Sol

fwiw, i think the crux pitch is great, with 3 very different and cool crux's. with long runners on the first 3 bolts you can alleviate most of the rope drag. i do beleive the pitch was put up on lead and do not think it is all that runout, bolts are right where you need them. you can get numerous cam placements before the last bolt if you climb up to the roof and undercling right. others have agreed with an 11+ rating for the pitch/route. my 2 cents.

i have, it kinda sucks! loose unprotected 4th and 5th class downclimbing with a rappel every now and then. as of one week ago the sherpa was in great condition as a descent with one tool and some crampons.

i would say colin's mixed climb is a completely different arena. i've heard the deal with the girth is that the real climbing is super short. 3 pitches total and with the rockfall the new variation has 3-5 moves of 11a. it could very well be technically harder but it is not a 800-900ft overhanging wall that's for sure. I think there are climbers that could make it up the girth without too much trouble but would be intimidated by Gorillas in the Mist. either way both good lines with steep rock climbing.

Thanks for the stoke everyone! Great write up Blake. This really completes a chapter in the Stuart Range for me, which began when wayne gave up the topos for Solid Gold and DOE. With those routes climbed, then the Tempest Wall and Der Sportsmen, it seemed only natural that Stuart needed a modern addition. Definetly the best and biggest adventure i've been on in the Enchantments. Great to team up with both Jens and Blake for this, one hell of a team. A few more notes about the climb. Blake went the lightest of all of us with no gloves and no hat. So at the bivy he got the ipod nano to occupy his suffering a bit more, and really kept the morale high with poems, stories, and stoke. Though the bivy was burly, summiting stuart the next morning at sunrise after putting up such a good line was the most magical summit i've ever had in the range. Some more info about the name: when we topped out on the W Ridge it had been decided that Blake and I would simul-climb and Jens would solo. A few hours into it we got seperated when Jens went high and we went low. We lost each other for about 2 hours in the mist and fog, every now and then getting a monkey call response between the two teams. I have to give much thanks to Joe Puryear and Max Hasson, and my wife Ginnie Jo. When we were overdue, my wife rousted these guys out of bed, Joe jumped into action, collecting information, and establishing a Information Center at his place. Half the town knew we were late and we ready to come find us. Thanks alot guys, truly humbled by your selflessness. I feel very lucky to know that such a great crew had my back. Note: you'll get extra lovin from your wifey if you come home late from the mountains on you anniversary! To answer some questions: Off White: yep steep wall between the w ridge and goat pass. Layton: yep, went left, than back right from the single and 1st bolt. Noah: that's the wall, pic doesn't really do it justice, but if you contemplate how much of the rock in the photo is covered in snow and you look at the mostly snow-free W Face Wall you can get an idea of how steep that terrain is. One more last shout out to Graham at Cilogear, Jim Nelson at Pro Mountain Sports, and Adam at Leavenworth Moutain Sports for the continued support, you guys rock!

You guys sound like the raddest partners your buddy could have had. Thoughts and prayers go out to Jason, hang in there!

Thanks guys! Definetly some mandatory 5.11 on the Passenger.

