DavidW

Has anyone been around the north side of Stuart recently or perhaps have some handy, recent beta on Razorback ridge?

Twenty-five years ago (before sport climbing was invented) a coupla guys went up there (Dreamer) and drilled those bolts on the lead........ by hand. On a route rated 5.9 there are 25' runouts on 5.8, this is absolutely not a sport route. The line may be blurry with some modern routes but it certainly isnt with regard to the Dreamer.

I've been using double ropes for years..... primarily because much of what I climb requires two rope rappels to get off of. Doubles stretch a bit more when you fall on them (so I'm told!) which makes for a soft catch but a longer fall. Taking a pair of ropes to Vantage sure makes ya feel like you've got your shirt on backwards tho...

There used to be this bar about 15 miles south of Anchorage on the Sewards Hwy... The thing about the place was that for years ladies passing by had been donating their panties to the decor and every square inch of the ceiling space and some of the walls were covered with these lovely garments. Sadly the place is no longer there... spontaneous (and I would say inevitable) combustion took place and the establishment went out in a blaze of nylon and silk. Now I like little triangles of diaphanous dynamite as much as the next guy...... but what of the danger to our forest???? Are we really to trust the future heritage of our god-given natural lands to this bunch of panty-sniffers?

I will personally haul gear, water, sanikans, cuticle repair kits and jug with a load of hammers, chains and steel if a couple of women want to put up "Diva's in Darrington"! Exceptions: The route must: 1. Be in Darrington 2. Be complete this season 3. Be climbable by a man Great route name GregW!

I will personally haul gear, water, sanikans, cuticle repair kits and jug with a load of hammers, chains and steel if a couple of women want to put up "Diva's in Darrington"! Exceptions: The route must: 1. Be in Darrington 2. Be complete this season 3. Be climbable by a man Great route name GregW!

It's public land...... some of these cliffs glitter like a disco ball in the sunshine. Everyone, including the family guy hiking by with his dog and kids has a right to an opinion and to be heard. Even Trask

I didnt think location was part of the subject of either poptarts or noggin's posts. Mr. Puget I applaud your mention of responsibility and public lands. Anyone altering the landscape whether it's diggin out a crack or bolting a face is making an arguabley arrogant statement with a medium that they don't own. Since putting up anything less than a cutting edge route has little to do with the historical advance of our sport it seems to me that the ONLY excuse for altering the landscape can be in creating something of widespread & longstanding value in a craftsman-like manner. typically R and X rated routes tend to be routes pioneered onsight...... I struggle with the morality of putting them up intentianally although I have done so myself. In general I believe a 5.8 route should be reasonable for at least some 5.8 climbers and that the degree of seriousness is a choice made by the FA people. Lets hope they choose with responsibility.

I don't see where anyone should be pissed. They were hypothetical questions even if they did refer to actual routes. I think its pretty easy to get concensus among a group of friends and a few brews. It takes a strong (or crazy) person to come on here and toss out an honest question about a topic of personal importance tho! Noggin you sound like you are going a good direction..... what are the other crack lines there like? Are there a number of safe ones such that maybe one with sketchy pro is ok to leave that way? Are the other routes there discontinous cracks that have bolts linking the cracks? I guess I'm asking you what the local ethic is. I've a few times waited years before I would attempt an existing climb with sketchy pro and the tic was certainly sweet when it came. If you're unsure about drilling it, ask a few more people and throw out the high and low scores! Cheers to all!

I don't see where anyone should be pissed. They were hypothetical questions even if they did refer to actual routes. I think its pretty easy to get concensus among a group of friends and a few brews. It takes a strong (or crazy) person to come on here and toss out an honest question about a topic of personal importance tho! Noggin you sound like you are going a good direction..... what are the other crack lines there like? Are there a number of safe ones such that maybe one with sketchy pro is ok to leave that way? Are the other routes there discontinous cracks that have bolts linking the cracks? I guess I'm asking you what the local ethic is. I've a few times waited years before I would attempt an existing climb with sketchy pro and the tic was certainly sweet when it came. If you're unsure about drilling it, ask a few more people and throw out the high and low scores! Cheers to all!

I don't see where anyone should be pissed. They were hypothetical questions even if they did refer to actual routes. I think its pretty easy to get concensus among a group of friends and a few brews. It takes a strong (or crazy) person to come on here and toss out an honest question about a topic of personal importance tho! Noggin you sound like you are going a good direction..... what are the other crack lines there like? Are there a number of safe ones such that maybe one with sketchy pro is ok to leave that way? Are the other routes there discontinous cracks that have bolts linking the cracks? I guess I'm asking you what the local ethic is. I've a few times waited years before I would attempt an existing climb with sketchy pro and the tic was certainly sweet when it came. If you're unsure about drilling it, ask a few more people and throw out the high and low scores! Cheers to all!

