Somehow I was able to talk Dallas into climbing Boston Peak, which has a reputation for being a big nasty heap of rubble. Dallas was the master of loose, 3rd to 4th class choss climbing. The last time he'd been up Boston was in 1962, the summer he took the Skagit Alpine Club climbing class. The crampons he brought on our outing were also circa 1962; I love the fact that he wore his gear for decades.

  It was cold and drizzling when we left the car, but by the time we got to Cascade Pass the clouds were breaking up and the sun was peeking through. The best thing about being in the mountains with Dallas is that on the approach he'd be talking nonstop about the peaks in the area, which ones he'd climbed, & making plans for future climbs too. No mountain was too obscure for him to identify it. Glory Peak? Mount Booker? Hurry Up? Who's ever heard of those, let alone climbed them? Dallas had, and he could remember the exact date and who'd been with him. What an incredible memory he had! He also liked to bitch about the switchbacks up to Cascade Pass. Why couldn't they have made the trail steeper and more direct? Seriously, 53 switchbacks in 3.7 miles seems a bit excessive. Maybe we should cut in a shortcut trail?

  Once we got onto the Sahale Glacier, it was a balmy summer day. To access Boston, one traverses around the shoulder of Sahale, onto the Quien Sabe Glacier and then to the Boston Sahale col. From there it's an exposed Class 3 ridge walk towards the peak, a descent onto the Boston Glacier, and a climb back onto the summit massif. At this point, we deviated from the standard route and decided to climb up directly under the rappell anchors on the south face. I wouldn't recommend this route to anyone as it was crumbly, steep (probably 4-5th class) and very exposed. But with 50 years of climbing experience, Dallas was in his element. I belayed him, trying not to have a heart attack, while he danced up the pitch like the maestro he was. After the sketchy bits it was a simple scramble to a roomy summit and the most deluxe summit register I'd ever seen.

  We did 3 rappels off the summit block, and then retraced our steps along the ridge and the glaciers. We had several hours of daylight left, so we decided to climb Sahale Peak on the way out. From the traverse, it was literally a 5 minute scramble up big solid granite blocks onto Sahale's summit. It's amazing how two adjacent mountains can have such radically different quality of rock.

  On the trail out, we ran into several different groups hiking in to Sahale Camp. Dallas was teasing them about staying at the "Sahale Hilton" and trying to convince them to poach a bivy at Cascade Pass (which we did when we climbed Mixup & Magic Mountains but is technically illegal). It was so funny. I'm sure they were all like "Who is this crazy old guy?" It took us about 12.5 hours round trip, and we had forgotten to bring apres-climb beverages. There were climbers camped at the trailhead, they appeared to be partying. I had Dallas pull up next to them in his truck and I asked innocently "Is this the bar?" We gave them beta on Sahale and they gave us organic IPAs. Nice folk.

  Dallas could be really giddy, especially on the hike out when the promise of burgers and beers loomed ahead. You don't get that impression from photos; he always looks like he is grimacing or pissed off. But he could be very light hearted. I think being in the mountains made him euphoric. It affects me the same way. All the blisters and fear and sweat and angst and exertion are forgotten; the laughs, summit photos and unforgettable memories remain. Viva the mountains!