pope

He wants alpine. Snow on the approach? That's alpine. Yellowjacket tower...that's alpine. In fact, Yellowjacket tower is the spiritual center of alpine climbing in Leavenwoth. You will not be disappointed.

"Sure it will work. We'll post this on the web and then Richard Simmons will wanna go sport climbing with ya."

Dude, where's the sick pix?

"Damn. Forgot my third ski."

Yucky.

Mark, thanks for the thoughtful post. I'm encouraged that you're willing to solicit opininions before adding to the increasing number of bolts in Leavenworth granite. Climbing, by its nature, is dangerous. Adding bolts may decrease the potential for long falls and injuries. Then again, extra bolts may attract climbers who wouldn't otherwise attempt the route, climbers with less skill who are more likely to find a way to hurt themselves. You can't completely fool-proof a route. Climbing fatalities occur on pitches where you can plug a 2.5" cam every 3 feet. By adding bolts to your climb, you are lowering the expectations. A climber who is "capapble" of 5.7 may be lured higher by the vision of a shiny bolt 10 feet above, when in fact he/she does not have the experience or fitness necessary to commit to the moves necessary to reach that bolt. I object to the notion that certain pitches in the Pinnacles have been "destroyed" by the sparse application of bolts. So what if a climb of a given grade requires confident climbing between well-spaced bolts? All this means is that climbers must be honest in their ability to climb at that grade. If beginners can't climb run-out 5.8 routes, perhaps they're not ready for 5.8 and should seek 5.6 climbs until their confidence and experience increases. The ability to recognize that a pitch is too difficult and/or dangerous for current abilities, and the willingness to retreat from such a climb ultimately make climbers, both novice and expert, safer and more competent to participate in the wide variety of experiences that climbing offers.

Welcome to the Camp, I guess you all know why we're here. My name is Tommy And I became aware this year If you want to follow me, You've got to play pinball. And put in your earplugs Put on your eyeshades You know where to put the caulk Hey you getting drunk, so sorry! I've got you sussed. Hey you smoking Mother Nature! This is a bust! Hey hung up old Mr. Normal, Don't try to gain my trust! 'Cause you ain't gonna follow me any of those ways Although you think you must

Outrageously excellent. The Omega Man believed in what this country once believed. Thinking about the participants who have been banned for offering polite opinion on everything from bolting ethics to politics and religion....banned by some of the "free thinking" vanguards of demcratic values on this site, makes me wanna puke.

Nobody compares.

I think its diminished popularity is due to the fact that you might have to climb 10 or 15 feet between bolts, which means that you have to climb a little more honestly. Instead, one can climb at Frenchman's where very little is required. Just pull on the jug, look around for all the chalk, grab the next jug, clip the bolt. Then call "TAKE" and shake out while you pretend you're really doing something. Don't forget to bitch about motocross riders and their attack on the environment.

"Hey you! Yes, you...on the dirt bike. Don't you know you're F-ing up the soil? What? Oh...the bolts? It's OK, 'cause we're SPORT CLIMBERS! And wrecking the rocks is what we do."

Hang in there. It's all for the kids. BTW you could easily get an "emergency certification" and become a math teacher. That's how the State of Washington responds to a crisis/shortage in the math-ed labor market, instead of paying a competitive wage. Imagine getting paid for 7.5 hours/day when you're working 10-12 hours! The beautiful thing is that your job would be absolutely secure...since NOBODY wants to do it! Rudy, YOU could make the difference in the life of one student (although the other 29 don't give a flying f%&k). Public school. Too much public, not enough school.

My point is that Zen Guy is a rip-off of Inappropriate Yoga Guy. Did somebody already post this? Oh my goodness! With 6700+ posts in two years, you'd be the one to know. You should be proud.

Not terribly original. Try this. 1lBoJpx8Wn8

Still talking about dicks.

Get out of the way! I'm going to Exit 38!

Why wood? Why not vinyl?

But the bikes being discussed in this thread ARE riding in an are off-limits to bikes. It's not ABOUT whether or not it's annoying to others--it's illegal. Illegal? Oh my gosh! That never presented a problem for those who voiced support for the establishment and opposition to the removal of illegally placed bolts on Mt. Garfield. Nor did it present any moral hurdles for the large number of climbers who at least symbolically approved of the Garfield project by climbing it and posting trip reports here. Even the WCC missed (and continues to miss) their opportunity to organize an effort to erase the route, which of course would have been laughable given the activities of certain members in other wilderness areas.

Probably not the same if you really do the whole thing from the ground up, since the end result is that you did the whole thing from the ground up. Now who's going to argue that's the same thing as getting all the answers handed to you with top-rope inspection or with aid tactics like letting your rope hang through your top piece? The things I have to explain to you! When you have lived and loved like Sexy Choco has....

When you have lived and loved like RuMr has........

Bachar would have been correct to say (and maybe he did...I didn't read it) that pulling the rope after each fall made the free ascent much more difficult. Those were the rules adopted by those to whom ethics and style mattered greatly. Obviously when you abandon those rules the limits will be redefined, and harder grades will be climbed. Does that mean standards are increasing? Hard to compare when the rules are relaxed. Certainly with hang-dogging and top-rope inspection, you take the mystery out of every square inch of the climb, and most of the danger goes with it. Harder grades, diluted experience. Ain't that what sport climbing is all about? Those elements were important in traditional climbing. Maybe Bachar is correct.

The issue is treading lightly in the wilderness. If you participate in the destruction of our rock resources, then you don't have a moral leg to stand on. It's puzzling how one even hears the kid on the bike above the chorus of bolt-clippers yelling "Take!" and "Send it!" Not to mention the harmonic gurgling of the community bong against the percussive clatter of the Hilte.

I'm with Dwayner. Ethics and style matter more than the grade. Suppose the same gal climbs a route several grades lower in difficulty but without all of the aid climbing. Then I'm more impressed (but still ambivalent since climbing accomplishments are personal in nature and do nothing to impact the human condition). But seriously, 5 months? Let's call it what it is. Five months of aid climbing for one "free" ascent of one pitch. Whatever. Of course it's difficult and that anybody can cling to such nothingness is truly amazing. Impressive and inspirational? Not to me. I'm just confused about why anybody would bother.

Megamid. Ask your sister.

I've got an extra leg sewn in my lycra for such events.