olyclimber

Last time I was up there, there were two guys sleeping outside in bivy sacks....and plenty of room in the hut.

FYI, cross post from the Yahoo group for FCCC: Meeting with Greg Fitzgerald on Saturday, 040710. John Crock and Steve Cross, FCCC, met with Greg Fitzgerald on Saturday, July 10th at Frenchman Coulee. This was an introductory meeting, as Greg had recently been appointed as the state Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) land manager for the considerable area that includes Frenchman Coulee. We got to know Greg, and he got to know us. Greg's main concern is for wildlife and habitat. He does not prioritize camping or climbing. He is concerned about the potential impacts of climbing and dispersed camping in the area. Greg pointed out that there may be many sensitive or rare species that in the area, and that the habitat itself is sensitive and slow to recover from damage. Without a baseline study however, he can not say what sensitive species are of concern. Greg indicated that if a survey were performed, federally listed species may be identified, which would give federal agencies control over activities at the Coulee. Greg is dismayed about the plainly visible impacts of motorized access to the camping area. He indicated that it is a high priority for him to block vehicular access to the camping basin with cement "ecology blocks", possibly by the end of July. This would make the camp area walk-in. I am not clear on whether this applies to the Feathers parking area as well, or how to handle parking there. Clearly, the loss of vegetation in the camping area is accelerating and something needs to be done immediately to give more time for a more permanent management plan to be put into effect. The blocks are movable with machinery and could be later re-arranged as management (siting of toilets, etc) became more firm. We promised that if the camping area is made a walk-in area, the FCCC would buy native plant seed and attempt to re-vegetate some of the damaged areas in the campground this fall. As for camping, it will not be sanctioned anywhere other than in the basin (Greg will put up signs indicating that), because the basin provides containment for the wild fires that camping engenders. Greg said that and he would not entertain the idea of building a new campground along the road either above or below the current campground. We walked with Greg in the camping basin, to the Zig-Zag wall area, and up the climbers trail to the top of the descent gully overlooking the head of Echo Basin. We pointed out the success of the Coalition's braided trail obliteration project. We described our litter cleanup projects. We pointed out how we have attempted to control four-wheeler access to other areas. He viewed our trail and informational signage. We pointed out the voluntary falcon nesting closure of Middle East wall. We showed him some top anchors and explained how we had been moving chains off of the top and down onto the vertical surface of the pillars. He appreciated how this would reduce habitat impact along the top. We discussed how the FCCC is sensitive to the habitat, but pointed out that climbing itself had significant impact only in the narrow band at the base of the climbs. Greg explained that there is little action on the management plan for the area. One restraint is funding. There is some money available from a land lease by the Gorge amphitheater that is earmarked to be spent on improvements to DFW land in the area. He will not feel reluctant, however, to take the initiative to intervene in damaging behaviors without a management plan, including banning climbing as a worst case scenario. Greg has money and departmental support for road-closures and limiting vehicle access to the area. Greg also suggested that we initiate contact with the landowner(s) of the cliffs across the Coulee. He said that there is some interest in developing the tops of the cliffs near the entrance for a gated/recreational community. Greg said that depending on how the land is appraised, it may be appraised at a relatively small value. I believe Greg was left with a favorable impression of the FCCC. We hope that he will not see climbers as the problem, rather than the insensitive wheeled campers, such as the concert crowd. We were favorably impressed by Greg's fresh enthusiasm for the habitat and his can-do attitude about controlling the excesses of four-wheeled access. I think that first impressions are important and climbers can help build a strong relationship with the WDFW by reducing impact, staying on trails, not building fires, etc while visiting the Coulee.

Good idea. Is bolting political?

5. Fleas - these little bastards are all over me.

Doggy style anyone?

Gosh, what makes liberals so angry ? Maybe it is a Civil War afterall...( or UNcivil ) ALL CAPS MAN CORDIALLY APOLIGIZES TO THE NICE LITTLE CONSERVATIVE WHO WAS JUST SHOUTING AT ME! NOW GET IN YOUR FOX HOLE YOU LITTLE JACKASS! THE LIBERALS ARE COMING! THE LIBERALS ARE COMING!

