ThorDog

They should have jumped from the summit of North Early Winter Spire because we climbied it last July 5th and the roadside is way over vertical! But like I told my partner, "not sure where you would land!!!"

If there is a factory "Dry Treatment" on the rope, I would put off washing it as long as possible! Once you wash it with detergent, your "Dry Treatment is gone! But anyway, luke warm water in the bath tub, some really mild detergent (I think BITD it was Ivory Snow)thoroughly rinse it and hang it up out of the sun to dry! But like Ivan said, climb more wash less!!!!!!

Damn dude, I love Jeep Willys, my dad had two of them! Talk about low torque in 4-low you are creeping about 1mph!!! He had a Chevy 350 in one of them and it was built!! Fun times!

If you read up on Leeper hangers, they are timebombs! During heat treatment Leeper suffered from minute hairline fractures. Too small to see with the naked eye they later caused the hanger to fail under loads. You certainly will not hear me complain about competent bolt replacement, because that saves me time, labor and money!! I say minimal cleaning, but enough to make the climb passable, like Raindawg said, "unless it's climbed regularly, nature will add its touch again." And you can take that to the bank in the Northwest, moss begets moss!

I found 4 on me at Mt. Erie, especially hiking in from the bottom! That explains the route "Dances with Ticks"!!! Never had a problem up top at Summit Wall or Powerline, etc.

Check the WSDOT website? Should have height info.

Way to just "get out there" sometimes you just gotta go!

Hell yeah, looks tempting! Thor

Find a crag nobody cares about or the mossiest crack around and practice Clean Aid, first! There are tons of books out there, Climbing Big Walls, Big Wall Climbing: Elite Technique, etc. Find Corduroy Man's recent post, lots of aid advice! Have fun! Thor

John, My 2 cents says buy DMM Alloy Offset nuts, also the DMM Peanuts, they work well in flares and Piton scars. As mentioned for hell's sake buy the Camp Tri cam set .5-2 which is on sale right now at mountaingear.com item#111350 for $59.98 for four peices! I've been climing for many years and never leave the ground without the Pink Tricam. Also remember as your cams age that new slings can be sewn on them by BD or Yates! I love Neutrinos, but don't forget just cheap ovals, or "D's", for utility work! If your worried about weight, get wire-gate ovals! Yeah, I lived in VA Beach for 14 years, get ready to drive, but, Carder Rock, Great Falls, Old Rag, Raven's Roost, NRG, Seneca, Stone Mtn., Looking Glass, Whitesides are within driving distance! Thor

Corduroy Man: There is some good advice here! Find a local crag and a route that is almost never climbed and practice, I have enjoyed years aid climbing and the simplest solo-system is the Clove Hitch, with a figure 8 back up! Yeah, the GriGri is slicker, but I have seen some big falls on the Clove Hitch, like 40+ feet and they hold! Trust me you will have plenty of time to pay out rope while aid climbing! Once you get this system down, then you can get a Solo Aid or GriGri. Also not a bad idea to have an experienced aid climber right there, at least the first time! Book: Climbing Big Walls, Bridwell, Grossman, Middendorf, et al. 1990. Ivan: "i'm 6'7" and the fish ledge i've used is just fine - dood, you know the deal, when yer a freak you just gotta change yer expectations! my advice, only use single ledges (being also 250 lbs, i find i'm over the weight rating for X2 ledges if my partner is anything but a pixie)" Cracks me up, I am 6'2" and 220 lbs, on Washington Column my partner weighed 140 lbs, I think we tested the BD double well! Thor P.S. You don't have to wait for the rain to stop to aid climb!

Good idea! Now I can look for dry nights to climb at Erie, too!!

AWESOME! Gotta get out there!

Good TR, sometimes you have to just go no matter what the weather is doing! Especially in the North West, I know Duh.. But two of my best days last year where in the pouring rain! Then you use good technique or scream off the wall!!

Great TR, I am ready! I've been planning a trip, sounds greeaaat!!!