failed attempts

[randygoat]

I have 2 peaks I HAVE to go back and finish. The first is Mt. Chimorazo in Ecuador[ 20'700ft] we had no aclimation plan at all. It wasn't my trip[ I was an invite] s Ididn't have much say. These guys just wanted to pretty much shoot to the sumit after landing at 9'000 a few days earlier. The trip turnedout to be mor about drinking bad beer and pizza than any real climbing. I got wicked slammed with early cerebral edema at around 15-16'000. Went down and ate/rested for a day ,then tried again. I did make it to 19'800. I'm sure that with PROPER aclimatizing I could get there,weather permitting.

 

The other is Mt. Olympus[west peak] we had a great trip last summer. Had the whole place to ourselves. The glacier went beutifully, then I don't know if we got sand bagged by the trail of foot prints or wat. But we got to a sharp ridge on the false summit looking down into the saddle to reach the west peak. e were stopped by the dwn climbing of loose exposed rock to reach the saddle. It was kind of a judgment call, we probably would have been fine butr the idea of one of us getting hurt there turned us around. We were 3. If one got hurt wouldwe leave him alone up here, or send one guy out across theglacier alone? Basically we sallied at the challenge. Fear got the better end of it. I think the decision to turn around kind of stuck in the throats of all of us.Like to try it again.

[j_b]

catbirdseat said:

So for those of you climbing the NE Ridge on Keyes, were all of you planning to climb the fifth class section above the shoulder? It looks hard to protect. I'd bring knifeblades. Since we were ice climbing, we had only one or two pieces of rock pro and decided to traverse to the South Ridge then up the slabs to the scramble route.

 

it seems like some large stuff would have worked too, but I don't know for sure since I did not bring a rope. It should be noted that the finish is the same for the NE ridge and the ice route.

[j_b]

for people who get skunked by weather a lot: perhaps you should take weather into account more before you commit to the approach? Is not the most important cascade motto to keep your options open?

[specialed]

I've failed on the Grand Wall twice. Both incidents involved poop.

[catbirdseat]

j_b, did you free solo that fifth class pitch to the summit straight up from the shoulder of the NE Ridge? That would have been tough for us with our packs.

 

If you go early enough, you could go light, with just an axe and crampons and ascend the NE Ridge, take the ledges across the East face to the S. Ridge, on to the summit and then scramble down the S. Ridge to a notch that allow descent to the West Face then back via Columbia Glacier and Blanca Lake. I'd like to give that a try as a day trip. It would be a hard day, but a fun one.

 

It would take 4 hours to the base of the NE Ridge, so you'd probably would want to start at about 2 am from the Quartz Creek/Curry Gap Trailhead. I'm up for it if anyone wants to give it a go. Probably June would be the best time of year, or possibly July.

[rbw1966]

j_b said:

for people who get skunked by weather a lot: perhaps you should take weather into account more before you commit to the approach? Is not the most important cascade motto to keep your options open?

 

If you stayed on the couch every time you read a bad weather report you would never climb. I'd rather make the drive and get stymied then sit on my ass. Developing a Plan B is as important as a Plan A--options open is a good point.

[j_b]

Catbird: yes, but I had a light daypack. I am usually pretty conservative in what I solo.

 

rbw:

If you stayed on the couch every time you read a bad weather report you would never climb. I'd rather make the drive and get stymied then sit on my ass. Developing a Plan B is as important as a Plan A--options open is a good point.

 

good point on couch sitting. When the weather is uncertain the car is loaded with everything short of scuba gear. Choosing option A so that option B or C is feasable without too much driving is important too.

[catbirdseat]

I would want to be roped myself, and have rock shoes.

[j_b]

and have rock shoes

 

I feel pretty strongly about this: you do not want to bother with rock shoes for easy/moderate stuff (why carry the darn things if it can be avoided). Practice with boots if needed, it's not that bad, just different.

[Crackbolter]

catbirdseat said:

The best time to climb Whitehorse is in early June during the Bluegrass festival. You can climb and listen to some great music from the summit.

 

The Darrington Festival is actually in July. Here is info--->

 

July 18-20 Darrington Bluegrass Festival, Darrington Bluegrass Music Pk., Darrington, WA

contact: Grover Jones, P.O. Box 249, Darrington, WA 98241, 360)436-1006 or 1179. Tickets $30 before July 1. $35 after July 1. Camping $20. Checks to: Bluegrass & Country Music Makers Assn., P.O. Box 519, Darrington, WA., 98241

http://www.glacierview.net/bluegrass, Brother's Keeper

 

I attended this festival last year and stayed up until 5am jamming with someone who sounded like Ralph Stanley (Oh Brother fame. Sang "Man of Constant Sorrow in the 50's and 60's)

I remember being able to look up at the north-east face wondering who is gonna step up to the plate. Looks frightening but inviting. Has anyone attempted it or climbed it yet?

