Rick

I was climbing at Exit 38, off of the RR trail on a route called "Won't Get Fooled Again" last thursday. There was what appeared to be a Peregrine Falcon squaking loudly just above me and to the left of the route. Does anyone know if there are Peregrine's there? Or is it another specie's of Falcon. Sure looked like the photo of the one on Outer Space.

What a great route!! My girlfriend and I did the route a few years ago when we were road tripping alot. I remember running the chimney pitch together with another pitch and having to do some long runouts because I had used up all my gear protecting those two pitches. Great fun! Hope to get back there someday. Luckily we had no weather issues except for a little snow at the base we had to traverse thru to get to the route. Thanks for bringing back fun memories. Oh yeah, a warning to anyone who climbs there, HANG YOUR PACKS! Or take them with you. The critters will chew thru just looking for food. Rick

Maybe the day I was at the Cave Area, 5-8-09, there was a "hatch" of Ticks? If that's what they do. I was at The Bend 5-19-09. As I approached the belay spot for the climbs to the right of Ed's Jam I encountered a Rattlesnake stretched out waiting for the sun. It took me a little coaxing to get it to move along after it coiled up and rattled at me. Never saw it again the rest of the day. And NO ticks either.

Nice work guys! And David, I'll bet you never thought you wished you were a Blue Bag before!

Watch for TICKS! I was at The Cave area on 5-8-09. I was afraid to set my stuff down on the ground there were so many ticks everywhere. They climb out on the ends of the grass/brush leaning over the trail just waiting for an unsuspecting host, human/dog. Luckily they move slow. We climbed at The Royal Collumns and The Bend and didn't see any ticks in those area's.

I can tell you that I met the Ranger at Smith and he seems like the type that won't take any crap. I even saw him give someone a ticket for an uncontrolled dog. Maybe we should just keep a lower profile here on a public forum.

Hopefully all you folks hauled most of the ticks out of the Icicle so next week I won't have to pick them off of me! Weekday only climbing for me, for sure.

Nice job on the Aid Soloing. I was at Smith recently and considered aid soloing that route but never got around to it. I did have lot's of fun rope soloing plenty of others though. Including the West Variation to the Pioneer Route. My question is: Isn't Smith a "Day Use Only" park? If so then repeatedly posting these TR's about sleeping in the cave is making us climbers look irresponsible. And not all of us are.

The photo of Stim climbing Illusion Dweller was a Patagonia advertisement. He told me that they asked for the shirt back.

I had the pleasure of helping him reach his goal of climbing five of the quality .10a's at the Exit 38 area after he turned 82. Iguanarama at Amazonia was on his list so Stim, Tina, my girlfriend Lynn and I hiked up to Amazonia and watched as he styled his way up Iguanarama and followed me up a few more harder routes at the crag. Another one on his list was Stairway to Heaven which has a fairly long uphill approach that I later learned he successfully completed. He eventually completed his goal during his 82nd year! I can only hope to be having the same adventures when I reach those years. I consider myself very lucky to have known such a great man! Rick

Oh yeah, I don't have internet service, I am at the Redmond library now, so call my cell and if I don't answer leave a message. I just posted looking for partners so you can check that out if you want. I am camping out of my truck at the Grasslands. Rick 425 516 2542

Hey Adventure Gal, I am currently at Smith and looking for partners myself. I've been here 2 weeks and have been mostly rope soloing. Would love to have a partner so give me a call 425 516 2542. How about tomorrow, thursday? Rick

Hi All, I am currently at Smith climbing and looking for partners. I climb mostly .8 and .9 with some .10's, trad or sport, especially cracks. Just like to have fun but don't want to be a belay slave on any projects. Would prefer not to rope gun any newbies either. My only contact is a cell phone 425 516 2542. So if there is anybody looking to have some fun at Smith within the next couple of days give me a call. I will be there rope soloing if I can't find a partner. I don't really have a schedule right now. Rick 425-516-2542

32 is dry! The routes at the Far Side(North Side of I-90)are dry also. It's usually really windy though and that can make for some mighty cold fingers! Last week I climbed at 32 and it was in the 60's! Two day's in a row! Rick

Last week during the balmy weather I went to Exit 32 and rope soloed at British Isles. I did a few of the routes on Blackstone and others in that area. My question is: The routes on the far left of Blackstone are reported to be from left to right, 5.7 and 5.8 with Stepping Stone .10a being the third route from the left. I usually can do routes up to .9 rope solo and seemed to struggle on .7 and .8. Do I really suck or are these routes graded stiff for the area? The info I got was from deceptioncrags.com. These routes are not in the latest guidebook. I climb in that area fairly often but hadn't been on these before since they are usually wet.

PM Sent

Thanks Sobo, I'll check there and see what I can find out. Rick

Any Tri Cities climbers on here by the name of Spencer or Robin? Or anyone that knows them, could you please give them this message. I enjoyed climbing with you at Frenchmans Coulee friday and would like to hook up again soon, this friday, or sooner if possible. Thanks Robin for the great belays! Hope to see you again soon! PM me thru this site. Rick

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Anyone want to climb weekdays somewhere(warmer/drier)like Eastern Wa.... Vantage, Leavenworth, Tieton. Probably nothing more than low .10's if I'm lucky. More like .8's and 9's either sport of trad. Rick

Anybody want to climb at Amazonia monday morning(10am?)until the afternoon? Amazonia is mostly .10's sport. Rick

Rick is a solid climber! And a Nice Guy to boot. RG

I'm going to Exit 38 "The Far Side" today(wed)for some rope soloing unless someone wants to meet me there to do some 10's. and under. I will be at the Gun Show slab first then Eastern Block area. Start to climb around 11am. Rick

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