Off_White

Actually, I think Mike was implying that he would "get right on it," if I'm not misinterpreting his, ummm, err, how do you say it, innuendo.

Well one thing you've got to say about Steamer, he's a durable old turd, "takes a licking and keeps on sticking." Eeeuwww, isn't that kind of a disgusting image? No doubt someone on this board has a .jpg to illustrate. Anyway, thats a point in the boy's favor in my book. Not to say that my book matters....

Damned Skoogs stole my route.

I have a deep and abiding affection for Hoppy's Favorite on the Apron. I have no idea if thats in the current death zone, but there is just something so sweet about granite so clean it squeaks under your shoes as you foont about, hunting for bolts in all that vastness. I've never been much of a wall guy, but had a great time on Lost Arrow Direct late one October in the early 80's. As I recall, we chose the route based on the quality of the ledges, and since it was cold, we slowly ambled up the route, sleeping in and never stirring until the sun warmed us up. One morning, two more ambitious types were racing up the Lost Arrow Chimney, about 30 feet to the side of our spacious 2nd bivy ledge. They looked over at the three of us in our sleeping bags passing the bong back and forth, and incredulously burst forth in the most horrified tones, "WHAT are you doing?" I'm afraid it reduced us to incoherent giggles, which only caused them to increase their pace. When we finally returned to the rim, we had a long hunk of rope that was partially severed during our sluggish ascent, so we fuzzed up and abraded the end, and left it tied around the rap tree where you head down into the notch. The end was just visible where the angle dropped off, and we fervently hoped that some poor souls would find it, blanch, and bail out assuming there was a body in the notch from a jumaring accident. This was only a few years after a body HAD been found there, but a suicide jumper rather than a climbing fatality.

Nawp, ya won't like it up here dude, stay in "Cali." You need a tent up here, the bush is nasty, and all the "peaks" are less than 10,000' (aside from some slushy old volcanos). And don't get me started about the locals...

The Oregon resolution is fact. Before you go sending money to Wild Wilderness though, be aware that they are the primary proponent of banning all fixed anchors in any wilderness area. http://www.wildwilderness.org/wi/bolting.htm Of course, I'm sure opinions on this issue vary on this site, but I don't consider WW my friend. Its not only bolts, but nuts, pins and slings they're out to ban. Apparently, trails, signs, and maps are okay, but they do also want to ban GPS units. Fee demo sucks though, and I'd love to see that nasty scam go down.

My friend Steve has rapped the Nose several times to glean gear left behind, I gather its been very lucrative....

Yep, a well written letter is a powerful tool, good job Matt. A decent word processor makes anyone look well dressed and respectable (not to imply that anyone on this board isn't), and letters do get read. I've wrestled with the damn fee-demo (whats so demo about it?)program. Tried the "I'm here for spiritual purposes" sign in the windshield at the Ingalls Pass trailhead a couple years ago, seems I'd heard that was a loophole, but it didn't fly, and after several letter exchanges with the Cle Elum office, I wound up paying $5, making it clear it was under protest and did not endorse the program. Grrrrr...

quote: Originally posted by Dru: All- bear pub club. In offWhites back yard. Come as bear as you dare. Sure, long as you don't expect some Robert-Bly-drum-circle-dragging-our-scrotums-through-the-brush flapdoodle.

Danged bears are in my backyard. Some of the claw marked trees are within about 100' of the house. The real action is several hundred yards uphill, where there is a stand of alder that must be the singles bear bar of Thurston County, with a hundred trees marked with claws, hair, and some gooey stuff I wasn't too inclined to sniff. I've gotta go sit there quietly for a few hours sometime, see what I can see, cover myself in peanut butter, maybe they'll come real close...

Its virtually roadside, on a dirt road high up on a ridge above the Cispus River, south of Randle. The rock is of the welded tuff and cobbles variety, classic FRAC stuff that the sporties like. (you know, funky-rock-awesome-climbing) The road passes right under rock, and from a parking area at the south end, the approach is about a minute long to the single bolted route I saw there maybe 5 years ago. If you've hiked on the pct to get to something, it might have been Kirk or Shark Rock, a couple other of these volcanic thingys sitting up on ridgetops.

quote: Originally posted by Dru: quote:Originally posted by trask: I'm gonna drive up there this weekend to drink Mad Dog and chase BC skirts. You mean Red Dog? You ever seen what happens if you turn that logo upside down??? Ummm, the beer runs out into your lap?

