Leavenworth Pics

Cortney and I have made it out to Leavenworth during the last two weekends, and have had lots of fun adventures. I'm continually amazed at the amount of new development occurring in the Icicle; there are probably three or four new small areas that have popped up this spring.

Wonderful SceneryKeri Warming Up at the Machine Gun

One really nice area that was developed last season is the Domestic Boulders, perched on the sloping hillside above the Domestic Dome crag. This is a wonderful area that seems to be the first of many mini-clusters found on top of existing roped-climbing crags. The approach is long by Icicle standards, but still only ten minutes or so, and there are a handful of fantastic problems - mostly established by the indomitable Kyle O'Meara. The problem names are all a bit strange, but the climbing is fantastic. Cortney and I returned to this area last weekend with our good friends Joe and Keri, and I was excited to finally climb Kyle's five star problem Domestic Violence - I had heard lots of good things about it, but hadn't seen it since Kyle established it.

Me on Domestic ViolenceThe Domestic BouldersCortney and Keri on Bootin' DookieThe Balls Wall - Future Hard, Dangerous Problems

Another fun area is the Scat Boulders, a spread-out upper Icicle area that is roughly a twenty minute hike from the road. I visited this area a few weeks ago with Drew Shick and Max Hasson, and was impressed both with the stone and with the basic fact that there are boulders that far up the hillside!

Drew Schick on Two Scat Boulders Problems

Finally, the whole group of monkeys put up a few problems two weeks ago on a boulder about 100 yards uphill from the Cotton Pony Pointer. This steep wall could offer a few more climbs if someone gets excited to do the cleaning...

Joel Above The C.P.P.

I'll cut this short because I have an exam this coming week, but I wanted to share some pictures of our adventures... Hope everyone has been getting outdoors!

Gold Bar Access Update

I attended the DNR Access meeting two weeks ago, and there was a decent climber turnout. We had six people there, and were the second-best-represented user group (to ORV users). The meeting was a frank and open discussion about which areas will be open to motorized use, which will be open for non-motorized uses, and how DNR plans to balance user groups within each area. Erik Hirst posted a detailed write-up of the meeting on RCNW.net.

DNR plans to open the motorized areas to ORVs on June 20, 2010. The good news is that the road up to the clearcut is generally within the non-motorized use area. Unfortunately, this is also the bad news.

The Clearcut

DNR's Reiter Foothills Area extends along the North side of the Sky Valley from Wallace Falls State Park to the top of the Index Town Wall. The bulk of Gold Bar's bouldering is North (uphill) of the Reiter Foothills Area, on private land owned by Manke Timber company. Manke Timber has expressed their approval of climbers' use of the area, but the road to the clearcut traverses about a mile of DNR land before hitting private property. Because DNR faces many contentious user group issues within the Reiter Foothills Area, and because climbers are just a small blip on the state's radar, providing climbers with access to private property is not a high priority for DNR.

DNR's current plan is to keep the dirt road closed at Reiter Road and place a non-motorized trailhead at the Reiter Pit. This would mean that we would be hiking to the clearcut. An alternative plan would be for DNR to place the trailhead just past the powerlines, where the May Creek Road and the road to the clearcut diverge. If DNR doesn't block the road to the clearcut, we could drive up the hill. Given the ORV community's poor history of complying with rules in the Reiter area, however, DNR may see this alternative as an invitation to off-roaders to 'poach' the road to the clearcut. With some good advocacy and persistence, hopefully climbers will be able to convince the state of the merits of this idea: climbers would get access to a unique and regionally important resource, and could assist with enforcement efforts in the area, and the timber company could exercise their legal easement to access their property.

Thanks to everyone for their interest, and to the couple of NW Granite readers who showed their willingness to be involved in this process. One of our next steps will be to write a letter to officials higher up in the state administration asking them to kindly recognize our interest in the area. I'll continue to post updates here, as well as any action items that come up as we move forward.

Reiter Foothills Focus Group Meeting

This is a short-notice announcement, but I wanted to alert everyone to an important meeting regarding the state Department of Natural Resources' planning process in the Reiter Foothills Area (used to access the Gold Bar bouldering).

There is a focus group meeting tomorrow, Wednesday April 28, in Everett that will discuss the various motorized and non-motorized options the DNR is considering in implementing their recreation plan for the Reiter Foothills area. It looks like there is a real chance that the road to the clearcut will remain closed indefinitely, and will be available for non-motorized access only. While this will prevent the clear-cut from being overrun with rock crawler machines, it means that climbers will have to continue hiking up the hill to access Gold Bar's fantastic bouldering. I'll be attending the meeting with Jonah Harrison and hopefully a few others to try and convince state officials to open the road to non-ORV users in order to better facilitate non-motorized access to the climbing, to Lake Isabel, and to the greater Snoqualmie National Forest in general.

It would be great if a number of climbers could show up at this meeting and make our voices heard. Here is the info from DNR:

Wednesday, April 28, 7:00 to 8:00 P.M.
Public Meeting Room #2 – West Side
Snohomish County Administrative Offices
3000 Rockefeller Ave
Everett, WA
For more information, contact Stan Kurowski at 360-854-2855

You can find information about the DNR's recreation plan for the Reiter Foothills area here.

Hope to see some of you there!

Springtime in Little Bavaria

Cortney and I have made it out to Leavenworth the last two weekends, which has been wonderful... the weather has been perfect (minus some early-morning rain), and we have been climbing on lots of new rocks. We have been climbing with lots of good friends and it has been really nice to get away from the city and the stress of school.

The Man, The Mystery, The Magic: Max Hasson

The L-Town monkeys discovered some boulders on the river directly below Icicle Buttress, at an area called The Dock that has yielded four or five quality problems.

