SummitPost.org

Mescalito345 wrote:MLCkills, thanks for the update. When did you climb Middle Palisade?

I think that was the time squishy went, maybe 2007 or 2008? The now-departed squishy had a nice trip report about that climb, but the TR was deleted when he left. "MLCkills" seems to be another toxo avatar. Judging by the look of Finger Lake, it was probably a fairly dry year.

Our local "club" has sent a lot of people there in summers, and I don't think anyone has ever taken an ice axe -- but we all took helmets. The snowy "glacier" area gets a lot of sun.

Yep, I think MLCKills will always be "disappoint."

MLCkills wrote:

MoapaPk wrote:"MLCkills" seems to be another toxo avatar.

Wow, how did you figure that out, genius?

By the combination of good information and anger.

MoapaPk wrote:I think that was the time squishy went, maybe 2007 or 2008?

It was in 2008. And yes, the stretch of snow was rather short.
Little known fact: I used to edit the dyslexia out of squishy's SP TRs.

Interesting, because his posts were generally not dyslexic; perhaps he had a good spell-checker. I am dysgraphic, and must read aloud everything I type, but still I make mistakes.

We just can't avoid referenced to the MLC can we.

Gary Schenk wrote:

Mescalito345 wrote:This might be a good time to try out my Kahtoola Microspikes, which weigh only 12 ounces per pair.

Admittedly my experience with them is very limited, but I thought those things were way useless. If you're in conditions that require crampons, you need crampons. I felt better just kicking steps than trying to climb in those things.

I have a pair of these, I bought them last year before attempting T-bolt peak (left my cramps at home, bad idea). They work quite well on low angle stuff, but don't expect miracles. They would work just fine for middle pal glacier I suppose...

As I look back at the early August 2006 photos, it seems that the snow approach to the 2 common entries was low-angle, and heavily sun-cupped.





Even before 9AM, I was able to kick steps in the one touchy place, wearing just approach shoes. I've never used microspikes, and don't know how they affect one's ability to kick-step; but I saw Ron (our mutual friend!) use them on substantially steeper terrain this winter on South Sister (NV).

MoapaPk wrote:...I've never used microspikes, and don't know how they affect one's ability to kick-step...

They don't.

I had no idea that Adam Sandaler climbed in the Sierra(s).

Beware Cicero; he will not follow any thing that other men begin.

regarding crampons on glaciers in the Sierra this time of year: look at the nighttime lows before you head out, and consider when you will be crossing the glacier heading up and down. Often the snow will be soft enough to walk on midday, but if you're on it early in the morning or after sunset when nighttime temps are near freezing, it can be very slick and too firm to kick steps in - even in mountaineering boots.

You could get by walking carefully on the suncups, and the section where you must be on the Middle Pal glacier is very short and not too steep.

butitsadryheat wrote:I never saw dyslexia, but boy did I see a lot of stupid and circular arguments that took up both sides of the argument he was always trying to make

That's classic. Sorry Squish, but that's damn funny.
So, how long you guys stickin' around this time?

Nice TR btw, and I thought it was good at the time.

Good to see you, if only one post, but. . . whatever.