still_climbin

Great pics, great story. Thanks

Glad you enjoyed it. Been out of the country and out east consulting for a while and not kept up with what's going on in my old stomping grounds. I'm " Gerber" of the Gerber-Sink route. It was fairly snowed-up when we did the first ascent but nothing like what guys like you are doing now. Nice climb. Returning to the Cascade scene in a month. Can't wait!

I second the Carhartts. I get two seasons out of them. They're roomy and bullet proof in brush.

How about something from the Stone Nudes Calendar. I'd buy that!

IMO this is what climbing is really about. Anyone with enough gym and sport climbing can get up the rock on multi-pitch rock or alpine. But, its how you prepare to repond to the unexpected that seperates the experienced (and keeps one from becomming a terrible static). Good job on the recovery. By the way, I always carry a 5mm loop, a Kevlar cordelette, and a pocket knife.

Nice! Thnks for shoring the pics. I've been thinking abput the NW Corner Of NEWS. How strenuous was the off-width?

Congrats! Very nice climbing and a great TR.

I climb sport in the spring but then nearly entirely trad during summer/fall. I seem to start using a few draws on the first few trad climbs but end up with all the dogbones removed by mid summer. Draws feel too stiff for me when I use them to sling a nut or cam and I tend to want as much flexibility as I can get between the pro and the rope to keep the pro in place. So, I end up carrying a few short (12") slings instead of draws. 24" slings doubled work fine also and you have the choice of using them for longer applications. I usually rack them with 2 binners like draws.

I like hexes best if I'm at all worried about the side forces a cam or stopper might exert in a sketchy crack. They have steeper angles than stoppers and if placed with forces in mind, exert more force in the direction of the hex's sling/wire than to the sides of the crack. Of course you have to have a crack that accepts hexes handy.

Maybe we need both in some places (like Cascade pass). Have a no livestock, beginner hiker trail that crosses a more direct minimal maintenance footpath. I've hiked places in the Wallowas where this became the case, even if not planned. The horse trails the NFS has been pressured to build by the dude ranch/trail ride guys cris-crosses the older to-the-point trails. With the Wallowas being less brushy, it's easy to use the old trails and without the lifestock trail errosion is minimal.

Very nice. I've looked at that wall for years. I will continue to look at that wall for years.

We did the west variation of the N Face.

WOW! Glad I didn't read this earlier. My son and I did that route yesterday. He's a new trad leader and lead that same pitch. He sewed it up pretty well and I checked his placements and gave him a little critique on one or two of them. It sounds like I was belaying in exactly the same place with a cordelette around a block. Makes me sweat just thinking about it now. Very glad your all safe.

Saw you guys there. We where the ones on N. Face of Concord. Did you get any pics?

Nice report. Looks like you had it right climbing early in the year in poor weather. When we did the peak last year, late July, we had lots of talus and scree and a cluster of climbers on the route.