eric8

weather is supposed to blow in over the weekend though

the mixed potential in that valley is crazy. Most will go ground up on natural gear for those strong enough.

So John all this foreplay and you don't put out?

nice dude, you ticked the two biggest plums in that drainage.

I just love paying 9$ for a so so burger without fries and an extra helping of the bavarian theme. The pizza company, Hildeberg or mexican joint are the only places I will eat in Leavenworth.

I really enjoyed the route. Having such good climbing with such easy access in winter is awesome. The runouts weren't that bad. I definetly would have placed a piece closer to the crux had I seen a spot for some gear but other than that it all seemed fine.

you are

nonething is more annoying than when your partner only wants to bring 9 or 10 screws and expects you to lead the crux pitch. Plus I'm kinda a puss so I bring lots of gear. In general I think any blanket statements about ice climbing are dumb because the media isn't even the same from hour to hour. In Washington I tend to place a lot of screws because the ice usually isn't very good, and the screws are only okay so I will often place two screws from a good stance below a crux. In the rockies his statement is only slightly more accurate. Except when its really cold and I worry about dinner plating out my placements. but if he was dating Catherine Destivelle pretty much cannot make fun of him can you

it was most of my partners rack

so where/what is it?

there is beer in it for you to

I left something expensive in icicle canyon this last weekend. I know exactly where it is, about 5 minutes from the road. Was hoping that someone could grap it for me.

since when is a single pitch 14b advancing the standards of climbing?

don't drive all the way to Hylite to top rope a grade 4. Since only Alex has give you any ideas I will throw a few more out there. The closest ice to Seatle is Stellar falls, if you ride the chair lift up(buy a ticket or have a pass) and ski down to it. Don't fuck up and ruin access for everyone though. Elsewhere at snoqualmie pass you could try bryant buttress right. There are other routes too. At leavenworth the millenium wall has a nice pitch thats reasonable to top rope. Hubba Hubba is fat right now if you want an easy lead. Marble Canyon has a bunch of good top rope possiblies a longer drive though 4.5 hours. You could top rope trosky's folly, zenith, the 1st pitch of shitting razorblades, and salt n peper, at banks. basically buy the guidebook and get a few ideas. Most anything that normally comes in, in washington is pretty fat right now. So have at it. As far as grades go. The biggest piece of advice I can give you is to ignore them. If looks reasonable try it, if you do and its to hard back off and try again another day. Ice climbing grades are so subjective its not even funny. A pitch of grade 5 thats seen 5 ascents can easly become a 4 and most routes vary a grade or so either way depending on the season. Cheers, have at it!

it has been soloed. both it and the pencil are huge right now

http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/631541/page/1#Post631541

I heard he did it leashless too!

I bet its huge by this weekend. Someone should go try the direct mixed chimney start. I'm climbing elsewhere this weekend otherwise I would.

for pure ice it is safer to climb with leashes.

The real question is it going to be worth going there this weekend with all the snow?

Its was a little drier than one week ago. But overall in similar shape. I said it was a hard 5 or 5+. There are to many good rests to even consider it a 6.

Trip: Banks Lake - Shitting razorblades fa Date: 12/30/2006 Trip Report: Jens, Alex and I yo-yoed the 3rd tier last weekend. We got schooled. Then Thursday photos of my unclimbed project appeared on cc.com. Which was unsettling. I returned to the route today, to climb it with my friend, John Millar, who is visiting from California. The original plan was to climb the direct mixed chimney but it wasn’t looking any better than it was a week ago and I would need a bolt near the crux, bigger balls or more ice on it to lead it. We walked around it. So John lead the second tier a free hanging grade 4 pillar to a belay at the base of the crux, one fix blade from the first attempt. I got the next pitch 30m of vertical and overhanging ice, with a few good rests but very technical and crap screws, a hard 5/5+. Could fill out more and drop down in difficulty. Belayed on a ledge off pins(one fixed). John lead a final grade 4 pitch around roofs that are present at the top of the climb, very cool. You could link the 2nd and 3rd pitches if you want. The name comes from the alkane trio lyrics “shaking like a dog shitting razorblades”. We listened to the trio the whole ride there and back with the exception of the mandatory tool cd. And John got a bad case of elvis legs on both of his pitches. I forgot to recharge my camera battery between attempts so here are photos from the first attempt. The route me on the first attempt Jens near our high point The second tier, it was touching down this time There is a cool looking mixed line to the left of our route which may good on natural gear, may not. Gear Notes: screws kb and la for belays Approach Notes: south of steps to a fifty foot pillar. Park right in front of the no tressapping sign

top of zenith and salt'n pepper are in but a little on the wet slide. The bottom of the emarald is slush and h2O2 is trying but still really really wet and slushy. And the punch bowl is in. So not a lot of options, more ice in leavenworth these days.

I always assumed the Pencil second ascent was by Matt Kerns and Pat Mcnerthey (sp) or at least the photos in the guidebooks make it look that way