Sherri

???? I think there's another lesson here. Glad to hear he made it out ok. Thanks for posting about your ordeal and hope your friend heals up quickly. Take care out there.

I call dibs on Bill. And, Mark, sorry to hear someone's hassling you. Good luck getting things sorted out.

I was pushing 40 when I STARTED to climb. So don't consider yourself getting "old"--think of it as having a head start. You'll get to where you want to go. Just make sure to have fun along the way; after all, THAT is what makes the time really count.

Looks like the supertopo thread has been deleted from that forum due to family request.

Those are awesome sends, Summit! Congrats! Rattletale and BoC are at the top of my list for this season. I can't wait for the dry weather to come back! I've been lucky enough to follow Crillz on many of his projects at Index and can't say enough good things about the fun and benefits gained from of doing so. Partners like that are both a support and an inspiration, especially when you share the goal of helping each other to attain personal best. A good partner will want you to succeed.

Looks so cool!

If you guess rain, nine times out of ten you'll be right.

Better yet, you could name your dog "Beer." If you roam the street yelling "Beer! Come!" people might think you have magical powers and pitch in a few to get things started.

Peanuts and Them are both fun. Thanks again for the scrubbing. Them seemed burlier than Peanuts, if I remember correctly, but certainly not harder than any other 5.9 there.

I'll likely be around Leavenworth Mon and/or Tues if anyone is still looking.

Oh snap! Best chance is for the chains under the roof though. You donate another 3 hundy and I promise by the end of the year. The Index shirts are pretty pimp. I've been sporting mine around. You better get busy and start sending so I can get my shirt. Do it for Index! :kisss:

Local paper just had a write up about the guidebook's new website. Looks like a useful resource, even if you already have the book: includes maps, route descriptions and photos, etc etc. Link: Climbers Guide to the Olympics

Good question. I thought it would be cool to collect a couple of the water bottles for my "gift bag", but they only sent one even though I did multiple donations at that level.

If Crillz sends Sagiscarious clean by the end of the month, I'll pony up $300. (You can do it, dood! )

And thank YOU. :kisss:

You kids are an inspiration! Love the pics and the mojo. Keep it coming!

I saw a ringtail there on one of my last trips this spring. They've got some serious bling going on with that tail pattern. Don't know if they have an odor, though. If you believe you saw/smelled a skunk, then you probably did. I love that desert. Full of surprises.

Better not give the aliens any ideas.

If you bump into Kevin there(he'll be the guy with the grey beard doing solo laps, making the 5.10's look like .6's.), ask him about the future access. He knows his way around.

Great report and way to brave the wind and still bag some gems. I got caught descending Black Orpheus (at night) in a 60mph gale...I feel your pain. Wonder if the "skunk" was a ringtail cat?

A lot of pumpy bolted routes; makes for a good workout right next to the river. Approach: park at the dam and walk across the bridge. 2min. You can grab a copy of the guidebook at Port Book and News in town.

+1 Vegas is where I learned to appreciate the advantage of the twins. Though I am grateful for the discussion on how to utilize the other(tag line) method safely. Very sorry for the loss of a fellow climber.

Thanks for reminding me of this crag. It's one I haven't visited yet, but looks fun!

My trad shoe has been the 5.10 V-Mile. It takes a lot of the abuse out of jamming cracks(ie--it's solid enough that your feet don't scream in pain) yet performs nicely on edges and slabs. Comfortwise, these puppies are like climbing in tennis shoes. I never feel the need to remove them between pitches on even the longest climbs in Red Rocks, and I often wear them for the walk-offs rather than hauling approach shoes up the route. Rock and Ice Review of VMile PRICE: $120.00 WEBSITE: www.fiveten.com Issue 164 "This new kick from Five Ten is one of the best all-day all-around all-performance climbing shoes I’ve worn recently … and by a mile (ho ho). The VMile is built to go the distance on cracks, slabs, steeps—and whatever else America’s great multi-pitch areas toss your way. Above all else, the VMile is stiff and supportive. It’s not so stiff you lose toe sensitivity, but it provides great support for torquing your feet into cracks, especially hand-sized ones. It’s no surprise that the shoe edges well because of this platform last. What was surprising, however, was when I tested the VMile on greasy limestone smears and dishes, and was able to climb nearly as well as in my high-performance sport-climbing shoes. That made me wonder why I continue to torture my feet with tiny toe-crunchers. Maybe softer shoes work a bit better on steep routes, or maybe that’s all in my masochistic mind. Life never offers easy answers. The VMile seemed to be sized a bit bigger than other Five Ten models. I normally wear a U.S. 10 in Five Ten, and this size was a bit larger than I was expecting. That’s fine, as I really don’t want to crush my toes in an all-day crack shoe. My favorite features of the VMile directly address some of the gripes I have with multi-pitch climbing. The VMile is easy to get on and off, especially while you’re hanging from a harness, due to two large pull tabs and a simple, functional Velcro closure system. With two Velcro straps, you can’t fine tune the shoe’s fit in the toe box, but I don’t really like laces for cracks anyway. The shoe’s upper is proprietary leather, perforated so that it breathes well, and yet another feature that relieves at least one pain of multi-pitch climbing (smarmy, hot feet). Also, because the leather is white, I definitely noticed that the shoe was cooler while stranded at a belay, baking in the sun. Finally, the VMile has a wedge of EVA foam beneath the heel that makes walking around more comfortable, though I doubt that a climbing shoe will ever successfully balance technical performance with the comfort and support of an approach shoe. —AB - Andrew Bisharat Editor's rating: 4 out of 5 stars"