OlympicMtnBoy

Yer less than an hour from North Conway with Cathedral Ledge and Whitehorse. I was there a couple weeks ago for the first time and had a great time, plenty of stuff to keep you busy whether you want steep cracks or more slab. Likely there are routes on Forist as well, lots of old school stuff tucked away in that State but you'll have to find the local beta. The Kancamagus highway had some cool stuff off it as well a bit farther south.

Had a good experience with the Sawyer inline filter bottle in the Sierras this year. My buddy brought one and we shared it to drink out of streams and didn't have to carry much water with us. We pulled the filter out and used it as a gravity filter to fill our water bladders for our summit day. Worked really well, I'm going to get one as my trusty sweetwater finally died this weekend. I also use Aqua Mira but I've developed the ability to taste it pretty easily and I kind of like to taste the "pure" mountain water instead. I use it for backup or for situations where I will only need a liter or two for a day trip or something. I used a steri-pen once, worked fine but I have yet to get over the batteries needed thing.

Sounds like a great trip! Happy birthday John! I haven't don't my Olympics trip this year and this TR is making me miss it.

I spent a good day there a couple of years ago and had a great time. Some of that stuff is pretty long and sustained and kicked my butt but I managed a few of the fun hand cracks, It's well worth a visit but bring your tape and your guns.

No worries, partner found offline. :-)

Bump. Weather looks good, 15+ years experience, let's climb something . . . and somebody tell all my regular partners to stop having kids ;-).

Hey folks, I just got back from Yosemite (Tuolumne) this week so I'm kind of taking it easy Saturday and hanging out with friends but I'd like to climb on Sunday. I'd love to get out to Squire Creek again (Exaclibur, Engineers Route, etc) but also happy to do something more obscure at Index, Darrington or a nearby peak (Mt. Index?) as long as the drive isn't too far from Seattle (lots of driving lately) and I need to be back sometime Sunday night. Currently leading 5.10+ or so, with rack, car (not 4wd), etc. Would like to share leads, etc. - Stewart

Cool, looks like a fun link up!

Nice Pat, way to make it up and dodge the rocks! We gotta get on something in September!

I don't recall anything weird although a gold OP Link cam or two was handy for the top ~2-3 pitches in the wider flaring cracks.

Cool, how long is the hike in now?

I wonder how much grit and iron bits these will collect the first time you set your rack on the ground or grovel through a dirty pitch? Ever play with a magnet in the dirt as a kid? Just a thought. Gene has a good point too, I'd rather see something to make a super light and easy locking rope end biner, I don't have a problem with my belay biner auto lock. But props for innovation, I'd still love to fondle.

Post back if you find/make a new trail. I would like to get back there and climb again one of these days.

