Jake_Gano

I managed to hook up with some good folks today just by hanging around the crag and making conversation. Joseph, I think your name is mentioned in the giant city SP part of the older Ulner guidebook. Been around the block, eh?

Oh yeah and I brought a rope and rack. I think I even brought a spare harness. I don't really care how experienced you are, I just want to have some fun.

This may be a long shot but... I'm in Southern Illinois for the next month. I want to go out and hit up the awesome cragging down there, but haven't had much luck finding partners. Tried RC.com already. Does anyone live down there or know anyone that does? I'd like to sneak out after work a few days a week once the days get longer. Jake

I'm going to be in Seattle and I'll have Sunday and Monday free. I was thinking Shuksan sounds fun but I'd be up for ice climbing or about anything. PM me asap.

I am going to be in the Seattle area this weekend. I have Sunday and Mondy til 7 or so free. Would Shuskan interest you? Or anything else? PM me ASAP

I buy one. What's the story with AK mt forum?

Well, I guessed that much. Mountain? Drainage?

Where?

http://www.iceclimb.com/ID.html I think most of the climbs in the above link are within a couple of hours of Boise.

Oh, and more importantly... Many moons ago was I climbing (here in AK, actually) with a blonde girl named Stephanie from the Chicago - north shore area. She was sixteen and exceptionally cute at the time, which if I do the math right puts her about twenty-three and smoking hot by now. Keep your eyes peeled.

Governor Dogde SP in Wisconson has a few flows that form up. Also Starved Rock SP has a few. I don't know any details. Check out ClimbinCentral.com for beta, partners, etc. Also, southern Illinois and Devil's Lake in Wisconson each have good rock climbing. As an Illinois expatriate, I found the best way to get better at ice climbing was to move to Alaska.

PM me. Do you live in anchorage?

I had the chance to use DMM Rebels this Saturday. They were seriously nice tool, and light compared to the old-style Cobras I was swinging. The swing was rigid and damp, and the grip felt positive. The sticks were easy and solid. The pick's geometry was similar to a quarks; you could hook all day with them no problem. I would consider them if I was in the market for a new tool. My only concern would be the lack of availability of replacement picks. Compared to Petzl, Grivel, and especially BD, DMM picks are less well-stocked in your run-of-the-mill climbing shop.

I have no idea how to resize these pics. Here are links to the full-size versions:

I was hiking in the Wallowas in May when I snapped these shots of a prominent rock feature looming overhead. Is this Benthos Buttress? If so, where are the routes? If not, what is this? Has it been climbed. Notice the farm in the foreground. These were all taken from the road.

Hey I'm going to be moving up to Anchorage next month. I want to get out often. Drop me a line if you live up there. I'm mostly into alpine but I want to do some after-work cragging too, if there is any.

It's on private land, about 15 minutes outside of town. It's looks to be about 20 (25?) feet of hero looking ice on shitty basalt. John Crock has toproped ed it, said the land owner threatened to call the authority figures. I may be just getting old, but if I'm gonna risk getting harrassed by authorities or breaking an ankle, I'd rather do it on something a bit more, well, worthwhile.

Chicken or Egg-type situation. Why are there not more sewers, or any skilled laborers? Cause the jobs suck, people pursue other things. Why do the jobs suck? Because every time people working the job collectively (unions, etc.) demand better pay/benifits/conditions, industry says they can't afford to do that. Their competition is making there gear in China, if the cost of production goes up, they'll have to fold or go overseas.

I have talked to Steve, he is a very nice guy and has pointed me towards those two routes. I don't know that he posts here anymore. I was hoping for some sort of low-angle walk up or maybe a ridge climb or scramble that wouldn't be exposed to much avy danger. That might be a bit much to ask, but who knows? When I started this thread the conditions were looking pretty bad, probably too warm for ice. I just bought a set of AT skis to get to the ice. I'm still of the belief that coming down a mountain faster than I can rap or down climb is considered falling, and falling is scary and in poor style. Some day I'll pony up and learn to really ski. Some day, when there is no more ice to be climbed or no more cheap beer to be swilled. Yes, some day.

I know a local who had his break. I had the chance to look at it. It looked about the same as the pic. He did not fall on it. I think it broke when he was placing it. I believe it was the red size too.

I wouldn't worry about shipping them. Just PM me if you'll be in the area, that ought to do. I've been the the TriCities three or four times in the last six months, but it slipped my mind to get ahold of you to get them.

I have seen some ice in the river gorges down near lewiston, but nothing worth driving far for. This was in an exceptionlly cold, snowy winter a few back. I wouldn't count on those lines forming in most years. I would be anything you climb down there would be a FA. Apparently there aren't many climbers in that camaro sporting, def lep rocking hole. PS Sobo, if you are ice poaching in Lewiston, does that mean you'll take 45 extra minutes to come deliver my frosty adult beverages?

Yeah, I've been to Ice Lake in June. Like to check out some new territory, maybe something around Aneroid Lake or maybe the Hurricane Divide?

The weather's looking good this weekend but I don't think the Wallowas ice has had time to form up after our warm spell. I'm thinking about heading down there to do some peak bagging, maybe an easy long traverse? Does anyone have some favorite winter routes that aren't too exposed to avy terrain? Even though the ice condition and snowpack are probably not the best right now, I'm going to have a really hard time letting a nice w/e pass by.

That was big news ... last February.