Bug Be Gone by Andy Dappen

It’s happening earlier than normal this summer. We’re receiving word at WenatcheeOutdoors.org from mountain bikers riding near Lake Wenatchee and from hikers visiting the Squilchuck Basin that the vampires are emerging. I’m not talking Twilight, I’m talking about those pesky blood suckers that have you posing testy questions like, ”Why did God create mosquitoes?” Answer: Some mosquitoes are pollinators; many are food for amphibians, reptiles, other insects and migratory birds; and some fish feast on mosquito eggs. The other common question: How do I keep these fiends from feasting on me?

• First and foremost, cover most of your skin with baggy, lightweight, tight-weave shirts (long-sleeved) and pants. Mosquitoes will bite through T-shirts and cotton sweat pants but can’t bite through lightweight uncoated nylon wind shells which are comfortable to wear in a wide range of temperatures. Specialty sport shops carry fancy wind shells while Goodwill often has cheap yet functional options. Make sure the shells are made of uncoated nylon so they breathe well while you walk.

On your exposed skin (face, neck, hands, and ankles), use bug repellent. Over the decades I’ve tested many types of bug repellents. As a writer who covers this topic every few years, I’ve also researched what other objective testers have discovered. Here’s what I’ve found to be true:

• To thwart bugs (especially mosquitoes), products using DEET as an active ingredient are still the most effective at repelling all species of mosquitoes as well as many other types of biting bugs. DEET has worked for me in North America, Europe, Africa, and South America. It also seems to work well on all people. It is, however, worrisome to slather a chemical on your skin that dissolves some plastics, discolors many fabrics, and is absorbed into the blood stream. Still, given the choice between being sucked dry overnight, getting malaria (abroad), contracting West Nile disease, or simply going mad, I frequently revert to the plastic-melting compound that actually works.
• Just because DEET works, the strongest concoctions don’t necessarily deliver the best results. Some tests indicate that formulas using 95 percent  DEET volatilize (evaporate) faster than some formulas using 35 DEET but that have other inert ingredients to slow down the evaporation. Most of the better-conducted tests I’ve read indicate that formulas with at least 25 to 30 percent DEET deliver considerably better results than formulas dipping below these percentages. Because DEET is absorbed into the blood stream, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends formulas with less than 30 percent DEET for children.

• There are many ‘natural’ concoctions out there using such active ingredients as Citronella or mint oil. I’ve tested formulas with those two ingredients and had crummy results. They deserve a two-thumbs-down, many-welts-up rating.
• Two non-DEET active ingredients that are getting acceptable reviews from reliable testers are picaridin and lemon eucalyptus oil. I’ve tested Cutters Advanced (using 8 percent picaridin) and it worked but its magic wore off far faster than DEET. It had to be applied two or three times more often than my DEET mainstay and I found that while its effectiveness was diminishing I got bit quite a bit. Natrapel makes a formula with 20 percent picaridin that claims long staying power and that Consumer Report gives good grades.
• I have yet to test products using lemon eucalyptus oil. If you’ve used these or other formulas with good success, please pass along your experiences.
  

Long ago I led college groups to Alaska for three summers where we canoed northern rivers. Here are some bug findings from those times.

• Supposedly by consuming vitamin B or B1 pills for a few weeks, you start stinking to high-mosquito and biting bugs will stay away. Garlic makes this claim, too. Among the students who tried different B vitamins (and garlic) some believed it made them less appetizing, others believed it made no difference. The real test, however, was that all these students grabbed the DEET when the bugs were really bad.
• The original Avon Skin-So-Soft bath oil was touted as a mosquito repellent that some of our college students used with itchy results. They quickly converted to DEET in the field. A newer Avon product uses IR3535, a mosquito repellent that has been used in Europe and is now EPA-approved. I have no personal field experience with the IR3535 formulas but objective product reviews don’t inspire confidence in its effectiveness.

Every few years there comes a new version of a tiny ultrasonic device claiming to emit a high-frequency noise that mosquitoes hate. These devices purportedly create a bubble of protection around you. I’ve tried two of these devices and, even when I placed these transmitters right beside mosquitoes mainlining out of my arm, the bugs were undeterred. I could use these devices to squash the bugs biting me, but a slap of the hand worked better.

Finally, a question for readers. Have any of you use Insect Shield clothing that builds insect repellency into clothing claims to maintain its repellency for 70 washings? If so, how has it worked for you? What items of clothing are most valuable – bandana, socks, hat…? Use the ‘Comment’ field below to weigh in.

More info:

• Emedicine – MedScape effective bug repellents updated in 2012
• Consumer Reports Review of Best Insect Repellents - 2013.
• New England Journal of Medicine a scientific look at the options as of 2002(a little dated but good background).

Pre-Trip Planning and Preparedness for Winter Trips

by Andy Dappen

Winter outdoor adventures demand more thinking than many summer activities. In winter you need to be tuned into snow, weather, and terrain to know the avalanche hazard. Meanwhile,  minor emergencies can magnify in seriousness  so you need to consider both big and small details. Finally, in winter trails disappear under the snow, so finding your way around requires more planning and skill. Enjoy the mental gymnastics of all this -- it’s fun preparing for and traveling through winter.

Many believe that great field skills and knowledge are the tools for contending with all of the above but pre-trip planning is the main ingredient behind winter preparedness. Knowing the expected weather for the region and elevations you’ll be visiting helps you pack appropriate clothing/gear and anticipate how the snow pack might change (which affects snow stability) while spending the day out. Knowing the regional avalanche forecast for the day ahead will help you pick a destination and terrain that’s safe. Consulting guidebooks (e.g., WenOut snowshoeing guidebook) with the descriptions of many possible destinations will help you find an outing that’s appropriate given the day’s avalanche hazard and will also tell you whether there is special equipment (avalanche gear, ice axes, crampons) you should be carrying. Studying topographic maps from the USGS (on a computer see National Geographic Topo! CD maps or see the Gmap4 system), slope steepness maps from Caltopo.com, and satellite photos from Gmap 4 will help you find your way, keep you off avalanche-prone slopes, and avoid overly bushy slopes.

Much of the pre-trip planning here in Central Washington revolves around the very different weather and snow conditions we can experience in this region. The Cascade Crest gets huge amounts of snow and has milder wintertime temperatures. The Wenatchee Mountains by Mission Ridge are 42 linear miles from the crest and get dramatically less snow (about a third of what the crest receives). It’s also much sunnier, much windier, and substantially colder around Mission Ridge than at the crest. Other peaks on the eastern slopes of the Cascades fall between these two extremes. Places we access out of the Icicle Canyon like Mount Stuart (19 miles east of the crest) and Cashmere Mountain (11 miles east of the crest) may receive anywhere from 50 to 60 percent of the snow that Stevens Pass receives.

Because we can so easily access the Cascade Crest or different destinations in the shadow of the Crest, it’s rare that we can’t find a place to ski or snowshoe that is safe. Beyond safety, good planners can typically find places with a secondary benefit – e.g., a place with less snow to break (easier travel), better quality snow, better weather ( for a mood boost or for longer views), or better photography.

