I just doesn't look like you need a rope at all on that route

Summit of Mt. Williamson. Forgot my pants.

2_climbaxes wrote:That's a great start, but you are still missing some. But if you aren't a local there is 1 you might miss.

I don't understand what they need a shovel for - they don't look like they're carrying overnight packs. If they were to travel in an avy terrain, they need more than one shovel per group, I would think...

also, I don't see a single snow picket for the entire group or a fluke. If they were protecting themselves with ropes, I'd think they would need some anchoring material...

2_climbaxes wrote:You can tell from the shadows that it is too late in the day. They should be going down, not up. When the sun hits the cliffs above this route, ice & rock start coming down.

cool observation about the shadows. yeah, i wouldn't have caught that in a million years. when i took that alpine class up there last may i couldn't believe how late people were still on the mountain - some coming down, but still others going up. crazy.

Late starts seem to be a common theme in the Cascades. Both on Adams and Shasta I encountered people going up at like noon?!?

Luciano136 wrote:Late starts seem to be a common theme in the Cascades. Both on Adams and Shasta I encountered people going up at like noon?!?

Well, that brings up a good point. Adams and Shasta are both often done as an overnighter. So a person leaving for the Lunch Counter or Helen Lake at noon may not be that crazy. If a person leaves the Timberline at noon, I would assume he's camping near the ski lift. If he's high on the mountain at that time (like in the mazama photo), I would say he's crazy.

MikeTX wrote:

Luciano136 wrote:Late starts seem to be a common theme in the Cascades. Both on Adams and Shasta I encountered people going up at like noon?!?

Well, that brings up a good point. Adams and Shasta are both often done as an overnighter. So a person leaving for the Lunch Counter or Helen Lake at noon may not be that crazy. If a person leaves the Timberline at noon, I would assume he's camping near the ski lift. If he's high on the mountain at that time (like in the mazama photo), I would say he's crazy.

Adams seemed to be fine but there is definitely rock fall below the Red Banks on Shasta. I left 50/50 (about 1000 feet under Helen Lake) at 3:30am. Not only do you run the risk of rock fall later in the day, you also get BAKED by the sun (unless you do it in winter).

Early starts on snow slopes are more fun in general since the snow is firm and it's not that hot.

2_climbaxes wrote:Somebody really should put up some sort of poster at the Climber's Cave at Timberline about the danger of ice & rock fall on the Hogsback route. Many people get hurt because of late starts.

It might help some, but there will always be idiots. There are FS signs all over NM and CO warning people to get an early start to avoid lightning, but I always see people heading up from the trailhead as I'm packing my stuff to go home.

MikeTX wrote:

Luciano136 wrote:Late starts seem to be a common theme in the Cascades. Both on Adams and Shasta I encountered people going up at like noon?!?

Well, that brings up a good point. Adams and Shasta are both often done as an overnighter. So a person leaving for the Lunch Counter or Helen Lake at noon may not be that crazy. If a person leaves the Timberline at noon, I would assume he's camping near the ski lift. If he's high on the mountain at that time (like in the mazama photo), I would say he's crazy.

Yup. For a south side route on Shasta in the springtime I usually leave my house around 5 or 6 am and get up to the town of Mt. Shasta late morning sometime, then start snowshoeing up to where ever I am camping around noonish. I save the alpine start for the next morning

I was going through some old photos and found this one of my first trad lead.

Looks like a marshmallow coming out of the right nostril!

butitsadryheat wrote:Looks like a marshmallow coming out of the right nostril!

Indeed! I never noticed that, but I think some photo shopping may be in order if I can figure out how. It is a reflection from my glasses.

My first NOOB alpine climb, Glacier Peak in 1977 B.G. (Before Gortex)



And here we are as NOOB rock climbers in 1974 in New England with GOLDLINE....

Not long ago at all: first ice climb

nartreb wrote:Not long ago at all: first ice climb

this is classic! thanks for sharing.