TR Replies
Well played. All these North Cascades TR's are awesome… what an amazing place. Amazing how little snow there is once you leave tree line and begin the scramble up the boulder field. I hope we get more snow because I want to spend a lot of spring and summer days up there.
Damn, I.wish the subjects of my outdoor photography dressed even half as colorfully as yours. :)
"Sub-alpinism", excellent. Great pics. Was a spectacular weekend to be in that area, we were just a couple valleys away.
I thought I was the only one you skivvy-skied with??? ??? ???
Hey Patrick,
It's Adrian from the friendly crew of Canadians. Glad to hear the damage to your shoulder wasn't too serious and hope you're making a quick recovery.
It's Adrian from the friendly crew of Canadians. Glad to hear the damage to your shoulder wasn't too serious and hope you're making a quick recovery.
do you work? way to get some!
Amar - Thanks for the fantastic photos and thorough detail on your TRs. They're a joy to read!
Thanks for the TRs, S.O.T.H. Looks like there is action up north :)
author=Rowan Stewart link=topic=30575.msg127971#msg127971 date=1391130635]
Thanks Pete, I didn't even think about a camping permit, (didn't know you needed them in winter) and just hoped I wouldn't get a ticket for parking. I guess I got lucked out.
yup, i'd say you definitely lucked out... dodging the parking ticket and the no permit ticket. So much for my hopes about reasonable parking rules at Comet Falls.
My partner and I skied Van Trump on 1-26-14. We saw your truck when we pulled in and thought it was early enough that you must have gone in the day before. Nice work on beating down "The Man." The skiing was absolutely great. We made it to about 7500K as well and had a great descent from there. Wish we would have had the energy for The Turtle, but the slog in took a little longer than expected. We actually strapped on the crampons for the bulletproof side hilling. All and all an...
Excellent TR--Great pics and information!
Thanks Pete, I didn't even think about a camping permit, (didn't know you needed them in winter) and just hoped I wouldn't get a ticket for parking. I guess I got lucked out.
wow, scary similar snow conditions
author=jtmaier link=topic=30575.msg127912#msg127912 date=1391063438]
The snow coverage has not increased as much as I expected after three months.
wow, scary similar snow conditions
author=water link=topic=30540.msg127942#msg127942 date=1391114839]
One thing about that - you don't see the trip reports for the days people didn't go out, right? The amount of times I've backed off an objective or turned around shy, or entirely scrapped a climb in the face of weather or avy concerns is huge. I still have gotten out tons, but I barely post half my trips, let alone mentioning when things didn't go as planned or got scr...
author=water link=topic=30540.msg127942#msg127942 date=1391114839]
One thing about that - you don't see the trip reports for the days people didn't go out, right? The amount of times I've backed off an objective or turned around shy, or entirely scrapped a climb in the face of weather or avy concerns is huge. I still have gotten out tons, but I barely post half my trips, let alone mentioning when things didn't go as planned or got scr...
author=Mofro link=topic=30540.msg127863#msg127863 date=1391026149]
Just to add one more- not altering or changing objectives in the face of sub-optimal or down right dangerous conditions, be it trying to ski the big line right after a big storm or being on a slope with minimal purchase.
I understand the draw of the outdoors, the sense of self-accomplishment of attaining the objective, all while trying to fit in in to the weather window provided and...
This also avoided the potentially serious hazard of falling bodies on Pan Face, which can be a significant risk on busy days with firm frozen conditions in the morning.
... this was after our close call with a snowshoer a few weeks before. Body traveling at terminal velocity, flailing ice axe, massive picket on pack---yikes!
author=savegondor link=topic=30520.msg127937#msg127937 date=1391109667]
Thanks Amar. I've also often wondered if there are any approaches to the VanTrump area from the current Nisqually terminus area and below.
5800 feet? can i go up where you exited?
Thanks Amar. I've also often wondered if there are any approaches to the VanTrump area from the current Nisqually terminus area and below.
wow. You guys consistently inspire.
snowknows, I like it. Well sniffed for sure!
