mrchad9 wrote:The early season snow conditions on Washington stratovolcanoes are not very much different than they are on California stratovolcanoes.

I don't have much of a base to compare. I've only climbed Shasta, once, via Casaval Ridge the last weekend in May. Conditions seemed more like July in the Washington Cascades; nice firm neve, no post holing, good step kicking. Maybe it was just a fortunate coincidence, but the research I had done indicated late May was some years too late for Casaval Ridge.

I'm not one to believe in energy vortexes or such, but there was definitely an energy on Shasta that was unlike anything I've ever experienced. LIke a lot of positive ions in the air or something. And the Dr. Seuss trees were crazy.

ExcitableBoy wrote:

mrchad9 wrote:The early season snow conditions on Washington stratovolcanoes are not very much different than they are on California stratovolcanoes.

I don't have much of a base to compare. I've only climbed Shasta, once, via Casaval Ridge the last weekend in May. Conditions seemed more like July in the Washington Cascades; nice firm neve, no post holing, good step kicking. Maybe it was just a fortunate coincidence, but the research I had done indicated late May was some years too late for Casaval Ridge.

I'm not one to believe in energy vortexes or such, but there was definitely an energy on Shasta that was unlike anything I've ever experienced. LIke a lot of positive ions in the air or something. And the Dr. Seuss trees were crazy.

I would not make any assumption after just one attempt. However, you would be surprised when people say Casaval Ridge route is done for the season, including local guides. Shame! So if I need any beta I only ask if snowshoes are necessary for the lower part, and still leave them in the car.

Yes, conditions are similar but one needs to consider the different in the distance from the North and weather patterns and, therefore, seasonal timing adjustments. However, the glaciers, especially on Mt Rainier, are just much bigger and more serious in the Washington Cascades, even on a tiny Mt Baker. If the DC route did not have a trail (snow path) I would assume many, many endeavors would be dying there if attempting it at all.

As of energy, believe in what you want to believe. However, I’ve mentioned this a few times in the past that it’s easier for me (no altitude issues) to get to the top of Mt Rainier than Mt Shasta, even with a full backpack to the summit. I assume one of the factors is excitement; I love glaciers.

Probably very similar Mountains 50,000 years ago, but sadly today they are two very uncomparable Mountains.

Yank-Tank wrote:Man, I have freesoloed everything that you have videos of and I live over the otherside of the world.

In an opium dream.



Here are two more videos of climbing in gloves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxTvo_N2GSw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT91ZOHAkbU

The conditions on Shasta are definitely not homogenous throughout the season, or any given month, and that is especially true in early season.

Simkin wrote:

Yank-Tank wrote:Man, I have freesoloed everything that you have videos of and I live over the otherside of the world.

In an opium dream.



Here are two more videos of climbing in gloves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxTvo_N2GSw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT91ZOHAkbU

Yip, I have climbed that too Simkin. My scariest free solo in the Sierra was shark fin arete in the Alabama Hill, just because of the breakable holds and the steep 5.7 down climb.

Simkin wrote:In an opium dream.

Good one.

You better follow the good example of Daria.

I know not how it was - what was it that swayed her. Perhaps she read the article by Solzhenitsyn "Live Not By Lies." And started to value truth. And got the moral courage to say this:

Daria wrote: I used a rope on the 4th class ramp leading to the summit

Yip, that's Daria. I have roped her up many a 4th class section. It is pretty much like ropless climbing, you look down some times and she is looking some place else taking photographs with no hands on the rope.

Poor thing did not learn to lie. Could have make up that free-soloed a 5.7 like some others.

Simkin wrote:Poor thing did not learn to lie. Could have make up that free-soloed a 5.7 like some others.

Who Daria? She is a pathological liar. You wouldn't know what is true unless you are actually with her. She herself has claimed to have climbed peaks that she has not climbed.

As for me, I don't need to lie. You will see my name in the summit registers.

But you, you are a crazily bad climber, you must really not like your family if you risk all that just to climb those silly lines that nobody cares about.

It's true people who climb either don't have families or don't like their families lol.

Same goes for people with money who still work into their sixties... they just don't want to be at home with their nasty wives.

Maybe I should stay out of this conversation but I just want to emphasize to you Simkin that trailing a pack on the routes you are doing is really dangerous in my opinion.

Feel free to gopro your solos and use gloves, but the trailing of your backpack just invites disaster. It can become stuck, can pull you off the rock and can drop rocks down on other climbers.

I am impressed with how much you get out and the climbs you are doing. Not so impressed with your technique and the way you are promoting your climbs here.

Why would you drag a pack?