Marty

RUMR, Hasn't Holsten been trying to pull such stunts as of late?

March could be warm. Maybe snakes and scorps, I was there in Jan. Crowds don't really matter cause its a big place but I would guess they might be low then?

I've been and I will talk. Went for a month. Flew into San Antonio, then got on a bus for 6hrs to Monterrey (sp?). From the bus station in Monterrey, my spainish was good enough to get a cab to take me to Homero's at the Portrero. There are other refugio's/hostles and they are campable or you can rent huts. Both are cheap in American standards. I rented a hut for a month for $300 with fridge, stove, bed. There are many bolted multipitch moderate climbs, and the popular one's are fairly clean but I would wear a helmet and be the first party on the route. Ropes pulled in yuca plants on the cliffs seem to knock debris off as do careless people. The sport pitches, again which there are many moderates, were very clean on excellent, European like limestone. Some great routes and I stayed on those mainly because of lack of partners and multiple projects. The route Jose Parea(sp?) (I watched the rescue copter/team pluck his body off the ledge he landed on that next morning) was a trad route on sketchy limestone that was already know by the FA Team as a death route. If you've been to Canmore (Yamnuska), the limestone is better in Portrero, but still lots of loose blocks, etc on untravelled routes. I would aviod ground up trad climbing on limestone massifs as large as Portrero. Also if you like steep sport climbs, I would spend a bit of time at Portrero in the Surf Bowl, Outrage Wall, then get over to El Salto ASAP. People in Portrero will know the way. No scene in El Salto Either.

Just another thought on Ice climbing around here. McLaughlin Canyon, just north of Omak may have Ice on some of the walls in winter. Never read anything or witnessed it (I don't ice climb so I dont really seek it out) but there's lots of walls facing in many directions so could be some stuff.

Im 90% sure there is not any ice in this cave. The routes were bolted in Febuary and the idea was "dry rock" for climbing not some seepy mess we had to wait till july to climb on. If you wanted to drytool some stuff, get a drill and start checking around the ~26 miles of bassalt rim that surrounds the lake. Got to be some good overhanging ice patches/seeps in there somewhere. That Devils Punchbowl (I think thats what its called) right offt he road to the west of the granite cliffs looks excellent but Im not sure if the rock would hold bolts or not. Pleanty of steepness and Ice, just needs equipment (if possible) and big guns.

It was probably about 7 yrs. since we were there. The climbing is really cool. Mostly rock wrestling with bizzare knee bars and big muscle climbing. The real drawback was that the warm up was probably about in the mid 13 range, and I had so many other projects in other areas with warm ups etc, that getting people to go with me was a bit difficult. I think all the routes have anchors but some still may need cleaning and work. If you start trying them keep me posted. It will take some mutant strength to send some of those lines. Oh and there's about 5 routes bolted at the moment i belive. Have at it.

I and another guy bolted some routes in a cave that's about a 10 second approach from the highway. Some of the routes never get 30 feet off the deck cause they're so steep. Is this the cave you're talking of? Those were ment to be sport routes just never finished and I doubt Ice forms in this cave. You could try it but Im sure they're burly.

There's 3 x's on the topo. And by no means am I the "Trad Master" (If you remember from earlier posts I think I'm in the "cholter" grouping) but I don't think they have any pro that small. In fact it's barely even a seam but more of a fold with a few spots that were wide enough to pound in some blades.

I pulled two of those pins out with my hands. Randy Green's book says that there were three. The third must have fell out. Someone should fix the route so its climbable (protected) again cause it seemed like a good line.

I bolted a lot of the routes at China Bend. Currently the grades start around 11a and go up to 13d or so. There is a lot of easy terrain to develop at the cliff but no one has taken the time to clean and bolt. There is actually a whole wall of 2 pitch stuff that looks real cool but its low angle (slabby). I figure if no one gets to it by the time I'm 60 I'll start developing it then. Also there are other crags around the area. Marcus is developed but again the good routes start at 11a. Someone could put moderates in here too with elbow grease and bolts. If you want virgin rock its here as well, just start driving around. Good luck, its a nice area to live in if you climb.

ceuse good in june

I climbed whith John a couple of days in Red Rocks back in the late 90's. He's the gambler because he made (I assume he still does) his living playing texas hold em up and down the west coast (including canada) with the sunshine so he could climb all the time. Cool gig if you have the cajones. LanceG is justified in searchin for this guy on this site cause maybe he's been around here lately. Get it?

Who did/or was there ever a free ascent of this route?

Anybody up for a trip to Marcus? I'll check back (my pm's and this thread) before 11pm. If nothing I'll make some work to do and mope about, thinking that I could have been clipping bolts, having fun.

go to rockclimbing.com then go to washington, then E. Wash, then Mclellan, and then you'll find a guy named roadstead. He has all the info. However, due to the spread out nature of the routes he probably can give you a general idea of where to climb at but not really "guide" (unless he meets you down there) type of description. All the sport routes are bolted real well (to well for all the big balled rockstars who spray on this site) so if you get in trouble you can always bail off. Its a great crag and excellent landscape. Have fun cause there's a ton of routes to try with enless rock.

We'll be there saturday and probably sunday. Glad to give you a catch if you need one.

"A lot of people who write guidebooks don't really know that much about it, they don't even know that much about the area. They don't do the routes, they don't talk to people who have done the routes -- and that's the reason that a lot of guidebooks are not especially informative." - Alan Watts, smithrock.com interview

If the sun is out and you don't mind grabbing a few seeping holds (or maybe none at all) China Bend is your best bet for climbing. Its a south facing convex solar collector that gets too hot sometimes in march. But that all depends on the sun and you will freeze with out it. Manressa grotto is mostly in the trees but there are some good boulder problems here, just not a lot. The rock is conglomerate and cool to climb on but could be cold. Devils well: I think you need a boat? Ive only been in a boat but its just a big round cylinder full of water. Garderner cave is closed for the winter I belive. If you go check out the Arena at Metaline falls. It too gets hot with the sun and is climbable in winter, but without you'll freeze. Ancient grove of cedars is probably snowed in I think, not postive. Good luck

"If you steal from one another it's plagiarism; if you steal from many, it's research. - Wilson Mizner

What RuMR said. You were project master when you lived in Spokky-Doke. What has happend to you in the last few years Holsten? Merry xmas. Bland

Rifle wasn't

Did you get on any of the routes? They may look bad but they climb well and yes some are dirty. 5.ll and less are dirty. 5.11-12 probably clean. 5.12 and up are clean. (no holds... sttteeep.....= hard and clean) The others just need some traffic. Rememeber, Smiff was total choss (or is it still cause I still break stuff there) but is good now. At least the limestone around Spokane will clean up with traffic. Of course traffic seems to be a problem around here.

Oh and ask for John Crock cause I think he has the local guide info. Local guides are always better than Falcon (Vulture) anyhow.

I think that the Hyperspud sport in Moscow, ID. has info on this area and it isnt that Smoot guide either. Not totally positive though but check it out.

I think that the Hyperspud sport in Moscow, ID. has info on this area. Not totally positive though.