JosephH

These are twins - not halfs. Wanting them to be halfs won't make them so - take them back, show them the link above, and get your money back.

I like 'Blackberry Jam' at Rocky Butte and 'Free for Some' at Beacon - but really, you could pretty much have a go at almost anything that doesn't have big blank spots in it. Even then, that would be simulating aid climbing with interspersed free climbing in it. Experiencing stepping out of your aiders to resume free climbing shouldn't be missed as it's part of the real deal. All the usual books like 'FoTH', 'Climbing Big Walls', or just punch "aid climbing" into Amazon and Google. Good luck...

What are the odds of that...

I'll be out - get ahold of my if you want to get together and do something. I'll be looking to get at least one more go above my new line.

I and a few others (like Bill Coe) aren't far behind him. Losing Jim Anglin particularly touched a nerve in that regard (other than him being just a stellar human) as we were the same age - 55. He had half jokingly proposed we do the NIAD and try for the combined age record at 110 as he felt we both moved pretty fast. I had to let him down gently by informing him I generally suck at obligatory Valley jamming. I had so looked forward to the possibility of getting on a wall with him and now that time has past. Pink, dude, you're my new great wall hope now...

I just keep filing my Reverso's down as they sharpen. Still work fine. The thing above is a Reverso in the same way today's Ford Mustang is a Mustang - not. Not to say it isn't a fine belay device, but it's a Reverso in name only.

Well, if last winter was any indicator...

I had renters insurance when mine was stolen in '93 and they were great - didn't ask for documentation of any kind, just a list of what was taken and cost. Check came a week later - presto, new rack. But it took me years to replace some of that old tymey stuff; some of it had to wait until ebay was invented before I could replace it.

Had my rack taking from a completely empty looking vehicle in the same area in front of my girlfriend's, now wife's, house - but that was 14 years ago. Nothing has changed. You can't leave anything valuable in a car on the street - even out of sight - as someone may at some point see you load or unload from it there or follow you from somewhere you did.

jmace - oops, you're absolutely right - sorry, false alarm. Jumped the gun looking at the 250mb jetstream map. The next major weather will likely go north of us and leave us with just winter rain.

If you ever felt mildly inclined to tie knots in the end of your rap lines, the single rope raps down 'Flying Dutchman' are as good a place as any to do it. That aside, this has pretty much been the only way I exit Grassy Ledges on a rap anymore. It is also a fabulous line to practice hauling on.

It you look at the link from the first post up above: Stormsurfing - North Pacific Jet Stream Wind and 250 mb Pressure you'll see we're in for some pretty serious storms for the next two weeks or so. Just a heads up...

Please do not top out with the intention of taking the trail and swinging the gate. The trail is closed for a good reason and climbers swinging the gate will only lead to speculation we are the reason several tourons have done the same. Tourons swinging the gate is very much a potentially deadly game and we climbers shouldn't be in any way associated with one of them dying doing it. The BRSP is dead serious about this closure and any and every climber blowing it off has the potential to trigger a complete closure until the trail is restored. Only top out if you are prepared to take the trail back to do the raps through the 'Land of the Little People' Ledge to Grassy Ledges. From there either do the 'Flying Dutchman' rap or the standard SE Corner raps. With regard to the 'Flying Dutchman' rap - this rap will get you back to the trail in a single rap if you have two 60m's; but they have to be real 60m's (or stop at the first oak tree). If you do it with a single 70m you can go to the rap station visible down and on the right side of the dihedral. DO NOT attempt to go to this rap station on the right with a single 60m - instead, pass the first rap anchor on the left side of the dihedral and then start looking left around the corner for the top anchor for 'Bears in Heat'. You can't see it until you are past the first anchor on the left and actively looking around the corner. It's no problem to get to it, you just need to pass the first anchor you come to on the left and then swing around the corner a bit lower down. Again, everyone's cooperation is requested in this matter - please don't top out with the idea of sneaking down the trail - it is just going to piss folks off and get us prematurely shutdown.

Bill, thanks for the kind words about the new line. Oh, and I forgot to mention Hamni did it the other day with me, busted all the moves and did seem to really enjoy herself. It sounds like you guys have been having a good time down there. Got on Epi again sounds like. My own trip to RR has been pushed out until the start of next month. The thread for Jim and the postings about the service for him are at: Thread for Jim Anglin I'm going down to the service thursday, but will be doing the return loop through Bend and won't be back until friday night.

Looks like a few storms stacked up out there for the NW... http://www.stormsurfing.com/cgi/display_alt.cgi?a=npac_250

Hell, I can't see what possible difference ordering girlie drinks could make if you already sport climb...

I try to back up toprope setups with something at or over the edge in case one of the Russians kids with a beef against Bill cuts my rope for entertainment. As for who the clown is who chops all the bolts out there - now that is a mystery. I'm about as anti-bolt as folks come and even I recognize RB is a pointless and ignorant place to chop [TR] bolts. Would love to know who the mystery man is and exactly what he thinks he's protecting. You just have to wonder what delusions of spent innocence he's harboring.

I believe those are evangelicals, not catholics. And by "belays updated to modern standards" do you mean indoor standards as opposed to those nasty and complicated outdoor gear and top-rope anchors.

Well, climbers keeping it clean is the only way to keep up with. The routes there are good and worthy lines. The human environs and detritus are lamentable - but the stone is fairly righteous. You can either look past the bad for the good or not. There are other places to climb as you note.

Bill is in Red Rocks for a bit. Chris, did you pick any of it up while you were there? It's the only way the place will ever stay clean is if folks do haul something out each time they go.

Jim will be sorely missed here and all over the West in all the places he's climbed so often. From our outing last week...

jlag's post was the only one visible when I clicked on the thread. This is surreal - I was just out with Jim the other day - you couldn't hope to meet a more competent and pleasant human than Jim.

After today's last few details the route is definitely open for business. Keep in mind unless you are absolutely sure your 60m rope is really a 60m rope then I'd either go with a 70m or take two ropes. The best approach to climbing it is to climb p1 up past the normal anchor 'Rythmn Method' to Bill Coe's old high point under the first roof. He and I moved his old bolt up about three or four feet with a new one so you can't miss the spot. There is pro there as well. Belay from this spot for the second pitch and just head straight up. If you can't pull the second roof for any reason you can take the bail line ('Rythmnwalk') diagonally up and left at about a 45-50 degree angle until you can turn the corner to the left and into the dihedral high above 'Boardwalk'. There is a rap setup there that will take you down to the 'Boardwalk' p1 anchor or you can also go to the 'Young Warriors' p1 anchor (just be careful and stay in the dihedrals all the way down). Both destinations can be reached with a 60m (even a somewhat short one). Otherwise the p2 line ends at the top of the vertical dihedral and moves left onto the face to the anchor. [ Note: A helmet is still advised for now. Oh, and the second roof sports a bomb #3 Ballnut (I whipped on mine five times before it was finally cleaned off enough to send). A small nut or micro cam would do - but if you ever wondered what ball nuts are all about then get a Trango #3 and have at it as a better placement can't be found. ]

The actually drill, pack, and blow up anything big. They general have to do it at least once per year. They've already moved quite a bit though Erik didn't give me and ETA.

Did a roped-solo up the new extension today (Sat) and did more cleaning both yesterday and today. It's all cleaned up pretty well at this point and open for business - but that's not to say there aren't a couple of fragile spots on the line so climb gently as possible here and there. In its all-cleaned-up state, the new pitch runs an old school 5.9 with somewhat technical moves and protection. Like many Beacon routes, once you know the moves and pro it feels pretty straightforward, before that time it will probably feel more like 5.10a or b to you.