Drederek

53 degrees is the temperature where all those nasty sandbagged climbs at Index climb at the grade they're rated. Don't let the temps slow you down. Happy BD

He did retest and knot slipped at 670 pounds on an aluminium biner. Don't I recall someone on this site testing stuff to failure last winter? I've met a few engineers out climbing. I can't believe some of them don't have access to testing equipment. I am curious how big a fall it would take to blow out a belay device compared to the strength of a bolt or gear belay. It seems to me the powerpoint of a cordelette system is almost completely static. I also like to have a little room to maneuver in case of rockfall. Sorry if I am straying off the subject.

A large part of climbing is the adventure. Why do you want to take more out of it? Maybe you can climb these routes for me and tell me what a good time I had! I think your idea is not that good. If you want to do some service work for climbers join the access fund or organize a crag cleanup or a trail rebuild. Just my two cents.

Slightly easier but very similar.

Jblakley I climbed those two routes a month or so ago and started a thread to get some info. Viktor replied but knew only that someone he knew put them up. I guessed the right one might be 5.10 and the left a grade harder. They are really very short - so I wouldn't be surprised if they get easier ratings.

How about Penguins in Bondage? (I know its off limits now) Does it sound like it may be a bit awkward? How about Rainy Day Woman? Do you think you could get on it if the forecast was bad? What do you think "A" crack & "C" crack might look like? Do you think Party in Your Pants might be fun? Names have power. If you don't believe me whisper another womans name in your wife's ear the next time you make love!

Yeah the rawls on GRTC were gone with some pieces left in the holes. Thats what made me think someone might be coming back with some chains. Then I read that the anchors left on top were epoxied - I hadn't noticed. So I guess they're not going to get fixed without some effort on someones part. If people are looking for service projects this weekend Dog Dome could use a scrubbing :-) .

So far, just you. Are you taking falls at the crags? Coming close? Ever pull thru a move you were sure you were going to fall off? Ever figure out a tricky crux right before your strength evaporated? The climbs I remember the best usually scared me or I surprised myself by doing them. But I'm hooked on rocks.

I read alot of sci-fi. I remember reading a book by Heinlein about a man from two worlds: Michael Valentine Smith. Among other abilities he could levitate.

Good work guys, with all the badmouthing noone will go to swauk and it will maintain its solitude and lack of trash. Of course the routes need more traffic to stay clean. Maybe we can train the squirrels to only run up and down on the routes. But seriously I didn't think they were that bad, at least the few formations we went to. Well the first one was kinda nasty but the sphinx was great. OK good. If that place got the traffic it would be fine. I'm sure the rock is as good as Peshastin's.

Thanks for the info. Almost turned up that way on saturday but decided to save it for a day not a weekend. mvs are you the man from two worlds?

Just got home from a great weekend in the icicle. Went to Clamshell Cave to do the routes I missed the first time and got to the top of the retrobolted TR to find no bolts or hangers, just holes! A toprope with bolts and no anchor. Further exploration revealed missing hangers on top of 3 other climbs. It was easy enough to setup gear anchors on top of these climbs but certainly not what I expected to find after climbing there just a month or so ago. The bolts and nuts are just sticking up out of the rock like little mushrooms. Is someone replacing these with chains? Just wanted to let people know of a hazard. It was not dangerous, just a pain. Went over the log bridge to Dog Dome and the anchors were intact.

Just got home from a great weekend in the icicle. Went to Clamshell Cave to do the routes I missed the first time and got to the top of the retrobolted TR to find no bolts or hangers, just holes! A toprope with bolts and no anchor. Further exploration revealed missing hangers on top of 3 other climbs. It was easy enough to setup gear anchors on top of these climbs but certainly not what I expected to find after climbing there just a month or so ago. The bolts and nuts are just sticking up out of the rock like little mushrooms. Is someone replacing these with chains? Just wanted to let people know of a hazard.

