markwebster

In 1976 I was a lonely young man, just out of school in Tacoma wondering how to meet friends, in particular female friends. Someone suggested the hardies and I signed up for their hiking class. I met several babes, and married the one with the best legs...and other attributes. Three years later we were both in the intermediate class teaching the basic students stuff we'd learned the year before. In retrospect, I wasn't ready to teach, but the organization said I was. As a climb leader, I made some mistakes, but no one got hurt. We soon dropped out of the club as we had met a circle of 10 friends who had integrity, but no desire to continue jumping through hoops for the club. After a 24 year absence I rejoined the hardies this spring in hopes of meeting some partners who had more skills than the average gym rat. I've had mixed results. In the Tacoma club, there are some very experienced hardies, truly nice people with a ton of alpine experience(willis wall). We've been on some climbs together and it feels good knowing they can build an anchor safely, know how to belay without a grigri, and have at least a vague idea of rescue techniques. My only problem with them is they are always in the mountains, where I just want to climb cliffs. I think I've actually had better results meeting partners on this board. It does really help when people are honest about their abilities, and fitness levels. Oh, did I mention, she was quite a babe? She and I, and our two grown kids will be in the valley this fall. http://www.websterart.com/html/climbing.php the mountaineers have their problems, but, unless you are lucky enough to find a mentor, for the money, no one teaches beginners better...

On the c3 camalot, the lobes expand because they are pulled open by 4 inch long piano wires that go up through that long bendy piece of transparent rubber/plastic. on the rope side of the trigger bar are 3 little hourglass shaped plastic 'washers'. Each washer is grabbed by one of the piano wires coming up from the cam lobes. The wires grab the washers by means of a simple bent loop in the piano wire. That bent loop of wire has relaxed and slipped off the washer, meaning my $60 camalot is useless. I'm thinking I'll exchange it for a metolius. Those things are bulletproof, though slightly wider because of the old style spring system. Sorry, I think I'll return it before I can take pictures.

I have a brand new 00 camalot c3. I placed it on godzilla Friday, and on removing it I noticed that one of the lobes or cams was stuck in the compressed position, as if I was pulling fully on the trigger bar. I examined it and saw that the piano wire retractor wire had come off groove on the plastic "washer" that is above the trigger bar. I was able to do some micro surgery with tweezers to get it back on , but it promptly popped back off. I'm thinking this design is too tricked out. Yes, they made the head smaller than metolius tcu by moving the springs out of the head and into the sling area, but it's trouble prone. I think rei will take it back, should I exchange it for a metolius tcu? I have two of those that have 20 years of wear and they are still perfect.

Awesome post! I was holding onto my seat hoping it had a happy ending. Something that mark1980 didn't mention is that he learned to carry prusiks in the Mountaineers. I know, because I was there with him. Say what you want about the hardies, but they do a great job of teaching beginners how to be smart in the outdoors...unlike the gyms. They also taught us how to lift someone out of a crevasse using the z pulley system, and how to rig a litter from a rope, and lower an injured climber down a cliff. We actually used a live person, and the cliff was a good 50 feet, though nowadays I hear it's just a heavy bag. Speaking of gym climbers transitioning into trad...I climbed canary this weekend with a young friend from the gym and his brand new rack. He led the second pitch beautifully, but when I got to the anchor, I found him doing a hanging belay on a tipped out camalot, only 2 of the lobes grabbing. He had another bottomed out camalot as backup, with a wire stopper, which I didn't see. I'm looking at him belaying me, 400 feet in the air thinking, if those two lobes on that bad cam fail, we're both dead, unless the wired held. I whipped out a stopper and stuck it beside the bad cam. It was a totally sinker placement, bombproof. These gym climbers seem to have tunnel vision with friends. Just because a piece costs $60 versus $8, it doesn't mean it's any better. It was definitely bad judgment on my part to go up a hard route with an untested partner. Still, someone has to teach these kids how to be safe...but next time I'll pick a shorter, safer route and do some practice anchor systems.

this board rocks! I found a partner in about one hour...on a Friday morning. Climb safe.

