stevetimetravlr

RAd trip report!

I think most important is taking a hard look at the forecast and making sure you have a minimum couple day window without precip. AS when the clouds move in and everything goes white is when it gets interesting, especially if you are unfamiliar with the terrain and you could be forced to hunker down. If its clear,you can always find your way down.

In tick country, if you are vigilant you can always feel the little buggers when they bite you. It is a quick sharp pinch, and if you react by looking at the area instead of scratching it and being aware that this is a tick symptom, then you will always get them before they have a chance to sink there nose in and they come right off and do not transfer infection or inflamation. In the past 20 years, I have pulled hundreds of ticks off me due to the area that i live in and the places I have been and so developed this hyper awareness of how ticks attack! Also be aware that they get on you, and then they crawl upwards, so many bites are on the hairline at your neck, or at your beltline if they have access thru your shirt. Preventive measures such as taping your wrists and ankles and tucking your shirt in work very well, and eliminate the areas you need to be concerned about.

Maybe Hans work you a deal for 3 weeks if you don't mind sharing a bathroom or basement. Nothing like living in West Yosemite, a hot shower, a warm bed, and without the smoke and hassle of Camp 4. http://www.hansbasecamp.com/

You snaggged an ascent of Chumstick, nice!

I wonder what brand of backpack that is?

Its loaded up and finger on the trigger.

If I face left in the chimney, I have to turn back around to get to the big holds on the right outside edge of the chimney. I use the holds to the right to get out of the chimney, and then top out with the crack above the chimney. You can see the holds in the photo but when you are in the chimney they are not obvious. I'm sure there are a bunch of ways to do it. The guy in the photo looks like he is in deep trying to get a piece of gear in before he busts out of the chimney

Its 5.9 when you have to bust out of the chimney and head up and right. Physical, and slicker then snot if its damp in the chimney. Did I mention a little run out? You can get gear in the back of the chimney but you don't really want to go back that far to much, also make sure you are facing right going up the chimney and just friggin bust loose and send it on the jugs to the right. Its a classic, good luck, don't whip as it would not be pretty. but you get to the nicest little shady ledge before the traverse pitch....

The better options around Portland for placing gear or top roping that I know of are The Far Side, Ozone, Beacon, Salmon River Slab, Frenches, Broughtons, and so on Its pretty hard to set top ropes in many places if you are not prepared to lead, then you will need to stick clip your way up or rope in to the anchors. If you are going to Smith, the best option for top roping on the tuff is Rope a Dope block.

When the rain finally quits this year, it is going to be the mossiest chossiest summer ever! The weather is crazy. 18 inches of new snow at Timberline this morning, with tons more on the way, and the temps are dropping rapidly, supposed to be snow down to 1000 ft. by Thursday in the Gorge.

Actually Horsethief has some really questionable rock up top that looks good. Some of the gear placements in cracks up top are really just generated by loose blocks sitting there, and when they are loaded, they move. So be super hyper vigilant and aware out there, as I had what I thought was bombproof anchors but they fail when loaded. Some people were killed there a year ago when their top anchors failed, and i think it was due to the rock stability issue up top, its very deceptive. Horsethief is a great place to boulder, but truely it sucks for trad climbing and placement in general. Much better options close to Portland.

How would you like me to get your nuts back to you Joseph? Or will your wife not let you have them and keeps them on a shelf? Lets don't all forget about the guy at Beacon Rock this summer that I watched rapping down the 2nd pitch of Jills Thrill who must not have had a middle marker at all on his rope. He rapped off the end of his rope as didn't have the rope ends equalized and then free fell down Jills, across Snag Ledge, and then down out of sight to his death. Except he didnt die, but instead got wedged at the very top of the 1st pitch of the SE corner and came crawling back into view a minute later. I still cannot imagine how he managed to stop himself, and he admitted he didn't know but somehow got wedged there before going for the long drop. A angel was watching over him for sure. Just a little bruised and bloody but the guy was still walking. Whoa. Imaginary radiation plume Bill? Actually pretty tangible. Checkout this website and click on the map links to check out the plume integrated into the weather maps. Guaranteed we are getting showered with shitloads of radioactive particles as we speak from this Japan event. The plume shown is based on projections only, but you get the idea. More then a little scary when you have kids. http://transport.nilu.no/products/fukushima

You perhaps have no trouble finding the middle of your rope Joe, but you may have issues finding your stoppers, since you left them this winter on Snag ledge and I have them.

Is the title of this trip report based on how hungry you got?

I think it boils down to how high your boots are. Because its pretty deep around here..

Warming trend so maybe some flooding and logjams at the bridges?

Here it is Bill. It was my favorite climb of the summer.

Nice send!

All you really need is love.

Wow, jaw dropping! No sleeping bag and spending the night on top of Fitzroy, what a memory. What a send!

Wow! Way to be getting it done while the rest of us hunker down under our umbrellas.

Young Lions, 11c, on the Highway rock with a rope!

Good effort Layback! Getting it done in more ways then one! Im sure allot of people appreciate your efforts.

I think its important if you buy a duodess rope, to get it in contrasting colors and with the most extreme pattern change you can find. My friend has one that is all dark colors and minor pattern change, and rapping off in the dark can be difficult to distinguish the change.