texplorer

goatboy, I too was thinking of heading up there about that time. I have heard it is easy to find a job in nearby telluride at one of hte resorts in the area. How long are you planning on being there?

Hey holly, I'm headed to Smith too. I'm in Portland though and am probably going with several other people and meeting yet more down there. Are you a trad leader or more of a sport climber? I was hoping to hit the lower gorge at least one of the days.

Huuuu....YOU CLIMB ON THE SABBATH -YOU INFIDEL! I'm going to fly a plane into your outback while your on your way to the crag.

When is this thread going to end?

I agree EV. The N ridge was great! I did it earlier this year. Definetely of "50 Classics" status.

Rafael, It's easy dude. Just go to the bottom of it where the road is and start heading in a generally upward direction. After alot of that you'll get to this spot where you can't go up anymore (I've heard its called the summit). From there you go down but be careful there's these cracks in the snow and stuff.

I wonder how many people participate in eluding of Forest Service Personal at trailheads or the fast growing extreme sport of scrapbooking your favorite climb-goddess. I bet they just put them in with the Mountain/Rock climbers.

Since many of you are veteran climbers from washington I would be interested to find out what would be the "must do" alpine rock and ice routes in Washington. I have read Nelson/Potterfield but was wondering which you would classify as -the best of the best- and if there were any routes they may have left out. In other words what climbs would make you a true NW alpine bad ass. I'm not asking for death climbs but just fun, classic climbs that don't include slog only routes. Carpe Diem

TimB, How did the Rooster treat you? I was on beacon rock over the weekend and it was a great weekend in the gorge. Did my first solo of the SE corner. yahoo!!!

FatKid, What is your definition of "very run out." Are we talking about a 15ft, 30ft, or 60ft fall. I was just curious. KD

I too want to do the Yocum CFF. It looks very interesting. Anyone know where to find any good pics of the route and/or when it comes into season.

I want to take a pic for one of those Patagonia ads with the "Commited to the core" captions below it. I'll be sitting on the hood of my 93 cougar with all my rock gear out and pouring mountain dew out of a 2-liter onto my sugar frosted flakes. Of course I'll have to borrow someone else's Pataguchi gear since I'm just a poor climber and don't own any myself.

TG and Ken, How much money are you guys looking at spending on your expeditions. I am looking at heading down to S America already and illimani sounds interesting. I am poor but I hear S America is cheap. Ultimately I want to do the Polish Glacier on Aconcagua.

So if you were woken up by Conny in only his smoking robe and boots you would normally be a bit startled. They are mocking that by showing him being the one startled by a women in a pink robe awakening him. Over the entire campaign is a little ridiculous. It was funny the first time - now a little like beating a dead horse.

Rocks, trees, glaciers - do they truly have names? Nature only exists and changes form. To name mountains, routes, and specific climbs is to put our own limitations on nature. Yes, I use names to identify a climb to other climbers but I remember it as it was for me. It would seem silly to name each hold or crevass on a climb yet at places like Smith there are names for climbs just feet apart. So, to tell you the truth -do I remember names of climbs? Yes, so that I may orient myself and others to the places and things we have done. More importantly though I also remember the exact spot on a climb and the exact feeling of slapping at a hold; missing; and taking a whipper. I don't name the move that I finally mastered but it is no less vivid. In short, a true climber remembers the experience. He recalls the names to impress the chicks back at the lodge and to keep the vertically challenged rastafarian boulderers stuck to their roadside frolics. Spray on

Anyone have the beta on how to get to that grade IV limestone wall? I am looking for an adventure!

Pope, I saw some guys heading up to ingal's about a month ago with crash pads too. It was kinda weird seeing them huffing their way up there beside the totally different alpine crew headed for Stuart. I suppose I put them one class up from the tailgate boulderers and almost even with the lycra clad sportys. I guess you guys haven't seen the Beckey Bouldering guide to Ingal's Lake- Take the easy 10 min hike up to ingals lake. On the west side of the lake you will find several V6's easily doable in your nepal-tops as a warm-up. Continue around to the north for some fun V1 mono problems. For an easy high-ball problem taverse to the Gendarme on the north ridge of Stuart for a fun V0.

Are you guys the ones with the flower stickers on your helmets?

Nick, If your under age 25 there are actually lots of scholarships and grants to fund expeditions like you and your friends want to do. Usually you need to have specific objective that is unique from the "just go to the mountains and climb" trip. Yes its hard to believe -they sometimes just give you money. Your other option is to do something sick like solo a winter ascent of the Cassin ridge on Denali or some sick s#$t like that. I saw one that was for high schoolers. It provided an entirely paid 7 day NOLS trip and/or guided trip. As for gear testers -everyone at this site would love to get free gear and be a tester. If you want cheap stuff work at a climbing shop.

Three Things that better not happen cause of the "War." A) Me or my belay partners getting drafted (this will result in time lost from climbing in my prime years) B)The bombing of any good climbs or mountains C)The govt seizing up all the aircraft grade aluminum used to make my fine pro Feel free to add to the list if you wish

Just run it out.

For a bunch of guys who spray so much and talk so much crap about these mags you all seem to know exactly what the most current issues have in them. If they were really as bad as you say they are you wouldn't even give them a second look. When was the last time you just casually browsed through a better housekeeping. The truth is for the most part climbing is about the experience for most of us. That being so, we still compare ourselves to the rest of the world. Those mags with 120lb skeletor types pulling wicked problems can be disconcerting or motivational depending on how you look at it. In my experience most sport related magazines are created for the novice to the sport and/or the armchair athlete. To us they may be crap but to a 12 yr old boy they may be really interesting. I know when I was getting into climbing I poured through those things and they helped me dream about becoming a great climber. Anyway that's my two cents-

Jim, I think the highest point to bivy would be right at the notch. When we did the climb about 3-4 weeks ago there a few guys who tried to go up further. We saw them the next morning on a 45 degree slope, hooked in with their harnesses on the north face. It looked like it really sucked. I didn't see any other suitable sites up higher than the notch.

I would recommend the tallest doc martins you can find. They may seem clunky but when you see those gothic girls on the trail you'll be the s#$%t mountain boy.

Steven, I have to agree with you on difficulty of the climb. I did it about 3 weeks before you did. I really enjoyed climbing on good rock but we pretty much simul-climbed the whole thing. The exception is the Gendarme. The 5.9 that they list must be a fred beckey 5.9 (5.10 for the rest of us). There is one short section of off-width after a short traverse to the right. Tricky, but loads of fun.