Blake

umm, Jens, have you been reading the same banter and TRs that I have been? Humility is definitely NOT something I would attribute to much of the postings on this site. More like "we/I did this great awesome hardcore route, now heap on praise and be impressed." (I've likely been guilty of this at points too )

Brand new, in box, never used, Mammut Barryvox avalanche traceiver/beacon. It snowed down to 5,000' last night in the North Cascades, get ready for winter! Retail is $300, new here for $240 OBO. Read all the glowing reviews http://www.telemarkski.com/html/rvw_mammut_barryvox_05.html Can be picked up along the I-5 Corridor in PDX, Seattle, Belligham, or points in between. Otherwise shipping would probably be $3 or so (actual postage) PM or Email, first come first serve. P.S. Proceeds go to Blake's Stehekin Wildfire Evacuation Fund.

I thought that damnation was a harder lead than Godzilla, and everyone always says how Index is the toughest place around, and godzilla, at 'index 5.9+' would be 5.10 anywhere else.

most of your pics aren't working, and i am keen to see them. That looks like a fun spot to visit. My impression of tahoe is kinda an over-priced glitzy spot overrun with weekend warrior yuppie types from the Bay Area..... how would you describe the overal atmosphere of the place?

Nice rad. You bailed out of Stehekin at the right time, that once-dormant fire is rippin' now and has scorched the hillside above the landing. I've been wanting to do that climb for a while, thanks for the photos.

Cam is not even stuck, just sitting in an obvious spot 3/4 of the way up the Evil Twin route.

come on people... climb a new line in there while you are at it! There's lot of untrod rock along that valley that would probably yield more nice climbs. There's also a 3.5 DMM cam about 6 pitches up the arete to the right of the Mythic Wall.

what's it called?

5.6 and below doesn't really include much. Beckey Route on Lib Bell (kindy wandery with a move of 5.7) and S. Arete of SEWS (more of a 3rd/4th class scramble) are the only things that come to mind. Most folks just bivy in the Blue Lake TH parking lot. you need a northwest Forest Pass to park in the parking lots, but parking along the highway is free. There's a 5.7 route that climbs part of Kangaroo ridge called the Spontaneity Arete. The route is about 6 pitches, not exposed, easy to bail off, but includes lots of scrambling and walking part-way up. If you are interested, search this site. Route is called Le Petit Cheval.

That climb took some moxy!

Dru.. maybe you can get a ride in that car too!

maybe i'll just beg Mr. Chillin for rides from B-ham to climbing.

Shoulder length blond hair, about 5'5", between 35-40? yes, and very tanned and lots of tape and chalk.

Can you rap down the Damnation side of Jello tower with a 60m rope? (sorry for the thread drift, figured you would know)

WTF is up with Libra crack? It's so short and so unclimbable (for me.) I've lead or TRed 4 other .10a routes at index, and got them all first time around. I couldn't get more than a couple moves up libra and i was on TR! Is that thing really .10a?? Maybe my hands are the wrong size. it was too big for fingers, not big enough for hands. The intense-looking body-builder woman who climbed it right in front of us kinda scared me as well.

got some dirt and sand dropped on us on godzilla sunday afternoon, but nothing too big. hope the clean new routes get some use!

got some dirt and sand dropped on us on godzilla saturday afternoon, but nothing too big. hope the clean new routes get some use!

anyone going to be driving from B-ham that would have a spot or two available?

I'm looking for a used car(or truck, or whatever), somewhere under $4,000 unless it is pretty nice (not likely among PNW climbers) The cheaper the better, but it must run. I'm not picky. Manual transmission is fine too. Anywhere along the I-5 corridor between PDX and VAN BC.

I think it was the BD half-dome that got torn apart.

I was talking about the traditional grade system used to describe how long a route will take.

Pax, would you think something like the Spontaneity arete should maybe be just a grade I then? (If you're not familiar, it's a 6 or 7 pitch route East of WA pass, but you can rap down into the descent gulley with one rappel at any time on the route.)

ok, please keep this spray free: When does a route "begin" and "end" for the sake of a commitment grade? Does the route begin when you hit the rock section that most parties would rope up for? How about for snow requiring crampons or with crevasse danger? I remember when Mike Layton called the WA Pass traverse a grade VI and some people felt like when your route crosses a spot with a trail to it (such as Burgundy col) that you are no longer adding more time/commitment on to what you had previously done. If the descent of a climb is long and involved (ie getting off of Goode and back to the NE side of the mountain) does that change the commitment grade, or does the route grade stop at the summit? Should the grade of a route reflect the time it takes to get up the route and back to a certain spot, or just up to the top? I guess this is all trickier for traverses that have no summit, or climbs like the "Plan B " that include a traverse after the summit itself as part of the descent. I did a climb earlier this year that included a bivy atop a glacier, before the technical rock section which definitely took a full day, but I figured it was probably a grade IV because the glacier part didn't really get factored in. If glaciers are considered on-route 'technical terrain', then that would effect the time commitment/grade of many routes. Are they? If this has all been hashed out before, or its just too inherently subjective, then I guess it doesn't need to be discussed any more. I'm not trying to attack anyone here, I just want to figure out how it all works.

forgotten harness shouldn't stopped you at index! you can make a swiss seat out of cordellete or even a double runner! those x38 climbs sound fun though, at least you salvaged your day.

oh come one, there have been some very high-quality first ascents done this year (and some cool major lines that didn't have quite such stellar rock) NE face of Gunsight Peak Baron Falls Spire (Idaho) Buckner SW Ridge Spectre Peak