Matt_Alford

If all ya'all mofos out there aren't members of the Access Fund, do you need any more reason to join!?!?! Membership makes sense and secures the future of climbing right here in our own backyard!

I like the Rubber Room in Bishop. Just got two pair of shoes back from them and they did a pretty sweet job. The turn around was about 3 weeks, not to bad for sending them to California and back.

Any alien abductions? Suspicious bivy behavior? Come on D, give me something!

Anyone leaving for L-Worth tomorrow morning from Seattle? I will pay for all the gas for a ride. Me and a pack of gear. I want to leave the car in Seattle so my wife can join me after work on Saturday. PM or call if this sound like it might work. Matt 425-737-0164

Needing a ride to Leavenworth 2nite or tomorrow morning. From Seattle, I can meet where ever. Don't need a ride back. I will pay for all the gas there. Matt 425-737-0164

Ride wanted 1. To Leavenworth on Friday 4/24 in the evening or Saturday 4/25 in the morning. 2. From Seattle. 3. Will pay for all gas. 4. Wife is joining me on Sunday with the car so I just the one way ticket. 5. Meeting a climbing partner there. Thanks, Matt

20 footer on Bob's Your Uncle with a a Blue TCU. No worries.

Sign me up as well!!! This could be a great opportunity to bring the Index climbing community together for a common cause.

Trip: Mnt. Goode - NE Butress Date: 8/16/2008 Trip Report: Dave Svilar and climbed the NE Buttress of Mnt. Goode on Saturday the 16th. We both found the route enjoyable, challenging, but never extreme. Climbing in boots with heavy packs after a legit approach adds to the alpine flavor of this climb. We got on the rock at 2 pm and climbed to the summit in 7 silum blocks arriving at sunset. An big feed (avocado, cookies, scotch=heavy pack) and a stunning sunset made an unforgettable bivy. Awoken by lighting and unfriendly skies at 5 am motivated us down. A combination of down climbing a rappels brought us down to the meadows above Park Creek. 19 long hot miles, a close encounter with a black bear and two rangers brought us back to Bridge Creek Trail Head and warm beers. Most excellent full-on Cascade Adventure with a great partner and lifelong friend. Dave and NE Buttress Approach Slabs Climbing on the Buttress Summit shots Avocado love Summit feed Unfriendly sunrise Lightning Face SW Couloir rappels Buckner and Booker Tree love

Trip: Colchuck Balanced Rock - West Face Date: 7/30/2007 Trip Report: Dumb and Dumber In our triumphant reunion JJ Sill and I climbed the West Face of Colchuck Balanced Rock on the 29th in 15 hours car-to-to. A spectacular route in an beautiful setting; an absolute classic. I will definitely be back to free this route in the next couple years. We shared the route with Andrew and Jesse from Seattle who freed the entire route onsight! Nice job guys! The route climbs the central part of the face up the the large triangle roof, traverses left and then up. JJ following pitch 4 JJ leading 11a corner, best pitch on the route Me following the corner JJ Leading the roof traverse Splitter 5.9 hands to the A1 (12-) roof moves Getting cozy with the squeeze chimney exit pitch WTF!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Yeah John, you're right. Shitty wouldn't describe to overall quality of the rock on the West Face. As Darin pointed out though, I pulled off a large chunk at the start of pitch four and the free crux lb high on pitch 4 felt was like 10c on a kitty litter lb. The start of Aid on pitch 2 has a HUGE expanding flake on the left before your transition into the right crack that takes you up to more moderate free climbing. I slotted what I thought was an A1 piece and stepped into the aiders and placed a mirco cam high when I noticed the nut pulling and the whole thing expanding! I quickly pulled over and slotted a steel nut into the crack to the right and stepped on it. Exciting! The climb will become more classic with a bit more traffic and the position is unbeatable. Thanks for the feedback

