jshamster

Freakin' sweetness!

On Saturday we placed exactly two cams on lead. A few other cams were nice for the two belays we set up. Took blades, didn't use. Not enough ice for screws.

No prob. FWIW, I always carry a hammer when aiding just to clean nuts. It makes it easier, and prolongs the life of the nuts. Cheers. Jimbo

Hey Dan. I watched someone clean at least one with a simple yank. I think the other two were still there as of Wed. Not anyone I knew. Sorry. Jimbo

Bryan, TX Encinitas, CA Bellingham, WA

yep. Photoshop. Actually my brother-in-law's work. I just wanted to finally figure out how to post pics. We hiked up to Poodle Dog Pass, above Monte Cristo that day, and got a bunch of good pics of mountains and snow while it lasted. Cheers. Jimbo

bump. added some pics for yer viewing pleasure.

I figure I will finally learn how to post pics. From the Mtn. Loop yesterday:

'Tis true that the device is rated for 10-11mm ropes. I'm sure that the Petzl catalog has some kind of skullncrossbones pic for using with smaller ropes. That being said, it does work with slightly smaller diameter ropes, and I don't remember it being scary at all. As far as using it with a 9.1, no thanks, not for me. Cheers. Jimbo

I've used it with a 9.7 no problem. Probably wouldn't go smaller than that though. Cheers. Jimbo

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Trip: Exfoliation Dome - Dark Rhythm Date: 10/28/2008 Trip Report: I spent the weekend up at 3:00 rock, Sat. with MattP and Sun. with my brother-in-law, and couldn't help but noticing how late the sun stayed on Exfoliation Dome. So, with a bit of kid shuffling, we managed to make it out there on Tuesday. I've been up Jacob's Ladder and Rainman, and have been wanting to check out Dark Rhythm for some time now. The Granite Sidewalk was a bit damp and dirty at the bottom, but the slabs up higher were dry and make for a quick approach. The sun hit us just as my bro finished leading the first pitch. It was great t-shirt weather all day, but cool enough for the excellent friction that makes most D-town routes great. The route itself is really good, but doesn't quite measure up to the other two classics on this dome. Rainman is right next door, but overall more sustained, and Jacob's ladder is in a class by itself, being much steeper. The crux fourth pitch on Dark Rhythm makes the route. A great .10c slab crux followed by super fun arete pulling on "the Flange." All of the other .10a pitches, three I think, were good fun as well. The third pitch has had some rockfall on it, and is a mess of loose rocks and creaking flakes. Not terribly hard, but nerve racking nonetheless. We tossed some of the bigger loose rocks, but tread lightly. Whitelaw's guide describes eight pitches, but the final 5.6 pitch is not worth doing at all. Pretty much walking, no hands, up a dirty slab. Gaining the true summit of Exfo. dome would be the only reason to include this pitch. I have heard numerous opinions on the best decent route from Blueberry Terrace, but we just rappeled Rainman. Rainman and Dark Rhythm share anchors at the top of the sixth pitch, and the raps are all clean on Rainman. From the base of Rainman it is just a short scramble back up to the packs at the base of Dark Rhythm. Our timing was pretty much dead on all day. Reached the packs just as the sun left us, and made it back to the truck right at dusk. Great send off to the D-town season! Cheers. Jimbo p.s. - we took a few pics but none really turned out. Gear Notes: 10-12 q.d.'s blue alien - gold camalot Approach Notes: Granite Sidewalk. Side road to Exfoliation Dome has a great roadbed, but is very narrow. Take a vehicle you can trash the paint on. Some pics:

No single bolt raps. We actually used the same slings that you and I put on that small tree. Then another tree. Then anchors down to the base of 'Til Broad Daylight. Not too bad. Just took awhile.

Way to get after it! How much time is now added to the approach? Cheers. Jimbo

Yo, Mtguide. He said sport climbing. No gear necessary. Not any mixed sport/trad that I can think of. Of course there's choss, but it's frozen in the winter. And please, share this abundance of OW knowledge. I only know of a couple, and they are great! Cheers. Jimbo

Great day out Matt. Thanks! I managed to make it out there on Sunday as well. We thought we climbed Tidbits, but ended up on Gastroblast instead. Oh well. Good climbing anyway. I forgot to bring a second rope, so we had a bit of an adventure making our way down the wall. Lots of folks out on Sunday. Pretty much a party on everything from Cornucopia to past Tidbits. Cheers. Jimbo

Sure Matt, I'd love to. I've been wanting to pick your brain about Squire Creek Wall anyway. I'm in Snohomish. Can call @ three six oh nine two seven 2550. Or PM here. I'll check a bit later. Cheers. Jimbo

VANTAGE!

Don't know this year, but I've done it in mid September and there was mandatory mud climbing 'bout halfway up. Nothing scary or hard, but the snow/snice was not continuous. I thing there might be a recent pic on a 7FJ trip report. Oh yeah. Wear helmet on descent from 7FJ/Maude col. There was shit whizzing all over the place when I did it. Cheers. Jimbo

I'll be there. Always have a tarp in the van, and I'll fit in as much firewood as I can. Cheers. Jimbo

Reiter Rd. is the same road that the town walls/parking area is on. Big loop, albeit with probably more elevations gain/loss.

I'm sure you can find tricam placements in Index, but probably not the best place to use them. I guess on the old aid lines being freed nowadays there are plenty of pinscars to fiddle in a tricam, and of course tricams can take the place of regular cams, but with a lot more time and proficiency involved. Index is nice with a few nuts, a healthy selection of cams, and quickdraws. I tend to favor tricams in the alpine. Mostly for the weight savings, but also it is cheaper to leave a tricam behind than that precious #1 C4 cam. Cheers. Jimbo

What size do you like to climb the most? Any project that need a certain size? I suppose most folks would go with 1/2/3 camalot sizes, 'cause handcracks are fun. Sorry to throw this right back attcha, but you can answer this question better that anyone else. Cheers. Jimbo

There is a good, updated topo for the Waterfall Route. Maybe DCramer can post it up, or I'll find it this evening when I get back from fun in the sun. I have been meaning to get on this route for a couple of years now. Let me know if you want/need a partner. Get it quick. The flow will start again soon! Cheers. Jimbo