kevin_page

Here's how some of the same routes were rated in the "Guide To Leavenworth Rock Climbing Areas" by Beckey and Bjornstad, copyright 1965. Castle Dan's Dreadful 5.7-A3 Nose 5.3-A2 Canary 5.7 Saber 5.3 Midnight Nightengale 5.7-A3 Easter Overhang 5.8-A3 South Ramp 5.7-A3 Wasp 5.5-A2 Snow Creek Outer Space 5.9 Remorse 5.7-A2 Orbit 5.8-A3 Peshastin Bomb Shelter 5.6-A3 Lightning Crack 5.8-A1 Vertigo 5.7 Nirvana Ridge 5.9 This guide states in the introduction, "with 5.10 being the ultimate difficulty possible." There are 4 climbs with 5.9 ratings and zero rated at 5.10. This guide demonstrates the era it was written in well for me with the description for South Ramp on Midnight Rock which was my first 5.10 lead on granite in 1984. It recommends 29 pitons, suggests a time of 7 hours and was rated 5.7-A3.

Biked up to Washington Pass May 1st. The road is entirely clear but the DOT is waiting to see if any more slides will come down. The road crew we spoke with said maybe another week. The skiing is great right now.

quote: Originally posted by chris_w: I thought I would post a friendly message that the Everett Basic Mountaineering class will be in Icicle this weekend. The plan is to climb on Bruce's boulder, Barny's rubble, Lower clamshell, Alphabet rock, Roto wall and how can we miss Mountaineers dome. Sat & Sun, 60 Students and 30 Instructors. Oh boy, the circus is coming to town. I'm sure I'll be seeing 90 gumbies wearing shorts over poly with gaiters and helmets on. Please carpool into the canyon and try minimizing your impact by tying in away from your vehicles. Keep your vegetation killing boots in the trunk and don't holler so much when a hand signal or head nod will work just the same. Do you all have to climb shit thats right next to the road? Take a hike to Dog Dome, B.O.B. Wall, Sam Hill, Marley Crags, Planet of the 8's, Bathtub Dome, Mad Meadows etc. Oh nevermind, better to have you at all the places I don't want to go anyway. And thanks for the warning.

The best Peshastin route to leer or be leered at is Butter Brickle on Martian Tower. Nothing else except Nirvanna Ridge comes close (ok maybe Time Passages and Bomb Shelter). BB is exposed, vertical and obvious from the entrance/Orchard Rock area. Kramar describes it as "solid hand jams become pugilistic before reaching a series of large huecos protected by a museum of funky bolts". Good to do at least once.

quote: Originally posted by roboclimber: From the data I looked up it's a class 4 scramble maybe some easy class 5 near the top. I'm up for a free climb. It will probably be a long one day climb. If any one has ever been there the info will be greatly appreciated Robo, Highly reccomended brushfest and loose rockathon with better views than from Mt. Washington. I've climbed Pershing twice from the Jefferson Lk road and the north and middle peaks from the Mildred lakes trail at the end of the Hamma Hamma R. road. The first time on the main/south peak we started out by following Jefferson creek until we had had enough slide alder and devils club, then we headed towards the east ridge route. The second time up we started out on the east ridge route and were soon following surveyors tape. This route is preferred and has probably been boot built into something worth following. I don't know where you got your info saying it is class 4 or low 5. We took a rope and long slings each time but the main summit is class 3. On another trip we climbed the two highest points of the north peak from the Mildred lks tr. and did encounter 4th class poss. 5th rock and there again long slings sufficed. After the north peaks we traversed over the top of the middle pk and then descended from the col between south(main)pk and middle peak to the Mildred lks tr. At that time, 1983, the middle peak had 6 ascents and the north peak 3. Hope you have passable roads getting there. It's definately a day climb if you do.

quote: Originally posted by telemarker: Living in Wenatchee has its advantages...midweek in Icicle is the way to go. Telemarker, better to live in Leav. and commute to Wenasty if thats where your work is. I did that for 5 years and was able to climb every day. Weekend crowds just encourage you to walk a little further to a crag without people, easy to do.

quote: Originally posted by Recriminator: your the only one doing the regulateing, you crag police or what?? Hey sunshine wall is a climbing area, it can be crowded but it's cool, except when a bolt chop'in, hanger remove'in, noze in the air asshole shows up bitch'in about bolted routes. That would be mitch the bitch better known as retro-ball-less KISS IT Rectalcramandeater, Go F*%K yourself.

quote: Originally posted by Fairweather: Kevin, Is this a reasonable itinerary? (for late June): Two easy days to Elwha BasinDay three; Elwha Basin to Queets Basin (??)Day four; Queets Basin to E,M,W summits and returnDay five; Queets basin to Low DivideDay six; Low Divide to NFQ trailhead How does Mount Queets via Queets Glacier look from the basin? Maybe this climb could be "sandwiched" in adding an extra day? Thanks for the info! Yeah, that'd be a great trip. We went in for nine days and climbed Christie, Seattle, Noyes, Meany, Barnes, Queets and then Olympus. We did Queets from DR Pass so I don't know what the glacier route is like. When we were in the upper Queets basin I was too busy watching a massive herd of Roosevelt elk below us and taking in the scenery to consider climbing Queets from that side. I'd say take route descriptions for everything you'll be hiking by and climb whatever time and energy allows.

quote: Originally posted by Fairweather: Has anyone here done Olympus from Elwha Snowfinger Queets Basin? Info appreciated. If you've got visibility at Dodwell-Rixon Pass then the route is easy to see and follow. No need for a rope or crampons when we were there in early August. Upper Queets basin is beautiful and I would reccomend camping there rather than near the snout of the Humes glacier. We only found a semi-flat, soggy campsite on the edge of an elk wallow near the glacier. Blizzard pass is obvious. Traversing the East summit is easy, the middle peak has the best crystal formations I've seen in ONP and is an easy scramble much like the main summit. We went out the Hoh but I'd liked to have done the summits with a day pack and gone back out the N. Fork Quinault.

We had a goat kicking down rocks on us while climbing Mt. Pershing in ONP. It really seemed deliberate too. For at least a half of an hour it would appear at some strategic point above and then down would come the rocks. On another trip, which lasted a week, the only people we saw the entire time was a helicopter team attempting to net and air-freight goats out of the park. They'd caused more damage to their landing site/work zone than any herd of goats. So what if the goats trample small areas it is still nothing as compared to human activities.

If you're looking for a place to go for some beers, food or a pool table check out this new establishment. LIVE music every saturday night. There were 250+ people dancing and drinking the night we went during Fasching festival. It's right across from the old Brewery by Gustav's. Sorry, no oompah accordian music, Kevin Jones, Michael Dickes, Olds Station Orchestra type stuff.

It's been snowing here in Leav every day since at least monday. Everything is buried and probably won't get back to climbable conditions for at least a week or two. I don't know about Vantage but can usually get good local conditions by calling the Quincy golf course 5097873244 or the George mini mart 7854511.

What, no votes for Valley cracks. I'll take Outer Limits and Lunatic Fringe over everything north of Indian Creek anytime. Come to think of it, I like climbing on granite better than sandstone as well.

quote: Originally posted by Dru: Or what about the cracks at Marley crags? That looks like some odd rock. ] Marley Crags are a blast and an especially good place on a hot day and you're very likely to have the area to youself.

quote: Originally posted by tasmith513: I hear the wind dies down THERE at night too.... In the winter you never know if you'll need your ice chest to keep things from freezing or to keep things cold but in March you'll probably just need to stake your tent down real good and then park your car on it.