Since it was raining and snowing almost everywhere this weekend in the PNW, I enjoyed some nice crack climbing in the central Washington desert (Vantage) on Sunday. Had a great time.

what did you climb Martin?
Went to Smith. It was pouring Sat. morning. Ate breakfast, went home & chilled.

Sorry you got rained on Radek. I saw the forecast for everywhere but Vantage was crap, so we went there again. Climbed a bunch of stuff I've done before on Middle East Wall including Slim and Curvy, Sex Party, Thersa's Lingerie, etc. Brian tried to lead this 4 star 10C, but bailed half way up. I didn't climb very well, but had a fun time.

Oh What a weekend at Devils Tower !!!!

Saturday was a bit cold, but Sunday warmed right up to climbing temps...50's, yes,....but clearly 10 degrees warmer on the South and East faces. Chuck L. came up from Colorado for a visit, and we greatly enjoyed 2 of the Finest climbs on the Tower; SOLER and WALT BAILEY MEMORIAL. Chuck said that WALT B. was the favorite climb in his Life, but I pointed out that he hadn't done FIGURES ON A LANDSCAPE in J-Tree, yet...

Anyway, next weekend promises to be equally warm, or warmer, so please be invited to come and join the FUN !!!

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO LIVE OUT THEIR DREAMS

Nice route, Henry. I did most of it in parts several times. Where did you have lunch? I presume it was in the Upper Haight area? I lived there for over 3 years until recently.

Studying, Studying, Studying!!!

6 more weeks of graduate school, and then the open road!

Woke up Saturday at 5:00 a.m parked at Echo snowpark at Hwy 50 and skinned up Becker peak, snowboarded the north chute to the trees and down to echo lake, put the skins back on and climbed up Talking mountain. Snowboarded the North tree line back down to Echo Lake. Skinned across the lake and climbed Flagpole peak via it's 3rd class west side route and snowboarded down to the gun mount on Hwy 50. Hitched back to the car at Echo. Was back at home by 10:45 a.m.

North facing stuff was knee deep powder. Flagpole heated up and was slow.

Jim

<i>All the trips have been done with Nadie, SP member.</i>

5 March 2005 - We past the weekend in Avila so on Saturday we decided to ascend any low mountain because there was a lot of snow (even in the town) and we didn't like to sink a lot. So we headed for Sierra de Malagón, between the provinces of Avila, Segovia and Madrid. But previously we had to stop at a gas station to take a leak. When we approached El Espinar, Segovia, near the point we had to start the hike, we noticed that the map of the area has flied away from the driver door pocket of my car. So I drove back to the station for searching the map. We couldn't find it so we decided to change our plans and we headed to Sierra de Avila.

Parked my car at approximately 1.395 m, near Sanchorreja. There were no many places for parking because all was covered by soft snow. Then we hardly past a less than 1.600 m top, stopped to have lunch, traversed the col 1.558 from E to W, past Point 1.711 to the right and reached our main objective, Cerro de Gorría (1.728 m), highest summit in the range. We'd past bad moments until the P 1.711 m because the snow was very soft and we sank to near our knees. But the snow became to harden when we approached the N flank so we continued confident and slowly to Cerro de Gorría. We stayed 20 minutes on the top eating something and taking some pics. In the descent we summited P 1.711 and found a half snow buried wreckage of a light aircraft on its E shoulder. Then we descended to the SE, following a dry creek that leaded us to a cowshed where we could take a earthy forest trail that joined the road to Sanchorreja. We had put our headlamps on because the night had fallen. We arrived my car at 8:35 PM after a 6 h 35 min hike sinking in rather deep snow.

12 March 2005 - Nadie had to work that weekend but we'd planed to go to Avila and climb something earlier. So on Saturday and after Nadie's early leaving work I drove to Puerto del Mojón (1.040 m). We ascended Cerro de San Pedro (1.425 m) while getting dark. On the summit we had to put our headlamps for the descent. It was a short but nice hike to a beloved little mountain by ourselves. Only 1h 50 min (from 6:50 to 8:40 PM).

