shapp

please to be posting more photos of hot free soloing sailor girl! Am I the only one feeling like I am on a crazed acid trip reading this?

1. Exploratory Kayak decent of the Upper Chetco River through the Kalmiopsis Wilderness. 2. Scoping future climbing objectives in the Owyhees and pervert stew in the Alvord desert with Captain Frick, Corvegas, Hanman, James the sheep master, Liutenant Dan and the beautiful significant others. 3. Tropical waters on the Big Island 4. 15" of fresh fairly fluffy pow on a sunny calm, uncrowded day at Willamette Pass on xmas-eve day on my tele-mounted K2 Mt Bakers 5. Watching Bighorn Sheep males but heads along the deschutes (first time I ever saw that)

Nice, Finally something I could climb! I love this quote: "At odds with the rest of the world since day-one D-Town has rambled on with the barest minimum of love for just over forty years. Too far, too weird, too low angle, too obscure, too wet. Two-thousand feet tall?? Two ropes?? Two hours from Seattle? Fuck that!"

Last time I was working in Kodiak I saw 8 bears in 1 day. a couple shots of Kodiak brown bears I took below. But the scariest thing I saw on that trip was at the anchorage airport, below. I don't think it matters, if you jump a brown sow with cubs on Kodiak or the man land, you are in trouble.

mainland, kenai river area. I have done work on Kodiak, those are big bears!

My wife is from Alaska and is used to blood and guts, incidently her dad was charged by a mama griz a couple weeks ago and a couple days latter a family friend was trapping across the river from is place and was mauled by a griz, crushed his feamur, tore him up and ripped off his nose, but he lived, friend with him was also mauled but little damage so he could go for help. Grand Cayman doesn't suck View out the house we rented in Grand Cayman, also the break you can see out the window is a big barrier reef, and there was a shallow ship wreck just to the right out of the photo, and we had sit on top kayaks at the place, easy paddle out there with great snorking and spiny lobsters chillin under corral heads. The house we rented

I agree. The dark secret is that Haoles are frowned upon, especially when they stay at big resorts, wear designer clothing and NEVER GET IN THE WATER and never get off Oahu. You have it figured out. The next step is to go spearfishing, grab some spiny lobsters, surf some big waves, and hunt wild boar on Kauai and you are ready to be adopted. Then put on a disguise and go to Mama's Fish House on Maui, one of the best restaurants on earth. Don't forget to take your wallet. Spearfishing (done it) grab some spiny lobsters (done it in Grand Cayman) surf some big waves (done it, how big?) hunt wild boar (haven’t done it) been to Maui (haven’t been to Mama’s)

I heard only father rapers, mother stabbers and those with unnatural proclivities for goats and the occasional sheep frequent this moss infested hell hole

Nice! I do not believe that happycampershawaii is affiliated with the rental outfit on Maui in any way. Based on actual experience (had stuff stolen on Oahu) and talking with some friends (cops) on the Big Island, crime is highest on Oahu, the Big Island is relatively tame in comparison. Defenitley, more low key in the van, all the locals we talked to assumed we were from there.

Favorite pitches watching someone else lead at Darrington: Dan leading the Rash Steven leading the Cloven Hoof pitch 1, lots of cussing and moaning, many unsavory remarks uttered toward the first ascentionist (hanman) Mark leading pitch 3 on other side of the traxs, lots of cussing and moaning, many unsavory remarks uttered toward the rist ascentionist (steven) Mark leading pitch 3 of the Big Four Tower Route, actually I didn't get to see it, but I could hear it while climbing the pitch below, lots of cussing and moaning, many unsavory remarks uttered toward the first ascentionist (steven) Mark leading pitch 3 of Romantica right about the time I realized one of the double ropes was sliced half way through as it passed through my belay device. Don leading pitch 2 off width of The Ultimatum, a fair amount of grunting and whining and some blood Jeremy leading pitch 2 super steep pitch of rolling thunder, then calling it 11a/b, Hah, then throw him up on the near by 10c slab around the corner to the right (can't remember the name, but its a great pitch) and he has a shit fit cause it slab and "stupid" mostly cause he was scared and couldn't rely on his super human grip to yard himself up it

Send me a PM with your email address and I will hook you up with what I know about campgrounds around the island we recommend, don't recommend, and the lava hike stuff.

yup, from happy campers hawaii in Hilo. http://www.happycampershawaii.com/ pretty reasonable price really when you compare other options. They provide all the stuff with the van, cooking gear, 2 burner onboard stove with the full propane tank, 15 gallon water tank full of H2O, the sink is electric pump powered so no hand pumping, 2 bath and 2 beach towels, 2 sets of sheets, pillows, blankets, weber propane grill, grass beach matts, dish clean up gear, cooler etc. I used to have a 1974 VW poptop and so I know they put in the time to keep these vans in good shape. They have a few items I never saw before, a snap in big screen for the back hatch to let the breeze in on those steamy nights! They also had a little metal bar that esentially extended the locking latch for the hatch about 3 inches further back out so you could close the hatch and lock it but there would be a 3 inch gap, keeps the rain and any pilfering hands out of the van but lets the breeze in nicely and in combo with the screened side windows, keeps the van nice and cool at night, which is important in the tropics. They give you a good orientation about how to operate everything too. All you have to bring is your clothes, snorkel gear, and island attitude. The van was very clean and in tip top working condition. They have about 14 vans total I think. Good peeps that run it too. You can fly right into hilo from Honolulu and they pick up and drop you off at the airport too. I would rent from them again fosho.

