Fog

It was another decent weekend in Leavenworth, although it definitely feels like winter there even though the snow hasn't begun to fall. It gets dark in the canyons before five these days, and a thick cloud hung over the valley the entire weekend. We managed to get some climbing in on Saturday, then camped and had a decent day finding dry rock on Sunday. In the morning, we were up above the clouds, but unfortunately, all the boulders were in the clouds... Kyle the newlywed made it out on Sunday morning, and it was great to climb with him, as well as Joel, Michelle, and Cortney. Jens and SchickD even made an appearance in the afternoon. After hanging out at the Pony Ride for a while and watching Joel crush Johnny's problem on the Cotton Pony Pointer, we headed into the Tumwater Canyon to climb at the Pitless Avocado area. It was getting dark when we made it to the boulders, but we had plenty of people and plenty of pads. Kyle sent the burly low start to the Pitless Avocado for its second ascent, a problem that's off-limits to most of us because of the 6-foot dyno required... Jens and I worked on the stand start for a while and I managed to pull it off, which made my trip goal of one climb I hadn't done before. I was glad to climb the Pitless Avo in the traditional style, that is, at night... Kyle put the problem up in the dark, and most subsequent ascents I know of have been made by headlamp. With the loose, 25-foot top-out over logs and boulders, it's probably beneficial to have your vision limited to a small circle immediately in front of your face. We finished up with a group session on Slingblade, grabbed a burger, and headed back into the city. I've been completely swamped with school and thoughts about impending summer job applications this week, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it out again this weekend. I'm going to miss Leavenworth this winter...

Two views from the top 'o' the hill

Michelle coming super close on Slice of Cake

Joel Crushing on The Cotton Pony Pointer

Goin' Climbing...

I'm going climbing this weekend and I'm psyched! Hopefully I can finish work in time to climb a bit on Saturday...

River Boulder Afternoon

Wednesday afternoon I cut out of school after class and went to the River Boulders. Johnny called in sick to work and came along - I think we both needed to take advantage of the break in the rain and do a bit of climbin'. We only got a few hours of climbing in before the sun set, but it was really nice to be outdoors and we both got our fair share of climbing. I tried Chutzpah a bit, but had a really tough time with it. I think the peely, thin "condition" of my skin greatly reduces the amount of friction they can create. I usually have almost no visible fingerprints... A fact which doesn't really manifest on Leavenworth's grainy stone, but makes itself painfully obvious on the glassy rock of the river boulders. At least I don't have to wear gloves when I'm out committing crimes...

"The arc of the railroad tracks is long, but it bends toward the river boulders..."

The Chutzpah boulder

Me warming up

Me, psyched

Johnny attempting some toe-hook funkiness

Halloween

Last weekend Cortney and I headed over to Leavenworth for some Haloween festivies at Jessica Campbell's house in Peshastin. It was a great time, complete with fire and beer. The monkeys were in full regalia, although only Jessica was spooky really. The rain held out for the evening, but by the time we woke up on Saturday morning it was wet and crappy out.

We headed up the misty Icicle in search of dry stone, but there wasn't much to be found. Cortney and I ran into Ralph and Kyle O'Meara, father/son dream team, and then headed over to Little Bridge Creek Wall with Jens, SchickD, and Kyle. Dick Cilley's Gutbuster was completely dry despite the rain, as was The Lefty, a beautiful boulder problem climbing to an obvious horizontal near the base of the cliff. We hung out for a few hours to flail on Gutbuster, flail on the lefty, and enjoy the tiny zone of dryness next to the cliff. I think I managed the only send of the day with the possible FA of the dirty, sandy Butguster, which traverses left along the low ledge at the base of the cliff from The Lefty to Gusbuster.

We spent Saturday night at the Peshastin House on High Street, then after a slow breakfast at the Renaissance Cafe, stoped by the Swiftwater Cave to see if it was dry. It wasn't. Several consecutive days of rain had completely saturated the spongy schist, and Cortney and I headed back to Seattle, rejected. I spent Sunday night in the library and that was the end of the weekend...

James says I should diversitize my portfolio

$10,000 reward for Jens

K9 Cop Officer Honcho

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!

Jessica's Wonderful Backyard

SchickD on Gusbuster

Fall Colors on Sunday

Me'n'Cortney

October Video

Here's a short video I made of Adam Healey, Johnny, and I climbing in Leavenworth. It shows Johnny on the first ascent of Pierce Brosnan, and me climbing on the Swiftwater Cave and the stand to Dirty Dude. Enjoy!

The Last Fall Weekend...

Here are some pictures from last weekend... the main event was Johnny getting the FA of the dihedral above the fridge, now known as Pierce Brosnan, as well as the new-FA of Joel Campbell's Dirty Dude, which broke last summer. I'm keeping this one short and sweet, so here are the pics...

Michelle in the Swiftwater Cave

Adam Attempting Pierce Brosnan

Johnny's Flappers

Adam Doing Some Campfire Training

Michelle Climbing on Fuzz Wall

Johnny On The Ladder Proj

Dimitry On The Ladder Proj