http://www.idkfa.com/v3 idkfa: syndicated http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3303&msg_id=3307 Those are some sweet pictures, my friend. And Leavenworth would be awesome, Opeth is playing with Katatonia the 14th/15th, so could double up for good times. I will have to check my schedule and stuff, but I'll try to make it down if I can. Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) The Sporting Life Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:28:31 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3303&msg_id=3307 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3303&msg_id=3306 My route was only 1 horizontal mile, pretty awesome to behold. When you come down for Oktoberfest this year, and you will fly down I demand it, we should actually try for something back there on a day hike. I did Cashmere mtn the weekend before which is 8500'. It tore the shit out of my feet, but it was a beautiful and worth while hike, very reminiscent of O'Malley peak. MrFood@idkfa.com (MrFood) The Sporting Life Thu, 21 Jul 2011 16:59:51 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3303&msg_id=3306 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3303&msg_id=3305 Wow, that is an epic sounding trip. I also just looked at some pictures of the entirety of the mountain, and damn! That's steep. over 5,000 vertical feet in less than 2 horizontal miles! Scrotor@idkfa.com (Scrotor) The Sporting Life Thu, 21 Jul 2011 16:40:31 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3303&msg_id=3305 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3303&msg_id=3304 Man, that sounds pretty harrowing. Glad you made it back. kaiden@idkfa.com (kaiden) The Sporting Life Thu, 21 Jul 2011 16:28:29 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3303&msg_id=3304 http://www.idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3303&msg_id=3303 Had an interesting failed mountain climbing experience this past weekend. Me and this guy I've been climbing with attempted the south face of Mt Stuart, 9415'. The trip ended up being much bigger than I thought as we originally planned for a fairly easy eastern approach (Blue line) but we ended up tackling the south face (black line). We hiked in Saturday evening and made camp in a valley at the base at about 4100". Got up at 3 and was on the trail at 3:30am to try to get the best snow. Most of the slopes were a sustained 45-55degrees of snow, broken by bands of rock that were closer to 70-80degrees and were fairly technical requiring roping up and leading sections without our packs. Then hauling our packs up on the tail end of our ropes behind us. On the upper portions of the mountain the snow steepened to about 70degrees and we had to start belaying and setting pickets for every pitch. Around 1pm and only at 8300' we decided it was time to turn around and get back to camp seeing the summit slip away from our reach time and skill wise. This meant down climbing on those 70degree snow slopes which at first we did free (sans ropes) but after hitting some really sketchy rock sections we started setting up belay stations and would spend most of the rest of the way down going 25m at a stretch, maybe 50m if we switched leads every time. Here I should say that we were on some of the scariest terrain that I have ever encountered. This climb was 10 times more difficult on skill, energy, and mentally than Rainier or any other hike or climb I've ever been on. It took us another 9 hours to get back down to our tent, with only 1 minor fall down on the lower slopes where we had switched over to glacier style travel with just the rope between us and no running protection. My partner fell and slid about 30', I tried to hold the fall but it drug me down and I managed to stop the slide partially by arresting with my ice axe and partially by MrFood@idkfa.com (MrFood) The Sporting Life Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:56:05 -0800 http://idkfa.com/v3/v_thread.php?thread_id=3303&msg_id=3303