twinkletobes

We stood on top of 32 mountain summits, visited 19 National Parks and hiked well over 1000 miles. Then we got engaged on top of Mount Ritter. Prediction fail.

FOR TRADE: Patagonia Ascensionist 45 climbing bag. Orange Used only once, I am too short to comfortably use the removable frame. Bag is a size L. I just need a bag I can use in return. Something 30 - 45 Liters, Must have storage for two ice tools. Send a photo of the bag you have for trade to 253-948-8894 Links: Steve House Demonstrating the Bag: https://youtu.be/n1tJ3OmzvaM WEIGHS TWO POUNDS!

Also headed to Teton, Yellowstone, the Winds, Beartooths, Glacier, possibly Idaho and then N Cascades.

Hey everyone, Im in Southern Colorado right now on a 7 month road trip in my Westfalia. We are headed North and will be in the state for a few more weeks and I am looking for someone to climb with at the Flatirons (or other areas) near Boulder. If you have friends who climb in CO who might be interested in a blind-rope-date get in touch. One of my heroes, climber/writer David Roberts started climbing there and I really want to get on that rock! I am 29 from Tacoma, WA. Lead 10 sport, a little experience with trad. Open to learning new things and climbing beyond my limit, or having some fun on 7s all day, whatever. Girlfriends phone, cause I don't have service ever (253)948-8894 My E-mail tobinakehurst@yahoo.com

Hey I'm on vacation at Zion Canyon for the next 8 days and looking to climb. I am on a 7 month tour of the states in my westy van. I am a nice normal guy looking to climb. I have my own gear with me. I can lead .10 sport, I have led trad at Smith but not much. I THINK I can follow 11 with little difficulty, maybe, if its not super sustained. I know very little about the climbing in Zion, but I'm open to anything. Please txt 253-709-5587. That's my girlfriend's phone, she will be out hiking while we climb. My name is Toby.

Hey I'm on vacation at Zion Canyon for the next 8 days and looking to climb. I am on a 7 month tour of the states in my westy van. I am a nice normal guy looking to climb. I have my own gear with me. I can lead .10 sport, I have led trad at Smith but not much. I THINK I can follow 11 with little difficulty, maybe, if its not super sustained. I know very little about the climbing in Zion, but I'm open to anything. Please txt 253-709-5587. That's my girlfriend's phone, she will be out hiking while we climb. My name is Toby.

The photo URLs moved, is there a way i can edit the post with the new img location?

I started an Adventure/Westfalia blog! Im going on a 6month tour of the National Parks of the American West with my girlfriend and cultivating a mentality of wilderness restoration along the way. Blog topics will include, climbing, photography, van life, DIY, conservation, and whatever we might want to write about. Check it out. >>> Driven By Nature

My friends took them! I love the development there, it looks like an ancient village like Mesa Verde' Yeah, I agree that it can an interesting route to follow. But it felt good to make gear placements that I knew I could trust the lives of my friends to. Honestly the climbing through the hand crack felt so natural that I didn't even want to stop to make a placement. The first bolted pitch was much more scary to lead.

Yeahhhhhhhh, feel kinda guilty doing all this recreating while THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END!

Trip: Del Campo Peak (pics) - Standard Date: 3/13/2015 Trip Report: (wide pics, scroll right to read/see) After a nice hike into Gothic Basin we ascended the obvious, standard route on DC. Following snow ramps up to the notch splitting the main and sub summit. I was surprised by the steepness of the headwall at the top of the notch. I tied in, led the wall in crampons to the top without placing any gear and gave a hip belay to my cousin Jonathan. I led the steep snow field below the summit, then turned over the lead so Jonathan could pass me by and gain his FIRST ALPINE SUMMIT! Views from the summit were killer. There was a revolving door of climbers on Gothic Peak and every time someone would gain a summit there would be a long distance dialogue of hoots and hollers from one peak, into the basin and on to the next. Great energy in the cascades that day. Jonathan killed it, the climb felt classic. Morning Star, Vesper, Sperry, Big Four, Pilchuck, two distant peaks I don't know and Baker. Looking down toward Gothic Peak (which looks SO different from here) Foggy Lake and Sheep Gap Mtn. Pretty decent exposure from here. Gear Notes: 25m rope (not really necessary) Crampons Axe

