OlympicMtnBoy

What Bug said. It wasn't that wet really though. I did half of the first pitch of Snow White. Anyone know what the thin seam above the bolt goes clean at? Probably not that bad, but looked like too many cam hooks in a row over that ledge for my pansy ass today. At least we were outside! Nice to meet you in person Keith!

I wasn't planning on booze at my party, but that's cause I don't like to drink by myself. If someone shows up and brings something to share I won't complain. ;-) Looks like I'll be on the Lower Town wall somewhere (snow white?). If we're talkin party though, how about someplace with more room than the top of Godzilla. The ledges part way up town crier would work well.

Hehe, probably in Yosemite or Alaska or Mexico. I seem to only end up solo aiding at Index in the winter. Summer's time to put your hands in the cracks instead! ;-)

No, I don't want to belay your ass for two hours in the rain, but how much fun would it be if we were solo aiding close enough to share some tunes and bitch to each other about how crappy our gear is! I just want to get some practice (I've soloed one grade V but am still slow). If twigg responds I may be going to Mt. Erie, but if someone is psyched for solo aid I'm up for that too. I just have trouble self motivating if the weather is crappy and I always go home early. So come out and we'll cheer each other on! - Stewart

Check your PMs!

I like the tick note. My partner got a nice one on his chest last weekend at Erie. Who'da thunk in January?

I always figured it was just another way for Petzl to add an extra product to their line without actually having to make anything different. I can't imagine they'd be any better than a picket and probably worse given the smaller slicker profile. For hard snow I'm sure they work as well as anything else though. I have no input on using them in the Alps, although you do have a good point that there aren't any European picket makers as far as I know (a couple companies still make flukes I think).

Yeah, definitely stay out of the Olympics, nothing to see there. Nothing to see. If you do happen to wander out that way, maybe to visit the ocean beach and then hike above treeline in the same day, I'd suggest the Bailey Range for some good easy peak bagging options, or a South to North or North to South hike through Low Divide, or make a nice loop with the skyline trail. Lots of good loop options in your distance range. Hiking in the Dungeness can also make for some good loops. Lost valley is a great place with many ways to get in and out and not so many people as well.

It only ads like 3 miles of snowy road walking, not that bad if you are doing it in 2 days. Sounds like a perfectly reasonable climb for that(approach on day 1, climb and pack out on day 2). I've been up that road in winter to Colchuck a few times.

I think the nood solo record is the real test here. C'mon and really hang it out there!

Not unless you would call MountainMatt a lady. He'd be a big burly lady. Hehehe, I probably saw thr couple you are thinking of though. We were at Madrone for a while and then at the Orange Wall and slab. Maybe we walked by you on the way out a little after three?

Nice guys, that looks like fun. Saturday at Mt. Erie was nice in the sun too! When are we gonna get together and climb some more obscure Olympics rock?

OMG, is that a spoof? How can that possibly draw on for two hours?

Mine came from the free bin at the used marine supply store down the street. Once in a while they have seats used by actual bosuns in there for less than $60. Not much different really.

Good flick, I liked it when it was here last year with SIFF. One of the better climbing films of late.

Thanks Vladimir! That was great to read, it's so hard to find information on that region in English. I would love to see some photos of some of these peaks with the various route lines drawn in! For anyone interested, I've put a few scenic pictures online from my 2004 trip to the Karasu branch of the valley here: http://picasaweb.google.com/matthiesen/Kyrgyzstan2004# Photos are mostly by Ken Zemach since he had the only digital camera and I still haven't scanned my photos. Someday I'll do a slideshow. I would love to get back in there since we had bad weather and only managed two climbs on the shorter Yellow Wall (Zholtaya Stena), which is also the wall Tommy and Beth were kidnapped from in 2000. Anyone interested?

My trusty (and only) boots need help! I've got a pair of Dyanfit TLT 700s that I've enjoyed for the past couple years and the walk/ski mode plastic lever on one of them broke. Apparently parts for this are long unavailable. Does anyone have an old pair (or single) one of these boots (or maybe similar vintage Dynafit) sitting around in their garage? I hate to throw away boots for a broken piece of plastic, and I also don't have the budget for a brand new pair. Failing finding the part, anyone have a good deal on a pair of 29.5 or 29 (mondo) Dynafit compatible boots? Thanks! Stewart - 360-301-2585

I was in the Cascadia Inn in Skykomish for a burger a week or so ago and there was a sign on the message board for a regular bus to Monroe with stops along the way. Maybe call them and find out who runs that?

Thanks for some extra stoke and sharing your little adventure!

I've got an OR Alpine Bivy with one pole that I use on solo trips when I'm expecting crappy weather. I have been through some significant rain storms in it and stayed mostly dry with the old school gore-tex (mine is several years old). If I'm going light and not planning on a bivy I take a space blanket type thing. if I'm going light and solo and planning on a bivy with nicer weather I often just take a silnylon tarp (8 oz). Most of the people I know with really light bivy sacks like the ti-goat use them with a sil tarp, it's a good light solution if you are going out for several days and want a comfier setup than a bivy alone and also avoids the inevitable condensation of a waterproof/"breathable" bivy (which isn't an issue for a night but can build up with prolonged bad weather and no drying. I wouldn't use the ti-goat as a stand alone shelter in a WA rain storm, but some folks just decide not to go out in that weather.

Hehe, nice, I like sunny rock climbing pics in winter. I'm pretty sure I pulled on my #4 for a moment when I groveled up Split Beaver a couple years ago. Nice job.

Didn't they just change the name when they released the TLT Vertical a couple years ago (ie: it's the new version of what used to the called the Comfort)?

A guy on the backpackinglight.com forums did a version with a titanium head too at a similar weight. Cool beans.

Nice job! Beautiful day!

So I'm spending x-mas with the folks near Port Townsend and the weather looks decent for Saturday. Anybody interested in heading up to Lake Angeles for some ice climbing or doing some easy ski touring? I probably only lead WI 3-4 right now and I ski worse, but would prefer to share lead or trail breaking duties. Have gear and a non 4WD car. I've climbed at Lake Angeles before but haven't don't much ski touring in the Olympics. Drop me a PM here, I'm heading out there this evening and should figure out what gear to bring along. - Stewart