stevetimetravlr

Cork in a bottle! Lets go tomorrow

Near Mt Hood in a remote location. Many more of these hidden in the woods.

Warmer days from this summer. Jill's Thrill at Beacon, Jim O. the first ascentionist out getting er done on one of his many classics. I do believe there is some tat still to be cleaned up on this route.

Anyone ever visited these before by chance? Obscure location with no trace of anyone having been there. Many more pinnacles then these. Out of sight and rugged and confusing to approach.

Did you find my biner that my partner dropped perchance? I was going to head back down the trail and look for it, figured its in the woods somewhere as he dropped it off the 3rd pitch. Strange wind direction, somewhat out of the north as it wrapped around, so it must have just been flat out howling on the ridge finish, Uprising was protected, and I was amazed at how dry everything was.

Sleazy leavings?! Harsh, I think I only used chalk on Uprising, but maybe elsewhere... sorry we missed ya. I tried to talk Tim into a second lap but he was having none of it. Saw Jim and Wes in the parking lot as we were leaving, and the Stoneworks van was also there, someone getting in some action!

Twas almost a bluebird day out there today, if not for the lack of sun, cold temps, and howling winds, it would have been great! Its been at least 4 days of no rain, so the rock is really dry, get some before the big chill hits. [video:vimeo]54546116

hey, should have been some chalk from me the day before, in a few select places that is? yeah, #4, so gnarly.

She is Tami on Supertopo.com, just send her a personal message there.

Wise call.

Saturday was perfect sun, dry rock, and felt like 70 degrees out. Just a couple crews out climbing. I think everyone in Portland thought it was raining.

You're right Ben, it looks like Camp has phased them out.

My advice is go with the Camp Nano biners, and not the Camp Nano 23 biners. The Nano 23 is just a little to small to be practical, except as a racking biner. Same with the tiny Metolius biners. I love em, but I find just the little difference to make a big difference in clipping and unclipping and you are only saving like 2 grams per biner. But thats just me!

Matt, there is nothing specific about Portland area climbers, you are correct. Its a probability the original poster wants to know what folks locally are using on basalt for small cams. The answer is just about every type of cam known to man. The new Totems, then Aliens, and then Metolius cams for small cams are my favorites, in that order. Totem cams are a serious improvement in sketchy placements above anything I have used previous, and do not appear to skate around in flaring placements like others since each side is independent of the other.

If I need to build a anchor, I usually place a couple piece where one of the pieces backs up the other either with the use of the racking biner or with a draw or sling if they are spaced further apart, so that they are clipped into each other with one in equalization with the other. Then I do it again separately with another set of gear as my backup anchor. You can move cams in the crack usually to get just the right amount of tension/resistance so that they back each other up. Faster, simpler, and in my opinion generally more bomber. Cordalettes are great where gear placements are widely spaced apart and you want to try and equalize the whole thing, but seems like it is not needed on any regular basis unless roping a block or big wall anchor. Generally you can place two pieces one above the other in a crack and equalize them with just your basic gear. My two cents.

My Portland store got burglarized Monday evening at 3am, smashed the front door and then smashed the tops on all my antique display cases and cleaned out the jewelry. meth heads the cops think, but its a pretty big hit so I have been pre occupied but will try to find the artwork and get a photo of it and see what you guys think. ps your postcard Bill only dates from 1908, Railroad was before that.

Renton granite? Theres a old quarry that I learned to climb on on the Issaquah-Renton Road, and I understand that folks now use it to dry tool on because its such a crumbling pile. But to us, it was a big crag. Renton granite is right, stand proud, lots of history at that place!

yes, thats the guy. he had a spot out of the rain under a overhang and I rapped in and spoke with him. Impressive individual and pretty chill dude.

I went to Beacon in the rain and retrieved a longlost biner that LostLockerKennyLeft, and so life is once again good. Except one of my poor little dogs has been given just a few weeks to live due to enlarged heart, very sad, she is such a sweetie. It was nice rapping in the dark and the light rain with a beautiful sunset down the Gorge and no one else there except a big old owl who I've made the acquaintence of on more then one occasion.

Bummer!

What day you guys thinkingZ? I might be on board as well.

Did I mention that I have a old oil painting from 1860 thereabouts of Beacon Rock, and it shows a giant pinnacle laying against Beacon Rock right beneath where the Arena of Terror is. My interpretation is that when the railroad was being put in they blasted the detached pinnacle for railroad fill, and then started on Beacon Rock by drilling the 3 tunnels in anticipation of blasting it for fill, but it was saved by being purchased by the climber/philanthropist Henry Biddle, who then built the trail. Who knows what incredible routes are now rubble, and how cool the Arena of Terror/Jensens Ridge area could have been..

Whoa, he did say it was a hazardous enigma.

There are allot of cougars around nowadays out in the woods. Probably more then we think. Check out this link and photo from the Wenatchee area... http://missoulian.com/lifestyles/recreation/regional/hunter-gets-photo-of-eight-mountain-lions-congregating-in-central/article_20f2a6fe-3ad5-11e0-bbd7-001cc4c03286.html