sketchfest

While there is no comparison in the size of the two, PRG is definitely a larger gym, I would hesitate to call it a better gym. I have climbed at both gyms and have found, in my experience, a very elitist attitude at PRG. Stoneworks on the other hand, while being much smaller, is by far friendlier and more of what I would call a "climbers"gym. Everybody from the staff (who remember your name after one visit) to the regulars are helpful and encouraging. SW will never have the sq. ft. that PRG enjoys, but they have recently finished an expansion that will afford climbers the opportunity for lead climbing. Obviously your current location will have a lot to do with which gym you go to, but for my money Stoneworks is my gym of choice. Just my .02!

Ok, so for the most part, there seems to be a fairly common link in everybody's thoughts about shoes. So maybe I better explain exactly what I'm looking for and see if we can narrow it down even further. I want a light(as in weight) shoe that I could trail run in, but offers enough support to allow me to carry a light pack without causing my arches to drop. Then it needs to have a stiff enough sole to allow the use of some instep crampons. Anymore suggestions?

I'm starting to look for a good, durable pair of low top approach shoes, any suggestions?

Mmmmm...Esparza's, now that is good shit. That joint in Sellwood's got good mexy grubbin too.

Hey Iain, can you set one of these up for Rainier?

I usually do this one at least once during every trip. Get some of the instant rice, (takes about 10 min to cook) throw in some dried red chili flakes. When the rice is done, add curry powder, p-butter and whatever ingredients are in your trail mix, finally add some cayenne for some heat, mix it all up and you've got yourself some hot-n-spicy curried rice in peanut sauce

My son and I really enjoyed the Dyno comp. Some of those dyno's were totally insane, Thanks again.

Just wanted to throw this back to the top with a shout out to the entire staff and all the volunters who helped out with yesterday's comp. Scott and his crew did a fantastic job and were very organized, Lots of judges, plenty of well marked routes and the added bonus of meeting the infamous Scott-teryx, a good time was had, the drive home sucked, but that's another story. Thanks to all!

The land North of Seattle

Hey Tex, You didn't happen across a white helmet laying down on the Reid did you? Funguy would like to get it back if anybody picked it up.

Is anyone from Portland headed up to the ABS in Everwet this Saturday?

No, we were there Sat. morning. I wish I had an excuse like drinking or drugs. We just weren't paying attention and walk right on by. No worries, we climbed something much more exciting even though we didn't make the top.

Yeah, I know..how could you miss it! We were making good time and I wasn't paying much attention as we cruised by, oh well!! it was still fun. I was more just curious to know if there was a decent line up through there.

Well once again Funguy and I failed to make the summit via Leuthold coulior, however we did find some extremely exiting climbing along the way to our failure. As impossible as it seems, we passed the entrance to the coulior in the full bright light of the moon and headed over to the west side of the Yokum Ridge where we quickly found ourselves climbing some very steep and sometimes mixed terrain. We started up the first of a series gullies that brought us closer and closer to the base of the Yokum, passing through some short but tricky section of THIN mixed climbing. Since we had intended to climb Leutholds we had not brought a lot of gear, read: ice axe and crampons, making these moderately steep gullies and short near vertical sections all the more exciting. At about 7:30am, we finally came to a bit of an impasse. The coulior constricted down to a near vertical section of loose rime about 20 feet long that appeared to top out on a thin ridge at about 9’500k at which time Funguy’s left crampon popped completely off as he tried to shimmy his way to the top and his right one came off but stayed on his boot. With no rope, gear or second tool it didn’t seem prudent to continue to push our luck, it was at this point we decided that it was time to turn tail and head home. The ensuing down climb was pure nerve racking HELL, as the already warm temps turned the crummy snow conditions even worse. So here is my question. After I got home and polished off more than a few brews, I wanted to know where it was we had been. I pulled out Oregon High and started looking at the photos. Best I could tell, we had traversed clear over to about the second or third gendarme, climbed through two distinct rock bands, slightly angling to climbers right, until reaching the constriction. As I looked at the photos it appeared that above this was another steep coulior that angled back to climbers left and then topped out in the middle of the exit gully. (12c, I think) From there it looked like another series of gullies might lead to the top of the hourglass. Does anybody know or has anyone climbed this line? Is it worth doing? Under cooler temps it seems like it would be a good climb, great feeling of remoteness. once again!

welome home TG!

One of my brothers just moved back from Soap Lake. All they got to do around there is drink and drive! A giant lava lamp would be an improvement for that town.

Mormon?...Catholic?...How many guesses do I get?

Looked kinda thin, how much pro did you guy's end up putting in?

Rob, guess I'm just not used to seeing that many people at 4:00AM

Yeah, Funguy and I bailed WAY to early, but from where we were at 3:00AM, the perverbial shit was hitting the fan and it wasn't until we ran into Mtnhigh, Shred, rbw and crew that we started thinking things weren't gonna be so bad. Unfortunately, we had already desended about 1/2 way down the Palmer and weren't very excited about the prospects of hiking back up to 9,4k. Oh well...seemed like a good decision at the time. And for chirst sake, I don't think I've seen that many people heading up the mountain in mid-June! for all who stuck it out

Aaahhh, that make sense.

I seem to remember a TR written by Terminal Gravity, where he used his GPS on a solo climb on Rainier, during a blizzard and his account is that it worked just fine. Maybe somemodels don't have the whole clear sky issue as others?

Good one Shreddy, but I seen your bag O' tricks! That pics from you trip with MtnHigh

ChrisT, you da bomb baby! Got anything a little closer?, like say the top of Palmer

Back of PU: tow rope jumpers first aid kit tire chains climbing harnes rock shoes water bottles (2) tube high temp silicone