catbirdseat Posted March 16, 2007 Posted March 16, 2007 (edited) Trip: Castle Rock, Tumwater Canyon - Several Date: 3/15/2007 Trip Report: After a scenic drive on Hwy 2, Roboboy and I arrived to an empty parking lot. The temperature was 35 degrees F. Decided to make for Logger's ledge on the theory that it would be warmer up higher. It actually was. There were mountain bike tracks in the patches of snow on the trail. Some lunatic thought it was a good idea to ride down. Of course he cut off the trail in several places. Though you have to admire the skill that it takes to do that sort of thing. We decided on Saber for starters, since it faces east. Roboboy led off on the route for the first time in 29 years. He still knows every route on Castle Rock and didn't need any guide book to tell him which way to go. As I pulled up to the belay on Saber Ledge, the sun peeked wanly through a stratus layer, enough to warm us up a bit. Rob remarked that he'd wished he'd accepted my earlier offer of extra slings. After a brief lunch break, we decided to follow the sun around to the south and do Winter Solstice. This fine route doesn't get done nearly as often as the adjacent route, Midway. It's a little harder, but really fun, and protects quite well. Just watch out for rope drag. As I was belaying I saw a couple guys walk up and start up Midway. Turns out it was Rob McDan and partner Mike (Triggerhappy), for his first ever trip up Castle Rock. With the two of them on top of Jello Tower, we decided to follow. Rob seemed to find (and clip) every ancient piton still left on the route and was convinced that we were on the original Midway route. Returning to the parking lot, we found Rob was having car trouble. We tried push starting his VW camper and then jump starting, but nothing seemed to work. Mike was anxious to hit the Snow Lake Trail to start a six day solo backpacking trip to the Enchantments, so when the DOT Incident Response truck came by, we took the young fellow to the Icicle. Hope they got the van going. Stopping at Heidelburger on the way home, I found their SOTB Chicken Sandwich to be delectable. Hit snow at Blewett Pass and rain the rest of the way home. It was pouring rain in North Bend. I had heard a group was headed out to Exit 38 after work. I wonder how that turned out? Gear Notes: Standard rack Approach Notes: Snow patches on trail. Rock was perfectly dry. Edited March 16, 2007 by catbirdseat Quote
rob Posted March 16, 2007 Posted March 16, 2007 Battery was dead and carbs were flooded. DOT guy got me back up and running, he could have jumpstarted frankenstein with that rig. Thanks for taking Mike to the TH for me. Quote
roboboy Posted March 16, 2007 Posted March 16, 2007 Winter Solstice route from yesterday: Topping out on Midway 1976 Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted March 16, 2007 Posted March 16, 2007 Rock climbing??? I've forgotten how to do that, you mind teaching me agian CBS :tup: Quote
roboboy Posted March 16, 2007 Posted March 16, 2007 Dan Smith was there first. Both great partners. Quote
catbirdseat Posted March 16, 2007 Author Posted March 16, 2007 (edited) Rock climbing??? I've forgotten how to do that, you mind teaching me agian CBS :tup: You already know how to do that part about catching falls. I remember something about someone falling off the start of Winter Solstice before they got any pro in. You start that route by going up an easy ramp from the left. You can get pro part way up, but if you put it in there, you are just setting yourself up for some heinous rope drag later on, so it's just best to skip it but be very careful not to fall. Accident Link Edited March 16, 2007 by catbirdseat Quote
DPS Posted March 16, 2007 Posted March 16, 2007 How did those Camalots and Aliens treat you Rob? (McDan) Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted March 16, 2007 Posted March 16, 2007 You already know how to do that part about catching falls. Remind me not to go onto any glaciers with you anytime soon Quote
pup_on_the_mountain Posted March 16, 2007 Posted March 16, 2007 Dan Smith was there first. Glad to see you're back on the rocks Dan . Quote
roboboy Posted March 16, 2007 Posted March 16, 2007 He may not be yet, the photo was from a few years ago. Quote
pup_on_the_mountain Posted March 16, 2007 Posted March 16, 2007 I noticed that the picture was possibly from Chair Pk, isn't it? I thought if Dan was out there in L'worth, he should've been out climbing. Well.. get back on the rock soon if you haven't yet Dan! Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted March 16, 2007 Posted March 16, 2007 Dan was out with us at Exit 38 once last year. :tup: He's been after it seredipituously [sic?] for a bit now :tup: Quote
DPS Posted March 17, 2007 Posted March 17, 2007 (edited) Dan Smith was there first. That photo was indeed from Chair Peak. I was at work when Robooy, CBS and RobMcDan were out having fun in L'worth. I have not been climbing since I broke my leg, in fact I lent out my ice tools and rock rack. Thanks for the good wishes. Edited March 17, 2007 by danielpatricksmith Quote
catbirdseat Posted March 17, 2007 Author Posted March 17, 2007 I almost broke my leg once falling off a ladder whilst painting Dan's house in Tacoma. Fortunately, I landed like a cat, but the paint splattered all over the roof. I managed to clean it all up before Dan and wife returned home. I had to fess up to my mishap, as the roof and porch were still wet from the hose down. I don't think Dan was overly impressed with my skills as a painter. Quote
rob Posted March 17, 2007 Posted March 17, 2007 How did those Camalots and Aliens treat you Rob? (McDan) Thanks for the loan. That yellow alien is my new best friend. I've got to get me a set. I have not been climbing since I broke my leg, in fact I lent out my ice tools and rock rack. Thanks for the good wishes. How's the ankle? Say the word, I'll blow off work and we can go hit up Index sometime. I'll bring the rack Quote
underworld Posted March 17, 2007 Posted March 17, 2007 Topping out on Midway 1976 you can see that the tumwater glacier has actually grown in the past 30 years... Quote
roboboy Posted March 17, 2007 Posted March 17, 2007 also interesting to note that climber's vehicles are in about the same running condition Quote
Bug Posted March 19, 2007 Posted March 19, 2007 (edited) I almost broke my leg once falling off a ladder whilst painting Dan's house in Tacoma. Fortunately, I landed like a cat, but the paint splattered all over the roof. I managed to clean it all up before Dan and wife returned home. I once dropped a row of bricks off a third story roof. When I looked down, their dog was standing by the bricks looking up at me wagging his tail. Some game eh Fido? On another occaision, I was taking out a tree for a friend. It fell wrong and backsnapped toward me. I was in thick brush with one way out and it was right in the path of the falling tree top. I ran as fast as I could and I would have beat it if I hadn't snagged a foot on a blackberry branch and landed flat on my face. I knew it was "be quick or die" so I instantly sprang into the brush. The tree top missed me by a couple inches. My friend's wife witnessed the whole thing. They didn't ask me to take out any more trees. Edited March 19, 2007 by Bug Quote
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