snoboy Posted May 29, 2007 Posted May 29, 2007 (edited) Excellent w/e had by the 20 or so people who made it out to Mazama this year. Thanks to the cc.com sponsors who made the possible, and to Methow Valley Brewery for coming through at the last minute with an excellent keg. Weather was only so-so this year, and the later than usual timing made for more challenging conditions. I made a good attempt on the Rainy Lk -> Lake Ann, via Horsefly Pass tour along with Dave Parker, Adam, Brian and John, but the snow was a little rotten by the time the crack of 10AM club got up there, so we decided that more fun could be had by playing around in the Frisco Mtn/Lyall Gl area. On Sunday an early start up Kangaroo Couloir with Adam and Dave managed to get us near to the icy top just as it started to snow. Skiing out was fun, and I much enjoyed my new skis on their virgin tour. Then we went back to camp and made a good crack at the keg, which with concerted group effort, we manged to polish off by the time the fire was dying out. Can't wait till next year!! A few highlights of the event: -Seeing old friends, and making new ones. -AlpineK went for a wee climb, first since his accident! -riding my new skis - whetted my appetite for next season. -Billygoat's alder smoked salmon [edit] list of shame: gapertimmy Dru Beck jon schralper [/edit] Edited May 29, 2007 by snoboy Quote
G-spotter Posted May 29, 2007 Posted May 29, 2007 I climbed in Squamish instead, sounds like I made the right call Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted May 29, 2007 Posted May 29, 2007 Got there on Saturday and hung out at the camp fire after making some hot dogs for dinner. Was entertained by the Layton and Ivan comedy routine until it was time to hit the sack. Woke up Sunday with ants all over me, and I didn't even get that drunk. Sieged the "Alpin Clippen" classic, Prime Rib of Goat, with eleven other CC.commies, dropped AlpineK back at camp and did some cragging at Rhino Rock with trigger_happy. Stayed up eating the best salmon I've ever had courtesy of billygoat, major props to billygoat for setting us up with that. Was entertain once again by the layton and ivan comedy routine, this time the extended version, until I'll decided to go to sleep. Woke up Monday, ate some oatmeal, said the obligatory goodbyes and hit the West Face/SW Rib of SEWS on the way to Good Food in Marblemount. Ate a Mtn burger at Good Food that was the size of my head and onion rings. Should have left the ski's at home this year, but it was still great seeing everyone. Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted May 29, 2007 Posted May 29, 2007 Here are some pics: Mazama Mounties? 'Bout time for some tasty wine Pano shot from the top of SEWS: Quote
ivan Posted May 29, 2007 Posted May 29, 2007 highlights of the weekend: - black ants all over me in the 3 a.m. field-bivy - tasty salmon w/ a nice cool pbr - watching a para-foiler get slammed in the snow by crazy winds - watching a 500 lb ice block miss a skier by a couple feet Quote
catbirdseat Posted May 29, 2007 Posted May 29, 2007 I thought about sleeping out but opted for the tent at the last minute. Even so, one of those big black monsters found its way inside anyway. Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted May 29, 2007 Posted May 29, 2007 You're talking about an ANT, right? May not sound scary, but they looked like this Quote
Dannible Posted May 29, 2007 Posted May 29, 2007 Did anyone else see this? I was belaying my partner up on the southwest rib, heard a rumbling (one of many throughout the day), and looked over in time to see someone's near miss. Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted May 29, 2007 Posted May 29, 2007 Yeah, there were several more skiers ski'n and skin'n underneath that tidal wave of a cornice all day on Monday, too. Pretty stupid IMO. Anyway, the skiing would have been awesome yesterday, only I didn't bring my ski's up to the base of SEWS. The butt glisading went just as fast as the two skiers behind us though and we got back to the cars in about the same time. Quote
