wayne

Yes, classic report for sure, thanks

Wow, thanks great report. I love that place.

Good question, but man, way to much time on your hands to answer that one.

Nice Shaun! I ran into an old partner of yours , he said he used to get out with you before you got into the bad-ass group and took off. Enjoy yourself, and be safe, Wayne

That route sounds so interesting. Likely to go on his long list of unrepeated routes though unfortunately. Wish I had half the talent to try it. He is at the top of his game and what a legacy he is leaving for the next generation to aspire to.

I really enjoyed it, waaay back. Thanks for bring back some great memories!

Prophetic words! ..and I agree. It takes surviving a couple of accidents to cross these bridges of awareness, unless someone is mentored. It helps to be scared/careful/still enjoy it.

Hey Tom, did Dan and you do the same finish(to the bivy) we did last year?

Wow, thanks, I would greatly appreciate learning more about Nicholas!

Sad to say, I hear Nicholas A. Dodge passed away last month from a battle with cancer. His pioneering guidebooks set Oregon on the map for the climbing community starting in 1968 and updating it in '75. I worshiped that book as a lad. It had a big impact on my life. Still does, Thanks Nick.

>..Not being one of those that dont blog<. I agree with that, but its about 50%-50%. Not a lot of people pulling hard at either sport, but it doesnt matter. We all do it for ourselves and our partner/friends. My best days are a casual route with friends. No pressure, just fun. I think the limiting factor of being a good cross-sport enthusiast is the body type you have to build to be good at the 2 sports you talk of. They are very different sports requiring specialized muscle groups. It is possible to be great at both. Aging, and work sucks, I would love to be pulling 12s and up.

Love the dirt mantle in pic3! and the smuggieness photo later.

Josh dont worry, people post very little or selectively on trip reports. Look around. You have some great shots as usual, keep the stoke going!

Bens amazing photos. Now back to your scintillating bolt fight.

Trip: Turkey Monster - Dod Route Date: 9/30/2012 Trip Report: There is a constant battle going on inside the mind of the climber on a scary lead. Ambition and stoke are at war with self preservation. Throw in added stresses like loose rock, exposure, and constant overhang, and you have the supreme conflict like we had on the Turkey Monster last weekend. Hidden in the trees of the Menagerie Wilderness in Central Oregon, the Monster towers above the canopy with its bizarre sculpture. The 350' tall tower defies physics with a much larger girth in its midsection than its skinny base. At the top of the crumbling tube is a summit that reminds one of, of course, a turkey, but I see the devil himself. Originally climbed in 1966 by legendary climbers Eugene Dod, Dave Jensen, and Bill Pratt, they aid climbed the steep cracks on the NE Face using 70 pitons and placing 30 now ancient or subsequently replaced bolts. Later free climbed at 5.11, many of the anchors were updated, yet the large loose blocks and the sketchiness remains. A couple of years ago, I had the good fortune of making friends with Ben and Bekah Herndon, from Moscow, ID. An aspiring pro photographer, he asked me what climbs I thought would make a good photo shoot. I of course set his sights south to the Monsters lair. We planned it for last year, but weather didnt allow. We again planned it for sept of 2012 and tried to get a much help as we could. I brought along Christina, and Ben, his wife. Nobody else made it there, so we went for it with the team we had. Bekah did great, following my leads on the first day all the way to the top! I am grateful to not have pulled down any loose stuff on her at the belays. ” Sorry I killed your wife, bro” was not something I wanted to offer my good buddy. On the way down we fixed a static line and rapped to the beloved earth. Early the next morning, I did the first 2 pitches again(!) for the close-ups pictures. They werent any less intense doing them for the 3rd time. What a run, and I hope Ben gets his great article in a coming magazine! Thank you B+B, and X-tina for a wonderful, and safe weekend. More on my on-line climbing journal Gear Notes: Few med, large stoppers, and 1 set cams to 4"

Wonderful report Mark, great pics too. Cannot wait to try it myself.

Its not a run-out route. You and Shirley have to put it on the list!

Man, I wish I had the energy right now. Been a brutal week at work. Hope you find someone for the Cave, if not I would like to throw my name in for later.

Bad ass! What an adventure that looks to be.

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Trip: SEWS - The Hitchhiker Date: 9/16/2012 Trip Report: I have a new favorite route. Last minute planning brought Lane and I to the base of the Burdo/Johnson route they named The Hitchhiker. It rambles up the steep se Face of South Early Winter Spire. Originally planning to attempt Gato Negro for the 2nd straight weekend, we opted for more sunshine instead. The switch was last minute, so I didnt have the anticipation nor expectations. I was blown away by the quality and positioning of the climb. It has every type of climbing as well as serious exposure to add to a full-plate meal of a climb! Dihedrals, led to slabs with thin cracks, flakes, (easy)wide sections, roofs wild traverses, you name it. Leading every pitch was stressful, as the climbing is thought provoking, but it was so fun, I didnt care. It took almost 8 hrs to do the 9 pitches. Each lead had its own surprise. Though the route has about 20 bolts, it still requires a big rack and I am glad I took 1 aider for the 3 short sections that I couldnt free. I know I write in superlatives but this route for sure is a gem. I hope to see more reports on this relatively newer route. Burdos book and these reports will have more beta, enjoy! Blakes description , very accurate! Blakes photo/topo Sols amazing 3-day link-up Gear Notes: Doubles to 2" 1 each 3,4, and 5 cams, some stoppers, aider for old-timers. Lots of long draws, took 13 and ran out 2x!

Men, go right to the heart of the beast! West ridge of Macmillan Spire or East ridge of inspiration, or East ridge of Forbidden!

Hey, looks like an interesting adventure. Good report, thanks. Wondered about that route. Would you call it "select"?

Nice off the beaten trail report!

Toni Kurz was victim to a similar circumstance and yes was not a good ending. I lost a whole rack bailing the wrong way off El Cap. Nightmare scenarios need extra cool temperament, crafty tricks, and luck.