eldiente

Looks to be great weather this weekend and I'm looking to climb Beacon. Any takers? I can bring the rack and the rope. If for some reason Beacon is to windy or cold I'd be open for climbing someplace else around Portland that is a little more protected. Email me or PM me. natetack@gmail.com -Nate

Oh this is my favorite argument from the hammer swinging aider. "Were actually creating holds for free climbers by making pin scars." This is a great community service, and the climbers 10,000 years from now well thank you for creating such nice holds... Make that a million years as those scars will still be there. You clearly don't think this is a problem. By your logic we should still be nailing Stovelegs cracks as this is how the first ascent party did it. No of course not, you'd get lynched trying that. Why? Well there is a better way to climb that crack, free or clean aid if you like. I know you'd say it is OK to nail a perfect hand-crack as that's how it was done by the FA, but really that is disrespectful of your fellow climbers and the natural environment as a whole. There is room for discussion on the effects of bolting on the natural environment cause lets face it, a big shinny bolt is a bit of an eye sore at times. I know nothing about this particular route, but looking at it from a low-impact standpoint , the bolts will be far less destructive than repeated nailing of the route on this type of rock. What do you think Beth held onto to climb the Optimist? Jugs? No dude….pin scars.

I like the way you put it there. I guess thats how I think. Since I will never climb 5.14, I know would be pissed if one of my aid FAs got bolted just to be freed...being that it was something I was proud of sans bolts. That's your vanity getting in the way.

What the F....is that supposed to mean. That is entirley your opinion. WTF... who's time is being wasted? You are the one responding! Quit wasting my time. Bro. We are having a discusion on bolting old aid lines. Its is not dissing on anybody's accomplishments. Heray for those who have freed it. Question: If the someone (anybody) aided a line in Yosemite, then someone else came in and bolted it later, then much later someone freed it, would this even have gotten to this point, because the “retro bolts” would not have been allowed to stay. FA are respected there. Apparently not at smith. Or maybe the person who retroed it got permission. Wow, that really is a stretch there pal. Lets all cry for how things used to be in the valley... This hypothetical "aid climber" in the valley probably nailed the route so that there is nothing left but pin scars for the rest of us. Sound about right? Man I wish we could all just go back in time where it was all just a matter of whoever gets to the top first gets to make the rules. The Nose was nailed on the FA so should the rest of us nail the route just because that's how FA was done? I'm going to bring this style back and carry a huge step ladder with me wherever I go. I'll climb this ladder to the top of many small cliffs and claim the FA and set the rules for that route. My rules are no fixed pro whatsoever no matter how blank the face. If you'd used a ladder like me you wouldn't need any gear or a rope for that matter. Sound silly? Well maybe I'll use a ladder made of webbing instead and call it "aiding." It is great to respect the bold person who does a new route but that isn't the end-all. Maybe there is a better way to do it? Maybe the FAs style of ascent could be improved upon? If so shouldn't we jump at the chance to improve upon the style of the FA? Style is a wide open topic for sure and well beyond the scope of this topic.

This topic is silly but hard to get away from. Many bolted routes at Smith could be lead a natural gear if you really wanted to. But why would you want to? With the exception of the Lower Gorge the crack climbing at Smith is ass. (here comes the storm about Lion's Jaw and Super Slab being the the best cracks in the west) Be honest with yourself and call a spade a spade. You probably could aid lots of the Smith routes on natural gear, but again why the hell would you want to? Smith rock is swag at best. There will never be a shortage of obscure difficult, aid routes to climb in the world. That might be the best part of aiding. The ability to get away from the crowds and climb something that everyone would pass by. Smith is a zoo by any standard. Mostly it annoys me. I'd rather climb granite splitters. The rock is ass but with bolts it can be climbed safely and be a lot of fun. Everything you'd want from a sport crag. Even suggesting that any bolts be removed at smith because there is some potential for a person to aid the pitch is not only stupid, but makes you look like an ass. Climbers shouldn't agree about everything, but I think a tad bit of common sense will tell you that bolting a obscure aid route at smith for free climbing is probably just fine.

WIth the cold air we've had the last few days, any chance this might be in?

Bill you can't reply to this post. Your in Colorado. Take a look at the title of this forum. Maybe you should spend some time on "sanjusanclimbers.com" or perhaps sangredecristoclimbers.com."

