ARob

It's all in. It's cold. But it might be the last chance. Haven't swung tools in a couple of seasons. I know a couple of spots for easy leads or top ropes. Just want to get out and have some fun. Should be a nice day. Hit me up if interested. Alex 406-550-0452

Ben, Yes I did summit. Perhaps I can make that more clear. Thank you so much for taking the time to read it, and I appreciate your feedback. Hope you are spending your time well as we wait for the snow!

Cascadian Paradigm - A Blog by Alex Roberts Going solo we leave behind a lot of security and can gain a lot of freedom. Lonely Exploits is a short story I would like to share with the climbing community. The link above will take you to my blog: Cascadian Paradigm. Thank you so much, I hope you enjoy.

Thanks for the beta

Great TR, great pics. Just wanted to echo the sentiments about Joe and the 59er Diner. When one of the Lifties at Stevens got injured early in the season (has a family etc) the 59er Diner sponsored a benefit party for him and provided a bunch of food that we scarfed down in exchange for donations. So please go get a milkshake or some food from them. PLUS THEY HAVE $1 BEERS, THAT'S RIGHT, $1 BEERS!

A buddy got a hold of me and asked if I was down to ski Rainier at the end of the month. I said 'hell yeah' and then realized I really needed to get training. So I am looking to get out a ton this month before the snow melts. Got out today, did Moonlight Bowl and it was fucking sweet, didn't see any other tracks the whole day and the snow was excellent. Mid-week is best for me as a I am usually raft guiding on the weekend. White Pine Cirque, Lichtenburg, and Mt. David are at the top of my list for day trips around here, but I just want to get out and push it. Let me know if you are interested, I have spare bed and couch to crash on if that helps. I live in Leavenworth. Thanks, I hope everyone is having as good of a spring as I am. -Alex

I can tell you as a Stevens Employee that these guys already tried to shut down employee transportation that most of us rely on and keeps the parking lots open for the public. Thanks to the dept. managers, that didn't happen. But there are already big cuts happening and I know several people who just moved to the area for a job, that they were promised two weeks ago would be there for them this season, and are now out of work because of these cuts. It'll be interesting to see how high the ticket prices go in the coming seasons.

FYI - As for learning how to ski, I just went through the Ski Instructor Seminar up at Stevens and I really like their approach. Super professional, they cut out the extraneous bull shit that I remember as a kid. My sister is an instructor at Snoqualmie and according to her it sounds like kind of a shit show down there. But I really dig the approach at Stevens. Now I just gotta ace my on hill interview this saturday.

Does anyone want to go look for some moderate alpine ice on Tuesday or Friday this week up here around Leavenworth? I'm still building my base of experience, but I'd love to get out and the weather forecast is looking great.

Thanks again to everyone for pitching in their thoughts. I thought this one of the more enjoyable threads to read since everyone was so informative and encouraging. I got a lot to learn ahead of me, but I'm as stoked as ever. I hope to run into you lot out at the crag. Hope everyone had a great Memorial Weekend. I did.

Here's a question about fixinig lines and sleeping on the ground and what not. I totally feel like I would just be in the way of others. Obviously, you want to be as fast as possible while still being safe. But are you just kind of saying tought titty to others while you are working the route (at hyper-slow n00b speed?) Just trying to figure out the protocal (that's not the word I'm looking for, but close enough) as far as sharing the rock and not stepping on toes. But I do really appreciate everyone's input. And I will be living in Leavenworth in about three weeks so getting to Index will be no problem. Thanks

Like I said before...

Right on, thanks everyone for the suggestions. I know that WA and OR is not exactly big wall territory. I was thinking maybe Baffin. Nah, just joking. But Squamish and Yosemite are probably where I will be looking to. Liberty Crack sounds perfect, but honing skills at Bacon and Index sounds like good ideas. Thanks again everyone. Here's to a good Memorial Weekend to everyone and blue skies wherever you are venturing.

The definition of a big wall thread sparked this question for me, but folks were getting a little off topic there, so let's try this. I am wondering if anyone has a suggestion for someone's first big wall. I'm not looking to push grades, and I have minimal aid experience (working on that), and I don't have a portaledge and would love to avoid the cost of one. But I would love to get a taste of a big wall experience. So if anyone has a suggestion they'd like to throw out there, I'd really appreciate it. I guess I am defining big wall as a climb that takes the 'average' climber more than one day. Thanks

Great trip, glad you guys had fun. I believe that's Mt. Pugh that you forgot the name of. I could be, and often am, wrong. But happy birthday and way to not get deturred by the weather.