Marty

Hi, my name is Marty and I climb with a 12 inch love gun and two reloads strapped to my "way" high upper thigh. I'd love to go bouldering with you at your secret area. PM me any time.

When someone gets on the forum and starts saying that they are going to chop this and that they can expect grief. And please lets put this into perspective. It's another 10b mixed (now bolted) route at Vantage. While Im not going to wait out at the cliff for Martin and his crowbar, I will take 2minutes to tell him what I think. If I was Yoder I wouldn't even give Martin a response. If It wasn't for Yoder, Martin and friends wouldn't even be climbing out there period. Martin and friends have never taken the initiative to scout out cliffs and put the labor, time, and money into development like Yoder. Guy's like Martin are armchair quarterbacks picking at the guys that created the game.

Hanging off a rope, cleaning bird crap and loose, dirty, basalt out of cracks is not fun. It's really not that fun to clean the loose rock off the faces or put bolts in either. Yoder has probably been doing it longer than Martin has been climbing. Has Yoder messed upon this route maybe? Should Martin Cash give the guy some leeway and keep his mouth shut? For sure. Martin, it is my understanding that your climbing resume would benefit if you spent more time training to climb, and climbing rather than worrying about some mixed climb at Vantage.

I'm going to pipe in with LuCKY here. My stance is the same as it was a couple years ago during a bolt chopping debate, and it is this: WHO THE FUCK IS MARTIN CASH? and Who endowed him with such divine ethical standards? Bottom line: Yoder, creator of routes at the cliffs that you all climb on. Martin Cash, bottom feeder, critic. Contribution to climbing in WA state; zero.

Umm, Martin.... My big, black, friend who just got out of prison for sodomizing and killing the last guy that chopped his route put those in. Be warned cause Tiny loves terrorizing little white men such as yourself.

Spotly, there are some 10's and the 11's are well bolted, endurance (no hard moves just big holds and pumpy) routes that even if you don't send, they are fun to climb on. It aint like minne, you can actually fall without hitting the ground. Drater I am a part time kiter these days. Kiting does jack for your fitness. Especially the after kite beer drinking. Liberty Park: Well its all chipped so if you dont like it don't come: Here's my miniguide: 1. Home of the Homeless V5 2. Pipe Hittin' Niggaz V8 3. Walk the Earth V9 4. Cant remember v9 5. The Naturalist v7 6. Carrie v6 Best bouldering in spokane.

Trip: China Bend - Several Date: 10/13/2007 Trip Report: Team Spokane, and Team Gay met at 8AM at team Gay headquarters (My house. And no, we're not really gay, that's just what Team Green (They enjoy the wacky tabaccky) calls us so don't go trying to sign us up for gay chatlines and stuff. Keep your rainbow flags and pink triangles to yourself. If I catch you trying to pinch my butt at Smith Rocks next time I see you there will be a war, Okay?). Team Pullman was already at the cliff. They spent the night after bouldering at Liberty Park on Friday. They were very motivated. After our alpine start, and grocery store stops we got to the crag at about 11AM. Why so late? Well picking the proper selection of energy drinks and crag goodies takes time. Also the Kettle River bridge is out and now it takes a little longer drive to the cliff. A typical start of the day, Team Spokane member John Keene warming up on Pork Sausage, 11b. Everybody loves Pork in the morning Team Gay member Marty Bland hasn't been climbing lately but did step up and warm up on A River Runs Through it, 11c. If you study the photo, you will notice an absolute lack of any muscle definition what so ever. Very sad conditioning. Even more disturbing perhaps, is the attentiveness of his fellow team member and belayer in this photo. At any rate the day progressed and got a bit cloudy, which was good for sending. Team Gay member Bryan starting up his current project, Evil Betty, 13a He was not a success on this trip and will return to face this enduro, pumpfest in the future, where he will likely crush this monstrosity of a route. Mike Boccino, of Team Pullman was succesful. Here he is sending Game Warden, 12d Perhaps the highlight of the day was Team Spokane's Johnny Goicoccea,(sp but I can't ever even hope to spell that guys name anyway) and his near ascent of the Overoptimistic Local 14a. He'd been working it and this was the day to send, especially when the clouds rolled in and cooled the temps. He started the route, made it through the crux, but on the easy terrain at the chains, he broke a hold and was off. Couple photo's: The crux set up: And the crux sloper stick. You know its a bad hold when you can see the top of it and you're standing on the ground. At any rate, there was some sun, great sports action, and sore shoulders at the end of the day. It doesn't get any better.

