[dacker]

OK, I know I said in my last rock climbing report that I wasn't going to post another one, but I lied! I posted this on partners last Friday when it looked like a climbable forecast for Sunday. Several people expressed interest, but in the end it was just Taehee and me headed over the pass and I'm writing this for those who wanted to come but couldn't for various reasons. We had lots of company! For a cold day in winter I couldn't believe how many people were there. We knew there was going to be a Mountaineers group from Seattle, but there was also a busload of students from Walla Walla College, plus many private parties. We were at the feathers and to look at the parking area for sunshine wall, there were even more over there. But everyone was pleasant to each other and we all had a good time. The biggest downside was that it was colder than forecast. We started climbing at 10:00 and the first few routes were like climbing on ice without gloves: that rock was so cold that after a few moves, you could barely feel your handholds. Later in the day it got a bit better, but never what I would call warm. We climbed 12 routes ranging from 5.4 to 5.9 in difficulty. There is such a large variety of climbs at the feathers all within a very compact area. You don't have to trek very far from route to route, so you can spend most of your time climbing instead of hiking. The excitement highlight of the day was when a guy on the route right next to us took about a 25 foot whipper, almost decking in the process. We were on a 5.8 route called Don Coyote and he was leading a 5.10b called Dance of the Shaman right next to it. The first bolt is about 15 feet off the deck and the second about 10 feet above that. He sketched out at the second bolt, missed the clip and peeled off. He was being belayed by a girl who he outweighed and he pulled her about 5 feet off her feet when his weight came onto that first clip. That plus rope stretch meant his feet were actually on the deck before the belay fully stopped him. I didn't take any pictures yesterday, but here are a few from a couple trips we made last November to sunshine wall. I didn't write up those trips, so I'll substitute the pictures. I took these of Taehee on Nov. 18:

Taehee starting up Party in your Pants

Stemming about halfway up

These are rare pictures that another member of our party took of Taehee belaying me and me belaying her, from Nov. 25:

Rick leading Vantage Point

Taehee cleaning Tangled Up in Blue

[wildernessed]

Nice, I don't do technical climbing but diversity in TR's is great. I might learn something from the read and enjoy the pics.

[Jason Hummel]

I was at vantage a few weeks ago. Fun place. I took a lot of photos but my computer is dead

[Scrooge]

Damn, Dacker, that's a pretty impressive way to celebrate your 60th!

[Meander]

Looks fun! I remember a fun climb at the feathers called Jesus Saves.

[dacker]

Yup. A very popular 5.8 that we wanted to climb, but it was busy all day! We'll get it next time on a week day; also a 5.9/5.10a right near it called Desert Shield and another 5.8 next to that called the Uprising that were also occupied all day.

[Randy]

Nice report and pictures Dacker. Gonna have to check Vantage out one of these days.

[GeoHiker]

Great report, I don't rock climb either, but it's something that's been in the back of my mind to try. Always good to see another side. I drove by that area and poked around on Thursday and there wasn't a soul there. You missed the warm weather by a few days. Tuesday and Friday were in the low 70's and no shirt sun burn weather!....gotta love that for early March.

[Tazz]

Ok thats it! Now I have to go. Thanks Daker