I'd like to get over on Castle Rock and do some 8's and 9's. I've not been to Pearly Gates yet, wouldn't mind hiking up there, I hear it's cool in the morning. I'd also be up for a day at Index. I did the lizard a couple weeks ago, wouldn't mind repeating that or trying godzilla. Maybe leavenworth saturday, drive back over Sunday morning to escape the heat and do some 8's and 9' at index. I'd like to hook up with someone from tacoma seattle to share the gas. pictures here: **http://www.websterart.com/html/climbing.php** you can pm me here, or contact me through my site...I even do phone: 253-two oh nine-0766. I'm also off the entire month of September. I'll be in the Valley the first week, but free after that for a road trip.

Two weeks ago, at the top of R&D, I anchored to the dead tree, and braced my feet on the smaller bolder, which was slightly better anchored in the dirt than the large one in the photo. The dead tree is barely still standing. A good push will knock it down. That routes sees a lot of traffic. There is a small crack 50 feet down the doming top where one could potentially set up an anchor, but I remember thinking it was not that secure of a placement. At that point, you are one move, and a 40 foot scramble from topping out to level ground. Now that the tree is dead, I think it should be replaced with a standard two bolt anchor. It's nice that the route has been kept "pure" and free of bolts so far, but common sense indicates that a safe anchor is needed, and with the tree gone, a bolt anchor seems like a small sacrifice to the "purity" of the route.

wow, thanks for all the suggestions guys! So much of what you've all said is true. Even the part about bachar adding more and more bolts to his routes as he ages...ouch, too close to the truth. Just 2 years ago I led it and did fine. That time, I thought the move off the second bolt was the scary one, but there is a one half inch cam that might hold a fall there, to protect a slide off the vertical bulge. The move above the third bolt risks about a 50 foot pendulum fall, but it is more of a swinger on smooth slab, than an ankle breaker ledge fall. I was just too scared to risk it. Another good point brought up was that the route does not have a dangerous reputation, and it's quite well known. The hardies do it all the time as the first pitch to r&d. We didn't intend for it to become that, and no, we weren't high when we put it up. I used to do Cocaine crack back then, and never bothered with r&d until a couple years ago. I think the bottom line is that most of you are right. I simply need to spend more time warming up on friction before I go up there, and then I can climb it fine. I tend to skip that part of my skill set these days as Exit 38 is all face, and so close. Before 38 existed, I always served a long friction apprenticeship each spring in the pinnacles. When I got good enough for washboards, it was summer and I had my full skillset, ready for anything. I have no desire to see my route become another battle zone of the dreaded boltchoppers. I still say it's run-out, but I think too many people enjoy the run-out for me to go up there and change it so beginners are more comfortable. It's easy to backoff, as I did, and wait for another day. See you out there!

Hi, I'm writing regarding the runout bolts on the 5.7 Cocaine Connection route on Icicle buttress. I tried to lead it this weekend and backed off halfway through the 30 foot runout past the third bolt. I've been focusing on cracks this season, and I'm rusty at friction. What's really sick, and kind of sad is that I put that route up myself back around 1983 with Mike Beldin. Mike drilled about 2 of the bolts. (the guide book is wrong, and yes, Victor knows). We led it from the ground up, no rappel cleaning or bolting or previewing. We carried a hand drill and a wire brush. We built it with 1/4 inch bolts, which have been replaced by someone, thank you. My question for the climbing community at large is, should I add a few bolts (2 or three) to prevent a possible broken leg or worse? My understanding of retro-bolting is that the first ascensionist is the only one who can do it...and that's me. I was talking to a young free solo artist and he said that my thinking is wrong. He said that the route has become a standard, and the runouts are accepted and that my adding bolts to it would be wrong. It is true that the climber I was then, and the climber I am now are two different people. I was young, hot and bold back then. But if it's my choice, I say the route is dangerous. My feeling is that there are far too many cliffs that have been basically destroyed by young primadonnas like I was back then. Look at the pinnacles, sunset slab, or Slender Thread, Cajun Queen at the top. So much excellent rock basically off limits to beginning climbers because they were put up with runnouts. Can we have a little common sense here? Any thoughts?

