cja

I'll be there with girlfriend, flying from Portland, 4/10-14. We're meeting some other friends there, but our plan is like yours--long moderates from 5.7 to 10-. Black Orpheus is probably on our hit list. I know the park pretty well--been going once or twice per year for the past 5 or 6 years. If you can change your dates, the more the merrier...ca5@hotmail.com Don't be afraid to go solo either! I've done that once to RR and many times elsewhere and almost always had good luck finding partners, and usually well-matched ones at that. The RR Rendezvous is the weekend before your scheduled trip, so maybe swing by there Sunday to scope out the crowd and see who's hanging around. best, Chris

I like this sentiment...my first trip to Index this summer was a kick in the ass. I can't wait to get up to Squamish now

How 'bout this one down here in Portland?...a friend of mine called and reports that the guy sounds sketchy, and called him back offering it to him for $50... http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/spo/3699069653.html Quote: climbing equiptment - $75 (gresham) arcteryx sit harness with bags and hooks and clips black diamond camalot 4 yukon outfitter canopy just need to get red of quickly short on cash...text this number for more info ..will meet in gresham easiest way 503 4814366 Location: gresham

Bugger all. I'm leaving Thursday morning, but I'll be in the Tetons within a couple days of your first laps on the corner. Enjoy it. I'll look to get on Beacon in October when I'm back.

Found it indeed; I still have the double-burner Coleman fuel stove and some enamel crockery to go with it that were among the abandoned gear there.

For peat's sake, Connor, when Ryan brings out the good stuff, it's "whisky!" I thought we'd gone over that. Apart from that I would only add a valuable lesson that some may have learned from a certain fabled race between a hare and a tortoise: Finding someone else's former bivvy, built up with stone windbreaks high on Washington's north ridge, is indeed a wonderful excuse for a stop, but adding a 45-minute nap to that stop will not bolster one's summit bid. It might, however, still be recalled fondly.

signs were still up at Ozone on Sunday...don't know how long they've been there...I have two purple's if you wanna offer a fair price on a barely used one, Kenny...although I suppose I should keep it as it seems to be the most commonly fixed piece around...

Flagstone is in. Looked like we were the first up in a while, but it's navigable now with 2wd all the way to the NF350 turn 1/4 mile from the trail up. That might be melted out too by next weekend. Luckily we had a good ax with us as we had to clear a small tree that was all the way across the road. Another group of Portland kids were just minutes behind us and helped with that. Go clean those mossy cobwebs off and get on it! Wolf Rock --not so good yet, but very soon. We were within a mile or so and about 2-300 ft elevation, but turned back by deep snow in the turns. That was from the Deer Creek side; we didn't chance going all the way around to hit the same thing on the usual approach.

Had I seen this I might have been very interested...sorry I missed it. The rain was a bummer. I went about 3/4 of the way up Colchuck Glacier alone Saturday morning in drizzle, and turned around after the party above me had glissaded down, one by one, and I shortly found myself where they had been, completely socked in....Spent the rest of the morning and afternoon huddled at camp trying to get/stay dry, as I hadn't packed a tent and was working with a large plastic bag as my refuge. How'd the Sisters traverse go?

So, quick trip report from the Butte: As usual, it was a bit noisy, but the breakfast cracks were very nice today--great temps, good classics, and no one else there until just as we were leaving at 4 two parties showed up...one of them looking for easy sport climbs--recommended OZone. Lots of stuff cleaned off the wall north/right of the breakie cracks...a few stray bolts revealed, two with booty/bail biners still waiting... Found some tat that had been cut off there-packed that out and pocketed a rap ring. didn't get over to see this platform at silver bullet...sounds a little enticing, but another trip to Beacon is on deck for now. One question though: How long have ALL the convenience anchors at the breakfast cracks been gone? Who (climbers or otherwise, if not specifically) has done this, and why? Lots of other hangers/bolts on routes gone too. I imagine this isn't news, but maybe someone can point me to an old yet enlightening thread. The chained tree over Espresso and a single bolt way over to climbers' right are all that seem to be left... Yeah, I know--that was two questions.

Thanks--nice to meet you Steve. Good memory--I told you CA5, but it looks like what shows is actually my initials, though my login is CA5Chris...anyway...Two different crews were there. I was just with Geoff aka Cyclewolf. Headed to Breakfast Cracks this morning to check out the cleaning up there, and get an espresso shot.

Bloodline seems way harder to me...maybe I should try it again. Was gonna hit Beacon Wednesday, but maybe we'll stay in Oregon and do that. What's up with this $10 day use fee that just popped up? Did you Washingtonians know this was coming Tim?

