daler

Cool pics. Looks like Lilloett is off to a good start!! Remember "In" is a relative term. You can always walk up to the real pitches on Syncro. Looks like the rest of it is good to go. I miss it up there!!

And make sure you get freaky with the Ice tools!!!

Josh, Its down at right of Hot Doggie, below the North Face face of Notch Top!! dale

Enjoy! Kristie Arend on M8 behind Pilsner Dale on Right Weeping Wall!! Kristie on the Seagull- Ghost River Dale on the 1st ascent of "New Beginnings" RMNP Climb Hard and Safe!! Dale

I don't think smith is stiff, I just think alot of other places are soft. I would like to know where those 13/13+ plus climbs that fellow did so quick are at. If they are at Maple canyon or Red River gorge than I would understand. those places are way soft. Rifle is similiar in stiffness to Smith but a way different type of climbing. It all depends on what you are strong at. 13- took me way more tries at Rifle than at Smith so I think rifle is stiffer. Rudy, what ya think? dale

Alex, Did you get a vibe if the snow was falling in the Ghost? Dale

To keep the silverton post going!!! I typical trip in the Cascades: Get off work early on Friday to beat traffic, oops I forgot its immpossible to beat traffic out of the Northwest. Fight traffic for two hours then drive another 2-5 hours to get somewhere good. ( Sure index is close but the season is so short, best to road trip there during the "season"). Arrive in Lilloet to send and find out that 500 climbers from Vancouver and the greater seattle area(not to mention the party of 4 from Kamloops) have beat you on the road because their sportin a bigger SUV than you. You settle for Marble Canyon but can't get on a climb because mountain clubs have 36 topropes setup and are runing TR laps(they do have the right of way over leading) Wankers!!!! Summertime= the same but more traffic Typical trip in Colorado: leave work at 5:30, arrive at destination no later then 6:00 pm Set up camp and have a nice dinner. Get up and run into a couple of Wankers TRing your warmup( Yes Wankers are everywhere) Oh-well move on the other 1,000 routes in close proximity and carry on to have a great day. Next day go up to the Park and put a new mixed route up. A nice trad M6 WI5. I guess Duncan missed this one. Do a couple of Yo Yos on the way out. Hit a couple of rocks .Damm!!! But what can you expect in Mid November. Next Day- Avoid Wankers on Pearl Street and have a great time with Friends up in Estes. On the way home have a great ride at Hall Ranch on My 1,800(pro deal price) dollar mountain bike(almost to warm out). A warm spell- allright: time to make the 3 hours jouney to Rifle to climb on rad limestone. Yeah I just got back from Climbing in spain for 3 weeks and the stone at rifle is as good as any we found at Siurana!!!!! Damm I sure miss that 6 hour drive to Smith. In 5 1/2 hours I'm at the Creek these days!!! Yeah the mountains in the Cascades are rad!! Do I miss them? Fuck yeah. Will I move back? probably not. Are there Wankers with attitudes in CO? Forsure- but this is no different than the Cascades, Just look at all the wankers on this site. if I could I would live in Canmore!!! Duh!!!!! But I can't for now. But i do spend 30-40 days there a winter. Anybody who wants to check out CO can stay at my wife and I's pad. we have a spare Bed and Bath and even have a home woody on the rare chance that the weather is bad!!!! We are 6.5 minutes from Eldo!!!! Vail is not world Class but is definately better than sraping around at Snoquamie pass!!! Yo- Bob!!!! Yeah the Polish one!! Keep up the good work fighting the wankers. Death to the Pope!!! Sometimes we are all wankers. peace, Dale

It can be very solid or really crumbly. I just got back from Spain as well and climbed at Montsant, which is very close to Siurana. Some of it was great and some was crap. I definately did not like it as much as the pure limestone at Siurana. Dale

FYI- Keep in mind that Haffner will probably be closed for the season because of the fires that they had this year. This also goes for the stanley headwall. Huge Bummer!!!! dale

Matt, If avy condition are high it is a good bet that the Ghost will be fine. It is part of what is called the dry range and usually has way less snow and many of the climbs don't have bowls above or below them. You will need to rent a 4x4(pay for the extra no hassle insurance and don't tell them where you went) Wicked Wanda 4+ Malignant mushroom 5 Sorecer 5 Hydrophobia 5+ Good the bad and Ugly 3-5 This house of Sky 3 I have climbed all of these except house of sky and they are all 3 Star. Dale

Matt, The viper with fangs will fit in the BD Ice packs. I have a pair and have been using them with my BD packs. Dale

Actually many people wrongly tie the bowline by finishing the tail on the wrong side. Not giving you a hard time Erik!!!!