Over time everyone develops individualized pre-trip systems to help them plan for a safe, efficient, and fun outing. Here’s one approach:

Weather. First check the Wenatchee Outdoors Weather Matrix (‘Weather-Regional Links’ link in the Condition Reports) for the day(s) you’ll be out. Look at the expected weather and expected temperatures, from west to east, using the links in the matrix to see the seven day forecast at Stevens Pass, East Slope of the Cascades, Blewett Pass, and Mission Ridge etc. Knowing something about the present and expected precipitation and temperatures helps you make predictions about where you’ll I’ll be finding the best weather, safest weather, best snow for travel, safest snow for avalanches, most favorable temperatures for the day and more. This leads you to decisions about how much clothing will be needed, what kind of storm gear to bring, whether avalanche gear  is needed…

Snow Telemetry. Next, use the Snow & Ski Condition Matrix (in the Conditions Report) at WenatcheeOutdoors. Check the 7-day telemetry graphs for Stevens Pass, Lake Wenatchee, Tumwater Mountain, and Mission Ridge. Check the snow totals, 24-hour snow accumulation, and the wind data. Also look at the SnoTel for Blewett Pass to see how much snow fell here over the past week and over the past few days. Combining this snow information with the weather forecasts, gives you a lot of information about snow conditions, whether the avalanche hazard will be increasing or decreasing, where avalanche hazard will be highest. It will also help you decide where snow quality will be good or bad.

Condition Reports. For additional information that can confirm or rebut the opinions you’re forming, take a look quickly at the recent trip reports from Turns All Year (accessible from the Ski Condition Matrix that’s already open). See if anyone has a recent report from the area you’re thinking of visiting. Also look at the ‘Snowsports’ section of the WenOutForum to see what is being reported locally about snow conditions.

Avalanche Forecast. After all of the above, make your own prediction about the avalanche. Now check your forecast against the Avalanche Forecast from Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center (NWAC). Note the overall hazard and the elevations and aspects where the danger is higher. Also note the trend: during your day out will the hazard be trending to a higher or lower hazard. If you formed your own opinion of the hazard first, you’ll develop a better understanding of how avalanches work and how what elevates the hazard than simply looking at the avalanche forecast. If your forecast doesn’t align with the NWAC forecast, use this as a learning tool to see of you can figure out why.

Choose Appropriate Terrain.  First some definitions: white terrain = slopes under 20 degrees, green terrain = slopes between 20 and 27 degrees, yellow terrain = slopes between 28 and 34 degrees, red terrain = slopes between 35 and 45 degrees, blue terrain = slopes over 45 degrees. Now, using the avalanche forecast, define appropriate terrain. A simple tool here is to rely on the avalanche triangle. If the avalanche forecast is extreme (black), go hiking in the low lands, go downhill skiing, or visit low green or white terrain. If you do go out, make sure avalanches running down nearby slopes can’t overrun you. If hazard is high (red), visit white and green terrain. If the hazard is considerable (orange), this is grayer ground and much depends on the trend. If the avalanche trend for a region you're thinking about visiting is diminishing in hazard, low yellow terrain and especially low yellow ridges might be OK – green slopes are still preferred. If the hazard is moderate (yellow)  the terrain selection is still a bit ambiguous but if the trend shows the hazard is diminishing experienced winter travellers will often visit yellow terrain and make judgements as they go -- green terrain is still safer. If the hazard is low (green), this is the best time to visit yellow and red terrain. The Caltopo map system is really useful for helping find appropriate slopes and appropriate terrain.

Pick a Route. After all of the above, you’ll have a good ideas where the conditions of the day are best  (e.g., Cascade Crest, East Slopes near Leavenworth, Blewett Pass area, or Mission Ridge Area) and the steepness of the terrain you might safely visit. Now find a specific tour. The fastest option here is to open the indexes of the online guidebooks at WenatcheeOutdoors for ‘Skiing- Backcountry’ or for ‘Snowshoeing’. You can look at the complete index or use the Search Box at the bottom to sort out the trips in the region you want to visit. From the index you can open up the complete description of the route as well as the topographic map showing the route. View the map first to see if that route corresponds favorably with what you know about the current snow conditions, the current hazards, and the coming weather. Once you’ve found a promising route, read or print the full description for additional information like driving access, permits, etc. Double check the chosen route against the Caltopo map system to make sure the steepness of the terrain is suited to the hazards.

Map the Route. If exploring something new or ambitious, map the route you intend to follow – it’s much, much easier to do this at home where it’s warm and dry than in the field. Spread the map out, draw the route onto the map, measure the bearings to be followed, write important elevations on the map, etc.  A huge part of staying on course in the field is doing this homework. If you try to do all of this on the fly, windy weather, falling snow, fatigue, the reluctance to stop the party, and the need to hurry will frequently conspire against you and lead to navigation errors that can delay you at best or, at worst, get you really lost.  See the National Geographic Topo! CD maps  or the ‘Map’ tab at WenOut.

• on flat ground with firm snow and very gentle uphills, an average speed is about 2 miles per hour. 
  
• on steady uphills in firm snow, plan on gaining about 1000 feet of elevation per hour. 
• stops for rest, food, water, and clothing adjustments will cost 5 to 10 minutes per hour 4) on steady descents  you’ll cover ground about twice as fast or at a rate of about 2000 vertical feet per hour. 
• allow about 30 minutes for a lunch break. 
  
• if you’re breaking 12 to 18 inches of snow you may move at half the speed mentioned above unless you have a few really fit people who are strong enough to break the snow more quickly.

Night Before or Departure Day. Give yourself ten minutes of computer time shortly before you leave. Re-check the weather forecast, re-check the avalanche forecast, check the last few days of snow telemetry. Has anything changed to make you reconsider the general destination and specific trip?

Driving There. Finally as you’re getting close to the access point of your tour, pay attention to the slopes around you. What indications do you see of good snow, strong winds, and/or avalanche activity? Use this information to further fine tune plans and avoid hazards.

Our thanks to Cascade Subaru for helping get more people outdoors in winter and for  sponsoring the series of Self-Suffcient Snowshoeing classes where this information was presented.

Photo: Snowshoeing above Clara Lake near Mission Peak

There’s a continuum in how snowshoes may be used from walking wide and relatively flat Forest Service roads to using them on very steep slopes leading to the top of mountains or leading to technical climbs up mountains. They may be used for a few hours of exercise to multi-day winter backpacking trips. Where are you on the continuum? This will help you define snowshoes, boots, and accessories whose performance and whose cost is best suited to you.