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1026722/Enchantments_Permit_Friday_TOM#Post1026722 ??

...for Colchuck Zone. It can be picked up tonight (and that is my plan) from the drop box. My group fell apart and I'm looking for a partner or two (permit is for 3 total). I'm coming from Portland. Ideal would be to find someone to share driving, but could meet in Leavenworth Friday morn...or even at Colchuck Lake on Friday night or Saturday, I reckon. Perhaps you're already planning a fast trip in a day and want to consider camping and making it a whole weekend. Perhaps you're just seeing this, have not other plans, and will jump at the opportunity. My plan is to go, alone or otherwise, camp at Colchuck Lake Fri/Sat nights, exploring or relaxing Fri afternoon as time permits, and going up one of the cols or Aasgard on Sat, could hike the lakes, go towar Prusik, climb Dragontail/other. Hike out and drive home on Sunday. I backpacked the Enchantments Traverse with girlfriend last weekend, and conditions are good. Navigation/travel/temps are just about ideal, but down at Colchuck Lake, unfortunately, conditions are also ideal for mosquitoes. I have resources (Beckey and one other) on routes up the sourrounding peaks. I won't be packing more than ax/crampons though unless I hear from someone. For the record I could lead a easier/moderate rock route confidently. I am NOT a guide. Last weekend was my first time in the area. I would be stoked to follow/swing leads with someone very familiar with routes there up to 5.10d if I'm following the harder pitches. Let me know if you're intrigued. 503.789.7127. Call because I'm unlikely to see responses. If you have no interest in playing with strangers but badly covet the permit for 3, call and we'll talk (It would have to be picked up before 7am under cloak of night). Getting reimbursed for the permits and not paying for gas/driving by myself would be a fair alternative to doing it all alone. Cheers, Chris

Gabrielle, or anyone else: FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION! I have a permit for Colchuck Zone for 3 starting tomorrow (Friday), for 3 days, out on Sunday. I'm in Portland and due to my poor planning my group has fallen apart--I am now solo and have room for one or two more people. You're very unlikely to get a permit on Friday if you're not there at 745am, and even then only one day-of permit is given out for each zone, and Fridays are popular; I just verified this on the phone with Ranger office. I have to claim my permit by 9am tomorrow (Fri 7/15), and just called a little while ago to arrange to pick it up tonight from a box. Let me know if you care to discuss more. 503.789.7127 My plan is to go, alone or otherwise, camp at Colchuck Lake Fri/Sat nights, exploring or relaxing Fri afternoon as time permit, and going up one of the cols or Aasgard on Sat, could hike the lakes, or climb Dragontail/other. Hike out and drive home on Sunday. For the record I backpacked the Enchantments Traverse with girlfriend last weekend, and conditions are good. Navigation/travel/temps are just about ideal, but down at Colchuck Lake, unfortunately, conditions are also ideal for mosquitoes. Cheers, Chris

Super vid--love the kids in the hall squish at the end... thanks

SWEET!

Am I almost a Noob here or what? I'm hoping 25 is the magic number!

That's a humble thing to say Radek; I wish I had the nerve you do to get up all the routes you've done. I have your website bookmarked, I should say.

hmm, steel biners, eh? that sounds like a smart idea Now I have a reason to buy myself one of those...

Is this the wire from Liberty Crack someone referred to? 3rd pitch if I remember rightly...it was still there June 4, 2009. Sorry it's not a better photo.

yeah, Shapp, I remember your TR...even Dilley's sounded like a tough line to me given being hungover from a bachelor party and floating the river the day prior. I went rafting (down the Deschutes) last year for a bachelor party too, and the second day would not have been a good time for climbing!...nice pics of the two pillars I remember as well. I should have lifted one of them for this TR.

Thanks Greg, and thanks for the info too. Sounds like we may have missed our chance to poach the famous Tyrolean? Thanks in advance for pulling the oak--I hate that stuff. I'm already thinking I'll go back for a clean free ascent next year with a warmup approach via the cable traverse. We stopped and contemplated it, but neither of us pushed the other hard enough to commit to it. (Take an extra short cord to fix on the other side of the river if you plan on that and don't interpret this as suggested approach.) Phuzzy, it's just over 4 hrs actual driving time from P-town. Add your gas, pee, and beer stops to this time, and go get on it. I think Radek did it in a day some time back, but I'd suggest rolling into the hot springs down the road and finding a spot near there to kip in the woods. Next day, bike on the river trail, float, or climb something else. We went to the Callahans Sunday, which is great sport cragging (sandstone!), and not that far out of your way as you've got to come back through Roseburg in any case...for more solitary adventure check out McKinley Rock (prolly not open yet though?)

