WAPASS! May 9-11, 2013.

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DonJuanPakistan
Trippin' travellin'.
from Seattle, Washington
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WAPASS! May 9-11, 2013.

Post by DonJuanPakistan »

Met Pete and had a go at the E face of Corteo. Climbed to the traverse above the cliffband before turning around due to bottomless isothermic snow. A quick traverse down a couloir below Horsefly (?) Pass brough us to Wing Lake, the typical route towards the S face of Black Peak. We climbed up and left to the N-facing Lewis Glacier (below the NW Ridge of Corteo), gained the ridge, and skied immediately before the supportable snice still remaining turned to schmoo. Relatively easy creekcrossing-free exit to the car and beers on the highway. Boo yah. Wanted to ski with Pete the next day,too, but my phone died and I was gloriously unplugged the rest of the weekend.

Left the mountains and met Sid in Winthrop where he showed me some obscure crags around that end of the Methow. A couple sport pitches, but mainly excellent bullshitting.

Slept in the car at Early Winters Campground and met Sid again the next morning for a jaunt up Kangaroo. An excellent car to car loop, back in the flipflops by 1045, when Diamond and Liz drove past, headed to Mazama.

Down the hill again, snacks at Mazama store, and cragging in town. Fun at Fun Wall, hot as shit. A few easy pitches before it was time to soak the dogs in the river and get to work on a case of beer. A few more pitches once it cooled, and when cragside etiquete began to become unreasonable, we headed to Winthrop for a pizza, sitting outside in shorts, marveling at the concept of summer.

Medium-early start the next day with Diamond for a scenic cruise up Spontaneity Arete (8 pitches, 300m, 3rd class to 5.7) on the Petit Cheval (S side of highway, 3 miles E of Washington Pass). A 70m 9.9mm and a ski backpack was the wrong kit, and the beautiful-looking descent gully was laughing at us for not bringing skis as we downclimbed and rappelled hundreds of feet of ridge. Nonetheless it was an excellent outing to get the gears tuned up for climbing lots, fast, soon.

Back in Seattle, the clouds have returned, drawing the curtain on what was an incredibly good run of stable weather in the region.

Pete up the up above Lake Ann.
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Steep and destroy.
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A photo offering no clue as to the snow conditions on Kangaroo.
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You can see it in his face: Seasonally Affected Radness Disorder.
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This episode brought to you by the Ford Motor Company.
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ryanl

Re: WAPASS! May 9-11, 2013.

Post by ryanl »

love that car.....

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skykilo
olikyks
from Santa Fe
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Re: WAPASS! May 9-11, 2013.

Post by skykilo »

I love it when multiple adventure sports (particularly skiing and climbing) are in season. That seems to be the case for more than half the year 'round here.

PeteH

Re: WAPASS! May 9-11, 2013.

Post by PeteH »

Sorry to miss you on Friday Drew, but it sounds like you found some fun times. Thanks for motivating on Thursday, it was great to get out with you.

On Friday we had a very pleasant day ascending from the Blue Lake TH, climbing the Beckey Route on Lib Bell and descending the Beckey gulley and then skiing from the upper col down to the hairpin. Kat and Scotty were stoked.

E Face Corteo slurpy death
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Famous Internet Skier
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Ascending Lewis Glacier
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Descente
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Kat and Scotty in the Beckey Gulley with a lead pipe on Friday
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E_$
imminent whippage

Re: WAPASS! May 9-11, 2013.

Post by E_$ »

looks like good times up in whoopass/whoohoopass.

better SARD than topologically affected radness disorder.

the area, the car, the folks make my crotchety guts feel all warm and fuzzy.

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