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This pic really does make it look like Darrington would be a great place for Chirp's Red Rock fix. But seriously, Darrington is actually similar to Red Rocks only in that they both offer many long moderates () with clean rock and fun climbing. I'd say the two places are almost opposite in terms of the specific nature of the climbing.

try not using chalk

You nodders were pretty funny before you started whining

It ain't Leavenworth but at Index there's a couple of good slabs to toprope: End Run and Free Cat at Hag Crag Boulder start of GM at the Country Newest Industry Lower Town Wall (need to climb 5.9 grunt to access top)

Although I believe Dru is FOS , let me relate a little story to you. We used to be one of those awfully annoying couples who bring their toddler to the gym with them. Every time we brought her to the gym, she would come down with a cold within two days. We thought it was probably a coincidence, cause heck we were bringing her to daycare all those days too probably. Anyway, after about five times, we decided we try one more time. She went with us. She got sick. We quit bringing her to the gym. Still think the dust in there is from the gravel though.

Speaking of Rush, I was down in PDX last weekend and noted that the liberal version of Rush is on the radio down there. Ed Shultz can be found on AM 620. Check it out. He rocks.

I think some fact checking is in order.

If the gym has gravel like VW, then I'm almost positive that what you're breathing in is much more rock dust than chalk. Everytime someone walks across the pebbles they grate 'em together and make dust and kick up dust. Not to say that chalk isn't bunk. Chalk is good if you like your holds marked. Very helpful for onsights!

So what do you think about trip reports?

One thing I find very interesting about this topic is the non-linearity, or perhaps the multidimensionality, of the old-skool to "modern" conversion. What I mean here, is that Matt agrees that a 5.10 is now considered "Moderate", while at the same time, a 5.6- is no longer considered basic. This idea seems to imply that the "modern" moniker correlates with gym/sport climbing. Midway is not considered basic by some because it involves placing gear, and being versed in the mechanics of multipitch. However, perhaps the gear and multipitch only factor into the basic versus moderate classification. Do you guys think that Godzilla/City Park/Slow Children is moderate? It is 5.10+, relies quite heavily on gear, but has nice easy belays to set up. Very similar to Midway in terms of gear/multipitch considerations but of course at the other end of the moderate spectrum in terms of technical difficulty.

I think it's gonna be nice. You should go for it. Reasons? Well, it's nice today, and the rotating storms seem to be moving up from the South. So, maybe you got a chance of it not hitting you. There. Go up there and prove me wrong!

Someone oughter slaughter the nodder.

Saying 5.10 is not moderate (I agree with that) does not imply that 5.6 is moderate. There's a big gap between 5.10 and 5.6. My view of "moderate" is somewhere strictly within that range. Are you saying that if a route relies on self-placed pro it is automatically excluded from the novice category? Your description (3 pitches, gear) basically makes every climb at the Gunks at least a moderate. Are there no novice climbs at the Gunks? Where does a novice do his/her first lead at the Gunks? I think our first lead at the Gunks was "Baby", 5.3 at the Gunks, probably 5.6 out here in the West.

This is twice now with the "truly moderate" label. If Midway is considered a moderate, then what do you guys consider a beginner/novice climb?

MVS media!

Way to go Iain! And all you other rescuers too.

Climb: The Tooth!-South Face Date of Climb: 4/2/2004 Trip Report: Went up and bagged the Tooth on Friday putting my virgin BC ski skills to the test. Skinned up next to the "DO NOT ENTER" path. Stayed in the trees for a long time to see what the skins could/couldn't do, and to try to follow the rules. Also didn't want to get creamed by a downhill skier. Snow conditions were soft, but mostly pretty easy. The usual gulley to access the South Face looked too difficult for me (steep snow on slopey rock right under a big cornice) so I skied up over the gap that heads toward Alpental and skied down and around, then postholed up to near Pineapple Pass. South Face is all dry except for the 3rd class part. About 50 feet of unavoidable snow. Descended the South Face and met a couple of boarders who were about to climb. They took the lifts up. Supposedly they didn't have to pay. They explained their plan to the ticket seller and they let 'em slide for one ride. Pretty cool. They didn't like the looks of the cornice in the usual access gulley so they followed my trail. Found some cliffy way to get back to the notch without losing as much altitude but still had to do a climb up through mush to get to the notch. By that time around 4 or so, there were about 8 or more people milling around at that notch. I guess the Great Scott Bowl must be a popular last run. Nice skiing back down, especially in the shadow of The Tooth Gear Notes: BC skis ice axe approach shoes (for South Face) Zappa tape to make it through the traffic during pledge week on NPR Approach Notes: Usual approach gulley currently blocked.

More to fuel the fires! According to this story: Another "whistleblower" says she translated documents that indicated using planes to hit skyscrapers. Now the Bush administration is allegedly trying to put a gag order on her.

So if anybody wants to go climb something Friday, tomorrow, don't PM me . Use the email. cspieker at comcast dawt net

missle defense skewing the commission?

Yeah, what he said and what about the NE Buttress? Perhaps that is melted out enough to be doable as a rock/snow climb?

Why? He/she looks happy as hell! Happy is a good thing.

I put "chair" in for subject and "last two weeks" for timeframe and I got nothing (about chair peak). Now what Pax?