sprocket

I'm looking at the Mammut Alpine Light and the Trango Mountain. I'd like to be able to use it on moderate rock climbs (along with easy glacier climbs), stuff that is mostly running belays and no hanging belays. Any experience with either of these in this type of use? Opinions?

Good story and glad you got out the situation. Happened to me a couple of years ago down at Smith. Was following a short roof traverse my friend had led but coudn't clean the last piece without hanging. Of course once cleaned I swung out from under the roof and onto a 5.12 face climb, no chance for me there. 2 - 5mm loops and single runners allowed me to prussik 10-15' back to 5.10 territory. Good skill to have. I would ceratianly like to learn some of the other stuff mentioned like setting up to haul.

Three days at Squamish!!!! God I love that place!

More importantly, speedy and full recovery to the injured climber.

As far as an anchor for the final pitch, when I first led it I went straight up after the last low angle crack instead of heading for the tree. I found a horizontal crack that seemed rather sold, threw a couple of bigger pices in if I recall correctly (hexes most likely) and brought my second up. I think it's something like 40'-50' climbers left of the tree.

So did you go? TR?

I pulled this of the Mountaineers forum. Looks like the coulior is in great shape. "Road gated at Eldorado turnout, so this adds 2.5 miles each way to the trip. One washout with stream across road 0.5 miles in; other washouts bridged with temporary walk bridges. Trail in good shape, the usual muddy section, no new avy debris. Snow encountered shortly before Boston Basin. We camped on snow. Couloir is currently in great shape; the schrund was passed on the right, no problem at all. The day was warm and the snow was soft up and down in the couloir. Short class 4 bit near the top could also be bypassed on steep snow on the left. First pitch has some (6-10") of snow, boots necessary. This seemed to be recent snowfall from the small systems over the previous week or two, will be gone soon unless more falls. Second pitch also had some snow. Two of us changed into rock shoes where the route steepens at the beginning of the third pitch, no significant snow from here on. This is also the spot which somebody recently decided to use as his personal toilet--right at a belay point! On the way down we chose to rappel because of the snow lower on the route, was a much safer option vs. downclimbing. We also rapped the first 200' of the couloir on a single line (last person did a normal 100' rap), then downclimbed the rest. Saw three bears, one on the road and two across the river on the slope about 3/4 mile from the car on the way out. All decent sized, hanging out with each other."

Thanks, I'm glad no one got hurt. It's a fairly popular crag and normally I see several other parties there. Just a heads up to folks.

We were climbing at the left side of the crag today when a rather large rockfall event swept over the right side of the crag. Started as a rumble from above, my belayer thought it might be thunder, then booming and a large cloud of dust ensued. Very attention getting and unnerving. Fortunately there was no one over there and we didn't investigate after finishing the pitch other than to look at snags that got hit. Seems like it started above the crag and there wouldn't have been much one could have done if you were climbing at the time. Not sure if this is a common occuerence at this crag or Icicle Creek in general. The right side of the crag seems fairly exposed to rockfall from above.

Agreed for all time greatest alpinist.

Caldwell is the total package, hard trad, big walls and 5.15 sport. For pure hard trad you have to throw in Trotter, Berthaud, Segal and Decaria plus the guy from Scotland that put up that crazy route. For sport probably nobody sends more hard routes than Graham. Bouldering maybe Grahma again, Sharma and Nicole is still near the top. Lisa Rands is as bold as they come.

Some friends have recently added a pooch to their family and we are thinking about heading up to Squamish this summer and bringing said pooch. Anyone know what is required for border crossings with dogs? Tips or advice? Thanks

I have the Stubais and like them plenty but snow balls up to the point that I debate bringing my Grivel Air-Tech steel crapmons because the anti-bot plates are so good. I would buy the Grivels personally.

Have fun and let us know how it goes.

First Blood sucks, scariest I've led to date, not really a fist crack when you can get your knee and shoulder in the thing! For Leavenworth try the Pearly Gates, at least 3 good 5.8 gear pitches, a decent 5.9 gear pitch and two 5.9+ pitches I haven't tried yet but they have several stars in the book. There is also a 5.8+ climb there I haven't found the start to and some fun bolted slab routes. Icicle Butrees has two pretty easy 5.8's by the road, The Arch and Spagheti Sauce. Alphabet Rock has Dogleg 5.8+ and you can also lead or toprope Meat Grinder 5.10a gear, Hind Quarters 5.10- sport and Z-Crack 5.10c or d. There are a lot more on my list to try like Poison Ivy Crack 5.9.

OK, so I actually am a newbie and will prove it with a serious question. What should I do when you yell "Falling!" on a sport route? I understand that the quickdraw is holding the fall, but aren't I the belayer still holding the other end of the rope? The idea is on an overhanging or at least vertical route, if you catch a fall too aggressively the climber gets torqued into the wall. I guess someone broke an ankle at VW a few years ago from this. You are supposed to give a "soft" catch, what is called a dynamic belay letting a little rope run through your belya device. Of cours one a low angle wall or if the climber is near a ledge or ground, you are better served to stop them quickly.

Thanks, those look sweet. I went to a couple of sites because I'm bored at work to check out the climbs that have been recommended, almost everyone reporting gave the routes a full grade higher on the climbs, I'm sure it will be eye opening but fun.

We have a ropegun and probably 3 others, 2 of which will probably be more comfortable following 5.6-5.8 so 5.10 multi-pitch stuff is out. Will probably stick to single-pitch stuff that has relatively easy to access. I'm the only one that's been there before and that was 2 years ago and limited to multiple variations of GNS and Taurus. Davis-Holland does sound sweet though.

Dude, you'll kick some ass there. What's on the list? I'm not sure if Selkirk has a list but since he is our designated rope gun I do have a list! All the stuff I've been reading about the past two years that I'm too much of a weenie to try and on-site... Toxic Shock, Princely Ambitions, Godzilla, Breakfast of Champions and anything else anyone wants to recommend Of course if he is feeling bold he'll put something up that will destroy my fingers/forearms and I'll just hang out afterwards and enjoy the ambiance.

Personally I like the campers bivuac. We've left our stoves on the picnic tables and never had any thievery. Drink beer there too almost every night and never had any hassles. If you get there on a weekday you can get one of the spots to the right by the bluffs and wake up to stellar views of the climbing area. Plus all you do in the morning is brew your coffe and then throw on your pack and in 10-15 minutes your at the climb area.

I think it's called "Leavenworth Rock" by V. Kramar.

I remember my first trip to Tieton. Climbs included Nimble Novice and the Apprentice plus another "easy" climb on the far end of Royal Columns. I can't remember which was which but I remember them as 5.5 with offwidth finish, 5.5 with roof and 5.3 broken column that if you finished to the walk-off actually went 5.6 finger crack, I think this was the Apprentice and I thought it was close to 5.6. Without my book in front of me can't comment to much other thant to say two of the people I was with had to be "rescued" with ropes lowered from above to finish the two 5.5 climbs. One thing of note, I've read that some of the current ratings are inflated from the original. Experience has shown me that at Tieton andything rated below 5.9 is a crap shoot.

Sweet! Thanks Sherri and Trogdor!

Clamshell has a couple fun 5.9 bolted lines, around three 5.10+, and a couple 5.6-8 trad lines that are top-ropable. You can easily kill an afternoon there, getting in a little of everything. Very cool, I'll have to check it out. Are the climbs in the book?

Those were kind of the areas I have in mind, I knew there were some bolted lines there but have never gone because I'm usually looking for gear routes when I head to Leavenworth. Is there any place to get route info on climbs not in the guide book?