Generalities

• If you engage in other outdoor activities, much of what you might use for hiking, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, downhill skiing and more can be pirated to make up most of your snowshoeing kit. Long underwear, insulating layers, rain gear, 10 essentials, and packs used for many other outdoor sports will be perfectly fine for snowshoeing. Boots used for hiking and poles used for downhill skiing are also likely to be just fine for snowshoeing.
• For those items you don’t yet own, there are many ways to compromise when you first start snowshoeing. Employ cheap tricks to get geared up initially – get synthetic pants (dress pants or athletic warmups, synthetic shirts, nylon windshells, nylon wind pants, raincoats, wool socks, ski caps, ski coats, gloves, long underwear (synthetic or wool) for next to nothing at the Goodwill or Salvation Army. Use old downhill ski poles already in the garage or bought inexpensively for $5 from Goodwill or a ski swap. Use two-quart juice bottles as your water bottle, duct tape rolled up on itself as your repair kit, nylon dress socks you’ve already got as liner socks, generic brand sunglasses and suncream as sun protection…
• Once you decide to buy beyond a stop gap measure, buy what your research says is very good or best for your needs. There’s often a big price discrepancy between what is very good and best but, within reason, be willing to spend a little more for items that will serve you better. After buying forget about what’s newest, or marginally better, or fractionally lighter. Spend your time snowshoeing and getting out, not desiring the latest greatest.
• Weight is an important part of the equation when it comes to spending more for something you really want. A rule of thumb to consider whenever you’re considering new gear. The first 15 or 18 pounds of gear probably won’t trouble you much, but beyond here doubling your load will half (or maybe even quarter) your walking pleasure. This is doubly true if you’re part of the over-40 crowd (try to figure out that math!)
• Weight on your feet is even more troublesome than weight on your shoulders. The military’s research using treadmill tests have determined that an extra pound attached to the long levers of legs (i.e., the foot) is roughly equal to adding five pounds of weight to the shoulders. Keeping snowshoes and boots light is important! Still, minimal weight isn’t always the most efficient gear. Sometimes heft matters in kicking into difficult snows, edging, or for making components that will last. Keeping things lightweight is usually good, but the very lightest in not necessarily the best.

Winter Walking

In late fall and early winter, trails often become icy before they become snowy and it’s easy to slip and hurt yourself. To stay active outdoors in the shoulder seasons use MicroSpikes (made by Kahtoola). These spikes pull over running shoes and boots alike and give you all-wheel traction on dicey ground. For year-round hiking, this is an important piece of equipment. Also in spring and fall you may often start on bare trail, move uphill to an icy trail where the MicroSpikes are useful, and eventually move high enough that the snowshoes are needed.

Footwear, Boots

• With modern snowshoes almost any kind of running shoe, hiking boot, mountaineering boot, or winter walking boot can be strapped in easily and quickly. The decision of what boot to use depends on the intent and duration of your outing. If you’re out for aerobic exercise and will be finished with your outing in an hour or two, a running shoe will work fine. Your feet will get wet but if you keep moving this isn’t much of an issue. If you’re using snowshoes to approach a mountain you want to climb, use of heavier mountaineering boot is perfectly appropriate. Most snowshoers fall in between these extremes and a good leather or waterproof hiking boot or a good winter walking boot (like Sorels) are the norm.
• A boot that is fairly light, slightly insulated, waterproof (even though you’re in snow, non-waterproof boots can wet out easily), couple well with gaiters to keep snow from coming down the cuff are best. A relaxed fit that gives toes plenty of wiggle room and that have some expandability to apply extra socks is important. Boots that feel tight around the toes when you’re wearing two pairs of socks in the field will be cold.

Snowshoes

There are many excellent snowshoes on the market. The snowshoes made by Yukon Charlie are made of modern materials, get respectable reviews (we haven’t tested them), and can cost as little as $75. Lighter, sturdier, and techier products like MSR Lightning Ascent can run up to $270. Between these parameters are many choices. We’ve tested many snowshoes and 10 products that we’ve liked for different uses are reviewed in this article.

Photo: Northern Lites Elite

Snowshoes we’ve tested and give excellent marks to include: Northern Lites Elite (8 by 25 in; 2 lb., 8 oz.; $230); MSR Evo Tour (8 by 22 inch; 4pounds., 12 oz. per pair; $170); Verts (8.5 by 18 in.; 2 lb., 8 oz.; $75);  Atlas 1030 (9 by 30 in.; 4 lb., 12 oz.; $200) or the Atlas 1230 (9 by 30 in., 4 lb., 7 oz. $280); Crescent Moon Silver Series 9 (8 by 27 in.; 3 lb., 6 oz.; $185); Tubbs Mountaineer 25 (8 by 25 in.; 4lb., 7 oz; $260),  Redfeather Race 25  (8 by 25 in., 2 lb. 7 oz., $270), and MSR Lightning Ascent (8 by 25; 3 lb., 15 oz.; $270).

Poles

Non-adjustable ski poles are fine – borrow from other sports. Eventually an adjustable ski or trekking pole might be worth owning. Manufacturers of good adjustable poles: Black Diamond, K2, Exped, and Leki. In general the adjustable poles we recommend use a flip-lock mechanism. Avoid poles with twist-lock closures -- the exception to the rule is the twist-lock closure of the Exped poles.

 Avalanche Gear

• This includes a beacon, probe, shovel and maybe even a specialized pack with airbags or an Avalung.  Manufacturers: Black Diamond, Backcountry Access, Ortovox, K2, ABS). This is important gear for some snowshoers.
• In this area many, many excellent snowshoe trips avoid avalanche terrain yet take you to beautiful destinations. You need to know where avalanches occur and how to plan around them, but if you can easily avoid the risk of avalanches or the expense of the gear.

Shovel

Even if avalanches are not the issue, for long day trips it’s wise for a party to carry at least one aluminum shovel. If someone is injured or you get lost, a shovel is important for creating shelter. Look at Voile shovels made of T6 hardened aluminum -- they are affordable but super tough.

For Emergencies, Remember the 3 Ws

• Warmth: preserve warmth and make warmth. This entails a combination of protection from wind and rain as well as the ability to make fire. Tarps, extra clothes, lighter, fire starter, saw. Read this.
• Water: bring water and the ability to make water (pot and saw).
• Wittles: bring food.

Pack

A pack that is roughly 30-liters in size (1800 to 1900 cubic inches) is a very good size for long day trips.

Other sundries

Map, compass, sunscreen, sunglasses, minimal first aid, equipment repair, sewing kit, duct tape, toilet paper, money and contact info, smart phone or cell phone, cord, flashlight, spare batteries.

Recommended Companies

Outdoor Research, Patagonia, Mountain Hardware, and GoLite (ski pants, storm and wind shells, midweight tops, parkas, gloves, synthetic long underwear, hats, down coats, and more). Bridgedale and Darn Tough Socks of Vermont (super durable and warm wool-nylon socks). Black Diamond Equipment Ltd (headlamps, gloves, Avalung, probes, aluminum shovels, ice axes, packs, adjustable poles, and more). Katoohla (MicroSpikes). Camp USA (ultralight aluminum axe and crampons). Ortovox (avalanche beacons, probes, aluminum shovels, merino wool clothing, emergency bivouac shelters). Backcountry Access (aluminum shovels, beacons, airbag packs). Garmin (GPS units). National Geographic Topo! (CD map sets). McNett Corp (Aquamira, AquaSeal, Seam Grip). Voile (heat-treated aluminum shovels, straps). Silva or Sunto (orienteering compasses). Exped (adjustable poles, packs, emergency shelter). K2 (aluminum shovels, probes). Leatherman Tools (multitools).

Purchasing Gear

See the websites of all of the above companies (a Google search easily locates these companies). Wenatchee Stores: Arlberg Sports, Sports Outlet, Performance Footwear, American Shoe Shop, Big Five, Hooked on Toys, Stans Merrymart, Goodwill (links to these stores here). Leavenworth: Leavenworth Mountain Sports, Der Sportsman, Euro Sports (links to these stores here). North Bend: ProSki Service. Seattle: REI, ProMountain Sports(specialists in lightweight mountain gear). On the web: REI.com, Sierra Trading Post, Campmor (discounted outdoor gear).

