Buckaroo

The days are getting shorter, you need to be fast to climb it this time of year. Lots of simul, and simul raps to get off. It's about a mile of road from the gate, then 1,000' uphill to the start, it helps to know the approach, otherwise you eat up daylight just getting to the base. It's a wet high rain area too and it doesn't dry out very quickly. You're not going to climb it with this forecast, you need a dry day the day before. Unless you can handle some wet slab, it gets dryer the higher you go. http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=north%20bend,%20wa&wuSelect=WEATHER the lower section gets wet just from the dew point, check this page for rain history the day before, and the dew point. http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=KWANORTH4

On the anchors of "Glob Job", the route under the bridge going up the crack formed between the rock and the concrete bridge base. Found Sunday Oct 3. Describe them and I'll give them back.

and John Arum also, on Storm King in Sept.

Whoa!!! A lead fall on an 8mm with rockfall, and the rope didn't cut. You used up one of your cat lives on that one. Was it a half or a twin? I soloed N face Vesper a couple times, went way right at the start (easier) but the rock was choss for the first couple pitches. You will really be more aware of loose rock from now on. I broke my thumb on West Garfield back in July pulling a loose rock down. Now when I climb every rock is suspect. You should go back and finish Vesper, it's a really pretty climb and peak. I have to go back and finish W Garfield, the hazardous enigma is attractive. GET WELL SOON

I met Dallas one time, about 1993. It was at Washington pass. I was at the start of the Becky route on Liberty and this guy came hauling ass up the approach, he was a couple hundred yards ahead of his 3 partners who were all younger. We all summited Liberty and car camped that night at the rest area in the rain, having a party under a tarp. The next day we all hiked in to Kangaroo temple and climbed that and Shark Fin. He was a really strong climber and a really nice guy. I was a total stranger but he let me climb with his group anyway, it was like I didn't even have to ask. RIP fellow climber

It's always the lesser of two evils. It's fairly evident that McCain was worse. Especially considering he would be dead right now from the stress and we would be run by a person dumber than the bush boy, if that's even possible.

"Tom Heartman." Thom Hartman

Don't really have an opinion but there is "the Bugaboos" by Atkinson and Piche, published in 2003

Chances are you won't need them but you want to have them just in case there's a little cold front comes through and drops the freezing level. It's almost worse in the warmer months because the snow melts and then freezes with the cold front causing a layer of ice.

Base Jumping is so hazardous and the final outcome so predictable there is a fatality list. Essentially if you base jump you are going to die. RIP, have fun cuz life is short anyway, hope you have some kids before you go on. http://www.splatula.com/bfl/

Yeah, it could have been a lot worse, could have been knocked off by the rock, would have been dead, it was some big exposure up on the ridge. Held on with my left hand and pushed the rock off to the side with my right. Only problem was couldn't let go with my left and that's where the rock hit. FFing scary looking at the injury and then there was no cell reception, like it tried but wouldn't connect.

They are bad when you are stopped on the trail but if you keep moving or there's some wind it's okay. Def want a screen on your bivy if your camping. Or drive down past the hairpin to the next campground, there's none there because there's no water nearby. But it might be different this year because of all the snow.

Was on W Ridge of West Garfield Sat and a loose rock dropped on my left thumb, crushed it pretty good, compound fracture, got 4 or 5 pins in it now. I'm down for about 5 weeks. Was lucky to get back to the car, was 3,000 ft above the road, did 3 raps and 4 hours of downclimbing to get back. Will do a TR but slow typing with a big cast.

This was on July 10th. The bowl on the backside of Liberty Bell group. Believe that's Cutthroat on the right edge

Probably not, most of the numbers are in Mounties and they are always roped. Probably 1/4 or less are soloing.

The Tooth is worthy, the Mounties and the rocks they trundle are objective hazard training. I like to solo laps on it. I've done 4 laps including the approach gully that goes direct to Pineapple pass. Wondering what the record is for laps in a day, and do you down climb or rap on speed ascents? I've done it both ways.

