jason_h

My bad...I'm referring to enchainment, not traverse. As I am looking to climb the easier routes up and especially down Sherpa and Argo within a reasonable distance of the east and west ridges. And what the connection between Argo and Colchuck is like from that side.

Yeah, I think that was where I first read about it. It's more of just a trip report though. Doesn't say too much about what routes he took and what the downclimbing was like.

It would make sense, eh? But for some reason I think Croft skipped it. But, yeah it may get added on too. So any beta out there?

Has anyone here done it-starting at Stuart, and heading over Stuart, Sherpa, Argonaut, Colchuck and Prusik? I believe Peter Croft did it in a day, has any one else? Any beta, especially on the routes up/descents on Sherpa and Argonaut.

What is the current camping situation up in Squamish right now? I spent the summer there two years ago when the Logger's Lane Gypsy Camp was there, but since that has been closed down are there any options other than the Chief Campground?

Lambone, perhaps you could give her a lesson in retreating. You seem to be pretty good at it. It takes serious skills to bail off one of the easiest routes on El Cap, how many times?

Damn. Sounds like I may have to X the N Face of Witch's out of the little black book soon. I've scoped it some too, it looks cool, though wet 'till later in the summer. Have fun.

I've climbed Witches Tower, I don't remember which route though. We climbed it after finishing the Backbone on Dragontail. I don't really know what kind of beta you are looking for, from what I remember, we descended off of the back of Dragontail down into the basin below and then hiked over and up a fairly steep snowslope to the SW? buttress/ridge and then soloed maybe 4 pitches to the summit. It was like around 5.5 and the rock was excellent and the view really cool. No way I would hike in just to climb it, but it is a worthwhile to do after a route on Dragontail. I don't think it gets done often(at all) as there were no rap anchors or any signs of climbers, so bring some stuff to leave if you're gonna rap anywhere.

Here are a few more routes that probably won't have as many crowds- The Delicate Sound of Thunder Our Father Cloud Tower Rock Warrior Triassic Sands(could be popular) Sour Mash Refried Brains The Great Red Book Have Fun!

Rattlesnake is not too far away and has some really fun routes, and quite a few of them. Also, there are a few smaller areas nearby. Greensprings perhaps, and a bouldering area too I think. Plus Castle Crags isn't too far, nor are the NorCal coastal areas. But, the mtn biking is super right outside Ashland. For more info ask DFA, he went to school there. There is also a Southern Oregon Climbers guide that has these areas in it.

I've done TRL with a partner, it's a good route, like 9+ C2. Like mentioned above I think it would be a bit of a pain to solo as there is a lot of free climbing, the first pitch and then everything after M+M Ledge. Also if you are a fast solo climber it may not be too big a deal, but if you're planning on hauling I think it would be a huge pain, the uppper section would be terrible to haul especially without a partner to constantly kick the pig free. Have fun though, the middle aid pitches are super.

I do believe the Mystery Route was published somewhere else also. Just a hint.

What those military boys don't get in money they make up for in all the free butt lovin' the armed forces offer.

Although bounce testing RPs is a good idea, bounce testing hooks is a bad idea. Just think weight, unweight, weight, unweight, shift shift shift, POP. I like to put my hand over the hook as I get onto it, this way it is much less likely to hit me in the face and I can also feel any movement in the placement. By holding your hand over the hook it is far less likely to hit you in the face, I find I receive many more face shots from ripping a nut out with the draw still on, once it comes out it makes a beeline straight for my helmet.

i did trl clean last summer. we relied on very little fixed gear so doing it clean again should be no problem. have fun.

#2 camalot, ahh yes the #2 camalot, i love the #2 camalot. perfect hand size, puts a smile on my face everytime, i wish i was in the creek with nothing but #2 camalots. yes, the #2 camalot is the best.

do em both in a day! backbone is way better than serpentine, but both are pretty cool, and for 5.9 offwidth it is pretty easy. a #5 camalot is quite nice but not mandatory. those routes are all about simul climbing, so do it, don't belay every pitch. have fun. jason

yes it is all about the trendy outfits, and grabbing the badoogis crimps. and yes, i know how long bouldering has been going on, just like i know about all the routes conrad kain put up, when he did them, and how so many climbers covet repeating those routes in their brand new gortex, polypro, and cams. the enlightenment question is just pretty much impossible to answer, it borders on the lines of a why do you climb question. just i get tired of bouldering being dissed, granted i never use to boulder, but now that i'm climbing fulltime some days you just can't find partners and whats a better place to be on those days than in the boulders. max-wrong jason, i'm originally from portland, never been to cochise.

Goofy eh? yeah i'm very much in agreement that the crash pad toting crowd looks a bit goofy walking up to the rocks, but hey, take a look at those gaiters next time. those things look just silly and glacier glasses aren't exactly trendy, and if your one of those dudes that wears shorts over long johns and nothing else, well that takes the cake on the goofy scale. bouldering may be a little more frivolous than other climbing, but i'd argue that were just splitting hairs here holding to the fact that all climbing is frivolous. bouldering is also fun simply because of the social aspect, while you all hang out on this bullitin board spraying and socializing boulderers can do it at the rocks. convince you guys that it's not frivolous, don't care what you all think. lates

hmmm, lets think here. pitch 9 would be the top of the grey circle just before the nipple pitch(a fairly overhanging one). next is the mark of zorro(double roofs). pretty much impossible to throw something off from above and hit the 9th belay. then lets see-they were 4 pitches ahead of you, putting them on peanut ledge at the top of pitch 13, 3 pitches from the top. you somehow climbed all these pitches passed them and and then waited on top for them as they were two pitches down. this would mean you did some of the harder climbing on the route and passed them in the time it took them to go 1 pitch(pitch 14, one of the easiest on the route). highly unlikely dude, especially if it took 4 days to do the route. one more flaw, you called the campground sunnyside, everyone knows it's called camp 4. try to make it believable next time. lates.

yeah-it's the pretty obvious white streak up the west face. goes free at like 10d/11a. no tension traverse is needed- i imagine he is talking about the fifth pitch where one climbs left for like 10 ft past a bolt to get to another crack-it is like 5.8 or so to do free. it's cool and there is only about 50 or 60 ft of climbing that is harder than 5.9.

don't forget the west face of NEWS, it's quite good.

don't forget the west face of NEWS, it's quite good.

thanks nolan!!! your always helpful info was much appreciated. "it would be interesting to see how fast this thing has been done" was obviously alluding to my ego and blatant bragging of my speed. whatever-jason

anyone know if there is a speed record car to summit for this thing-it would be interesting to know just how fast it has been done in?