mattp

Thin crack? I'll show you thin crack. (Blake's crack looks more like bonafide crack climbing, though. Is that the alternate start next to the W Face or NW Corner of N. Early Winter Spire?). P.S. Hey Blake: clear out your messages so I can send you one.

Your recommeded rap route gets off the dome a little quicker, Mr. Bird, and it takes a clean and steep line. I'd say it is a better rap route to get back to the base of Rainman, but for climbers wanting to get back to their packs at the base of the West Buttress or Dark Rhythm, I don't think it is overall a better way to go. And for climbers on Jacob's ladder, I think that route itself has a better rap route than the one you describe. It sounds as if you are suggesting a rap diagonally left from the top station for Jacob's ladder. If you make a diagonal right rap from here, you will be on Jacob's Ladder and all the stations are set with chains, all the way down to terra firma (there is one station where the rap route deviates from the line of ascent to skip a station and take a more direct line that presently has two bolts, a sling and a quick link). But either of these two west side descents requires some scrambling to get back to the base of the West Buttress or Dark Rhythm.

Nice one, Mr. B. It looks like better rock than I might expect and an awesome setting for a rock climb!

I'd be hesitant to take a couple of kids on a day trip to Vantage due to the length of the drive, but Mount Erie is half the drive -- and a spectacular place to take kids. As to shoes, you might have some luck borrowing on this site if you aren't too picky. I've taken various nieces and nephews climbing with shoes that may not have fit exactly right but they didn't really care.

There’ve been lots of good photo’s. Really, too many to even think about. Here are a couple that I like:

Why don't you join us for a campout the last weekend of this month? Friday the 24th we can go for a night climb.

This site is maintained for folks who like to chestbeat along side those who just like to climb, and even some of those who simply think they might like to climb. Trip reports are welcome whether they are well written or poorly, provide good information or not. Information, writing style, entertainment, or good pictures earn extra credit. Won't somebody PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE go out there and report current conditions on Das Toof?

Do you have anything cool, like the old Beckey-Bjornstad Leavenworth guide or something? Private Dancer?

Your paragraph about getting separated tells the full story of Luna Creek.

I'd be interested forr recommendations for buying, as well. Some shops seem to consistently have interesting things but at varying prices, while some may be worth a look just because they are cool! What are you sellling, CJF?

I agree with Mo. I've never joined the Mountaineers, because I never have thought I needed them. But they surely offer as good of a program as I had (read: none), and even today I'm sure I could learn something from one of their classes.

It might take a bit of work but any ice patch could probably be easily tamed with some chopped steps (a longish maybe 70 cm ice axe would be good for this). Just a thought.

Until it wore off.

It was a ticket allright. Admit it.

My first rock show was the Grateful Dead, in 1970. I've had a soft spot for them ever since. I know, lots of folks think they're corny and stuff, but if you ever saw them when they were on they really rocked like for real. And there are TONS of recordings where they're as good as it gets. I need a miracle (I need a free ticket with your finger in the air): gag me. Jerry howling like a dog? Ye-ea-ach. Donna? Need I say more? But The Dead rocked. Yet strangely I feel ambivalent about admitting my admiration for them ... kids these days just don't get it and they'll think I'm "quaint."

The power drill will give you better holes and a lot easier if you don't have to carry it too far. The old flintstone rig just doesn't quite produce the same clean hole but it works.

If you guys want to replace some old bolts, there are still a few left in Darrington. How are you at running a hammer?

I don't think I can do that event this coming weekend. Possibly two weeks, or maybe the weekend before or the weekend after labor day weekend. Full moon is August 28, so if anyone was inclined toward night climbing, Friday and Saturday the 24th and 25th would be good evenings for such a venture. The Dome might be a big bite, but I've climbed The Kone by full moon before.

