eldiente

Hey Marc, thanks for putting in the the work on Catharsis Crack. Brilliant idea as Cerberus looks to be one of the driest multi pitch routes in Squishy and the position is lovely. Ross I both found knee bars in the under clings on Catharsis Crack, kinda rad to be doing knee bars on the Chief. As for Labyrinth, I peeked over and looked at from the belay... You guys are out of your mind putting that up ground up. Thin looking. RE boadman. The flakes are scary feeling but the climbing is easy at that point, you can put half your weight on the slab and half on the flakes. If the flake pulled off I don't think it would hit your belayer and the bolts are to the right of it so hopefully your lead line would survive. Summer continues in Squamish... -Nate

Trip: Squamish - Cerberus Date: 1/26/2014 Trip Report: Cerberus. 5.11D 4 pitches. Tantalus Wall. Squamish BC. Kinda crazy to be climbing multi-pitch routes in Squamish the last week in January but hey why not. We started climbing around 1:00PM and were in single layers most of the day. Winter is a great time to do this route, mostly bolted slab so it dries quickly and it catches the last bit of afternoon sun. That was the best part about the day, amazing sunset just as we topped out on the last pitch. Cerberus is a bit unusual for Squamish as it doesn't follow a crack system and instead goes up a blank wall weaving around on dyke features. From the ground it looks intimidating. Mercifully bolts make it possible but not really a clip-up, the bolts are spaced far enough to keep it honest. i.e. can't pull on draws at the cruxes. I thought it was kinda hard and for a point of reference found the cruxes harder than anything on Freeway. (less sustained though) Tech slab skills and cold temps are probably a good idea. Cool route. Approach. We feared that the normal approach (Milk Road, 5.10D) might be wet so we hiked up the South South Gully and climbed the first pitch of a new route called Labyrinth (5.12C) The approach up to Labyrinth is a steep gully with fixed lines, go left up steep fixed line and belay from tree ledge with bolts heading left. Pitch 1: Labyrinth 5.10D. Sandbag, hard for 5.10D. This pitch traverses to the left by under-clinging these massive flakes. At times you lose elevation going straight left and not much up. Long pitch and massive pump for the back and biceps. Bolts are there but spaced, falling off means falling sideways. Bring a few small cams (yellow Master Cam) for the run-out in the middle and a #1 BD for the end. Burly. Pitch 2: 5.11, this is where Labyrinth joins Cerberus. Soft for 5.11 although there is a harsh boulder problem right off the belay to a small bush. Cruise magic dyke system to an airy belay. Pitch 3: 5.11D Long pitch, 14 bolts. Very airy position. Crux boulder problem right above the belay before moving left below roof. Traverse right under roof and go over roof, really nice holds pulling roof. Harsh traversing slab crux after you get stood up above the roof. Felt like 5.12 to me but my slab skills are awful. For added spice this pitch finishes on car sized detached flakes that wiggle when touched, I've never climbed flakes that large that lose. Bolts or no bolts when that thing comes off someone is in for a hell of a ride. Looking down from pitch 2, amazing dyke climbing. Pitch 4: Another traverse pitch going straight left. A real pain to get back on when you fall. Not as sustained but the single hardest problem of the day is around bolt 4 or 5. Crazy tech slab move on the tinniest of feet. Keep moving further left to a horizontal crack thingy that can be protected with a hand sized piece of gear, move up and right from this crack on easy but run out jugs. Belay at chains or climb 10M further to tree belay and the top out. Walk off. Looking down the last pitch. Gear Notes: 15 draws with runners for rope drag. Single rack from Green C3 to #2 BD. We only placed #2 BD, #1BD, and a yellow master cam (fixed) but you might be able to find other options. A strong party could probably do the route with only draws. Approach Notes: South South Gully.

Squamish Butt face C2C in 2 hours +/- which is probably about the same time it took Marc to solo the Grand.

