OldManRock

I met Dick McGown when I attended the first "Mt Rainer Climbing Seminar" which was held July 20-24 1962 - Besides Dick the other two instructers were Pete Shoening and Lute Jerstad - As I was in my third year of climbing, these three fellows were my hero's, and they still are - I also will miss Dick, as I do Pete and Lute..

Jca made an important observation a few posts ago - "If you insist on climbing in uncertain conditions, it seems to me it is mandetory to have an escape route in mind. Try climbing the slog, descent route before you attempt the north wall." - I started climbing in the middle 50's and taught climbing for about 30 years because back then it was one way to get people to climb with - One mantra I always told new climbers, before climbing the North Wall, climb the easy route first - Then when your on top in the storm of all storms you know the easy way down.

All new employees where I work have SSN's checked within a weeks time - All by email - Through the loacan S.S. office

One more question - Do the riders ever sue the stupied fans who get in the way or attack the riders ?

Green lakes are just left of flyer

I had just read "Conquest of Everest" and I had to try this kind of adventure - Closest mountain was Thielson - So July 7th 1957 I stood on top and decided this was a blast - Hooked big time - And still active - One of the best choices I have made...

A copy of "Mountains of Oregon" by William C Steel - 1890 - He Was one of the founders of the Oregon Alpine Club, later the Mazama's - Also the driving force in Crater Lake becoming a national park.. Interesting stories..

It was 1944 on the bank of the Columbia River near Kennewick, a friend and I cooked a rib steak on a piece of rusty tin - No steak sauce, no plate, just a knife to cut pieces - It was burnt in places and raw in others - But we were 10 years old and cooked it ourself - We were MEN !!! and it was good

Sorry it was not me and my son you met - I was working on my labyrinth in the back yard that day - About opening a bottle of wine with out the use of any tool - A few years ago Tom Bauman, Dennis Root, and my self were camping at the Hortense Lake road junction prior to climbing the East Buttress route on Washington - A fantastic bottle of wine - No opener - So Tom said lets try my brother Bob's trick - And he peeled off the foil, and then started to hit the bottom of the bottle against a tree - We both thought he was off the deep end, but soon the cork just started to pop out and soon was far enough to pull out - It does mix the sediment though.............

Glad you enjoyed the route - When you got to where you are looking over at the East Buttress route, did you start looking for the right way to go - I remember when I first did the South Face and looked at the S.E. Spur and said "You would have to be crazy to climb that" and the next year I was climbing it - Looking over at the East Buttress and saying "You would have to be crazy to climb that" and the next year I was climbing that - Tom B who did the first ascent, just climbed it again for the 39th time..

Eagle Creek in the Gorge in the middle of the week

My first time was back in Aug 1963 - The rock was still a bit warm - Anyway the first couple pitches are on excellent rock - Then it turns into normal vertical scree - With so many more climbers on the route a lot of the loose stuff has been kicked off - The crux is on solid rock in the midst of normal Oregon vertical scree - One of the fun routes on Mt. Washington - Be aware if there is a party on the East Buttress most of the rocks you kick loose will head straight toward them - Hard hats are nice...

If Dru wakes up the thread, it must be worth posting to it - My avatar is an "Inuksuk" - A Man like figure made from old rocks.

I found the article in the 1958 Mazama - Its 15 pages long with 15 photos - Routes are shown - I do not know if the Mazama library allows xerox copies - But if its needed I can copy mine - The Mazamas would publish guides in the annual and then publish just the guide itself - I have the Mt Hood, Mt Jefferson, and the Three Sisters, Washington, Three Fingered Jack guides I bought for the hugh price of 25 cents each - The Mt Hood guide is 8 pages long.

I always liked "Oppie Dilldock Pass" on the Skyline Trail north of the North Sister.

Dirty Harry - I remember the day Roosevelt died, Pearl Harbor, and I'm still climbing and hiking, and for sure driving - Just have younger friends - Keeping up with them keeps you young...

Dru - If I invented a time machine and went back, I would also invent Friends, sticky shoes, harness, axe axes that work on ice, rigid crampons, ice screws, etc, etc

Thielson July 15 1957 and still going - SLOWLY

Cavers rescue spelunkers

It would be nice for those of us who live in the sticks and stay away from I5, if somebody would post a picture of the sculptures - Thanks in advance

I was setting up a belay at the Birds Nest on the West Ridge of Washington when two jet fighters went screaming by. I felt I could have placed a piton (This was back in those days) on the wing tip they were so close - While the West Ridge is fairly solid rock, it wiggled.....

More trivia about Off Belay - First Issue was Jan/Feb 1972 and the last issue wa Feb 1981 - Ray published 55 issues all together - I thought it was an excellent climbing magazine - I still have all my copies - Ray was also kind enough to publish my Climbing Word Play drawings which took courage.

Instead of snowshoes try and find an old pair of Trak Bushwakers - They were a short stubby ski with no wax bottoms and worked real well in thick woods - Not very fast downhill but worked super going up - I wish Trak had not stopped making them.

"The Last Blue Moutain" - Excellent

Damn this brings back memories of my first winter Thielsen climb in December of 1957 - Same conditions too - Color picture that was only black and white - We had to start down by the lake because thats where the road was then. Looks like you had a fun day and built character !!