Kyle_Flick

It was awe inspiring climbing by your still visible ski turns. Fantastic effort. Curious how you passed thru the schrund below Thumb Rock to access the Carbon? No rap necessary?

Nice climb guys! We spotted two sets of headlamps high on the Ridge when we left camp from Curtis Ridge at 4:00 am that morning (7/11). Due to high winds forecasted for the next two days of up to 60 mph, we made the summit in one push, stopping at Thumb Rock for an hour to melt snow. We passed two fellows at the summit who had started later than you guys from Thumb Rock (if those were the ones you were concerned about). They made it to Camp Schurman after us. The wind did pick up at the summit and didn't relent even through the next day. From what I could tell no one attempted the summit on Mon. For two of us it was the second time up it, and we marveled at the changes on the route over the past two decades (i.e., getting onto the Ridge and the schrund at the top). Winthrop, Carbon and Emmons have great snow coverage making passage efficient.

Ah John you're sandbagging. While I wasn't there, we all know you've got the mental toughness to handle any situation and were more than capable of leading. You WERE the gentleman to hand over the lead. Besides...we lawyers have to stick together.

As of July 5th the bridge over the schrund of SGC was mushy but still intact. A storm from the night before rimed the upper reaches of the mountain, so more mixed climbing than what shannonpahl experienced. It will melt off quickly. The shrund on Sherpa is open at the runnel. Folks are now rapping the shrund, but a way around still is available 50 yards to the left (east) of the runnel.

Dan if you left your helmet on the route, we found it. The Couloir was fun to climb, but looked scary steep and narrow in places for skiing. I still have trouble wrapping my mind around anyone wanting to go down stuff like that where falling is not an option. The upper North face seemed more appealing as a ski since it was more open and still held nice corn snow.

When we tried to do it in '04, my notes noted the upper section of the NW Buttress was decimated by the rockfall. We ended up traversing around and finishing on the north ridge of CBR.

Rippin it on Maude. Way to go!

You timed it well for partial snow coverage up that gully to access the South Face. Later in the summer last year that gully looked down right inhospitable. The SW Face made for a more tame climb. The summit ridge exposure in a remote area makes the lengthy approach worth it.

The entrance into the Hidden is thinner, but the rest still looks in.

We were a party of two.

You're probably right, Heinrich. However, the week before with cooler temps, my climbing buddy had seen a large avalanche come down in the vicinity of the climb. In addition the snowfield perched above and upper part of the couloir were exposed to the sun all morning. But the gully we climbed up and over the ridge had a similar aspect and was firm. So it's unfinished business for next weekend.

Splendid and nerve-wracking all at the same time. Nice idea for a tour (except that steep thingy that Tom had to downclimb) cleverly pieced together from previous ski tours.

Trip: Colchuck Peak - Circumnavigation of Colchuck Date: 6/5/2010 Trip Report: Due to the warm temps and the snow becoming isothermic, we abandoned our plan to climb Argonaut's NE Couloir in favor of escaping Mountaineer Creek and crossing the ridge northeast of Argonaut into Porcupine Basin. The postholing traverse to Colchuck Col was bearable with Eric and I rotating trailbreaking. Nothing remarkable to report except in the morning crossing Mountaineer Creek at high flow on slick logs was the crux of the approach. Glissading Colchuck Glacier nearly nonstop to the lake was the highlight. A nice day loop. Gear Notes: Ice ax, crampons. Snowshoes optional. Approach Notes: Mountaineer Creek approach is fairly firm and quick. One might consider wearing crampons crossing the slick logs over Mountaineer Creek.

Last August enroute to completing an extension of the Ptarmigan Traverse (started from Stehekin, climbed Gunsight, traversed to Hanging Gardens, Image Lake, Cloudy Peak and finished at Holden Village), we climbed the SW Face of Gunsight and found it a good moderate (i.e.,small,light rack) route up the main peak. At the notch between the north and main peaks, it's a quick two pitches(one pitch of 5.8) to the top of the North Peak as well. I'd recommend it. We considered climbing Sinister, but that should be done earlier in the summer with more snow cover to access the peak.

Hello? The man is a machine! Let's chip in for airfare for Dan to fly to the Alps and ski the Haute Rt.in a day.

No...it's too late.

What happened to coolness of this post? Now it's succumbed to drivel. Oh silly me, it caught the cc.com syndrome.

There is a single port-a-potty near the parking lot as of yesterday.

Nope. But the road is melting out fast--maybe a couple more weeks unless we get another late season snow storm.

Boy or a girl?

I might be interested in the book. Your asking price is $20?

Brian Burdo's book identifies the area, I think you were climbing, as Black Horse Point. There are two 5.8 routes mentioned in his guide. Hopefully, I didn't rain on your FA parade.

Wow! Inconceivable! The only beta that I can spew is last year the trail down Toketie left, as we discussed earlier, seemed to be the best. Bummer you couldn't find it, but to still do SCW after such a tiresome descent, leaves a mark. Glad you made it safely. Congrats!

Otto and David, That climb and the effort behind it is exciting. Thanks for the hard work putting up the route on a 3000' wall.

So you won't even consider slumming in .8 and .9 terrain at Index. Rock snob.:-)