Bill_Simpkins

Tried to get back there two years ago. I asked a bunch of locals about the rock and they said it was all just loose chossy sandstone. Just scree and weathered chunks. As far as access, I was told to park in someones driveway and hike down to the beach, then stay on the beach for a mile and a half going south and there you are. If you plan on going out, give me a PM. I love treasure hunting.

Sounds like a good way to save weight on those alpine routes. What I do for that is rack 2-3 cams on one biner, 5 total, #1-#3 stoppers, every other size to # 12, pink and red tri-cam on one biner, carry about five, 2-biner slings on the harness, and a couple of 1 biner slings on chest, 2 rabbit runners with one biner around chest. Sometimes I girth hitch the cams, depends on the gear left. I've even had to girth hitch a stopper a few times because I ran out of gear. I don't carry a belay device, I use a munter hitch on Petzl Attache for belaying, a doubled up munter hitch for Rappelling, and I usually use a 8.3 mm rope, 30m or 60 m, depending on route. Keep in mind this is my setup for 4th class-low 5th. Sometimes I throw in a # 3.5 cam, or just carry tricams instead of cams.

In order of easy to hardest, but they are all easy: -Cheam and Lady Peak(B.C.), Cheam is a hike on a trail, Lady is class 2-3 right next to it. Both easily done in a day. Close to the Sumas border. -Mt. Watson, nice romp on East side of Baker lake. Road takes you to 4600 ft. (I think). Summit is like 6000 ( I think). Bring an ice axe, I've rapped off it, but you could probably scramble down without a problem. -Ruth -Sahale -Tomyhoi, mostly a hike, some route fining and class 3-4 loose rock. -Larrabee, 3-7 hours RT, lots of loose scrambling but very nice surroundings. Take Helmet.

Sex is like wine, you give it a smell test before tasting.

-Set of nuts, double on smalls. -pink, red and brown tricam -Friends #00-4 -DMM 3CU purple and green, smallest -sometimes the three blueish tricams After Monday, I'll probably throw in a couple of small hexes to help double up on the mid-sized nut placements.

I agree with you on the deviation thing. It can be a little frustrating. F

Yes, I agree. Erie is dry most of the time when others are not. Plus, if it does rain, the wind blasts the rock dry pretty fast. Some of the routes though are somehwat sketchy, even an easy grade can get you. I spent way too much time dilly-dallying up a couple "easy" routes because of bad pro and no clear route in sight. The adventure factor was kind of fun though.

One of my partners hates gear slings, and it takes all day to do a route. He gets all funny feeling and starts whining when you ask him to use one. He can't stand stuff over his shoulders. So when I climb with him, I don't expect speed, I just have fun. With him I try not to do things that require a tite schedule, or swinging leads. I think that when climbing with other people, one should know how and be willing to climb in "standard" procedure if your partner requests it. Doing anything thing else is just whining. If a small sacrifice will make the machine run smoother, then buck up and carry a gear sling. Sometimes if I have a route down well, i.e., only bring the pro I need, I'll rack on the harness, because theres only like a biner with some slings, stoppers and a couple cams(for example), and it's nice climbing with no weight up top . However, a "standard" rack is more efficiently carried on gear slings, when swinging leads. That is my opinion, I have spoken.

ok..ok... thanks unable to edit post, here it goes again.

Mt. Erie Climbing Gradesrated stiff by old mountain hardmen (i.e. 5.6 is Sqaumish 5.8)You suck Bill! Your just rusty and need to get out more.Rock is just different. Grades seem "normal" when you've adjusted to the rock.

I'm sorry you two saw that. I think you did the right thing. But still I understand how you feel helpless. Life is fragile. Accidents like that help the rest of us see that, and help us realize how important the other people in our lives are. Take care. Eat a grilled cheese sandwich.

When reeling is appropriate: I've had to reel about 3 times, and sitting down and pulling gave me what I needed. The pulling and lock-off was one motion. The motion was like an arch with a straight arm from the ATC around to behind my rear-end. This accompianied with sitting down can give quite a bit of take in the rope. Watch out for swinging into the wall though. I've only reeled on sport climbs at Vantage with small falls. Practice makes better. Put on your harness, bust out your rope, and play with it. Make sure your neighbors arn't watching. I think the trick is to have clear communication with the climber about ledges, etc.. and have it thought out ahead of time what the best thing to do, and be prepared with your plan. Ask you partner what his piece above the ledge is like. If you have an omni anchor at the start, running may help, if there is time. But I don't know about that one. Never done that.