Billygoat Posted May 30, 2007 Posted May 30, 2007 Had a blast. Saw some old friends, made some new ones, put some faces to online ones. Lots of mashed potatoes and sun. lots of oysters, in fact, Mythosgirl's first 5.8 alpine trad lead and oyster! Wore myself out. Confirmed an old suspicion. Drank.... I headed up Thursday evening and met up with Fern and her friend Julie. We blazed a trail up to Cutthroat Creek trailhead and car camped. First ones of the season. Our objective was the elusive Snout, Golden Ramp Route as mentioned on page 361 of the CAJ and reported on page 349 of the 1971 AAJ as the "...best free climb in Washington" by the first ascentionists. With Fern's warning about "tongue in cheek" humor in mind we set off from the trucks at 9:30 and boot packed on the firm snow through the woods to tree line. At 11 we broke for lunch. Fern and Julie had their systems dialed as they whipped up some group non dogs with a mustard/tilla wrap! We spied the snout and approached. I had seen it on previous trips to the cirque. Pic from the ridge to the West that I climbed partway a couple years ago with Matt, NYC007 We figured the best route and threw the directions away cause they were confusing. Fern lead the first pitch of the Golden Ramp, an enjoyable slab. She brought Julie and I up simultaneously. We moved left and found a nice ledge and a tree to belay from Julie headed up and lead the crux of our variation. It was an awkward undercling that pinches out. I didn't take any pics till she was past it as I didn't want to break her focus. Fern has a wonderful video of me peeling off and landing in the snow on that one. It lead up to a small roof and a vegetable belay. Fern took the next blocky lead and I took the final one. I stopped short of the top due to rope drag and brought the girls up. We scrambled to the top and came down a dihedral a little West of the Golden Ramp (could be a nice future climb). On the last pull Fern had to give it her all to free the ropes due to some unseen friction Then we packed up and skied some taterz I have a couple videos of Fern and Julie sking if anyone knows where I can post them and link them up to here. Do I have to do YouTube?! We made it down to camp in the Methow and partied with everyone. Saturday I hooked up with Blake, Mythosgirl and Lisa D. to ski up and climb the Southwest rib of SEWS. We ran into Wayne Wallace and Mikey Layton at the Burgundy col pull out talking about something vague on Sliver Star. Mike was intimating something personal b/w he and Wayne so we buggered off 00ooo:snugtop: We were able to skin up and ski back to the car all the way from the Blue Lake trailhead parking lot which is not plowed out (budget cuts?!). There was quite a line up on the route with others in the cirque parapenting, touring, dodging cornice fall and climbing the South Arete Route. I climbed with Lisa D. and lead the first pitch. I felt like shit, due to the 9 beers I had the night before and blowing my wad on the Snout (weekend warrior that I am), and bailed off. Lisa D graciously accepted my apologies and took my rope, after I rapelled, to continue on with Blake and Allison. As I was packing up their boots and skis to take up to the base of the South Arete, the intended rap route, this loud mouth yob comes trouncing around the corner singing songs about needing a PBR. Pretty soon he pulled a can from his stash and began blazing the hay. He didn't offer me shit, mumbling something about "fuckin' skiers" and "piss". Soon two others come around the corner and it becomes obvious that these three were on the route as we were approaching. Matt (NYC007) recognized me first and the other guy turned out to be Pete (MntHigh?). The big talker turned out to be the Terrible Ivan. Anyways, in between Ivan spraying about what a great route the South Rib would be to solo, I noticed Mythosgirl climbing the 5.10 variation with the group pack! That shut Ivan up for a couple seconds Well due to back ups on the descent route we headed down late and got back to camp around 10 pm to some worried folks (glad you were there) that were prolly too drunk and/or comfortable to mount a search party. While I was waiting for the rest of my group to rap the South Arete, I was able to watch this guy thoughtfully and artfully downclimb the route in mountaineering boots, while his partner rapped. He was very calm and deliberate about