Here is some more, daler low on Mt huntington Hal burning is calves Hal and bill lovin their belay

Here is one I took on the west face!!

I got two copies. Start the bidding!!! dale

I second the lower town wall!! what a magical place with so much history. If I could have a crag in my backyard it would be the lower town wall. A close second would be the dihedrals of smith. dale

Alex, The Sabertooth is the best all around crampon made. It will alpine climb, waterice climb with the best of them and it mixed climbs very well. If I were to only own one crampon it would be the sabertooth. dale

Jens, Don't get to cocky on the rating. I think Guru is solid M9. I have not climbed it but I have climbed M9 in CO,and many M8s in Canada, and have climbed alot with the first acensionist of Guru. Remember M8 is not considered hard these days. The ratings in WA are right on, Probably a little stiffer than CO and very close to Canadian Rockies. Those routes are great for WA. I agree with Bob. These routes will do more for the individual who embraces them then those that don't. I played a major role in developing the Tool shed and yes the routes are short. But they do have ice and they are super fun. The left hand route is call Anialator WI6 M7+, the righthand route is Gorilla Bar and is M8. The next route is unnamed and was left as a Toperope problem from the Tabasco Kidd anchors. Tabasco Kidd is the Ice climb on the right and is WI 4 in early season and quickly turns to grade 3 in most years. It has bolt achors and one can lower and clip one directional bolt for the top rope problem. Dale

Dox, I think a BD stopper size 9 fits most 3/8 nuts and can give you a little more leverage then just turning it with your fingers. Try the sizes and double check what size it is. dale

1- onsighting the leftside of the split pillar!!! fuck yeah 2- Climbing the Replicant with my buds Steve and Roger!!! super fuck yeah 3- Climbing the Smear of Fear on the diamond- way super fuck yeah cool!!! Dale

I forgot to mention i have no problem with bolting. Just overbolting!!! dale

Bob, Your posts are always so helpful for my understanding of climbing. thank you. I'm concerned because I still climb and work in the northwest, And some of the areas in WA are on state park land and as climbing grows access will be an issue. And as to the amount of spray in boulder. Ha Ha. Way worse in the northwest!!! I was worried at first but surprised how little it is an issue here. May Your ice be good and your picks stick!!!! cheers Dale

I must be honest a say I did not read every single post in this forum. But I do think something has to be done about the overbolting issue. I recently moved to boulder colorado but still hold the northwest true to my heart and spend alot of time climbing ther in the summers. I think the northwesties should take a real look at forming a committee that will oversee new route and retro activity. Since climbing in Eldorodo canyon I have much respect for such a group. All new routes and retro activity have to go through the ACE committee. It is comprised of 30 year trad climbers, 10 year sport geeks and new sport gym climbers. New routes are allowed and some old routes are allowed to have bolts added if they truely dangerous. Eldo is a great example because many new routes would go in if a free for all were allowed. But new route activity is slow and careful consideration is used to preserve the rock for posterity. There are way to many bolts in the northwest and it is only getting worse. Places like leavenworth are so pathetic now that I won't even go there. I love sport climbing and will continue to clip bolts!! But don't overuse them. Routes should be bolted to be led not toproped! A bolt every 4 feet is not Ok. Close to ground Yes but up High one must lead. Get a grip and fix the epidemic!! my 2 cents Dale Remsberg

sorry for the small pics. here are the big ones. dale

12a at the creek 12a at squamish Same grade.Way different dificulty. Although I was pysched I onsighted the left side of the split!!