The bleeding hearts and artists Let him get away with murder. Let me hammer him today? Crazy, Toys in the attic I am crazy, Truly gone fishing. They must have taken my marbles away. Crazy, toys in the attic he is crazy. You little shit you're in it now, I hope they throw away the key. You should have talked to me more often Than you did, but no! You had to go Your own way, have you broken any Homes up lately? Just five minutes, Worm your honor, Him and Me, alone. Baaaaaaaaaabe! Come to mother baby, let me hold you In my arms. M'lud I never wanted him to Get in any trouble. Why'd he ever have to leave me? Worm, your honor, let me take him home. Crazy, Over the rainbow, I am crazy, Bars in the window. There must have been a door there in the wall When I came in. Crazy, over the rainbow, he is crazy. The evidence before the court is Incontrivertable, there's no need for The jury to retire. In all my years of judging I have never heard before Of someone more deserving Of the full penaltie of law. The way you made them suffer, Your exquisite wife and mother, Fills me with the urge to defecate! "Hey Judge! Shit on him!" But, my friend, you have revealed your Deepest fear, I sentence you to be exposed before Your peers. Tear down the wall!

When researching a climb in the U.S., I usually just go to topozone.com to see what's up, but it deosn't extend into B.C. Does anyone know of a similar site (free, online topo maps) for Canada?

Anyone go up into the Enchantments this past weekend? How much (if any) snow is there up at Colchuck Lake? I assume the FS is reasonable enough to not have gated Mountaineer Creek Road, since there should be no snow on it?

Yeah, I was sick of carrying bivy gear after hiking up to the East Ridge last weekend, only to discover that I'd forgotten my lighter, and couldn't use my stove. I slept at the trailhead, and headed out at 3 am.

Soloed the NW Couloir today. There were five other climbers approaching the base as I topped out, so there's likely to be other reports as well. I used the approach in Selected Climbs, which works fine, although at least two of the other climbers dropped down directly into the Marble drainage from the Inspiration Glacier, which could be quite faster. The climb itself was in excellent condition, with neve wherever there wasn't ice; I'd estimate it to be WI2+/WI3-. As long as this high pressure sticks around, the climb will probably remain in great shape.

I bet it's not a pose. I bet that the guy is Korean. I've spent a few days cragging in Korea, and while the granite is spectacular, with tons of routes that rival Outer Space, the climbers are super sketchy. While good climbers, they have absolutely no concept of safety.

Jason, I've got a photo of the NW face of Stuart in late winter. It shows the lower 2/3 of the NW face couloir and the Stuart Glacier couloir. It is taken from the Stuart Glacier, and thus not the best view possible, but you might find it worthy.

I heard that Joan Firey wanted to do it for a while, but as far as I know it hasn't been done.

Stefan said: "Pickets traverse staying on the ridge proper. I think this has been done...it doesn't have to be new to be hardman stuff." Really? By who? Silas Wild, the hardman, came closest as far as I know.

North face of Cheam, eh? Thanks, Jordop.

I think I just realized why this has been so confusing for me. The face I'm thinking of is after Bridal Veil Falls, and before Hope, and is therefore a North face. Would that make it part of the Cheam Range then, Jordop? In that section of Highway, it has always stood out to me as being very large and very close to the road. That must narrow it down...

Dru, Driving North of Hope on Highway 1, it is on your right after the Highway crosses to the East side of the river (a West face). I can't remember if it is before or after Boston Bar. In any event, you can barely see the top of it without sticking your head out of the car window - It starts really low, but it is massive. I've always wondered what it is - Anyone know?

I'm not very familiar with BC. Is Robie Reid that huge face you see on your right when driving North from Hope?

So I saw the movie, "The Deerhunter" for the first time a few days ago, and was very pleased to see some of our own in there: -Mount Baker -Mount Shuksan -Pyramid Peak -Paul Bunyan's Stump Just a little bonus to an already good movie!

Price aside, does anyone have a reason why the I-Tent is better than the MK1-Lite, or vice-versa? The largest difference I see are the types of vents used on each. Integral Designs starting putting their door zippers (one for netting, one for fabric) in series (rather than parallel) a few years ago, which I think is rather silly - I'm not sure if they're still doing it. The MK1-Lite is slightly lighter, but probably only because it is slightly smaller.

DLL said: "Sprindrift(referred to earlier in this post) was repeated a few years ago by some dude that Bart knows. Solo. Still awaiting a third though, anyone keeping an eye out?" Who was the soloist? Miles? Also, the route was climbed by 7 people last winter, in three different parties. When DLL made that post it was still awaiting a third, but I thought I'd clarify. [ 11-06-2002, 07:10 PM: Message edited by: Colin ]

So, is the Teacup Handle the West Ridge or the North Ridge of Table Mountain? I assume by the nature of the post and it's proximity to Baker, that it is volcanic choss?

The new-style Yates Screamers have a shrink-wrapped rubber/plastic covering to keep the "wings" in, while the old-style ones had a sleeve of elastic. I think that this is probably a better option overall, because the stupid elastic things were always sliding down, but I was wondering about one thing. When the main body of the sling gets wet, does it take forever for it to dry out under that rubber tube? Are the new-style screamers more prone to mildew?

Anyone else ever notice that those people who get called "pussies" or "fags" for having an environmental conscience, are the only ones who can actually climb?