plexus

This winter it has been a traverse of Welker-Widget-Wobegon. Twice made plans to climb them, twice met with friends to go climb them, and each time the weather and visibility has been such crap that the day resulted in indoor climbing. But this is Washington, I've come to accept that the weather more times than not will stymie my plans. I just hate it when it rubs it in my face by having gorgeous weather on the days I have to work.

My fiancee is a TA this quarter, 8 a.m. class, plus she works 30hrs a week, finishing writing her thesis and taking a mountaineering class. The last time I saw her was Wednesday. I think I might see her again in June . At least we were able to get out climbing together last Sunday that

For alpine, 4-6 regular, 4-6 double doubled up, and four double around my shoulders, also will carry a cordelette on multi-pitches. In the alpine, I don't climb near my high-end but a few grades lower. I use, I dunno, maybe 10-12 pieces per rope length. Just an estimate.

You gots to get yours...no shame in that

I once almost got into a fight with a Mountie instructor because I was climbing on the only route they didn't have their multitude of ropes hanging down from on "their crag", The guy yelled at us that they had "reserved" the mountain that day (which I knew to be total BS because it's a public place and the managing agency doesn't give out reservations). So I freed up a Class 4 route next to one of their ropes and he went ballistic. I used the utmost restraint not to toss him off the cliff, instead I , threatened him, walked down, and then led the beforementioned climb. Not to turn this into a Mountie bashing thread (it's just too easy to do), but I have had good experiences with the Mounties, but I'd say the ratio is 2:1 between pleasant exchanges (yeah, you guys can climb there) and unpleasant ones (morons rappelling the route I'm leading even though they see me leading and kicking off rocks onto my helmeted melon). As for the orginal topic, you were in the right, and I think just heading up the climb was the best option to do given that encounter. As for the "why would you want to climb a .7?" Sometimes it's nice to have a fun, non-threatening climb. And some of us are gapers.

Nice job, I like them climbs dirty and mossy. I expect the lactic acid fairy to visit me tomorrow. We went up to Erie, got some leads in at Snag Buttress, hiked out as the rain started, great timing Wimped out on leading a very exposed climb, but it's early, I can still tuck my tail Used a friend's rack, had me searching for pieces since the pieces weren't where I keep them (now where's that #7 stopper? #1 Camalot?! I don't want the #1 Camalot!) Fell about five feet as my directional piece popped while lowering. Unconsciously screamed as I thought the chains snapped (I have put on some weight lately) Good time considering it's been a while. Cheers to everyone that got out this weekend!!

South side of Erie is covered with them in the springtime. It's an annual ritual of checking the partner and picking the ticks off of her, and vice versa. No big deal, you have better chance of dying in a car crash than Lyme disease in Washington. Check it out, the data is about two years old but still relevent. http://www.skagitvalleyherald.com/articles/2001/07/05/news23505.txt

Friends arrived late from Issaquah and we were all lethargic and not to keen on heading into the mountains, where the sky was very black. So we skipped out on the 'W trifecta'. Instead bouldered inside, went for a hike at Squires Lake and bouldered over there on some sandstone. Now emailing my groomsmen to get measurements for their tuxes, picking out an island in the south pacific for honeymoon (nice room for a week of snooking, and then diving and boulders )

Tomcat, How was Primus Peak? What route did you guys do? Something that has caught my eye. PM me a TR if you have time.

Iain, Who are you taking the course from? It's odd because I'm interviewing a guy Friday in Anacortes about orienteering for an article. Saturday — working Sunday— either a try on the 'W' trifecta or indoor climbing at Cascade Crags

An orginal article ran in the Spokane paper a few weeks ago that was a better read. I say it when it came over the AP wire and still have it in a folder at work.

Do the traverse from Green Mountain and hit Misch, Buckindy Mutchler and Snowking. From Snowking to Mutchler, it;s not bad of a traverse. From friends that have done it, they say its a great trip with good weather. An area that doesn't get much visitors, the rock on Chaval is pretty solid.

"necesitas una cabeza que no tiene rocas dento" but it would be even better to say something like "necesitas no ser tan gilipollas" (such a stupid jerk) o necesitas no ser un pinche gavacho! I miss the keyboards in Mexico with the upside down question marks and exclaimation marks. It's in the 90s and sunny in Oaxaca. Why did I ever come back?!

"You've got to fuck a great many women beautiful women and write a few decent love poems. and don't worry about age and/or freshly-arrived talent. just drink more beer more and more beer" You gotta love Bukowski. I just picked up "Love is a Dog from Hell" the other week. and is the pursuit of happiness.

