specialed

That's not true that EMR causes brain damage. I know because the little green man who lives in my kitchen cupboard told me. He's my friend. I just can't stand it when the household appliances laugh at me. I say toaster shut up, shut up! Stop looking at me toaster!

Lets just dwell on all the dangers and possible things that can go wrong when you're out climbing that way we'll just freak ourselves out thinking of all the heinous and painful ways to die when tools and pieces of gear pop and the friction doesn't exist. Whatever you do don't trust any gear or believe in your skill or ability when you're out climbing. TV's pretty good and safe. I'm gunna give up climbing and drink Mickey's with Dwayner.

North Face of North Trapper, huh? Rather obscure route. Done any other climbing in the Bitterroot?

The general capitalization of public lands is a mixed blessing. You're right Will, anytime an agency improves the land they feel they need to collect fees for it. The problem is they don't make a development, like add pit toilets, that is simple and relatively cheap but improves the area immensely. Thet feel they have to pave the roads, add a lodge and interpretive center, hire a staff, start a gift shop, rake the pine neadles, etc. And charge and arm and a leg to get in. I just hope they don't go overboard on Indian Creek.

This is a good thing in my opinion. Look at that nasty ass free camping spot outside Zion. There's trash everywhere and if you walk two feet into the trees theres mounds of shit and tp. Indian Creek needs some facilities and some sort of management plan.

I bet that most "hot shit" 5.14 climbers today couldn't get up on toprope some super technical footwork-intensive 5.11's put up in the 70's and 80's. How many 5.12/5.13 climbers do you know that climb that same grade on slabs. Very few.

Sounds like a question for Chongo Chuck.

Stay away from the PNW altogether and move a town in the Rockies. Though I have to admit the coolest place I've been is Bishop, CA. Every type of climbing or or outdoor pursuit is less than an hour away. Right next to Whitney and the Sierras, da Valley, and Toulumne. Near J-Tree and the Utah desert. Bad ass. Just no jobs at all.

It really truly is a cryin' shame.

Any beta on these or other Leavenworth area ice?

I've used them quite a bit. We had one on the Zodiak this fall. They don't come close to fitting in as many places as Aliens and they don't have the range that BD micros have. It held up just fine to some serious abuse though. For straight forward free climbing they're probably OK but for aid or if you want a lightweight rack for the mountains I'd say skip em.

I think that's right. It definetly isn't open as far as silverstar. I was there over Thanksgiving and it was open to about Silverstar but they were moving it back about seven miles in the next couple days. The only way to get into the goods up 20 is via snowmobile.

Just trying to decide where to go look this weekend. Forecast looks good, perhaps something might be in by then. Anyone have any beta re: ice around Mazama?

I've been out of town for the last few weeks and haven't been paying attention to weather out here. Has anyone heard about conditions of ice in E Washington like Banks, etc. Had a good time climbing ice at Mission Falls outside Missoula Montana this last week, even though it got really warm I'd paste some pics here if I knew how.

"End of the Affair", a wicked-hard gritstone deathfest.

For real

yeah RORP big wall climbing is SOOOO very exciting to watch.

RURP the cool thing about "famous" climbers is that they are normal approachable people and average climbers like us can hang out and drink beer with them. I personally think its cool to meet someone who can free a 5.14 trad route on El Cap for example. If they're a chode I wouldn't want to hang out with them no matter how hard they climb, but most rad climbers are pretty cool. Thanks for being so morally superior to all us "climbing groupies" bro

Talk about taking whippers onto daisy's. I pulled a shallow cam hook and took a fall onto a wierdly placed yellow alien. I didn't even feel it pull on the way down but it took a huge chunk out of one of the cams. Another time I took a daisy fall onto a micro RP and it held - go figure!

Are you gunna go build a kicker, bra?

I have Axar. I like. Alex Lowe only climbed with charlet moser so they're good enough for me.

Mt. Erie by Annacortes has a good amount of routes I guess and is kind of like on the Peninsula.

we almost killed Sig Isaac, some Squamish badass dude, this October in the valley when my partner knocked off a dinnerplate rock onto his head. We also: hung out with Alex Huber at a belay, ate some of Leo Holding's "crisps", and ran into Bridwell at the base of El Cap.

My naked lady lighter from the dollar store on University Ave.

Tricams rock for putting in right off the belay when you don't want to waste a cam and have a good enough stance to mess around with it for a while. Also good for belay anchors.