PM sent. Nate

The passenger did get bumped to 5.12.. Better update my scorecard. http://www.supertopo.com/rock-climbing/Washington-Pass-South-Early-Winters-Spire-The-Passenger Jokes aside, the hard moves were short lived and not sustained. Not sure how people grade short hard moves vs long burly pitches. I always think that short hard moves are easier physiologically. The long sustained crack pitches with no "crux" are the ones that I fear. Great route though, everyone climbing anywhere near 5.11 could get up this and have fun.

I almost never get rained out at Smith even going on days when it says 70% chance. If the weather system is coming in from the West (Normal) Smith stays dry. If the weather is from the South, (pineapple) sometimes Smith will get wet. Rock dries fast though.

There is steep caves at Vantage that stay dry even in the pouring rain. I forget the names, but a dozen or so routes in a bunker right under the road arose the road from the campground. I've climbed there in heavy rain. -Nate

Nope Nate. You're wrong. Go do the route then check back in with your opinion. Really. Yep, I'd have to see it first to understand. BUT if a route is so absurdly lose and dirty that the only way to climb it is by installing a bolt ladder, maybe it wasn't meant to be climbed eh? Or maybe a nice long top rope would suffice? I do understand, on clean, steep rock it makes sense for the bolts to be widely spaced. Yay for airy whippers into space! On blocky terrain I'd rather see the bolts close together. However, there is a precedent all over Oregon for dirty, lose routes with widely spaced bolts. (Smith has tons of dirty routes with widely spaced bolts as does Wolf rock etc) Seems Plaid is bucking a well established trend here.

I guess I'm going to have to revert back to Win7 from Win8 because the new calculator is broken. 22 bolts in 115? I have a general rule against spraying in someone's TR so I'll mention it here. Plaid I haven't climbed your route and I'm sure it was an epic pain to bolt (dirty!) but that said it sounds like you created an aid ladder on a free climb. You should think abut these things. I'm not a very bold climber, but a bolt every 10' is plenty, even on lose terrain. You're not going to break your leg falling a few extra feet. Be smart, if you're going to sink in that kind of hardware ask yourself honestly, a.) are people going to want to climb this route b.) is the average climber going to be content with the bolting. Climb a bunch of routes at Wolf Rock, Smith, etc to get a feel for what other climbers are doing in Oregon. Is your bolt placements similar to these areas? If not, why is that? Generally people bolt ground up as an adventure, to make it more mentally challenging for the first ascent or in some cases ground up is the local ethic area. If you need some inspiration for bolting on lead take a read at what Alex (ex-local) did two summers ago while on lead. (hand drilling no less) This is normally what bolting on lead is like. Or since I know you like to use the power drill, watch this video of Adam free climbing drilling on lead .14D and drilling on lead. Have fun out there! -Nate

Speaking of bowlines. This is the "normal" knot for sailing. I was out the other day in a good breeze and the bowline on my jib untied (!) I can't speculate on the forces involved, but the knot was perfect and had been working fine for several days and just came untied under load. (granted it was a big load on the sail) I've never seen that before and makes think twice about tying into a climbing rope with it. -Nate

Free solo of Clean Crack? Bold.

Plaid, I'd love to get out and take a trip up the SE corner. But might have to wait till later. I discovered this crack about 5 minutes from my house the other day, I went out and bought "Freedom of the Hills" and am going to learn how to place gear so I can do this route. Looks really good. Once I lead this route, I'll be ready for the SE Corner. Have fun guys but be nice. [img:center]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i31/Anders-Ourom/CleanCrackJune1977.jpg[/img]

Oh my I miss Portland! Without a question the most colorful locals I've ever met. Plaid any chance you can rope gun me up the SE Corner? I mostly just sport climb these days and would love a chance to go for a 6 hour siege on the SE corner. I'll be down there this Fall and would love to hit Beacon. -Nate

Really, that grassy choss heap could tip over tomorrow and nobody would care. You guys need to chip in on a gas card, pack up your car and drive to one of the MANY places in Western America that has GREAT climbing.