Jeff on Fish and ChipsJohnny on Cool WhipJeff on Starboard AreteIsaac on Ready Whip

We also spent a day at the Labyrinth area, climbing on some new problems from last season and trying a new problem or two; especially noteworthy is Joel Campbell's problem The Nine Iron, an obvious five-star line that climbs a steep overhang in a few really tough moves. The Nine Iron is up and right from the area with Becky's Problem, about a five minute walk uphill and towards town on the downhill side of a smallish-looking boulder.

Joel and Johnny on The Nine IronDrew Schick on a New Line Next to GirlfunkCortney and Drew on Ballet

In other news, Johnny recently did the first ascent of the Tornado Arete at the Carnival Boulders. This is one of Leavenworth's 'last great projects,' and is without a doubt one of the hardest climbs in the area. Nice job Johnny! Additional congrats go to Drew Schick for recently sending the Practitioner. Nice job Drew! It has already been a good spring season, and I look forward to the development the coming summer months will bring... Hope everyone has been getting out!

Cortney on Sunshine DaydreamCassie BearJeff on Filibuster - B.D. is Psyched

Bishop Part II

Here's a video and a few more pics from our trip to Bishop. A great time...

I've been really busy recently, but there is some recent development in Leavenworth that I'll report on in a few days. New boulders! I hope everyone has been getting out - spring is here in full force!

Me Climbing Pow Pow

Me, Cortney, and Joel Zerr on the Bowling PinJoel Zerr Posted UpMe on Soul SlingerCortney on Strength in NumbersCortney and IMe on the Painted Cave - Best Moderate Problem in Bishop?A Long Way From My Roots...Evening on Buttermilk Road

Bishop Part I

In the end of March, Cortney and I took a trip to Bishop, CA for a week of fun in the sun. We were not let down. Several groups of friends from Seattle, Reno, and Las Vegas all bailed on plans to come down, but it allowed Cortney and I to spend lots of quality time together. During the final two days of our trip, our good friends Joel and Hannah graced us with their company.

Our Campsite AKA Mt. Kellortney-y

We had eight days of good weather, bordering on warm at some points but not too bad, especially after several months of Northwet winter. We spent most of our time in the Buttermilks, with a few days at the Happies and one at the Sads. Neither of us really "got" any good "sends" to report, but we did climb on lots of fun problems. Cortney climbed really well and came heartbreakingly close on several things, but I suppose they will have to wait for next time. I was feeling more than a little weak from so much school-time, so I was sort of forced to lay low and play on a wide variety of fun climbs. I did manage to send Pow Pow at the Sads, which I think is one of the best climbs in Bishop's volcanic areas. Other than that, I flashed the Mandala, downgraded Ambrosia, and put up a new line on the Grandpa Peabody Boulder (which you may have read about). No big deal really, just a standard vacation for me...

Anyhow, here's the first batch of pictures; I'll upload another batch soon.

Cortney on SerengettiHappies Highballin'Name That Climb...Me on a Fun Sads ProblemThe Log Lady (this one is for Drew & Jeanna)

Frankenstein FA

Two weeks ago, Cortney and I were hiking around the woods in Index with our buddy Chris Henson to look for boulders. We found a small cluster in the woods below the Upper Wall, and have been back there several times to clean them... It is a nice area that should yield some quality lines, but at this point we have only established three new lines. The reason for this is that I became obsessed with Frankenstein - the tallest, proudest line of the area.

The Magical Forest of Index

Me Attempting Frankenstein

Frankenstein is an 18-20 foot tall boulder that slightly overhangs a drop-off landing. When I first saw it, I knew that it would be a classic problem, but that it would require a great deal of work. And not just climbing effort - work. Cortney and I built two landing platforms from fallen logs in the area, ripped a 100-pound flake off the start, and spent two whole days excavating the lip and rappel-cleaning the face. The first day I began attempting the climb, I ripped an undercling off from halfway up, went rocketing backwards through the air, and came to an abrupt stop on John Stordahl's (meaty) shoulder over a steep, rocky landing. This is probably hyperbole, but I like to think he saved my life.

Cleaning on A Rope (cue circus music)

After two more days of trying the line, I had figured out a workable sequence for the beginning and was starting to make headway on the blank upper section. The crux of the climb revolves around a sloping right-hand crimp that is the last decent grip before the finishing hold three feet above. This past Sunday, I dangled around and figured out a method that I thought would work, but once I pulled the rope I had only a few goes left and couldn't manage to send it. On Monday afternoon, I took off from school and met Kyle in Index. With five and a half pads and his encouragement, I sent the climb first try of the day. Here are some photos and the video of the FA. I plan on drawing up a topo to the area in a few weeks, but for now it will just remain a little secret between you and I...

Kyle Climbing Igor, A Right Variation on FrankensteinJohnny Stordahl and I On Another Project

As an interesting post-script to my personal first ascent epic, Kyle sent the line second try. That is, in two tries total. After several days of working it, visualizing potential sequences in my head, and lying awake at night imagining it, I had built the climb up in my head as being super-hard. I was prepared to propose the grade of 8C+ for it. But Kyle walked up it like it was one of those cute little walls in a children's playground; it instantly became just another boulder climb that the impending legions of gymbros will effortlessly scamper up. I guess it just goes to show how the process of figuring a climb out can have a huge impact on one's subjective impression of its difficulty. In a larger sense, for me it really highlights the entire subjectivity of the whole bouldering thing, and makes the current internet debates about the "standards" and "solidification" of cutting-edge bouldering grades seem comically shortsighted and artificial. Oh well; at least I had a lot of fun. Best wishes for a beautiful weekend to everyone...