DCramer

Down and to the left of the Old Milwaukee Tree (the starting point for The Curious Cube & Static Cling) is a somewhat new pitch. I think it is about 5.7+. Does anyone know if this joins CC at the top of the first pitch? If not, is there a second pitch? DC

Those Lookout Point routes all should have new bolts. The JG pitch is just left of CVB. There should be a new anchor (I think in a slightly different position) Also, on the slab pitch of 10% the old anchor (three bolts) has been removed and not replaced. I think a single bolt should be installed there but there isnt one now. Reaching the bolt from that ledge might be difficult.

There are a whole bunch of “lost classics” Here is a short list: Racer X/Beetle Bailey - I think the first pitch has become overgrown. Racer X is a fun moderate face climb. Beetle Bailey is a bit more difficult and is a combination of crack/face climbing but I am sure it has become dirty and the fps are certainly suspect assuming that they still exist. Pitch 3 Japanese Gardens Now dirty and guarded by killer berry bushes this as a corner with a crack very similar to Sloe Children. (I guess you can add the 4th pitch to this list as well.) Wilman’s Walkabout – The start has become dirty. The first pitch is very short (45’) and .11c. The second pitch which should be combined with the first is a fun corner. (.11a) This corner has difficult and enjoyable crack climbing but very rarely climbed. If .11c is harder than you want it can be approached via the direct start to Sedan Delivery with a pull or two (A0) past its crux. The Direct Start is another lost classic as is the full Sedan Delivery. I think a fp has been stolen from the Direct Start. Dark Crystal – First pitch is dirty. Eraserhead – Now dirty. Fun face climbing. Last year at least Free Cat and End Run looked pretty clean.

Ok I thought about it and considering the time of year. The STP may have a wet crack and the very top of Clay may be damp. So maybe the LW is a better choice. Sadly Index seems to be not very popular lately - well with the exception of a select few routes. This creates a spiral of dirt and more neglect and more dirt and more....

Lower Wall Godzilla to Sloe Children is nice. Try Jap Gardens to 10% - - To my mind the best crag route in the State. The slab pitches have some bolts but you still need pro. An old anchor midway up the slab has been removed. Climb Thin Fingers or Shirley and then traverse over to NA Direct. Super cool climbing. First pitch of NA Direct is 12c but a very short aidable crux. Upper Wall Davis-Holland to the STP is good. STP was within the last month the subject of a TR. Clay - the first pitch is awesome! Everything from Fist to fingers. If you are just coming for a weekend don't buy a book just look at Clint's online stuff. DC

Decide on what needs to be replaced and I can provide supplies for chain and link replacement. I don’t climb at 38 that often but I remember some set-ups not having hangers. Instead they rely on a washer/chain system. If these anchors can be modified to include hangers (a better set up in my opinion), I can provide those as well. Maybe Garth or CBS can get something going. The supplies/funds for this come from community donations.

No takers so far. I'll keep them unitl Tuesday evening.

Here is a photo of a friend's home gym.

I doubt any can use these but I thought I'd post here before I threw them out. Both never used ADAPTEC 2906 SCSI card External connector DB 25 pin SCSI-1, SCSI - 2 FAst 2 Never opened. Tekram Ultra SCSI DC-315U External connector 50 pin high density Ultra and SCSI2 Opened but never used. I live in North Seattle. PM if interested.

Lots of people were messing around on the boulders below Zekes last weekend.

For a time a small group of climbers were trying to put up extreme sport routes. I believe this was more of an abandoned exploration than a route.

Here are some wide cracks at Index that weren’t mentioned in the L-Worth thread. Happy Puppy – Inner Walls – 5.9 Not really a wide crack but it does have a short section of flared fist/chimney Behind the Eight Ball – Inner Walls – 5.10 Narrow Arrow Direct (final pitch) – Lower Wall - 5.10 Another Man’s Car – (first Pitch) – Upper Wall – 5.? A huge flake inside the crack fell out and the crack is now very different than before. Not sure how hard it is but it is definitely a steep testpiece. Town Crier– Upper Wall There is a short flare near the top. At Darrington there is always Conan’s Crack! DC

I was saddened last week when I first heard of Larry’s accident and this weekend while at Smith Rocks I thought of him every morning and every evening as I walked under the Picnic Lunch Wall. If my memory is correct back 1974 he was part of a team that made the first free ascent of the wall. Although over the last decade Larry pretty much abandoned rock climbing in favor of biking, for many years he was a fixture in the NW rock climbing community. I fondly remember spending many days climbing, cleaning new routes and avoiding his insatiable quest for photo subjects. While I may not have wanted to be photographed I certainly enjoyed his many fine photographs. My favorite is one of Andy Deklerk climbing Biology of Small Appliances. (5.12, Index) At first glance the picture seems like a typical photograph until you notice that Andy’s shoes are untied! All those who knew him will miss Larry’s enthusiasm, boundless energy, and slightly off kilter sense of humor. Darryl

April is pretty much impossible for me because I will be a single Dad for awhile, a climbing trip is planned and kid's b-days. A day trip to Leavenworth sometime would be easier to swing.

I think that enough climbers can be encouraged to carry a section of replacement chain and a wrench in their pack to properly maintain anchors. The cost aspect doesn’t seem really material to me especially if a larger number of climbers were contributing. Encouraging climbers to participate more in crag maintenance will provide other benefits than simply wellmaintained routes. Anyway those be my thoughts on the subject.

