Pete_H

What a clusterfuck. That type of beer you brought is good though.

You could check here: http://www.gravsports-ice.com/icethreads/

If you have the flexibility I would spend the summer in the Banff / Canmore area instead. There will be a lot more opportunity for climbing ice routes there in the summer then here. There are some decent routes like that have some technical snow and ice like J-Berg or Lib Ridge. But in the Cascades you're more likely to encounter snow and / or technical rock rather than ice.

City of Rocks. Be prepared to dive past a lot of cows.

So ... what summer routes in the Cascades require two tools?

I love that place but its the longest most boring drive in the world to get there.

Use your words, man.

Niiice! You get new skis?

You guys don't have cameras in northern Illinois?

The Boving route on D-Tail deserves more ascents and is a great route for what it is but it is definitely unpolished. 3 pitches of good stiff but scruffy rock followed by complete crap. Like all routes on D-tail its cool b/c its a mountain climb not just a rock route.

Wolves remove the slow sheep from the herds, thereby removing temptation from certain degenerate climbers.

In Yellowstone they keep elk and moose out of streams beds which improves watershed vegetation, thereby improving the fish and other aquatic life. Apparently.

I think prudence would dictate the TR should have been worded "possible FA" not "FA."

Tons of shit at 11worth. Look in the instruction manual.

I've got a bread machine my gal and I bought for $1 at a street sale in Dillon, MT. You just put all the shit into it and push a button and it creates bread. Awesome.

"I find it comical that climbers will gladly drop $$$ on new gear (that they only end up selling a few years later when something "better" comes out) but refuse to spend any $ on a training seminar... something they will "own" the rest of their life and will only improve/enhance their climbing. Go figure." Just because these "seminars" work for you and your lifestyle / training strategy, it doesn't mean it works for others. I think it's quite arrogant that you feel the need to repeatedly push this "product" on everyone else. That said, nice work in the Ruth. Those look like some fun routes. I'm glad you guys had good weather and didn't get squashed by the falling hanger.

Hopefully we'll find out some details. Glad to hear there were no serious injuries.

Pumpline's a great pitch. Haven't been able to pull that final crux move without taking a fall or two though.

Craig - I didn't think the moves above that anchor were much harder than 10a (though indeed a bit r/o!). The "grand" arch is pretty mungy and we couldn't figure out where the route went after that pitch. The route has potential and if "rediscovered" (cleaned, retro'd) could become a high-quality trade route.

Nice. That Nesakwatch Spire shit is on my list.

REM sucks.

Thanks Matt. That was fun.

I've been meaning to get that Nooksack route done for a while now. Maybe this is the year.

When Porter gets naked and starts rounding people up to go "streaking," its time to leave.

On the plus side, travel to Mexico is really cheap right now.