TimL

I can’t believe nobody has mentioned Damnation crack at Castle Rock. There is also a good chimney that starts of NW Corner and W Face on NEWS. I heard a great comparison once that climbing chimneys are like having sex. You get in, wiggle around until everything feels right, then have at it.

I would have to say all the folks I climbed with this year. You guys know who you be. JJA, Erik, Alex, Cavey, Rumar & posse and of course...Fred Rogers and anyone else I shared a rope with or just talked smack. Climbers are a unique and awesome group of folks. Its refreshing to hang out with a group of people thats not so caught up in main stream bullshit.

Forget grades just go out and climb. But I'll go on a rant just for the sake of it. Most Squamish grades feel 2-3 letter grades easier at least. But its nice to have a "feel good about yourself" crag. If there wasn't easy grades then hard would't feel hard. I agree with Erik. Index, Yo and Smith are were its at least for me. Leavenworth is cool as well. Grades are also subjective to your psychological and physical state. I've fallen on 5.8 before when I clearly was leading much harder. I just wasn't in the mood to climb had a horrable hangover. A couple weeks ago at the base of ROTC when I insisted it felt like 10a my partner looked at me like I was crazy. Too me at that time it felt like 5.10-. Still does now. On a different note, it seems like the newer the climb was established the easier the route. I mean, you really don't ever come away from a route that was estabished years ago and think, "dam thats easy". I think 2 of the best crags in the state are Index and Midnight rock in Leavenworth. Unfortunately, it seems like a fair amount of routes at either place do not receive much traffic because the have the reputation of being sandbagged.

Chianti is another story. You know my phone #. Give me a call. You have some pictures of hauling the pig on the cap. Post them. It'd be funny. I've never seen them.

from Carazy Jamies emergency bivy kit......

Kinda reminds me of the time the 3 of us were in the valley at Reeds Pinnacle. Remember the lizard that changed colors........

Even Steven at Index kicked my ass the first time. I was weak and foolish. Went back the second time after a little training and sent it first go. Swim on the UTW just took me out. I still don't have the sacs to go back there and try it again.

Has anyone done the NE Ridge on Kyes? it looks good. i approached it one spring but turned around at a late hour with mushy snow.

Stuck at work today but anyone want to climb on Sunday? PM me if interested.

I’m sure climbers are a large percentage of the people Larry harasses are climbers, but lets not forget if he harasses climbers then he is bound to harass others as well. I think that this website is a forum were climbers can discuss the subjects while other groups might be more widely scattered. Yeah, and lets not forget him giving fee demo tickets while cars are getting broken into. Really, where can he be found when there is actually a crime being commited. Another part of this story is the constant negative attitude of the areas camp ground attendants. I can name a few incidents in which they spoken negatively towards a group of people or just plain harass others.

There is a certain Forest Service Ranger In the Leavenworth who likes to harass climbers and other outdoor enthusiast. I can give you his name from the ticket he wrote me on Saturday but he has been nicknamed Larry the Tool on this site and has been discussed many times. After being harassed by him last weekend, I think you could easily produce a compelling story as to the Forest Service and their interactions/lack of community relations with outdoor enthusiasts.

Try http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee/recreate/reports.html

Most of the times these debates seem so silly but I have to admit that portions the development in the Icicle over the last couple of years have been overboard. I would have to admit that bolting in the name of progression of the sport is one thing, but whats going on right now is degrading to the sport. It seems to me that there are places that it is acceptable to grid bolt lines. That’s obviously unacceptable in a traditional area. This is not only a traditional area, but the lines that are being grid bolted are contrived. Its like people are throwing up bolts all over the place, connecting the dots in a unseemingly fashion and then calling it a climb. If it’s a quality line then do it. I’m seeing many routes that look like people just wanted to do a route so they cleaned it then bolted it in a fashion that it would go and called it a route. I like to clip bolts, but there is a time and place for everything. To Alex’s point, I’ve seen more bolts next to cracks at Leavenworth in the last couple of years then at Smith rock. Generally, more bolts on the average new route at Leavenworth then typical Smith rock route. Go figure. Alex – Off the topic but post some pictures of last weekend!

After visiting Leavenworth this weekend and stopping past some of the new crags I was appalled at what was going on. Bolts next to cracks and perfectly good gear placements are unacceptable. Not to mention the small contrived, grid bolted routes that are being but up all around the Icicle. Really, what the fuck is going on? I’ve always thought some people and their stance against bolts was radical, but after seeing what I saw this weekend, I would not be surprised if you start find piles of chopped bolts at the basses of cliffs. I have a lot of respect for some of those that are putting up routes in the Icicle and they do it well. Then again I think there are others that should take their trash to areas like Exit 32 were it belongs. And the bolted thing next to at Index that Darryl mentioned, hopefully it won’t be around much longer. Another pure disregard for the ethics and style of the area. Not to mention a slap in the face to the first ascentionist.

Went to Index on Saturday and it was awesome! Held Fred Rogers on his biggest fall on gear to date. I've barely been climbing technical rock this summer so I thought I get a good ole Index whoopin. Ended up sending for the first time both Marginal Karma and Even Steven. Finished the day off by doing laps on Jap Gardens full pitch. Came out to my car to find someone scribbled in the dirt on the window. Then had a dude in a purple Toyota truck chase me down wanting to start some shit thinking I messed up his truck mirror. All in all a complete day at Index!

Thats right...I keep forgetting the name. What happened?

Hey Glassgow or Rudy - I was thinking of doing Midnight ? (Burdo's 12a?) before the monsoons hit. Let me know if either of you are interested.

oh Muffy, your not that evil.....see you down at sunny smiff this fall!

really felt the need to write messages on the windows of my (then) dirty white care at Index on Saturday? Time to fess up.

I think there is a big difference between mountaineering and alpine climbing but a lot of people mix them into one type of climb. It would be like mixing sport and trad climbing together in one generic rock climibng category. For instance, to me it seems most routes on Rainier are not alpine routes, they are mountaineering routes.............

you rock sista!

Good job guys. what type of rack did you bring or reccomend?

Like almost everything in climbing its a matter of opinion and experience. I think I read Guy Lacille (sp?) uses 100 meter rope while climbing solo. I'm sure I could find a way to use it but for what purpose and how practical it might be is the question.

congrats guys You guys rock! Way to finish an exciting project!