I use to agree with the sentiments express by Jason but now do not. True chains wear out faster if climbers are lowered than if a rap descent was used but what does that mean? Not much. A well-designed anchor should be easily maintainable and “backup-able” in the field. Climbers as a group should be encouraged to contribute to maintenance efforts. For decades people willingly left additional sling materials when the need arose, I think believing that climbers might replace a length of chain doesn't require an impossible leap of the imagination. I agree that TR'ing does cause excess wear.

As far as sandbags go Trapeze to the left of Carnival Crack seemed impossible. The crux move on Killer B's seemed pretty darn hard too.

Jens – You have made the same post twice in this thread. Arguments about ratings aside the magazine article you are referencing is incorrect. Numbah 10 .12b – I believe this was flashed by Peter Mayfield. I believe he agreed witrh the rating. Iron Horse .12a – Although he may have climbed to the ringing flake before I think that Dick flashed up the flare and roof on the first complete free ascent. Dick rated the route. Bat Skins .12b – I believe this was flashed by Russ Clune. He suggested the rating to me in a dicussion. Big Science .12b – Wasn’t this flashed by Lynn Hill? With the exception of Big Science, which I am unsure of, all of these ascents occurred before 1992. There have been lots of Index 5.12 flashes. The odd thing is why would anyone think that someone was/could keep track of them. I mention the above because someone already brought up #10 and collectively they account for most of the classic .12s at the Lower Wall.

There is a bit of distortion in the photo but the easy nutting starts at the roof at the top of the 4th "dot". Below it is a weird exposed chimney. The obvious rfc is the left wall and there is a 2-3" lfc forming the right. This is the crux of the pitch for free climbing and it sounds like it's the cux for aid too. I can't really remember much. Last time I lead that was in the 80's.

See attached. I have aided the variation Lambbone mentions and it is a fun climb. My guess is that as an aid pitch it is better than the straightup variation you were trying. I think the variations join at the top "dot" in my attachment. I have not aided it since TCUs, Ballnuts and such were invented, they might make it easier, but from my experience I agree with the C2/3 rating given by Brooks. I have free climbed the straight up variation. At the bottom "dot" I remember there being an old bolt (new ones added later)and slightly above a friend in a flare. From there you bear hug the rock and move up clipping a bolt. At this point sometime later an anchor was created by someone else. At the third "dot" there is a horizontal break and I fixed a small LA there which was later stolen. Higher up if I remember correctly you move to the right crack. From the top dot on the nutting is definately easy and the pitch ends at a nice stance. I always wanted to go back and clean that route up a bit - removing the manky old bolts (leaving fewer good ones in their place) as the pitch is a **** free pitch. If you were using Sky Valley Rock I may have confused you but I didn't intend to give this pitch an aid rating. The second pitch climbs straight up to a roof (formerly fp, now bolts) and has been freed at.12+. This should be easy aid. The roof is wild at.12b and is C2 (rps) if aided. The crack turns into an easy flared chimney shortly after the roof is turned. In the topo in SVR the 12+ section is shown as C1. The overall rating for the route should have been 12b C1, not 12b C2. Of course now it should be .12+ or more likely .13.

Is the crux on this route a seciton of OW? Do Big Bro's work for pro? Thanks.

Caught up in the sunshine of the weekend I agreed to write this TR. Don’t read it if you value wit and wisdom in reports. Several weeks ago I agreed to go to Vantage for the day thinking that the rest of the state would be either rained or snowed in. As we drove east I couldn’t help but to think how nice the day would be at Index. When we arrived at the parking lot we were only the second car! The sky was blue and the views outstanding. Off we hiked to our goal – the lower cliffs. Our plan was to start at the Hen House and work our way west. It was only after we had climbed a half dozen routes that other climbers arrived in the area. By mid afternoon the air was so warm that it was tempting just to take nap and work on our tans. The routes a the Hen House varied from 5.5 to 5.11 and varied in quality from ok to pretty good. No real dogs. One route that we didn’t attempt/do is shown as #7 Project in the Ford/Yoder guide. It looks great. It reminded me a bit of the Campaigner Crack in Boulder Canyon. An overhanging thin lieback crack past a series of blocky roofs. Anybody have any info on the route? We then moved over to the Millennium Wall. The two 10c’s no the right side were as good as the guidebook stated they would be. Their ratings, however, seemed a bit harder than the rest of the routes in the area. The third clip on My New Hammer didn’t really seem too tough. Just to the left a 5.10a was super fun. I would have given it more than the two stars shown the guidebook. It must be popular because the chossy rock rumored to be at the top was nowhere to be seen. By late afternoon we had worked our way over to the Corn Wall and decided it was time to head home. Beautiful day. Great weather. Fun routes.

Robertm - Thanks for the beta. Anyone else been up there? Photographs make the place look spectacular. Mike - Haven't ried to lead it. The crack is more of a flake at the start and thin.

Mike - Don't wait five years! I was 130 when I was 18 and about 145 in my late 20's then 200 in my 30'S now mid 40s 185. Life goes on and waists grow!

Books and Horst aside wasn't the question about the HIT program? HIT strips are basically mediocre system holds. System training does work. Earlier in the year Rumr and I were discussing climbing with weights on, this is in essence what HIT strips are except the moves are repetitive. I haven't read his books but did print out the HIT routine when it was on the web.