TrogdortheBurninator

full TR: http://zclipped.com/?p=15 This beta photo should be about as useful as the Selected Climbs II topo was for us. Colt45 and I climbed the South Face on Sunday. After the obvious short crack from Nelson's photo, we had a nearly impossible time reconciling any features from the topo or the description. In particular, we never saw the invisible flake with 50 of chimneying. We ultimately climbed what seemed to be an obvious easy weakness on the face, passing a well used rap anchor. Where does the correct line go? Our line:

i'd imagine the NW Face Couloir is definitely not in???

i had no hexes with me when i was there. The routes eat up nuts, but still take cams fine.

the line is a must do. Fairly sustained 5.9, but no harder. Haystack is a pretty straightforward 5.8.

Thanks Kat!

Is there still enough snow up there for decent skiing. Camping in the icicle this weekend, and was hoping to ski a bit. Looking for someplace the dog is allowed (i.e. no enchantments), with easy terrain. Any idea how high up one can drive right now?

that is awesome to be ice climbing in late may!!

Usually seems like descriptive adjectives allow for a letter or so of grade variance. For example: Pumpy 5.9 might feel like 5.10 Tricky 5.8 might feel like 5.9 Awkward 5.8 might feel like 5.10 last friday I climbed in Cheakamus canyon for the first time. Got on P1 Charlotte's Web. Dr Topo guide calls the pitch tricky 5.8, but it sure felt harder. Squamish Select calls it tricky 5.9, but it also felt a bit harder than that. I climbed it on lead and top rope, and it felt pretty tricky both ways, so I dont think protection was the issue. Routes without adjectives in their descriptions seem to feel more spot on.

This statement doesn't make sense to me. inward flaring

Washington pass and rainy pass would provide more than 10 days of fun for climbers of all ability. Mazama is right there as a bad weather backup.

according to comcast it is still on at 9PM here.

Supertopo is great. Rock CLimbing Lake Tahoe covers a broader area, but with nowhere near the detail.

Dru, what mechanism for "stability reduction" are you proposing? I am having a hard time imagining a lot of physical scenarios where it might really matter, aside from the aforementioned case of water freeze/thaw. Are you implying that the back of the cavity is somehow load bearing? I.E. that the tensile strength of the back of the cavity some how has a non-negligible effect compared to the compressive strength of the rock around the expansion collar.

sounds pleasant: Friday: Sunny, with a high near 92. Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 95. Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 55. Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.

looks awesome: I know you've already been there Eric, but doesnt Orgasmatron at WWII count? You could always climb it with mostly gear per the original topo.

i saw somebody with one of these at smith 4 or 5 years ago. not a spoof.

old cobras have no pinky rest and a larger diameter grip.

I just started a new blog. www.zclipped.com not a lot there so far, but should be more eventually. also have some formatting stuff to figure out still, like why youtube videos screw up the entire blog in firefox, but not in IE.

AFAIK the chimney is part of the standard R&D route.

i find the main thing when using a curved / grip rested water ice tool for plunging isnt that they cant plunge, just that they plunge less efficiently, so you use more energy to achieve the same level of security. If a route has harder climbing, the trade off seems worth it, however as you might see from my previous post/hijack, I think there are times when some compromise in performance is in order.

I managed one tick embedded in my leg either from SCW, Sam Hill, or Duty Dome area. I suspect it was from Duty Dome area, as it was not too heavily engorged.

Has anybody used these: http://www.rei.com/REI-Outlet/product/770050 I have been considering some gear whorage to get a lighter weight ice tool for easy alpine routes (NR Baker, Liberty Ridge, Etc). I already have quarks and x-monsters as well as a couple mountaineering axes. Also looking at something like the venom, although the quick change pinky rest on the Camp is intriguing. Havent decided yet to get one or two lighter tools. Also can't decide if it would be a good idea to get on in 57cm.

I thought the Bale-Kramar was as good as Reg Route, the boulder start was kind of a sandbag though. B-K has some good climbing on it, but I dont think that makes it a really good route. I.E. on P2 you climb a fun 5.10- face with a bunch of mid 5th cracks 5' to your right. Best pitch, p3, can be hiked around. On the last pitch, I think pocket meister is better than the regular BK finish. Regular route is much more natural, and takes a logical weakness in the rock (except for the more pleasent 5.10 face variation on p1)

definitely hoping to get up there some nice day this spring. looks like a really fun crag.

Castle is so much more unique and interesting than the others of those I have climbed at (havent been to pearly gates or midnight). Careno is a great crag, but regular route is the only really good longer line on it. Clem's Holler is fun, but certainly not a standout crag. Same with Duty Dome, pretty generic, but still fun. Best crags in LW, IMO 1) Snow Creek 2) Castle 3) Careno all others I have been to are far distant and in fact I consider Castle to Careno a decent step down. Looking at it, I'd definitely believe midnight should be high on this list, hopefully I'll get up there sometime.