kurthicks

The relevant take away of these tests is this: don't belay from your tie-in knot.

I'd start by really making use of the terrain that you have nearby. Become a good rock climber at Smith, plug cracks at Trout, do the Jefferson Park Glacier, Leuthold, Reid HW, North Face of Hood, Three Sisters Traverse, and anything else that you can do on your school schedule. Learn to love driving late on Friday and Sunday nights. That's how I got through grad school! A few more ideas: Snoqualmie Mountain—New York Gully, Pineapple Express Chair Peak—North Face, NE Buttress Stuart - Stuart Glacier Couloir, NW Face Couloir Hyalite Canyon Hood - Leutholds, Reid HW, North Face, Illumination Rock The key is to be motivated to get out climbing, in any form, as much as you can. It's all mileage!

Glad everyone is enjoying the route! It looks to be pretty fat this year, so go get it!

I have one in mind Gene. I just need an empty week or so to make it happen. Overhanging, 20 minute approach, and close to Seattle.

The lower elevation option is a scratchy area that is known as the Shuksan Crag. Park at the small pullout on the left at the Hannegan Road turn off before Hwy 542 climbs to the ski area. Walk down the road and it's on the left. It was originally a rock crag but never caught on since it's so mossy.

Looks like an Arc'teryx harness. I had one that did the same thing at the end of the outside loop of the belay loop. You might call the manufacturer. I just assessed it myself and chose a simpler option—which involved some scissors and a lighter.

I'm looking to get in touch with Mike Orr about the routes that he put up in the North Bend area in the 1990's. Does anyone have a good way to get in touch with him? Thanks, Kurt

There are also a couple moderate lines on the left side of Fun Forest, a little further east from Exit 38. They are even on high quality, Index-like granite.

Nice meeting you guys up there. Glad you had a good trip up the SW Buttress! I hope our trails helped you out...

yesterday:

Anyone from your party can arrive 24 hours before your trip starts to get a permit from any of the NCNP offices as far as I know.

I skinned past the NE couloir today. looked bony at the start, snowy rock up high. In fact, the whole of Dtail looks pretty bony this year.

Bottom line -- Get one you will wear. "In the current CE/UIAA regime every helmet is tested in the following way. Utilising an approved test rig at an approved test house, three types of weight are dropped from pre-determined heights at prescribed points onto a number of ‘conditioned’ helmets placed on a ‘head form’. The helmet is awarded a pass if the required results are obtained at each point. So what are the tests, weights and results? 1. Impact test - A 5kg rounded weight is dropped from 2m twice, 10cm apart, in the centre of the helmet. Impact force measured must be less than 10kN CE or 8kN UIAA. 2. Impact test - A 5kg flat bottomed weight is dropped from 50cm at 4 points at the front, sides and rear of the helmet. Impact force measured must be less than 10kN CE or 8kN UIAA. (Note: the lower the figure recorded the better) 3. Penetration test - A 3kg pointed weight is dropped from 1m in the centre of the top of the helmet. No mark must be seen in a ‘putty’ which is placed in the ‘head form’." http://www.wildcountry.com/files/public/User_Guides/360_User_Guide_Final_Lo_Res_Jan_2010.pdf http://www.climbing.com/gear/about-uiaa-and-ce-helmet-certification/ https://www.thebmc.co.uk/Handlers/DownloadHandler.ashx?id=629

Hi everyone, Quick update here—The project is coming along nicely. All of the crags mentioned in this thread are going to be included and hopefully a few more. Also included will be historical info and as comprehensive of a first ascent list as is possible. It's a surprisingly large project given that the current route tally is somewhere around 600 and growing...

cold, snowy, and very windloaded on the approach.

Not to speak of yet.

Light and durable are mutually exclusive most of the time.

Points together, straps wrapped around the bundle, then put under the lid of the pack.

It depends on where you plan to bivy. The north side approach requires a permit if you're down in the meadow, but it is not required up by the glacier or on the mountain itself.

The GiGi has wider slots that do reduce the amount of friction when pulling the rope through the device in auto-blocking (guide) mode. It's an elbow tendon-saver on long routes, especially with two fat ropes. That said, devices like ATC-Guide/Reverso are more versatile for the majority of climbers since the latter are easier and more comfortable to use for all applications—belaying, rappelling, releasing under load, etc. One way to ease your rope pulling with these devices is to use a rounded stock carabiner (the Attache is one example).

I use one of these Sterling Falcon AL lockers on each of my microtraxions. Seems to keep the orientation the way that I want it. Plus it's a triple action biner, so I don't have to worry about it unscrewing.

I agree Ron. Thanks for chiming in! Most of the funk in Leavenworth isn't that funky. There aren't that many 1/4" or 5/16" button heads that remain really (but it's fun to go looking for them). And 5/16" are really strong if they were done right the first time (and really hard to remove!). I haven't replaced a single fixed pin with a bolt, nor do I plan on it. The goal is to never change of the character of a route and to evaluate the need for replacement one piece at a time.

Just that they have a smaller cross section than equivalent rod that would go into a nominal 1/2 glue whole, and have a very ad hoc garage built look to them. Glue-in bolts are the standard across all of the EU, though some folks still place in "bolt-in" (a.k.a. expansion bolts) hardware in some places. Our American homegrown bolting systems are long overdue for some updating, especially on the west side of the Cascades where use of non-stainless hardware runs rampant and is not a long lasting solution. I do appreciate and understand the perception that glue-in hardware may look more 'garage built', but the reality is that all climbing hardware that has passed CE rating is deemed safe for climbing regardless of its outward appearance. I think educating the American climbing public will serve us all well in this regard—although, let's be honest, most folks will clip whatever is there since they want to do the climb—and that is the whole reason for going to all of the trouble of replacing this bad hardware. In this instance, these were chosen for a) longevity in a corrosive environment b) a very high use area where it is conceivable for multiple parties to be on them at one time and c) glue-ins are the only bolt that only exerts force on the rock when it is being weighted, unlike all other bolts, which is a good thing in fractured rhinostone.

ClimbTech Wave glue-ins. 1/2" x 4.5".

those are some of the older routes up there, so that's not surprising. I'll put it on the list, but writing the new Snoqualmie Valley guidebook is taking priority these days.