DPS

Those are old, and happen to be my first pair of tools! Last season I ran into a fellow still climbing on them. The best was when the blue fiberglass shafts iced up. Good times.

I think of any tools more recent than Pulsars to be new. Good luck finding a partner.

Someone once told me the + in 5.9+ was for the 10.b cruxes.

I thought the east face looked like it had potential for some great routes on great rock. I am surprised it went at 5.9+, it seemed like there were a lot of roofs, I would have expected much harder climbing. Excellent work!

There is a second hand store in Issaquah (Superior Seconds) where I have seen some AT skis with Silveretta 404s and 500s for pretty darn cheap.

He slept in front of the toilet, I remember because I had to step over him.

After the rope we were both at last there were some hassles from the man, so no more rope ups, at least on Forest Service campgrounds.

Welcome back Sobo!

Yes, but I had seen all the gnarly shit Nastia climbed, so I was comfortable with it.

I like calling mountains by their native names. Makes it sound like I climb exotic shit.

Aidan Haley.

I think rock routes would be where it is at North Ride, Stuart Ice Cliff Arete, Mt Stuart West Ridge, Sherpa (would require climbing Stuart first) Descents could be involved affairs. Something on Argonayt

A partner said it took him 2 1/2 days to reach camp when he first did it over 20 years ago. Our trip took about 6 hours.

Have fun with that. Your feet will hurt, but at least you will have a long walk.

Giardiasis is miserable, but at least it lasts a long time.

If the weather is good, then alpine rock is where it is at. NE Buttress of Colchuck, North or WEst Ridge or Ice Cliff Arete of Stuart, something on Prusik Peak, North or West Ridge of Sherpa. Washington Pass could be great too. NW Corner on NEWS, East Buttress Direct or SW Buttress of SEWS, Beckey Route on Liberty Bell, all the wine spires, Kangaroo Ridge area...

1. Remove all residue and dirt from both surfaces with a stiff brush. An appropriate solvent may be necessary to remove the glue residue. 2. Apply Barge cement to both surfaces until tacky. 3. Adhere sole to boot, using some method to apply even pressure during the drying process. Cobblers use a press to do this, you might be able to rig up some bungees or something.

If this is the variation I am thinking of, then Juan Sharp and JasonG climbed it. They reported difficulties significantly harder than 5.6, but maybe theirs was a different variation. Here is what Juan wrote specifically about it: "The way that Jason and I took for the first of the two summit block pitches was an ugly grunt"

I had a pair of boots that had the soles completely delaminate - peeled all the way off. Dave Page re-glued the soles.

I don't think there are 50 different routes at Index I can climb.

I really didn't mean to be a buzz kill, I'm happy I came up with one quite good possibility.

Here is a thought: NE Face of Eldorado. It is a moderate, technical ice climb in late season ~ AI 2. Somewhat contrived but genuine, actual ice climbing that may be in good shape in mid August this year. Here are some photos taken in late summer 10 years ago: http://www.math.wsu.edu/faculty/bkrishna/TripPages/EldoNEFace.html

South Early Winters Spire - SW Couloir will definitely be out, like just a crappy, loose, rocky gulley. Eldorado - E Ridge will be certainly be doable and is scenic but not technical. Similar in difficulty to Ruth-Icy. NF Buckner - NF. Likely out by mid August this year and you would have to cross the Boston Glacier which is a big, active, crevassed glacier. Mt Sutart - Ice Cliff Glacier. I suspect it will be out of condition by August. A bergschrund often forms that spans the entire width of the glacier and the gulley exit will likely be dry (loose, crappy rock).

The weather was hot but at least it was humid.

He has.