Rad

Quite an opus. Thanks for posting. Why not try to get it published?

I think Matt's point is also that Fox is a partisan news source. Most other media outlets talked about how McClellan totally slammed Bush, Rove, Cheney, Rice, and others.

There is no denying people gain a sense of authorship over routes, for better or worse, and that authorship may be a small and vain attempt at immortality. Nonetheless, that pride in one's work is often what drives people to excellence and can lead to some great achievements. The flip side is that people who don't care about their works are probably doomed to mediocrity. In my view of humanity, these apply equally to climbing, relationships, careers, and essentially all aspects of life. "If your work isn't what you love then something isn't right" - David Byrne.

Rob, I don't think 'sport' route developers think they created the route. Of course the rock was there first, but someone had to have the vision that a route would go free, and then clean and protect it so that others can safely climb it. Creating great routes with fixed protection is a lot harder than slapping in some bolts. Choosing an aesthetic line is not easy. Just ask MattP. Fixed protection is vital to many classic routes. For example, without bolts on Merci me (or Cruel Shoes) the Grand Wall, with its stellar trad pitches, would not be climbable for people unwilling to free solo 5.8 500ft off the deck. For that matter, the bolt ladders that most aid past are also critical on that climb. If you only want to climb cracks that's fine, but you're limiting yourself to a pretty narrow set of climbing experiences.

See OPP lyrics above...

Bill has spoken. Post some some pics of your 'almost' ascent so we can see if the route is worth all this bother.

No change in 2 years sounds like it went from 'project' to 'open project'. One crazy idea: climb it and don't tell anyone about it.

Thanks. Even if it's not five star it still looks well worth doing.

Nice TR. Seems to echo what others have said: that the first few pitches are sweet and the rest is fairly forgettable. Would you agree?

I used to have something like that Estwing thing when I was a kid. A geologist neighbor gave it to me. Great for smashing open rocks. One winter I used it to chip two inches of ice off our driveway and it worked great, except it nearly destroyed the driveway in the process. Dad was none too happy. Thankfully we lived in a rental at the time. I like the standard weeder for PNW cleaning. And yes, the nylon brush is much better, mainly because it lasts much longer and doesn't litter the area with metal splinters/hairs. I'd also second Alpinfox's comment that mask, goggles, and leather gloves are vital. I've inhaled a good bit of dirt and lichen and it is no fun at all.

We definitely will. I did, but at least it was small.

It takes maturity to make that decision despite having invested so much in this passage. Like our parents said ages ago, do your best. No one can ask for more.

Hmm. I don't remember that bolt, but then I'm old and senile and it's already been three days... The lower piece is missing in the second shot. Perhaps the lower shot was the first attempt and the upper shot was taken after the leader placed a second piece before going back up for another attempt. Where were these shots taken from? Looks like well above the belay.

BTW, the Sail Flake and Flats pitches are great too. Somehow we didn't take pics on those. It was getting hot and we wanted to get off and into the shade.

SP goes from thin hands to 4" and then to a chimney. It is really very friendly, with enough constrictions for great jamming and a nice edge to lieback. It's hard to imagine a more moderate way to free climb a vertical wall.

Trip: Squamish - Grand Wall Date: 5/18/2008 Trip Report: A great trip except for some shenanigans at the border. It was baking hot and humid on Saturday the 17th. A dozen parties stacked up on the Grand Wall, slowly cooking like hotdogs at the Quickie Mart. We were glad not to be one of them. Sunday the 18th was much cooler. We went up the Grand Wall, with a botched attempt at Cruel Shoes as noted below. Except for one other party that rapped off from the base of the Split Pillar, we didn't see anyone else on the upper wall the whole day. Morning clouds burned off as we finished the Split Pillar, and it was nice and sunny in the afternoon. Twas a trip to remember. Thanks Blake! Blake leading The Flake p1. Trickier than expected. Blake accidentally leaving Cruel Shoes for some 11d. We backed off, rapping back to go up Apron Strings because we couldn't find Cruel Shoes. Now we know where we should have gone... Apron Strings p2. At the base of Merci Me. Merci Me p2. Blake on the traverse to the Split Pillar. Exposure at the base of the Split Pillar. Split Pillar start. Split Pillar school of jamming. Upper Split Pillar. The lower Sword. The upper Sword. Exposure at the top of the bolt ladder. Blake leads Perry's Lieback with no hangs. Bellygood ledge. Gear Notes: Doubles in the 0.5 - #3 camalot range, though the second #3 is not really needed if you're willing to run out the fist section of the Split Pillar. We didn't bring or need the #4. Approach Notes: 10 minutes from the campground.

Matt, I have climbed with you and hope to again. I think we are on the same page here. I suspect that the examples of bad habits you and I provided are just proxies for us to determine whether our partner has two key things: sound judgment (not just from a book), and habits that prevent what I call the 'fatal moment of inattention'. Most accidents boil down to a failure of one or both of these things. When I tie in with a partner I am literally trusting that person with my life. Ask yourself if there is any other aspect of your life where you do that. I think that's pretty cool, and it's something that intensifies the bonds between climbers.

KK, glad to hear you are helping where you can. I agree with you that some people's 'training' is woefully inadequate. However, I feel that doesn't justify withholding potentially life-saving information from them. Quite the opposite. To add to Matt's comment, I have seen plenty of newbies who are VERY safe and responsible. I've also seen experienced climbers do things that I perceived to be irresponsible (brake hand off lead rope, setting up squirrely anchors, unclipping at belays on exposed multipitch routes etc). This latter group is more problematic than newbies IMHO. At least the newbies can plead ignorance and may change their bad habits. The 'experts' are generally less likely to acknowledge mistakes and change their practices.

