Jens

I remember seeing at least two fliers in the lobby at Der Riterhoff for a couple of spa sytle massage places in town.

Man, the falcon numbers have exploded, what happened to that downgrading of the status that was talked about on the news last year? I've observed falcons at three more very popular crags this year that have never seen falcons before to my knowledge. I'm an environmentalist, but the biologists say that the numbers have exploded! I'll stay away and play by the rules, but what is the science behind all the protections that were put in place during the days of DDT? Our best trad climbing in Washington (Midnight Rock in Leavenworth) effectively has a couple of month season (subtracting the hot months) flame away and call me an animal hater. I'm not.

Saturday, June 28th anyone? We could all meet up at Steamboat rock state park. It is near the ice climbs.

Best laugh of the week!

It seems like this spring with gas prices through the roof, I'm seeing way more people at the climbing gym, exit 32, index, and exit 38 and fewer people climbing east of the mountains. If we see gas at 6-7 bucks a gallon, it could really sway the Puget Sound population core crowds away from day cragging at places like Vantage, Banks, Mazama, WA pass, Tieton, Leavenworth, and elsewhere. The other day at my gym it was sunny and 70 outside and the place was a busy as I have ever seen it for such a day- More like a rainy Tuesday night after work in November. If we hit 8-9 bucks a gallon in a couple of years like some say, what would our climbing scene look like?

Sweet pictures! I also love cc.com ------------------- I've taken lots of bigger falls than 28 feet indoors.

Has anyone tried that new Petzl belay device? The green one advertised in the mags. Is it any good? ---------------- On a related note, when is the new gri-gri for skinny sport ropes supposed to come out? I heard this spring, but I haven't seen em' yet. (I want to buy Dwayner one for Christmas).

Does anyone own a ski boat, bass fishing boat, or any other small boat that has an outboard or inboard that is trailerable? I'm looking for about 3-8 people that would be interested in making a couple of trips to Banks Lake in July and August with the intent of deep water soloing at any level and some swimming also. The rock would be hot but the water would feel good and has sane landings. We could all go in on gas. It would be awesome. My ski boat is moored at a lake near Mt. Rainier and my other relatives that I share it with, won't let me take it out of the water so my boat is no go. Canoes, kayaks, rafts, and rowboats are lame and can't accomodate enough people. ------- Banks has clear deep water right below routes form 5.7 to 5hard and can be reached in only 3 hours from Seattle. Anyone interested? It could perhaps be the funnest days of climbing all year.

As a total last resort If you have to get back to the car in complete darkness and you have nothing except a cell phone try this. Right now (before you are stuck in the dark), take out your cell phone and walk up to the brightest light in your house. Hold the phone a few inches from the light and take a picture. You have to be fast as some of the camera phones have a brightness reduction feature within 1 second of focus. After taking the picture, save the picture to your phone permanently. In an extreme emergency, whip out the phone and use the picture you've saved as your light. Hold the phone in such a way that you can push a number ever ten seconds or so to get around the energy saving dim feature. Even if you don't use this to get home from a climb, it may help you change a tire or the like. I've tried it and it works better than a little $2 LED I bought at big5. My girlfriend thought up the idea and at first I called BS, but try it. It works. ------------------ An old buddy of mine got down from the top of snowcreek wall in complete darkness by striking his cigarette lighter every few seconds. He said he and his partners had nearly permanent blisters on their thumbs by the end.

......and of at least one Seattle based climbing dirtbag that goes Monday Mornings after checking the calendar of what the Mountaineers Organization Members have just climbed. Talk about a cam goldmine!

I think for a easily accessible year round sport route that is fully equipped, 6 months is reasonable. When the bolter gets injured, it gets fuzzy. I'll rehearse the daylights out of my routes on TR with directional bolts before adding the last few bolts the morning of the redpoint.

Anything at the LTW of index is sandbagged. That's cool though. --------------- I love Karate crack. I really love all the climbing above it. --------------

Perhaps it will look at parking lot thefts at squamish.

I've clipped plenty of bolts that have been hit by bullets.

I have a lake cabin out near the cliffs. I've done some rock climbing there years ago. The rock is crap. Their are a few tr anchors (bolts) on some of the small cliffs below the large rim rocks. Go to fossil rock instead. Their is a little bit out at box car caynon 1/2 mile out of town. I've heard rumblings about Elbe (I can't imagine where though) and their is some rock climbing in MRNP. good luck

Spellbound- Midnight Rock ROTC- Midnight Rock (overhangs at slot) Leavenworth, Washington's Midnight rock= best trad climbing in WA, OR, or ID

That's the funniest post all month on this site!!!!

I skied off from near the beehive a few days ago and noticed that the parking situation is wacked! It is a backdoor conspiracy to bring in the NPS shuttle system and to forbid people to drive to Paradise.

I heard a rumor while cragging at Squamish over the weekend that Petzl might be coming out with a grigri for all the smaller diameter ropes that many of us are using at the sport crags these days. Anyone know when it is coming out or what the details of it will be?

My brother has Lyme disease. The tick that gave it to him was in the canyon between Ellensburg and Yakima.

I did a two pitch route a number of years ago. Their is a lot of potential for steep bolted sport climbs. I was told their was a moratorium on all new routing and reporting of new routes. I don't understand. Don't the maps say that it is government land? How would it be different than little si?

Maybe we can get Polish Bob to reveal the location of the Mt. Vernon crag?

I've never broken a Charlet pick. My partner broke two Grivel Picks in 24 hours when we were in the rockies.

Funny clip! ------------- To add to the banter... My Petzl Hirudos weighs in less than all of the new Arcteryx harness except for one of them (which is a mere few grams lighter). Subtract the hot sweat or icefall spray (when ice climbing) that evaporates right through the mesh Petzl and the Petzl is lighter than all of them. When I tried on the new arcteryx harnesses, I found the swami's width impeded gymnastic movement.

I would have to agree. That being said, Peshastin's routes are better than the crack/trad routes at Vantage. ------------------------- Vantage has had some very cool bolted lines opened as of late.