stevetimetravlr

Stevie likie

I think that plate used to be used for rope management big wall climbing. I could be wrong but it looks similar.

Are your hips wider now?

Don't sweat it. Just realize that the Haystack has been climbed on all over in winter for the last 50 years pretty regular. Backwards, and forwards, and upside down and every way you can imagine. Sometimes its epic and sometimes its a blob.

You aren't going to get wet no matter what, read again what Mountainmandoug said. If you wear all synthetic/fleece clothing, including undergarments and a waterproof/breathable shell, you're good to go. Who cares if the shell stays wet? that is what its supposed to do, its doing its job, keeping most of the water out, while the synthetic layers keep the water that does make it thru off your body. Don't wear any cotton or wool, it holds the moisture. When you wear a shell, small amounts of water pass thru but with synthetic clothing it doesn't hold it, any wool or cotton will hold the water in place longer and you will feel damp and the evaporative cooling will chill you. You can be out in the backcounty in the rain for days at a time, small tent, backpacking, climbing, whatever, and stay dry and never need to start a fire as long as you use your head and dress right. Keeping your sleeping bag and extra clothes in waterproof stuff bags in your backpack is also key, and having a large plastic garbage sack to keep your pack in doesn't hurt.

Nice one!

I got $110 burning a hole in my pocket...

Thank you all for kind words, it was so long ago but not in my mind. Man I loved that dog. The motorcycle did crash, it went down and slid for aways. A guy and gal, they had on leathers and didn't get hurt and though the guys bike was scraped he told the cop he didn't want to file a claim or anything, and he apoligized to me even though it wasn't his fault. He felt bad and it gave me new respect for bikers. The cop was a Grade A asshole. he was making jokes about dead dogs and slamming me and i don't think he realized how close he came to pushing me over the top. I've never lost control before but that time was right on the edge. It is time I went back to Castle, so hopefully this summer as so many good times there. Leavenworth rocks. Anyone know, did Midnight get closed due to raptor nesting again this year?

I walked away from Castle in the summer of 1980 and didn't go back. I was climbing there regularly and had taken some folks on upper Castle for a run on some routes, and left my dog in the care of a friend on Logger Ledge. He decided to go down to the parking lot and took my dog. My dog Luke chased a chimpmunk out into the road and was hit by a motorcycle. The cycle skidded but was fine but Luke was killed. I came down to a cop reading me the riot act and laughing about it as he threatened to write me a ticket. I really almost lost it and punched the cop, which for some reason he seemed to be trying to provoke me. I went over to the ditch and found Luke, bloody and covered with ants, and brushed him off and took him home and buried him and haven't climbed there since even though I loved the place. Maybe its time. I still miss Luke.

Rick Graham worked as a guide for ZigZag River Runners as I recall, but was out in the hills allot..

Sounds like Rick Graham.

Has allot to do with how fit you are. Early morning would be good.

Protect the wide right side start to Free for All, everybody needs a set of these. http://home.pacbell.net/takasper/slcd/index.html

The Fish ledges are generally quite a bit smaller then the other ones, especially widthwise, pretty cramped for two unless they are small people. If you order a Fish, you should tell Russ how big you are and have him custom fit it for you for sure or you will not be happy. That said, the Fish ledge goes togather pretty quick once you get some practice with the sequence and breaks down in a couple minutes.

Surprise you boys didn't get arrested for "Aiding and Abetting" hahahaho

Nice photos Ivan. Where did the rope stick, on the Kor roof?

I've always looked at crags as training grounds for the real thing, that place Ivan went to.

I don't think the trad lines at Ozone have ever been very clean. With a few exceptions like that short 5.8 finger crack and some of the mixed routes. Correct me if Im wrong...

lets not argue and bicker about who killed who....

The Land Lord has spoken.....chop, chop, whiz, whiz, oh what a relief it is..... yeah sure you're in Maui Joseph, I've never seen you with a tan, in fact I always thought you were a cave dwelling albino creature that lived in the tunnel near the base of Free for All? actually I don't know why I am posting this, I have never been to The Far Side, Im always on the Near Side, its cleaner and better bolted...hey, just trying to make light of the situation. Sounds like Kev has a valid point, and Bill has a valid point and its to bad they didn't discuss this before it all went down. Now Bills favorite route will get chopped and then there will be a fist fight, and Bill's to old for that crap, so he'll use his rock hammer, Kev will sue, they'll close the place. Can't we all just get along and discuss this before beforehand? All we need is love....remember?

Whoa, heavy. Some places, the bolts chop themselves. Just saying, this sounds like one of those places.

The Soloist scares me. It is so easy to slip or bust a hold and as you go down your foot slides behind the rope and you get flipped over backwards and end up hanging upside down looking at the ground. I have had it happen a few times to me and never did I think it was going to happen until it did as always try to keep my feet clear of the rope. If you had a soloist, you wouldn't be looking at the ground, you'd be on it. Silent Partner rocks! That said, I have never used a Soloist for top roping. With the mini Trax, I don't use a chest harness, I just take a double length runner and cross it and then put both arms thru it and put it over my head behind my back and then clip it in front, works awesome for clipping your belay device to keep it feeding well when soloing.

I was climbing with Big Wall Rick yesterday and he was bemoaning the fact that Beacon is really our only proper multipitch and wall training venue in the Portland area and that summer is half over when it opens. It really seems like the powers that be could keep open the Young Warriors side of Beacon and have everyone happy and SAFE with no affect on the peregrines.

yeah, you can use the Silent partner for top rope soloing but it sucks compared to the mini trax.

The dual mini trax is for TOP ROPE soloing, while the Silent partner or the Soloist is for LEAD CLIMB soloing.