Kyle_Flick

Thanks for the hard work putting up the route and note about considering climbing it earlier.

Nice TR Noah. Sounds like a tough, challenging climb. Is the route high climber's left of Aasgard Pass? If so, isn't it on Aasgard Sentinel instead of Jaberwocky Tower?

Ivan, There was major rockfall that summer (and subsequent years as well) that made it unsafe; so we did the walk around and dropped down the shoulder to the base of the climb. Nice hike without having to carry a pig. Lunger, You're right maybe not the same--just the essence of heat, thirst, harder than expected climbing and unrelenting exposure conspired to sap our will leading to bailing at the same spot. The main difference is we had the benefit of a single strand fixed line left for the Huber brothers and their entourage which we borrowed to rap down with all our stuff. Frightening when we had to rap over a taped over portion of the rope halfway down the 1200'.

Ivan, You had an identical experience as ours on El Cap when we tried it in June a couple years ago. I remember the same longing for the ground on some of those long raps and the heat where no amount of water seemed to satiate the thirst. After bailing from Dolt Tower, we were able to lick our wounds and head up the NW Face of 1/2 Dome the next day where there was more shade and easier climbing. Good work for you guys to finish the other climbs that you did!

I'll second the vote on Off White's descent over the frightening one we did. Also for gear notes bring larger gear--4"-5" (the new #4 BD Cam is too small, the newer #5 would work better). On the third pitch (chimney to double corner), poor Pat had to finagle smaller pro low on the face, tension back into the chimney and work a tipped out #4 up the wide crack section to avoid bad runout. Following the pitch sent shivers down my spine, especially considering that we left bigger pro down at the car.

Fast work guys! We did that route several years ago and thought it was a pretty special place. Good call.

Fast work guys! A bivy high on the ridge isn't bad either.

I've got unpublished TRs up the gazoo for the South Face of Prusik and Backbone/Serpentine which will thankfully remain unpublished. Telemarker, I'm bringing the #5 as I'm experiencing shrinkage thinking about offwidth runout.

Beta overload on the offwidth. All sense of mystery dispelled. Time to return to the climbing gym.

Sounds like a grand tour of the Enchantments. Since you took the crack to the left of the chimneys on the South Face of Prusik, you did the Burgner-Stanley Route (I swear that the hole below the chockstone is getting smaller--harder to fit through nowadays). The Beckey Route stays in the chimneys to the right of your start. You should go back for that one too.

Good first effort!

Curt, who posts as monte piton, was badly hurt when he was descending off Colchuck Peak in a gully where he was belaying down his son. Lightening hit which rained rocks down on him causing the anchor to disintegrate, severed the rope, and sent him sliding about 1000'. For more details and info where to send well wishes go to WenatcheeOutdoors.org (http://www.justgetout.net/wenatchee/).

Stop! Don't encourage Telemarker to continue taking such chances. BTW: Fantastic pix in an amazing area.

Wait until it melts out?

Marko, I've been wanting to get up into Hel Basin for awhile as well. I've enjoyed looking down into the upper basin from Colchuck Balanced Rock several times. Just have to figure out where to leave the Stuart Lake trail and head off to the east. Probably before the bridge is as good a place as any to start the bushwack.

TCs was bare between the first and second couloirs a couple weeks ago. Needs more time to perculate.

Teresa, What kind of skin wax would you recommend to avoid snow balling up and sticking to the hair side of the skins?

I was with Craig G. Sat. morning, and we were the first ones at the scene after the fall. The leader has 20 years leading experience and was quite thankful to be alive. He took a long fall and possibly pulled tendons in one of his ankles. Other than cuts and bruises he was alert and responsive. We and another party offered to assist, but once he was given a ski pole he insisted on evacuating on his own (with his partner). If he had difficulties enroute, the plan was for him to call out on his cell phone to the ski patrol at Alpental. When we got done with the climb around 4:00 pm, I checked with the ski patrol and they hadn't received any call. So they were alerted to look for them. We hope he got out okay, and after several months of rehab will be out there again.

Craig, Good choice for a climb. I remember spotting that couloir a couple winters' ago from the top of Wedge. Probably easier and more direct to just go up Snow Crick trail for your approach. I would not recommend the alternate ways, Colchuck or Wedge, because they involve interminable road walking. Are you looking to do it as a two dayer?

Hey Sean, I hear you're putting up some 1st ascents cragging this winter. Good job!

Hats off to the Masters of Mixed!

Looking up at that impressive face this past summer as close as I wanted to get to it from the safety of King Lake, leads me to one conclusion of your feat: Cutting edge alpinism in a huge, sinister amphitheater. Kudos!

Nice work John and co. How would you rate the difficulty of the climbing?

Otto, Butler is where I met my wife, Linda. The district even closed my elementary school, Sunset. We are alumni of schools that no longer exist. Were we classmates?

It's pretty easy to spot the path around Rat Lakes. Cross the outlet of Mesa and head east up the ridge and down the other side to the meadow above Toketie Lake. Once you reach the lake cross the outlet and follow cairns across the next ridge to drop into the Toketie proper (Don't go into the next canyon to the north that puts you next to Snow Creek Wall--very cliffy) Follow the canyon on the left side down, and you'll usually come across the path through the deadfall. It only takes about two hours from the Lake to hit the Snow Crick trail and avoids most of the trudge from Snow Lakes.