Um, sir. You state that you need to climb harder to learn to fall yet you haven't fallen for 12 yrs. until last year? Maybe you should read your post and take your own advice?

By the way spotly, you're website is pretty cool. You got some great photos.

I got an Idea. You could get some of that blue spray paint that "F*&K" is written in, spray a couple lines on the "F" to make it a "B", enclose the "u" and the "c" for two O's, then put a couple more lines on the "k" for another "B". Everybody loves Boobs, right? Seriously Spotly, if you want to scrub the F*&k out of that rock I think you should. There's no holds there anyhow, and I just like to get Steve wound up anyway.

I know Elmo. We have a brilliant choss cliff (pretty clean now) in Spokane (Deep Creek). Looks like there has to be some stuff around hood river. I won't be doing any work there either but thought I would ask if someone else has been.

Curious, but some of you think Just Do it, Action Directe, Realization, and routes like these are still waiting for a legitimate redpoint? At which time they will be renamed? I'll bet you think all the cool kids are listening to Depeche Mode, Flock of Seagulls, and Duran Duran too?

I have a question for you portland guys. It looks like there's some steep basalt/choss cliffs around Hood River. Very overhung/cave type stuff. Is there any route development that anyone would care to share about on these cliffs? Not gear placing crap either, strictly sport cliff type things.

Kevin lives in his van and is at the New River Gorge judging by his 8a.nu scorecard. He lives in Cranbrooke otherwise. I can get a hold of him if you really need me to, but he's on a 10 year roadtrip at the moment. Got to work tomorrow but have fun without me.

Cock a doodle doo. 99% of the garbage at Minne is not climber generated. I'm not burning a Saturday to "clean" John Shield Park. What's next in this quest to make climbers into some sort of eco-saints? Will I have to pick up garbage in the ditch on roadways leading to popular cliffs in order to be worthy? I have picked up others garbage as I passed by it. Why not do this instead of a formal clean up? What is the point of this big, organized clean up? How much garbage is really out there that we must organize an army to clean it up? Some people just like to have meetings to vote on organizing organizations so they can form committees to organize meetings, and then vote on chairmen that elect board members that organize different functions that vote on committees who elect members to serve on organizations that elect committees. These are people who should shut up and climb. Still climbing. Went to china bend yesterday (no garbage there cause we pick it up and it isn't in the middle of the city like the pristine wilderness environ of Minne and Dishman).

One of your fellow countrymen, Kevin Wilkenson, fixed the trail. He spent several weeks with some friends climbing there this spring. You can view the routes that he did on his 8a.nu score card. Also we've been climbing up at china bend for the last couple weekends. Probably be there till the weather gets horrible or Mid Dec. or so.

No not crowing. Just being logical. Until you hire a security guard to patrol Minne, (or something of that nature) you're just going to participate in an endless cycle of graffiti then sandblast for infinity. My question to you is, Are the white sandblast patches more or less of an eyesore than the graffiti? I say equal. And no, I will not participate in a cleanup of Minnehaha. You couldn't handle my negativity at your happy, little, eco-buddy, Im a do-gooder, get together.

Hey now. Don't you go throwin' round that bolting word at Minne. Its a pristine nature area steeped in traditional climbing ethics. Just pretend those gunshots you hear all day are wolves howling and you'll have your own little slice of Yosemite, right here in the middle of Spokane. On a serious note: That fricken sandblasting doesn't do the cliff any favors. Some of the harder stuff isn't going to exist if you guys keep blasting graffiti off it (example: east coaster traverse) every time someone paints it. And it's not "if" its "when" it gets painted again (and again, and again, etc.). Not to mention those white patches the blasting leaves are just as big of an eyesore as the graffiti (or the sparsely placed bolts).