Trip: WA Pass - The Hitchiker, Tooth and Claw, The Passenger Date: 7/1/2009 Trip Report: Tyree and I spent an idyllic 3 days up at washington pass last week. Day 1 saw us climbing The Hitchiker, a newer Burdo route on the S Face of South Early Winter Spire. It's a 9 pitch 11b, the companion to The Passenger. We got a late start and enjoyed cool conditions for most of the face. Overall it's a fun route with some good positions, but is not very sustained, and isn't nearly as classic as the nearby Passneger. Ty at the base of the face, P1(10d) tackles the corner and is harder than it looks: P2 takes a fun slab and crack up to these roofs: Myself seconding: One of the cooler features on the route is this 4-5 inch crack that you easily traverse: Just past the 11a friction crux on P5: Tyree leading more 11a on P8, this pitch has two aid bolts for the roof in the center, though I was able to free climb this section after cleaning out the jams: I just love the summit and descent on the South Spire: After sleeping in forever, Day 2 saw us venturing onto the proud E faces of the spires. Tooth and Claw on Lexington Tower has been on the list for a while. I'd have to agree with Jim Nelson when he writes that the route: Was a bold and visionary undertaking. A difficult and committng climb... This is a hard climb put up on lead. The first ascent involved an adventure into the unknown on a largely blank slab. Really mind boggling for a climber from the new millenium to imagine putting up this line. Cold conditions would seem mandatory for the climb. The 20 year old bolts aren't getting any newer and the anchors are definetly not the raddest. An old school climb that Ty described as most climbers nightmare. The 11a 2nd pitch keeps shit real, I can see why folks bail here. The first crux comes 4-5 ft over a fixed head, which is 10 ft above the last bolt: P3 tackles a hard and runout 10c face P4 is the best on the route, good crack climbing leads to an 11c roof traverse and face: Here's me topping out on P6, a hard 5.10 pitch. This is the pic in the Nelson guide: The 5.12 friction crux on P6 is cryptic, really really blank slab climbing. An impressive redpoint that i would imagine is harder to tick than the Independence Route. Ty enjoying a very aesthetic roof and arete finish: You top out into this giant choss cave with a super manky anchor, classic. Day 3 saw us back on the S Face for a burn up the ultra-classic Passenger Route. A great way to finish a Burdo Trifecta. Here's P1, a pretty stout 5.10 pitch you start at a tree: Ty topping out: Embarking on the first of 3 crux sections on P4, 5.11 friction: Seconding the pitch: Endless 5.10 finishes the route: Overall is was a great 3 days out with a great parnter. Props to Burdo for such fine climbs.

thanks for the stoke you two. what a line, congrats!

Tyree and I went and took another run up Der. It was pretty cool that 24 hours after finishing his 1st year of nursing school ty was here: Fast and light in the Stuart Range: And 36 hours later he was here: I had forgotten how good the route was and was also reminded how committing much of the climbing is. Pitch 2, the R pitch, is brilliant: The 5.10 pitches: Are good:

the nightime closures are done on hwy 2 and when they were on, it was 20-25 minutes more to travel to ltown through plain. nice job on vesper, one of my favorites easy's in the range.

my buddies martins and isaac where above Jeff when that happened. sketchy.

I've been using a zone style breakfast for the past few months with great results. It's not an alpine breakfast but it provides great results for car to car days: 2 cups non-fat cottage cheese 1.5 cups chopped fruit (strawberries, blueberries, bananas, apples, etc.) 7-10 whole almonds I've been roughly following the zone since January, besides losing 15 lbs, i've really learned alot about mixing carbs, protein, and good fat. I think the big thing that many climbers miss in their diets is enough good lean protein.

cool, pics?

Favorites from the past week:

the gnar!

the route goes clean and has been freeclimbed. don't pilfer the fixed gear as it is crucial for a free ascent.

my wife and I moved into out first home

We threw a rope over, that would be a bit sketchy to downclimb. My pictures suck, but Geoff might have some.

Been getting a few inquiries about the area. Last friday, Geoff Cecil and I braved the 50% chance of thunderstorms to take a run up the "Astroman of Leavenworth", the W face. I had noticed it looking unusually dry for this early in the summer. Approach gully has a bit of snow, but it actually makes travel a bit faster and is kinda nice. Long corner pitch is 99.98% dry, Roof traverse is wet, but freeable. The nut usually in place on the next pitch is gone, not a problem for free climbing, but could pose a problem for aiding, I can't remember what size, but I think it's a tiny BD steel nut. The descent is half scree, half snow, never plunge stepped in rock shoes before, but it worked pretty good. No running water in the basin yet, but there is near the top of the gully. I had never done that boulder problem to the top of the balanced rock before, pretty cool!

Not normal, return it.

Nice, I bet you guys sell out quick.

that's really cool they opened it early. woo-hoo!