I usually go past Leavenworth a couple miles towads Peshastin and take a left onto a Cayon something Road. The turnoff is in the Peshastin Pinnacle area. Something like that. It goes through some residential then up into the hills. There are some side roads with pullouts and places to camp about 5-10 miles up it. Free.

I was on Colman Pinnacle last week too. Then went up almost to the Portals. There were some Canadians heading up the Park Glacier Route.

I saw the path too. Looks good around that area. Looked like some slots to negotiate right before camp at the Portals. Everything looked pretty much open up. The headwall looked slightly cornassed from my vantage point, but I could be wrong. The steep part at the end of the Cockscome route (right of the head) looked pretty icy but didn't appear to be cornassed. The approach is in good condition.

I can do whatever. I have gear and wheels. You name it, I'll tell you if I can do it or not. My suggestions are Arrowtip Tower and Block Tower, Ruth and Icy, cragging or hiking. I live in Bellingham, I have to be back at 6 pm for band practice. Arrowtip and Block on ridge below. Just short little things. Maybe do more while up there. Read Beckey Vol. 3 page 45

Early last summer I was trying to find the way into Boot Lake in the Sisters Range from the East side. On the way back I saw something bright blue in the bushes down in a gulley by a creek. I thought I should check it out because it resembled a jacket from a distance and could have been a body or something. I wacked through neddles and forded the small creek to find......a party balloon. Oh well.

I agree. Last time at Muir, the Climbing Ranger told Dan the weather was going to be pretty bad and told me to go for it. You must have had that crazy look in your eye. Swissman: I got to tell you that not many people would not take you seriously, including myself. The Climbing Rangers are up there a lot more than all of us. They've more than likely seen rescues and lots of crazy people. They also probably have an ok feel for the weather and the people that are going up. Yes some probably think they are hotshots, but still, they probably have a good feel for the mountain. Give'em a break.

I'll bet that they'll through in an outhouse so they can charge.

There is some "OK" bouldering in Skeleton Cave. The rock is too sharp for much. It is more fun for me just to hike and explore in them. They are a nice break from the Summer heat when at Smith Rocks. I want to go to them now! I love it down there. I grew up in Redmond.

Friday=Muir Saturday=attempt. Turned around by top of Cleaver because of 70 MpH winds, clouds comming off up summit, and electrical storm. Many groups backed off. RMI went up. My partner went up kind of sticking with RMI. I soloed back to Camp Muir from the Cleaver. The route is in very good condition. Lot's of rockfall by Cathedral Gap. PS- One thing I don't like about Rainier is all the obsessed and crazy people that are up there. It's just a mountain folks!

Freesoloing a different subject altogether. I think that Das Toof is a great route for beginning trad leading. Everyone has to start somewhere, right? In fact, it was MY first trad lead. That time I lead it with a set of stoppers, two tricams and 3 hexes. If I had cams I would have used them. I could see how cams would increase the possible placements dramatically. But still, it's ironic they lost some on that route, because they didn't really need them because there are tons of good stopper placements. Maybe someday, after the've done the Tooth many times, they will realize that themselves and have a laugh. I think that some here (on cc.com) are way too hard on those that are starting out. But the truth is, most of us were guilty of doing things that beginners do (and dressing like the Mountaineers). Some of us make jokes because we are laughing at what we, ourselves used to do. It's fun when it's light-hearted, but I see a lot of chest-beating occuring also. I am guilty of this, as are many others. Thinking back, I think it would much more productive to offer suggestions and insight to these people rather than just showing off that we know more. Or offering to help them get their cams back.

I miss BS'ing with that old fart in the camp. When I was last through there, he was about to shut down and was pretty upset. He said it was because of NAFTA. Anyways, if you do get through the gate, the approach can be somewhat tedious. I can tell you that the wack'in sucks! So two options might help. 1. From the last switchback, B-line straight for nearest talus above. 2. From the end of the last switchback, head straight over the woods, then up. That is my experience, someone else (Dru) might know of a secret trail. The blueberries should be getting ripe (they delayed us a half-hour last year). Also got stung by wasps in the leg.

One funny thing is about the stuck cams on Das Toof is that you can lead the whole thing with a set of stoppers.

See ya!