OK here it is as promised the exciting Sunday TR. Names of gumbies have been omitted to protect the innocent and ultra-gumby. Eds Note: Please note the precise AP writing style, my editor would be so pleased. Jim Cour eat your heart out. SEDRO-WOOLLEY — A number of gapers spent the day inside pulling on plastic on Sunday, under the shinning canopy of an off-white, dry-walled ceiling. The day had a slow start as much spray was spewed about which state had better climbing, Utah or Washington. However, after the rock wall was introduced to the St. George-native bolt clipper, the stretching commenced and the slippers were donned. "Now the route is to use every hold marked with an 'S' and follow it in sequence, down to the other side, and then reverse it," said Plexus, the resident gumby. "You can use anything for your feet." After all three members completed the three established routes on the crag dubbed, "The Bouldering Wall in my Bedroom", the beers were cracked open and the serious burn was to begin. A minor mishap occured at the area said Plexus. "Our Utahn guest tried showing off her big-wall skills, opening up a beer with using a Black Diamond carabiner," he said. "The carabiner got stuck and the bottle necked needed to be broken. She said that only Black Diamond biners would work. If I didn't know she was the cop & courts reporter at my work, I would have sworn she was a gear rep. "Everybody came out alright, except for the beer which was given a ceremonious flushing down the kitchen sink." After several hours of burn, the group retreated to turkey melts, potato salad and Monty Python's "The Meaning of Life". "We'll be back to find some more lines on this crag," Plexus said. "There is plenty of potential and the access is wonderful. we just have to stumble out of bed."

Dru, I will beat your dumbass TR with my own tomorrow about hiking in the rain, climbing on my bouldering wall and eating Cheesy Puffs!! Then I will a six-pack of Skagit Brown. Sorry about the bumper. Bummer eh?

I like the persepective of your point there Chuck.

What's the snow been like down there? Also what is the name of the small family chain of restaurants...something to do with bears...great, great food down there in Shasta and Redding.

Even our photogs have been shooting digital for about two years now, and we're only about a 21,000-circulation paper. It's wonderful because our photogs can be out in the field longer doing assignments. All the need is their camera, the chip reader and an Apple laptop with Photoshop, and they never have to get back to the office, which is best for us reporters...because reporters and journalists for some reason speak a different language...we both , and we both , and we both enjoy a good everynow and then, but it's just a different language.

I hope everybody stationed over there gets back safely, and regardless of the politics behind all of this, everybdoy should be doing the same. My co-worker just had her first baby on Monday, and her husband is deployed someplace over there and couldn't be there for the birth. At least he was able to her his son's first scream over the phone. I have a couple of friends on the verge of being sent out from Whidbey and a couple of more friends that are reservists that could see action. I have freinds and family that were in the Gulf War and 'Nam, and I am grateful I was able to hear about WWII from my grandfather and great uncle before they passed away...talk about some scary stuff that happened on then!! It sucks that the fate of so many people, on all sides of the conflict, are going to die, just because of a few people, on all sides, are saying so. Everybody get back safe and pray to whatever deity you do that this will all get resolved without blood spilling.

I'd defin. go with 60m. I haven't yet gotten around to switching to the twin ropes method, but I think 11mm is overkill. A 10 or a 10.5 is still beefy enough to sustain abuse, provide psychological security (if it is needed) and does shave off some of that weight. Also having used a bi-pattern rope of a friend, I would def. buy one of those the next rope I purchase, is clearly worth the extra $10-20 to determine the mid-point. Some markers can damage sheaths and also in the case of my main rope, it is getting really faded and easy to pass.

Leejams, Those flashbacks last for about a week, then you'll want to head back out the next weekend. When I get hit by a slide last spring I swore I wouldn't go back into the mountains until everything melted out. Two weeks later I climbed Red Mountain and then the weekend after made a trip up Snowking, so go figure. Glad you guys came out safely. My friend had a mini-epic on that peak. The rock is total crap in places and decent at others. I've never heard anybody ever say, "Man I could sure go for some Guye rock right now. This Enchantment granite/Twin Sisters olivine is just such crap." Never understood why ppl still climb that thing, but then again, if it was in my backyard, I'd probably do the same thing. Looks like you guys had the weather with you. Our three-peak loop didn't happen today. The rain came about 8 hours too early. People in our group dropped like flies, from 10 to four, and then when we met, I decided I'd rather get back in bed and climb on my woodie and our firends decided they'd rather go ski Baker. Next weekend hopefully. Unfortunately I plunked down $9 for a Sno-Park day pass for our taking off point !!

Heading to Denver to plan our wedding for four days, introduce our moms to each other, and hoping to get a day in at the Flatirons if the weather cooperates.

Erik, What's the URL for WSDOT? Also can you look at webcams on that, particularly Washington Pass?

OK, Just got done looking at both NOAA and the Northwest Avalanche Center, and each has contrasting reports for Sunday. Then the bloody weather channel is wishy-washy and picking inbetween the two. So what I want to know, which do you guys find to be most consistent and correct with the weather? Mind you what the weather is like isn't going to stop us from heading out, there's only one 45-degree snow gully to the summit