Jens

My fav to. Castle Rocks!

What's your favorite crag? Not necessarily the best crag, but the one that you consider your "special place" here in the PNW. I don't mean area, but instead crag. Jens Klubberud

The partner who always wakes up in time, showers before a trip, tells good stories in the car, speeds when its his turn to drive, offers to carry the rope, likes wc forged friends, never complains, carries and shares a thermos of coffee, shares food, gets up any pitch, postholes more than his share, shares batteries, never makes you wait, gives you soft catches, never shortropes your clips, surprises you with beer hidden in the nearby creek at the parking lot, and helps you stay awake when you're driving home and haulicianting in the middle of the night even after no-doze and espresso. And then mails you double print pictures of the roll of film he shot!

Speaking ofPark and rides. What are eveyone's favorite secure meet spots to leave a car? The malls and grocery stores tow cars. I like park and rides. cracked Maybee I'll get to climb with you at Roundup. I think I'm hitting castle rock all day Friday and then hitting the Beer on Friday evening.

In my limited expereince, it seems be instead age dependent. It always seems to be the younger climbers that stand you up or make you wait an extra 45 minutes at some park and ride at 1:30 in the morning. While you are waiting for your slacker parnter you often see some funny sh*t going on at park and rides at 1:30 am on a Saturday or Sunday Morning! The older partners tend to be more dependable with times, places, alarm clocks and dates. _____ Close your eyes and imagine: You've been preparing for the last 3 days for your 23.5 hour car to car uber blitz. The weather looks great and then...... Your 20 year old partner shows up an hour late at the park and ride. Upon getting in your car, he announces that he needs to get breakfast and that he has a hangover and the stupids from earlier in the evening. Upon reaching Marblemount, he then tells you he needs to sort gear and pack at the trailhead and that he forgot his crampons and the only piece of gear you specifically asked him to bring over the phone. Been there....done that.....

I hope your friends can get their gear back. You may want to strike the word "booty" from your post . Most climbers refer to "booty" gear as stuck gear that other parties were unable to clean or get out. The gear is then open season to anyone willing to try to work it out. It does the environmnet and climbers good. Now if your partners just inadvertantly left a bunch astuff at the base, disregard my jabbering spray.

That is true, Harry. 50,000 square feet for parking alone. I would like to know which roof or other rock formation would make the best living quarters for homeless person. It is hard to take picture of roof that shows scale. Here is one of the smaller roofs at Lion's Head in Ontario. Largest roof I dealt with in Washington is Mastodon Roof. Speaking of Mastadon, did you lead with your feet or head? I tried this route many years ago (before I knew Leavittation) I got spanked really bad, and couldn't even finish it --even with hang dogging! The grade seemed stout? As for big cellings, The roof that Ride of the Valkyries or early morning overhang is pretty hurking. But I know we've got way bigger on some of the metamorphics of the high North Cascades my memory has left me. Anyone?

Cool, you are going to my favorite WA cragging area. Best Trad: Midnight and Castle Rock. Best sport: Rattlesnake Rock. Best easy to find and access bouldering: Swiftwater picnic area. All of these formations are found in Tumwater canyon off US highway 2. With the exception of perhaps Snow Creek Wall and the Givler's Dome area, rock climbing in Tumwater Canyon is much better than rock climbing in icicle creek canyon (A big plus when you've spent 2.5 hours in your car going over from Seattle). Plus it is often dry when the icicle is seeing light drizzle. Also most of the best routes are pre 1989.(even sport routes) as most of the newer routes are short scrubbed slabs or very short one half pitch cracks in obscure locations . Have fun. Hope I din't sound to opinionated

I bought the REI pants made from Schoeller Dynamic fabric you are talking about 5 months ago. They were on sale for 69 bucks. I love em. They have been light enough to wear sport climbing and have still worked great in light snow on Rainier. Cloudveil is selling the exact same pant for $165. I am pretty sure some sweatshop is ordering the bulk fabric from the Swiss and then sewing pant orders for various outdoor brands as is the case with most of our clothing. My only complaint is that the zippers on the pockets seem to work their way open while I am climbing to let snow in. Does anyone know how I can keep them closed without sewing them shut?

Just out of curiousity, what are some votes for the biggest horizonital or near horizontal roof that anyone has seen in Washington? I don't mean just an overhang-- but instead a horizontal-like celling. I was going to post the question in the rock climbing forum but I'll bet our answer probably is found somwhere in the high mountains where many of the crags rats don't go. I'm thinking Dolomite style roofs that jut way out from the wall. I don't care if the roofs are climbable or not, I'm just curious for the sake of interest. What are some possible contenders? (even if you've just seen em' through binoculars).

I'm glad this area has been developed. These style routes are the norm just about everywhere except WA. As for the fixed cable draw at the lip (which is way long). It should be removed just to help keep these routes slightly lower on the visibilty radar. I haven't tried the M9 but as for the rating, I am a little skeptical and plan on trying it with spurs in nov,or dec.