Hey that's a good idea. Although I know of a certain someone that might have a problem with that...

I'm looking to get a regular partner for PRG. I prefer to lead climb but I like a good TR workout as well. Any nights after 6:00 works for me. It would be great to meet up with other partners looking to get in some good workout sessions. Shoot me an email. natetack@gmail.com -Nate

The rescue locater units are a bad idea and something that should not be encouraged. Part of the problem with that mountain is that people are under the impression that, "hey if something happens to me, I'll just turn on my beeper and a magic helicopter will fly in and rescue me. " This is not climbing. Climbing is risky, sometimes bad things happen. If you really feel you might need to be rescued by other people maybe you shouldn't be going up there at all? Maybe a tad bit of self-reilaince would be a good thing instead of tying to figure out new and improved ways to call in a rescue.

Really a horrible idea. Just because there is a rescue going on is no excuse to be littering all over the mountain. This is exactly the problem with Hood and other popular wilderness areas. Some of us prefer going climbing to get away from the mechanized world, being firebombed from the air by military helicopters is disrespectful to the mountain and to people who chose to climb there.

Good info. How about the West Face? 10d or so I'm told. I'm looking for a harder/clean route to the to of North Early. Any thoughts?

I've heard rumors of a route talking a direct line up the East Buttress of North Early Winter Spire but I can't find very good beta on it. Anyone climbed this route or know anything about it? I heard it was around 5.9, 11 pitches. I'm familiar with the area but have a hard time picturing where exactly this route comes up or where it starts. Any info would be great. Thanks Nate

Link to my climbing/sailing site. I use my boat as a way to travel to the crag so it goes in there. Enjoy. http://web.mac.com/eldiente/iWeb/Home/Start.html

I'm driving down Saturday night or early Sunday AM on the 23rd. email me if you'd like to bum a ride down. natetack@gmail.com Nate

Here we go. I'm looking to do some very part-time work in Squmish this upcoming summer and was wondering if anyone had any insight. I'm ok with any type of work but I'm trying to keep it to just a few days a weeks so I can have plenty of time to climb. I'm from the States so I'm trying to get a handle on how difficult it will be to get a work permit. What about doing labor and getting paid under the table to bypass all the paperwork? Any idea on how a foreigner would go about getting a day labor job up there? Any help would be great.

Here we go. I'm looking to do some very part-time work in Squmish this upcoming summer and was wondering if anyone had any insight. I'm ok with any type of work but I'm trying to keep it to just a few days a weeks so I can have plenty of time to climb. I'm from the States so I'm trying to get a handle on how difficult it will be to get a work permit. What about doing labor and getting paid under the table to bypass all the paperwork? Any idea on how a foreigner would go about getting a day labor job up there? Any help would be great.

Partner and I are heading down to Smith for the weekend. If anyone needs a ride down we've got room for two more people. Email me as I don't check my PM that often. natetack@gmail.com

Thanks for the good info. I was really wanting to do the full ridge and minimize the amount of time on the ice. I'm not opposed to brining some crampons, but I hate to lug around the hardware for what otherwise should be a dry climb.

I'm thinking of doing mount stuart via the north ridge this weekend and was looking for a bit of info. As I'm short on time I'd like to go car to car in one long day. I'd like to to travel light and am wondering if it is possible to cross the glacier without an ax this time of year. Any thoughts?

I've heard rumors of an early opening if the nest is empty? Any thoughts on this?

I'm really wanting to go up to Beacon and climb this weekend (July 4th) but I'm guessing that it is still closed for nesting. Any chance of Beacon being open for climbing this weekend? I'm looking to sail my boat up there and would be glad to meet up with anyone for a climb/beer, that is of course if Beacon is open. Nate

Anything would help. Pitch by pitch beta would be great but even a brief description would be of help. Are the cracks fairly continuous? I've heard rumors of harsh OW up top? Is this true?

Were thinking of getting on Hyperspace this weekend but are having trouble finding any good info. The book I have gives a rating and thats about it. Does anyone know anything about this route or have any ideas on where I could get some beta on this route. I'd love to hear from people that have climbed this route. Nate

Looking for anyone that would want to climb Smith on Sunday or Monday or both. Fire me an email. natetack@gmail.com