TyClimber

If you are eating in Wenatchee, you have two good options. If you're going for the restaurant idea, La Fuente can't be beat, kick ass margarita's too!!!! If you want more of a quickie, taqueria thing, check out Taco Loco, its a bit of a hole in the wall, but thats how most of the best places are. Also, Banditos Burritos in Bellingham rocks, maybe not really authentic mexican food, but some of the best burritos I have ever had.

I just encouraged that he see it, not that he has to do it. That would have to be his decision completely. So if he tries it and hates it then fine, he doesn't have to do it again. I'm not advocating pushy parenting, just the oposite. Anyway, maybe he'll be good and won't get dropped, stranger things have happened.

If he is getting negative vibes off of you around the house for his behavior, that could be fueling it a bit. Kids want attention, regardless of whether its positive or not. Try being his friend and it also could pay off. Again, I don't know you or your son so this is simply comments from the peanut gallery

Don't make him do it, just make him watch it. If thats it, let it be, but maybe he'll think its cool. Worth a try

Is he really that bad? Or have you become jaded by having to deal with him all the time?

Another idea, try taking him to a bike race, I would recommend a criterium as they are spectator friendly and more exciting, there are a few in the Portland area. There is a bit of a counter culture in cycling and it seem to draw a lot of guys who are feeling slightly alienated or have issues to work through. It could give him something more positive to focus on. Worked for me! I still stand by my original statement that he is probably just a normal kid going through the normal, painful stages of growing up. I'm not a parent so I don't know first hand, but I think there are a lot of parents out there with the same worries as you.

Don't do something stupid and send him to a shrink! My parents tried that and I got myself expelled from school two weeks later. That is going to make things worse, not better. If he is acting like such a little asshole I guess you could try one of those outward bound programs. I've heard it can work miracles, and I have a few friends who say it was one of the best experiences of their lives. Plus he'll learn all kinds of cool shit.

Foraker, there you go. Also, Oleg I don't know how your relationship is with your kid. But try to figure out if there is something active that he wants to do, not something you want him to do. So if he doesn't want to climb, don't make him climb. For me it was rollerblading and skateboarding, my parents didn't think this was a wholesome or worthwhile activity. But it gave me something to identify with that was my own (although that identity may have been part of what was worrying my parents!), and after a while I branched out from there into more "worthwhile" activities. I would just say encourage him do do something, whatever it is, and take it from there.

In an attempt to clarify, kids who aren't exposed to popular culture have a very hard time making friends with other kids who have grown up with it.

Norman, dude be careful!!! If you don't watch out you are going to end up with a 35 year old anti-social virgin living in your basement! I think telling your kid that popular culture is evil is only going to make him feel alienated and uncomfortable dealing with everyday life. Simply put, everyone has to come up with a way to deal with the real world, maybe its not a perfect place but one has to adapt at one point or another. The people who are successful in life are the ones who can embrace the culture they live in without the negative aspects of that culture dragging them down. If you raise your kid in a vacuum he or she is either going to be socially inept for life or its going to get very ugly when they hit college.

Or then again what do I know, just chain him to the tree

Oleg, how old is your lazy son? My advice is not to worry too much. I grew up in what sounds like the same situation as your kid, and still went through my own shithead phase. I think that is part of the normal growing up Thing, it has to do with rebelling against whatever it is that your parents do. So, since you and your wife are active and smart, your kid is going to be lazy and stupid for a while. Thankfully most of my friends and I grew out of this stage. Personally, now that I have grown up I am back to climbing and am actually a professional cyclist. So, DON'T PANIC!

I would check out Olive Oil, I did it a couple of years ago and it was really good. I think is is 5.7 or 5.8, nothing crazy and a lot of fun.

Rat, as you seem to know whats up when it comes to climbing around der worth maybe you can give some input. I heard a rumor that there is a possible easier mixed route up chicken gully on icicle buttress. Any truth to this?

Thanks for the info man, I really appreciate it! Sounds like I might be able to come up with something, especially if it will stay cold the next week.

I am going to be spending the two weeks before Christmas visiting my family in Wenatchee and was wondering if any of the ice routes in that area are forming up, Leavenworth, Palisades, etc. It looks like the temps have been pretty cold there recently so maybe I'll get lucky! Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Has anyone been up to Baker in the last day or so, what is the situation with Pan Dome and Tobascoe? Are they formed up enough to climb? Or even close?

I was thinking about trying to get up the Fisher Chimneys sometime soon but unsure of what the crevasse situation is on the Upper Curtis Glacier. Would it be very broken up and a total pain in the ass? Anyone been up there recently?

I was one of the guys who bailed on the W ridge of Prusik. Basically anything that doesn't get direct sun was covered in verglas as of last weekend. We decided we didn't really want to be going for the friction move under those conditions. However I got over to Ingalls peak on Tuesday and the south ridge/face was awesome and bone dry. So there is still the potential to get out there.

Thanks for the input guys. Lots of good ideas. Now I just need the weather to cooperate and I can actually try them out!

I am looking to take my brother, who only has a bit of climbing experience, onto some fun but not too difficult alpine rock climbs. I'm looking for day climbs in the class 4, low class 5 range. The W ridge of North Twin is definately on the list. We were also looking at the West Face of Guye peak, according to the Beckey guide the north side is all class 4, and the East face of Esmerelda Peak. Does anyone have any input on these routes? Or ideas for better ones?

Thanks for the ideas! I did the W Ridge of North Twin last year and it was super, what is the Mythic Wall? I googled it but couldn't find anything. Good to know about Baker too, I have been salivating over that route but everyone says its unreachable in the fall.

I guess I should clarify a bit more, steep ice would be good and probably nothing harder than about 5.9.

I am from the Bellingham area and fairly new to alpine climbing. Anyone have recommendations for some good fall routes that don't require too long in the car, ie no more than 3 hours? Ice, mixed, rock, whatever. Thanks!