Snowshoeing Gear and Relevant Gear Articles

• Best Snowshoes: http://www.justgetout.net/Wenatchee/14017
  
• Avalanche Shovels: http://www.justgetout.net/Wenatchee/14054
• Shovels – Good, Bad, and Ugly:  http://www.justgetout.net/Wenatchee/20825
• Backcountry Repair Kit:  http://www.justgetout.net/Wenatchee/18283
• The Big Five Repair Items: http://www.justgetout.net/Wenatchee/19836
• To Build a Fire: http://www.justgetout.net/Wenatchee/21418
• Lightning Snowshoe: http://www.justgetout.net/Wenatchee/14020
• Recommended Poles: http://www.justgetout.net/Wenatchee/23028
• Backcountry Pharmacy: http://www.justgetout.net/Wenatchee/16091
• Avalanche Probes: The Forgotten Stepchild: http://www.justgetout.net/Wenatchee/14035
• Avalanche Rescues – Essential Gear: http://www.justgetout.net/Wenatchee/17782

 


Our thanks to Cascade Subaru for helping get more people outdoors in winter and for  sponsoring the series of Self-Sufficient Snowshoeing classes where this information was presented.

It’s been a peculiar and unproductive few weeks. From September 9 and 11 fire was lapping at the doors of the world headquarters of WenatcheeOutdoors located in the foothills of Wenatchee. We were issued a Level 3 notice and were advised to evacuate the area. We didn’t flee but we did pack our computers in a car and, for several days, waited as fire approached to within a third of a mile of us on two different occasions. Had the winds not been calm or had firefighters not been present to corral the approaching flames, world headquarters might have been reduced to toast.

Photo: Fire lapping at our front door.

Immediately after the approaching flames had been contained, we were fighting another fire in the form of a crashed website. We used the opportunity to move the site from an old server that was misbehaving to a new server that should operate faster and with fewer glitches. The glitch here, however, was that it took nearly a week to accomplish what we were told would require a day. The site was down the entire time, but because our web presence has been hosted for free (a kind gesture to support our non-profit efforts), we lacked leverage to speed-up the process.

Finally, right when we should have been back in business, the website’s content editor and all-around grunt (me) was off to Mexico for eight days. In the context of the aforementioned downtime, this was a terrible time to flee. In the context of the $700 non-refundable plane ticket I had purchased to reach southern Mexico where my niece was being married, however, this was the right time to get out of Dodge. Away I went.

Of course nothing is usual about the outdoors at present because the Wenatchee Valley is still marinating in smoke. In the weeks ahead we will keep you apprised of what’s happening out there in the charred lands surrounding us, where you can get out of the smoke, and where you can stretch the legs without searing the lungs.




Photo: It's yucky out there now, but we'll help you find places that are not yucky.

We prepared for the challenge with ropes and mock belays in the backyard.  He challenged my braking reflexes with bursts of, “Falling!” when he’d try to pull me off my feet.  Knots in my stomach formed when the thought of a real fall crossed my mind.  I learned the basic communication phrases, I felt prepared technically and physically -- little did I know what a mind game rock climbing was.

My car teetered on the highway to Leavenworth from the taunting side wind.  If this wind could provoke my 3000 pound car to a sway, what power would it have over me when I was perched in thin air over Highway 2 and the swollen river raging through the Tumwater Canyon?  On my maiden voyage of rock climbing would I be swinging helplessly to and fro, scraping over coarse granite like cheese through a grater? I wasn’t even on the rock and my imagination had turned gory. 

We reached our destination up the Tumwater Canyon.  Castle Rock towered above us, like a grey tombstone.  We trekked up the narrow trail to the upper wall and prepared for battle.  Here, like an angel descending from heaven, Tina Duffey appeared out of nowhere to tag along behind me on the climb.  Her moral support, I was about to discover, was going to be needed. 

With a few final exchanges and safety checks we were off.  He led the way, making it look more like a delicate dance than a stomach wrenching, risk-filled sport.  Soon I was following him into guaranteed danger.               

A secure rope from above, four points of contact with the rock before me, moral support from Tina climbing behind me -- it shouldn’t have been difficult except for… the exposure.  The exposure over the road and river so far below in the bowels of the Tumwater Canyon played with my sanity and confidence. 

Two thirds of the way up the first pitch I found myself stuck as I struggled to map out my next move.  My hip was cramping, my calf was shaking incessantly, and my brain imagined gruesome possibilities that had my heart hammering.  My confidence waned and I felt like giving up.  I glanced down to scope out possible escape routes, only to see how miniscule our backpacks looked from up high.  “Alright,” I thought, “There’s no choice but to keep climbing.”  Tunnel vision kicked in, I wedged my toe into an unlikely looking divot, and pushed up with all my might to reach a ledge. 

All that angst had me hating rock climbing. I was positive this was not my sport. But upon reaching the end of the first pitch and clipping into the anchor, my body surged with euphoric mix relief, accomplishment and dopamine.   

On the belay ledge I reconnected with my misplaced confidence and, following my leader up the second pitch, I climbed with a smile rather than a grimace.     

Completing what seemed like the longest climb ever attacked by man or woman, I stood on the top of Castle Rock as the sun slipped off the rim of the canyon high above and dusk darkened the churning river waters far below. Victory! I was feeling pretty darn pompous.  I was also awash with profound insights I lacked just a few hours earlier like: ‘Rock climbing is HARD.’

Other insights have me puzzled. The sport really packs a powerful high – I’ve sensed the possibility of addiction. Now he’s talking about what we might climb next week and I’m not sure whether to follow or run. Is he a friend or a pusher?    

                                                                       +++

Details, Details:  Getting Going with Climbing

-For local professional climbing instruction, see the NW Mountain School.  

-Bouldering is a good way to learn climbing movement.  Check this article for the perks of bouldering and a few local routes.

-Central Washington Bouldering, written by Kelly Sheridan, $25 available at Leavenworth Mountain Sports

-Central Washington lacks a local climbing club, but The Mountaineers offer helpful classes and outings for all skill levels.  

-Climbing-Chatter Group. Local climbers with intermediate and advanced skills use this email list to communicate each week and to find out who is climbing where. During the spring and summer, a group often coalesces one evening a week to climb at a particular crag around Leavenworth or Vantage. Contact Charlie Hickenbottom (hickenbottom.c@flymail.net) to be included in the weekly emails. 

-For free route information of climbs around Central Washington, check our on-line rock climbing guidebooks. 

-Considered the Bible of mountaineering and climbing theory, check out The Freedom of the Hills.  

- For the most complete listing of climbs around Leavenworth climbs, see Leavenworth Rock, by Viktor Kramar

Join a Lake Wenatchee State Park Ranger for a fun, informative snowshoe hike and learn the answer to these questions (and more)!  The hike will go for about a mile in easy terrain, with several stops along the way (suitable for the whole family).  We will meet near the contact station at the north entrance of Lake Wenatchee State Park (watch for signs) on Saturday, January 15 at 1:00 pm. 