Trip: Gunsight Peaks - Various Date: 7/18/2007 Trip Report: Darin Berdinka and I spent July 13th-17th in the Gunsight Peaks doing the best we could. On day two after a nasty approach up Agnes Creek we climbed the South Ridge of the South Peak (II 5.8). The climb was in a classic position, but was not very clean and a bit loose. Darin on one of the log crossings. Darin following pitch one of the South Ridge of the South Peak Darin on the second pitch of the South Peak The next morning we woke to some fickle weather and light rain. We hung out at camp until the weather cleared and then went and climbed Sol and Martin's new route on the NE Face of the Main Peak (III 10c). These guys really plucked a plum with this line. Five pitches of quality clean climbing. Pitches two and three could have been pulled directly off of the lower town wall at Index. Stellar line well deserving of more attention. Both Darin and I agreed it was one of the best lines we have climbed in the mountains anywhere! Pulling the 10c roof on the NE Face of the Main Gunsight Darin following the 5.9r 4th pitch of the NE Face of the Main Gunsight. After a little celebration and relaxation Darin and I woke up to more unpredictable weather Darin and I walked around to have a go at the West Face of the North Gunsight. Darin under the West Face of North Gunsight. Darin led a pitch of 10- to a KB/nut hanging belay. I led pitch two which starts out moving left on committing 10- moves into the C2 crux of the route. More aid and free climbing followed to a micro cam/nut hanging belay. Darin leading pitch one of the West Face Me on pitch 2 Darin led on to hard 5.10 climbing and a few moves of aid to a hanging belay off a #11 hex. I led through a roof on aid and finished the pitch with free climbing at 10b/c on shitty granite. Darin on pitch 3. Darin led a 5.8 pitch to flat ground and I finished the climb by leading a 5.7 chimney to the seldom visited summit. Berdinka and I on the summit of the North Gunsight. Four perfectly clean rappels brought us to our packs and one more took us across the shrund to the the snow. We didn't find any of Nelson's bolts on the route and it seems we climbed a little further left on the first pitch. This route will likely go free at 11c/d by stronger climbers than I. Although in a classic position, the quality of rock on the route was nowhere near that of the NE Face of the Main Peak. Power laybacks on crumbling granite await the FFA. More traffic will likely help the route. After a little celebration Darin and I crashed for the 4:15 wake up to make the heavily medicated hike out. After a few beers and a close encounter with a police dog in Stehekin we caught a flight back to Chelan to end our trip. Thanks to Darin for our first and most excellent trip together. A great partner to spend time with in the mountains who continues to 'keep the quality high'. A few more photos. Approach Notes: Agnes creek has at least 500 windfalls in the first 9 miles. Really a mess in there!

The HOC pitch #3 has got to be the softest grade at Index. 10a or b on the topo, then 11a? More like 5.8 then 5.10b (on an Index scale). I totally agree and think it is a typo in the Cumminss guide or something fell off to make the route a whole bunch easier. I would say 3 moves of 5.9 accurately describe the last short pitch of HOC

Castle Rock in Tumwater Canyon Smut 10a Brass Balls 10b The Bone 5.9 Crack of Doom 10a/b I was up at Castle a few weeks ago getting my ass handed to me on Devils Fright/Delight Super mellow Dave sails past me on Crack of Doom like it is 5.6. Dude has good head space!

I've wrecked on my bike at that exact spot in the exact same way. I will chime in and say I have dumped in the exact same fucking spot. I know at least two other people who have done the same there as well. Hope you feel better soon.

Due to my lack of technique, I wore pants in J-Tree last fall.....that works as well. It's true, we all can't be Canadian Hardmen.

Season started in style with a week in J-tree in April. The knee jam is my specialty technique.

Mountaineer: Can't quite get through the layers of polypro and shorts in time. Pisses in pants.

Hey fuckface....what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!

JJ- I am really sorry about my previous post. Completely inappropriate and rude. I felt so bad that I did a little more research for you this weekend. Hope one of these links helps out. here or http://www.tentnology.com/emergency-tents?gclid=CKfAqtvQn4wCFQSMYAodTHKIzw or here Best of luck!

If you want to see a movie clip about your prospective new roomate and his motives for returning to school click here

I earned a degree in Kinesiology (similar to Exercise Science) from Washington State University in Pullman. After more school I became a teacher. Unless you are in it for the long-haul (PHd), exercise physiology is a tough field to get into. Many people I know with Ex. Phys. degrees went on to become personal trainers, went back to school to do cardiac rehab, applied to PT school, or went back and got teaching certs. to do PE.

WTF???? PM me if you can....

This toic my have already been addressed here, but I thought I would ask. I was up at Careno this weekend and the access is a little funky considering the new house built across the old trail. With consideration for the privacy of the land owners and envoronmental impact, does anyone know what the best access for the crag is? My partner and I entered past a sign that said " Private Property-Climbers and Hikers enter at own Risk". Is this an agreement that has been reached between climbers and landowners to allow access to to the crag? There was several "trails" apparently connecting to the old trail and I am curious if there could be any work done to create a standard trail for access that would address climbers and land owners concerns alike. I appologize if this topic has already been discussed ad nauseum on this forum. Thanks, Matt

Crossfit