Trip: Old Man - The Prize Date: 5/21/2011 Trip Report: Nestled 150 feet or so above the Umpqua River, a bit over 50 miles from Roseburg, Old Man, and his Old Woman, make for a pretty scene. I'd stopped at the gauge station with girlfriend back in the fall coming back from the Peregrine Traverse and Umpqua hotsprings (also quite nice) to stare up at the pillar and imagine a day to come... Saturday was supposed to be the rapture; the day had come so I wanted to try to get up on something high so God would be sure to see me. The Prize seemed appropriate. My girlfriend couldn't make it, so I pulled Matt in, since he had initially planted the seed in my mind. [img:left]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/517/medium/IMAG0295.jpg[/img] [img:right]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/517/medium/400x600xIMAG0303.jpg.pagespeed.ic.yFKj4TNpTv.jpg[/img] Approach took an hour on the way in and 55 minutes back--the thought of cold beer (and Matt's worried, waiting woman) put a little extra spring in our step on the exit. The four, all-bolted pitches of The Prize (10d-11c) are all quality. This route should be sought out more often. If the summit register is to be believed, we were the first on the route this year, and the second party on the pillar at all. Even if half the parties don't sign in, this route ought be climbed more often. [img:left]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/517/medium/IMAG0304.jpg[/img] I will say (i.e. I like to think) that the absence of chalk on the route adds significantly to the endurance required for any onsight attempt. All the moves went free on this first attempt, but disappointingly, two falls and several other takes were in the mix. The belay atop the second pitch was quite windy, but it's easy to imagine that we got off lucky as that was the worst of it for us. The crux for me was on the third pitch (as expected), but instead of being low, it was on a short slab section about halfway up the pitch--after trying variations (left, direct, and right)each more than once and retreating, I finally got it done by going up right and stepping back left to the next bolt. Going direct I got my head up at bolt level several times but could not move to clip from that position--this is where one of my two falls were. (Genuine) thoughts on whether I "cheated" here, from those who have been there before, are welcome. [img:right]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/517/medium/IMAG0306.jpg[/img] In hindsight, this scene had been foreshadowed: I'm a bit embarrassed to report my other fall was on TR at the top of the first (easiest) pitch where I found myself, similarly, trying to go straight up the final block while Matt told me it was easier to escape right. I tell other people all the time, "as long as you connect the dots (bolts)--you can go anywhere you want," but still I try to force a clean line myself... Speaking of clean lines, the route is pretty clean, but a brush to do a little spring cleaning wouldn't be a bad idea. That's about it. We didn't find any prize at the top--someone else might bring one to leave for the next party--but getting up the route was prize enough. I did find two Penthouse magazines (who knew they still PRINT porn?!) at the trailhead, so getting the campfire started was a bit of a prize too. [img:left]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/517/medium/IMAG0308.jpg[/img] Chris Gear Notes: Bring your guns and some nerve, and two cords to get down. Other than that just QDs (longest pitch is 12 bolts). The smart kid (not the one who left the second rope at the base of the route) thought to rap down to the notch on one line and have the other (yours truly) pull the second cord up to the top--voila': no one had to carry or pull the rope up through the strenuous route! Some prusiks/slings might be advisable in case of need of some assistance. Bring your Technu with you on this adventure and be prepared to deal with a fair amount of oak at the base of the climb. It's still worth doing the first pitch. Bring a tarp or a a light picnic cloth you can just fold up and throw in the washer later. A decent, capped pen or a pencil sharpener would be a nice addition to the summit register. There are a couple dull pencils, but I came down with the three rusty, garbage pens that were there. Approach Notes: Because of work on the Soda Springs dam, access is currently closed on the normal approach from the east...Approaching from the west adds 20-odd minutes each way--start at the parking area right at highway MP 50; cross back west over the bridge and walk 2ish miles to Eagle Creek, just east of gauge station; consult Greg Orton's Western Oregon, Umpqua guide.

Not joking...I posted something on ClimbAxe's facebook site too, and no one seemed to have noticed the signs there either...but I know somebody did. They were just laminated printouts, taped with duct tape to concrete in fiver or six places, at the top top, on the grassy tier, and at the base on one of the No Parking signs. They were hard to miss. I know somebody else had seen them because they'd all either disappeared or been pulled off and left on the ground (2) when I went back the next week. The number on the signs, "for more information," did go to a PP&R person's voicemail, but I never did get a call back. I think it probably had more to do with the capstone that had been trundled (I really don't think this could have happened from a top rope) near the northwest corner than with the accident, since one of the signs was right where it lay, but the timing was right. When I posted here was about two weeks after I'd first seen the signs.