eldiente

For summer climbs where you might get rained on, make sure to bring a light waterproof shell. Use this waterproof shell as a windbreaker instead of bringing a windbreaker and a rain jacket. I used to always carry a rain jacket in the bottom of the camelback and wear my wind breaker, this is sort of redundant and adds weight. I'm now a big fan of just wearing my cheap-o Marmot Precip jacket as a windbreaker and if it starts to rain I'm already wearing my rain jacket.

I know nothing of this route and can't seem to find much beta online. Grade? -Nate

Yeah I used to recall working out at a 24 hour gym. Every time I'd check in some guy with big arms would tell me how scrawny I was and if I'd train with him I'd get "bigger" I always had a good laugh. But overall I liked the 24 hour gym I went to, they had everything, pool, sauna, racket ball etc. If you've got to go to a mega gym you may as well go to one that has fun toys to workout on. As for the agro/ignorant trainers. What you gonna do, they get paid to tell people what they want to hear. They are their to make money so getting an un-biased and/or informed opinion is probably not going to happen. As with most workout "programs" everyone seems to have an agenda and a secret sauce that they think works best. I'd like to find a trainer who advocates drinking more beer for better fitness.

Hands down the best TR ever on CC.com. Although my boat hasn't done anything fun like go to Hawaii, she is a great approach vehicle for climbs around Squamish. And really, a Cal 20 that far offshore?

I think the conservative males out thee have found a new object to put into the spank bank.

Thanks for the tip! I hope these are them. -Nate

Anyone? I'd be bummed to lose two pairs of shoes in the same weekend. -Nate

last weekend I left a pair of 5.10 pitons and yellow murias at ozone or beacon. At ozone they would be by the humbling, at beacon they would be @ YW. Help please?

Yes I really like that 2nd pitch on YW. Pulling into that finger crack is fun, if only it could be longer. I was there on Sunday and made an effort to look for the rotten rock/bad pro on that pitch and I'm not seeing it. I do recall a sort of hallow sounding flake way back in there, but the gear (blue or green Alien) is on solid rock and the under-cling flake right below the finger crack feels good. It would be fun to try a more direct line on YW that goes straight up from the belay on pitch two. Right now it looks dirty and maybe some small pro for nuts would do it. Anyone tried this or thought about it? always seems a bit odd to go way left than right on this pitch. -Nate

Lame.. I can't stand climbing at that place. It is sad what has happened to it, seems like there is not shortage of ass-holes to mess that place up. -Nate

Why not, holding steady at 142.

I'd say Tieton would be a great spot for a new leader. Bolted belays, soft grades, and lots of good pro. Squamish would be a great place too, but the crowds on the "mellow" routes can be a real problem to the point where you could sit and wait all day for a trip up Diedre. Do you really want to be learning how to place gear with 30 French Canadians crawling up your ass? Outside of the PNW, I'd say Red Rocks is the best new trad leader place that I can think of. Unlike some places, the "easy" long routes at Red Rock are full-value with quality moves and airy positions. Many of the moderates at Red rocks have huge face holds surrounding the crack so your not having to learn how to place gear and learn how to crack climb at the same time. It is amazing how much experience you can pack in just by climbing a few long easy routes at Red Rocks. -Nate You can climb 1,000+ feet of 5.6 on steep rock and feel like a rock-star.

I found a bomber blue Alien right above the little mantle move just to the left. This blue alien protects the short "lose" move and would only be a short fall if one of the undercling flakes were to break. The little mantle move is protected by another solid Alien right at waist level, and I think there was a #1 BD maybe a 2 feet below that. So that's 3 pieces in 15 feet of climbing, although the blue Alien is hard to find. Yeah it would be cool if there was an anchor far left, help make the pitch less contrived and less drag. -Nate

Not sure I'd want to drag a big-bro up there for that section. I like a #6 and just keep moving it up with you, sort of like a portable top-rope anchor.

Schweet, if we ever climb together lets use your rack Nate! Ha! Sure why not. I might be a tad lazy, but nothing is worse then coming down after a long route and having your partner badger you with "well I know I have six wire gates and now I only have five, where is it?" I don't try to lose gear, but life is way too short to worry about it. I figure it will eventually all even out when I find the odd piece of gear in my bag that doesn't belong to me. Stuck cams are another matter. It happens to everyone, but if you botched it up I really think you should offer to replace the cam if it isn't yours. Think of it as a penalty for placing bad pro. I've lost a few cams just because I pussed out and forced a cam into a spot where it didn't need to be. I had to buy new ones. Yeah and those master cams do seem to get stuck. I almost lost one of mine the other day on Stuart and I swear it was placed gently. -Nate

I've noticed with the increase cost in gas I pay a lot less attention to lost gear. What's a few slings and some bienrs compared to $100 in gas you just spent to drive to the crag? I don't even think about it unless it was something really dumb, like dropping a cam, or expensive like having to to leave a bunch of gear in a retreat. But then again I'm a little odd as I never keep track of of my gear and don't stress if a few of my pieces end up on my partners rack.

I forgot a brand new red BD on SEW Arete three years ago. If anyone finds it, please return. That cam is bad news and always seems to run off.

Yeah the name is a bit odd. I got all amped up for for it my first time and brought a pile of Aliens for the 2nd pitch. The "thin fingers" section is more like "no fingers" and after that it is hands and tight-hands till the anchor.

We saw your head-lamps up there while we sitting on the boat Saturday night. We tried to blind you with our large boat spotlight but I'm not sure if it worked. Glad you had fun.

Anyone hear anything from JH today? Is Beacon open this week or what?

Yes, this is true. On my skinny cords I can really only simul rap on low angle slabs, IE Infinite Bliss. On steep terrain I don't bother with the simul rap as going down a steep route is plenty fast one person at a time. careful if you do this with half ropes (or really thin singles) because they're so thin. some belay devices won't provide enough friction (although you can remedy this by adding carabiners, etc.). did this once without really thinking about it and discovered it was a good thing i was wearing gloves...

On that route there is almost no way to keep tangles from happening if your throwing your lines down. Try walking the ropes done instead of tossing them. I like putting a coil on my lap and feed it out while rapping. To make it even easier, simul rap so that each person only has to walk/feed one rope on the way down. Yes, having to feed a rope while your on rappel is slow, but so is untangling lines when you toss the rope and it only goes 3 feet with every toss.

I recall the left leg being secure all right, it was the moving up part that gave me problems. Someone with good OW skills will find this to be mellow. Me, I thought it was a bit hairy with only a tipped out #5.

Yes, bring a #6 and leave the rest of the big gear at home. Yes, having to carry that #6 sucks, but all you need is that one wide piece and you can walk it in front of you the whole way up. I only had a #5 and it forced me to climb the upper section with no gear. If I recall, there is a block that you girth hitch at the mid-way point on the OW pitch, after that the #6 will take you all the way to the belay. The rest of the route is mostly small stuff with maybe one hand size piece so after the OW pitch you can put the #6 away and cruise the rest of the route.