Did Remorse/Psycho/Iconoclast/OS this spring or early summer. Didn't see the aforementioned rap stations(I think) and didn't feel unduly put out by the protection at the belays. The 10c pitches were very good. There was a short section of not so great rock that I managed to "let" my partner lead. The bolt "high and right" that leads out onto the face didn't look new but it was a great indicator of our location and as shadows were lengthening we opted that way instead of Hyperspace. That bolt was very well placed to get you to the chickenheads and then you're on your own. I went straight up the edge to a chain anchor next to a dead stump (is this one of the ones under discussion?). Then my partner traversed a tcu sized crack over to OS. Doesn't seem like these anchors are a problem to me, but I could have set a safe belay there. I guess the question is are these anchors a finishing touch or the spearpoint of an invasion? Having placed a couple of bolts in rock and thousands in concrete I can tell you its easy yet time-consuming. Getting the equipment up there is the hard part. Retro, is that respect for Mattp I hear or are you learning patience and tolerance?

and they say Lacey sucks!

Saw the guide prev mentioned while in OR last weekend. Most of the coastal stuff pretty far south like Coos Bay on down. As I was in Lincoln city I was way too far north. But there are some nice state campgrounds down there so I'll be checking it out next summer. Good luck and tell us what you find!

Did a 5.4 at JTree called Penelopes walk. Had a 10 foot overhanging fist crack with a smooth concave underside. I suppose Wilt Chamberlain woulda had some good feet... Pitch 5 on Swim I know the spot. There used to be a sharp crystal I would impale my middle finger on to pull myself up. It ain't there anymore. How about the start of Zoom or the 5.10 on the right side of R&B cliff at Index.

One of my climbing buddies did the traverse a few weeks ago with his wife and two kids (track stars). Their main focus was to get thru in 4 days, south to north and get to Sol Duc hot springs. Weather and visibility were generally poor. Solitude factor vey high. They didn't see anyone during the middle two days. Although they didn't see any bears he said they could smell them more than once! He deemed it worthy, his wife said "never again". I loaned him my GPS and he said it was indispensible along with his map for figuring out where they were in the fog. Hope you get more replies as I am interested in doing this next year and Ed is a bit of a sandbagger.

Thanks for the beta, Mneagle!

On my first (and only) lead of Orange Sunshine I got to the last move when I realized most of my pro sucked (especially the last one 10 feet below) and terror raised its ugly head. I could feel my jams greasing as I tried to shake out the pump first in one arm and then the other. The sun seemed to get hotter and I could feel my shoes starting to slip. Then a fellow about 15 feet away asked me if his top-rope setup a couple of columns over looked OK? I tried to swallow so I could reply, then succeded and said "give me a minute and I'll look!" I don't think he knew I was sketchin but his confidence in me made me believe in myself once again. The final move was easy when in the proper state of mind.

Hey Caveman, do you live in a cave?

There is a largish spiral bound guide but I don't know where to get it. The people who had it were from Yakima. Inca Roads and Cutting Edge at Royal Columns are both stellar cracks. Orange Sunshine is a bold 10b. Imperial Master has it all. As of a couple of weeks ago the bridge was signed but people were going over anyway. If you like Pure Joy at the bend try wildcat crack up at Wildcat cliff, its twice as long and steep all the way. Check out the beehive while you're up there. The Land Down Under is a most unusual sport route and you can belay from the car! Enjoy!

I wouldn't use pliers. To grip the wires tight enough to straighten them would scar the wires more - further weakening them. I have straightened out a few with my fingers. But once metal is bent it is weaker and will never return to its original shape. Whether straightening them is a good idea in the first place I don't know for sure. The only times a nut placement failed for me it was either the rock or the placement. Anyone ever blow a nut?!?!?!?

From Jefferson pass up onto the ridge is fairly unpleasant. The hillside is pretty loose for the first few hundred yards. Once you hit rock its just fine.

MN, sounds like a good time. Was routefinding as straightforward as it sounds? Is the 11c on borderline any more sustained/harder than Perry's Lieback on the Grand Wall? This sounds like an incredible way to start Angels Crest!