To get there, take Highway 2 west from Leavenworth about 15 miles, turn right on Highway 207 for four miles, turn left into the north entrance of Lake Wenatchee State Park.  Wear clothing appropriate for the weather and bring water.  Parking will be free for snowshoe hike participants only (no SnoPark permit required for this event).  Snowshoe rentals at a discounted rate will be available at Plain Hardware and Leavenworth Mountain Sports.  Also, volunteers will be on hand to help people put on their snowshoes, and we will be giving away cool gifts from Leavenworth Mountain Sports!

Note:  So far, we have plenty of snow this winter.  However, if we happen to get a warm spell, please call the park at 509-763-3101 the day before the event to see if it is “still a go”.

First, let us say you needn’t buy into the great greed fest that Christmas has become. How a religious holiday got purloined by capitalism is confusing—maybe even upsetting. The holidays may upset others on the environmental front: Is there another day of the year surpassing this one in its excesses and waste? So if you want to keep the holidays truer to their spiritual roots and less of an environmental travesty, forget our article and glean some ideas from this article about a stuff-free holiday.

Of course, not many of us actually yearn for a stuff-free holiday. Most of us like our outdoor toys and Christmas is a time to tuck a few more treasures into the quiver. So excuse us for trying to rain on your parade and let us redeem ourselves by suggesting some truly excellent gifts that outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes will appreciate.

Gorilla vs. the Duck

Duck (duct) tape was once the all-star tape that outdoor types loved for its ability to temporarily fix everything. Now the duck has been benched by the gorilla. Yup, when the going gets tough, you want Gorilla Tape to patch holes in raincoats, nylon pants, and tarps; to splint broken ski poles, tent poles, and frame packs; and to hold bandages to bodies, skins to skis, and padding to packs. The gorilla is more highly evolved, sticks better, lasts much longer, doesn’t go all gooey with age, and adheres to more materials than duct tape. But at $9 per 30-yard roll, it’s also about three times more expensive than cheap duct tapes and a few dollars more than the best high-thread duct tapes. So it’s good to keep both tapes in the arsenal. Use the bird when you need an easy, temporary fix and the ape for tough applications intended to last. Get Gorilla Tape at Stan’s Merry Mart, Clifford’s Hardware, Home Depot, or Wal-Mart.

Fireflies

A keychain microlight (you know, one of those single-bulb, LED lights powered by a squeeze and a watch battery), it’s a safety item every backcountry traveler should always keep in his or her pack. Why? Because they way next to nothing, take up almost no room, and yet they’ll see you out of a dark place on that day when injury, miscalculations, or poor navigation has you benighted. These keychain lights really do cast enough light to get you safely down the last few miles of a trail after dark. Or they help you find wood, start a fire, and settle in for the evening if it’s clear you’re not getting out of the woods before morning.

Many brands of microlights are available and most outdoor, department, and hardware stores sell them at prices ranging from $6 to $15. Ideally you want a light with a white bulb (forget the colored bulbs), a locking switch to keep the light on for extended periods (cheaper lights only have a thumb-depression switch), and the ability to replace the battery (cheaper lights are usually disposable).

Pure Water

While we’re talking about emergencies, another essential that should always be carried into the backcountry trip, short or long, is some form of water purification. A tiny bottle of iodine tablets (e.g. Potable Aqua) is the lightest solution going but Aquamira Drops, using the chlorine dioxide purification process many municipal water systems employ, are only a little heavier and have many advantages over iodine (they work in icy water and leave only oxygen and salt in the water after a chemical reaction purifies the water). The drops cost $14, will purify 30 gallons of water, and are available at a number of our local outdoor shops including Mountain Air and Arlberg Sports.

Another water purifier for day tripping is the Aquamira Frontier Emergency Water Filter System, a straw that attaches to a filter submerged in the water you’re drinking. This straw/filter retails for under $10, weighs ¾ of an ounce, and lets you drink water you happen upon immediately without the wait time required for tablets or drops. 

Map Library

The 7.5-minute topographic maps made by the U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) are the gold standard for backcountry navigation, and the statewide CD map sets made by either TOPO! National Geographic  or Maptech Terrain Navigator arm you with every 7.5-minute map in the state.  That’s over 1,300 maps for $100. Both products seamlessly stitch together maps on a home computer (Windows format for Maptech, Windows or Mac for TOPO!) and clearly print the area you define on a cheap color printer. We think these CD maps are among the very best outdoor products of the computer age.

Paper maps covering the entire state would cost over $7,000. Through the associative properties of perverse logic, we’ll claim that investing in these maps is like getting your computer free. Furthermore, you can do more with digital maps than paper maps – like stitch multiple maps together in those pesky four-corner areas onto one page, calculate distances super fast, automatically display the elevation and latitude/longitude coordinates of any point, display the bearing between two points, tweak the scale so your route fits on one sheet of paper to be carried in your pocket… 

Miracle Cure

Urethane compounds that are squeezed from tubes and harden into rubbery substrates might be best described as ‘liquid rubber.’ Better-known brands of liquid rubber sold in department and hardware stores are Shoe Goo and Goop. These two brands, however, pale next to SeamGrip ($7 per one-ounce tube) in their ability to bond securely to so such materials as fabric, nylon, leather, metal, plastic, or wood. SeamGrip, which is available at specialty stores like Mountain Air, Arlberg Sports, and Hooked on Toys, is runnier than Shoe Goo and can be applied easily over seams you want to waterproof. You can also dam up the material and use it to patch holes in boots, tarps, tent floors, raingear, air mattresses, gloves, and fishing waders. Or use it to glue the delaminating soles of mountaineering boots or approach shoes. Once you start using it, you find all manners of outdoor and indoor equipment to fix with it.

Uncommon Socks

Gifting Bridgedale’s Wool-Fusion socks is a non-consumeristic, environmental present. Sort of. Here’s why? The yarns in the Wool-Fusion series of socks (many styles and thicknesses of socks are part of this series) are made by wrapping nylon around merino wool. The wool delivers one quiver of benefits: cushioning, warmth, moisture control, and odor control. The nylon makes the socks super durable. Durable enough that they’re guaranteed to last and keep you happy for three-years. We’ve put a pair Bridgedale’s through the woods, wash, and wringer. We’ve also used it daily as a slipper.

Two pairs of all-wool Smart Wool socks we tested in the same way sprouted holes within months, but our WoolFusion socks are plump in the heels and under the balls of the feet after a year of rugged use. The Smart Wool socks make you feel conspicuous and guilty landfilling them so soon. However the Bridgedale socks (costing $15 to $20, depending on the model) help you understand that a product designed to last makes you less of a consumer and more of an environmentalist.

Silkweight Capilene

When it comes to products that just keep on ticking, we also give a two-thumbs-up rating to Patagonia’s Silkweight Capilene (long underwear). Now referred to as their Capilene 1 base layer (the lightest of 4 different Capilene layers that Patagonia makes) this polyester long underwear has been well-loved and well-used by throngs of users over the past decade. And to Patagonia’s credit they don’t continually phase out great products every few years just to keep you tossing the old and coveting the new. Anyway, Capilene 1 long underwear (long sleeve top $38, bottoms $36) is as light as anything available (5.5 ounces for a large top) yet remarkably tough. Some of us have used the shirts for years and they remain in excellent shape, have not stretched, and show no evidence of pilling. They also hold little water when wet, dry fast, and wick well.

