billcoe

Shoes are aid This route looks a lot better in person, this pic makes the rock look blocky and broken.

Bold and cold

Priceless (Your ass on the internet)

good one! How about: Jewels of Da Nile?

The first line comes off all cocky, then reality sinks in! Holy crap! clinging to moss, shit! What route or area were you at Alex? Silver Bullet? What happened?

I'll try to get some pics of the window in my house I framed with figured guitar wood in the next day or so. Wish I had more skill, I'm not even 5.7 on woodworking. Can't say why as I keep that old woodworkers mantra inside my head at all times:...measure once, cut twice...

Regardless, I welcome the change in direction....slowly walking down the steps: step by slow inexorable step, to a bleak dark dungeon sucked. Sure, maybe all we've done is turn around on the stairwell, but the view is radically different because we are looking and heading into the light and to freedom, and is not still looking like the previous view of a descent into a hellasious Dante-esque nightmare anyway....

Well, that would be one way to keep all them loose boulders in place! Long as you put masking tape on all the sweet cracks first so you can still get fingerlocks....jus' sayin'...

I'll admit it's bullshit that all these folks seem to overlook paying their taxes: UTTER Crap, as all of us, no matter which side of the aisle, will agree I'm sure. HOWEVER, I find the apologizing thing refreshing from what the last 8 years of "What, me worry" Alfred e Newman like NEVER accepting blame and guilt or admit a mistake theme that Former Pres Bush had going. Of course, I'm sure your results will vary. But that's me. I like it. Not a lot of apologizing, but at least Pres. Obama knows where the buck stops. Damn refreshing.

Link to Simon Carters site Those may be the bolts in the Blue Mts that failed and resulted in a fatality. Here's that story.

Link to current accident The problem, as I see it, is that generally beginners, but occasionally experienced folks as well, go to set up a top rope on the top of Silver Bullet. The go and start the downclimb, then slip and bite the dirt. A lot of the accidents are right there, doing that. Is it time for a fixed line, rap bolts, mandatory training? What? Here's an earlier thread of another accident - possibly the same area. Link to former accident Silver Bullet and Video are the problem areas as I see it. It seems most folks get hurt while going unroped for the chains on top of the cliff to set up a toprope. I started to dig out the top of Flaky Old Man last year so it's not so steep on the edge and saw someone else had picked up the burden and even done some more. (it could use even more) Good on whomever that was. I've seen so many noobs (and people who should know better) not tie any backup and walk right to the steep, slippery edge to reach over the void and grab the chains..... I was just standing next to Joseph one day on top of Blackberry Jam, I think looking a that washing machine someone had tossed over the edge, and just banana peeled. Had the landing not been flat, like at Video, it could have been Mr Toads Wild Ride! Where's those wild Broughton bolters folks are complaining about on another thread:-) Seriously, any thoughts?

Link to Oregon Live story Anyone know anything? Sounds like another fall on the descent to the top of Silver Bullet. It says: "Climber hospitalized after falling 35 feet on Rocky Butte by Lynne Terry, The Oregonian Tuesday February 03, 2009, 7:06 PM A rock climber in his 30s was hospitalized today after falling about 35 feet in Rocky Butte Park in Northeast Portland. Portland Fire & Rescue arrived at the scene at about 4 p.m., minutes after a 9-1-1 call. But then it took the specialty crew 30 minutes to find the victim in the rocky, steep terrain threaded with unmarked trails, said spokesman Lt. Allen Oswalt. The climber, who was conscious and did not have life-threatening injuries, was strapped securely to a backboard, Oswalt said. The crew of firefighters, all professional rock climbers and paramedics, put the backboard in a steel basket and attached that to a pulley system, getting him safely down the steep slope to the trail. The man told firefighters that he had started at the top of a 50 foot cliff on the northeast face of the butte. He said he had descended about 15 feet when something went wrong and he fell about 35 feet. He was taken to Legacy Emanual Hospital & Health Center. Oswalt said Portland Fire & Rescue rescues eight to 10 climbers a year on Rocky Butte. "It happens to the best climbers occasionally," he said. But it could have been worse "if he would have had serious injuries with it taking us a half an hour to find him." Climbers should always have a partner, use good equipment and know what to do and where they are in the event of an emergency. -- Lynne Terry; lynneterry@news.oregonian.com" I see the Jerk posted this just before I did, the story he linked from KATU has pictures too. Link

Good lord that's stunningly beautiful. You should show Sheri this, she's a woodworker and makes some great art pieces, she'd most likely pass out when she see those pictures.

