Bill_Simpkins

Classic Crack Area - Leavenworth is ok at best. Start of Exasperator- Squish The start of the cracks at Shannon falls are good. I think the best thing to do around here is to throw a top rope at Octopus Gardens at Squish start at the left then switch anchors to the right and keep going. Tons of good cracks...its like crack school. Long pitches of hand cracks and others. I can't think of better place to learn around here. The route that goes through that small tree is very good for techique, so is the Octopus Garden route. That's my 2 cents. Good luck. My friend has a good way to make solid cracks out of 2 x 6's at home. They are solid and adjustable. PM me and I'll put you in touch. He lives down there he might be able to help you build them.

E-mail the factory and ask them what they think. To tell you the truth, I personally would just put it in an aid rack for C0-C1 stuff. It's not worth it to take the chance or to have that doubt if your about to peel off and that thing is 5 feet below you. The cam that broke in Vantage a while back comes to mind. They can break. Dru had a good idea to bounce test it, but still I personally would get wigged-out free climbing above it.

I tried thrashing over there from 3 'O Clock Rock two years ago and suffered greatly. Not reccommended.

A ball nut is helpful on the first pitch of Iron Horse. Even though most of it is C1, I would say there is one C2 move between the pins and the anchor. But the gear around the move is solid. A sky hook was helpful for the flake below the first anchors.

Going to Vantage to jam cracks on Sunday.

For glacier I use a 30m, 8.3 mm dry rope. I've led lot's of rock pitches with it in the mountains also. Regular cord works well for ascending, but I use the skinny, thin tubular webbing.

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When the nut pulls When the cam blows Then I'm feeling sad But when I find booty gear and new rap slings Then I don't feel so bad.

My guess is they are going to be looking for neutrinos in this thing. Shooting them from somewhere else in the country through the ground. They have one of these detectors in an old salt mine in Wisonson, called MINOS, (one of my old professors works there). They need a lot of density in the rock to filter out other particles from cosmic radiation. They will probably have a big main detection room with a giant pool of water to detect the passing neutrino. I guessing the cavern they make will be rather large and deep. The semi's may be hauling in loots of metal for the walls of the pool. Just a guess.

Swinging Leads: Self-equalizing Figure-8 knot with rope (Falcon: advanced rock climbing). This knot easily self-equalizes 2 or 3 points. Not Swingling Leads: Two cordelettes or Web-O-lets, preferably. One for current anchor, one for next anchor.

Sugerloaf cracks need no jamming, barely need hands. I learned to jam on XY crack in Leavenworth, and Octopus Gardens in Squish. Personally, Octopus has a ton more to offer. Yeah they are a tad harder, but they are way longer, force more technique, and totally nice! Another good crack to learn on is the crack on the right on the second pitch of GNS at Index. Pefect hands and fist 5.6, but someone has to lead to the anchors first.

down on your luck?

More to add to list: -Play Capture the Flag at night on Campus w/ cc.com-ers -Hike North lake Watcom trail and hike to top of falls just before the bridge by the 1-mile marker. Or take a dip by the rope-swing. -Get eggs benedict at the Bayside Cafe on the Waterfront. -Dive off the cliffs at Whatcom Falls Park. -Go to the Smell garden at very long boardwalk through the park at Tennant Lake. -Throw in a crab pot at the Ferry Terminal. -Go hang out at the park at Birch Bay. -Go bowling at Mt. Baker Lanes in Ferndale. -See how fast you can run from the pullout on Chuckanut by Larabee's old enterance to The Point. Boulder the overhang and traverse to the 5.8 reach, climb the reach, run to the Pink Wall, traverse that back and forth, run to Clayton Beach, Boulder the up and over problem, run to exactor slab, go up and down the easy crack, then up the 5.8 layback, then the V0 layback, then run to the Grey Wall, do a traverse back and forth, then back up to the car. Post your time on cc.com. -Hike the tracks north of the Oyster bar where the windsurfers go and try not to look at the naked old men. -Find the shortest way to Lost Lake. (mine is 20 minutes) -Play laid back par-3 golf at New World Golf, or go hit off a bucket at the driving range, they will loan you a club for free. - Loiter inside AAI, and do knot tricks with the employees. Good Luck.

SWM ISO SWF. N/S, L/D, H/W Prop. 5.5-5.11, 4-6c, 12-24, HS-E3, or 36-24-36. ATC or BFD, No STD or SBD. HVD-HVS, BYOB, no DSHS. V1-V4, no Hep A or 10-4.

Sometimes getting good at something else can make you better at what you've been doing. Take a good, long break from climbing. Maybe do a ton of hiking, or get into fast-packing. Light scrambles, play soccer, whatever. Have fun and forget all the pressure. When you return to climbing, you may suprise yourself. I

Maybe Banana Peel If I was more comfortable with the move at the finger travese on end of the wave pitch.I've never biffed that move, but solo would be a bit weird for me. That rest of the climb is a breeze. Some climbs on the Apron are so runout anyways, a rope would do much good.

REI SUB KILO RULES!!!!! They have a 0 deg and a 20 deg. Everytime I take it out, everyone else is jealous, cause they are light as hell, and pack real small. Ever since I got one, I'm down to a 2200 cu inch pack.

The sabertooths pack nice and take little room in the pack. Although I don't like traversing in them as much as the grivels. The grivels have one tooth cranked sideways to give stability while traversing, but the BD's are generally better for icy stuff. I've used my Grivel G10's all season this year, my Sabertooth's havn't seen any action for a year and a half. They popped off once on the Emmons glacier, but havn't since I cranked on the screw. If they made a sabertooth with that tooth cranked sideways, then you would have a great crampon! -One other note, my Sabertooth's have tended to ball up a little easier.

Thanks for the good advice, I e-mailed Edelweiss, maybe I'll hear back from them......

I just got a new rope in the mail. It is a Edelweiss 60m 9.6 mm rope. As I was coiling it back up, and I noticed a indent in the rope caused by the strapping that the rope came packaged in (inside the plastic, so Edelweiss put this strapping on). I tried to "rub" this indent out, but it is still there. My question is, should I be concerened about the strength of the rope. Has this happened to anyone else? -Bill

Going to Index, whoohoo!

Hiking, scrambling, rock climbing, whatever. my knee is still a little sore so nothing to harsh ya'll. I have gear and wheels. I'd like to go to Squish, Lib Bell, hiking around baker area, scramble up some unknown little peak, just something. I can leave tonight at 6. PM me, I will check them between 5 and 5:30. -Bill

A 51 year-old man died in Bellingham yesterday after falling off a 15 foot cliff. He accidently fell into the water and his head hit a rock. I don't think he was a climber. So wear your helmets guys and gals. A little fall can do you in.

I like the Anasazi Velcros. The velcro allows me to get a good fit, fast. I like 'em for cracks and slab too. I still use my old La Sportiva Enduro high-tops for the easy stuff though.

That would be a good time to have that stuff! Experience tells you when you need it. I agree, some people don't go prepared enough.