Does Eastern Washington have dirty cracks?

A chick there with a dong? Is that what you said?

I heard Donny Baker has a little Native in him. Maybe he'll join in this important topic soon.

There's boulder problems listed at Minne. Besides, the Native Americans already got all the FA's of the boulders long ago broseph. Why do you think we're all climbing in Anasazi's now?

Yeah, I think it's the same thing. (the one in my avatar!), Here's some pics: Highway Rock Highway Rock and Roadside Rock are the same. "Highway Rock" is the original name used by locals. It's noted correctly in the newer La Belle guide, and was mistakenly named "Roadside Rock" in Bland's older guide. Mistake was repeated by Whitelaw in "Weekend Rock," which was written and printed prior to the 2006 La Belle guide. La Belle's "Rock Climbs of Central Washington" has the most and newest routes for Banks Lake and nearby areas. "Weekend Rock" is a good complement as Whitelaw lists several boat-in only areas near Highway Rock that aren't included in La Belle. If you'll be climbing on popular Highway Rock, use La Belle's guide for sure. Many routes are bolt only, but La Belle lists which routes require trad gear. He also notes approaches and rap-ins, number/length of ropes needed, number of bolts and trad gear size for specific climbs. Good intros and warmups for Highway are on the south side starting with Bono and The Edge, Washington Pass (as mentioned by spotly), and Calanques. My favorite climbs on Highway Rock are on the west, water side and include Aqualine, Creamsicle Buttress, Danton, Tom Paine, Robespierre, Pas de Deux, White Lung Disease, Croissant, and Rashomon as a summit top-out. Further to the north on the west side, out of the sun the longest (until about 2 pm these days) and best reached by rapping in after walking around from the north are Cinderelle, Pas de Cheval, Papillon, Ou est Valdes, and Steve's Classic Dihedral. In Northrup Canyon, good moderates include the Southwest Arete of Gibraltar and several routes on Picnic Table Rock such as Earnest Stemmingway and Jugoslavia. Likely the best route on Picnic Table is Dr. Ceuse, which some say is the best single pitch in the Banks area. All climbs I've mentioned are moderates, not harder than mid-10. Boat not needed for Highway Rock and Northrup Canyon climbs. La Belle's Penninsula area used to be accessible by vehicle via Barker Canyon from the west side of the lake but is now closed to vehicles near the Barker Canyon boat ramp (as of this past winter), necessitating a several-mile hike. Best access for the Penninsula is now by boat from the east side, from the boat launch across from and west of the Northrup Canyon road. The Penninsula has the longest climbs on Banks, 3-5 pitches from just above waterline to the top of Orange Wall, but can get hot. When accessing Highway Rock by crossing through the marshy area between the gravelled parking area and the rock, look out for poison ivy including right on the beaten trail. It's a real ivy jungle there, but on Saturday I emptied two spray cans of herbicide on the stuff just within reaching distance of the trail. Poison Ivy abounds also on small ledges on the west side, so look out when throwing your ropes. Other hazards include rattlers and loose rock. Most routes are still fairly new and/or don't receive much traffic, and the granitic gneiss is crumbly enough to warrant constant attention. Have fun out there. Duh. Everyone knows its called "Highway Rock" and not "Roadside Rock". I just wrote it wrong in my guide so Id know who was plagiarizing my book. Whitlaw will hear from my lawyer soon. So will LaBelle for renaming all the routes. That really chaps my ass the most Steve. -Bland out.

I wrote a guidebook, touch my radness.

Think Ive been to that cliff in aus10 (didnt climb on it but did climb on the one down t he river). Already hiked the Pee wee falls drainage from the road down. No limestone overhangs, sorry. C-fork might have some cliffs.