Marko

But of course that is training

Did you give it a go?

Nice work lads; and damn cool shots of that chimney! Looks like yet another trip up there could be warranted. -M

Blake, I think your cam and sling were maybe more like 40 or 50ft below the traverse pitch. I'm guessing it was a bare slab when you guys were up there? We got lucky and found thin neve and alpine ice. A few pics finally-- The start is the 2nd ice corner from the left: The start of the 1st pitch: Looking up the 1st pitch: The start of the 3rd pitch: 3rd pitch: More 3rd pitch: Looking down from the 3rd belay: Wayne starting up the steep bit on the 4th pitch: Wayne stylin' the last technical pitch (5th):

Good job lads! Yeah, the second pitch we did went straight up from the 1st pitch's tree belay and then we entered the dihedral just left of your ice ribbon pitch. I don't remember seeing that ice ribbon formed at the time. Looks like our routes met around the 4th pitch. Man, there is a lot of ground to play around on up there!

Additionally, the tents I've seen are lightweight for the room, well designed and thought out, and frickin' bomber. Three of us spent a few weeks in a Keron 3 up in the Alaska Range and were very impressed. Spendy, but about the best I've seen.

Now there's a proper winter ascent; in full conditions!

Cool beans, man. That 2nd ice pitch looks like the business; definitely harder than any ice we found. How did the line look between Watusi and your route? -M

Indeed we did, Ivan. We also took Tricams though, which I think would even up the style points!

Excellent! What's next? Slesse NE Buttress of course.

Thanks! Pro was OK. Conditions were good in that the ice took (short) screws and we didn't have to dig much for rock pro, especially on Colin's steep pitches. We made sure the belays were good...

Freezing but not freezing well really. At the road it was about 20°F at noon, 300' uphill from the valley it warmed up to around freezing and then basically stayed that temp day and night at every altitude. It was June-uary in the shade and full on June in the sun. On the well-shaded face the snow was definitely not slushy and there was no crust so it hadn't thawed either. Other than the last curtain not touching down and being kind of drippy (Colin lead rightward instead on insecure rock), the route is in great condition! For the approach we stayed pretty high above the creek but on the way down we were much closer except for the last bit, and thought that was much better; more open forest and less tedious traversing.

Inconsequential my ass! Sure was beautiful up there this weekend. Cheers!

Another fine day out with the Alpine Ropegun: http://www.colinhaley.blogspot.com/ (To be clear, we camped at 3200', to make it a day and a half with the AR.) From the sound of other ascents we had pretty nice conditions; good traveling down low, not too much postholing up high with decently attached snow bands, and excellent ice pitches. After the second ice step we took rock and turf to the right because the normal (I think) pitch after that wasn't touching down. It may have been quicker (though less exciting!) to connect snow ramps to the summit on the left. The traversing descent from Colonial's west shoulder down easy slopes to the west edge of the lower basin was painful wallowing, even following Colin's steps. I'd definitely say get on it in the next couple days, it's probably getting even better since the weather's starting to cool up high again. Bring pins.

Very stoked you got up it, mate. Excellent!

Check it: http://www.colinhaley.blogspot.com/ F**king inspiring amigo!

Right on! That's our boy, er, Alpine Ropegun...

Proud indeed!

You hear that people? TRICAMS! Warms my heart.

Those are some cool looking overlap type features at Looking Glass

$80 for all. One has a bit of rust on the shank but all are very sharp and still drive well. I've just got too many screws and these are the oldest.

you mean up the source lake drainage (S. Fork Snoq)? There is a nice waterfall about 30 min up the drainage from the alpental parking lot. I climbed it a few years ago in another cold spell. Temps were single digit during the day. Seemed about what was necessary to freeze the high volume. I would expect it to come in now. I thought it was one of the finer easy single pitches I've climbed in WA. Can be easily top roped too. This was forming up Sunday when I wandered by; I bet it'll be a nice little outing this weekend. Not super steep, 25 meters, probably cauliflowered.

Very cool!

Nice work!

Those long December nights sure can seem like forever... Way to hang in there, and well done summitting. -M