In Russia where they have more bears and less money they use road flares. bear spray causes bears pain and pisses them off. The smell of it also attracts other bears from a distance the smoke from flares inundates a bears primary sense, it's sense of smell. Essentially blinding/confusing them and they freak out and back away. They also have an instinctual fear of fire. I learned this after being charged by a mother grizzly, luckily it was a bluff charge. The mistake I made was keeping food in camp. I has to be kept 100+ yards crosswind. there are certain times when bears are more of a problem, like when the blueberry crop is low and they can't find food. there is also safety in numbers. If you can find a group or wait at a trailhead and go with a large group it's safer.

This is a tough question. It depends if you want to train to "climb to fall". It's like sport climbing where you climb past your limit and just try the move even if you think you will fall. Compared to an alpine climb with crappy gear where you don't try the move if you don't think you can make it. Do you feel out the move and downclimb if it doesn't feel right or do you just try until you fall? It's personal preference, me I don't usually climb to fall unless it's a sport route. I always try to make sure I can make the move so I fall very rarely on gear. Maybe because I alpine so much, either solo or marginal gear I don't want to practice to fall. Maybe I don't get as high of numbers as I could this way but numbers aren't everything. It is good though to jump off on some gear once in awhile, set 2 bomber pieces (not equalized but close), use locker beaners if you'd like, and just jump off. That way you will climb better in your range because you won't be as gripped worrying about the gear. Learning to place good gear and learning what will hold is another aspect of this whole question. And it's already been said, aid is the quickest way to learn. You can learn by leading a lot of gear routes but it's a slower learning process. If I'm coming off the couch having not placed gear in a while I will run a couple laps on City Park just to brush up.

I think it depends on your reach, if you are short it's def 5.10c.

the descent is simple the entire south side is walkable, you can draw it on a map, it's condition dependent though, if it's cold at night and no sunshine it may be icy on the glacier. There is an alternative but it's a little further hike. If you're doing it from the road you're going to be in the dark. This is not really a multi pitch rock route, this is big alpine. It's a few roped pitches and a bunch of exposed scrambling. You have to be fast on simul climbing.

There's an easy trick to camping at WA pass, just drive down the East side to the first campground on the left, it's a couple miles from the pass and it's dry enough to where there's no skeeters. Of course you have to fight them on the climbs but at least you can sleep. I have a horror story to tell. When I first climbed Liberty crack we did it in 2 days with fixed ropes. We bivied at the base and my buddy didn't have any netting for his bivy sack. He was afraid to seal it up tight so he just left an opening for his mouth. The mosquitoes bit him on the mouth all night and chased him up the first 3 pitches. He was about to lose it and his lips were swollen big time.

they are very narrow, they are actually narrower than a Metoleus TCU. Work really good for flaring cracks. Really good for aid too.

For only a week the best bet for multi-pitch is probably WA pass. Check Nelson's Selected. The Enchantments is longer approaches and a difficult overnight camping permit situation. West Ridge of Prussik is a 5.7 but it's a long day if you don't camp, and there might be snow crossings. 5.8 multi pitch is a sparse range, 5.9 has more stuff. Must do's would be Outer Space, mostly 5.8 but it has a 5.9 crux. Dreamer at Darrington is another classic, mostly 5.8 but some 5.9. Both snow free already. At WA Pass. (all short approach) South Arete of South Early Winter Spire long 5.4, nice summit. The Becky Route, Overexposure, and NW Face are all good on Liberty Bell and 5.8 or less. But there might still be snow in the approach gully in June. Great Northern Slab at Index, 3 pitches of 5.7 for an off day, crag with very short approach. You really can't go wrong with Nelson's Selected but the weather is a factor, the end of July is a little better than June. and the further East you go in the state is better. The Olympics get more rain than anywhere. Even when the weather is rainy/cloudy it seems like WA Pass is in a dry zone, likewise most of Leavenworth. Anything 5.8 or less at Castle Rock, Leavenworth, all trad. (short crags)

There will be snow in the approach gully but the route will be clear. take an axe or pick up a stick on approach I wouldn't want to climb it in ski boots, too much friction/slab action