If you're able to kick steps easily, and the slick layer is thin, I can easily imagine how you would feel safe. Didn't mean to imply that you were stupid. And don't dis da Red Bull: it's a good substitute for coffee in one half of a hippy speedball!
Nice trip report. You mentioned parking your car at Comet Falls...just curious if the ranger who gave you your camping permit said anything about that. I've tried in the past to get overnight permits in winter leaving my car at Comet Falls and I've always been shut down and told I could only park overnight at Paradise or Longmire. Maybe the park service has finally eased up on their overly restrictive parking policy?
Formidable and the SLoop? Yow.
Sounds like an awesome trip up to Van Trump! Looking at your photos reminded me of this fall. FWIW here is a photo of the mountain from a similar aspect from October 19 of this season. The snow coverage has not increased as much as I expected after three months.
Simply Grand! I've got to follow in these footsteps one day. Great style. Great location.
This is a great conversation: Thank you for starting it and for sharing your experience.
I think all of us overestimate our skills. Or at least, maintain an optimistic outlook that we will know how to keep ourselves safe.
Your story will help all of us be more carful and humble and safer… so THANK YOU for that.
I think all of us overestimate our skills. Or at least, maintain an optimistic outlook that we will know how to keep ourselves safe.
Your story will help all of us be more carful and humble and safer… so THANK YOU for that.
Oh my--I screw up here. My post was supposed to be for the Mt. Baker/ Heliotrope (Patrick) TR.
Marcus--can you move it over?
Marcus--can you move it over?
WOW--Glad you are ok! I often think that falling alpine/snow/ice climbing is more dangerous than rock climbing.
I never feel like I have enough self arrest skills (but hopefully have sufficient judgment to calculate risk by now...fingers crossed..).
Learning self belay methods (to most likely PREVENT a fall) is what has most likely kept me having to actually use the dreaded self arrest (the ultimate--supreme-- effort/final resort--never want to have to use it..).
I never feel like I have enough self arrest skills (but hopefully have sufficient judgment to calculate risk by now...fingers crossed..).
Learning self belay methods (to most likely PREVENT a fall) is what has most likely kept me having to actually use the dreaded self arrest (the ultimate--supreme-- effort/final resort--never want to have to use it..).
author=drescj link=topic=30565.msg127892#msg127892 date=1391043897]
Sort of an aside, but the B&D ski leashes are great, easy to use, engineered to break in an avalanche but not from stopping a ski.
They look perfect. Planning to pick some up. Do not want to be in the position of the OP somewhere high on a mountain.
I wanted to respond to burns-all-year et al, who were probably generous in searching for explanations beyond stupidity. I hope it's helpful to parse our particular instance of stupidity. You'll have to take my word that we're not in general inexperienced, drooling idiots or red bull-slamming adrenaline junkies - rather, we fell prey to a number of heuristic traps. Here are some that I can think of. Don't read this as a defense - remember: "stupid."...
author=Mofro link=topic=30540.msg127863#msg127863 date=1391026149]
Just to add one more- not altering or changing objectives in the face of sub-optimal or down right dangerous conditions, be it trying to ski the big line right after a big storm or being on a slope with minimal purchase.
I understand the draw of the outdoors, the sense of self-accomplishment of attaining the objective, all while trying to fit in in to the weather window provided and...
Sort of an aside, but the B&D ski leashes are great, easy to use, engineered to break in an avalanche but not from stopping a ski.
How far up were you when the ski slid in? I'll keep an eye out for you but I won't be back up to Timberline until the 9th at the earliest. You might want to drop a message to the Mazamas and Chemeketans since they sometimes practice out that way. Maybe a climber will find it this spring.
I hope you get your gear back. I lost a ski in a blizzard on the Muir Snowfield years back. A full year later I struck up a conversation with a random person on the Snowfield person who turned out to have found it the previous spring when it melted out. I got the binding back :)
I'm a bit perplexed by the habit of relying on brakes to stop skis on glaciers; in my experience (watching skis owned by others sail away into the land of the lost) brakes just aren't a effective mea...
