shapp

I am not aware of how one would use a soloist (wren industries or petzel) for hands free top roping! I have one and used it for many years and don't see how you could rig it for hands free top roping, though it works good for relatively hands free leading.

first kiss is not runout. It has just as many bolts as any other smith route I have done, in fact on some pitches I think I skipped a few cause I didn't have enough runners. Shapp

if you climb 5.9 I would start out well below to get the feel of the rock unless you are a tuolomne slab bad ass mofo. I like the big tree route and I also really like garden weasel 5.10 and cornicopia flake

I have the guidebook CD. It is worth the $17 bucks, but the topos don't print that well with my setup. Mattp web site topos print more clearly, but I would defenitely get the CD! Darrington is great, but you will have to get used to the routes if you have been climbing a lot in red rocks, not to many incut edges and plates at Darrington. PS i am going to red rocks this sunday for a week. Cheers, shapp

The fourth horseman is very very good and on a weekday would be even better. This is one of my favorite 5.8 hand cracks = take first pitck of Fridays jinx (not that fun but alright). Then head up and out left for the second pitch into the crack of infinity straight in crack, once over the bulge head back right and up to the top of Fridays Jinx. Pack animal is great too. White satin (5.9 but very protectable) is very good with easy and harder pitches for both people to lead. The west face variation is also killer take the left hand start over the bulge (may be tricky for a new leader, but way safer than the right hand start) then take the left and pitch for pitch two. Anything in the gorge with a few stars and koala rock has some good routes. The first pitch of peking kicks ass. Spiderman rocks especially on a weekday when the lines are gone. A killer day would be to climb moscow or peking, walk off over the top and do spiderman and finish up with white satin or sky ridge. feel the stoke!

TUA 180 tele skies with voile release system, with or without voile cable bindings (I would rather keep the bindings, but will sell) I will take $70 firm or trade for used, but in good shape, 1.5, 3.5, and 4 friend (can be forged or tech). Also have a toyota bed liner that fits a standard 6-ft small truck bed. In good shape. Free if you pick it up in Everett. email me jasonshappart2001@hotmail.com

Chuck, the rock was Wet! not damp shapp

Have a lowe contour IV pack in like new condition for $100 and it is about 5000 ci. jasonshappart2001@yahoo.com I work in seattle

I hiked in there last sunday, still a snow slog on the road for about 40 min. to the trail head. The rock was still pretty wet even after the sun we got on saturday, I would wait a bit longer. Shapp

You make me jelous! I lived in "The Big" for awile and skied up above anthony a lot. Instead of skiing the bowls between Lees and Lookout, go to the next bowl to the northeast, between Lees and Gunsight, this area is called angel basin and usually has better snow, there is also a short ice climb just above and to the right of the steep step entering the bowl from hoffer lakes. Alos the back side of Anthony down toward the NF John Day river is very good too! Some years the USFS rents out Peavy cabin in the winter way down in the bottom of the valley (NF JOhn Day) and you can get some great skiing in while at the cabin. And one more thing, don't even think about driving from bend to John Day and over the pass to Baker after a big snow storm! shapp

Thinker, you don't happen to be Ryan P. that went to OSU? If so, dude we have some shweet big granite up by my place. You should come up and we'll do some 10 pitch routes. If this isn't Ryan you are still welcome to come up and do some sweet 10 pitch routes. send me a pm Shapp

One more point and I am done. I don't think that steve's routes and the mad bolters routes suck. Many of them are damn fine sport routes. The problem for me is, especially at spring mt., is that so many routes are put up, many of them extremely close together and there are many bolts near bomber natural pro. I don't want to get into a debate about this, I have already had long discussions with the route developers along time ago. It is their choice, I just disagree. My main point was that if Vert is Mark H. he is a damn fine climber by reputation and any of you out there would be stoked to share a rope with him.

Go ahead Sabertooth, I have already told those individuals these things in person. I do not hide behind a fake name as so many other posters do! Vert are you Mark H.? Shap out-

Looks like mattp has redone his Darrington web page, looks better! and redone the topos, the print more clearly now. Great Job http://www.seanet.com/~mattp/Darr/

Vert, If you are who I think you are (from La Grande) you are one of the only climber out there who I respect. The other wankers that have to much time and battery power on ther hands are drilling way too much (i.e. the spring mountain bolt fest). I lived out there for quite a long while and did climbed a lot all over, including Duns Bluff, and interesting stuff up in the Elkhorns that you were a part of. Thanks for being a shining star, maybe some of the new beginers in that part of the state will have someone else to look up to besides steve and the walla walla mad driller.

No pro needed, all the routes are high ball problems, too bad the city won't install a 5 foot thick crash pad at the base. Howver, on a sunny saturday all the newbies out there could just give you one giant group spot!

I think there is more climbable rock in hells canyon than at Smith Rock, but good luck finding beta

Just got back from Darrington, had a D3 approach (for those who have read the new Rattle and Slime guide) and didn't even get off the road. I got stuck in snow about half way in my 2 wheel toyota pickup, but there were tracks a head. A spiffy SUV could go farther. Took me about 20 minutes to dig out, but the sun was out and the dog likes to role in the snow. It was impresive to see the first big blow out up the road! other than the blowouts are easily driveable in a two wheel rig, but low clearance cars may bump a few rocks. Saw a few folks up there driving around that were missing a few teeth, also found a nice dump pile at the end of the spur road that goes along the small pond. If I ever catch one of those toothless bastards dumping up there, he will meet his maker! With a few more days like today the road should be snow free. I guess I should have brought my skis Shap

Matt I know you know better, the stuff around the arch and farther south gets blazing sun in the morning to mid-afternoon. Just funnin- Cheers, thanks for the info

Anyone been up to 3 O'clock rock lately? any snow? how is the road? Might go up there tomorrow to check it out and climb if I can get to it and the sun is blazing.

The owner is John Jaqua (spelling may be wrong). He is a lawyer in Eugene and also owns the farm across the road from the Crag next to the River. This may not be the owner now since this beta is about 10 years old. Think twice before trespassing on land owned by a lawyer. However, the routes are good. There are some steep sport lines and some trad. Also there is some raptor nesting up on the Crag. You may be able to blackmail the owner for some access for this reason as the Local land managers may not like the route development near known Osprey nests.

As you are finding out the snowboard hard boot selection and binding selection are becoming very slim in the U.S. Bomber gear makes the best plate binding. I have ridden plates for a very very long time and just got a new pair of raichle's. Bomber gear is one of the only places left in the U.S. to find plate and racing stuff (no I don't work for them), but for using with the split board I would pick your favorite and most comfortable AT boot, but they will be more expensive than the snowboard hard boots on the market.

The truck bed liner for sale should fit all toyota 6-ft beds and most other truck brands with a 6 foot-bed.

I have a toyota brand plastic bed liner in good shape with all mounting equipment. Located in Everett, but I also work in seattle so I can drop it off. $25 bucks or trade for a size 1.5 friend or other band of similar sized cam in good shape. send me an email jasonshappart2001@yahoo.com

If you haven't noticed feet come in all shapes and sizes, mine fit the anasazi's like a glove. I actually have two pairs in two sizes, tight pair and a comfy pair. I hear a lot of talk about Boreal aces. I tried some on many years ago and they just didn't fit my feet. Like wise a lot of the Sportiva shoes don't fit me well either. Bottom line is don't listen to what shoe people tell you to buy, its the personal fit, workmanship quality, and rubber type that should drive the purchase so try on as many pairs as you can before you buy that all day alpine crack shoe