Blake

It is across the street from the gas station/jet-ski rental place, about 10 minutes north of E. Wen. You aren't missing a lot if you never find it.

Send an email if you lost a tool. BlakeHerrington @ Gmail DOT com

You can be pretty subjective about pitch counts at index, since routes like "Full Sag" may only be 30m long, but they end at the 3rd anchor. Here are 18 (or 9) more fun pitches 5.11 and under. DHLA is 4-6 Lamplighter->Heaven's Gate is 3-5 GM->HOC is 1-4 Roger Corner->Breakfast is 1-3.

If you just want to maximize your mellow crack pitches, I'd go for the OS-Orbit linkup, followed by the backside descent off snow creek wall, which will bring you to the base of the pearly gates where you can do 6-10 more pitches in that range. That will let you end up somewhere in the 15-20 pitch range but not much more hiking than doing outer space alone.

Newhalem, Equinox, The Country (right side of Index Lower Town Wall), and Nason Ridge, on the East Side of Stevens pass are all good to excellent sport crags, and better than anything mentioned so far.

Tie EDK 1 guy raps on grigri and the (fixed) lead line, undoing tangles on the way, quickly fixing tag line to self or next anchor to prevent knot sliding 2nd unfixes lead line and raps on both strands and uses an ATC Pull the lead line so you have something stretchy to use when you have to re-lead to free your stuck Rope.

We melted the colored plastic on our new style jetboil, near the actual burner section. I thought maybe we had it too close to our wind barrier or something, but it sounds like it's just a bunk design. This one still functions fine, but since the melting plastic oozed out a bit, the burner unit no longer fits into the cookpot.

Billcoe, Are you saying there are stats or records of folks cutting through webbing with their rappel ropes because the ropes were from different brands or thicknesses? That's a frightening prospect, do you recall any of those instances? I wouldn't suggest cutting away ALL the existing webbing, but would propose leaving the best existing sling then adding one new one as a back-up.

Size 40 (US 8) New mens Scarpa Instinct climbing shoes. Great for edging and steep climbing or bouldering. Brand new. $75 OBO [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/500/medium/IMG_3588.JPG[/img]

Angled tooth-end Up

I think you are spot-on with this observation. It seems like since such a large majority of the consuming public demands only waterproof jackets or wanders into the store and asks for goretex/waterproof/etc, designers at most companies basically started making heavier and more waterproof "softshells" which basically resulted in something they could market and sell but didn't work for much more than an around-town nice-looking rain jacket. These "soft hard-shells" are really heavy and not particularly more breathable than Goretex, nor as water and wind proof.

I'd vote for a 30L cilogear - best pack I've ever used. Rather than 1-3 days, I think it makes sense to say 2-3 days, and assume there's an overnight or two. I can easily fit a 20degree bag, jetboil, food, rack, a few extra clothes, and then the odds-and-ends (camera, spork, sunblock, ipod, etc). I use my thermarest for the frame/back pad. I tend to put the helmet in last to top it all off, with the rope strapped over the top and along the sides. This is without bringing the detachable lid which seldoms leaves the trailhead. Crampons and tools are strapped on the outside attachment points.

I sent you a text ben

Trout Creek is the best crack climbing in the region, and really the only place where you will be forced to crack climb decently well if you want to get up stuff. Index has a lot of face holds, slots, flakes, and knobs compared to many granite cliffs. Lots of folks go to the (other) 'creek' with little experience and have a great time learning the basics, and often end up quickly working through the grades. If you really want to become good at climbing cracks, I'd definitely suggest Trout.

Jens and I climbed there all day in the snowstorm on Friday. We also found things felt challenging. Its interesting to hear locals suggest lack of wayer rather than cold temps for the lack of xlimbs. One of the lefterish and one of the middle-ish lines at peewee playhouse went at ok-protected WI4 to slings we left on trees. If anyone finds a short new-style BD screw, give a shout. PSA: if you park in the pulloff toward the state park across from peewees u can expect a discovery pass ticket from the WSP even I you are parked before the sign.

I've witnessed two BD hotwires snap, as well as climbed with a friend who had just seen a Mammut moses snap. These were all in climbing applications. I think it happens much more frequently than many climbers would guess.

grousing about spray after: A) logging onto cc.com B) Clicking the thread about 2012 goals That's kinda like going to the food co-op and hanging around in the tofu aisle just to complain that you're surrounded by vegan hippies.

Locally I want to make it to the LTW more often and send at least one of the classic 5.12 routes. I'd also like to redpoint some of the Leavenworth Classics: No Such Thing Shriek of the Mutilated Ruthless Supercrack Onsight Edge of Space, Der Sportsman Convince someone to climb Let It Burn or Thin Red Line - or do either again. Learn to boulder, and onsight V3 (locally) consistently. Have my wife ropegun me on Outer Space Ropegun my wife up the North Ridge on Stuart Redpoint Moonlight Buttress Climb Rainbow Country or the Cloud Tower/Rainbow Wall Linkup Climb Velvet Tongue, the start to a long-tem Red Rock goal Make a solo ascent in the winter in the cascades Get up a mountain in Pakistan

I spoke with folks @ the BLM office today. They are still expecting a likely closure for much of the spring and beyond, though nothing is set in stone. The wall is currently open, with no immediate closures planned. It sounds like the default closure area used or suggested by the Dept of Fish and wildlife is for an area 1/4 mile from the nest (minimum) - some areas that institute Golden Eagle closures do so as early as December, and they generally extend to mid summer. If you want to send your TC project, you may want to get after it pretty soon here.

Embrace the flops. An elastric strap over the top of the foot and one around the heel/achilles are good improvements.

Anyone interested in tomorrow? Upper or Lower town wall?

Castle and Midnight are both sunny and pleasantly climbable as well.

Anyone want to climb at Index tomorrow? I'm happy to lead all day. Text or call - 206 SPY PLANE Thanks

If you are going to basically copy an existing and well-loved product in any industry, you better make something as good, if not much better. I think Mastercams aren't terrible, but I can't see ever preferring them to aliens. To me, they are alien copies with no advantages and several downsides. - annoyingly small trigger - no range -easily stuck -disingenuous marketing about "holding power" -less flexy - trigger strings that snap - spring tension that relies on the cam stops (this is in comparison to correctly-assembled aliens, not the ticking timebomb models that failed under bodyweight)

How about a fair percentage of the guys who make them... Wait... Mastercams are good because the people who make them say so? I heard that those "pet rock" things are pretty awesome too!