Jens

I went to this place a fair number of times in the early to mid 90's. A few things I remember We used to have fixed shoes in place for the river crossing. A decent trail used to go to the crag, the trail went around some beaver dams. With the good trail, the approach was fast. If you do "The Goods" (12c)use super long draws or watch for a nasty edge that could really cut your rope in the event of a fall. The crag seeped in places pretty bad but was a good summer hangout and place to climb in July and August. At one time, the hype for the future for this place nearly surpassed World Wall 1. A bonfire and rope swing fun made for some enjoyable entertainment. Bryan's 13 would be a classic at any crag.

Rock shoe geek-out question here: Why is La Sportiva selling a different version of their new slipper, the Python to North America? ....The rest of the world is getting a much different version of the Python. Look at the pictures or hold a shoe if you don't believe me. The NA Sportiva csr rep simply told me they were both unlined, but didn't explain for the difference. The world version is getting rave reviews but the NA version isn't getting quite the marks of the the world version. Any insights? Was it a bad batch of prototypes that are getting dumped on us lowly American and Canadian sport climbers? (this has done before many years ago by several shoe companies). As a sidenote, many of the NA retailers list the NA version as lined (probably a typo). Their also appears to be possibly a third version of the Python.

Never been, but heard from some very well traveled globetrotting Euros that it is the best rock for climbing in the western hemisphere.

Once you hit the 5.11's out east the ratings are the same and the 12s are softer than then here.

The shoes are 5.10 Anasazis.

One word....Millet.

Nice!

I proposed the huge pullout flat parking area at the top for one of early year cc.com annual fall roundups.....it would have been perfect.

Never really liked Skaha.....

I've done Smith in July. The only way you can climb anywhere near your limit is to get up at 5am. Warm up, pick a project that is in the shade with a breeze to work on and the quit at about 1pm and go swimming (not in the river of course) Repeat the next day.

How about the worst?

Any tips on for me here... I find that whenever I boulder indoors for more than a couple of nights a week, the repeated jumping/ falling off problems is hard on my body (and all my buddies too). Even some of the gyms that I have climbed in back east that feature top out boulders, repeated falling off trying a hard problem seems to beat me up. An hour or two is fine once every ten days or so for me, but as a routine of 2-3 hours a session a couple of times a week would really shorten my climbing career inmho. Adam Ondra who is currently the best rock climber in the world made some of the same comments in regards to his knees and back and he is only 18 and thus is bouldering far less indoors. I've fallen on pretty much every conceivable mat and or padding surface. As for downclimbing easier problems, if you are truly climbing at your limit, that isn't going to always be possible. Do I need gymnastic foam pits or more spotters? I think the solution for me is to stick with shorter bouldering walls indoors and save the radical shredding for the roped leads.

Back in the early sport climbing days of 32, the first woods routes were as popular as the early world wall routes.

That Steck article was inspiring. 4 hours in the climbing gym and then 4 hour runs! A mid 5.14 climber who is perhaps the world's best alpinist right now.

That horse's mouth shows the nano biner just like the first link.

I can't make heads or tails from the site. The recall mentions "photon" biners but then shows pictures of almost every biner they currently make. Does this include the camp nano biners? (shown in the recall pictures on the link).-- almost everyone I know uses them and they are widely available in most Seattle shops. If so, this recall could impact perhaps half the posters on this site.

Best looking tether system I have seen.....by a mile!

It is as classic as it gets!

Yes indeed.

I've never had much luck.

I have heard operators throw around their "concession rights" to bully non lift ticket people around. Lots of liberal use of the language. How about the power to enforce criminal charges with the new house bill about going anywhere technically "closed". This has the potential to get really ugly. We are not just talking about nailing some teenage snowboarder who ducks a rope. This bill gives the ski areas a huge amount of power. Check my thread over in the climber's billboard.

With the new proposed bill in Olympia right now, should many of us that use the Alpental Backcountry for ice climbing and skiing be worried? From what I've heard, the proposed bill gives the ski areas the power to call in and have charged anyone going anywhere closed a misdemeanor and a $1,000 fine. Technically, Alpental has said that all uphill traffic on the tooth side of the Valley from the upper lot is "closed". Even if one were to skin or snowshoe in on the snow lake trail side, the only practical ski out is on the other side (the "closed" side) of the valley. If the backcountry above is closed (as it often is), how would this apply? Should we all be calling our representatives in Olympia right now and urging them to vote no? This Bill is far more than just being about some teenage snowboarder who ducks a rope. It has some language that is pretty scary.

Gotta love the movement the subtle features of that place offers! Tis' the season for Fossil.

Sweet!!!!

Down 25 now.....but tendonitis is knocking.....