willstrickland

Here's a good one we did Sunday (way south of Smith). Russ led it, thank god because the crux was in the first half, there was no pro until about the 2/3 mark, and a horrible landing. Hardest 25' of climbing I did all week. It's too tight in the back to get feet up on top of the block/spike at the bottom, so the entry is basically bombay on tight chicken wings, arm bars, and blind feet. Following it:

Bugs Squamish Tetons Needles, CA Cirque of Towers RMNP

Doug develops an instant favorite for his Sushi by Nature franchise: The Roadkill Roll.

Joe, I think you're being a little disingenous here and I see why people perceive you as just wanting to keep people away and retain Beacon as a private playground for you and your buddies. Let me explain: You claim to want only to preserve the trad character of Beacon. I share that desire. But you repeatedly decry the publishing of any guide. What I see as the biggest threat to that trad character is the retrobolting of existing lines (often through ignorance that it has already been led on gear, especially on obscure/rarely done lines). An accurate guidebook/topo can go a long way toward keeping this from happening and emphasizing that retrobolting is not generally acceptable. I can understand if you think the topo would be inaccurate, misleading, have personal issues with the author, and don't support this particular project. But your desire to have no guide at all does not jive with the desire to see the place's trad heritage protected IMO. Any of your locals clique/inner circle could have produced their own product if you have problems with Olson's accuracy, motives, etc. The place is obvious to any schmo driving through the Gorge and without a guide people would show up, history would get bungled as these "out of the loop" or "non-locals" came up with their own names and ratings for stuff and then that bogus info propagates through the larger climbing community. It's a problem with that I've seen at alot of areas and it's very hard to correct.

I think RuMR has done Pipeline. Yeah, everyone knows Greg Cameron did the FFA of Pipeline free solo, but they may not know that he also onsight free soloed the Lost Arrow Chimney in the valley.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/outreach/fishing/highlake.htm

Dru (pictured at bottom), speaks from experience:

Liebacking: the technique of no technique. And Joeseph, I'd love to see you try to stem and lieback an entire 130' corner route at the Creek. There's virtually no friction on the blank faces and it'd be like adding almost a full number to most of them. But you'd like the Wave, one of the few there that are best climbed as a lieback, and a stellar line as well.

It varies. The color/weave pattern differences you describe have nothing to do with whether it's a single/double/twin. Single ropes are just that...a single line, usually from about 9mm up to 11mm. This is the most common system in use and is generally fine for most rock routes, the exception being a route that wanders all over. Doubles (also called half ropes) are generally smaller diameter, say 8-9mm. The climber is tied into and belayed on both ropes and clips only one of the ropes through each piece of protection, generally alternating the ropes if the climb goes straight up, and using one rope on one side (say a red rope for pieces out left, blue on the right) if the route wanders...(this is simplistic description) . You can imagine the horrendous rope drag you can get on wandering pitches where a single rope would have a bunch of sharp bends in it as it zig zags between pro, even if using long slings on the protection. Another advantage to this system is that you can rappell the full length of the rope since you have two. With a single rope system, you may have to carry a "tag line"..i.e. a smaller dia piece of rope specifically to pair with your single rope while doing long raps. Twins are even thinner than doubles/halfs, typically around 8mm, and are used almost like a single rope...you clip both strands through each piece. These are a decent choice for ice routes where you may be afraid of cutting or puncturing your rope with crampons/tools and often want the ability to make full rope length rappels, and value a lightweight setup. That's a short description. Google should give you plenty of reading.

Here's a better question: What is on your main partner(s) rack? See where the size gaps are so your combined rack is well balanced across the sizes. And I'll make a little different suggestion here. If you look at your combined rack and decide you're going to get a #2 Camalot, seriously consider getting an Omega Pacfic Link Cam (the #2/Gold one) instead of the #2 camalot. Now don't get me wrong, I love camalots, all my cams above finger size are camalots. I don't even own any of the link cams. BUT...I routinely climb with a partner who has a couple of them, and if I were in your position I'd get one. Here's why: For one thing, that one cam will cover the entire range of a 0.75, 1, and 2 camalot. So not only will you have a #2 camalot equivalent, you'll effectively have doubles of the .75 and 1. For another, when you are somewhat new to leading it's harder to eyeball the sizes properly...so you're more likely to get it to fit when you're pumped and trying to get gear. And yet another advantage is that you can save the link cam for the anchor so you're less likely to have burned your last piece that would fit in the anchor lower on the pitch. I've done all these in the last week...put the red one on back of the harness for the anchor (and used it) because I didn't know what size it was up there and needed all my .75s and 1s for the route itself. Led a thing that started with a bouldery roof yesterday and wanted a piece at the lip but couldn't tell from the ground if it would be a .75 or a 1...took a red link and was happy to have it because I was at my limit. A final advantage to these things is in a crack where the face of the crack is narrow but it pods out/widens a bit inside. Normally, you'd not be able to get a cam in there because anything small enough to go through the narrow front would umbrella in the pod...whereas a Linkcam will compress small enough to go through, then open and still be in it's operational range inside. They're a little pricey, about $100 I'd guess, and a 2 camalot is about $65 and much less versatile. If I weren't on permanent vacation (i.e. unemployed) I'd get a couple of them, but it's hard to justify spending the money when I've got triples and quads from tiny to bigger than fist...so I use my partner's and talk them up to my other partners.

