Marko

Spec-freakin-tacular lump of granite! (Isn't there something like it somewhere in Renton??) One question though: It took 1/2 an hour to get off the peak, how do you know it was unclimbed? Mark

Moonflower 3 times: 1. Fear and spindrift (Hey, a book title?) 2. Spindrift and hollow ice 3. Weather crappy for 2 1/2 weeks, didn't even get on the bugger Mark Nobody

If we were going to lie, we'da said we did the complete ridge! Neener neener. Mark The Old Guy

Howdy Wayne! Sultana shouldn't be a problem sans permit. Not many patrols on the peak. It's a long slog up and over Crosson but with cool views on the other side! It's also very exposed to the nasty weather from the W. Cheers, Mark (from NY Gully) Complacency kills.

Vert, Went up to the NE Ridge Aug '99. On the Bush road drive to around the 123 km point (I think it's measured from Golden) and turn right to cross the river. There was a sign "Rice Brook Main" after the bridge, take that road. This road went for about 10 km basically following the approach description in Dougherty's guide. This is the most RADICAL road I have ever taken a passenger vehicle on! Made it up with my beater Peugeot wagon a couple k from the end. Can't imagine log trucks ripping around up there. Walk what you don't drive, traverse the clearcut over to the north fork of Rice Brook and follow the creek to the bowl below the start of the NE Ridge. It's a hell of a beautiful place with a very out-of-place road. If you go in late season, go before the first snows of fall. We didn't, and ran out of time slogging through the deeps on the ridge. Cheers,Mark

Oh yeah, another thing: Note that when snow or water gets on a Ridgerest type pad, it ain't easy to brush it off. I'm sold on the simple foam pad concept. It's a wonderful place up there, enjoy.Mark

My tried and true: Cushy base camp-- Any thermarest and the 15mm evalite (the ubiquitous yellow pad). Check http://www.mec.ca/Main/home.jsp. I see the brand is Evazote these days. Alpine route-- Just the evalite. 19 oz. includes various bits of duct tape and a handy tie-in loop. Cheers,Mark

Yeah, I noticed that too, Lowell. A friend of mine soloed a new route (unless Doorish did in '72 or something) on West Garfield. He self-belayed a bunch of pitches, spent a night, probably a grade IV. Beckwith no like.Same guy and I did a route on Sloan, 3000'+, easily grade IV. Same deal, but a 1500' snow route gets in the journal.No big deal, but the 2 rock routes are the type of climbs I wouldn't mind knowing about. Anyway, blah, blah, blah. Cheers,Mark

I'd say about 5-6 miles from US 2 to where you park in the summer. Then 2-3 miles and maybe 2500 ft from there.

Hey Forrest, this is off-thread, but how'd you like the Colonial climb? It looks like a fun sporting route.

That comic is an all-time classic!

Thanks for the thorough, if depressing, report. It's rainging down here by the way...

1500' freezing level late Sat. and Sun. though. Should be great for the mighty White Chuck Mtn. If we can ski up to it in all this bottomless stuff, that is.

Talked to a local shop yesterday: The guy said the gate is closed on the Silverton side (a few miles from Big 4) and there's a "road closed" sign at the Darrington end. He said you could drive around the sign no problem, but he didn't know how far up you could get. That's the latest...

I'm thinking more like Chevy Cat.

Anyone know how for you can drive SE from Darrington on the Mtn Loop right now? (Ranger station is closed for the next few days!) Thanks

1. Moonflower Buttress 2. Moonflower Buttress 3. Moonflower Buttress 4. Moonflower Buttress 5. Moonflower Buttress 6. Moonflower Buttress 7. Moonflower Buttress 8. Moonflower Buttress 9. Moonflower Buttress 10. Moonflower Buttress Sorry, I'm starting to get obsessed again. Mark

So does anyone know how Ms. Mortenson's Makalu trip went?

Ade, Oh yeah, I forgot to mention another bit of wire to wrap around the fuel bottle and hang it also. The whole thing tilts a bit until you put a pot full of snow on the stove. It's great, the tent gets nice and toasty and you get to dry gear!

titsmack (interesting..) I've taken an old cookpot and cut holes in the sides near the bottom for the fuel line and for air flow, then more holes (smaller) near the top to attach thin wire to hang the pot. Place the stove inside the pot and attach the fuel line and stand back. It's actually too heavy and kind of a pain in the ass. The old 1/8" thick plywood by 8" or so diameter with 3 small squares of blue foam glued to the bottom works great and weighs squat. I almost always cook inside the bivy tent these days. (Getting old & soft I suppose...) Have a blast! Mark [This message has been edited by Marko (edited 06-11-2001).]

Paul, Yup, it's a great route! The view from the top of Alberta's N Face is puckering. We did it early/mid September '95 or '96 a week after the first fall snows. Great alpine ice, cold, and no rockfall during the climb. We brought one bag and a double bivy sack, bivied 15 minutes from the route, and did the carry over thing. The climbing is by no means extreme so the packs were no big deal. I think forrest_m is right about contouring around the peak. There's some wild terrain. We planned on descending the SE (I think it was) route but a huge cornice was overhanging it so we opted for the normal route (South ridge?). We got down around the lower ice chutes in the dark and ended up bivying. Should have kept descending to the meadows that night, because the next morning we were treated to the famous Rockies rock pummelling on the way down. I can't recommend descending any of the southern routes with the sun hitting them! On the other hand, you could spend most of the day climbing the route and then most of the night rapping it. Light packs and no rockfall. Maybe also use waders for the wicked-ass cold Sunwapta crossing both ways. Starting to sound pretty good except for leaving rappel crap all over the route. Either way, have a blast! Mark

Anyone want to head up to the E side of Cutthroat tomorrow? Scope it on Sunday and climb on Monday... Mark

They have the word 'aermet" stamped on them and they're hell to sharpen with a file. Hey, I'll trade you some wonderful ol' Snargs! What a deal, ay. -M

Jedi, Do you mean the descent off of Liberty CAP? If so, from the Cap head E along a ridge then S down to the saddle toward the main crater (all gentle slopes). From the saddle traverse SE (left) until you can descend the Emmons Glacier route. Hopefully you won't have to gain any extra altitude to avoid cracks. In a whiteout it would be a lonely, desolate place and not much fun! You might want to descend Liberty Ridge if it's too crappy. Enjoy!

Repeated bad luck with Dave Page (and his elves), and very good results from Valley Cobbler. $.01