B.S.'er

Notice- this post is not another "ethics" post I'm most likely way behind the times on this, but I heard that the route "Infinite Bliss" on Mt. Garfield saw an ascent several years earlier by a man named Weiss from puget sound's eastside. The route was climbed on sight without pins or bolts and is 95% the same line as the "Infinite Bliss" rap bolt line (95% the same is pretty amazing as far as mountain routes go). As someone who has put up a lot of routes of all styles myself, I'm not taking an ethical stance with this issue, I'm just reminding everyone that the American ethic mandates that the first ascensionist has naming rights. From here on out, I will refer to this route as the "Weiss Route" or until the first ascensionist either gives his route another name or concedes the naming rights to the retrobolters. This is a cut and dry issue with no room for discussion I've been on both sides of this coin with some ofmy routes. This is the American ethic. Please do not refer to or print the name "Infinte Bliss" any longer. Sure- somebody will probably point out in a subsequent post one exception to the rule at some far away place, but I am sharing the custom (whether you are an old crusty hardman or a teenager writing with your pen on the taped gym project). Many of us correspond with the media (climbing and regular media)- Just a reminder for you to do the same. A lot of our fellow men and women don't read climbing websites- please remind them if they mention "Infinite Bliss". Thanks

Condomorphine addiction route Infinite Bliss Index- orc tower (whatever route we did?) Index- princely ambitions and zoom Volcanoes in general (unless in early season or winter or as a ski trip) Vantage- numerous Johannesburg Northeast Buttress- Western rib variation- the one in the selected climbs book ( I haven't done it but it from above, the side and below, it looks like just stump and root pulling. Darrington- I know I'm in the minority here. Hikes- Mailbox peak trail is about as ghetto as it gets Perhaps the beatuy of the cascades is that we have so much diversity it can cater to all of our own personal tastes. Some of us (myself) have some quirky opinions. Come on, who didn't like Sahale? It is one of my favorite 1/2 day outings in the range!

Scariest for me: 60 feet of free fall on a winter climb of the west face of Guye Peak when I was 17. The fall was on a single 1980's 8mm rope onto a tipped out #1friend. Had the friend blown I would have been screwed. Also I managed to not get spiked with my sharp stuff. chestbeat! chestbeat! -----

No I don't.

Cascade Joe..... Cascade Joe hates crowds. Cascade Joe only climbs midweek. Cascade Joe has kept the same 1-2 partners for the last 10 years. Cascade Joe keeps to himself Cascade Joe does a lot of soloing Cascade Joe doesn't smooze at climbing parking lots or base camps. Cascade Joe has never been to a gym or practice rock Cascade Joe doesn't like talking a lot Cascade Joe has been there and done that in the cascades. Cascade Joe doesn't even know the name of any other WA or BC climbers other than his partners. Cascade Joe has been a lot of places in the Cascades Cascade Joe has never visted this site. Cascade Joe has never been to pub club Cascade Joe has never been to a roundup Cascade Joe crag climbs at his own little obscure crag. Cascade Joe climbs hard Cascade Joe hauls ass in the mountains Cascade Joe leaves before dawn and gets home before midnight Cascade Joe doesn't know the gossip Cascade Joe doesn't live in Seattle. Cascade Joe has never been in a climbing club. Cascade Joe mail orders his gear. Cascade Joe keeps a journal Cascade Joe can describe every inch of a whole ton of routes Cascade Joe wouldn't recognize you Cascade Joe has passed you on skiis, in rock shoes, in aiders, in crampons, and in hiking boots Casade Joe wouldn't be recognized by you Cascade Joe doesn't hang out at the index Tavern, Gustav's, or the Highlaner in Ashford. You've never seen cascade Joe other than for a short second on a route or trail. He wears sunglasses. You don't even know Cascade Joe exists. But he does... He's out there..........omnipresent

I enjoy reading this site but I have limited time & also a dial up connection which is very slow. Anotherwards, i'll go to a topic that pertains to me, spend forever loading the page, and then find that 90% of the page is just the same 4 or 5 posters that in my opinion rarely have anything super valuable to contribute. Is their a way I can load this site and filter out about 4-5 posters (their posts wouldn't even appear)? I have mentioned this to others and their seems to be a great deal of interest in this. This would save me time, help me get the beta I need, and would also save my eyes. I also bet that with this feature the number of visits by those who had been previously turned off to this site would go up ten fold. Plus it gives us a more representational view of the cascade climbing community. If anyone knows a way, please post it so that all of us can see how. Having the filter not work in the "spray" section would be OK though. Thanks PS. I realize that their would be occasionaly lapses in conversations and some of the dialogue wouldn't make sense, but that is OK with me because I have limited time.

I was looking for an answer to the following question: Can every single route in WA be done car to car in a 24 hour day? (Except for a few in the northern picketts and also dome peak area.) Any thoughts or opinions? Can anybody think of a climb that REQUIRES a bivouac? Also: The home to home time is much cooler than the car to car time. Sleeping in the back of the car at a trailhead blows. Plus it is not as pure because you are acclimating just like you had made a base camp.

A few ramblings: I must get some frustations out. You can never have to many climbing partners. Here in WA, if you want to get up anything heinous, you must be spontaneous. No "Let' go climbing on the 21st of this month!" So you finally get the weather forecast and get on the phone or email at let's say 6pm on a Friday night. I've been finding if you don't have a least seven climbing partners lined up, you often must go solo (not a big deal because I solo 5.10). It has been my experience that WA climbers are some of least spontaneous people around. Also another rant here: Long time partners that want to talk about climbing with you every minute they get and only end up going out about once a month because they are "mountain biking with a buddy" or "going kayaking". I'm not saying climbing has to be your only thing in life, but be honest with your partners about how many trips you can do a year. I don't care if you are an ex joe badass, if your priorities have changed, be honest with partners. Twight described it something like "the death of a friend" when his partner Scott B. decided to get out of the game for a while. Also if you groove with a partner and have done some cool stuff together but he gives you about "seven consectutive nos" in a row. Don't call him for climbing again except for perahaps to go out partying or to go to a bar. 13 years ago a guy with skills on par with the late Alex Lowe took me out climbing a few times. Why me? Simple- Young climbers have no bullshit excuses to give, it's just "Where are we going and when do we leave?". No lawn to mow,etc. Look at Beckey. I'll bet he went though more partners than most of us will have haircuts in our lives.

Good topic. My ultimate dream involves an enchainment. Just me (solo), my climbing gear, several pre placed parasails, my own personal chopper pilot taxi sevice, with personal photographers, and a 24 hour window. And don't call ice climbing easy. I've found many WI5 pitches to be more pumpy on the forearms than many 5.12 rock pitches. As for "extreme" how about spending a year in a prison near some major Urban area such as New York or LA?

Do you mean Andy Fitz?

If you are reading this and like to spend your time climbing at Vantage, please keep going to the place-- GO A LOT. thanx