Bill_Simpkins

My bad about the national mixup. BTW I do vote. It's morally wrong to charge fees to access PUBLIC lands. I'd rather they let the parks go wild, and just worry about garbage then charge fees to maintain parking lots, bathrooms and picnic tables and campgrounds. I love that stuff sometimes, but taking that away is better than charging for what's already ours. What do you guy's think, would you rather have them drop services and have no fees or keep services and charge you, if that was an option? You can also write the State Parks and voice your opinion: issues@parks.wa.gov.

The money problem really blows. What I don't understand is why there are way more tax payers now then ever, and we have less money for the parks?! Well, I know that the FEDERAL Parks are low on cash because they, for the most part, kicked out the logging, which brought in lot's of $BLING$BLING$ . I have lots of friends in the forest service and they say that one of the worst things that ever happened to the federal parks was to cut back on logging. That's a concrete reason which, I don't like, but I can understand because of possible environmental reasons. But that's another story. Now the State Parks are suffering because of tons of uneeded State programs, projects, overpriced private contracts, and because they don't have Math Guru's( BTW, I'm a math guru!), figuring out how to maximize our hard earned cash, leaving it up to politically motivated people like Gary Locke and his posse of Poli-Sci interns, I have to pay $50 a year to chalk up at a place I've been going to for 22 years(since I was 6) for FREE! That's why I'm upset. Morally: I'm ok with my money, but I know a crapload of poor fellow college kids and poor families who could not afford to go to the park with this fee. Isn't the Park suppossed to be for all, not just for those who have extra cash? You know what happen's when we leave the poor with less to do? ..........Compton. You don't pay a cook change your timing belt, you take your car to a mechanic. Turn the budget over to UW or WWU's math department and we would all have a new Lexus and free Black Butte Porter for life. BTW: No offence to the people collecting the fee's. I know you don't like it either. Politics suck, and we are caught in the middle of it. We are getting Happy New Year Everybody!!!

I've climbed a few 5.11a's and many 5.10's in my crappy 3 year old, badly needs another resole, soles are peeling off, no edges, overstretched, clunky, LaSportiva Enduro's. Just a few routes off the Enduro tick list: Squamish: Fatty Bolger(5.11a), Kangaroo Corner(5.11a), Sole Mate(5.10a/b) They are no 5.11d's or 5.12's, but the routes I can't climb are usually do to my lack of talent or my big ass. I've never got spanked because I couldn't get my feet to stick or couldn't hold an edge. Would they have been easier with a better pair of shoes? I don't know. My next pair of shoes? Hmmmmmm, you got me thinking.........

BTW I ALWAYS tie in with the rope at belays, very clean, stronger. But your right Capt., the short daisy (2 ft.) is mainly useless. It's a luxury for quick comfortable stances during multiple rappels and 3 man belay stations. An extra sling would do the job just fine, and would be stronger and save weight.

Just curious what everyone's standard rock pro rack is. You know, the stuff you always take on that single or multi pitch you never climbed before. And I'd like to hear why you may include certain extras or leave things out. Mine is: -Forged Friends sizes 1-4, total of 9, each on a BD Neutrino (very light weight) -DMM 3 Cams 1/2 and 3/4 each on a BD Neutrino -All cams are racked on a slightly shortened 3/4 inch, tied nylon runner, which I could also use in a pinch -Tricams pink, red, violet,blue,grey and green on 3 biners -Hexs 1/2 inch, 1.5 inch, 2 inch and 3 inch all on 1 biner -Set of BD Stoppers 1-12 (rarely use 13, plus red tri-cam does that job) -Extra stoppers included are #3 and #4 wedge (always find those handy -All stoppers are rack on 2 oval biners(they are easier to sort through on the ovals, for me) -3 shoulder length specta runners -3 tied with 1/2 inch nylon -one cordelette with tied 1/2 nylon -6 to 8 quickdraws -8 more BD Neutrinos -3 lightweight locker biners -Nut tool -short daisychain for cows tail(optional depending on route) -ATC with Petzl Attache locking biner More gear ranting: Still making improvements. When I go in the mountains and weight is a huge issue, I usually lighten it up alot, usually by leaving out every other stopper and cam, and every other tricam and hex. And leave the quickdraws at home and just double a runner up if I need something short or take 2 very short spectra runners. In the hills I usually use 1 or 2 8.3 mm, 30 m ropes. When weight doesn't matter much I'll use a 9.5 mm, 60 m rope. But I've even brought that one up in the hills a few times too for certain routes.

