Colin

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."

"for use by multiple groups; i.e., hikers, stock and mountain bikers" Excuse my ignorance, but what are stock bikers?

All the regulars are busy. Anyone (in the Seattle area) want to head out to Index tommorrow afternoon? I get out of school at 11am. If so, e-mail me, or call me SOON: 206-232-1798.

So, the route looked like it had enough ice, but you backed off because you thought the avalanche danger was too high? Just want to get a better picture of what sort of shape the route is in.

Two parties climbed Triple Couloirs today, and Wayne and I climbed the August 1971 route (direct north face). It went at about AI3, 5.7 I would estimate, and was in good shape. Hopefully the two Triple Couloirs parties are OK, as the wind was starting to blow quite hard while they were still up there.

The pillar to the right of where you climbed is WI4. Where you were climbing is WI3. I think most people agree with these ratings.

Anyone out there know of any TRULY light carabiners? I imagine something like the Neutrino, but with "thinner walls" so as to save weight, but not lose size. The result would be something of similar size/shape, less weight, and less strength. I'm thinking that if the "walls" were made about %20 thinner, a Neutrino would be rated to about 18 kN rather than 24 kN, and would weigh about 30 g instead of 36 g. Not something to take cragging or on bigwalls, but adequate for a lot of alpine stuff. Faders makes a 12 kN carabiner, but I think that would be a bit too weak, and it looks like it is small as well. Is there anything made like I am describing?

Drive to almost 7,000 ft. David Parker? You must have one good off-road vehicle, because I usually only make it to Paradise, which is at about 5,500 ft.

Skied up to Colchuck Lake Saturday, and soloed Triple Couloirs today. I did the direct up the runnels to the second couloir, which was about AI3. The Hidden, Second, and Third couloirs were soft, but not wallowing. The direct runnels are definitely in good shape to be climbed, with most of it on hero-swinging alpine ice. It was nice to have already done the descent twice before, as the visibility went completely to shit as I topped out. In general, the route is in fine shape, and will probably get better in the next couple weeks.