Cyclopath

Hannegan Peak is a hike you can do with your hands in your pockets, but my god, the view! Ruth nearby and Sahale Peak in the North Cascades if you're comfortable with glacier travel ... but that's best done with other people and a rope.

I read a story in ANAM about a guy climbing on Index when a quake struck. He was ok in the end. Probably needed new pants, though.

This is interesting: I don't set mine down on the ground where cars park, either. And I keep it in a bag, one of those re-useable ones from Second Ascent. I need to get around to getting another crag pack, but it isn't at the top of my list of priorities... Anyway, I think it's well protected in my trunk. But that's a great point about the jumper cables!

I bought the Lightning Pro, in a bi-color and with the "double" dry treatment. It's had two long days of use so far, so it's too early to comment on much, but it's very supple and knotable, and the amount of friction is just right. Can I leave it in the trunk for a day or so? Earlier this spring I camped in the Icicle, spent a day climbing, and another day cycling. I don't think the heat should be a problem, but I don't really know.

I had an Edelweiss Energy 9.5 mm rope, but my car got broken into one night, and the backpack it was in was stolen. I've been climbing with a buddy who has a rope, and I can get by without one. But I'd like to practice on easy routes more often, and I'm thinking I can teach my girlfriend to belay me. Plus I'd like to practice prusiking up a rope some evenings at home, I tried this weekend and it was a lot harder than I thought it'd be. So while I'd prefer not to spend the money (again) it seems like I'll benefit from it. Mostly I'll use it for crag climbing. But I'd like to do some alpine climbs once I build up enough skill. Seems like that's a little at odds, balancing abrasion resistance and weight. I'm looking at a BlueWater Lightning Pro, 9.7 mm, bi-pattern, and with the dry treatment. I played with one in the store, liked the supple feel. I like the low impact force and the high number of falls it caught in testing. On Saturday I was the last one to climb, went up on a top rope, cleaned the anchor, and rappelled down; I couldn't find the middle mark on my partner's rope and a bi-color would have made it easier. Plus I preferred the feel of the 9.5 mm I had to his 10.2 mm when it comes to belaying and lowering. So I'd love to hear about this particular rope and other suggestions, but I'm even more interested in general advice about buying a rope.

Schrieber's Meadow is gorgeous, the approach hike is wonderful, and it's a fun glacier to play on.

I have two friends who are interested in climbing, each for their own reasons. I introduced both of them to the gym, and maybe I should be sorry for that. They've been bouldering indoors for a while and like it. Both of them have expressed some interest in climbing outdoors, but probably don't have enough interest to make it happen on their own. I'm fairly new at this. I took a lesson with AAI last fall and loved it. This spring I took an anchor building and rappel lesson at the gym. I read Freedom of the Hills and a few more-involved books from Mountaineers Press. I've been going out to the crags all spring, with a partner who's more experienced than I am. I've done a lot of belaying, mostly from the bottom. I've built half the anchors we've used, generally a cordelette and some lockers through bolted anchors. We did a two pitch route Saturday, I set a few pieces in the belay anchor. I've come to feel completely comfortable with my ability to do the basic stuff, and know a bunch of easy routes where you hike up to the bolts, build your anchor, rappel to the bottom (or just walk around), and climb. There's a 5.0 with a nice view and a crack that offers comfortable, solid hand holds the entire way up, and it seems like a great place to take somebody for their first outdoor climb. These two don't like each other, so it will be one-on-one. What I have in mind is to bring my friends to the crag, build the anchor, have them try to pull it out (to build confidence and have them feel involved), rap to the bottom (for fun, and to demonstrate the rope having me), and then belay them while they climb. I might show them how to rap on flat ground, but I would have to be at the top to check to see they clipped in correctly and also at the bottom to do a fireman's belay, so I don't plan on having them actually rappel. I'm not comfortable with trying to teach them to belay and then immediately counting on them to do it safely. Won't be the most exciting couple days for me, but it'll be a good deed. And it won't require that much skill or knowledge on my part. So, what I'd like some second opinions on, is how I know when I'm at a point when it makes sense to do this.