OK, so you really are superior. Congratulations. Don't you still have some responsibility to try, in some small ways, to help keep other people from being killed by their stupidity regardless of what their learning may or may not have been? Or, better yet, volunteer to mentor/teach newbies so they won't make these mistakes. I guess you could just do nothing and whine on the internet...

We all started somewhere. Most of us made stupid mistakes but survived them somehow. It would be great if we could help other new climbers survive those early days too. Thanks to those of you willing to risk being rebuffed by arrogant attitudes of some novices. Maybe they don't want to hear the message, but perhaps, whether they admit it right away or not, they will learn something from you and be less likely to kill themselves another day. How would you feel if you kept silent and then someone died? Probably worse than if that person chewed you out when you gave some unsolicited safety advice.

An inspiring story The link to climbing is "Pistorius' lawyers countered with independent tests conducted by a team led by MIT professor Hugh M. Herr that claimed to show he doesn't gain any advantage over able-bodied runners." ........ Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius won his appeal Friday and can compete for a place in the Beijing Olympics. Pistorius still must qualify, but he is now eligible to compete in the Olympics. The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that the 21-year-old South African is eligible to race against able-bodied athletes, overturning a ban imposed by the International Association of Athletics Federations. CAS said the unanimous ruling goes into effect immediately. "I am ecstatic," Pistorius told reporters in Milan, Italy. "When I found out, I cried. It is a battle that has been going on for far too long. It's a great day for sport. I think this day is going to go down in history for the equality of disabled people." Pistorius still must reach a qualifying time to run in the individual 400 meters at the Aug. 8-24 Beijing Games. However, he can be picked for the South African relay squad without qualifying. That relay squad has not yet qualified for the Olympics. Pistorius appealed to CAS, world sport's highest tribunal, to overturn a Jan. 14 ruling by the IAAF that banned him from competing. The IAAF said his carbon fiber blades give him a mechanical advantage. A two-day hearing was held before a panel of three arbitrators at CAS headquarters last month. Pistorius now is expected to get invitations from track and field promoters across the world who want him to run at their meets before Beijing. Pistorius said he will be running in both able-bodied and Paralympic events before Beijing. His manager, Peet van Zyl, said the runner will compete in Milan on July 2 and the Golden Gala meet in Rome on July 11. "Oscar will be welcomed wherever he competes this summer," IAAF president Lamine Diack said in a statement. "He is an inspirational man and we look forward to admiring his achievements in the future." The International Olympic Committee welcomed the verdict. "Oscar Pistorius is a determined and gutsy athlete who will now no doubt put all his energy into reaching the qualification standards for the Olympic Games," the IOC said in a statement. "If he makes it we would be delighted to welcome him." Pistorius holds the 400-meter Paralympic world record of 46.56 seconds, but that time is outside the Olympic qualifying standard of 45.55. His training has been disrupted by the appeal process. Even if Pistorius fails to get the qualifying time, South African selectors could add the University of Pretoria student to the Olympic 1,600-meter relay squad. Pistorius would not require a qualifying time and could be taken to Beijing as an alternate. Six runners can be picked for the relay squad. Pistorius also expects to compete in Beijing at the Sept. 6-17 Paralympic Games. The verdict also clears Pistorius to dedicate himself to competing at the 2012 London Olympics. "A lot of the time we've had this year we've devoted to the court case," Pistorius said. "Now when I get home, my time can be dedicated to training. I am going to have to start thinking about getting my body in shape in order to run those (qualifying) times. I am hopeful there will be enough time but it is going to be very difficult. "We have the opportunity once again to chase my dream of participating in an Olympics, if not in 2008 then in 2012." The IAAF based its January decision on studies by German professor Gert-Peter Brueggemann, who said the J-shaped "Cheetah" blades were energy efficient. Pistorius' lawyers countered with independent tests conducted by a team led by MIT professor Hugh M. Herr that claimed to show he doesn't gain any advantage over able-bodied runners. CAS said the IAAF failed to prove that Pistorius' running blades give him an advantage. "The panel was not persuaded that there was sufficient evidence of any metabolic advantage in favor of a double-amputee using the Cheetah Flex-Foot," CAS said. "Furthermore, the CAS panel has considered that the IAAF did not prove that the biomechanical effects of using this particular prosthetic device gives Oscar Pistorius an advantage over other athletes not using the device." Pistorius was born without fibulas — the long, thin outer bone between the knee and ankle — and was 11 months old when his legs were amputated below the knee. Pistorius' lawyer was thrilled by the verdict. "He simply has the chance now to compete fairly and equally," Jeffrey Kessler told The Associated Press. "We are particularly pleased that the decision is unanimous."

If you head from the end of the slabs straight up to the notch there are only one or two small cracks (1-2ft width). Caveat: it has been 2 years since I've been there. In any case, this early everything will be sealed shut.

A little farther South: Icicle Creek. Plenty of rock climbing in the Icicle. Alpine routes in the Enchantments nearby. FYI, this area is thin on glacier travel compared to the North Cascades, in case that's a factor in your decision.

Yes, best to stay in the Smoke Bluffs until August.

OK