Colin

Soloed the North Face of Graybeard today. The log crossing is easy, and obvious to find. There is a bootpack to the base of the face. I descended to the NE, and hiked around the E side of the peak, rather than descend via Easy Pass, which Nelson reccomends. I'm not certain, but I think that my descent route was significantly faster, and I would reccomend it (if you need more details, e-mail me). I had to leave some pins and 60m of 6mm rope! I self-belayed at one point, but the rope snagged when I tried to retrieve it Overall, a fun route and a good snag by the Skoog brothers. However, unless we get quite a cold snap I think that this was the last weekend to do it.

More specifically, anyone know how far one can drive up Cascade River Road? I just talked to a ranger who said that it was open to within two miles of the Cascade Pass trailhead (which she said was the park boundary). Can anyone confirm this? -- I'm usually not very trusting of ranger info.

Anyone know what it is?

Thanks to those who have complimented the ascent. They should really be directed at Mark, though - he's the super badass, and kept us from driving off the road when I fell asleep at the wheel trying to make it from the trailhead to the Leavenworth Safeway! Robert, since I haven't heard from you in a while perhaps you're finally convinced? That was a big assumption you made, but it's no big deal and we can all forget. If you'd still like to see the slides, I'd be psyched to show you them.

Agent Orange! You just said that you were at the base at 5 am! If you are talking about Saturday, then everything makes sense. We were at the base at 7 am! About to go post my pictures that I just scanned...

RURP, If he is such an extreme climber, why didn't he make it up Stuart Glacier Couloir? He said that he got there too late on Saturday, so he camped and then hiked out on Sunday. Why didn't he climb it Sunday morning, if he's so extreme? In any event, I'll try to post my pictures soon. Otherwise, I'll have a little 'public slide show,' and if you want to doubt my ascent, you'd better show up.

I don't have a scanner at home, but there's one at school that I might be able to use. If I were to scan my slides onto the hard-disk at the school computer, how would I go about putting them onto the site -- do they need to be on a webpage?

Here's the e-mail I got late last night, to keep everything on the table: "hey, this is just plain stupid. i don't know what you guys did, but i call it bullshit. NOT A SINGLE TRACK!!!!!!!!! in the gully or on the glacier. we were at the toe of the N. ridge and within 50 yard of the aproach slope.no wind, no spindrift, post holing on the glacier. if you were there there would be tracks. I did make a phone call to a friend of my who knows the area very well and works as a guide. yes, there is a gully on the other side of the notch, but it has a pretty steep drop-off, about pitch and a half of actual, steep climbing. to quote him on that "fucking desperate, when snowed up". my attempt on the glacier couloir is not a topic. we walked in in the afternoon, saw that the conditions sucked and walked out in the morning. the point is that 22 years of climbing in different mountain ranges gave me enough experience to see what's going on in the mountains. maybe you did west ridge- hey great ascent in conditions like that. maybe something else, i don't know. BUT NOT the n. ridge. the conditions did not change in such a short period of time. the snow mobile tracks were clearly visible, our tracks were clearly visible, WERE WERE YOURS???????????? I am sure i could see something from less then 50 yards away, don't you think???" Robert, I'm beggining to wonder if you are one of those people who find it impossible to admit they are wrong. It is often difficult to see tracks in the snow from below, perhaps this is why you didn't see ours. You, on the other hand, said you could see your approach tracks from far away -- perhaps this is because you were looking down upon them. Also, we were walking up the Stuart Glacier at about 7:00 am, while you were in the afternoon. That section of the approach was soft nonetheless, but perhaps softer when you got there. Your point about "22 years of climbing in different ranges" is irrelevant -- How do you know I haven't done more climbing in the last 2 years than you did in that whole time? In any event, we did not climb the West Ridge, we climbed the North Ridge. '8 years of climbing in different ranges' gives me enough insight to know what I climbed. Yes, it was not in typical condition -- we had crampons on for the entire ascent. In terms of proof, I would really like to meet you at a local shop, and show you my slides. Otherwise, if you think that you can get up the N Ridge in spring conditions - GO DO IT. Our tracks should still be there, as I don't think it has been snowing that far east. Also, at the base of the gendarme there is a new anchor waiting for the next party -- 2 tricams (one large, one small) and a large, red cordellette connecting them. So, Robert, when and where should we meet?

Charlie, We descended the Sherpa Glacier. I've descended this way every time I've climbed Stuart, and I highly reccomend it (at least before July). If we had had to walk around, we never would have made it back to the car that day.

"if you climbed it, you'd have to leave the tracks in the gully to the n ridge!!!!!!!!" Also, Robert: If you knew what you were talking about, you'd realize that there is another approach gully to the N Ridge from the Ice Cliff Glacier side. This is irrelevant, since we went up from the Stuart Glacier side, but I still thought I'd clarify.

Charlie, here is somewhat of a trip report: The trail had snow on it from the trailhead almost the entire way. The snow on the approach was pretty good and firm, except for the last little bit on the Stuart Glacier (above about 7,000 ft.), where it was still soft. We had originally planned to try the NW Face Couloir, but there was a massive cornice threatening pretty much the whole thing. By doing the N Ridge instead, we were only threatened by the cornice during a little bit of the gendarme bypass. Most of the route was rock, with snow on the ledges and cracks. We excavated for quite a while at the base of the gendarme, but couldn't find the rap bolt because of all the snow, and thus left 2 tricams. After the rappel, we took a chimney slightly left of the normal bypass ledges, which was really fun - it afforded the most pure ice climbing on the route. The gendarme looked pretty much dry (except for the belay ledge about 60 ft. up, which had snow on it), but it would be quite burly without rock shoes.