Hi, I'm looking for a partner for Smith Presidents day weekend. I'd like to leave after work Friday, Feb 16th and return Monday evening. I live in Tacoma, so I'm looking for someone from around here to share the gas (and the climbing). I have wheels, though it's a little 2 seater pickup. I'm open to a party of 3 (more time for pictures!), but with 3 it would have to be your car. I'm looking for someone who comfortably leads 5.6 to 5.10 in the summer, cracks or bolts. That's my range, but right now I'm pretty rusty. I've been leading 10a's in the gym recently, but that really has no bearing on outdoors. If you are a 5.11 climber, we probably wouldn't be a good match. Though I'm in great shape, I am 52. I like nothing better than cruising a bunch of 5.7 or 8's, all day long. I have pictures of some of my climbs here: http://www.websterart.com/html/climbing.php You can contact me through my website: http://www.websterart.com/html/contact2.php road trip!

Has anyone heard any details on why they aren't opening the Paradise Road? Beyond the obvious of course, I know there was heavy road damage from flooding, and electricity was out for a while. I really miss that place. I've been skiing there since 1976 when I met my future wife inside a snow cave. I'm wondering if anyone knows a ranger, and what the rangers are saying about the road. Could it be skied up? Or, have they abandoned it for the winter. We used to hear that they had to keep the road plowed because the round building would collapse without oil heat to melt off the snow. Never mind that the public prefered it open, but they were forced to buy the poor design of the round building. I can't afford chair lifts, and anyway, nothing compares to the wildness of being way the hell up there in bad weather and deep, untracked powder.

I've had a Dell, but it died after two and a half years. I have a toshiba now and it's still rock solid after almost 3 years. Who is making the best laptop, and has the best customer service, seems to change every few years. Do some research at cnet.com and amazon, reading the customer reviews of the models you are looking for. People are very frank about who is good and who is bad. Pick the one with the least bad comments. If you take digital photos, don't buy the bottom of the line. You'll need some processing power to edit them if you get into Photoshop.

I thought the note about how "climbs were rated soft when 5.11 was the top end" was very astute. Someone also commented on the fact that a route that started out easy can get hard from the polishing action of foot traffic. We found that very true in the valley. I followed my son up After Six on Manure Pile buttress, and the first pitch was quite slick for a 5.6. Plus the heat added it’s own troubles. Back before we had kids (I’m 52) the wife and I climbed all over Castle Rock and Index and were very comfortable on hard nines there with an occasional 10a like brass balls on Castle. When we took our yearly Valley trip, the ratings seemed reasonable. But now I’ve fallen into the bolt climbers trap, the valley climbs have become polished, and, I gotta admit, age is a factor. South Face of Jello Tower is a very hard 5.7. Classic Crack in Icicle Creek is a hard 8, if you haven’t been jamming much, but an easy 8 if you have. I’ve been in both situations over the years. Back in the eighties I watched a famous local climber free solo it with his daughter on his back. Lions Jaw at Smith is a hard seven for me now, but back in the day the wife and I used to warm up on it. This is my son on the summit of half dome after hiking the tourist trail. Yeah, I got rusty after having kids but I never stopped climbing, and with the whole family climbing now, I can usually find a partner…I might just get my crack skills back. See you out there!

