Where has summer gone?

[Off_White]

Hey Steve, is that first shot from in the Gibraltar Rock corridor, two 3/8" buttonheads with stainless hangers to get up to the crack?

[stevetimetravlr]

Yes. It had 2 new stainless bolts on it to get to the crack and is on Picnic Table Rock which is right next to Gibraltar.

The climb is The Great Tradition, has a couple 10a moves above the bolts to get to the crack which is about 5.7

Other photo is out deep water soloing from a boat. There are some incredible deep water solo climbs there, especially on the far side of the lake across from the Orange Wall.

[Off_White]

Heh, my buddy Steve Grossman and I put that up years ago, possibly the first route on that wall. We called it something like "Karma Mechanic goes to Banks Lake" or some such, part of a series of Karma Mechanic routes scattered about the west, but the guidebook author's name for it is just fine by me. Last time I was out there it looked like no one had been on it in ages, folks just did the nearby clip ups, so it's great to see a little traffic.

 

We ran into Bryan Burdo out there that weekend, drilling and cleaning on Roadside Rock by himself. We laughed guessing it was the first time in the history of Banks that two unrelated climbing parties had ever run into each other out there.

[stevetimetravlr]

Its a nice route! Thank you sir, may I have another!! The bolts look brand new. I got the name and route info. from the Rock Climbs of Central WA guide. There are some really great climbs at Banks now. I am very impressed with the area and the sticky granite.

Planning on kayaking over to the Orange Wall this Fall for a few days and doing routes on that beautiful wall and surrounding terrain.

[sobo]

Heh, my buddy Steve Grossman and I put that up years ago, possibly the first route on that wall.

Really, OW? I thought the first route was Gibraltar Wall, or Rock of Gibraltar, or something like that. It was the line on the far, far left of that section of crag that went up a left-leaning crack to a nasty-looking roof. There was red tat on a FP below the roof way back in 1991 or 92, IIRC. Was that you, too? If so, fine lead!

[stevetimetravlr]

The route discussed earlier in the photo is on the Picnic Lunch Wall, not Gibraltar Rock. Its across the meadow from Gibraltar Rock.

[Off_White]

What Steve said: we didn't do anything on Gibraltar back then. I'm a little fuzzy on the year, but I think it was 1990. We also did a grotty 5.8 crack to the right of this one (it never made the guide, prolly still awaiting another ascent), and a nifty 11a left of Prime Cut, out on an island. That one, "The Men Of Banks Lake", had a really cool smooth quartz lined tips crack at the top, though the balancy face at the bottom is the crux (shares anchor with Prime Cut).

[sobo]

Ah, my bad! Poor reading comprehension today - only 3 hours of sleep last night.

Having a new GF comes with its own share of problems...

 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanyways, that makes sense now. I've been on your Picnic Lunch Wall route, then. And I think I may have the 2nd ascent of your grotty 5.8 crack. It all certainly does look familiar. BTW, is the place still gated off at the picnic table, except to "equestrians"? WTF is up with that? Who is the Keeper of the Key?

[kukuzka1]

Does GF mean gay freind?

[sobo]

Does GF mean gay freind?

No, it does not. Not that there's anything wrong with that...

Now quit being a douchebag.

[stevetimetravlr]

Its not gated until after hours but the equestrian corral is still there.

[sobo]

Huh... Is it a seasonal locking, then? Cuz I've been up there during daylight hours, on a weekday, in the spring, and the damned gate has been locked. What pissed me off more than it being locked was the sign that hung on the gate: "Access for Equestrians Only" or somesuch bullshit. This was a coupla years ago.

It made me

[stevetimetravlr]

If its locked,you can always just park right outside the gate and walk in. You can only drive in a couple hundred feet anyway. I don't think it sees much equestrian use.

[sobo]

Yeah, I know. I just hop the fence/gate now. But we used to car camp in that little meadow years ago. It was like our own private Joshua Tree - camping right at the climbs, ya know? Now we have to camp elsewhere. You know of any free spots that are secure during the day while one is away climbering?