Climbed it about 3 weeks ago. We placed a couple of wired nuts and had to do a little rock climbing. I would imagine their will be a few more rock moves to bypass b.s.?

I try to avoid the politics but this is quite sad. Dwayner brings a perspective on climbing through the decades. Myself as a young rock climbing teenage upstart in the 80's, Dwayner's stories fueled the fire for me and many other younger climbers. His tales of adventure led many to go on to pursue adventures into the ranges. Dwayer would always bring the perspective of adventure to life. Whether it be a tale of huge falls on scary nail ups or getting lost in caves. And to be honest, I've seen Dwayner in days of yore climb stuff in a pair of 3 dollar flip flops that probably most of those who despise him on this site would fall off in their rock shoes.

I just talked to a dude at Marymoor a couple of hours ago that was on the route at the time (right next to the above mentioned party). He said the dude fell right past him, hit a ledge and flew about fifteen feet out and kept sailing. He said that some rather large rocks came down with him. ???

my two cents * climbing finger injuries are so unique,doctors don't have much knowledge. *Spend some time in a pair of aiders, slog some peaks,do some skiing, or see if it hurts grabbing ice tools. *After suffering at least a dozen pretty major finger injuries in my life, I have come to the conclusion that once you are well, stay away from tape. Working at the gym, I've noticed that people who tape for prevention often come up hurt later. * Costco Glucosimine/chondroditn has seem to help me a little bit. * Peer pressure is what leads to injuries. If your buddies are saying send it dude, addrenline kicks in and you end up tweaked. The brain tells the carcas to perform harder than it can. It'ssuch a catch- 22. You need it though to grab the top out or clip the chains.

Depends on the brand. The metolius cams walk tons with very little pressure so I sometimes error on the overcam side when I am using em'.

It's 9:30am Sunday. I've got the part I need now. If anybody is going anywhere on North Cascades Highway anytime today, I'd love a ride to even Marblemount (you pass through it). I'll meet you wherever you want for pickup It would be money in the Karma bank account for your next epic Jens Klubberud Renton/Issaquah

Emergency If anybody is going anywhere off North Cascades Highway anytime today I need a lift to Marblemount or even better Cascade Pass. I had to ditch my car at Cascade Pass yesterday so I could come back today with the part I have now it needs to run. I will pay for the gas, buy you a meal en route, and swap some good cascade folklore. I could meet you anywhere you want today. You'd be a lifesaver and it would be good Karma for you next epic. Jens Klubberud Renton/Issaquah pm me

Emergency. Tonight I had to ditch my car at Cascade Pass and hitchhike home. I know exactly what part I need to throw in and it will run. Is anybody heading up there tomorrow (Sunday 9/14)? If I could catch a ride, I'd buy you lunch, pay for gas,and share somegreat climbing stories. If you are not going, do you know of a friend that is going? I have to hit the auto parts store when they open tomorrow. There is one on the way in rockport or I could go to a store before I met you. I could meet at your place or meet you at any park and ride. You'd be a lifesaver if you were going. Jens Klubberud Reton/ Issaquah jensandjeanetteSPAMLESS@earthlink.net or pm me. Or even if you were heading anywhere else in the N.Cascades you could dump me at Marblemount and I could probably hitchike to the parking lot. I added the phrase "spamless" to Jens' email address, you'll want to remove it to write to him. -- Off White

Belay tests take 2 minutes and are done on an ATC. As for the instruction thing, I've seen climbers that take a new girlfriend/boyfriend into the gym that has never climbed before- they try give them a sneak 2 minute crash course in belaying over by the water fountain or bathroom. They then expect the new boyfriend/girlfriend to take the belay check.

Cool who nabbed the ski? That was one I wanted. My advice for the couloir is keep movin. I got avalanched by calving shit a long time ago and only survived by diving blindly into a bottomless moat on the side.

I could count three seperate fire plumes while spending yesterday climbing Buckner's North face. It was pretty odd because in the afternoon the smoke had created a haze all around us. It made my lack of sleep hallucinations even more wild.

I hope he will get well soon. Weird crap can happen on any slab fall, even if you employ all the two man belay tricks and other Hall of Mirrors trickery for belaying.

I seem to always see dipshit driving being done by people in newer Subarus. (not aggressive driving but just stupid driving). More than just about any other vehicles. I'm mostly referring to the newer outbacks and forresters- not so much the people driving the older ones. It seems to be a trend that me and many of my friends have noticed over the last couple of years. And no, I didn't just get cut off this morning by a ru'. I don't neccesarrily claim to be good driver myself but anybody else see the same things? What type of person is the typical subaru driver? I'm sure there are a few of you reading this who drive new subarus awesome and are getting pissed. Its not you I am referring to. It is just uncanny.

We may have voted to give the schools more money (they need it bad), but when it comes time to ante up, the legistlature won't give the schools the money the voters have approved (WA ranks 42nd out of 50 states in education spending). We don't give schools squat in this state.