dberdinka

So Peter, let me get this straight. Whether you agree with him or not, CBS claims that the "American Dream" was possible due to exploitable resources, in his arguement excess land. How does that relate to calling the "common man" (whatever the hell that is, we're all pretty common around here) a fool? Next you imply that he therefore must "hate democracy"! Thats a pretty damn emotionally charged statement. Based on the national dialog lately CBS must clearly be in the same category as "freedom haters", "thugs and assasins", ..were was I?... Oh I remember....Talk about turning a political discourse into a personal attack!

I've also been surprised by how crappy it can be at Washington Pass despite calm weather on the west side. I've had good luck (and it could very well be nothing more than luck) that if weather systems are moving in from a genrally westerly direction things are more likely to get better to the east. If they are moving in from a strong souther or southwesterly (typically the case) direction the crap is more likely to spread everywhere. An extremely simple idea that has proved correct enough times at least to be my own personal voodoo science weather. I don't think Washington Pass is quite the bastion of bomber weather that it is sometimes considered.

One of my first trips to the Easton Glacier Area put me firmly in the BAN-SNOWMOBILERS-MINDSET!!!!!!! It was late spring, and snow cover in Schreiber Meadows was not continuous. Yet nothing was going to stop the 'bilers from getting to there little slice of snowmobile nirvana. I watched several machines tear up portions of the recently snow free meadows, observed lots of damage in other sections of meadows and saw plenty of trash and oil-slicks in the water. Not to mention the incesant buzzzz once we got above treeline. Given the choice of tearing up 100 feet of meadow to get to the goods or packing it up and going home, it was quite obvious what choice all those 'bilers were making. In a few seconds one of those machines can do more damage to the alpine and sub-alpine enviroments than my boots will produce in a lifetime. Stereotypes exist for a reason and I am not at all convinced that many snowmobilers are anything like us. My experiences in Schriebers Meadow show a complete lack of respect for the natural enviroment. Considering the ease with which some jackass can get on their sled and thrash an area and the complete lack of self-policing (or any policing for that matter) 'bilers should simply not be allowed access to a sensitive, and still somewhat pristine alpine/sub-alpine area.

Thank you for a well-written report. The River Road area must be, in my mind, one of the most beautiful places in the world to climb. While there is no lack of ***** routes in the area, I feel like chiming in and saying add the Honeymoon Chimney on The Priest to your must-do list. Crazy geometry and an amazing summit structure make in the most memorable climb I've done in the Castle Valley. That last pitch on Sis Sup is one hell of a 5.9!! 5.9++ maybe!

People with no climbing experience follow Midway Climbers with no leading experience lead Midway (All based on first-hand experience back-in-the-day) Like Chuck says, if Midway is not a novice/easy climb what is?

This guy's got it made, I need a vacation schedule like that!

I've got three more weeks in a cast that should come off around 4/30. Expect much sunny weather until that date, thereafter expect continuous rain until August at least.

I nned to get my gimpy body (broken right ankle) from Bellingham to North Seattle this evening (Friday 4/9). Anyone headed in that direction?

You've got some bad ju-ju going on there with rockfall bro. I ain't climbing anywhere near you there.