According to the NPS road conditions page, Cascade River Road is driveable to about mile 18, depending on your vehicle. So that leaves 5 or 5.5 miles of hiking along the road, plus about 7 on the trail. Plus round trip. Sections of the road are incredibly steep. At least as steep as E Roy in Seattle, which is a 26 % grade. I hiked to Cascade Pass in early July last year, and I've never seen so much snow. There was a lot of rockfall in the traverse section before the pass (after you come out of the woods), and there was an avy on J'berg mountain every 45 minutes or so. I don't know how susceptible the portion of the trail above tree-line before the pass is, but I would find out before doing it again. Another hiker lost the trail, made a b-line for the ridge, then lost his footing and slid out of control for 300 vertical feet before hitting a tree. He was slightly bloody but ok, I hiked out with him to make sure he didn't get into any more trouble. Long story short, I'd hold off a few more months.

We had to leave some nylon webbing behind to rap from. Once we cleaned the anchor, there were just two bolt hangers, and down-climbing wasn't going to cut it. My partner did this, since he's more experienced than I am, and also because he had a knife (to not use the whole piece). Well, I'm slowly fixing the experience part, and I feel I should fix the not having a knife part, too. I know that I can buy one for $10 at a gas station, or a lot more than that at an outdoor gear shop; can anyone clue me in on the differences and whether they're important? Also, the next crag we climbed had a quick link hanging off one of the bolts. What are the rules and etiquette as far as leaving quick links goes? If one of us had had one, would it have been wrong to leave it behind? My worry is that it'll rust shut and become a permanent part of the setup.

If you do this, the bears will eat you.

About a pound, or half that if you get the Camp Corsa. But that one costs more. An ice axe is a really good thing to have out in the backcountry on snow or ice. Or if you have to intimidate drunk people at the trailhead. Besides finding a place with a safe runout and practicing self arrest (head up hill, head down hill, belly up, belly down) until you can do it reflexively without thinking, you should learn to use the axe for self belay, to prevent yourself from falling in the first place.

Nah, not really. There are people who pay a grand for a new big screen TV every couple years. You're getting something a hell of a lot better and more meaningful. And pretty rare. How does that go for you? Does anyone bat an eye? I've been thinking about bringing my pack to climb with at the local gym, but I've never seen anyone else do it...

Before you climb Shuksan, go to a local crag somewhere. Maybe Exit 38, or Index, or Leavenworth, or... Gym climbing is related to outdoor climbing, but there's a lot of difference. It's not hard to find holds, usually, but it's different, and they're more camouflaged than at the gym. That's the biggest thing, along with the fact that mountains don't smell like body odor. Also you don't wear a pack at the gym, might find yourself in boots or even crampons, etc. It's wise to get some practice much closer to the car before you summit the big peak.

At the gym, at least, my hands get sweaty before too long, and then it's much more difficult to use them on holds. As soon as I mentioned this to my partner, another climber told me chalk is the solution, and gave me some of hers. It helped! A lot. (This hasn't been an issue for me outdoors, though.) If chalk is overdone and almost not needed, then how else do I address this problem?

The store has a Blue Water Ropes bag for $12, and an Arc'teryx bag on clearance for $28. Both of them have a draw string so your chalk doesn't fall out, and my hand fits into both. Do I actually get anything out of the expensive one? I don't mind spending extra on something that's going to keep me comfortable, but I can't see how that'd be the case with a chalk bag. Mind you, I have a dead bird jacket, and I love it. I've also got a crag pack they made, and it's great, too. I tend to like their stuff, I just don't see it being important here? When you're wearing a harness, how do you wear the chalk bag? Do you attach it to the harness instead of around your waste, or do you put the strap over the hip pads? I have one last question, and this only applies to the gym. It's pretty crowded in there, and I think there's a lot of chalk dust in the air. I get this weird residue in my mouth after I've been there a couple hours. Other people must get that, too? Is there anything you can do about it? Can't climb outside in Seattle in the winter, and I don't like chewing gum.