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bee nest at exit 38, gunshow endless bliss


markwebster

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I'm sitting here soaking my swollen foot in icewater after both of us, and a dog got bit by angry bees at the base of endless bliss at gunshow wall, exit 38 yesterday. I think they came out of the ground as we came up from the freeway. This is the second trip up there where someone got stung so there must be some kind of a nest in the ground. They were very angry, trying to bite through clothing over and over. My damn foot is so swollen it's hard to walk. Guess I'm a bit allergic to them.

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I'm sitting here soaking my swollen foot in icewater after both of us, and a dog got bit by angry bees at the base of endless bliss at gunshow wall, exit 38 yesterday. I think they came out of the ground as we came up from the freeway. This is the second trip up there where someone got stung so there must be some kind of a nest in the ground. They were very angry, trying to bite through clothing over and over. My damn foot is so swollen it's hard to walk. Guess I'm a bit allergic to them.

 

I recall that the nest is not at the base of Endless Bliss but rather a bit to the East. If you approach via the normal trail and not from the freeway you should be ok. In any event the Bliss route is not really that good, play it safe and climb the line two routes to the left. Up a steep blocky section and then a nice slab. A long pitch and (rare for 38) a quality route.

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Endless Bliss not that good? It's the best route at Exit 38! Okay not that great compared to other places, but still by far the best at Exit 38.

 

I disagree. It is longish but that's about it. Slab moves are cheatable with holds, it would only be rated 5.7-5.8 at Darrington, is over-bolted, is often occupied, and freeway noise is LOUD. I will refrain from rattling off a long list of better (IMHO) X38 climbs as this thread is about wasps.

 

I am with Dru: wasps are not bees. One key difference is that bees have barbs on the end of the stingers so they can only sting once, their bodies are torn apart after they sting you, and they die shortly thereafter. Wasps have barbless stingers, can sting more than once, and tend to have meaner dispositions, perhaps relating to the low cost of stinging you. Still, you have my sympathy. My wife and I stumbled on a nest above little Si and were chased down the trail hundreds of yards. We each got four stings that hurt for days.

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Endless Bliss not that good? It's the best route at Exit 38! Okay not that great compared to other places, but still by far the best at Exit 38.

 

I disagree. It is longish but that's about it. Slab moves are cheatable with holds, it would only be rated 5.7-5.8 at Darrington, is over-bolted, is often occupied, and freeway noise is LOUD. I will refrain from rattling off a long list of better (IMHO) X38 climbs as this thread is about wasps.

 

I am with Dru: wasps are not bees. One key difference is that bees have barbs on the end of the stingers so they can only sting once, their bodies are torn apart after they sting you, and they die shortly thereafter. Wasps have barbless stingers, can sting more than once, and tend to have meaner dispositions, perhaps relating to the low cost of stinging you. Still, you have my sympathy. My wife and I stumbled on a nest above little Si and were chased down the trail hundreds of yards. We each got four stings that hurt for days.

 

This is the time of year when those little bastards turn real mean. Best to hike with a can of wasp killer to exact revenge on them.

 

 

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The nest is definitely wasps not bees. I got stung by the same wasp about three times, once on the achilles and twice on the knee. My climbing partner got swarmed and was stung way more than that.

 

The nest is right on the trail about 20 or so yards past Endless Bliss, just as it starts to drop downhill.

 

I agree with Peter Puget that the 5.9 to the left of Endless Bliss is really cool and varied, one of the best in the area IMO.

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This is the time of year when those little bastards turn real mean. Best to hike with a can of wasp killer to exact revenge on them.

 

 

Welcome back KaskadskyjKozak!

 

 

Yup, it's that time. Last year I got over 300 stings while on rappel. I had a ground spotter @ 300' down and about a 1/4 mile back who said he could clearly see the wasps with his bare eyes, which was a pretty large cloud, rise up and envelope me...... and then the little girl screams and crying commenced:-)

 

Seemed that way to me anyway, he said I was yelling and wildly waving my arms is all...

 

The bastards didn't know that I had killed a nest of their buddies on the trail the previous week after they'd jumped me, the can was still in my car a short hike away...(cue Jaws music as the raid can approaches), partner did the round trip for the spray and we rapped back down and did them all in. Bastards. I checked this year that every MFing one of those assholes was still dead.

 

They were.

 

They leave me alone, I'll leave them alone, but if they go for me, they'd better finish me off, or I'm coming for them. Every damn one of them. That's my policy and attitude.

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The bastards! I was with tradhead and got stung 7-8 times in a matter of seconds. Never saw the nest, or the wasps themselves for that matter, I was running and yelling in pain, hopefully not girly yells. Also a bit allergic, I was swollen for a few days. Now I will bring some benadryl when I go climbing so if I get stung I can decrease the swelling as well as take a nice nap while on belay duty.

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