I like the Tikka. It's easier to get on with cold hands and fumbling OR glove shells. Plus when I'm camping I just wear it around my neck when I sleep, which is very handy if you need it. I think it's bright enough for whatever. I've gone up Rainier with it at night, Hood, etc.........Worked fine with fresh batteries. Some would argue with me, to each his own. Just make sure your getting enough Vitamin A

Check Out: Washington State Parks New Law in Effect Jan. 1st This sucks. Especially because I live in Bellingham and I climb and boulder at Larrabee State Park 2-3 times a week. If I wanted to pay, I'd go pull plastic! One of the things I love about climbing outside is that it is an escape from most of the worldly problems............... like money! Let me know what you think, how this may affect you and what State Parks have climbing in your area. I understand that the areas need maintanance, but I already pay alot of State taxes. This is silly!

I'd like to do the North Twin Sister (all on West Ridge no North Face) car to car from Middle fork in 4 hours. I can do now in 5. I know someone that can do it about 2.5, but he used the North Face. Just a personal goal. I'm sure others could do it alot faster than I. But hey!

Is it because they are too tight, or because of the cold? If too tight, loosen them or try a different brand or size. If too cold, try a pair of shoes that has room for socks for cold days. Try getting a pair of comfortable shoes for easier routes. Just wear the tight sleak ones for the really hard routes.

WABBIT SEASON!

We'll watch them wimper. I bet a that someone will cry on their first rappel (belayed too of coarse), followed by a commercial break right before they go over the edge.

Free soloing on some unknown cliff in upper Yosemite in June. Was more like easy bouldering, but it was high up and exposed. We climbed Shasta in 7 hours the day before and drove all the way too Yosemite and were too lazy to get all the gear together for a climb. We just wanted a taste of that granite! It was really relaxing. First time to Yosemite.

That's great, entertained me for 10 minutes. Thanks.

Climbed at Squamish Saturday, Raven's Castle. Partied in Whistler at the Crystal lounge that night . Climbed at Murrin today until our fingers couldn't move from the cold . Bummed around at MEC in Van., then cruised back to B'ham.

Black light headlamps and glowstick/gearloops . $10 at the door please. Please check in your parka.

I've been trying to get a copy of that old Kloke book. Does anyone know how I could get one?

Get a disco ball to hang from a haul loop. Climb at night. Then shine the laser at it . It will be like midnight bowling. Or you could buy a set of quickdraws and have them gold plated . PIMP!

I was in Squamish all weekend. We felt like the only ones climbing there. It was nice. We climbed all day Saturday at the Raven's Castle on top of the Chief. Clear and dry. Then a bit at Murrin, but it was rather chilli. As far as NWP goes, I need to do some of the routes around it first to get a first hand look. If we have enough time and money this Summer, who knows. I'll bring some grappling hooks and a chainsaw. Maybe some weedkiller too. Kidding.

Watch out for Avy. It's a huffer too. Tons of elevation gain, about 6000 feet. I reccomend in Winter camping on the Knoll before the first hazardous slopes if you are going the Lone Tree Pass way. Bring a beacon. Rope up. Watch out for the crevasse about 30 feet below the summit on the final steep snow section. There are more before too. I have also encountered lots of moating right at the summit. I never have roped up in later summer, but I would in Winter and Spring. It's a good one. Highly suggested. Check out the upload linkabove.

Your all spelling hosers wrong eh. There is no "L". it's like an "H" eh. Shut up you hosers, else I'll steamroller you! Oot and aboot in my boot.

I'll jut get 3000 feet of cord and Jumar up it . Does that count? I'll try to get more beta tomorrow, if I'm not to busy yelling "Take" or "on Belay", or " yes, I would like fries with that".

If I was going for Washington Pass, I'd drive to the East side and head up. Still faster than skiing from the West I think. Unless you have turbo boost. If I was going up to Liberty Bell, I'd just hitch a ride on a snowmobile or get a hold of one. It's a popular snomobile route over on the highway. Probably use less gas than driving.

BTW: North Cascades highway is a good ski in the winter, if you can dodge the snomobiles. I ususally ski from where the road is closed on the West side, then down to the East Bank/Ross Lake Trail(3-4 miles to the trailhead I think). You can sometimes ski the trail and camp by the lake about 2.5 miles down the trail.

Hey, if you look real close you can see Noah's Ark. You should send it to Leonard Nemoy!

Me and a buddy Pat were climbing at Peshastin Pinnacles. It was the end of the day and as we were heading back to the car we heard a faint, "heeeeeeeellllpppppp". We followed the sound and found a hefty/large guy stuck halfway up a wall without a rope . What happened was he had a big runout on a 5.9 and couldn't climb up or down. So he untied and dropped the rope to his buddy who had no clue what he was doing either . Anyways we got em down with a rappel from the side and a pendulem across. Then his wife bought us dinner in Leavenworth! Yippee! Good Times.