Washington Pass -- Highway 20 Closed!

AAI just received the following email from the Washington State Department of Transportation.

WENATCHEE – A weekend forecast for 1-1/2 to 3-feet of snow, high winds and much colder temperatures beginning Friday has prompted the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to temporarily close the North Cascades Highway at 7 p.m. Thursday night, December 11th. Twisp Maintenance Supervisor Don Becker says, “Avalanche chutes can fill and release in as few as 20 minutes under the right conditions which is faster than we can react to keep motorists or our crews safe. We don’t want to risk back country recreationists getting caught in a potentially dangerous storm event either. We’ll go back in on Monday and evaluate conditions for reopening.”

Becker says crews will check all the parking areas between the two closure gates to “make sure everyone is out.” While the storm front isn’t expected to bring the heavy snow until Friday afternoon, “Having the gates closed Thursday night will keep anyone who didn’t get the word from getting up there and caught in the weather event that’s coming.”

Four inches of new snow fell overnight. “Rainy and Washington passes are 1,000 feet higher than Stevens and 2,000 higher than Snoqualmie so typically, they get more snow, sooner and it’s colder,” according to NCRegion Avalanche technician Mike Stanford. The key to reopening is stability of the snow in the chutes and that will depend on how much snow comes down and the temperature. Stanford says, “By Monday, we could be looking at avalanche chutes with firm and stable snow or dangerous layers of unstable snow.” If it can be reopened, it will likely take crews a day or more to clear the roadway for traffic.

SR 20 is gated closed between milepost 134, seven miles east of Diablo Dam on the west side of 4,855’ Rainy Pass and milepost 171, nine miles west of Mazama on the east side of 5,477’ Washington Pass.

The North Cascades Highway usually closes between Thanksgiving week and mid December, re-opening in late April or early May. The highway closed last winter on December 4th and reopened last spring, on May 1st.

Visit the North Cascades Web page:

www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/northcascades that includes the opening and closing dates since the highway first opened in 197

Conditions Report -- December 10, 2008

RED ROCK CANYON:

--Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.

A climber at the top of Mr. Z (III 5.7)

--Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

--The late exit and overnight permit number for Red Rock Canyon is 702-515-5050. If there is any chance that you will be inside the park after closing, be sure to call this number so that you don't get a ticket.

--Here is an excellent photo-heavy trip report from Red Rock Canyon. These guys really got after it on the sport routes!

JOSHUA TREE:

--Forecast and average temperatures for Joshua Tree National Park.

--Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.

Mark Allen leads Coarse and Buggy (5.11a) in Joshua Tree
Photo by Ian McEleney

--Joshua Tree National Park is reintroducing the Climbers' Coffee Program. Join in on the opportunity to share your questions, concerns and views about climbing related issues with park staff members this Saturday from 8-10 am in the Intersection Rock Day Use Parking Area.

NORTHWEST:

--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.

--Forecast for the East Slope of the Cascades.

--Webcam for Leavenworth and the Stuart Range.

--Forecast for Mount Rainier.

--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

--Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams conditions and recreation report.

--Webcams for Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Leavenworth and Highway 2.

--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest Ice Conditions may be found here.

Scott Coldiron takes a self-portrait on his solo ascent of the

Northeast Couloir of Dragontail Peak

--Though the weather was less-than-stellar this weekend, a number of parties got out and did interesting things. Most notably, this small, strong team completed a steep first ascent on Buck Mountain. This soloist climbed the Coleman Headwall on Mount Baker. And this soloist climbed the Northeast Couloir of Dragontail Peak.

Tracy Lovejoy treks across Mount Rainier's Muir Snowfield on December 6th.
Photo by Charles Hagedorn

--The snow level is slowly dropping throughout the Pacific Northwest. It is unlikely that the ski resorts will open this weekend, but people are getting out. This party checked out the Muir Snowfield. This party skied up near Steven's Pass. And this party skied up near Grand Park.

SIERRA:

--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.

--Webcams for Bishop, June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass, and Yosemite National Park.

--Ice in Lee Vining is still quite thin and perhaps not yet climbable. There is currently thin ice from bottom to top on Chouinard Falls. However, it is thin elsewhere.

ALPS:

--Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.

--Webcams for Chamonix Valley, Zermatt and the Matterhorn.

ALASKA RANGE:

--Forecast for Denali

--Webcam for Denali National Park.

--The Alaska season is over until April of 2009, but we are already in the process of gearing up for it. We are now accepting applications for our 2009 Denali expeditions. This is what it looks like on top during the height of the season:

Colorado Day Eight: Rain, rain go away...

With the near miss that we had the day before, and with the rain that dumped brief buckets down upon the region's sandstone, we decided to head out for a small hike around one of the newly developed climbing areas in Colorado Springs: Red Rocks (not the concert venue, just to be clear).This was an unintended day off. In fact, when "Jello" and I first planned this trip we had no days off planned.

To wag or not to wag...that is the question...

In many climbing areas and mountaineering destinations around the country, Wag Bags are required.

What's a Wag Bag?

A Wag Bag is a simple system for human waste disposal in the backcountry. These are essentially sanitary bags for human waste removal. They're not complex and there's no mystery. They're plastic bags that you poop in.

Access to places like Mount Rainier, Mount Whitney and the desert are threatened by an overabundance of human waste. In some of these locations you are required to use a Wag Bag or the equivalent. Of course, part of the pack-it-in pack-it-out philosophy is not just using such a bag, but also bringing it back out with you. These areas are also threatened by an overabundance of used and discarded Wag Bags.

The following description is from the Wag Bag website.

The WAG BAG Toilet in a Bag waste kit is a biodegradable double-bag system made from puncture resistant materials.

Each waste kit includes a zip close disposal/transport bag, a waste collection bag preloaded wiith Poo Powder waste treatment, toilet paper and a hand sanitizer.

Our non-toxic Poo Powder waste treatment treats up to 32 ounces of liquid and solid waste allowing for multiple use. It turns liquid waste to a solid for hygenic and spillproof transport. The Poo Powder waste treatment controls odors and contains a decay catalyst that breaks down solid waste.

The WAG BAG Toilet in a Bag waste kits are biodegradable and approved for landfill disposal.

Timmy O'Neil is often considered the "funniest man in climbing." A few years ago, Timmy put together the following video about wag bags in the Utah desert.



It should be noted that Wag Bag is a specific brand name that has become somewhat synonymous with backcountry sanitation. The main competitor to Wag Bags are the Restop sanitation kits. These work equally well.

--Jason D. Martin

December and January Climbing Events

--December 9 -- Seattle, WA -- Siguniang First Ascent

--December 10 -- Bellingham, WA -- Banff Mountain Film Festival Tour

--December 11-13 -- Mora, MN -- Sandstone Ice Festival

--December 12-13 -- Mammoth, CA -- Sierra Avalanche Kickoff Party

--December 13 -- Seattle, WA -- Seattle Ice Fest

--January 8-11 -- Ouray, CO -- Ouray Ice Festival

--January 21 -- Bellingham, WA -- Backcountry Skiing Pacific Northwest

--January 30-Feb 1 -- Munising, MI -- Michigan Ice Fest