Anyone been climbing at Pinto Rock? I walked around it several years ago, and was intrigued to see a 5.10ish bolt protected sport route on the south end. Being a lazy sort, I've hoped someone has developed the crag and cleaned the choss. Its a great setting, up high on a ridge with views of Rainier, Adams, and St. Helens, and awesome huckleberries (well, a little later in the season..)

Oooh, a webcam, now thats a damned good idea! I had no idea the route was such a popular obsession until I found this site.

Well, a couple years ago I had to give up on my old Peuterays, they just couldn't take anymore. I've sort of idly sought a perfect "cascades" boot for awhile: something light, stiff enough for snow and moderate ice, okay on rock up to 5.9ish, flexy enough to approach in. Not a boot for waterfalls, thats a specialized trade, I wanted something for the generalist. As others have noted, fit is the key, and I tried on a pair of Sportiva Trangos and was immediately smitten. In rock shoes, I've never thought of myself as having a Sportiva foot, but these were right, even have a nice little solid block in the sole right in the edging sweet spot. I have a feeling they've been discontinued, since this is NOT the Trango Extreme, not insulated that way, more of a summer boot, which is my alpine season anyway. Winter, I tend to favor a snowboard boot, if you get my drift. Anyway, works for me, but I have a funny feeling I won't get 20 years out of this boot...

Hot damn, the fishing is good here! Whats up, the lake just thawed and you guys will hit any lure trolled your way? Check out Mama's execrable spelling and see if it matches anyone else's patterns, try and deduce who's got ahold of your chain...

Sewn slings & quickdraws are dandy for cragging & sport frigging, but I've found the ability to UNTIE your sling and retie it through or around something very useful for alpine routes, long climbs, descents or bailing out (not to suggest that anyone on this board would ever bail out). But that also reflects my old fart status, I remember when eb's were revolutionary and hip belays were state of the art...

Umm, actually Dru, I don't think so, no, no other lines. These are not the droids you are looking for....

Dru: Nope, it didn't make it to press before the latest edition of the red book, and Burdo didn't include it either. It was in the AAJ awhile back. On page 288 in the red book, you'll see the buttress on the left end of the silver star massif. Starts at the lowest rock on the left, three pitches on the lower buttress, seven more on the upper triangular buttress, and a few hundred feet of moderate blocky alpine play to make the ridge. Crux is the 10th pitch, a great slightly overhanging hand & finger crack. Damned glad that wasn't my lead... I've got a topo around, I could figure out how to scan and send to you if you're interested.

Hmmm, I'd recommend one right next door on Silver Star, the face of the big buttress that faces the basin. Good line, good rock, hard route though: IV 5.11- My friend Steve and I have been trying to get someone to go do the 2nd ascent for going on a decade now...

The area at the back of Skookumchuck Reservoir is no more, it became an active quarry again, and they're hauling lots of rock out of there. Turns out it is some variety of Granite, considered the hardest stone in the state. Some of the chunks go down the road through Tenino, a single stone on a lowboy semi trailer. Oooh, to have a round dozen of those and build a bouldering garden...

If rock is your only criteria, sure, Omak would work. They also have an awesome beauty parlor, the Wack & Yack. Gotta use that as a route name sometime. Or, how about Electric City? (Banks Lake is pretty good, and you gotta love the laser show on the dam) Walla Walla puts you sorta close to Spring Mountain. But then again, if you wanted to live in some town with climbing/outdoor sports as your only criteria, you shouldn't be in the NW. Try any of the current trendy sport meccas: Bishop, Flagstaff, Moab, Bozeman....

There's a crag in Tenino, about 12 miles South of Olympia. Sandstone, sport & toprope, up to 75 feet high. There's a couple 5.10's and then up from there. Private property. P-mail me if you need access info.