finian

I'm looking to find someone who can climb 2-3 evenings a week at Everett.

Sweet write up, especially including the pics. It is super cool that this was a "community effort" which can be viewed as an example of the current ethics on the wall. The new routes on the Illusion wall are put up by or heavily influenced by some of the Darrington pioneers and fit in well with the rest of the routes in the region. After wrapping down and next to the Page so many times I can't wait to actually climb the thing.

I use the Everett Vertical World gym to condition for the climbing season (rock) and I'm looking for a partner can commit to 2-3 evenings a week for some conditioning and mutual motivation. I'm climbing 10's and 11a and I'm looking for someone who is either at that level or really want's to get there and beyond like I do. I commute to Seattle so I get to the gym around 7 and usually stay till they close. I'm flexible on which evenings as long as we're there at least twice a week. Shoot me and email. matthew.beasley@comcast.net

No new damage on the Squire Creek road, but the skinny spot might be a little bit skinnier.

I work at a company that provides stock photography and that is THE BEST picture I've seen this week! Thanks for sharing :-)

Sorry, my first time down there and I wouldn't even know where to look.

Sure, but I guess in my mind there is a difference between "looseness" and let's go chop my partner's head off with a rock guillotine ;-)

Trip: Tieton, WA - Ride the Lightning Date: 10/18/2010 Trip Report: I finally got down to Tieton a couple weeks ago. We decided to go straight to Goose Egg to get a longer climb in rather than cragging on the columns. From the ground the wall looks really cool, and the approach was great. The first two pitches were pretty good (loved the second pitch corner), but the third pitch was really nothing more than moving the belay up a dirty scramble. Then the next two were a choss fest of loose holds. Don't get me wrong, if the rock had been solid there were some really cool moves. The higher we went the worse it got. When we topped out I just about crapped myself. The entire top of the wall is covered with loose rock plates about 16" to 24" just waiting to get sent down on climbers with the first strong breeze. Doing that last pitch it was nearly impossible to keep from launching this crap down on my partner. There is literally NOTHING solid on the last pitch! I wouldn't recommend this route. The quality of the climb doesn't justify the risk you are taking under that scree field at the top. I know I'm going to take a ton of flak for dissing someone else's route but I really wish someone had let me in on the risk before I went up it.

Anyone have a hand drill (fixe or petzl) for sale?

Trip: Darrington, Squire Creek Pass - Pass the Nut's (FA) Date: 7/25/2010 Trip Report: I finally got up to Squire Creek Pass with Karen and Carsten to climb the wall to the north of the pass. Of course I forgot the camera:-( I wanted to try to climb it ground up and clean. We took a line straight up the center of the wall, starting with an amazing steep knob field with a dirty crack in the middle of it (5.9). An easy ramp leads to a perfect 5.8 finger crack in a shallow corner and then a comfy belay ledge. The second pitch traverses right under some bushes and then up, with a slabby crux. The moves are probably 5.9 but with no pro at the crux I'd swear it was 10a :-) The third pitch goes left around a steep bulge on a really cool natural stair case and then up cracks and flakes to the top (5.7). Descent is a scramble down the back side. Although there was surprisingly fun climbing it's not the family friendly route I was hoping for. There are a lot of expanding and detached flakes and you have to be really careful where you go and where you put gear. Some of the route is pretty run out and a lot of the gear you do get is marginal. I don't have any plans to put in anchors or bolts. If someone wants to put bolts in have at it. I climbed it the way I wanted to. I'm calling it "Pass the Nuts" in reference to Squire Creek Pass and the fact that you have to be nuts to climb those flakes ;-) All in all I'm really glad I finally got up there and did it. It was an accomplishment for me and the view from the top just blew me away. Gear Notes: 00 tcu up to #4 C4. doubles on micro, fingers and single or doubles on hands depending on how much you want to carry up there. 60 meter half ropes. Approach Notes: South on Mt Loop Hwy from Darrington 2 miles, then right on the forest service road 6 miles to the Eight Mile Creek trailhead. Hike past Three O'clock rock to Squire Creek Pass (5 miles total). From the pass bush whack north and a little west to the boulder field at the base of the wall. Follow the base north several hundred yards to the knob field.

How much cash do you want for them?

Looking for 2 mountaineering Ice Axes, the lighter the better. I have cash :-) email: matthew.beasley@comcast.net

they're all sold

I have 40 or 50 used carabiners, $2.50 each. They are a mixture of bent and straight gate, some solid and some wire. There are also a few ovals, old school d's, and lockers. Brands are Black Diamond, Omega, Trango, and some misc I don't know. They are not "like new" or mint. They have seen some use and are scratched up etc., but none have been dropped or abused. Cash and you come get them (Snohomish). Sorry, I don't want to hassle with shipping etc.

The lockers are BD, two are auto lockers The ovals and d's are omega or bd The rest are a mixed basket Rather than me taking pictures of each one (I'm really that lazy :-) make it $3 apiece and take whatever you want :-)