miladugga

Last wed. was another great night at the Quarry- I had so much fun I walked around the next day smiling like an idiot. Nice to see some new faces. Thanks again Off for making this available!

Re falling, I did watch a pretty good one: A guy on Neat and Cool popped off at the bulge before you head right, with a nut in 10 to 15 feet below. The ensuing 20 to 30 footer was impressive- he stopped about a foot off the rocks. To his credit, he got back on and finished it- with an additional higher piece in. Much hammering with rocks was required to get the nut out.

I just went through this week, no problems, not searched, they just asked who was with me and the purpose of my visit. Very fast crossing into Canada midday, coming back into US at noon was an hour wait, which put us into Seattle traffic at 3pm- not good.

True enough, although the accidental walk to First Peak seems funnier in retrospect than it did at the time.

Thanks, if I can be taught to use the computer, anything is possible.

Sorry about the tiny photos, I have no idea how to fix that.

Thanks everybody, Zack, Dominic and I just got back, what an unbelievable place!! Here's a trip report of sorts, although adding the photos is taxing my computer skills, hope it works. We left Olympia at 0630, got there about noon. We walked into the campground at the Chief and got a place, which apparently was incredibly lucky since we didn't see another open spot for the rest of the trip. Camping at The Chief Decided to do some routes at the bulletheads, but through a navigational error on my part, ended up hiking to first peak, and spent the afternoon at the raven's castle, which was sublime. Views from First Peak Got back to camp very tired and dehydrated, drank water and crashed. Next day we required someplace you didn't walk up to, so we hit Smoke Bluffs, intending to do several areas. It turned out we spent the entire day at Neat and Cool, I climbed some 6, 7 and 8s, which was good for me (new trad leader) and Dom led Flying Circus, which we enjoyed following. 5.8 and 5.10 cracks Neat and Cool, midday Dom leading Flying Circus Afterwards went swimming at Murrin, then bouldered at Black Dyke boulders for a while, where Dom came withing one move of Sloppy Poppy,I failed to get pass the the second or third move My gym doesn't use V ratings, I guess it's nice to know where I stand. (Or sit...) Next day we met up with a swiss guy we met at Smoke Bluffs, so we had two ropes and went to the Chek. Did various climbs at the Crest, Conroy's Castle, and Foundation Wall. My hardest lead was the 10a at Foundation, favorites were Charlottes Web and Master of My Domain. I never figured out the gradings, the 5.9s seemed harder than the 5.10s, maybe just mental. Rapping down from Charlottes Web That night we swam at Murrin again and then ate and drank at the brew pub. One very cool aspect was meeting climbers from all over the world at the campground and the crags. My scariest moment was seeing someone in the next campsite with a Jason Kehl haircut, and I thought OMG, will this be the next climbers fashion??? cuz I'm not going there. As it turned out, it was Jason Kehl, so phew! Last day was bouldering. I am a big chicken, so I was happy to do warm-up (V0 with a ghosty face) and cheese grater. I considered taking a picture from the waist up with my hands on The Egg, standing on the ground, but the few remaining shreds of my self respect intervened. With that we were forced to head back to the US, 1 hour wait at the border, etc. We barely scratched the surface of the climbing, and I am hoping that if I let faster parties pass me on multi pitch routes, and return my friends quickdraws at the end of the day, I will come back in my next life as a squamish climber. Doug

Thanks everybody, it sounds great. I hope this will be the first trip of many. I'll head out and get the select guide and make sure to visit chek. If any of you are kicking around next week, look for us at smoke bluffs or chek, (one of us has a scottish accent) and I'll buy the beer!

Hello All, If three of us were heading to Squamish for Mon-Thurs, and our leading abilities were 5.10a to 11a bolts and 5.6 to 5.9 trad, any suggestions on areas or routes to try? I have the McLane guide, but being a bear of very little brain it's hard to sort out. Also, how crowded will the popular climbs/campgrounds be? It's a first trip, so any info is appreciated. Thanks, Doug

To the guys that left the link and maybe your exit 32 book at the base of sticky and sweet (?), I left them at the pro ski shop in Nirth bend.

Hey Dom, I am happy to report that someone came back to work from injury leave and I now have vacation for tomorrow and I CAN give you and Laura a ride. I'll meet you at 4 at your house unless I hear otherwise. Doug

Hey Dom, check your e-mail, I can give you a ride and I'm going to be on the westside anyway. BTW Duke, I PM'ed you about today, see you there. Doug

I don't know the specifics of this case, but I was a fire department paramedic until recently and can say two things- 1. Everything Alpinfox said is exactly the way i learned it in school and observed it in the field. 2. People with normal blood pressures who are too upset to function well are often described (by themselves, bystanders or news media) as being "in shock."

Merde, sorry you won't be there Off. I'm hoping to get there anytime from 3:30 on, but without partner. Anybody else getting there early?

I'm on a three day repeating schedule.. 1-45 min bike, stretching, tai chi, low back and core phys. therapy exercises, neck and midback light weights 2- 45 min bike, stretch, tai-chi, climb outdoors or 1 hour at the rock gym 3- alternate stair workout or swim, stretch and tai-chi, pull-ups, dips, push-ups, fingerboard, reverse curls, light shoulder weights. Every saturday take off completely to rest. I'm 48 and I take multi vit, fish oil, flax, gluc/chon (never noticed any difference) and I only do sport and trad rock, too old to boulder well and back too bad to carry a real pack. It helps that I work at a fire department and have a gym and time made available at work for this, but I still can't climb worth a shit!

Just got back and as you say only TFJ and Staender were closed. What a great week, nice weather, hardly anyone else there, and great climbing!

Cool, thanks.

Heading to Smith for the week, anybody know of any raptor closures? We're hoping to climb at the dihedrals, sky chimney, phoenix, spiderman and monkey face areas. Thanks.

I usually put a quickdraw in each anchor, lower off using them, TR my partner up who cleans the route and then raps off. Anything wrong with that?

I work for a Fire department (not Sno) that doesn't do SAR (lost the team in budget cuts) but we still occasionally recue cats out of trees. We try not to do it because more often than not the animal jumps when you get close and the animal gets hurt or killed. We always go though so that a well-meaning bystander doesn't try it and get killed. Sounds like this dog had it's lucky day...

I"ve worked for a paid urban fire department for 16 years and we rescue a lot of stupid people who make obviously bad choices, sometimes over and over. They don't pay anything and wouldn't/couldn't even if they were charged. Everyone pays when they pay taxes. It works. We also help people who are just in the wrong place at the wrong time, or can't help themselves. Activities like climbing are the least of the problem. Drinking and driving is the one that starts to piss you off.