Winter Posted May 8, 2003 Posted May 8, 2003 I'm headed to the 'quah to hang with the family for mother's day but want to get in a bit of climbing. I really don't know anyting about the North Bend climbing. Can someone recommend a good place for an afternoon. 5.8-5.11. And what kind of rock is it? I assume its all sport climbing, but should I bring a rack? Thanks. BTW, where is that sweet grantive in Renton again? I gotta check that place out. Quote
erik Posted May 8, 2003 Posted May 8, 2003 go to index! both of those places are sport climbing areas. world wall at exit 32 is your best bet with good rock and a bolt every 3ft in every direction. check out little hitlers, something bomb right next to little hitlers, goddess, sticky and sweet, violent phelgms, the black stone middle routes are .10 left route is .9 and one on arete is .8 reptiles and amphetimines, rainy day women, jugurnaut. climb all those and oyur day will be complete. exit 38 is a waste of time, with the change of you phat lawyer ride gettin broke into....... Quote
Gary_Yngve Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 Exit 32 was quite fun the other day. We had the place completely to ourselves. Many of the routes can be set up with top ropes as well. The rock was a little wet, but that made things more fun! Mmmm... fisting wet cracks... We also got a blank citation for not leaving the parking lot in time, and that they graciously left the gate unlocked (we left at 9:30, though the sign said open until 10:00). Whatev. Quote
JoshK Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 Erik is right. Honestly, I'm not sure why people would go to Exit 38 over Exit 32. Neither is supberb, but I seem to have fun at 32, and it's closer to boot. Quote
eric8 Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 JoshK said: Erik is right. Honestly, I'm not sure why people would go to Exit 38 over Exit 32. Neither is supberb, but I seem to have fun at 32, and it's closer to boot. Dude your totally not factoring in the approach. Its like 25 minutes to the world wall vs. 10 for next 38. Everyone go to exit 38 Quote
Peter_Puget Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 Looking at some of the “good and a couple bad things” about Exit 38 – Good 1 At the remote crags you can get away from people. 2 Great views from the upper crags. 3 Lots of good easy to moderate routes. 4 Some good harder routes as well eg Passage 12a at Valley View East. 5 Lost Resort has some very good .10s and .11s. Downside: 1 Most of the good climbing has a long approach. 2 Ratings all screwed up. Note to Mods: This is another post that would more appropriate for a Rock Climbing forum than the Alpine Lakes forum. PP Quote
fleblebleb Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 People, people. Two things. Wall of Nines, and Nevermind. Five fun easy 9s on the one wall and what, 10+ steep 10a-12a on the other? X38 does not suck. Quote
chucK Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 True enough about Nevermind. It's got the river noise to drown out or mask the freeway noise and you're not climbing directly on a road cut. Let's head up there right now Flebby! (you drive ) All those roadcut craglets definitely suck though. Quote
cman Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 get the new exit 32 guide book. i just got a preview copy and it seems pretty good. it has a bunch of hard climbs i didn't know were there. although some of the routes, cracks, described i remember seeing last year and thinking they were so dirty it looked like they hadn't been climbed in years. also all the grades seemed to be bumped up a little so it is great for ego building/stroking. Quote
Winter Posted May 9, 2003 Author Posted May 9, 2003 Fuck it I'm goin to Index. How long does it take to get there from Quah? Is it faster to go I405 or through Duvall? Quote
chucK Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 erik said: go to index! both of those places are sport climbing areas. world wall at exit 32 is your best bet with good rock and a bolt every 3ft in every direction. check out little hitlers, something bomb right next to little hitlers, goddess, sticky and sweet, violent phelgms, the black stone middle routes are .10 left route is .9 and one on arete is .8 reptiles and amphetimines, rainy day women, jugurnaut. Nameless Tower Route is my favorite. Godflesh is cool too. Quote
Off_White Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 Peter_Puget said: Note to Mods: This is another post that would more appropriate for a Rock Climbing forum than the Alpine Lakes forum. Hah, you've been training me well, because that thought occurred to me when I first saw the thread title... Quote
Peter_Puget Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 OW - As soon as it's set up up and you're moderating not one peron will have to think that way again! PP Quote
vegetablebelay Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 PP - Down with your segregation objectives! We need more harmony in the community - it's all climbing! Quote
Nathanw Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 32 and 38 are nice because they are close. Good for after work. On weekends go to index, leavenworth or there is a bunch of other stuff. Quote
Szyjakowski Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 Nathanw said: 32 and 38 are nice because they are close. Good for after work. On weekends go to index, leavenworth or there is a bunch of other stuff. ltown is way to crowded on weekends.. go to vantage.. nice rock and views...... Quote
catbirdseat Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 I'm trying to get a better handle on just why so many people think that Exit 38 sucks. I heard one explanation that made sense, and that was that the ratings are all screwed up. I believe it. There are 10c routes that I think are easy and 10a routes that are impossible (for me), for example Iguanarama, 5.10a feels like 5.10d or 11a. There is a route called Ultra Mega Crack that is rated 5.8, which is totally ridiculous. It couldn't be harder than 5.6. I'm thinking the other reasons people hate exit 38 is (1) the near total lack of crack climbs, and (2) the slippery nature of the rock and lack of slab routes, although not everyone knows about Interstate Park and Gun Show. Quote
RuMR Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 cman said: get the new exit 32 guide book. i just got a preview copy and it seems pretty good. it has a bunch of hard climbs i didn't know were there. although some of the routes, cracks, described i remember seeing last year and thinking they were so dirty it looked like they hadn't been climbed in years. also all the grades seemed to be bumped up a little so it is great for ego building/stroking. I think you'll find if you get on some of the harder routes, that your assumptions of "bumped up" grades is going the wrong direction...as well as the common "overbolted" theory... Quote
JoshK Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 Actually, the biggest problem with both areas that you just gotta live with is the F*#($kin bugs. I always seem to get eaten alive there cause everything is in the trees. Quote
mattp Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 Catbird- If you don't understand why Exit 38 sucks -- and you've been there -- you must have a different idea of aesthetics than I do. The place is an overcrowded eyesore, next to an interstate in one of the wettest areas within driving range of Seattle. The climbing is certainly challenging, but it is not what I call exciting or imaginative and there is nothing I would call a "great line." Exit 38 is good for a pump after work or when I don't have time to go anywhere else, and my hat is off to the guys who developed it, but it is certainly not a destination climbing area in my view. Quote
catbirdseat Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 I've been to almost all of the areas at Exit 38. I haven't yet been to Exit 32. Yes it is often wet and there are bugs and some of the areas have highway noise, but who's calling it a destination? As a place to go after work, it can't be beat. Who's going to drive to Index after work anyway? As far as overcrowded is concerned, the only crowded areas are the ones with extremely short approaches and all easy routes. If you climb harder stuff you can have it all to yourself. Quote
Alpinfox Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 38 is blocky, unaesthetic stuff. "Rhinoite" or whatever the hell. It's pretty much all bolted climbs. The road noise and gunfire detract from the already mediocre experience. Car prowling is common at the trailhead (this can really ruin your climbing day, week, month, year). 38 is definately a good quick climbing fix due to its proximity, but I second MattP, it's no "destination" area. 2500 posts, wow! Quote
catbirdseat Posted May 9, 2003 Posted May 9, 2003 Not all of it is rhinoite. Some of it is a conglomerate sandstone that is not blocky and very grippy. I agree that the gunfire sucks. I noticed that the gun freaks tend to show up on Friday evenings. Some of them are firing assault rifles and think nothing of popping off about $200 worth of ammo in an evening. Quote
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