Mos_Chillin Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 As a graduate of the small world of Anacortes High, I have seen my share of inbred, backwater big-fish-in-a-small-pond mentality. I have also put up routes in Oregon, Washington and California,climbed all over the western and eastern states, and I gotta say: Some of the worst bolting I have ever encountered is at Erie. Jesus! must have been too much on the mind or let it be known that he wanted more people in heaven when the crap I saw today was thrown into the rock. And the guidebook? Dallas can't even remember which way to spell Hart/Heart Lake from one page to the next, much less draw a decent reference guide. And the "Hard Rock Climbers for Christ" Diatribe on the inside of the back cover? That is just bizarre, Dude. And about as stupid a name as the guidebook "Rockin' on the Rock": really wholesome Christian inspiration there! That must have been quite a bolt from heaven for those two gems! My advice? Move beyond your little world, and truly understand the multiple levels of shittiness you have initiated and supported. And for fucks sake, redo the guidebook when you come back from your real-world experiences and see what an embarrassment it is. Quote
Mos_Chillin Posted August 21, 2006 Author Posted August 21, 2006 The thinking, as imagined, encountered during climbing: " Let's put the bolt just above the slippery crux to protect the last bit of 5.8 to the anchors!" "Hey! I am 6'11", so I'll just plug that sucker in at the end of MY reach!" "Here's the obvious path of least resistence, so I'll just put the bolt over here: a long reach into blank territory, so no-one busts an ankle on that nasty 1/4" ledge they are standing on." "OK, so I am on this long meandering wall, sparsly bolted with mixed gear. Let's spice things up a bit and put the bolts out of sight with other well-bolted route within sight to really mess with folks! Isn't this fun!" Quote
Alpinfox Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 which routes did you do? I've only climbed there once, and while I was completely unimpressed, I don't remember being annoyed by the bolting, just the choss, trash, brush, and confusing "trail" system. Nice views though: Quote
G-spotter Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 I'm certain you could make it better with some Black Barley Bolts and two-link chain link, no bolt hanger, bolt anchors! Quote
celticclimber Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 Mr. Fox....You have labled Mt. Baker as being south of Whidbey Island, on the horizon. You seem to have made a SERIOUS navigational error. No wonder you didn't like the trail system there; you just labled Mt Rainier as Mt. Baker. Mt Baker can be seen in it's entire detailed volcanic self from Mt. Erie. It is located Northeast of Fidalgo Island. Addtionally, With the sun setting, as I imagine it is in your photograph since it is on the OTHER side of the Olys, Mt. Baker would be lit up like a firefly...not a silhouette. ...As for trash, the only trash I see is the NAS on Whidbey. Otherwise, great photo. Quote
Farrgo Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 There are tons of useless and contrived routes there. Although there are many fun ones as well, the powerline wall, a fun short route in the cirque, and some stuff near zig zag. The trail system does suck, and I know where Mt. Baker is! Quote
Klimber Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 I was at Mt Erie this weekend also and over heard a conversation happening in another group of people. There was a girl (A) on rapel and another girl (B) helping her start he rappel. Girl B was really "pushing" girl A to do the rappel even though she wasn't interested in doing it. Girl B at one point even said "you need to do this so you can learn to trust God". I didn't have that guide book but I can't say I was that impressed with Mt. Erie since we had to camp so far away (Deception Pass camp grounds) and the routes weren't that great. Will definitely return though if all the other places continue to be so hot (girlfriend doesn't like anything above 80F). Quote
DirtyHarry Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 "you need to do this so you can learn to trust God". That sounds like a line to use with your sex partner. Quote
slothrop Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 Learning to rappel while on rappel is a good way to get to the front of the line to meet God. The best part about Mt. Erie is the dueling protests at the main intersection in Anacortes. Quote
mattp Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 Learning to rappel while on rappel is a good way to get to the front of the line to meet God. Say what? The only way you can learn to rappel is to rappel. It might be a good idea to belay a new rappeler, but any screwing around with a "practice rappel" that is anything other than an actuall rappel is really a silly waste of time, in my opinion. Seriously. Anybody can learn to clip a pair of ropes into a belay device and practice holding the rope with the right hand or whatever, but you learn absolutely nothing about the core of what is rapelling until you actually do it -- preferably on an overhanging wall. With many cliffs easily approached from above and below, Mt. Erie would be a great place to learn to rappel. Pick something with a huge overhang, and many people new to the activity will indeed be preying to god. Quote
DirtyHarry Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 , but you learn absolutely nothing about the core of what is rapelling until you actually do it -- What exactly IS the core of rappelling? Quote
Sol Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 i've been holding off blasting kloke's book online for a while: HOLY CRAP WHAT A WASTE OF PAPER. ahhh, now i feel a little better. 12 ft 5.3 topropes, and no index. pretty much kloke has united with a power drill with a plan to rap-bolt every square centimeter of rock out there. i've seen the man in action, he just starts rapping and drilling; no tr'ing of the moves, no figuring out the stances for clipping, just rap and bolt. in my opinion his rampant piss-poor bolting is just as bad as chipping. Quote
XXX Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 And the "Hard Rock Climbers for Christ" Diatribe on the inside of the back cover? That is just bizarre, Dude. And about as stupid a name as the guidebook "Rockin' on the Rock": really wholesome Christian inspiration there! That must have been quite a bolt from heaven for those two gems! Jesus is King of kings! Lord of lords! Quote
slothrop Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 Just makin' a little joke, Matt. Clipping someone to a rope and telling them to "trust God" is just as ridiculous as thinking you should learn to rappel on the UW Rock's slab with a belay. I sure wouldn't do either. Back on topic. If you think the new Erie guide is bad, you should see the previous edition. It's less than useless, it's misleading. Quote
fenderfour Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 Having faith in god. It's having faith in rope. Quote
DirtyHarry Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 Or having faith in the two equalized v-threads in shitty aereated snice. Quote
Klimber Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 "you need to do this so you can learn to trust God". That sounds like a line to use with your sex partner. It's rude to not notify people head of time when making such statements. Now get over here and clean the cheeseburger and sprite off my computer monitor. Quote
Klimber Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 Having faith in god. It's having faith in rope. No, The Rope. The Rope of Life. Quote
tivoli_mike Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 i've been holding off blasting kloke's book online for a while: HOLY CRAP WHAT A WASTE OF PAPER. ahhh, now i feel a little better. 12 ft 5.3 topropes, and no index. pretty much kloke has united with a power drill with a plan to rap-bolt every square centimeter of rock out there. i've seen the man in action, he just starts rapping and drilling; no tr'ing of the moves, no figuring out the stances for clipping, just rap and bolt. in my opinion his rampant piss-poor bolting is just as bad as chipping. True, my partner got a good laugh out of all the 20 ' "sport" routes listed. There are definitely some nice lines on the rock but again in the context of a mellow climbing area with beginner to moderate routes with great views... Now the trail system, there is something to bitch about. We were befuddled by the markers that led us a hellacious bushwhack... Quote
Choada_Boy Posted August 21, 2006 Posted August 21, 2006 What about two bolt TR anchors formerly backed up with two bolts? I say formerly because I took the hangers off the offending bolts and bent the studs sideways with a rock. The shit was litter in my mind. If you feel the need to back up bolts with bolts, you probably shouldn't leave the house. Someday soon I'll get down there with a chisel and finish what I started, don't you worry. And aren't bolt hangers supposed to be aligned parallel to the direction of fall, not perpendicularly? Quote
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