plexus

Definitely get a better vibe with Moab, plus more outdoor opportunities. You have sandstone and mountains that craddle snow until late August a short drive away. I'm envious. At least for me it's only a 5-hour drive.

Rappelling or being lowered off.

Don't think I would call the Casual Route on Longs a moderate.

I've actually seen one to the date five years ago. Coming down after climbing a peak in the Twin Sisters range, I was commenting how in our uphill footsteps, there were bear footsteps. About 10 minutes later there was a loud thrashing, a large black blur and then a sound I will never forget as a very large (for Washington standards) black bear climbed up 30 feet or so into a tree in a matter of seconds. I'm sure like many posters here will attest to, you find bears more often than not on less-used trails or off-trail. They, like many other animals, like trails and roads because it's easier to travel on (just like how us humans feel). So from my experience, right about now is when you start seeing them. Only places I have seen a grizzly are AK, BC and one here in Colorado (though I'll never say where because they are supposed to be extinct here).

Trekking poles are like women, I buy them.....Wait a minute!!!

Woodchips, I thought that book was terrible. Give Trent a PM. He could line you up. Split Rock is pretty cool. So is Cumberland Pass. But really for cragging, Erie or Index.

My only experience is in Tulomne in September and I don't even remember it even raining once. I'm actually heading to the Palisades area for a week in August. Looks to be a lot of fun. Curious if I should try to reserve backcountry permits now.

And this is just gorgeous.

I'll be looking at it when I wake up Saturday morning. Too bad my trip is only a solo backpacking journey.

You might want to get your money back.

Love my Shuksans too.

If it did we'd have to change her name. BTW, MattP, good extensive analogy and explanation. I agree with you whole-heartedly. The drying thing is to keep stuff from getting manky and smelly.

Hell, I don't even dry clean my clothes. I do like the car wash idea though.

I'm like Muffy. I like to have mine dangling out!! If you can't sit on your helmet, how the hell is it supposed to protect you from falling rock?!

Like a favorite cousin but sometimes you forget their birthday. If stuff gets wet, it gets laid out. Stuff has its own shelves in the closet (biners here, pro here, slings hang here, etc.) But same thing, I have no idea how many biners I have and I don't even tape them. If a biner goes disappearing so be it, just replace it.

For a second there I thought I was reading a story to my nieces and nephews!! sickie That's what I thought you meant, just wanted to be clear. You are absolutely right. But the more I have read on the route description, the more I get the feeling that those skills will be less required. It's the dumbing down of climbing that I see more and more often.

I'm confused by this statement, probably because I'm over four years removed from climbing in these locations. Is Smoke Bluffs easy or sandbag? I always thought it was a little on the soft side compared to places like Index and Joshua Tree. Sorry about the thread drift. And to reiterate a post made earlier, I can climb much harder than 5.4, yet a romp up in the Flatirons is fun every once in a while. I think it all depends on how "safe" they make it. Are we talking Darrington safe or Exit 38 safe?

I'd go with a 20-degree bag. You can always unzip. I have two bags, a synthetic and a down. Both are 20 bags and I have used them in all four seasons. It's all about what jhamaker wrote: you layer to the temperature. I think more about wet vs. dry than anything else. But then again I'm not the gear whore than Gene Pires is. =)

Any suggestions? Tired of my back turning black after all the years of dirt and crud it has accumulated.

What they said. Ran track and x-country in high school. I stopped running this past summer because it just hurts too much now. My feet have grown a half a size and most people I know my age and older (I'm 32) have gone through the same thing.

Awesomeness all around!! Great photos, great report. Has really inspired me to get out and do an overnighter here this next month. Loved the picks of the hoar and rime with the plane in the sky.

Does this count as a day out? I skied twice and that was to shoot people getting married. Loveland Ski Area mass wedding

Weren't they for all of us?! Hell, I still hesitate when I have to pay that much for a new cam otherwise I'd be a gear whore like our Billcoe.

But it would have had to be backwards, otherwise it would look like Sanskrit in the morning.

huh-huh. You wrote undies.