Jet-fast Boils

Four years ago when we first saw the Jetboil Stove with its heat exchanger and attached pot cozy, it seemed gimmicky. That impression evaporated quickly when we fired up the stove--it boiled water so efficiently we joined the Jetboil jihad. Recently the company has produced a larger pot letting the stove service three- and four-person groups. With the standard pot (servicing one or two people), your complete kitchen with pot, stove, one fuel canister and two cups weighs 21 ounces (less than a quart of water) and takes up less space than a Nalgene bottle. In winter we like the fact that carrying the stove and melting snow is lighter and more versatile than carrying an extra quart of water.

Here’s what else we like: the Jetboil turns on an off easy, simmers well, and uses its fuel extremely efficiently. About the only thing we dislike, and this applies to all canister stoves, is that the spent fuel bottles are not recyclable.

Too Light to Leave

Here in Central Washington where the skies are usually blue, it’s easy to get lulled into visiting the mountains under-prepared. You rarely need true storm wear, so you start resenting the weight and leaving this important essential behind. That’s why it pays to have storm gear that’s so light and compact you’re never tempted to be stupid, even if you’re just out for a short winter’s walk with a fanny pack. A raincoat fitting the bill that we’ve tested and like is Outdoor Research’s Helium Jacket (7 oz, size large). Made of Pertex Shield Fabric and using a waterproof-breathable PV laminate, the product does a good job of keeping you dry whether it’s raining hard or you’re exercising hard. Despite its minimalist weight and design, the Helium ($140) has an excellent hood, a waterproof zipper, drawstrings to snug up the coat and hood, and is cut long enough to cover your bottom. And for being so light it’s also fairly tought.

Our recommendation for lightweight lower-body protection is GoLite’s Reed Pant (6 ounces), a no-nonsense nylon pant using a waterproof/breathable polyurethane coating and costing $70. These pants will spend 95 percent of their life hibernating in a pack, but when you need them they’ll cut wind, repel rain, shed snow, and conserve warmth.

Good Zzzzs

The Exped Synmat 7 backpacking mattress offers superior comfort for outdoor sleeping. Doesn’t matter if you’re sleeping on small roots, cement, a granite slab, or pine cones…this mattress makes all of it comfortable. The synthetic microfiber in the baffles stabilize the air pumped into this mattress so you don’t get the cold spots of an uninsulated air mattress. The insulative R-factor of this mattress is 4.9 (higher than ultralight and standard weight Therm-a-Rests, which are about the same weight as the Synmat). The mattress also has a built-in pump. This makes inflation fast and it keeps lung moisture from your breath out (moisture eventually damages the product and reduces its insulative value). It takes a few minutes to master the palm-on-palm-off technique of covering the pump’s hole, but once you get it, it takes about 70 seconds to inflate the full-length mattress.

Exped’s Downmat 7 has exactly the same comfort benefit and an even better R-value than the Synmat, making it an even better mattress if you’re off-kilter enough to like winter camping. But the Downmat lacks a built-in pump and retails for more than the Synmat 7 Pump ($140 vs. $85).

Read our full review here.

Superior Traction

The MSR Lightning Snowshoe are a go-anywhere product and are the the best-gripping snowshoes tested —the crampon is aggressive, two bars with serrated teeth run across the width of the shoe, and the underside of the entire metal frame has teeth cut into it. The binding hinges nicely but is torsionally stable; when you’re traversing steep slopes, the binding keeps your heel from torquing sideways off the shoe. The binding is easy to adjust, regardless of the footwear you’re using, and the releases for the over-the-foot straps are excellent – you can get these puppies on and off easier than most of the competition. The metal frame is solid aluminum and the Hypalon deck providing the flotation is durable—these snowshoes aren’t going to fall apart unless you unwittingly back the car over them. Finally few snowshoes this technical are so light.

If price isn’t a deterrent (they retail for $230), you won’t go wrong with the Lightning. This one product can service everyone in the family or in your friendship circle--hardcore winter climbers, winter backpackers, winter daytrippers, winter trail runners…

The Gift of Conservation

If the person you’re buying for already owns all of the best gear, buy them a Chelan-Douglas Land Trust Membership.  Help protect open space, healthy rivers and access to the recreation areas they enjoy.  A gift membership starts at $25 and includes a welcome packet with the following: winter note card with gift message, Wenatchee Foothills trails map, The Good Neighbor Handbook, a wildflower brochure and a Land Trust sticker.  A membership means year round benefits as well such as the Land Trust newsletter, access to member only outings and events and e-news updates.  You can purchase a membership or download and print a form to mail in here.

Not enough?

If you need more suggestions for that hard-to-buy-for person on your list you may want to check out Big Outside Blog.  On the homepage you’ll find reviews of all of Michael Lanza’s favorite new gear of 2010.  The list includes (but is not limited to) the Aku Suiterra Sued GTX boot, Black Diamond’s Soloist Glove, Kahtoola Microspikes, Mountain Hardwear’s Microstretch Zip Tee and the North Face Primero 85 backpack.

You don’t have to worry about your form, how much sweat you’ve gotten onto your running outfit, what people will think of you, or how many more songs are on your clever “Running Track” playlist. You get to play in the dirt, tear up the trail, and run through the woods like you’re crazy. Doesn’t that sound like more fun?

2. Strengthen Critical Joints

Trail running helps you strengthen important joints like your ankles and knees, which will allow you to continue to remain active even decades from now. The challenging nature of a trail forces you to learn agility through quick decision-making and follow-through with your body, which helps you build muscle where it counts the most.

3. Reduce Stress on Your Body

Since you aren’t running on asphalt, your body will be absorbing much less of an impact than it did when you ran on roads, gym floors, or even tracks and treadmills. Running on packed dirt reduces impact stress, and there are usually parts of the trail that are even softer – portions that have been overtaken by vegetation or sections of looser dirt.

4. Decrease Overuse Injuries

Because you aren’t making the same robotic movements over and over, you’ll be able to reduce the number and severity of overuse injuries sustained while running. Trail running means constantly adapting to the terrain, so your body is moving a different way with each step. This is especially helpful if you have problems with your running form and are easily injured as a result.

5. Challenge Yourself

Running on a trail requires you to consistently watch five to ten feet ahead of where you are, making split-second decisions and commanding your body to follow orders. You want to keep your pace up and aim for consistency, which is difficult when you have to adapt to sudden changes in terrain, but it’s a great challenge for your mind and body.

6. Improve Your Balance and Proprioception

Proprioception is your sense of your body’s balance and placement in space, which is improved by making the constant physical adjustments required by trail running. When you spot a large boulder ahead and decide to scale it, you identify placement points for your feet – and your success depends on your ability to move your feet to the exact position needed to navigate the terrain at your current pace. Eventually, you’ll develop a heightened sense of exactly where each part of your body is at any given moment.

7. Enjoy the Scenery

This one is pretty self-explanatory: nature is beautiful, so enjoy it while you’re out there. Taking a break from the daily grind is one of the best things you can do for yourself.