I'm wondering if the valley ratings are sandbag ratings, or have we just overated the difficulty of climbs in Leavenworth and Smith. My 21 year old son and I just returned from a week in the valley. Granted, I am rusty at crack climbing, haven't done much of it in months. Exit 38 and 32 (snoqualmie pass) are so convenient, light packs, no friends and stoppers to carry. I thought that a confident 10a ability on bolts would allow me to jump on at least 5.8 cracks in Yosemite. Not so! The last route we did was called Bishop's Terrace, 5.8, in the Church Bowl area between Awanee and Yosemite Village. It was one long 60 meter pitch, though we broke it up into 2. The last 50 feet is 20 feet of 3 to 4 inch fist jams leading to a dead vertical hand crack. I lead karate (10a smith) this spring, and I thought it was easier than this bishops terrace 5.8. Am I just an old, rusty has been, or are the ratings in the valley skewed? One thing I'm sure of, next time I go down there, I'll climb nothing but cracks for few weeks. Bolt climbing ability is useless in the valley.

We just got back yesterday and my key bank debit card worked great. They still have dial up, so it takes longer, and I had to sign the slip since you can't enter your pin. My son's Tacoma Sound credit union card also worked. You do have to show picture id. There are bear visits to camp 4 almost every night. They walk right up to the table when you are cooking and try to snatch food when your back is turned. After hearing it happen at the same campsite two nights running, I walked up 60 feet up into the darkness and sat on a log to watch the bear come down out of the woods. When he came, he walked down a lane of darkness in the moonlit meadow between trees. I could just see a dark shape moving that wasn't human. I shined my flashlight and could just make him out, two red glows from a large german shepard sized object. He stopped, then hid behind a tree and I lost him. 5 minutes later, I heard the girls screaming bear! One of the teenagers with a headlamp chased the bear up into the woods. It was very entertaining to watch the bear running uphill, with the kid 15 feet behind it, both moving very fast. Not something I'd recommend even though it wasn't a full grown bear. We called it bearwatching, made great after dinner entertainment. Verizon coverage was excellent around camp 4 and curry village. I carried my cell phone in my camera case for emergencies. Virgin Mobile had zero coverage. When you are signing up at camp 4, all campers need to be there with picture id, and it's $5 per person per night. Campers there are very discourteous and americans are the minority. There are many stuffed up 20 somethings who think only of themselves and their right to party as late as the beer lasts, usually hikers. Climbers are more courteous (and tired from early starts). The 10 pm quiet time is not enforced, and you will usually be ignored if you complain. Half an hour after a polite request at 11pm, I called the ranger on one loud party (5 feet from our tent) but the rangers did not show up. I don't think they care about camp 4. My son had the right idea, he wore headphones to sleep instead of listening to some self righteous jerk 5 feet from you tent talking about the superiority of a meatless diet when you have to make a dawn start on a climb. The climbing was of course awesome, though the cracks were harder and more polished than I remember from 20 years ago. I'll start a new topic on that. Oh, there is no gas in the valley, so fill up at the last town.

Thanks for the info, sounds like my debit card should work fine. Regarding the not leaving food in vehicles. Have the bears gotten that bad? Will they rip open cars? On another subject, is there any cell phone coverage in the valley? I have a verizon phone, and my son has a virgin mobile phone. We don't really need cell phones but they might come in handy in an emergency. I can't wait to get down there. I've been climbing far too many bolts on crappy basalt...can't wait to get on some real rock. Serenity crack, Cookie cliff, my son is not gonna' beleive it.

Howdy all, I'm going climbing down to yosemite with my son soon. He's 21 and I've not been there since he was a baby. I've been climbing in Washington lately so have lost touch with simple things like: How do you pay for gas and food on i-5 in Oregon and California, and food in the valley. My key bank debit card works great around here for food and gas, taking funds directly from my checking account. I'm wondering if the debit card will work in California. I also have an American Express credit card, which I rarely use, and visa cards. I'm wondering whether I should maybe take travelers checks like the old days since the plastic might not work. Also, anyone have a ballpark figure for what two adults would spend on a nine day vacation going from Seattle to Yosemite and back? Looks like camp 4 is $5 per person per night, so that is $90 for camping. I figure about $250 in gas round trip, but the food is tough. we are cooking our own food, no restaurants or hotels, sleeping in rest areas. Anyone know if you can sleep in the back of a pickup at camp 4, or do you have to walk-in to a tent. thanks in advance for any advice or info you can offer, Mark Webster

Straight sided Chouinard stoppers were sold back in the mid to late seventies. I bought mine then and still use them today. If they are wired, they probably would benefit from re-swaging, I read somewhere that you can send them back for that (new wire). I'm still using the old wires because I've never fallen on them and the wires look perfect. I met Chouinard at the bottom of Manure Pile buttress in the Valley back in 82, he was cool guy, just another old climber leading a 5.9.