This was sent to my e-mail this afternoon, by a guy named Robert Rogoz (muscletx@yahoo.com). "hey, i did read your note about the ascent of the n ridge of mt stuart. A BIG FAT DONKEY DICK LIE!!!!!!!i was there on sat afternoon and sun!!!. yes snomobile tracks, but not a single human track on a glacier. we walked right past the gully on n ridge. can you fly? we went up on the colouir, not a single track on the glacier, though we were sinking mostly mid calf. we were able to see out tracks there on the way out a couple of miles away. your claim of the ascent is a FUCKING LIE. i will write about it on the web page and call your bullshit. if you climbed it, you'd have to leave the tracks in the gully to the n ridge!!!!!!!! A FUCKING LIE!!!!!r" Wow! First of all, Robert, we approached via Mountaineer Creek, not Stuart Lake. We difinitely left tracks up the Stuart Glacier and into the approach gully, as the snow was soft there. We were traveling on the far left side of the glacier, right next to the rock, which might explain this. I just got back from showing my slides to a friend at Pro Mountain Sports, and some friends at Feathered Friends -- if you'd like to see them, I'd be happy to show them to you as well. I must say, I am quite stunned that you would make such a big assumption, and be so sure of it as to write an incorrect and rude e-mail. We climbed the uppper North Ridge in a day car-to-car, and you failed on the Stuart Glacier Couloir in two days -- is this why you are so disgruntled? Sorry to get snotty at the end of the post, here, but your e-mail fully deserves it.

Mark and I were about halfway up our route on Stuart yesterday, when six snowmobilers poured over Goat Pass. Snowmobiles are not allowed beyond Longs and Ingalls Passes (the wilderness boundary). For about the next 2 hours, they "high-tailed" on the edge of the Stuart Glacer. It was extremely loud and obnoxious. Rangers probably have more important things to do than keep motor vehicles out of the wilderness - like give me parking tickets.

We did the upper North Ridge in a long car-to-car day. It is in fun winter/spring conditions, with rock, snow, and even some ice.

Mugs Stump

The lack of the steel-tape-ring thingy isn't the only difference between the Grade 8 front bail and the M-10 front bail. They are definitely different in shape and size as well. Also, if you know how to put a Grade 8 front bail on an M-10, please tell me. Hmmm... I thought that I tried the Rambo front bail - maybe I'll give it another try. Anyone with knowledge on how to get an M-10 front bail though?

Does anyone have any ideas where I might get a pair of M-10 front bails? Petzl America (the US distributor of Charlet Moser stuff), only wants to send me Grade 8 front bails. Or does anyone have some themselves that they are willing to give up for a few bucks?

Also Mitch, A picture you took on Polar Circus shows up on the front page every once in a while. I bet you didn't use any of those bolted stations on your way down. After all, you could find knifeblade placements near all of them. You'd certainly be doing the climbing community a great service if you went and chopped those too!

Yes, they are convenience bolts - I agree, and I still support them. The distinct difference with the Beckey route is that almost everyone descends the direct route from the notch (which does have bolted rappels!) rather than descending the Beckey route.

Gee "projecthex," You seem like such a mature, nice guy. I'm glad you have such an excellent and intelligent way of interacting with other people.

If any of you have climbed the South Ridge of Ingall's Peak (North peak) in the last few years, I wouldn't believe you if you told me that you didn't use any of the bolts. Those big, Metolius bolts are placed right next to cracks! I think that this is perfectly acceptable. Just imagine how much more severe those Mountaineer Clusterfucks would be if every party on that very popular route had to build their own belay/rap anchors. I doubt that they ruin anyone's wilderness experience, for if you wanted wilderness you wouldn't be on the South Ridge of Ingall's anyway. As for bolting rock where there aren't cracks: Some say that lines that require bolting just weren't meant to be climbed - If that is the case with you, then don't climb them! If a new route (a legitimately new route, not a 30 ft. variation) requires a few bolts to be relatively safe, then I think they are perfectly justified.

How 'bout sometime we pick a location where it is easy to smuggle in those of us that are underage?

I'll be looking at Colleges in California with my dad next week, and we'll spend the last two days in J Tree. I don't have guidebook, so I plan on just poking around and climbing whatever looks good. I assume that for most stuff there I'll be able to get by with a single 50m rope - or am I wrong?

Zenolith, was that a joke? I've certainly been told many times to never tie a knot in spectra. I'm often skeptical of advise from the safety-freaks, but this is one that I believe; it is definitely much more slippery than nylon. Also, I don't think it is a good idea to seperate the knot on opposite sides of the stem (with any material), because I think the knot would come undone more easily. Yes, you CAN use spectra for reslinging, but if you do I'd reccomend having it SEWN. There are several places that you can send them to to have it done.

Actually, I must disagree with those who have argued that doing the bypass is doing Triple Couloirs. That route is better described as "Wickwire-Stanley with Third Couloir finish," than as "Triple Couloirs with North Face bypass." I'm not trying to insult anyone's ascent, as the bypass is often harder than the direct. However, it simply is misinformation to call the Wickwire-Stanley "Triple Couloirs." Perhaps it is somewhat comparable to saying that you climbed the Beckey-Davis on the S Face of Prusik, when in fact you finished on the Burgner-Stanley on the S Face of Prusik. They both have the same grade, but you would simply be misleading people to say that you "climbed the Beckey-Davis."