I'm a bit perplexed by the habit of relying on brakes to stop skis on glaciers; in my experience (watching skis owned by others sail away into the land of the lost) brakes just aren't a effective mea...
Good luck. Hope someone finds it and returns it to you. BTW, nice job on getting the summit. Curious: what kind of binding was on it?
author=burns-all-year link=topic=30540.msg127864#msg127864 date=1391027413]
^^^^I've been thinking the same thing: mystified by the willingness to tackle these objectives with inappropriate gear. Does the ability to post a trip report on the net affect decision-making for these people? Inexperience? High risk tolerance? Can't be just plain stupidity. I wonder....
I went rock climbing this weekend inste...
^^^^I've been thinking the same thing: mystified by the willingness to tackle these objectives with inappropriate gear. Does the ability to post a trip report on the net affect decision-making for these people? Inexperience? High risk tolerance? Can't be just plain stupidity. I wonder....
author=T. Eastman link=topic=30540.msg127822#msg127822 date=1390968589]
Crucial to that was that when looking at accidents, it seemed as though most accidents occurred during routine trips when either someone spaced out, was tired, or when conditions were not as anticipated. Take away from that was that you must always be cautious and the mountain will kill you given a chance.
Just to add one more- not altering or changing object...
author=T. Eastman link=topic=30540.msg127822#msg127822 date=1390968589]
We all learn from mistakes but also from the culture of sport and the mentors we encountered early in the ongoing learning process. I was fortunate to have safety drilled into my head from an early age when developing as a climber, mountaineer, and a skier. Crucial to that was that when looking at accidents, it seemed as though most accidents occurred during routine trips when either som...
Man, at least you summited before the incident!
Joking aside, you might want to reassess your opinion of a skilled ski mountaineer not needing ice or crampon expertise. Without that, you're a freeskier.
Joking aside, you might want to reassess your opinion of a skilled ski mountaineer not needing ice or crampon expertise. Without that, you're a freeskier.
author=oldman takealookat link=topic=30540.msg127805#msg127805 date=1390948138]
T.Eastman,
Did you ever have one of those alpine experiences that enabled you to realize all that you didn't know? If not, how did you...
thanks for sharing your story, glad you made it out. We can all learn from your experience to better prepare ourselves. I think every person here has been up on a mountain and at some point in their life made a potentially fatal mistake.
I was up on Baker the weekend before just for some day sled skiing, and turned back not far above where the sheet of ice started, even as I watched several people continue on. I knew that I would definitely not feel comfortable at all climbing to the...
I was up on Baker the weekend before just for some day sled skiing, and turned back not far above where the sheet of ice started, even as I watched several people continue on. I knew that I would definitely not feel comfortable at all climbing to the...
Sorry for being short with words.
This was a trip Jeff had planned to do with Franklin. Thanks jeff for dragging me out. It was a humbling honor. Definatly an awesome area even with the low snow cover.
Trevor,
Ive read your stories on wenatcheeoutdoors, and just reread the dakobeds traverse one again yesterday. Good stuff.
This was a trip Jeff had planned to do with Franklin. Thanks jeff for dragging me out. It was a humbling honor. Definatly an awesome area even with the low snow cover.
Trevor,
Ive read your stories on wenatcheeoutdoors, and just reread the dakobeds traverse one again yesterday. Good stuff.
author=kamtron link=topic=30520.msg127797#msg127797 date=1390942906]
I made a silly gif of Amar making turns down the chute that day.
http://students.washington.edu/kamdh/nolink/amar.gif
Thanks for the GIF, Kam. I smoothed it out using Photoshop (Auto-Align Layers is like magic) and re-exported to a new GIF:
http://www.skimountaineer.com/TR/Images2014/RainierNisquallyChuteCornSkiingAnimation-17Jan2014.gif