So, is it more F'd up than this?

LET ME TELL YOU THE STORY OF ALL CAP MAN! HE SHOUTED AND HE SHOUTED UNTIL EVERYONE SAID....STFU ALL CAP MAN!!! CAN YOU HEAR ME???? STFU!!!!

I saw sparks fly, from the corner of my eyeAnd when I turned, it was love at first sightI said please excuse me, I didn't catch your nameOh it'd be a shame not to see you againAnd just when I thought she was comin' to my doorShe whispered sweet and brought me to the floor, she saidI'm only seventeen, but I'll show you love like you've never seenShe's only seventeen, daddy says she's too young, but she's old enough for meCome to my place, we can talk it over, oh everything going down in your headShe said take it easy, I need some time, time to work it out, to make you mineAnd just when I thought she was comin' to my doorShe whispered sweet and brought me to the floor, she saidI'm only seventeen, you ain't seen love, ain't seen nothing like meShe's only seventeen, seventeen(Solo)Such a bad girl, loves to work me overtimeFeels good (ha), dancin' close to the borderlineShe's a magic mountain, she's a leather gloveOh she's my soul, it must be loveShe's only seventeen, still she gives me love, like I've never seenShe's only seventeen, daddy says she's too young, but she's old enough for meShe's everything I need, daddy says she's too youngBut she's old enough, old enough for me

HI IM ALL CAPS MAN! CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? IM SHOUTING AT YOU IN ALL CAPS! FUCK ALL YALL!

You either surf or you fight.

You smell that? Do you smell that?... Napalm, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that. I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for twelve hours. When it was all over I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' dink body. The smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like... victory.

"We must kill them. We must incinerate them. Pig after pig. Cow after cow. Village after village. Army after army. " "I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor. That's my dream. That's my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a straight... razor... and surviving. " "What do you call assassins who accuse assassins?" "The horror. The horror."

So does spotting a bear or cougar get you a free heli ride out of the woods these day? Sweet!

canada day humor for ya In a train car there were a Canadian, an American, a spectacular looking blonde and a frightfully awful looking fat lady. After several minutes of the trip the train happens to pass through a dark tunnel, and the unmistakable sound of a slap is heard. When they leave the tunnel, the American had a big red slap mark on his cheek. The blonde thought - "That American son of a bitch wanted to touch me and by mistake, he must have put his hand on the fat lady, who in turn must have slapped his face." The fat lady thought - "This dirty old American laid his hands on the blonde and she smacked him". The American thought - "That bastard Canadian put his hand on that blonde and by mistake she slapped me". The Canadian thought - "I hope there's another tunnel soon, so I can smack that stupid American again". This is the actual radio conversation of a US naval ship with Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland in October 1995. Canadians: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the south to avoid a collision. Americans: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the north to avoid a collision. Canadians: Negative. You will have to divert your course 15 degrees to the south to avoid a collision. Americans: This is the captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course. Canadians: No, I say again, you divert YOUR course. Americans: This is the Aircraft Carrier US LINCOLN, the second largest ship in the United States Atlantic Fleet. Canadians: And this is a lighthouse

I 2nd or 3rd the comment that a GSM phone is abolutely worthless in the Cascades as an emergency phone. I actually have *never* even got reception with my AT&T GSM phone on any hike or climb in the Cascades. Plan on only getting reception in cities and on the I-5 on I-90 corridors.

This guy died a little over a month after I was born. Frozen body found on Mt. McKinley.

Depending on where you are located, that area is a lot of fun. Just go talk to the guys at Olympic Mountaineering in Port Angeles for details. I can't remember how many routes are there, but I've had fun climbing there. Here a few pictures of the area: Elwah climbing. Elwah panorama Have fun.

Campmor will sell you one. On sale even.

Softly falls the light of day, While our campfire fades away. Silently each Scout should ask: "Have I done my daily task? Have I kept my honor bright? Can I guiltless sleep tonight? Have I done and have I dared Everything to be prepared?"

Are we talking about the River's Edge here?

How much is the land going for out there? I'm thinking of starting a cult, and I need some communal property.