[meganerd]

eric8 said:

 

this winter i have gotten my stuff together 3 times for the south rib on guye but only once made it into a car and was turned around by rain at the pass.

 

Uh, sorry eric, I think at least once or twice I contributed to you not climbing Guye, but it sounds like a shitty route to me anyway. Being one of those weirdos who goes up Si with Pickets and tools and getting weird looks was worth it anyway.

 

As for failed attempts, last year Dragontail was my big one with four or five half assed solo attempts (I don't remember) thwarted by weather until I finally made it w/Eric in early June. Now Tomyhoi is my nemesis. Two solo attempts within a month last fall. The first one is a funny story: it was foggy and I somehow managed to get turned completely around on the climbers trail on the way up! The second time was on November 1 and I got very very close but there was bad snow and ice on the short downclimbs leading to the summit. I was almost to the second notch from the summit when I got really sketched (remember, solo) and turned around. Beautiful day though. I don't think I'll go back because Tomyhoi kinda sucks. The view gets more and more spectacular like most climbs, gradually opening up to the north cascades to the south until very near the top when one can look down into BC towards Chilliwack (hi dru!! ) and then can suddenly see, hear, and smell the logging going on very close by in that valley just across the border. Really feels like a slug to the chest if you ask me, and the summit would be extremely anticlimactic. Nice area though, on the US side.

[catbirdseat]

Meganerd,

 

I got turned around on a trip to Tomyhoi in September. It started snowing and blowing and we couldn't see where we were going so we settled for Yellow Aster Butte.

[Dru]

Climb Tomyhoi from Tamihi Creek road. Drive to base of north face (2wd). Climb nice snow gully to summit. Sort of like N face of Shuksan without the White Salmon approach. Easy day trip.

[leejams]

meganerd said:

eric8 said:

 

this winter i have gotten my stuff together 3 times for the south rib on guye but only once made it into a car and was turned around by rain at the pass.

 

Uh, sorry eric, I think at least once or twice I contributed to you not climbing Guye, but it sounds like a shitty route to me anyway.

 

Thats not such a bad route, go for it. I would do it again just to do it faster and be a bit more organized.

[jj221]

Yea Washington is a Son of a Bitch. It never ceases to amaze me how much punishment the mountain can deal out and how willing I am to go back.

[j_b]

Dru said:

Climb Tomyhoi from Tamihi Creek road. Drive to base of north face (2wd). Climb nice snow gully to summit. Sort of like N face of Shuksan without the White Salmon approach. Easy day trip.

 

sounds nice. do you have a pic to post?

[specialed]

jj221 said:

Yea Washington is a Son of a Bitch. It never ceases to amaze me how much punishment the mountain can deal out and how willing I am to go back.

 

I don't blame you. At its harshest, it can't be any worse than New Jersey

[minx]

leejams said:

meganerd said:

eric8 said:

 

this winter i have gotten my stuff together 3 times for the south rib on guye but only once made it into a car and was turned around by rain at the pass.

 

Uh, sorry eric, I think at least once or twice I contributed to you not climbing Guye, but it sounds like a shitty route to me anyway.

 

The South Rib is a fun route even though i swear that hill has a grudge against me. Definitely worth doing if you only have one day and aren't in the mood for a long approach.

[Dru]

j_b said:

Dru said:

Climb Tomyhoi from Tamihi Creek road. Drive to base of north face (2wd). Climb nice snow gully to summit. Sort of like N face of Shuksan without the White Salmon approach. Easy day trip.

 

sounds nice. do you have a pic to post?

 

its still on the roll

[jj221]

Easy buddy. I live in this Superfund, rat trap state by choice.

[randygoat]

 

I don't blame you. At its harshest, it can't be any worse than New Jersey

Care to check it out? Other than Raineir and the hand full of other peaks, Mt. Washington[ NH] is not that much lower inelevation than most of your lower summits, just as high as some. The only thing you guys have that can compare to it's winter harshness would be Raineir or Denali. You can get some good days, but then again we're probably just being pussy easterners. Come on out and give it a try,dressed for Joisey All the little horror stories are probably not true anyway.

 

In all truth you could probably compare Mt.Washington weather closer to Ben Nevis [ but colder] for pure crappy weather . Maybe like Denali without the altitude.

Edited April 9, 2003 by randygoat

[specialed]

jj221 said:

Easy buddy. I live in this Superfund, rat trap state by choice.

 

now you're just incriminating yourself further.

[randygoat]

Guilt by association?

Edited April 9, 2003 by randygoat

[specialed]

[Ned_Flanders]

My nemesis at the moment is the north face of mount buckner. I have failed twice, damn boston peak.