Jens

The closure is absolutely terrible news in my humble opinion.

Thanks for the pick-me-up. Long, Long time no see.

Thanks for some of the responses. Off the subject, but any votes for the PNW wide crack master- Of either present or days of yore? I've heard JYoder has been real solid.

I climbed at Castle on Sunday and didn't see the usual signs at the trailhead posting that Midnight was closed.

If one had to put together a wide crack sampling for a day at 11worth what would it inlcude? I'm thinking of a day anwhere from 6-12 pitches that could if necessary inlcude some driving around. Vote for your favs? I'm particulllarly interested in any obscure ones that I might not know about that are real gems? Anyone ever do Black Widow? Twin Cracks? What about the wide crack that you see on the rock formation to your left when are about five minutes from getting to midnight? Any ascents?

Left my blue casio alimeter on the roof of my cavalier as I pulled out of the Castle rock parking lot yesterday near Leavenworth. I went back 5 minutes later after I realized my mistake and couldn't find it anywhere. I also walked along highway 2. Anyone find one?

A thread from 2ish years ago was about speed traps on highways getting to climbing areas. Any new ones? Concrete,WA still one of the worst? Spray away

You are right. Many of us are very ignorant about that other stuff. And some of us know that when some of those lower elevation areas are in, we have great ice in down here and don't need to makethe drive north. As a sidenote, My last drive up Duffey I saw 7 climber vehicles. 1 with BC plates and 6 with Washington plates.

My vote would be to resist the tempation to downrate stuff up there for kind of a weird reason: The last several Lillooet ice seasons it seems like at least 1 out of every 2 climber cars is a WA plate. Many of us Washington folk typically make our visits to lillooet before WA ice usually comes in or after it has left- for example, a lot of us make trips the first week In December and again in the early weeks of March (to give us longer ice seasons). In January, many of us stay in WA and hit U.S. ice. When a lot of the Lillooet routes are getting traffic is in very early seaon or very late season when the ice is really funky,running wet,chandeliered, or thin. So even though ice in SWBC may not have the pure enduro factor of other areas, it can sure feel funky and technically hard- and with bogus screwplacements? (Especially the firstweek in Dec.)? So guidebookauthors have a liablilty when the neophyte climber jumps on something that is rated "4+" in the new guide and can't get a decent screw or stick. Where didIread that in our part of the world we often have a higher % ofwaterfallice accidents because the screws and sticks are often less than bomber in our warm temps? Any other thoughts anyone? I'm not sure if my post make sense.

I stand corrected. Thanks for the info. ---------------------- Sounds like some heavy hitters (Hill, Clune, Mayfield)

Soloed the chair this morning. Lots of newish snow- Bring gaiters. There is a little bit of slab formation but it should be fairly stable by tomorrow. _____ Source Lake line looked fat!

Amen,..To bad they don't make them or sell them anymore. I cut mine up and modified it down to 8.5 ounces. And it was comforable. Ultimate sport comp and alpine harness. REI actually made something that was perhaps the best in the world for a short time? - And cheap.

Speaking of rates Does anyone have a photographic memory to where they could name the rates for all the places? (4 pines, Mile 0 etc.) -Or at least rank them in order by relative price? I've been a faithful Reynold's only customer for almost a decade but was upset by the recent price jump and the fact that they gave away my buddie's reservation.

Sounds like Metolius wants to make a little more money? Just another strike against a mediocre cam. ----------- The metolius TCU's are ok though.....(.but Wired Bliss gets the credit for the TCU deisgn).

Some of my closest calls climbing always seem to be driving home and using all the lanes as I nod off while driving. ____ Some of the old stumps on the side of the Cascade River Road can start to look like monsters when you've been awake to long. ____ There's nothing like home sweet home and a warm bed.

Anybody try the ski jumping at Leavenworth? I'd love to try it. If I stayed way forward on my monster DH boards would I be OK, (anotherwards is the jump not that big)? Anybody check it out?

Slogged a ways in with Cascadeclimber on sunday but we had to turn around due to the fact that we lost a snowshoe in the river. The postholling was to hard for me for my weak body. It was 39F at 4 in in themorning. I was in a short sleeveshirt. It was colder at Banks.

We lost a Tubbs snowshoe in the tumwater river 75 yards downstream from the large pullout on the river side of highway 2 that is exactly 1mile up stream from the candy shop. If you are getting out the car to stretch,take a pee, or look at ice through binoculars, please take a second to peekover the side and see if you see anything washed up on the shore or in the water.Thanks Jens Klubberud

Climbed at Banks on Sunday and Monday. On Monday ChrisS and I changed our strategy and went for ice that was tucked in away from sun. Lots of fun! It was my first time going to Banks after going to Lillooet all these years. Boy do I feel stupid! Banks looks like it has the potential for much harder lines then Lillowet.

Did a little climbing with him this summer. The dude is as fit as some of my partners who are in their 20's! (He's 60).

I only have time to read conditions stuff these days, but did Dwayner really get banned for simply championing his climbing style (the style that let Americans become the best climbers in the world for very short window before the advent of sport climbing)? Who cares if his golden age ethics were inserted into every discussion including mixed ice climbing? Dwayner has climbed a lot of stone in his day and brings a tremedous breadth of knowledge and historical perspective to cc. Bring him back if he really is banned.

I'll confess I haven't read all of this thread but I think this guy is awesome. This guy could suffer his way up a himalayan giant. Kind of like Polish high altitude climbers. Not necessarily talented climbers but instead just able to endure "In the end, we are better at the art of sufferng, and for high altitude, this is everything."- Voytek Kurtyka Sounds like this Alpental skiier has a Polish name? ------------------ I think it is an amazing story of survival and it would be cool if he could post. Somebody teach him to self-arrest and invite him to Everest?

Not that I am a route guru, but it seems like ND sports dry tooling and cramponing on rock for the a failry long portion of the start most years of yore. If you were able to kick into ice at the start, you found great conditions? I wonder if the bolts were iced over (obscured) all the way? I think I'm headin' to Lillooet this weekend. ------- We are sure due for a year where we WA folk can stay down here and not have to go north. Is this planet gettin' warmer or what? High around 40F near Banks. Slushy slides up tumwater canyon drainages?

Wow, that was the best post of the last 12 months. Hopefully Lionel's pictures will someday make it to the University of Washington. _________ If my memory serves me, I noticed a bit of an optical illusion from the false summit area. It looks as it could be forever to the true summit area---but it isn't as far once you do it. ____ What a noble deed by Dr.Trott