mattp

That ESE face is one of my favorite beginners climbs in the State. I've taken all kinds of people up it - kids, juvenile delinquents, hikers - at nearly all times of the year except mid-winter. It DOES have big exposure on that ramp up the headwall so I wouldn't suggest anybody treat it as completely trivial; someobody in the party ought to have some mountaineering experience, judgment and party management inclinations, perhaps, but it really doesn't require any technical skill in normal conditions. It is just plain fun, with great ambiance and a very reasonable approach/depproach. By "normal conditions" I would mean with or without snow on the ramp, but ice or some funky transition period could be treacherous -- those would te times when judgment and party management skills might be extremely important. Late season there is lots of loose and somewhat tedious scree involved in getting to the ramp.

In Leavenworth, I believe they actually watch for the birds and then put up the closure sign when the birds appear at Midnight Rock each year. The regulation may be specific to the calendar, but the biologist DOES actually try to confirm their management of the closure is related to actual nesting. The staff overseeing these programs are not against climbing.

Any of the higher peaks are going to have plenty of snow on them right now. Consider Shuksan and the Cascade Pass area in addition to those destinations listed above. The Stuart Range, too. The SW Chutes on Adams should be good for another month.

We both agreed that, after working on the trail for most of a day, we were too tired to climb anything too terribly taxing. We did, however manage to climb the first six pitches of Silent Running. These were dry; pitch 7 looked damp. It was pleasant to have the rock all to ourselves and it was nice to walk up and down the new improved trail.

About 15 years ago, I once drove out to Monroe to contest a ticket I received in Gold Bar. I was busted doing 45 in a 35 or something like that, ccoming down the hill from the saw shop. I didn't really have much of a defense, but figured I'd get points off for showing up. The kindly judge marked my ticket down from something like $118.00 to $109.00 and suggested I was wasting his and my time. I don't think a ticket for 55 in a 50, by itself, is likely to drive your insurance rates through the roof. If you don't have other violations on your record and don't habitually drive such that you are likely to get more, you might consider just paying the fine and forgetting about it. If you DO decide to contest it, find out about exactly how to do so or you may be wasting your time and that of the court. I don't practice in that area but, from what I understand, contesting the calibration on the radar guns is not the way to go any more.

I believe it will appear in this year's AAJ.

Why whould Josh or Matt want to try to explain what the opposite of trickle on economics is? Please enlighten us, oh wise JayB. While I tend to think Ivan has it right about how Trickle On economics is really just a sales pitch for giving tax breaks to the wealthy, I don't think, Mr. K, that it necessarily involves massive increases in governmental spending.

Yes, it'll be a bunch of folks. The Everett Mountaineers are using it as a service project that fills their requirement for such endeavors as part of their basic or intermediate program or something like that. Because it is a Mountaineers event, you are asked to go to their website at www.mountaineers.org and scroll half way down the page and sign up under "national trails day work parties" or whatever it is. You don't have to be a Mountaineer to sign up, and this will help project coordinators. If you wake up tomorrow morning and just want to come on out, we can handle that, too, but pre-registration would be helpful. We'll meet at 8:00 am at "Old School Park," on the right a couple blocks after you turn right in front of the Mini Mart where highway 530 makes a left. The trailhead, up Clear Creek, looks like this: Come on out and find out what Darrington climbing is all about, or just show up and help with the trail. Wear boots, long pants, long shirt, and bring a helmet. Work gloves are a good idea. Bring climbing gear too: there will be time to climb after we knock off.

Don't I remember that, not long ago, there seemed to be some fairly broad admission that supply side economics was bunk -- even from economists associated with the Bush administration?

No secret hookup, weekend. I had right clicked the pictures and copied the url for the actual picture itself rather than the gallery page -- just as we alawys have to do when using pictures from the cc.com gallery. Thanks for pointing this out; I"ll fix it.

There are plenty of plants that are edible, but also can be harmful. Take nettles, for example. Plenty of people staem and eat those nasty stinging leaves. While we are talking about toxics, check out the list of highly toxic plants identified by MacLean County, Illinois, Extension service. #3 on the list will surprise some cc.com regulars. scroll 2/3 way down

Giant Hogweed is not NEAR as invasive as English Ivy or Himalayan Blackberry, in my experience. Now, maybe that is like saying Mussolini wasn't as bad as Hitler, but I had the stuff my yard for two years, thinking it was Cow Parsnip or some kind of relative, and when I pulled it out we never saw it again. Of course (Mr. K.) your idea of landscaping is wall-to-wall woodchips. You don't belong in any "gardener's" discussion, that's for sure. Woodchips is what I used to KILL ENGLISH IVY. I thank you for the chips, by the way, and I'm happy with the fact that I accomplished my mission without herbicide. But I sure don't aspire to a woodchip "lawn." Even beauty bark is more attractive.

What made it attractive was the fact that it grows over ten feet high and the flower heads spread as much as three feet. I think it is getting a bad rap. It is not English Ivy or anything - and that is only listed as a "weed of concern" by King County so some nurseries still sell it! So what if you kids might get blisters from it. The little darlings ought to stay out of the landscaping anyway. Giant Hogsweed is cool!

A friend of mine got busted for growing this plant in the side-setback outside his office building. Apparently, they have people who drive around looking for criminals who grow this stuff. The enforcement guy came into the office and left a notice stating that if the plants were not removed within ten days, there would be a fine. I thought it was such a cool plant that I had taken some home and put in in my sideyard, too. After my supplier was taken down, my wife instructed me to quietly go pull ours up under the cover of darkness and hack it into little bits so the weed patrol wouldn't bust us, too.

And I kinda like this one: http://www.pbase.com/nolock/image/37111545 Both are not so much "I wanna climb this route" photo's as they are shots capturing what John is doing up there: flying.

Not bad: http://www.pbase.com/nolock/image/35562112

Better hurry. The weather radar shows rainfall steadily advancing toward us. It has engulfed Olympia and closing in on Tacoma right now.

It'd help if you said what kind of climbing you like to do but in general, if the weather is poor at Mount Rainier you are likely to want to head to the east side of the range for cragging. Leavenworth, Vantage, Mazama, and Tieton are the more established areas and offer a variety of climbing styles within three+ hours of the Seattle area.

Rain or shine, this trail could use some help.

In all the excitement, we are forgetting about THE TRAIL. Come out and help, folks: We'll meet in Darrington Saturday morning. Send me or Catbird a private message if you are interested in helping with a trail project and seeing this great area.

Do you like this one better? There'll be time to make the second ascent of this soon-to-be classic, too. You can get on it before it gets crowded.

Look again, Dru. One party is passing another. And they are using the same bolts. Oh the horror.

There will be plenty of time to climb this route, for example: According to Eric and Lucie, it is the "Crimson Chrysalis" of Darrington.

With or without Dave, we'll have a good time working on the trail to 3:00 rock. It needs it. And, weather permitting, we'll probably do some climbing, too.