If I keep going south, climbing season doesn't end!

Smith Rock, OR

I currently have a larger issue limiting my climbing than weather: a pulled? or evulsed? A4 pulley.  Just google "climbing finger injury pop"  In fact, there is a whole Wikipedia page on "climbing injuries".  Mine is textbook: pulling hard on a crimper (a small hold you can only get your finger tips on) when you hear a "pop" sound and some pain ensues...I head three pops, two out of three fingers recovered in a couple hours, the third is still swollen after 6 days.

BUT, I had already planned to go to Smith Rock near Terrebonne, OR last weekend. So, I went anyways, three days post injury.  Smith Rock is one of the most scenic places I've climbed.  When you drive into the state park you are immediately confronted by towering limestone cliffs jutting out of a green river valley.  The rock is a mixture of golds, reds, blacks and browns.  There are cracks, huecos, chicken heads, knobs and crimpers.  Towering walls exhibit massive conchoidal fracture patterns hinting to historic rock fall events that would have shaken the ground.  Spires at the cliff tops extend upward like gigantic stalagmites, eroded by thousands of years of acidic rain.  In one formation a boulder perches atop a rock pedestal.

You can use a nut tool to slice cheese...this is how you clean it after you slice the cheese.

Christian, working a 5.12 (?)

I addition to the scenery I couldn't have asked for better company!  Four of us, Alex, Greta, Kristian and I, made the 6 hour drive from Seattle to Smith. 

I attempted to climb without using my ring-finger.  Every move was a bit T-rex style, grabbing holds with only three fingers.  Alex and I climbed a couple multi-pitch routes; Alex taking most of the leads so I could favor my hand.

Alex's victory

Greta on rock (5.11); Kristian on Belay

Mt Thomson

On September 15-16, 2012, I jumped on a Backpacking/Alpine Climbing trip with Brian, Laura and Craig.  We hiked the PCT from exit 51 off I90 for about 11 miles: we took a 4th easy 5th class detour scramble up Kendall peak, traveled across the Kendall Catwalk, past Ridge and Gravel Lakes, around Alaska Lake to a col between Huckleberry and Chickamin Peaks.  We found the some lingering patched of late lying snow in the meadows on the col and made camp by the best water source in the area, a small, slow flowing spring.  Over the course of 5 hours the water source in camp surprised us by filling a tarn that Brian and Laura had initially set up their tent in!  We were sure the tarn had been dry for quite awhile, but by morning it was full of 6" of crisp clean water!  Smoke, we believe from the fires in the East, had settled in the valley Sunday morning.  It was thick, obscuring more distant peaks, and palpable, leaving us with a metallic taste in our mouths.  The air felt heavy.

Craig and I branched off and summited Mt. Thomson via the west ridge, an alpine route that goes at 5.6.   Though I have no photos of Mt. Thompson!  I left my camera at bumble bee pass knowing I'd be more focused on the ropes and my feet.  We completed the climb in 5 pitches and topped out by 3:30pm.  Craig lead the whole thing! since I was feeling a bit heady from the exposure.  The first two pitches were the most sustained vertical pitches, with the crux at the start: a step out from the belay ledge over some heady exposure, with no real great hand holds.  The route continues fairly vertically until you reach the slabs (visible from the valley) on the third and fourth pitches.  Seams and weathering along the slabs provide great footing while also feeling wonderfully open and exposed.  While the scramble across is easy, the pro is limited and a fall would result in a long swing.  After crossing the slabs you climb vertical over the false summit, scramble down to the next belay ledge and back up the true summit for the final pitch.  The descent route required 2 rappels and some class 3 and 4 down scrambling.  We reached the valley by 5:30pm.

On the Scramble to Kendall peak, Craig on a false summit. 

Looking back from Kendall Ridge.  I believe Mt. Thompson is the prominent peak on the horizon at the left 

Hazy Mt. Rainier (Saturday) 

Smoky sunset at camp

Rachel and Ramparts Lakes

Mai, Stu and I hiked to Rachel and Rampart Lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness on September 3, 2012.  The trail is about 11 miles round trip, gaining the majority of the elevation before Rachel Lake.  I highly recommend this hike! The lakes are beautiful and the distance and elevation gain a perfect for a relaxed day of hiking with fantastic payoff without summiting a peak :)

 man those are some fun-guys

Stu! by some classic cascade cascades

Thistles 

Gray Jay at Rachel Lake

Rachel Lake from the "trail" above

I seem to have a propensity for taking "trails" that are more or less un-used...

Though a lot lead to great views like the photo above and below!

Mai! at the end of an exploratory "trail" 

Ramparts Lakes 

Rampart Lakes, Hibox Peak right of center 

Rachel Lakes and Hibox Peak 

Stu and Mai 

 Hibox Peak

 Creek bed on the way to Rampart Lakes