Rad

Trad, in my view, is cracks that are freeclimbed and protected with removable gear, where one is following a natural line of crack(s). Climbs that fit this include Aries, GM, Rogers/BOC, Toxic Shock, Godzilla, Heart of the Country,and many others at Index. The NE Buttress of Higher Cathedral, Braile Book, Nutcracker in Yosemite. Backbone ridge of Dtail. Burger Stanley and other routes on Prussik etc etc etc. Dreamer is mostly bolt protected slab. Bolts are not trad in any book. Grand wall has two bolt ladders, which are even less trad than bolted slabs. The Grand does follow a natural line of cracks, which is more than we can say for Dreamer, but it also has a bolted crack (Perry's) so that takes away points. In short, your poll is like asking which grade is more acceptable, C- or D+. NEITHER is acceptable!

Tazz, You should take a chill pill. What would you have said to Fred and Helmey when as teenagers they spent ten days in the Pickets doing first ascents? Should they have had a certified guide with them and carried MLUs? Josh, There are some quality people on CC who will help you learn some basics (e.g. MattP) if you don't abuse their good will. Good luck surviving the early years. We all did some dumb stuff and managed to survive. Make sure you don't pay a big price or cause others to suffer because of your poor decisions. Have some fun!

Cascadian Couloir. There was a TR on it recently on cc, though most here consider it a necessary evil to endure on the way down.

Amazing story. Great job on your parts in the rescue. Glad to hear it has a happy ending.

Great addition! I think it's high time for a new guide to some of the great routes that have gone up in the past 5 years or so...any authors out there? Brrr! I've shivered in a 'went too light' bivy on the summit of Stuart, but it didn't go below freezing like it did for you.

God gave men a brain and a penis but not enough blood to use both at the same time.

The memories of a man in his old age are the deeds of a man in his prime (Floyd). And for Max and Jens:

Yep, black, and a real beauty. They come in a wide range of colors. The shoulder hump and shovel nose are the hallmarks of grizzly. And size, though that's harder to judge from a distance. Nice trip.

1 - It has kicked my arse twice, perhaps because it has well-spaced large holds in the middle that entice me to reach and crank rather than climb smoothly. Then I get flamed out before the upper crux. 2 - It has a painful two finger pocket crux that you want to grab with your left hand, but the bolt is left of that, and then the next move is a long one up and right. I probably just need a better sequence there. 3 - The name is culturally insensitive. 4 - It has kicked my arse twice and probably will again!

Gold Rush (11b) in the woods area is an excellent climb. Disincarnate (11a) at WWI is cool. I'm not a fan of Aborigine, but everyone else is.

pm sent

RIP. Off to New Dimensions.

Fabuloso! BTW, are the bolts placed to allow one to cheat past the 5.11 friction cruxes on Passenger if necessary, or are these mandatory free moves? Great pics too.

I agree with Lowell that the numbers are probably low, I don't think this is because climbing is dying. Here are two factors to consider: 1 - Climbing may once have been trad only, with crags being just training for tha alpine, but this is no longer the case. There are plenty of folks who mainly boulder, mainly climb hard sport, mainly climb trad at favorite crags (e.g Index), mainly climb ice, mainly climb indoors, etc etc. So even though there may not be tons of >=5.9 alpine climbers that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of climbers. 2 - The distibution of good WA alpine rock routes is skewed toward easier lines so harder climbers look elsewhere for challenges. I wouldn't be surprised if the number of alpine rock routes looks like this: # 5.7 and 5.8 >> # 5.9 and 5.10 routes >> # 5.11 routes >> # 5.12 routes. I have to imagine this is a largely a function of WA geology, because guides suggest there are plenty of alpine 5.11s and 5.12s in CA and CO. Perhaps climbers who are motivated may swiftly outgrow our lovely PNW and seek bigger challenges in the Bugs, Yosemite and high Sierras, AK, Patagonia, Europe, Colorado etc. The rest of us weekend warriors seem to have plateaued in the 5.9 to 5.11- range and happily gobble up what WA has to offer.

Great TR. Someday I'll print this in small font and mutter as I squint in the fading light, "so is this the decoy rap or the first 25m rap?" Dehydration is a beyotch.

