Blake

I was at some crags in Tumwater canyon yesterday for the first time (Clem's/Special spot/etc) and noticed lots of bolts right next to cracks. This is not a sport climbing area, and many of the routes required bringing gear along to protect parts of the climb anyways, so people really wont be up there with just QDs. Why are these bolts there, 1' or less from totally safe gear placements? Climbs like Gun Rack, the Javelin, Perils of Pauline, and a cfew others could safely be no-bolts, or with just one or two bolts near the top-out, past where cracks run out. I understand having two bolts at the top of the Javelin, to protect the thin/flexy flake, but all bolts below that were clipped while jamming hands in fingers in perfect splitter cracks!

I have heard that the update to the North Cascades guide was meant to be out this spring, so maybe not too much of a wait on that one...

cordellette are such a pain in the ass.... I think you almost h=always have a simpler solution.

cloudveil

Christchurch, Dunedin, or Wanaka, NZ.

I have taken a few lead falls on my camp XLH 95 (Victoria's secret lingerie harness) and it is actually more comfortable than an alpine bod. The 3oz camp harnesses are great for anything alpine, even difficult rock.

I'd like to see the bolt removed and the hole repaired, but I'd rather see it remain in its current state (usable) than smashed up, useless, and still there.

Here's some help Do you have a larger version?

Nice lisa, way to go. if you are at the Lib-Bell/Concord notch and want a few more pitches of climbing, the Rapple Grapple in Liberty Bell, or the West Face of Concord start there and are worth doing as well.

Jens... curious what makes you say that Seattle has more climbers per-capita than any other North American city? (and how Smith>Squish)

My take on this: Washington's best multipitch trad route: Davis-Holland Lovin' arms at Index (with Dodd's linkup at Beacon a close 2nd) Washington's finest trad climbing: Index's Lower Town Wall Washington's finest granite sport or face climbing-Leavenworth's Nason ridge (It ain't gneiss). Washington's finest alpine rock route: NR Stuart, West Face Gunsight Washington's best bouldering (defined as having the most areas that are clean, with good rock): Leavenworth (various-spread out) Washington's finest ice climb: Leavenworth's Drury Falls Washington's finest individual trad pitch: Complete Thin Fingers -Index Washington's most historical rock route: Leavenworth's Midway

Amazing accomplishment Lowell, very inspiring!

it seems like for most of the times when you'd use these crampons, you are going to put them on a tennis shoes or trail runner or light hiking boot, not something with a front welt and back crampon attachment point. If that is the case, then you want something with a universal attachment, meaning those grivels and CAMP ones would not work. What's the point in savings 3 ounces of crampon weight if you have to wear or carry big clunky boots that weigh a pound more than some nice trail running shoes?

get the stubai or camp ones

do I just write a letter and request a closer-to-home court date, or is there some formal way to do this?

It was on a 2-lane part of hwy 20. He never asked "do you know why I stopped you" and I never admitted it. How would I go about requesting a deferral or dismissal?

Coming down from WA pass on Monday, I got a speeding ticket. I was coming down the west side, about 3pm. Here are the details: Bright sunny day I had just passed a motorhome 73MPH in a 60MPH zone I was coasting (to save gas... 75 miles between gas stations!) Really clean driving record $132 ticket from the WSP Any advice or ideas on what to do? I really don't feel like i was endangering the public safety, I had just gotten around a trailer and hit a steep spot on the hill. The court date (if I want one) is only in Mt vernon, so not too far away. I have never dealt with this kind of thing before, so any advise is welcome.

nice write up Billy, the 5.10 finger crack should not be missed.

I am graduating from WWU next month and taking the whole summer off work to climb. I have some partners lined up for a few things, but I also have lots of ambitious (crazy) plans and ideas. I'm intersted in long classic alpine routes (NR Stuart, West Face CBR...) or maybe looking into a few new climbs or major cascades traverses. I want to get some stuff planned out on the calendar. I'm also always up for a a few days in Squamish or Index as well. -Blake

anyone find or accidentally end up with a green and a purple stuff sack from the tent area at ski-in?

Did anyone snag a green and a purple stuff sack from the tent area this weekend? Iam missing them...

Sometimes after a long day of climbing (or a moderate day of climbing in hot weather) I get a strange thing in my inner elbow, where the muscle seems to "seize up" and basically gets very tight and hard and holds my elbow at a bend. It is painful/diffcult to straighten it out. I can see the inner-elbow muscle bulging and it feels sore when I touch it on those days. Any ideas, advice, input? Is it a muscle imbalance I can train to avoid?

That's horrible, those guys are lucky they were gone by the time John got back. I wonder how likely they would be to return if a decoy car were left there and the climbers watched it from a ways off...

I'll run morning laps with you if you want to get up early and go to the powerline wall or something, but i'd have to leave by 11am. you should come up to WA pass this weekend for rock Brandon.

How about Julie's Roof, up above Dr. Sniff?