Trip: Darrington - Exfoliation Dome - Jacob's Ladder Date: 8/6/2007 Trip Report: Yesterday, August 4, I headed up Exfoliation Dome with a few of my Darrington buddies. It was something like our 99th trip up the Dome, but for the three of them their first attempt at Jacob’s Ladder. One of them pulled a fast one on me as to the meeting time; to make up a little time I ran up the first two pitches of moderate slab and hustled up the third pitch, with some crack climbing, a bit of friction and a few crimps at about 5.10a. We were still a little behind schedule as the second team started up. Now, with the sun starting to fire, we were looking at the crux pitch. Refusing to resort to aid, Turn_One fought his way up this crimpfest, cursing as he backstepped and highstepped and sidestepped his way up the thing. This pitch is 5.11 in the middle of an otherwise 5.10 route, but it has a bolt ladder for the 40 feet or so of hard climbing. Down at the belay, we told jokes at his expense and carried on like a bunch of juveniles. Another pair of climbers came along and started up Rainman, and we watched as their leader took a spectacular fall and then shook it off only to pull the topo out of her pocket, take a quick look, and resume climbing. I led the next pitch, a non-stop series of downsloping holds where somehow everything seems to work out but you never really get a break. A couple of fairly generous sidepulls and underclings feel as godsends in the middle of this, and allow some relaxation as you ponder some difficult placements in the first part of the pitch. After five lousy placements (two were actually pretty good) I was glad to clip the second bolt. The climbing there is only 5.9, but remarkably challenging. A final more difficult short stepover (5.10a) leads to the belay. The next pitch, probably the most fun on the climb, starts out with a very cool step across (5.9) to gain a dike which heads straight up the cliff. The climbing here is kind of sporty, with various little spots aided by stepping on the outside of one foot, using different combinations of side pulls, and etc. Here’s Hanman, approaching the belay. He’s showing us his fist and what he's going to do to us when he reaches the ledge because we’ve been calling him names and telling him to hurry it up as he works out the various different combinations. He thought better of the threatening gestures, though, and decided to return focus to grappling with the climbing (5.9 - .10a). Get a hold of yourself, dude! We're only joking. We continued with the next pitch, a longish affair with a 5.10a sport climbing start followed by trad climbing of the endless 5.8 variety. A couple of overlaps add some spice to the mix, and gear placement is somewhat tricky but it takes solid pro if you look around a bit. I was starting to tire, and allowed my partner to take what would have been my lead. He picked his way up it. slowly and methodically. Our second leader thought he lacked an extra piece in the ½ to 3/4" range. Here he is, getting ready to heave over the last of the overlaps, high on the pitch and high on the Dome. I think we were talking about the lengths of certain poster's appendages at this point. This guy has a registered cc.com screen name, but he doesn't like the banter and doesn't want to be associated with people of lesser endowment. From here, I led the final 5.8 pitch wandering upward to the Blueberry Terrace, and the end of the route. We walked over to the top of Rainman to sit in the shade and chat briefly with the team that was just topping out there. They didn’t stay very long, though; in fact I never really saw them as they stopped at the chains ten feet below, set their rappel, and took off. As always, the Dome rocked. There are some outstanding climbs there - a little longer and more demanding than you might expect given the ratings and pitch counts, but these are a great outings! Jacobs Ladder is within the grasp of a solid 5.10 climber, but it is real climbing - consistently steep and rather continuous for five of its eight pitches. We’re hoping to head back for some kind of Darrington Appreciation Days event in a week or three. We can make a party of it, camp for a night or two, maybe clog the routes and replace some old bolts on Three O’Clock Rock or something (one to eight pitches, 5.6 to 5.11), and who knows: The Dome? What do you say?

Donald P. Ryan, No, I have never argued that a red point is the same as an onsight. Where did you get that idea? I don't recall "sizing you up" and saying you could never under any circumstance climb any 5.13, but I certainly DO think it highly unlikely to the point where I'd say "no way" realizing there is a one in a million chance you'll prove me wrong. Your little essay here about how rehearsing moves is not the same as having mastery over terrain of a given difficulty is a far cry from your past writings on the topic, by the way. If I recall correctly, you even went so far as to say that your grandma could climb 5.13 and you included hearty disdain for anybody who would be so delusional as to consider themself a real climber if they engaged in "working a project." If you wrote it this way three years ago, maybe RuMR would not have offered the bet you find so childish nor felt compelled to remind you of it now. In my opinion, Mr. Sharma is a talented athelete. I feel that his accomplishments deserve some measure of respect even if that may not be the style of climing that all of us aspire to. In god's eye, I suppose, you don't "owe" anybody such respect -- but I think he deserves it.

So, Don Ryan (Raindawg), you have a problem with somebody working hard and attain an objective? Or do you think he is so "good" it came easily?

I think the Atkinson-Piche guide is a little better. Either one will provide a little more information than the old Putnam guide, excerpted above.

writer: Progressive lenses are those with different focal lengths fading from bottom to top, so the bottom of the lens is for reading and the top is for distance. I have some difficulty seeing the details of a piece of rock at foot-level - and I'm guessing that the portion of the lens with the right focal length is pretty small. This is only a problem for slab climbing, as I can easily see any edges I might want to stand on but unpronounced ripples on a slab are more difficult to spot.

I have never had an issue with any of the frames I've had - and I use Costco wire frames that are not particularly tough. I always have them bend the hooks around the ears a little more aggressively than normal, to minimize the chance of knocking them off inadvertently, and thus far I've never completely lost a pair although I've had a flip of the rope or a slap in the face with a bush knock them off one ear. As to lenses, I have difficulty with my "progressive" lens design, and it seems that the photogray ones reduce my ability to see details on rock slabs.

If you go via SandPoint, there is less driving on two lane roadways with aggressive truckers and you miss that speed trap in Sycamous, too.