Dru, you should at least quote the NZ scientist in the article who used the "size of a tractor tire" line. Plagiarism is theft.

The dilemma boy should just go climbing with his friends at some overcrowded, spray heavy, wankeriffic, sport crag...like many areas at Smith. That way, he could still climb with his friends as they project his warm ups, climb harder stuff around the crowds of people who are climbing harder stuff, and voila the dilemma is gone. But be warned, he will have to secure the following: a. Dog named Nuptse, Lhotse, Sierra, or Marley b. 18' extendable cheater pole c. NorthFace puffy, sick beanie, prana prana prana, and no shirt outfits d. A psuedo vegetarian girlfriend with nosering or lipring, toering, and tramp stamp.

If you've ever wondered about the winter cragging around Tucson...it's definitely worth sampling. Recently I spent about a week down there with some friends from AZ and UT, MisterE was along for the first half. MisterE on "Valentine's Day Arete", a very fun warm up in La Milagrosa Canyon, a separate area a few minutes from Mt. Lemmon proper, photo by Medium Sue: Lemmon is granite and gneiss, pretty grainy, large crystal structure with polished rock lower on the mtn and rougher, sharper rock higher up. Lots of bright green lichen on golden to brown, often striped rock. Lots of edges, pinches, and bottoming short cracks. With about 5000 ft of elevation difference between the valley floor and the summit, and many towers and aspects, you can almost surely find something that is getting the temps and/or sun/shade you desire. It also means a few distinct bio-zones with enormous saguaro cactus forests low transitioning into open scrubby oak forest. There was alot of fire damage a few years ago, which makes some of the approaches and descents a little loose. The approaches are generally short, I think the farthest we walked was about 20min into the Ruins. Not alot of continuous crack systems here...it's more like mixed bolt & gear face climbing and full-on sport routes, but there are some lines that go completely bolt-free. Guidebook uses a +/- system and seems pretty fair, maybe on the stiff side if anything. Easily the best pitch I got to climb was a thing called Lizard Marmalade Direct on the Punch and Judy Towers. It's one very long crack pitch with some very cool stemming and liebacking over bulges, and a memorable tree downclimb to get off the tower. They call it "The Tucson classic" and it lived up to the hype. OTOH, Mean Mistreater...another so-called super classic two pitch face route was somewhat disappointing given the hype. Huge road bike scene in Tucson and especially on Lemmon. Great cheap mexican food too, as you would expect. So if you've done twenty trips to Red Rocks or Josh (or live here, in my case), and want some variety in your winter cragging...check out Lemmon. It's good stuff.

Just got back...MisterE was down with the Ebola infection, but the rest of us were climbing....and gambling...and dodging the bagmen in the lot at the Gold Spike. Heads up skateboarders: The closed hotel next to gold spike has an empty, totally dry, rounded bottom, concrete pool accessible through a big hole in the fence from the corner Gold Spike parking lot that would provide a nice sesh. Black Orpheus is overstarred. It's ok, but way overhyped IMO. You can't go wrong with any of the Frogland, Tunnel Vision, Crimson Crysalis, etc already mentioned. Good moderates with fun climbing and good pro. Hot dietary tip: Deep fried twinkies and deep fried oreos along with yard-o-daiquiris on the Fremont Experience.

Some guy did break a pelvis on a fall onto the Black Tower. With pins you can make it safe enough. Popular solo because it's short, steep, great features, and easy as far as ElCap routes go. Last haul is the only bad one, and that's only because of the lip. Some pitches wander a bit, requiring a little lower out, but most hauls are free hanging. The top out is literally like pulling over onto a sidewalk. You're on a 90 degree wall, then you're on horizontal ground..no low angle broken terrain between. 2nd pitch roof, black tower pitch, Nipple pitch (really all the circle pitches), Zigzag roof, pitch up to and pitch off peanut were all memorable.

