Otto

Nah, Crack of Doom is 5.8+. See Carlstad/Brooks, 1976.

That must have been a lot of fun, good job on it! It's a fine route, indeed, for a mellow aid day. I like the laid-back style of the TR, too. I think it is misleading to folks to say you needs hooks on this route, though. I climbed it years ago with no hooks or camhooks, hammerless, and it went fine. I think a lot of people see a requirement for hooks as a break-point in the decision to to a route or not, myself included. So, your gear list might act to keep the traffic down on the route. Anyway, it sure looks like fun, thanks for the good photos.

Climb: Juno Tower-Clean Break Date of Climb: 9/24/2006 Trip Report: I had a cold on Friday while packing for our planned two days to climb Clean Break. I usually feel weak and miserable with a cold, so I almost called it off. Fortunately, I kept on and excoriated the bug by clean living and hard climbing, dehydration and lack of sleep - everything the doctors don't recommend. By Sunday night I was almost symptom-free and bashing through the dense trees next to Silver Star creek... We planned a two day trip, fixing the first two strenuous pitches the first day. It all went as planned, except for the three hours we spent chipping snow off the nearby patch to melt on our tiny, underpowered stove. Thanks to Bryan for the notes; we followed them but skipped the "wild 10a hand crack" at the top. Sorry to say neither of us brought a camera, no pics. Afterwards, Jake pointed out that in the first seven pitches, five of them have 5.10 climbing. None of it is sustained, except the famous first pitch, which is mostly good hand jams. On Saturday afternoon, I wasn't sure I'd have the energy, so he performed the hand stylings. We climbed to the top of pitch 3 and fixed, since that takes you back above the first belay so the ropes will be in line. We were both a bit exhausted on the descent, and Jake took a horifying fall in the sharp talus field just below the bivy site. I looked back to see him do a cartwheel totally out of control. Amazingly, the only damage was a small cut on his eyebrow. We then messed up the descent to the creek by not traversing the hillside far enough, and cliffed out. Two short rappels got us past that, before dark. Another great climb in the Cascades to finish out the season. Gear Notes: No need for a #4 cam. Approach Notes: If going back down Silver Star creek, descend the hillside the same way you went up it.

Thanks for the explanation, mattp! Hey, I looked for you at 3 O'Clock Rock on Sunday. I figure I'll run into you there someday. I'm trying to climb every pitch there within my range...

At the risk of sounding curmudgeonly, why is an administrator wasting our time with this? It contains no information. It appears to be nothing but an inside joke.

Gin Ricky

When I was there we humped our loads up to the hut on 7/30 in a snowstorm in which some poor souls' tent was blown off Applebea Dome, and lost. They posted a note later asking if anyone had seen their tent...

I've climbed Big Tree 1 twice in the past year, I find it an excellent route to bring beginners up for a thrill. But I don't know what you mean by "grubbing about". What pitch, and why?

That looks really nice, Mark, thanks for the photos. Fun rambling up there, it seems. The Goats Horns look to be worth a closer look all right. I could look at a map, but is that Tieton Glacier the origin of the Tieton River that flows down past Naches?

Climb: Pigeon Spire-West Ridge Date of Climb: 8/2/2006 Trip Report: Madcap and I went to the Bugaboos hoping to do a route on the West side of North Howser Spire, but we arrived at the onset of a period of unsettled weather. The forecast didn't get any better than a 50/50 proposition each day, so we had to change our ideas to include a series of day trips. The first day we took an exploratory trip to the Bugaboo-Snowpatch col, and backed off at the schrund because of the 4-6 inches of new, unconsolidated snow on the slope above. The next day we climbed McTech Arete, and Madcap did a great job of leading the fine 10a crack on the second pitch. The next day we went to Pigeon Spire, and found the col nicely consolidated and easy traveling. We climbed the famous West Ridge along with several other parties from the Kain hut. Took some snaps with the trusty Kodak disposable: Moving up to the Bugaboo-Snowpatch col in the morning Bugaboo Corner, Snowpatch Spire Madcap rambling up the West Ridge On the summit block, Snowpatch behind Like a ship's prow Otto walking back down the fine white ridge Too much weather behind the Howser Spires Bugaboo Spire Though it was a disappointment to be up there with all that gear and not get on the first objective, the place is so stunningly beautiful that the time and efforts are well repaid.

What a great thread! I can't wait to get on these routes, even if nobody replaces the bolts. Thanks in advance to any public-spirited folks who do so! What guidebook does Garden Weasel appear in?

It can also be done without any hooks. Did it a couple of weeks ago. There is so much fixed gear in it, it is very straight forward.

East Wilmon's Spire has a good, airy route in your range. You get to walk in past the old town of Monte Christo and a gaping mine hole on the way up.

Good advice on embedding the pictures. In addition, you can just remove the "-med" from the filename to reference the big, oringinal picture.

Sounds like a good dream. Nice trip report.

Ah, but you will like best of all - climbing on a weekday!

I learned it from Mark_L a few years ago, and he called it a Skull knot. No "death" in that!

Big fun, chucK, so that's what you've been up to. Way to go! You really cover a lot of ground on that route. Did you get any late afternoon lightning?

So, chucK, have you arrived at a conclusion you can apply to your case? (which may or may not be "based on a true story" - but we both know it is!) I like 4ord's thoughtful definitions. Our case is definitely a Variation, no?

I like going up through Metalline Falls. I don't have a map in front of me, but this route goes to Spokane and turns North. The border crossing is quaint. Follow signs to Nelson. Have a blast!

It sounds like he needs to nail down the time/distance to the big culvert where you turn uphill. Zenny, try 40 minutes next time! It will be obvious, the road suddenly gets very overgrown.

I do that when climbing with my teenage son. It's more for me than him, though!

Thanks, Dave! I will. The photo spec. talk is just a sideline of mine, being a geek.

Sign in at the parking lot with the bathroom, say you're climbing and not shooting the place up with guns. There are three roads with gates, take the middle one. After crossing the little bridge, take the first right, drive to the end at a big log crossing the road. Hike up the road, at a big culvert section, not the first one, with a cairn on top, take a left up the hill on a good trail. Check out McCarthy/Carlstad up the left side of the Pillar, it's beautiful.

No kidding about the heat, sun, dry. I did it with chucK in May this year and I was slurping water out of the runoff dribble toward the end of the rappels... Good job on the foray, guys, you'll get it complete next time! That face pitch is worth it.