Trip: Smith Rock State Park (pics) - 5 routes Date: 3/6/2015 Trip Report: Took a few days to get some climb time in with my friends at Smith Rock over the weekend. We were very fortunate to have been invited to stay at a nice time-share nearby by some friends, Jim and Gerry. It was the best weekend I've ever spent at Smith and I was able to have the biggest climber-skills-development day of my life. Eternally grateful to our friends and hosts. Now for the details. Day 1 We started of with Voyage of the Cowdog, 3 Pitches (5.9). This route starts around back of Ship Rock, climbs a fun 5.9 slab ending in a tricky notch and then gaining a belay station. "Pitch 2" was a simple walk through a notch, gaining the left skyline of Picnic Lunch Wall. Apparently we were off route and actually supposed to work rightward, whatever. Final pitch is an incredibly exposed climb up the left skyline, eventually gaining the top of the massive wall. We walked off, this route has the funnest walk off I've ever done, a little adventure in itself. Summit party of 5. Heraldo's first multi-pitch! Oren soaking in some winter sun. Brenden clipping the last bolt. Summit Party! Next up was First Kiss, 5 Pitches (5.8). This route is a blast, I highly recommend it next time you are in the park. Its a 500 foot, adventure route that had a free-solo FA. Highlights include fun slab climbing, bolted sidewalk, mosy amphitheater and the steep, heavily pocketed final pitch. The final pitch is one of my favorites in the park. (BEWARE! there is a huge, precarious flake at the final belay just begging you to pull on it, or sit on it. DONT! It will smash you friends) Oren Wrapping up after First Kiss The next morning Oren and Brendo sent something hard, 10c? Meghan and I took turns leading 5 Gallon Buckets. A fun fun fun Smith Classic. And then I moved a bail biner up two bolts before giving up on another hard route. Next was Sky Ridge 3 Pitches (5.8) This climb was a huge developmental step for me. The first pitch is an exposed class 4 ridge to a belay. Pitch two is a 5.8 slab on nubs and pinchers, I've led 10c but this felt WAY more bold. A little run out (but not enough to hold the R rating it used to have). After the slab is a beautiful low angle arete' that sharply splits your vision between the east and west faces of the Smith Rock Group. Pitch 3 is the money pitch. This pitch was trad, my first experience ever with trad climbing, or placing gear. I led the vertical hand crack, into the hand traverse. Sinker hand holds, minimal feet, but very secure. The awesome hand crack gave me good stances for fiddling with pro, learning on lead, until I thought it was secure. I brought up my rope-mates simultaneously (another first for me) Until we all reached the top. A short scramble and another hand crack later I was standing on the highest point of the rock group. YEEHAW! Soloing the easy stuff Brenden on the arete' Leading the hand crack, (Black dot on far right tower) Placing gear for the first time Standing on top (black dot atop summit block) Incredible trip, learned so much. Thank you so much to our hosts, and to Brenden and Oren for turning over the lead on ALL the money pitches! Also thanks to Meghan and Geraldo for the great photo-documentation of my first trad climb! New friends! New experiences! New skills! Sneaking into hot tubs! HELL YES!

Wondering if anyone knows about North Fork Teanaway Road, FS 9737 conditions. Usually in Feb I would assume its closed, but you know... this winter. USFS website is down right now. Any info is appreciated. Attempting to reach Esmerelda Basin at roads end. Thanks.

I used a Fuji XM-1 with a 16-50mm lens, handheld, stitched with Hugin. Get Hugin if you take panos. Its free, automated and powerful.

Rock Mountain 360 Panorama, January 31 2015 Click here to view VERY BIG SIZE.