andyf

Years ago, I was buying life insurance and disclosed that I climbed. The agent paused for a minute, thinking. Then he asked whether I was part of any "organized climbing club." I said no (truthfully). I waited to see if I'd given the wrong anwer. The agent paused again, and then said "Oh...good." I was issued the policy.

I'm in Spokane for work next Wed/Thurs (April 23-24) and would like to get out the evening of the 23rd. Interested in Mirabeau or Rocks of Sharon sport (haven't climbed at either place), but will also go elsewhere. PM me if free. Andy Fitz

You can definitely hike up from the highway if the Soup Creek road is snowed in. Watch for ticks. Even with snow on the ground, you can often drive far enough up the Soup Creek road to comfortably hike in. The road is usually snow free before May; in low snow years, I've driven nearly to the crag in February. I haven't been over there this winter so I don't know about the current snow levels, especially after our recent dumps. Have fun! Andy

I have a message in to someone I know at Weyerhaueser corporate to try to get some clarity. But as I read the website (linked above), the closure/permit access system is only in place from Aug 1-Dec 31, with normal access the rest of the year. That's my take as a lawyer, although I admit that may not mean much... Andy WCC Board Member

Thanks again. Last week the surgeon (who I was seeing for the first time) switched me to a full-length brace and told me to come back in a month. He wants the MCL and other knee trauma to heal more before dealing with the ACL. I'm hoping I can get surgery scheduled in March to have a chance of climbing again this fall. My fear is that I'll come back in a month and be told he's booked for the next two months!

Thanks for the input. The "possible partial" description came from the physician assistant who called me the day after the MRI. Today I saw the actual MRI write-up. It's a bit more sobering: "Anterior cruciate ligament is torn. There may be a few fibers still intact, but the majority of the ACL is torn." I think I'm looking at surgery...

Ski accident on 1/13. Initial diagnosis was Grade II MCL sprain (partial tear). Follow-up MRI shows "possible partial" ACL tear and the orthopedist wants to go in with an arthroscope to check things out. Two questions: 1. Assuming the worst, what experience do people have returning from ACL reconstruction? I know it happens eventually, but how long before I can expect to really climb again? Boulder? 2. Anyone deferred surgery and just stuck with PT? I know a skier who's done this; wondering about any climbers who've had success. For reference, I'm 48 YO, generally climb solid 5.11 and boulder V4, enjoy sport, trad, and bouldering. That's what I want to get back to. I've missed two of the past three seasons with shoulder surgeries (both shoulders), so this really blows.

Interesting link, especially the correlation between DC and frozen shoulder. I've had both shoulders operated on in the past 3 years and had some degree of frozen shoulder after both surgeries. I also noticed glucosamine and hand vibration mentioned as possible exacerbating factors. I took glucosamine for a number of years and I've put in a lot of hours scraping rocks with a trowel/scrubbing rocks with a wire brush/drilling rocks with a Bosch and hammering in bits of metal, none of which are kind to the hands.

Just stumbled on this thread while looking for something else (Anyone had surgery for a partial ACL tear? How soon after surgery can I climb 5.11? Boulder?) Anyway, I've been climbing since 1985 and started noticing lumps in my palms about 8 years ago (around the time I turned 40). A couple years later I was diagnosed with DC. Last fall I really started feeling tightness in my palms (I have chords and pitting) and I felt like it was starting to affect my climbing, doing yoga, etc. So, I went to an orthopedist at Group Health here in Tacoma who does both the NA procedure and collagenase injections. He said I didn't have enough contracture to consider either procedure at this point, but he recommended cortisone injections in the nodules. He has DC himself and said he'd been shooting up his lumps with cortisone for years. He thinks it has retarded progression of the disease. I'd always stayed away from cortisone before, but I went ahead with it. I have to say that I've hardly felt any tightness since and the nodes even seem to have shrunk some. I've rarely been aware the condition over the past few months. BTW, I don't have red hair. But my daughter does, and I do (did?) have a few red whiskers in my beard! Damn Vikings...

Dave helped me out with my own little project a few weekends ago. (Eight tanks of gas consumed for that one, too.) I can also attest to his prowess with a chainsaw! Thanks again, Dave.

Someone named them.

Yeah, it's easy to access most of the top anchors at MR. Also, at the Royal Columns, Columns Holiday (http://www.mountainproject.com/v/columns-holiday/107588465), Stress Management (http://www.mountainproject.com/v/stress-management/105922227), and The Arete-Acal (new full length version, http://www.mountainproject.com/v/the-arete-acal/107115398) are easily TR'd 5.10 face climbs.

Not discounting any bad experience you've had, but that's a pretty strong statement. Over the years, there have been rashes of break-ins at Index, Leavy (Snow Creek parking lot), and Exit 38 on a far greater scale than anything I've ever heard of in the Tieton. I've likely spent as many, if not more, days climbing in the Tieton as anyone (especially if you include cleaning days) and I've yet to have a single issue. Not that that means a damn thing the next time I park there... Back to the original post, check out the Chunkyard (just east of Moon Rocks), where there are about a dozen routes in the 5.8/9 to 5.10 range. The rock looks like absolute crap, but try the climbing before you move on. There are a few shorter 5.10 and under sport routes at the Cave, although the better routes are all 5.11s. Lava Point is a good option, with a quite a few fun 5.10s. Finally, there are some newer (not in the guide) routes in the 5.9/.10 range at South Fork, although again, most of the better routes are a bit harder. None of these are easily accessible for setting up TRs. Have fun!

That's it. Very pretty spot, though. Thanks for the reply.

I'll be in Friday Harbor on Thursday with some time to kill. I know of bouldering elsewhere in the San Juans, but is there anything on San Juan Island? I can be discreet, both with beta and my activities. Thanks for any help. Also, climbing aside, any tips on hikes or cool places to explore? My son and I might spend the night if sufficiently motivated. Andy