8. Build Strength Faster

Trail running involves some intensive movements that aren’t usually achieved in road, gym, or track running. Because you’re constantly adapting to unpredictable terrain, your body is required to keep up by supplying bursts of power and energy whenever they’re needed. You’re also working your muscles harder overall by navigating this terrain.

9. Exercise Your Core

The precise movements that result from a heightened sense of proprioception extend from your core outward. You’re constantly trying to find a state of balance, and this requires you to use almost every muscle in your body, especially the ones in your core.

10. Focus on Your Body

When you’re running on the trail, you can focus on your body’s relationship to the environment and the way it responds to every thought that goes through your head. You don’t have to be entertained while you run – sometimes, just learning more about yourself is more than enough.

Helen is a freelance writer and the resident blogger for Go College.com, an informational website offering tips about online college sites.

See a slideshow that's a compilation of pictures taken by the different teams who participated.

Note: If you're coming to this site from the Seattle Times article about this story, they did not list the right site. We recommend you visit the WenatcheeOutdoors.org website which is an affiliate of the JustGetOut network.

The paltry efforts to plan this event and the meager two weeks notice that the battle was on had actually had us worried. Those of us who helped conceptualize the idea and put the details together were getting emails and phone calls that went something like this: "How about a little more lead time...most of us (unlike you apparently) have lives." Or messages like, "This sounds like a fine and pleasant misery, but I'm already signed up for the equally beautiful torture of running the Leavenworth Marathon.”

So from our tally of who to expect we had about a dozen folks who were ‘In’ and about another half dozen who were ‘maybes’. In the way of a ‘maybe’ being a polite way for some people to say ‘no’ we expected 12 or maybe 15 people to show up Saturday morning on October 2 and ride for Ellensburg, taking any route they wanted.

Instead we got 40. We had one rider, Brig Seidl, from Seattle who apparently came over to humiliate his Central Washington brethren by completing the 74-mile paved ride over Blewett Pass on a road bike a good half hour earlier than the next finishers, Michael Hansen and Mike Fadich, who completed the 52-mile spin across the higher, rockier Colockum Road in 4.5 hours.

But that was just the beginning of the diversity. Team Adventure, some nine riders Jamie Tackman drummed up, were still out beating the bushes when the rest of the riders had already left Ellensburg and spent 6 hours in the saddle and 3 hours resting. Team Antiquity had our oldest rider, Gil Sparks, and ate the roses along the way… at different fruit stands and the Liberty Café before really eating up at the Tav in Ellensburg. Kaz Lorentz completed the ride with an artificial knee. And Collin Brine, being extremely lazy and wanting to sleep in, didn’t leave Wenatchee until 11:00 a.m. but still managed to make the festivities at ride’s end in Ellensburg.

In total six different routes were used including: Blewett Pass (the only paved option), a ride up the Beehive Reservoir with a crossing of the watersheds west of Mission Peak (a ride that’s tougher than maps might indicate), a ride up and over Mission Ridge (the hard man route that the team being whipped by Alison Haug completed with the third best time), the ride up Jumpoff Ridge and over the top a Four Corners (probably the most direct line), and the ride up and over Colockum Pass (the historic route between Eburg and Wenatchee).

At the end of the ride, each team recounted their experiences to the rest of the group. There were good stories, good adventures, good memories, but very few conclusions. The fastest route this year was on pavement but would the right rider on the right gear be faster going a shorter line on a mountain bike or with cyclocross bike? And what was the prettiest route -- well there's subjective quagmire to bog you down for hours? Or what was the most adventurous route. Again, plenty of debate.

These are questions it will take years to answer. Next year, as we run the outing on either the last weekend of September or the first weekend of October (mark your calendar now) we'll know more.

See a slideshow that's a compilation of pictures taken by the different teams who participated. We hope to update this with captions soon, but enjoy the pictures now.

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Photo: Climbing on Martian Slab at Peshastin Pinnacles State Park 

The Peshastin Pinnacles are a collection of crags composed of Swauk sandstone sitting just above the orchards lining the Wenatchee Valley near the town of Cashmere. Rock climbers have visited these crags for over 50 years, and because many of the walls have a southwestern exposure, they are most commonly visited in spring and fall. While there are a few crack climbs here, most routes ascend bolt- protected slabs.

Before the mid-1990s, The Pinnacles were a very popular early- and late-season climbing destination. Over time, as Vantage became the desired destination for sport climbing (especially for West Side climbers), the use of the Peshastin Pinnacles dropped significantly. This is good news for climbers who do visit. The area is rarely crowded and, even on the busiest days, there will be no queues for the best climbs.

There's reason the popularity of the area has waned: it's small, there has been little new route development over the past 20 years, and the the rock is somewhere between soft and crumbly. But while this may not offer the very best of Central Washington climbing, it's still an entertaining climbing destination. There are many moderate routes and it's still an excellent place for beginning and intermediate climbers to hone their craft. It's also just darn pretty to be on these beige cliffs and to look out toward the stark peaks of the Enchantments and down on the lush orchards of the Wenatchee Valley. It's a view that doesn't grow stale and it's worth returning every now and again to get a refresher on how pretty the Cashmere area is as well as how to smear your way up nubs of sandstone.

Skill Level: Most of the routes here range from 5.5 to 5.10.

Guidebook Info. The pictures and route information we've included below is a good introduction to Peshastin Pinnacles and will keep you happily climbing here for several days. We've included a few pictures taken by Tom McMackin that were scanned from  the 1976 guidebook Rock Climbing Leanworth and Index (long out of print). The pictures may be old but they accurately show most of the classic routes. For more routes and the most up-to-date climbing information, see the 2010 edition of Leavenworth Rock by Viktor Kramar ($36, www.Leavenworthrockclimbing.com).

Access:  Follow Highway 2 some 0.2 miles west of Milepost 109 (near Cashmere) and north turn onto North Dryden Road, following signs to Peshastin Pinnacles State Park. In 0.5 miles reach the entrance to Peshastin Pinnacles State Park. Enter and park. The state park has some facilities (vault toilet, picnic tables).

More Info:  Peshastin Pinnacle State Park covers 34.4 acres and offers six picnic sites, 8,350 feet of trail, and of special interest are the unique sandstone spires and formations contained in this rock climbing park. The crags were once on private property but in the late 1980s, the owners closed the area over liability concerns. The Trust for Public Lands and the Chelan Douglas Land Trust worked in tandem to purchase the area and then turned it over to State Parks, the agency that now manages the area. The Pinnacles re-opened as a park in 1991. This slideshow by Lisa Robinson takes a counter-clockwise walk around the trail system and is a good orientation to the area : Walking Tour.

Other Uses:  Hiking, trail running, family walk

Nearest Town: Cashmere

Best Seasons: Spring and fall

Seasonal Closure:  The park is closed during the winter. The stated dates of closure are October 15 to March 15, but these are soft dates and typically the park is open well into November if the the weather is mild. The park often opens a week or two before mid-March as well. To find out about the park's status at any given time cal 509-664-6373 or email Wenatchee.Confluence@parks.wa.gov

Hours:  The park is open during daylight hours (6:30 am to dusk).

Permits:   None required.

Climbing Protection. The majority of routes here are bolt protected but a sizable percentage require gear. Bring a standard rack and you'll be set to climb most everything here.