the whole thing and it was quite enjoyable to watch. Turns out it he was Dannible an infrequent sprayer! He didn't have time to join the party in Mazama but we traded some beta and then he and his partner hiked down the ridge for a 2000'+ glissade to the hairpin. Sunday was sleep in, pack up, fillet and brine some fish with Snogrrl, pitch log rounds with Dave P, Snoboy, dudeman from bozeman and drink beers in the noonday sun Thanks much to Dave Parker for arranging this w/e and for the good talk, as well as his friends for letting us use their great land! Cheers to Jon and Timmay for buying the keg and paying for the port a potty. Double cheers for Robin and Eva for picking up the Keg. Kudos to Kurt for getting back in the saddle. And I'm glad someone else liked oysters as much as I do cause I would have gotten sick eating them all myself! And I would have done it...Glad you all liked the Salmon, sorry I couldn't stick around Sunday evening. It was super great finally meeting Robin and Eva and seeing everyone else. And as usual, climbing/skiing with Blake and Fern! Next year.... Quote
RogerJ Posted May 30, 2007 Posted May 30, 2007 I have a couple videos of Fern and Julie sking if anyone knows where I can post them and link them up to here. Do I have to do YouTube?! Try picassa. I put up some ski videos and one of an any from earlier this year. The quality is better than boo-toob. -r Quote
Blake Posted May 30, 2007 Posted May 30, 2007 nice write up Billy, the 5.10 finger crack should not be missed. Quote
ivan Posted May 30, 2007 Posted May 30, 2007 He didn't offer me shit, mumbling something about "fuckin' skiers" and "piss". damned revisionist historians!!! great salmon though... Quote
Lisa_D Posted May 30, 2007 Posted May 30, 2007 Great to meet you. It was fun climbing one pitch with you..wish you'd have felt better. And thanks for the coffee, that totally made my day! Quote
Dannible Posted May 30, 2007 Posted May 30, 2007 Nice to meet you Bill, let me know when you want to check that place out this summer. Drinking all night and climbing (and drinking) all day? You guys sound like my kind of people. Quote
snoboy Posted May 30, 2007 Author Posted May 30, 2007 Well due to back ups on the descent route we headed down late and got back to camp around 10 pm to some worried folks (glad you were there) that were prolly too drunk and/or comfortable to mount a search party. Heheh, so true... we were all sitting around saying, "Where are those guys??? Is anyone sober enough to drive out to the pass to see if their car is still there???" Quote
AlpineK Posted May 30, 2007 Posted May 30, 2007 I got nominated as the driver of the search vehicle. Everybody figured I was sober and even though I can't drive just yet I was the obvious choice. Quote
minx Posted May 30, 2007 Posted May 30, 2007 that's surprisingly good decision making for a bunch of smashed fucks. was the drunken mob going to ride with you? or were they sending you out as a solo search party? Quote
ivan Posted May 30, 2007 Posted May 30, 2007 i firmly stated i would be part of no rescue party sans tauntaun Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted May 30, 2007 Posted May 30, 2007 I guess Ivan, being from Oregon, didn't realize the importance of a rescue. See, here in Washington, it's not required to carry MLU's, so a search party is the final chance overdue climbers have. Unless they have a black lab with them of course, then they're good for at least one night. Quote
AlpineK Posted May 30, 2007 Posted May 30, 2007 that's surprisingly good decision making for a bunch of smashed fucks. was the drunken mob going to ride with you? or were they sending you out as a solo search party? I think some of them were going to ride along since alcohol makes you yell louder thus providing an important part of the search. Quote
Billygoat Posted May 31, 2007 Posted May 31, 2007 that's surprisingly good decision making for a bunch of smashed fucks. was the drunken mob going to ride with you? or were they sending you out as a solo search party? We missed you too... Quote
ivan Posted May 31, 2007 Posted May 31, 2007 isnt ivan from washington.. i hate to ruin another man's joke... Quote
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