Does it have other protection bolts on it? If no, then: Chop it. Not every route is for every climber. If the author of the route was willing to put in the work to safely lead it (TR rehersal, or whatever), the falls are safe, etc, why let someone bring it down to their level? In these discussions we hear alot about selfishness. But who is really being selfish? The author who took the time and effort to put up a new route with long but safe fall potential, or the sackless coward who desired to climb it but couldn't, so brought it down to his level? No different than chipping holds on a sport route IMO.

Zodiac, even post clean-up is not bad. Most (98%) of it would go clean anyway. I'd take a selection of heads, beaks, and sawed offs. Nipple pitch is trivial on tiny cams, inverted cam hooks, nuts, and then big cams at the end (double 4.5 camalots is very helpful and will get used again on the wide flake pitch off Peanut). Tech crux will be heads, probably on the zig zag roof above nipple unless they're fixed. Dangerous crux will be shallow boxy pin scars and some thin placements off the black tower. You can do a fair amount of cam hooking and leapfrogging offsets on this route. We took two sets of alien hybrids and used them alot. Also took offset nuts and was glad to have them, especially the small brass in a couple of spots. If you want to be prepared for the cruxes, I'd suggest practicing placing a bunch of heads (#1s and #2s) on boulders, especially in shallow corners, and maybe nailing or hand placing some sawed offs in boxy scars. On the final haul to the summit, either extend the haul over the edge (preferred), or have the second jug with or assist the bag...it's a shitty haul.

Hey genius, the thread title was "Pirate Booty Post #2--NSFW" Which part of the NSFW disclaimer did you not understand?

Saw this rig in the real. Very nice. Except by the time I saw it, that bottle of Makers was long since empty and laying out in the dirt. Hey E, was it the redhead?

Fish reslings them, $2.50ea if you supply the webbing, $3.50ea if they supply the webbing. http://www.fishproducts.com/catalog/ look under "repairs & etc"

For location: Go to skibowl.com, pull up the ski runs map. Just to climbers' right (skier's left) of the main run from Ski Bowl Peak to the base...about halfway up the mtn there is "Danger Cliffs" or something similar with "Cliffs" shown on the map. The ice forms on this cliffline. Impossible to miss if you look at the ski runs map. Edit: Here's the map...impossible to miss the "cliffs"

Uhh, right. Because a hairwing royal coachman is called a Royal Wulff.

Was it awesum?

No more "stated income, no doc" type loans. No neg-am loans. No interest only loans. No "zero down" loans. All these masquerade as providing "affordabililty". I'd argue they do just the opposite by bringing unqualified new buyers and speculators into the market through easy credit, which (all else equal) increases the prices by artificially boosting demand. It also decreases the avg % equity, putting increased risk into the credit system (whether banks, MBS holders such as pension funds, etc) . It's essentially ponzi finance, which always ends badly. Is your 3/2 in the Seattle burbs really worth 40% more now than it was two years ago when inflation is only running ~ 4.5% with flat wage growth and housing has historically tracked inflation and/or wage growth, or has it been a "greater fool" scenario? Does it provide you with 40% more/better shelter or 40% more pride in ownership? No, it only provides 40% more debt and the hope that there is a greater fool when you need to offload it and that the ponzi merry go round hasn't come to a halt. Sacramento is a prime example down here. They're seeing 15%-30% declines from the peak already. Check it out: http://flippersintrouble.blogspot.com/

Biggest deciding factor is gonna be how you plan to use it, IMO. On a big wall route or for a chopped ledge bivy on an alpine route? Probably want a tie-in point pre-sewn through the side and space won't matter too much. Look at the basic Bibler big wall or ID equivalent. Solo backpacking? Probably want a little more room, ability to change clothes/sit up etc, better ventilation. Look into something like the OR advanced with head hoop/pole or the ID or Bibler with the pole/stakeout. Just a light shelter on a multi-person trip? Likely better off with a ultralight tent. Conditions will dictate whether you want something like a Bibler I tent or can get away with something like a BD firstlight/lighthouse/etc or even want to go with a no-floor shelter like a megamid/betamid/etc. Ditto for a alpine route where you approach, sleep, fire the route and descend in a day, or have a spacious or low angle area that will accomodate a tent on it, or multi-day slog.