I've discussed this with partners as well. I can't answer your poll without some more granular definition. What is PNW? Does BC count? OR? Idaho? Montana? WY? AK? What is alpine? Do you mean back country, and if so how far back? Above treeline? Do you mean only trad? Will I think we can agree that Prussik is alpine. Gunsight is alpine. CBR is alpine. What about Darrington? Guye peak? Vesper? Sloan? BTW, I think many of the people on this board would like to see your list of the 25 routes people actually do. There are plenty of routes in the Nelsen guides that don't make that list (e.g. Disappearing Floor, Eve Dearborn (OK, it's ice), and Girth Pillar).

Of course you can solo, but I wouldn't. The route we did was around toward the West and pretty straightforward though exposed. Bring a few stoppers and/or cams in the .5-2" range and you should be fine. Maybe a couple of long slongs. Lots of pro options up there.

Looks like he's seeking beta for das toof. You could have some real fun with that one.

Poke around on CC and you'll find a few of them. Dragon scar, Dragons of Eden, Colchuck cragging, Solid Gold etc etc

QS has a few large crevasses to navigate. The Arm has one gap that you can walk around in two minutes. QS has a longer approach via Boston Basin, which is great for camping if you plan to go overnight. The Arm has a trail that's shorter, friendlier, more continuously scenic, and well suited to a day trip. Both end on the summit, which has some of the best views in the state. Both have great views along the way. So....that's a long-winded way of saying if you plan a daytrip go do the Arm.

Let's be all inclusive and call it: KNITTING AND OTHER ACTIVITIES FOR CRUSTY TURDS TOO OLD TO CLIMB. I'm sure I'll end up there soon myself.

According to studies referenced in Performance Rock Climbing, motivation is highest when the chances of success are about 50%. Ratings can actually lower motivation. For example, if you expect a 95% chance of success the focus and motivation may be lowered as you expect to cruise (no way I'll fall on 5.xx). Conversely, if you expect a 95% chance of failure then motivation and focus may also be lowered (I'll probably fall because this is 5.yy). Some of the most enjoyable routes I've climbed are ones where I did not know the rating beforehand. Removing ratings from the mental equation eliminates some of these unproductive mental preparations. It brings a sharper focus to the onsight (or even TR flash) experience. Sure it's nice to have a sense of whether you're pushing your limits, but you can usually FEEL that, right? For many years, I had this pre-conceived notion that I could not climb 5.11. For that reason, I didn't even try many routes that I probably should have tried. Instead, I should have jumped on some thinking, "this looks tough but I'm feeling good, I'll try to find the best sequences, work the rests, give it all I've got on the cruxes, and see how far I get". Maybe I would've advanced faster instead of staying in my 5.9-10 comfort zone. Moreover, if we take many routes of the same grade at the same area odds are good that they are not all exactly the same difficulty for the same person. For example, in the past year I've done several 11as at X32, x38, and Index, and I can probably rank all of them in terms of relative difficulty FOR ME. And btw, my combined list would certainly not have all the Index 11as as the hardest or X38 as the easiest. They'd be all mixed up. The two bouldering comps I've been in were fun because there are points assigned to each problem and NO RATING OR GRADE TRANSLATION WAS GIVEN. One of the great things about climbing is that there are a wide range of styles/routes and moves/skills needed to do them. So rating across types is not just comparing apples and oranges, it's comparing liebacks to jams to slab smearing to crimping/edging to steep jug pulling etc etc etc. Their relative difficulty depends on the relative strengths of the climber. More experienced and accomplished climbers, as noted in other threads, usually obtain proficiency in all areas, a worthy objective. Climbers who stick to one or two styles are staying within their comfort zones, just as I did with grades, and are missing out on a lot of fun climbing. Break on through to the other side....Doors To me, climbing means solving mental and physical puzzles. That's why it has captivated me more than any other sport I've tried, and I still get excited about every trip.

What does that have to do with anything? It grants him the moral authority to tell anyone what to do and how to do it. "Hey Halibut, fetch me another beer wench!" or maybe that's, "Hey Halibut, fetch me another beer, wench!"

Was at the Far Side this morning. Most routes are at least partially wet, including ones that typically dry quickly. A few are dry, but is it worth the drive for those? That's up to you.

You'd have to buzz the treetops to get a good shot of the LTW. Too bad the Inn/restaurant in Index went under. I'm forgetting its name - ate there a bunch and stayed there once too. It was very picturesque with the UTW as a backdrop.