TimL

If your new to aid, City Park is a good climb to start on. To lead the route in comfortable style, bring 2 sets of nuts, with triples in nut size 4-5. Bring cams to 2 with doubles in small TCU's purple, blue and yellow. You can also use the larger size HB offsets brass nuts. Bring plenty of QDs and extra biners and you should have fun. I've found cam hooks to work in the first 15 feet of the crack but the side of the crack are rounded and its hard to get a solid cam hook. If you want to cam hook and use small gear and nut placements, 10% is a good aid route. Although not, its C2 and a little more difficult then City park but it is much shorter. Another thing you might consider is to find a free climb and aid it. Best to find a crackin the 5.11 range, they usually take thin aiding gear ir aid something easier just to get the feel. Have fun.

Last year around the beginning of July the traverse was mostly snow, at least from the top of Cascade Pass to Ying Yang Lakes. I'm not a skier, but I bet you could use skies on 50-60% of the traverse in mid June depending on the snowpack. My only thought would be coverage on the way out through Bachlor Creek. My guess snow shoes might be better. Who knows though, go check it out and have fun.

Glad you had a good time!

Leaving early Friday April 30th for Yosemite. If anyone needs a ride, PM me.

I agree. Especially at Midnight Rock!

I'm sure DC can name many more, but the following come to mind: Shirley p1 thru Narrow Arrow Direct p2, p3 & p4 Jap Gardens P1, P2 through TPMV P3, P4 Pressure Drop on the Pressure Drop Cliff which is a *** pitch I have not heard of many people climbing Clay which is a **** pitch There are many pitches on the upper tier of the LTW that looked amazing. I'll think of more later.

Marginal Karma is good, its right next to Breakfast of Champions. Jap Gardens first full pitch. Iron Horse is super good. Best "full value" way is to lead up Iron Horse, step right at the anchors and go up through the Sagitaurius 10a corner, then step right again at the achors and pull the Sagitaurius roof. A super good mega pitch. You'll need a 70 to get off or 2 60's to TR. The inner wall also has Toxic Shock which is good and Even Steven which is even better. And of course, Thin Fingers is a must do.

From the parts of it I tried in a rain storm its a super good, mega pitch. Good job on the proud send! I'll have to get after it after I get back from the valley.

Hmmm, there are those who would argue that the words "excellence" and "Sport Climbing" don't belong in the same sentence. And there many more that would argue that your beating a dead horse.

Sweet.

I'll be leaving Seattle for Yosemite sometime between 4/30 and 5/6, dates are flexible. If anyone needs a ride to Yosemite during that time period, PM me. It would be nice to be able to share gas expenses. I'll be returning from the valley around 5/31 so if anyone would like to catch a ride back PM me as well. And if your down in the valley during May as I know many CCer's that will, feel free to stop past the white VW Golf with Washington plates and . Cheers, T

Climbing is a sport of self satisfaction. I understand Bobs concern, but its just friggin rock climbing, not the cure for cancer. What i do have to say is that crack climbing and sport climbing are to seperate genres of climbing. Roughly, you can compare them, but they are much different styles. Same with sport and slab climbing. Same with ice and mixed..... The grades should roughly correspond with the understanding in the differences in climbing. The biggest thing is to use each genre to cross train for the other. For example, I find hard sport moves fairly close to hard trad moves. Steep juggy sport climbs gain strength for thugish cracks..... see it however you like but use it to tain to climb harder. Bob - What 5.12s and 5.13s did you TR at Index and Squamish?

Who's climbing this weekend? Looking for a partner to climb rock, either Smith or Leavenworth. Might be into alpine, but rock is the money. PM me if interested.

Sweet. But many can lead bolted routes. Whats the percentage of people that lead 5.11/5.12 traditional routes compared to 5.12/5.13 bolted routes.

Nice thread Matt. Let me start with a little background. Over the past couple of years I started climbing and searching out harder traditional routes and climbing areas in Index and Leavenworth. In most cases I found that amazing routes have been left untouched for many years. By amazing I mean solid *** routes. Many of the pitches on the upper part of the Index LTW have been reclaimed by nature. These are truly amazing routes that deserve attention. There are also so many other routes that I have not had the chance to visit at Index that I bet are amazing. Another example, Midnight Rock. There are so many good routes up there its unbelievable. I'm talking in the 5.9, 5.10 range and also 5.11. Really, it has to be one of the best crags for quality and position in Leavenworth. The bummer is it appears that a lot of the routes are being reclaimed since not many people are climbing at the crag. This leads to doubt about the standards in Washington’s crack climbers are not that high, especially when compared to other areas. By no means did I want my earlier post to sound snobby. But when you actually look at the grades, 5.9 and 5.10 are moderate. When you look at hard traditional climbs that are being currently opened, new training methods and better gear, it goes to show that traditional grads are moving upward and hard climbs of yesterday are the moderates of today. I would find it hard to say that hard crag climbers are just that. Many do much more in the mountains and walls than just crank hard at crags. I think the ultimate is to go out into the mountains and climb hard traditional lines. My earlier post is more of a call to get out and get on it. Crank hard, climb some routes that you've never done before. Washington has some super good climbing areas that do not see much traffic and offer high quality routes. At the end of the day it is all about having fun and who gives a shit about grades. Personally, I'd like to see more people crank, but if thats not your cup of tea, then do whats fun. I'm not a gifted climber. I'm strong, I train and climb to get better, and sometimes crank. Like I said, at the end of the day its about having fun with your buddies and .

This is not directed towards anyone, but people open your eyes. 5.10 is moderate. 5.6 is beginner. We just have much lower rock climbing standards in the PNW.

It was nice at Index ALL day on Tuesday.

I have time to climb any single or all of these days. Looking at the weather it looks like East will be the money. Rock or alpine I'm game. Shoot me a PM if interested.

Are you dressing up as the Easter Bunny this year?

I agre with Fred. Don't cause yourself the hassle. Larry the Tool is the biggest A-hole I've come across in years. I hate the bastard. I've never been so pissed off in my life when he woke us up at 11, then wrote us a ticket and gave us a lecture.

Seriously, Index 11c is supposed to be hard. If it were easy it would be called Exit 38. Sure the grades are hard. Thats the beauty of the area. I would say keep the route the same grade or call it easier...like 11b. I'll try this route today or tomorrow depending on if I get out there. I think its bogus making grades harder. If anything, with the increased ability of climbers, they should be downgraded.

It might be JJA's. I know he and Greg W retreated down the gulley this winter after climbing the South Arete in a storm. Its scary if it is. JJA, sound like something you remeber?

Thinking about heading out to Index on Tuesday towards the late morning or early afternoon. PM me if interested.