This is a fascinating subect. I stumbled across it yesterday and spent my lunch break reading climbers reasons for climbing. I had no idea we had that many well spoken philosophers in our ranks. I climb because nothing has ever made me feel as good as climbing does. If I understand evolution right, our bodies haven’t changed much since the days when we ran through the jungles chasing tigers. For most of us, there is no real danger in our lives. We are built for dangerous situations (adrenaline gland) and if we don’t get it, we need to find it somewhere. Well, maybe not danger, but at least balls to the walls excitement. Some people get their thrills on the couch watching sports…not too much danger but I guess it can be exciting. Others get their danger on the freeway dodging through traffic and driving like maniacs. I get my danger on the cliffs. I am as safe as I can be, but I know there is always the possibility I can let my guard down at a rap station or something, and be dead instantly. Perhaps that’s why I love the sport so much. It requires total concentration to stay safe. I can’t think about my crappy job and my so called career. My focus is totally on staying safe, getting in the zone, and feeling the warm glow afterward from conquering my fears…or if we were still in the jungle, a “successful hunt”. As I’ve grown older, most of my friends have quit climbing and I wonder how they can live without the sport. My kids are climbing now, after ignoring it for many years. While I can accept the danger for myself, watching my 21 year old son lead up a dangerous 10a face climb filled me with misgivings. When I told him at the belay that I felt like I had committed child abuse permitting him to lead the climb, he just laughed. Guess he’s got the same adrenaline gland as his dad. If I could see into the future, and knew climbing would kill me, of course I’d quit. But that’s all speculation and I try to deal in reality. I’m trusting that my cautious nature will keep me climbing safely well into my seventies. I have had a handful of friends and acquaintances die in the mountains. Most of them were mountaineering when they died, something I gave up shortly before we had our first kid. There are far fewer variables in rock climbing. I’ve also seen a horrific accident up close and personal (at Smith) and have been near several others. Nothing like a helicopter overhead to dampen your day. They usually seem to be pilot error, and all climbers should regularly read “accidents in north American mountaineering” published by the AAC. I guess I’m sort of rambling here. My wife is home, and I need to pack up for another trip to Smith. It’ll be me, my 18 year old daughter and my wife, heading down to escape from our mundane existence for a while and chase the tiger. Yes, there are dangers, both on the highway and on the cliffs, but I’m not willing to lead a totally safe life. It’s too damn boring. If you see me out climbing, introduce yourself, maybe we can share a rope. I’ll be the old gray haired guy with the 6 foot stick clip and the antique gear.

Anybody up for Smith Memorial Day (Sat, Sun, Mon)? I actually have Friday off too though my daughter wants to do 38 Friday. I'm very experienced, been climbing there since 78, and have been out about 10 times this spring to 38, Leavenworth and Vantage. I don't lead anything much above 5.9 or 10a, but that's bolts And cracks. I'm perfectly happy cruising 5.7's. My tick list would include: tammy bakkers face 5.9 five and nine gallon buckets Moscow and Peking 6 and 8 Revelations 5.9 Karate...maybe? ...be some dogging first kiss 5.8 fridays jinx 5.7 white satin 5.8 dancer I'm cool with a party of 3...more time for photos! For that matter, the more the merrier, as long as everyone leads. I have room in my pickup for 2 passengers, but it's tight. give me a shout 253-884-4785 mark@(REMOVE)websterart.com

I did gib ledge many years ago in January. The ice shute/couloir is low angle enough that you can walk down it, but steep enough that we wished we had brought ice screws. The compact snow/ice was too hard for a fluke. The other rope team had all the ice screws, so when we had to belay, all we had was a boot ax belay, with the ax in only about 2 inches. A guy on my team fell, and the accelleration is incredible on that steep ice. My buddy did a dynamic boot ax belay and caught him, but we really needed ice screws for at least a running belay. I'd also recommend wanding from the top of gibraltar rock to the summit. We didn't, and almost got lost on the way down as clouds rose and covered the summit.

