George, WA - Ancient Lakes Ice Climbing

Cold temperatures in the Columbia River gorge allow some of the seeps around the Ancient Lakes to freeze up. With the sunny forecast and a sick day at work ;) what better way to work off a cold...did I just say that?!?

This stuff is good for a work out and the views aren't too bad either. Sarah's first time out to swing picks and she now knows the meaning of pumped once again.

North Bend, WA - Exit 38 Ice

Peaking thru the trees 'Early Morning Meeting' awaits

No one could really say this is the best ice climbing in our humble state but heck it is close to the city and once a year things seem to become more 'solid' as a cold snap appears in early December. This route just left of CYA is unnamed but for good reason I call it "Early Morning Meeting", WI3. At 7am I my CC partner and I are trudging up the path to the trestle around Exit 38. Looking at the formations we decide this one it "in". I lead (aka solo) the thing putting in stubbies that bottom out on the rock underneath. Falling is not an option unless a trip to the ER is in the schedule. A top out to slings above and we have a fun and challenging local route. Conditions vary wildly so take it all in par.

A thin curtain call

A big happy anchor

What a meeting! Is there anymore coffee??

That rope needs to be fixed

One more time, please?

Darrington, WA - Spring Mountain

With the threat of cooler wetter weather upon us, thoughts of squeaking in one more route was swirling in my head. I'd been up to check out a somewhat newer climbing area called Spring Mountain a few weeks prior and spotted what looked like a nice climb. Other Side of Tracks is a 5 pitch 5.10 of mixed nature although it is predominantly bolts; Camalots .4 - 2 does nicely and covers everything on this route.

My friend Sunil picked up a gig in Hong Kong so it would be a slim chance that I would get to see him in the near future to climb. I rung him and he was easy prey for an early meet at the PnR. Sarah was also on board as she is always ready to go and hit it with her endless appetite for stone.

The route is pleasant with an interesting overlap on pitch 1 and a spicy fun finish to that pitch. The money pitch is the 3rd and it keeps giving nice holds and smears. 3 of us finished up in under 4 hours and down in about 1 hr. Go give'er a run and enjoy the solitude.

Thanks Sunil and Sarah for getting out and enjoying a beautiful day doing what we love!

Sunil wondering if he's going to get the infamous Topher epic adventure - home by 6pm dude!

Sarah leads us off today - never mind the moss it is 'off route'

Must recall spicy move, que?

This is the man himself - stylin P1

...with ease brotha...

Steeper P1 finish

Sunil enjoys his pitch 3

Keep'in eyes on the lead man cause he is movin smooth - note snow on hills

What I'm watching

Trouble brewing in the back :)

View from P3 belay of the valley below

P4 was a bit short

Racing to the finish -last pitch

Making our way down

One happy climber

The Spring Mountain Club

A little time to spend contemplating the beauty of this place, the flow of our lives and the constant state of change.

Washington Pass, WA - Lexington Tower, East Face

A late season foray to the pass to finish off one of the routes that had been sitting on my tick list. Sarah joined me for a fun outing and her first serious alpine adventure. For some reason she enjoys the off widths and found it rather comical when I dropped the #5 Camalot, my only BIG piece, during the wide section of the route. However, I was not the only one to have a mishap as we discovered on the summit that Sarah's shoe was swallowed by one of the off widths. Being a good sport she ran down Blue Lake Trail in her climbing shoes.

Sarah leading off on pitch 3

Almost at the belay - them roofs look big!

Let Toph tackle that wide stuff...

Traversing time

Summit party

Leavenworth, WA - Castle Rock

I rallied home after dealing with the goons at the border and another cavity search for no good reason but still didn't make it before o'dark thirty in the morning. I promised to meet Sarah for some climbing in Leavenworth and was up before I had a chance to lay down. On Hwy 2 with lots of coffee, little did I know it was going to be in the upper 90's in Leavenworth today. We met at Castle and hiked up to the lower section to dispatch Mr.Clean, 10c as a warm up. Shortly after we jumped on the classic Brass Balls, 10b which neither of us seemed to have as I got up most of the route but upon reaching the last roof felt really dizzy, little did I know but severe dehydration was setting in. The temperatures were soaring at this point and I hadn't been drinking much at all. Sarah set up to give it a go and fared slightly better by getting gear in over the roof but she wasn't prepared to send it. After lowering her we both struggled in the blistering heat to stay awake and not pass out. The water I did bring was already hot and did little to cool us. It wasn't until the sun moved around and off the face that I could muster the energy to finish the route. Once down we waded into the Wenatchee River to stand in the icy cool water and watch the sun set.

Nice anchor setup eh?

Somebody is all smiles

Mr.Clean gets a go

Sisters, OR - South Sister Mountain

South Sister from Green Lake ~6600ft

(click to enlarge)

South Sister Mountain - 10,358 ft.

South Sister is the tallest of the Three Sisters, looming above Middle and North Sister and is also the third tallest mountain in the state of Oregon. It contains a lake that sits right near the summit, Teardrop Pool, which is the highest lake in Oregon and holds the distinction for hosting the largest glacier in Oregon, the Prouty Glacier.

The day after we climbed Broken Top we headed out in a clear blue sky to climb the South Sister. The long South Ridge route is joined by walking to the southernmost tip of the lake and crossing the outlet on a rock/log bridge. Then continue hiking west until you are able to see a climbers trail picking its way up a loose gravel gully. Climb up this for a few hundred feet and it will flatten out into a nice trail on the left of a small creek. This trail continues practically due west along the south edge of the Lewis Glacier for another two miles or so. Before long, you will be able to see the main trail on the south ridge several hundred feet above you. Eventually, the climber's trail reaches a small cirque lake at about 8850 feet and joins with the standard South Ridge route. A fun day but it definitely requires one to be in good physical shape.

Green Lakes variation to the South Ridge

C & C looking up the long slope to the ridge line

Taking a break on the South Ridge with Broken Top behind

Continuing on to the summit up the scree

Pope crossing through the crater and over frozen Tear Drop Pool

Summit ~10,385ft

Looking south from the summit - left: Broken Top; center: Mt Bachelor

Parting shot on the way down...