20 March 2005 - Another weekend past in Avila. We went to the Point 1.515 m on the N flank of Sierra de la Paramera, where there is a drinking fountain to left of the forest trail. We climbed Zapatero (highest mountain in the range) on the normal route, there some soft snow fields above 1.900 m so we wore plastic boots not to soak our feet. Even we had to put the gaiters on. We summited in 2 h 20 min, stayed on the top of 15 minutes and started the descent. I felt a little weak so I stopped and eat a pair of power bars and drank some water while Nadie started the descent. The rocks were wet so we sliped sometimes. Then we traversed those big soft snow patches and descended without problems to the forest trail that leaded us to where we'd parked the car. The descent was not so quick, 2h 10 min, but we have no need of lights or headlamps.

26 March 2005 - We past the second half of the Holy Week in Avila, where we could see a moving procession wich started in the Church of San Pedro. It was almost only composed by women since its name is La Procesión de la Soledad (solitude). I mean, that's because they resemble the Mother when Jesus die. In Saturday we went with my mother, elder brother and sister-in-law to Sotalvo. We hiked to Castillo de Manqueospese, wich is a nice castle placed on rocky low spur of Sierra de la Paramera. The ascent is only 270 m but it's nice and very advisable.

On Sunday (27 March 2005) I drove to Navarrevisca, past the village and took a very narrow road (to the R) that ascend to Rojomaril TV anthens. We parked near the gate where it's forbiden to pass through (1.420 m), descended some meters to Arroyo de Pedro Maza, crossed it, past many catle fences and started the big ascent to Los Pozos (2.054 m). In the middle of the long slope we stoped for having lunch so when we reached the summit we didn't rest, descended to Collado de los Pozos (2.035 m) and ascended Cabezo de Mijares (2.187 m). We found snow from the col but we didn't sink a lot in it. The descent was on the same trail but when passing Los Pozos we descended on its N face and traversed to the big slope of the ascent. We put our headlamps on until reaching the catle fences, cross Arroyo de Pedro Maza again and ascended to the narrow road. Then we had a moment of confusion because we'd reached the road at an unknown point. I solved it by checking the altimeter and trying to recognize all the rocks that we had seen when ascending. So we descended on the road and found my car. After the ascent we were very satisfied because it was our 2nd attempt to the summit and we finally had reached it.

I went rockclimbing with James Pruitt at "Great Falls Basin" near Death Valley. The flowers are really starting to happen right now. It's pretty cool to sleep out under the stars, in the desert, and listen to the sound of a waterfall. The local Trona residents have really put a lot of work into a cleanup effort and it sure shows. Gone is the "Mad Max" off-road, semi-dump atmosphere of a few years ago, replaced by a litter free, flower covered landscape. The climbs are the same as allways. Hard and unforgiving. The rock sports some of the slickest, sickest face climbing around. James was able to "ONSIGHT FLASH" a 5.11a.............I told him it was some sort of a 5.10+ :>)

Way to go James!!!

I Went rock climbing on Sat, Sun and Monday at Derkies Lake, in southern Idaho. God I love spring, nice cool breeze, sunny sky and lots of painful Basalt to Torture the hands. Who could ask for more?
Mike.

Went to Mt. Woodson to climb and pratice my crack climbing skills.

climbed at Table Rock and the Amphiteater in NC this weekend; ended up being great weather, and less people related to forecast gone wrong.

My weekend lasted 27 days in which I climbed several mountains (unfortunately not always summitting ) San Jacinto, Jepson Peak, San Gorgonio, El Junque (In Puerto Rico), and lost somewhere between Tahquitz Peak and Peak 8792 (post-hole nightmare!). Now I'm back to work with 238 freaks to harass on a daily basis - gotta love those Ammo techs!