Howdy! Anybody interested in going to Smith Presidents day weekend? That's this weekend: February 18, 19, 20, leave Friday night (17th) and return Monday evening. Out of the last 6 years, I've gone three or four times on Presidents weekend, only got rained out one day. Usually it is sunny, cool and windy, although it can be tea shirt weather down in the dihedrals. I lead bolts and cracks up to about 10a when I'm warmed up, although I'm rusty now (sking season!) and usually start out on sixes, warming up to nines by Monday. Some of my favorite routes are: 5 gallon buckets: 5.8 bolts, spiderman: 5.7 crack, Tammy Bakker's face 5.9 bolts, dancer:5.7 bolts, Karate 5.10 crack, bunny face, both pitches, bookworm 5.9 crack, Moscow: 3 pitches 5.6. I've been climbing there since 1978 back when it was all cracks, with just a handfull of bolted routes. Smith is always a good time, camping is free. I normally climb with my wife or my teenage kids, or a couple long time partners, but they are all busy this weekend. I'm easy going, don't smoke or drink and have a car. If you are leery about going with a stranger (and who isn't?), we could meet at a gym this week for some top roping. I've been doing the volunteer belayer thing at Edgeworks climbing in Tacoma since August. 253-884-4785 home 253-677-8857 cell...usually turned off. email: mark@*REMOVE*websterart.com **http://www.websterart.com/html/climbing.html** Let' go climbing! Mark Webster ************************************************* 28 years of climbing, you'd think I'd be better at it by now :-)

I found a partner for Smith. Thanks to all those who emailed me. This forum rocks!

I have the standard Saturday Sunday Monday open over the 4th of July and I hadn't thought that far ahead yet. I would like to go to Smith then as well probably, but if you are talking about the 5th of July, no, I'll be back at work then. My major open period is my coming 6 day break at the college where I teach. I'm open June 18th though the following Wednesday June 22 and would love to go down to Smith for a few days, start on the easy sixs and sevens and work my way into some of the beautiful 9's and 10's. Some of my favorite routes down there are Tammy Bakkers face, 5 gallon, spiderman, fridays jinx, dancer...someday I'd like to warm up enough to do Karate again.

Hi, I am toying with the idea of going to Smith to climb some easy 5.6 to 5.9's over my college break from June 18th through 21. I'm quite rusty, only one trip out this year last weekend to do saber and midway on castle, along with a few 5.8's up the icicle. I have a couple on and off partners, but they are all unavailable during that time period. Wife was my main partner, but she just had rotator cuff surgery. I usually climb with my teenagers during the spring, but I've been rained off 38 and vantage twice this year. It's weird looking for a partner on a forum...I can't afford the climbing gyms where I guess most people meet partners these days. You can read some of my climbing stories and see pictures on my web site at** http://www.websterart.com/html/contentszz.html ** I am 51, but still warm up to easy 5.10 if I get out every other weekend, something there hasn't been time for since I got into high tech. Still, climbing is my favorite sport. I don't smoke, rarely drink...and I have a good car. For reference, some of my old climbing partners and or friends are Jim Phillips, Victor Kramer, Larry Kemp, Jim Yoder, John Brafladt (fupp), Don Ryan, Will Greenough. The wife and I have been climbing in Leavenworth, Smith, Joshua Tree and Yosemite since the late seventies. I live in Gig Harbor and would be going down Friday the 17th after work if I found a partner. You can reach me at home at 253-884-4785 or via email: mark@websterart.com **Mark Webster