Trip: Our tropical state - circumnavigation via VW poptop Date: 11/19/2012 Trip Report: Its that time of year again to escape the rain before the steep and deep arives and the skis get tuned up. Big Island 12 days, 5 days at the hilton, 7 days in the poptop VW Van camping, drove around the entire big island, hiking around the lava, night hike from the campground to see the lava glow, swimin with the turtles Gear Notes: Locals flip flops, prescription dive mask, rash gaurd, pakalolo, papaya, hawaian chicken and terriaki beef on the propane weber grill that came with the van, cocktails of all shapes and sizes, sushi 2 nights at Sansei for their happy hour special Approach Notes: Hawaian Air, VW Pop Top

I understand a herd of Darrington Goat Ropers Especial was down in Hell while I was in Hawaii. Post some photos and a TR damn it.

When was the last time anyone was on Balony Pony?

I think my all time favorite Darrington pitch that I could climb over and over for the first warm up of any day would be 1st pitch of Rolling Thunder at Spring Mt. and it is right off the ground, clean super variable moves, some steep ness and unbelievable holds. Trophy Wife (spring Mt.) single pitch route right off the ground could be one of the best single pitch routes anywhere when clean, but clean is not its normal modus operendi The pitch that is simulaneoulsy one of the best (when totally dry) and worst (when a wet vegetated mud fest) is the 1st pitch (super long enduro crack pitch) of the Big Four tower Route. The second pitch of the Big Four Tower route is insane slippery steep knobs 3rd pitch of Romantica at Spring Mt. is unbelievablely good 1st Pitch of Other side of the Traxs at Spring Mt. has great moves although dirty at the start, 2nd pitch has unbelivable edges, 3rd pitch is unbelievable slopy steep bastard pitch and reachy (extra difficult for midgets, fat people, and women with big jugs!) Bonus last pitch on Silent running has to be one of my all time favorite leads at 3 oclock rock (thank you Steven for making me lead this) Even though it is easy, I always enjoy climbing the 1st pitch flake on Cornocopia at 3 oclock rock Garden Weasel is a suprisingly good single pitch route on 3 oclock rock that has fallen into disrepair (old bolts).

Just got back from HI, nice nice nice!

For those of us currently sitting in the rain, for god sake fix the photo links!

Nice, I thought the 5.8 rating was accurate. Also on your other TR you indicated no pro on the final short and exposed arette. There used to be a pin you could clip just before the little boulder move to get up to the anchors. It is pretty hard to see if you don't know it is there.

Who said Darrington is all slab!

You are in luck, I lived in Everett for 10 years and just moved away recently. Darrington crags is your place to go, including Spring Mt. Watch out that fido doesn't become cougar bait.

Small rocks falling can also be very serious. You hear a lot about the big stuff, “I pulled off this big block and holy shit……”. I nearly cratered pulling off a very small rock about the size of a marble on the right hand first pitch start to the West Face Variation on Monkey Face about 15 years ago. I had climbed this pitch maybe 6 or 7 times before, usually climbing about 25 to 30 feet up for the first piece. This time, I wiggled in a stopper on the slanting crack, couldn’t really see it from my stance, just feel/blind placement, a good tug and it seamed stuck. I quickly gained the terrain above and was foot shuffling in the slanting crack and balancing with knobs above on the traverse. About half way over to the end of this little traverse I pulled on a knob and it popped, which sent me off balance backward, and my feet were firmly on the track and stayed put, the result being me falling backward and upside down. The blind stopper caught me upside down about 5 feet off the deck. Right in front of a couple hiking tourists watching the affair. I quickly got up, started climbing and fired the pitch. Only reflecting at the belay. We finished the route in good style, but I always take the left hand first pitch now

Me too! Rad – It looks as if you have taken my Big Moss Raper photo from my gallery and made it your avatar, maybe you should pay me a $2000 royalty for its use? This chaacter is a Darrington Super Hero and would not even think of touching a road cut, or miniscule boulder pebble in the Oregon coast range. He is unleashed several pitches up after pounding a tallboy and slaming in a 1/2 inch bolt with a 28oz ballpeen penetrator, on off days he looks a lot like hanman, ben murphy, riley81, or several other Oso rodeo bronk riders (goats that is)

Not much help on the limestone, but if you crack climb, there is a not-to-miss single pitch crack up the salmon river not too far from Riggins. Head up the salmon river from town like you were going up towards Vinegar/Carey creek boat ramps. There is a big old steel bridge in a granite gorge that crosses from the north to south side of the river. Just before you get to that bridge (traveling east) look north up the hill 50 yards or so you will see what looks like a sweet splitter finger crack, which is in fact mostly a hand crack. Park and walk up and snag this classic 5.9 or so. It is a long pitch, so full rack with stoppers up to #3 or #4 cam, with a few extra green and red sized camalots, maybe at least 2 or 3 of this size, and a couple golds. I wish my camera was working when we climbed it. There would be lines at Index and Leavenworth for this one. Not sure if you can rap on 1 rope, should bring 2, there were rap hangers on top. After you run out of the great clean crack, the last 20 feet or so are a little mungy, ends at a ledge with the rap hangers http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/943247/Re_Salmon_River_crags_near_Rig

Holy goat turd and sheep excrement! Have a look at the big block on fgw's pic on the left side next to the white rock fall scar. Next freeze thaw cycle and I bet that thing is a goner.