Great stuff, need more naked people climbing pics like here: Link Baring that, more regular climbing pics.

i imagine you couldn't find your license, eh? Hah Hah Ivan! Nice catch. JB doesn't read anything other than the first 3 words of anyone's post, nor will he click on links you provide and rarely will provide factual links to back up his words: then he decides what kind of antagonistic crap he'll spew via a response. I figured that out a long time ago. Of course, this is a real clear and obvious test, this thread. Best just ignore him. ______________________________________________________________ For myself, I thought I would start remove my wife as a kindness since I love her so. However, the pic was pretty good and a bit of an upgrade, so I thought I'd better leave it alone for now till she decides if she would rather leave it up there. JUST KIDDING! My wife looks great. You just have to click it first to see the joke.

This is called "French Style" I believe. Well known in the remote regions of the Himalayas.

In Yosemite, where there are lots of eyes (and wildlife biologists) for some unknown reason, the very same birds that had been nesting on El Cap for a few years, moved across the valley...didn't leave a forwarding address either Could be something to do with prey becoming accustomed ??? I know a couple of years ago you added some gravel and support to the scrape area on big ledge to make it world class bird accommodation, so it's not an issue with living in a crappy home. Maybe the bird shit just accumulates enough that they move on? They still sit up there on occasion. Anyway, maybe we can engage Ben to co-ordinate some spotters this winter. The birds are around, you'll see them go flying by here and there all winter and spring, eventually you see some young ones....I think JH is correct that they moved to the East Side: yet as they say: "Your trading results may vary. No representation is being made blah blah, ... Past performance is not indicative of future results " Anyway, Cobra, I hike that trail to the base all the time. I often come back that way from skiing, if I have any energy left, I run or walk to the top (@20 min up and back) but if my quads are toast I love to do a quiet hike to the south side base and just hang out. I find it to be a very spiritual, unique and special place. This is a common occurrence for me.

Yup, and 100% sober as well. I like "Adams Crack" for the name.

Need your help and ideas to name this route. Adam spent lots of time cleaning this line which he led ground up Saturday in fine style. Here he is taking a 2nd victory toprope lap, sans shoes and chalkbag while buddy Jesse who accompanied us took these great tasteless tasteful art photos. We need your suggestions with a name as my suggestion of "Dirty Crack" was not well received for obvious reasons. What do you have for a route name? You can tell from the 3 layers of clothes I have on that it was colder than a witches ti**y out, snow was still on the ground. Just an inspired thing I guess. These guys are OFF THE HOOK funny! Both of their wive's are not around for what ever reason so it was play time. I was laughing my ass off all day long at one thing or another. Wore and old man out I'll tell ya. Damn I look old there. This thing just happened so quick. One moment we're discussing the stone nudes calender Link which morphed into something which might have resembled this conversation but I wasn't paying much attention: Dude 1: "They're always girls" Dude 2: "Gorgeous too" Dude 1 or 3 "How come guys don't do that?" Other dude "Chicken I guess" "Hey, I'm not chicken" "Uhh, sure dude".............. whoosh, off go the clothes! Jesse: "Awesome!.... I'm taking pictures" I'm like WTF? Huh? Not even shoes? OK, on belay (check your own knot). ps, real nice line. It's a total gear route,@ 90-100', no bolts on it or on top @ 5.7, I suspect within a year or 2, it will be the most popular easy and safe gear route in the PDX metro area.

