dkemp

I was thinking the same until I found the Crouch article re Mooses Tooth - . I never knew the story about the Germans were going to Huntington but the French were there so they went to Mooses Tooth - the Germans had never heard of it. Then Fred arrives - he knows all about Mooses Tooth and is out for the FA but he is a few days too late - the Germans are already on it. He joined them and they put up the west ridge together. Stories and photos - great article.

I went too - wow what an accomplishment, and a great slideshow. Way to go Wayne, Colin, and Mark. Erden, it was great to meet you. I wish you the best on your journey! Doxey

thanks all Doxey

The good folks at a local climb shop told me City of Rocks can be reached in 10 hours driving nonstop, but my pal tells me its much more than that. I searched cc.com and found lots about the City but no-one mentioned drive time. Anyone know the drive time from Seattle to City of Rocks? Doxey

Has the name Niskanen written on inside cover. Anyone know a Niskanen?

This site and the community it fosters is way cool. Quite often I'll meet people in the mountains or the crags and they'll ask if I'm on cc.com - it happened just this weekend, met a guy at Eightmile and he asked me if I'm on cc.com. When that happens its more than just an icebreaker, its community. And I know a lot about that because I attempt it in my own little climbing circle. I'm not nearly as successful as the creators of cc.com. Big to Jon and Timmy.

OKAY, WILL DO!! Hmm, I got no drill - guess I'm goin' to Home Depot tonight! I'll go back to Barney's and plug that thing up good. Yeehaw!

I was doing a different climb, a 5.6 crack off to the left of this scene, that has bolt anchors.

wow, erik, just reread your post. Well, okay, maybe the rock behind the tree, I dunno - but that loose rock?? I'm a beginner with placing gear - correct me if you think I'm crazy.

Teaching? No, I was up there learning - "leading" on TR. Obviously I'm new to leading trad. I did a mock lead up Dogleg Crack as well - TR'ed off the tree on top. Boy was I glad I wasnt really leading that one! I didnt come off but I got real tired fiddling with the placements. I might be a newbie but I never would have set up the rig seen above!

I thought you meant cigarettes too! Dont take her to Icicle Canyon - Square Lake fire is making the valley kinda (cough) smokey.

So, I was in Icicle Canyon doing mock leads this past weekend. We went up top of Barneys Rubble to set up a TR and I saw an anchor, if you wanna call it that. The rope was gone, and the people were gone, but their anchor was there. There was a rock with a cam under it, and nearby another with another cam, with cord and carabiners coming down - obviously someone was TR'ing there. Both rocks were loose but the one was literally just sitting loose on top of Barneys Rubble. I guess it was a good size rock but I dont doubt I couldve moved it if I tried. A couple dudes showed up while we were TR'ing and one asked if that was my rig. I bumped into them next day - they went back that night after dark and claimed the gear as booty. Mighty odd. I wish I had taken a photo but I didnt think of it at the time. I went back next day to take a photo - my cams and pack are in the photo for scale. The tree was dead but it seemed better to me than the rock behind it - totally loose. I think I wouldve tied off the tree. Odd, dontcha think? Dox

Odd, just a few years ago a man was killed on the same mountain - you guessed it - impaled by his own axe in a fall. This dude was burly. and plenty lucky.

Icicle Canyon - hope theres not too many

So the leader climbs to the anchors and sets TR and the last one up cleans the gear. Although I've been mountaineering for years, I'm new to cragging and I'm hearing two schools of thought re cleaning the gear. One is that you thread the rope through the chains, lower that end of the rope down and rappel to the ground, thus saving wear and tear on the chains. The other method appears to be threading the rope through the chains and tieing back in, then have the belayer lower you to the ground. I was originally taught to rappel from the chains so I always do it that way. A few weeks back I was climbing with a guy at Exit 38 and he never rappels - he always has the belayer lower him. I noticed in this months R&I article Learning the Ropes they also suggest tieing back in and getting lowered off. What say y'all? Dox

I think we'll miss each other, I'm going second week of September. I've never been but I did a search yesterday on cc.com and got lots of info. Dox

I'd begin a climbing relationship with this person slowly, like after work hike Tiger Mtn or climb at Exit 38 or something. I'd be encouraging even if they have trouble. But you can bet I wouldnt start out with a climb up Mt R! (I'm sure you wouldnt do that) A few years ago an asthmatic died at Emmons Flats - yikes! I dont know the details, but yeah, I heard he couldnt get air and croaked.

I got it pretty bad but it doesn't stop me from doing whatever I want - although its a good thing I dont want to be a smoke-jumper. I can climb whatever mountains I want as many times as I want - I just go a little slower than most, thats all. I've climbed Mt R eight times. That isn't chest-beating, btw, I dont expect to impress anyone on cc.com with my climbing resume'. But that I've climbed the Big Kahuna eight times might impress your non-climbing asthmatic friend. Not bad for a guy that cant breathe . I dont climb circles around nobody but thats no problem. I just go and my friends know I ain't the fastest hiker in the hills.

Saturday backpacked to Upper Thunder Mtn Lake - beautiful spot. Sunday climbed two routes on Slippery Slabs Tower - fun! Dox

Wow, thats over the top. Way to freakin go. D

Yay! Spickard!

Met Stim yesterday morning (Sunday) at Exit 38's Headlight Point. At midday we moved to shady Gritstone where we saw him again. My pal, who is less shy than I am, asked him how old he is. Stim replied he is 84. My buddy even took his photo. Stim at Gritstone yesterday: Dox

Fan damn tastic.

Mt Brooks Some day, Mt B, some day! And Mt Si. some day, mt si, some day! "Double Try" Dox

Prophet and Jack from Eiley/Wiley Traverse, two weeks ago Dox