I took some herb on the Big Mac and found at the 14,300 camp that it didnt seem to have any effect.

I've done a bit of slab climbing over the years and can say without too many knots in my stomach that I've never come off more than 10'feet from a bolt. Some time ago Chris Greyell and I were trying to do Dream On at Squamish and Chris said he'd try the first runnout 5.11 pitch. Constantino had been all stoked about this "get-up-and-run" concept and had used it a couple of times on Green Giant Buttress to satisfactory results. So anyway, Chris was about 15' out and a bit to the right and tells me he's gonna loose it. Then, to my surprise he jumps up...... grabs the rope and turms around to start running like a wild man in a big arc. It worked, and he started up to try it again........ this time he gets up and starts running but after a few steps trips and bashes his shoulder and hip with much more force than if he'd just layed there and taken his medicine. I had no intention of duplicating any of that kinda bullshit so we did that old "tie-both-ends-of-the-rope-together" thing and vacated.....

Duane Constantino and I tried to do the Beckey Route in a day back in 1976. We took one 9 mil rope, six hexes and 8 stoppers. We approaced via aasgard pass and stomped over to the route. I dont remember the chimney's being very serious at all. We probably would have made it out in one push but after descending to Colchuck Lake we found a band of derelicts camping. They had guns, burgers, cole-slaw and several half gallons of Southern Comfort, not to mention a foot and half wide solid silver serving platter to roll their chosen smoking materials. Such was the hour that they impressed upon us the folly of passing up such a smorgasbord and our one-day ascent vanished without a second thought!

I've made a number of trips to the Canadian Rockies tho never as late as September. At any rate you said low stress so I'd suggest that Skyladder on Andromeda or the North Face of Mt. Stanley are outstanding routes without being very hard. The 5.8 route on the Tower of Babel right by Moraine Lake is a pretty cool 1/2-day rock climb that isnt as loose as it appears.

almost 20 years ago Chris Greyell and I put up about 15 routes on the group of small granite crags about a mile to the left of Ramone Rock. You can see them directly across the valley from the road near the terminus of what I guess is Skyline Ridge. There are several rocks that have 3-5 75' routes in the 5.7-5.10 range. We spent about 5 days there and called them the Half Moon Crags.

Whadid I say??

Just a note to confirm that I am in fact about 70% complete on a new guide for Darrington. I expect to have it available in March. I'd appreciate hearing from anyone about anything that pertains to Darrington, hiking details or stories, fishing details or stories, small town gene-pool theories and of course, climbing information. Cool pics are welcomed for review too! What are some important things you'd like to see covered in a new publication about D-Town?

I've been working on a new Darrington guide for a couple of seasons now. Apparently others are rumored to be involved in the same process but so far its just rumors. Anyway..... my project is an e-book, on a disk with lots of pictures, archives and little movie clips linked to the topo's. I'd welcome all input..... if you've got beta, comments, photo's, complaints, good stories or topo's you'd like to share I'd be very grateful. I plan on including whatever new projects get done this season and have the book ready this time next year.

I need a topo with photo's to find the Tacoma Dome..... any clues here? Start a fire and see which way the trucks come from? Anybody wanna be politically correct and share a ride?

I need a topo with photo's to find the Tacoma Dome..... any clues here? Start a fire and see which way the trucks come from?

Probably the best climbing pants I ever had was a $1.75 pair of baseball pants from some thrift store. They were made of bullet-proof fabric, could be pushed up over the knee or down to about mid-calf, had big pockets, were stretchy and lasted me about 4 seasons (with some repair needed toward the last indecent days)

I made an attempt on the Big Mac in 1991..... west buttress and came away with the idea that one could take only a few days worth of food and fuel and score the rest of your needs from the people who are bailing and want to unload goods. Perhaps its a bit over the top, but we had a daily smorgasbord of free food and fuel to choose from during the several weeks we were there!

I've been into the Ruth quite a number of times in the late 80's and early 90's. The rock can be a little "chossy" here and there but the place is one of the great wonders of the world. Only once (on the Mooses Tooth) have I had other people on the same route and they bailed very early. Thats been 15 years ago tho... so who knows. The place impressed me as being pretty serious and for my wife and I the only "moderates" we were really willing to try were the Mooses Tooth, Dan Beard and 11,300. Little Switzerland and the Pica Glacier has always been a favorite location for alaskans who wanted to rock climb in the Alaska Range. Everything from day crags sticking out of the glacier to big wall routes. The Alaska Range is incredible whatever you do!