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the Tooth I always find myself tuning in to what the rock wants me to do up there.

Well it's a bit confusing because the first pitch of Tatoosh can be done as two pitches. The squeeze I am writing about is above the ledge that breaks Thin Fingers into two pitches, but below the "Park Benches" that you can scramble to from the very top of Thin Fingers. If you wanna find it, leave right from the ledge between the TF pitches, do a boulder move to get onto a RFC ramp with a sweet finger crack. Follow up more sweet finger crackness and bear a bit right until you are right below, almost inside the squeeze. There is a flake inside that you can use for a foot and forms a perfect handcrack with the left wall for the first half of the squeeze. I'd like know where this chimney is above the Park Benches, if in fact we are talking about different chimneys.

I would have much rather this have been kept "super-secret".

Nice tactic punter. Much better than "I need to do my laundry".

Gaston fits that description. Plus, you can always bridge it! Looks to me like Erik is stylin' it. Plus, I don't think any of my suggestions (except Red Rocks) have any continuous chimney sections longer than 20 feet.

Very glad to see peoples out working the Aries chimney Good place to practice chimneying is at the UW Rock. Chimney up the walk through between the Tower and Spinechopper. Also there's a two move squeezer in the the hole on the back of the overhang wall. Damnation Crack has a good chimney. The lower part would be sinker tight hands for Gaston. I used chimney technique galore last time I climbed Slow Children. You can also use chimney technique very effectively on the crux pitch of the Squamish Buttress, though either of those are not really where I'd send a beginner to practice chimney moves. At the top of p1 of Narrow Arrow (the munge version, not the "direct") is a good back-foot chimney. Free-at-last aka Tatoosh has a squeeze chimney with a handcrack in back. P3 of Rattletale has a chimney, as does that Goddess Kring climb to the left of Rattletale if you just go up the easiest way. p1 of Lovin' Arms has a chimney. None of these are as difficult as the buttlips though, well maybe the Tatoosh one. RedRocks gots some good chiminies.

I always thought of a "punter" as someone who gives up at the slightest provocation. "Punts" on 4th and 1. But hey, keep the dictionary defintions coming. I love that sh*t.

Hey Josh, You seem to use the phrase "the whole point of climbing is..." and it's converse quite a bit. I am a bit confused. What is the point of climbing? You appear to know. Could you articulate it for us?

And would you still get credit for the climb from your CC.com peers?

Jacob's Ladder looks to be in the shade 'till almost noon. What is it with 3 o'clock and Washington crags anyway? That's about when the sun goes behind Persis and Index gets shady, and there was another post today saying Si gets shady around 3. What time does Dreamer (or Green Giant Buttress) go out and in of shade?

rice beer !

I put this in the climbing board because it happened on a climbing outing, or after it anyways.... So we climbed Total Soul on Friday morn/afternoon and it was really baking out there (see Darrington thread, my partner was complaining of the rock burning his poow widow fingows). Anyway, we got back to the truck about 3:00 and it was quite hot and we had two beers waiting. Since my partner drove, I deferred the choice of brews to him and thus I ended up with the can of Budweiser. Undaunted, I popped that baby open, put it to my lips and .............MAN!!!! I don't know what it was...must've been a near perfect interaction of thirst, hunger, beer temp, ambient temp, beer flavor, carbonation factor, wind chill, etc.... but it was one of the greatest beer experiences I have ever had!!!! I felt health, vitality, oneness with the universe spreading sentiently to every edge of my body. Ecstasy was coursing through my capillaries. A BUD?!?? CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!?? I noted that I had to pee at that moment but I didn't want to for fear I might break the zone of perfection that was occuring. Luckily I was able to effect the evacuation procedures one handed and did not have to interrupt the beer transfer. Anyway, just thought some of you would be interested. A Bud. Can you believe it ?

Good point

edited by Erik

OH Gee it's another "super secret" something thread. Do you guys know how to use email?

It's described in the Green Beckey guide, and Nelson and Potterfield Vol's 1 and 2. Forbidden is South of HWY 20, West of the Crest (or ON the crest perhaps), North of the Cascade River Road, East of Marblemount. map here smartass answer edited away

The character of the FA'er has more weight on a less travelled climb. The more frequented ones get "dumbed down" a bit with the consensus. For example, on the complete N Ridge of Stuart the 5.9 crack on the lower ridge, seemed true 5.9 maybe a bit sandbagged (Beckey says 5.8/9), while the Gendarme, though rated 5.9 was definitely not as hard. Only the "offwidth" fist crack pitch was truly 5.9 and a pretty easy one at that. Perhaps that one is a bit airbagged so the hordes that go up there won't be getting themselves in trouble. If they called it a 5.8, then climbers maxed on 5.8 might be getting in a pretty precarious situation way up there.

Lurker Mark and I too completed the CC.com flavor of the month, on 7/14-15 Complete N Ridge with the Gendarme. Camped at Stuart pass (bugs :cry). Walked up and over Goat pass in the morning, no crampons, soft snow. Awesome first two pitches on Lower Ridge. Chiminey managed fairly easily by dragging pack behind. Next pitch, long sustained 5.9 crack , two nuts and a neutrino, booty. Many many pitches, little simulclimbing. Awesome bivy spot where Dr. Jay and Matt stayed I think. There was still snow there then. Gendarme, way cool, not as hard as the lower crack. Easy hauling too. Then a whole sh*tload of stuff I was getting too tired to drag the rope up. Sunset, on summit. Hung out 'til morning. Shredded the bivy bag around 2am. Down the Cascadian Couloir at 8am with right turn at the big black obelisk. Back to camp and snowfield beers at noon. Every part of that climb is fun fun fun. Well, except a few short hours of boring shivering, but the climbing, !!! Big sharp jugs everywhere, frictiony granite, a mile of handcrack and just enough sinker constriction finger locks. And, you've heard about the views. All day long (we were climbing) there were huge rumbles down the couloirs on either side. I'd do it again, but would seriously attempt to include more simuling. beta: Brought #4 Friend and #3 Camalot, #1 Camalot, then singles on down, nuts and some handcrack hexes. Used the hexes almost every pitch, amazing. Hexes on wires would've been sweet I bet. One of the booty stoppers was something huge like a #11 or so . I used that a bunch too. If you wanna "train" for the Gendarme offwidth, go do GM p3 or St. Vitus Dance.

I think the term is "skull", not death heads, as in "5.6 double skull!". And if it really isn't "skulls", then it should be. I love those skull guys. In my version of the guide he even has a rant about why there are no pg/r/x ratings ("because it's a climb, not a movie!! ) Anyway. Love the skulls.

Dru, I would have to agree with you that there is better climbing to be had at Squamish. But at least at Index you don't need to drive to a whole different country to get good food. Unfortunately for you though, your manhood has been seriously challenged, so you are now going to have to visit lowly Index. Unless of course, you're a fag. A sixer for a measly 10a!

I'll add a beer to Erik's nickel on Breakfast of Champions. Make it a sixer for Sagitarius. Offer good for 7 hours. Meet me at Index, then we can hit Everwet afterward.

Givin' it one more try

This is not the thread full of Trask and the Traskbaiters. It is about ACTUAL CLIMBING !!!! If you canna sneak out of work, or just don't work at all. PM me! Can stay out 'til dark or tomorrow even maybe. Craggin' or mountains. Quick! it's getting late and hot.

late notice I know. Anybody wanna climb anything (Darrington, Index, Static, mountain, other?) on Thurs? PM or reply. Chuck