Linking into Angles Crest was mellow. At the top of the last pitch of Borderline follow 4th class ramp left (moss) There was one bolt there and a fixed hand line. Walk 100 feet left through woods. You'll keep moving left on low 5th class terrain, very dirty and lose rock for about 100 feet before rejoining with Angles Crest. You'll know you're on Angles Crest as the rock instantly gets better. -Nate

Trip: Squamish - Borderline Date: 7/30/2012 Trip Report: Nice little romp up 6-7 pitches of Squamish Granite. You can do the route and rap or continue on up and join up with Angles Crest or for double fun, finish on High Plains Drifter. Not the best route in Squish but good enough and a good way to bypass crowds on Angles Crest. Here's what we found. P1.5.10. Trick slab move/no hands thingy to gain the first bolt. Falling getting to the bolt would be kind ugly. After a few bolted slab moves, move left into nice corner system. P2. 5.10 More corner action. jugs and flakes. Move right on hand traverse rail and just like every other route in Squamish, grab a tree. P3.5.10D P45.10 Link together for 65 meters. My lead. (Thanks Jaime) Airy exposure and about five bolts of hard 5.10 slab gets the pitch started. Although the moves are slab, the wall is actually vertical. Huh. Falls are clean into space go for it. After clipping bolts move left into finger crack that feels a bit like the Exasperator. Perfect locks! I someone how missed the bolted belay at the end of the finger crack and kept on moving up P4. Exciting times as I had one #1 cam to protect 20 meters of climbing. Sort of hard roof move at the end of P4, keep that #1 cam handy when pulling the bulge. Super fun link. P5. 5.10OW. Hard bolt protected 8" OW. Short pitch but a real thrash for life. Bolts are close together. P6. 5.10D. Short pitch, all bolts. Bouldery slab moves to bolted anchor. P7. Move left through woods and some dirty 5.8 terrain to join Angles Crest somewhere around P6 of that route. P1 Looks kind green but gets good. P2 Jaime on lead in the corner. Old Man Jaime B still climbs harder then you. Approach via downwind sailing, head back home via upwind sailing. And rainbows will always come out. Gear Notes: Double Rack, Red BD C3-#3 BD. Extra finger pieces for finger crack pitch. Didn't need any nuts. 70M rope required if linking P3 and P4. Approach Notes: Sherif's Badge sign. Easy trail. 20 minutes.

Thanks.Link?

Can anyone help me out with some beta on Mount Habrich? I've heard conflicting reports on how far up the road is gated. Any thoughts? Some folks says 3k of road walking but I've also heard 9k of road walking (!) Any help would be great. -Nate

Master Cams or C3s would be my choice for small cams.

HB Offset for sure and I almost never place nuts but these are the "oh shit" Piece. Next up would be orange master cam.

About 100 people per year die golfing every year in the US. How many rock climbers do you think die every year? I don't know but I bet it is a rather low number.

Super! Nothing unsafe about moving fast, if the weather comes in you ski down real fast without too much fuss. Sounds fun to me. Walking uphill for a few days with heavy packs, not so much fun. -Nate

Again, as far as I'm concerned trying to weave this universal fabric over our entirely corrupt, for-profit, million-payers system of insurers / [large] providers is an entirely sub-optimal hack which leaves the system as corrupt as it was beforehand and achieves no benefits of scale. It's the reason why you can opt-out of public education by sending your kid to private schools, but you're still going to be paying for public schools. Yep, this is the problem. Nicely put.

It's a similar concept in that it's mandated with a penalty to avoid public costs. You buy a car... you buy car insurance so when you are in an accident you pay for it and not everyone else. It's no different then health insurance. Nope. Again car is an option/luxury, there is no law on the books that fines you for NOT buying a car. Here's the bottom line. If health insruance is a public "good" why not just offer it as a service like fire, schools, and police. Why this BS about making you buy it from private vendors?

That's classic. Oh you mean like being required to have auto insurance? Or does everyone in the Tea Party take the bus and ride their bike? I'm with the boner. Not like care insurance at all, you don't have to buy a car.