Trip: Squire Creek - Search for the Holy Grail Date: 7/11/2011 Trip Report: Monday weather looked good so Zizzou and I got together to try something fun up Squire Creek. I had only hiked the road once and he had never been in there but Holy Grail looked like such a great route we headed straight for it. The approach was pretty easy to follow and took us just over 2.5 hours with some shenanigans on the slab (easy hike if you have sticky rubber shoes one, done in 2 hrs then). We made a deal that I'd get all the 5.10 leads to Z headed up P1 and then P2 on fun moderate cracks and pockets. Make sure you have a full 60m rope to work with on P2 or you'll have a few feet to simul. P3 had a fun traverse left through the roof and then some reasonably bolted slab. I took a fall on the 10d slab crux but then figured out the smearing sequence and made it through. P4 had some more super fun knobs up to small ledge. P5 was a highlight of the climb. The "eye popping flake" described in Rattle and Slime was not obvious to us from the belay but it was there above us, then there was a fun undercling that reminded me a bit of part of Sagittarius at Index followed by some improbably knob climbing up through very steep overlaps and face with good bolts. Finally you hit fun 5.8 cracks to the end of an amazing 180 ft pitch. P6 was short but also had a fun crack bit with a long reach and some cool traversing and I'm glad to have "permission" to break in the middle and make P7. Up the fun straight in crack that disappears just as the angle eases for the last fun 10c part and a few more bolts. It was getting into the afternoon and Z was tired (as was I) so we opted to skip the last two 5.8 bushy bits and head down. I guess I'll have to climb Excalibur to make the scramble to the summit next time. The raps were easy and fast, right back to my pack and my shoes. Anybody missing a bolt? It's hanging out on a ledge part way up P2. Wonder where it's from? Overall a GREAT route. Many thanks to the FAs for the hard work. This one ought to get climbed a lot more, nice clean granite, well protected cruxes (for slab), reasonable approach! Sorry for the lack of pics of the best parts, Z didn't bring a camera to capture my bad ass leading skillz (and lack of slab technique). Go get your own! Gear Notes: 2 60m ropes, rack to #3 camalot plus extras in thin fingers-thin hands (we had a #4 that got placed twice but not really needed), ~15 draws/slings. Approach Notes: Hike the Squire Creek trail to the second large stream crossing (the first one has a log bridge now). Cross the creek and turn right following the climbers path down to Squire Creek. Cross on the beautiful log, walk a hundred feet upstream and turn right up the dry creek bed. Follow this several hundred yard up till the climbers track heads into the woods on the right. Go uphill on the trodden path till you hit the bivy site. Head up the slabs past the short fixed rope and then work your way left along the base of the wall traversing till you get to the base of the route (more bivy spots).

What, you followin me around now? And climbing slower than our team of 3. :-p Nice job though, way to get up again after the storm! How did you like the revised version of P10 before the giant rivet ladder? Oh and we used a skinny tag line too, then hauled up the haul line, block roll, etc with a mini-traxion. Kind of complicated but it beat the weight and we were not in a hurry. And definitely a good route to flag a ledge on so you can still stand or sit at belays. I'll be in Tuolumne for a month soon if you want to do some slab climbing in the rest of your break. :-)

I have Monday free, anyone want to do a long route at Darrington/Squire Creek? I'd like to hop on Holy Grail or something similar. I'm happy to lead to mid-10s or follow harder. Have rope, rack, car, etc and am in Fremont. I'd also be open to other day trip suggestions. - Stewart P.S. I'll be away from a computer from ~noon Friday till Sunday afternoon so after Friday you might want to call me at 360-301-2585 or wait for me to get back.

Thanks for the road update Matt, we were happy to learn Sunday night that we wouldn't have to hike the road at all. Had a great mellow day on the Kone and Till Broad Daylight. My first time in that area.

I just used my late 80's Salewa Tour bindings to ski 2800' down the Interglacier on 130 cm skis with my Nepal Extremes. Thank god for soft spring snow! Also not as light as the 404/505s but they work and I got em super cheap.

A few options here that work with mountaineering boots: http://www.wildsnow.com/backcountry-skiing-history/binding-museum/ I think the only ones you can find currently in production are Silvretta.

Found yesterday on the trail when we were coming down around 5 PM. Let me know if it's yours! - Stewart

Partner found.

For me channel 2 is Northwest Cable News which is also affiliated with Channel 5 (KING).

I'm booked with my girlfriend (birthday) and the Seattle International Beer Fest on Saturday. I've got Sunday and Monday (maybe tuesday) to climb but all my friends are heading off on Friday/Saturday for stuff. Anybody up for an adventure Sunday-Monday? I was thinking of Darrington (anything other than Dreamer or Jacobs Ladder since I've done those, Squire Creek?), or maybe a less traveled pinnacle in the Alpine Lakes, but I'm flexible for destination. I could be talked into spring skiing too but I'm not a great skier. Oh and I love choss, chimneys, and high bivies. Have rack, car, etc. Happy to lead mid-10s and follow harder. 15+ years of climbing shit. Drop me a PM with your number. I'll be gone most of Thursday-Friday to help some friends retrieve research gear off Rainier but will check in when I return Friday night. - Stewart

Thanks, I'm going to have to check this out some time. Welcome to the board Martin!

Sent you a PM undermind.