Monday was a great day as I skipped work and headed up to Squish with 3 joyously unemployed friends. The Smoke Bluffs were essentially deserted and by 10 AM is was almost too hot to climb in the sun. My headspace was great and I was consistently leading routes at or just beyond my onsite ability. My abilites were well matched with a new friend Matt, partner to the infamous Big 4 Layton rescue. By early afternoon I was whipped and seriously considered just getting on some easier well-protected climbs. Instead I kept pushing myself, and got on a climb called "Where Ancients Fear to Tread" just right of Geritol on the Neat & Cool Wall. Wearing a helmet I cautiously worked my way up the intermittent cracks and thin face moves. Doubling up most protection points I essentially sewed it up. Near the top you hit a horizontal break that you traverse right on. After much hesitation I moved right about 10' then tried to move straight up over an overlap to what I later discovered was an off route bolt. Regardless, my grip strength faded, I started to flail, my foot blew off and I took a fall. A nice big pendulum fall, grating across the less-than-vertical wall. As I fell I swung in torwards my line of gear. As I passed the perpendicular my right foot caught on the now taught rope running to my belayer. SNAP! I yelled out, in a high-pitched squeal, "OUCH! I broke my ankle!" Quickly followed by "LOWER ME DOWN" My inner ankle was visibly deformed. Matt quickly lowered me to the ground, where we pulled my rock shoe off. My buddy Allen and his housemate Tomaline came over in minutes. Tomaline (also know as Traumaline) is a wilderness medicine instructor, Allens a long time guide, Matt seemed to know what he was doing as well . It was well splitted within 5 minutes and we were on our way home with 45. X-Rays at St Josephs on Monday night show that I had broken off the inner knob of my Tibia. 1 big chunk, 2 smaller fragments and god knows what else. It's surprisingly unpainful, though I imagine the Vicodin is helping. Surgery is scheduled for Friday, I'll be off it for at least a month. I am so suck Honestly I feel surprisingly upbeat. I've seen a lot worse happen in Squamish, a friend of a friend is dieing of cancer in their 30's. My condition is a minor inconvience in comparison. And I've got a script for Percidan come post-op. Lesson Learned: I DIDN'T LISTEN TO MY INTUITON. Even though it was speaking with much clarity. Getting on a climb just at the border of my onsite ability, that was nebulous and relatively runout, when I was worn out on a muggy day was, in retrospect unneccesary and somewhat stupid. A couple observations. In the last few years I've devoted a fair bit of energy to solo-climbing, something I've generally found terrifying. By learning too push through the irrational fears associated with that activity I think I have lost a healthy respect for reasonable fears. With more and more of my time and energy focused on work and a rapidly maturing relationship (I'm recently engaged) when I do have time to climb I've been very intense, trying to push myself and get the most out of the experience. My ego got involved. Climbing with a new, and strong, partner made me want to push things. Note this all about me, nothing to do with the personality of the partner. I've got at least six weeks to focus on other things (like completing a long overdue Masters) and look hope to be climbing again in the late spring. In the mean time, I definitely will listen to myself far more carefully in the future and I hope it rains every freakin weekend. Darin

You guys have peeked my interest. Looking at maps could you not hike into Boulder Lake, then schwack up to the ridge crest and wander along that to get into this Weber-Frostbite area? And whats with the Sasquatch Mr Granite? Tell us more......

ummmm.....what/where is Whore of Babylon? I need a proj for this afternoon.

MOST DANGEROUS Route in the Cascades Hogsback on Hood on a busy June weekend

I had a 9.6 Sterling, I think it might have been a Marathon. It was amazingly durable yet had a really nice hand. I did a lot of jugging on it in the desert and it held up really well. The best rope I ever had, I would buy another if they still made them. Check out Gearexpress.com I think they currently have 9.5mm x 60M Marathons on sale.

He needs to have a more consistent message....

The weight of worldly matters conspires against me. Fug it, I'm going to Squamish. To those who make it happen, best wishes and give us a TR.

i.e. Should I hump my ass up to Colchuck Lake tomorrow Based on the various forecasts (NOAA and NWAC) the following conditions seem to be setting up for the east side. Cold temps through Friday, with minimal snowfall but high winds. Saturday looks sunny with rapidly rising temperatures. High winds & rapidly rising temps vs minimal new snow and sun....hmmmm........... Will we all die in an avalanche ? Will the routes fall off on our heads? Will we all send the radness? Discuss.......

Did you find it on Princely Ambitions? Evidently a blue alien was recently fixed there when the same thing happened!

Beautiful Photos! A route that looks worthy of repeats. On the right edge of the photo you can see a sliver of the 3000' N buttress of the NW summit. Another huge line that will one day be climbed.

Whats with downgrading my route bee-och! I could have sworn I gave it at least 5.6+ or 5.7 Do you know of any repeats?

I need to get a hold of the notoriously unreachable folks at CCH for cam repair. I can't find a phone number or web page to save my life. Anyone care to help? Thanks. Darin

Thanks Michael!

The NW Face is a Skoog route I'm thinking? It appears to be an awesome looking north face thats remote, hidden and on a big mountain. I wouldn't expect great rock quality but in the right conditions it might make an exciting alpine climb. Do it when the highway opens a write us a TR!

For almost a year I been suffering from chronic pain in my left back/shoulder. It flares up from climbing (particularly aid climbing -- pulling down on adjustable daisies and hammering) and is further aggrevated by staring at a monitor all day. Symptoms include very sore muscles over the shoulderblade particular on the interior side (near spine). The muscle in my shoulder and neck can also become very tight. It does not seem to be a rotator cuff problem. I plan on getting a referal to PT soon. I do have some questions Questions: Is this a common injury? If so what the heck is it? What is a reasonable plan of treatment medically? Should I seek out a PT or a LMP? In the mean time what can I do at home? What are some good stretches for the muscles over the back? What are some good low-intensity strength excersises for this area? After a vigorous day of free-climbing yesterday it is no worse than it was the day before. Should I continue to climb on it if it's not getting any worse? Or am I jepardizing the potential long term recovery? Looking for serious replys only, thanks a lot!

Beautiful! Where the hell were you?