Re-reading Josephs first post...the crux of repairing this issue is truly what he says, not more, not less. If the birds nest, they nest. If not, then we need to get it together and document it so that Dave Anderson can approve an opening if there is no reason for the closure. Peregrines are truly a unique national treasure. I think perhaps many of you feel that the Fish and Wildlife people go way overboard on this, often act with little or no science behind their reasoning, and that it hits us more than the people who are really tossing Gatoraid bottles down off the trail and potentially killing them, the multitudes of hikers who feel no effect. Sure those folks don't get inconvenienced at all...hmmmm, where was I going... Oh, we need to be on this this winter with scopes and triangulation so that we can pin the location down. Part of the problem is if they fly around the rock they disappear who knows where. I do not believe they were on the south face the last 2 years, but they may have been. Joseph can't do it all himself but he has been. We should put a person on the East and West sides with binocs and scopes and on the top as well. Perhaps Jh or someone can co-ordinate and schedule some folks for this so we have a better picture? If they nest on the South Side, then lets hope they populate to the point where they're as plentiful as the crows are now, and the rock will be open again, or lacking that, if they are not there,it gets opened as well. Now, I have a season ski pass, but wash out early and can be there at 1pm any weekend day. Maybe about March we should be working on something like this? One more thing: the rangers are our allies. They love the park as much or more than we do. They want this park to run smoothly and be open for everyone, including the birds, they have pressures we don't even want to consider. If they need our help in any way, we should not hesitate to give them all that we can if they need it. If our brothers are sneaking under the rope and climbing on the East Side, West side or where ever, lets do an immediate private intervention/reality check with the offender(s) and get that stopped. Stop talking bad about the birds too, even if it's in jest or a moment of anger, they belong here at least as much as we do, and they need our help.

Ditto what Ken the gimp says on your efforts JH. (Ken, ya go away and 15 min later you're out of shape!) I never heard about people under the East Face last year. Guess I have to get out more. I don't know why people would be climbing over there, or who would be there, but they would be easy to get them down and fine them once you saw them over there. They couldn't go anywhere. To me - closing the trail, so that everyone is penalized, is a bit like closing the bathroom permanently for everyone because some idiot spray painted a gang sign in the men's room. It's a park, there are lots of good apples and an occasional worm in a rotten one. They have thieves break into cars in the parking lot: should the lot be closed just because a single bad apple broke the law? I do not believe so. I have high regard for Erik Plunket, head Ranger. He is professional, smart and hardworking. He's a credit to the park service and we're lucky to have him and not some mean spirited petty tyrant or worse. I'll try and get a free moment and call him later this week to see if we can get the trail open again. I saw this last year and it cranked me, but I didn't say anything, I wish I had. I know that the last time the climbers got all incentivized, they were making trips to Olympia (not that I have time or inclination for this) and talking to the legislators and head folks. They got good results though. However, that was before the internet was invented, and maybe it's just easier to yell on the net about it but not do anything real? If I could make a small recommendation to anyone else considering this idea, and I hope that you all call to discuss it and register an opinion as well: PLEASE, get your shit somewhat together first, and treat Erik with the respect which you would expect and deserve if you were in his shoes (ie, no yelling, slobbering into the phone or making angry mentally challenged type of noises sort of like some of the wording appears to be above:-). The park number is (509) 427-8265

Yup, the butte gets the least sun, so that might have to be at the back of the list. Jimmys may be open too, I almost headed up that road Sunday on the way back from the Mt to check. Pete's would have been do-able, there's that little snow. Sometimes Pete's has ice form on it, if you ever go to Meadows, come down the road to Hood River and you can check. I didn't see any yesterday as I went past, I was trying to look, too warm last week and too dry generally I expect.

Damn that's a good lookin' Boa Dave! It definitely upgrades your rack:-) Now you have to look at accessorizing and change out to a green rope, chartreuse shoes and blue hot pants. Great to hear the Silent Partner is getting pressed into service too. BTW, In my opinion, I think that's so wrong that the trail to the south side is getting closed....for no apparent reason. I was going to hike down there yesterday coming back from skiing just to feel the vibe and got cock blocked by something like a massive "ROAD CLOSED - GO AWAY OR BE ARRESTED" sign.

Kenny in Da house! Hola Ken, glad to see you around, hope those Seattle dudes aren't kicking your ass too hard and you're getting some great laps in. I think we're all just shocked into stupidity that Dave put you in the snow... You SURE it was Dave? ps, you people really climb that choss?

Beacon is closed, but I hear there may be a new bolt ladder at Broughtons which you might be able to free. Broughtons is sheltered from the wind and stays warmer this time of year is perhaps no small thing as well weather dependent. Link link