Descents. There will be a combination of walk-offs, raps, and lowers. Many of the routes were first established with 50-meter ropes (or shorter) so one modern 60-meter rope gets you down the vast majority of routes.

Photo: The Pinnacles as seen from Highway 2 near Cashmere.

Orchard Rock is the first  crag on your right as you pass through the gate into the area. No picture is included. The most popular route is the Tunnel Route (5.6) which starts on the little saddle on the uphill (north) side of the tower, goes up a slabby ramp to a hole (the tunnel) that you pass through. Next, work up a cornerlike slot to the belay on the top. Bring gear to 2 inches. Rappel off the east side of the crag.

Martian Slab/Tower is the broad, wide wall above and slightly to your right when you pass through the gate accessing the trails.  1) Catacombs: 5.8, fixed gear and gear to 2".   2) Butter Brickle: 5.9+, gear to 4", weird, interesting, and worthwhile.  3) West Face: 5.8, gear to 2".  4) Martian Diagnol: 5.6, some fixed gear and gear to 2", a classic.  5) Martian Direct (aka Diagnol Direct): 5.8, bolts and gear to 2", excellent route. Also excellent and not shown but located just left of Martian Direct is Baseball Nut (5.9, bolted).   6) Ridge Route: 5.6, gear to 1.5".  7) Porpoise: 5.6, gear to 1", a popular route.   8) Gray Whale: 5.8+, bolts, short but popular.

Martian Slab (uphill portion).  7) Porpoise: 5.6, gear to 1", a popular route.    8) Gray Whale: 5.8+, bolts, short but popular. Variations (7a  and 7b) are easy to mid 5.10 and can be top-roped after doing Gray Whale.

Dinosauer Tower  is both the highest and most massive crag at The Pinnacles. 1) Skyline: 5.5, gear to 2".  2) Potholes: 5.8, bolts, a recommended route.  3) Potholes Direct: 51.0c, poorly protected and rarely led.  4) Potholes Direct Direct: 5.10a, bolts, excellent route.  5) Washboard: 5.10c, bolts, excellent route.  6) Primate: 5.10+: bolts and fixed gear.  7) Cro-Magnon: 5.8, gear to 2", second pitch is interesting and fun.  8) Caveman: 5.9+ , gear to 2".

Sunset Slab is beyond Dinosauer Tower and has several easy slab climbs that are excellent for beginners and new leaders. The second pitch of many of these routes ascends looser rock so many parties rap off after the first pitch (two ropes needed for some of these  raps.) 1) Continuous BS: 5.6 to 5.9, bolted but strung out.  2) Green Velvet: 5.8, gear to 1", the first pitch is nice but has marginal pro, many people rap from the top of the first pitch.  3) National Velvet: 5.6, bolts, good first pitch, second pitch not as clean.   4) Booby Vinton: 5.5, bolts, good route.   5) Sunset: 5.5, bolts and gear to 3".  6) Sunrise: 5.7+, looser rock and poor pro.

 Grand Central Tower - Back Side. The front of Grand Central offers slab climbs but the back side ascends steep cracks and solution pockets.  3) Empire State Route: 5.8, gear to 3", awkward, intimidating, and fun for those who like contorting into odd positions.  4) Corkscrew: 5.9, gear to 2", an indirect but fun line.  5) Vertigo: 5.9, gear to 4", the best of these short, steep routes.  6) Bomb Shelter: 5.11a, fixed gear, scary pro and runout but a good route to all the slings where most people rappel.

 Grand Central - Front Side. This slab offers a few of the better climbs at Peshastin. A rock slide on the right side of the slab over the winter of 2010 has probably affected some of the routes like the bottom of Nirvana Ridge, Sandbox, and the various West Face options. 1) Alley Oop Chimney: 5.9, funky bolts and run out. 2) Jock Trap: 5.9, gear to 3".  7) Nirvana Ridge: 5.9, bolts and gear to 2", a Peshastin classic but some of the rock is crumbly and some of the runouts are scary.  8) Scratch: 5.10c, fixed pro but very run out. 9) West Face Direct: 5.10a, good rock, bolts protect crux but much of the route is tricky and run out, easily top roped.  10) West Face: 5.8,  bolts, excellent and popular first pitch, second pitch lousy. 11) Lightning Crack: 5.9, gear to 3", perhaps the best-known climb at the area, do it.  12) Madsen's Buttress: 5.10,  poor rock and scary bolts. 13)  Sand box: 5.9, gear to 2.5 ", poor rock and pro.

 Austrian Slab has several excellent routes but most are a bit ballsy. 5) Slakin: 5.8, bolts, fun route but run out to the first bolt. 5a) Lichen Delight: 5.9, bolts and thin gear, run out.  6) Standard Route: 5.8, bolts and thin gear, run out. 7) Cajun Queen: 5.10b, bolts, good route but run out.  8) Faking it: 5.10b, bolts, very popular and clean climb but a bit run out.  9) Slender Thread: 5.9+, bolts, excellent route but run out -- especially before the first clip. Most climbers traverse off the ledge one pitch up because of poor rock on the second pitch. 

Sickle Slab is actually just the right side of the same crag housing Austrian Slab. 1) Windcave: 5.8, fixed gear and gear to 2".  2) Windward: 5.6, fixed gear and gear to 2", a good route.  3) Windward Direct: 5.8, bolts, well protected and popular.  4) The Tree: 5.4, runners and gear to 2", crumbly rock. Note: Starting downhill and right of the Windcave is Testicle Fortitude, 5.9, (not shown) which is a good climb (though run out)  following bolts up to a prominent flake before zigzagging to the same anchor as Windward. To descend Sickle Slab either downclimb off the back or rappel the front side (100').

Leave It Better than You Found It:  This should be every climber's goal. Pick up trash left by others, pull noxious weeds along your route, throw branches over unwanted spur trails, etc.

Disclaimer. Treat this information as recommendations, not gospel. Conditions change and those contributing these reports are volunteers--they may make mistakes or not know all the issues affecting a route. You are responsible for yourself, your actions, and your safety. If you won’t accept that responsibility, you are prohibited from using our information.

The postman pulled his delivery truck into our driveway. Not wanting to waste the time of professionals with a reputation for getting aggressive when grumpy, I trotted from the garage toward the truck.

“Take your time,” he yelled. I obeyed and slowed to a walk. As I approached, he nodded toward the green foothills basking in the sunshine and commented, “A day like this you just gotta enjoy.”

I took the mail and package he offered. And I took what might have been a random comment as a serious command. Should the postman rap on my door tomorrow and demand, “Did you take my advice?’ I wanted to say without lying, “Absolutely!”

Rather than retiring to my basement office, I had new marching orders: “A day like this you gotta enjoy.” I grabbed my camera, hopped on the bike and, five minutes later, was on a trail in the Sage Hills doing exactly what I’d been told. I even took pictures to prove my compliance.

Late in the afternoon by wife returned from work. She looked me over as I sat next to the computer typing in my bike attire. She smelled the sweaty bike jersey in the stale office air. “What ’s been happening?” she asked trying to measure the productivity of my day.

I might have been in a tight spot had I accomplished nothing and all I had to account for my inactivity was the excuse that the postman made me do it. But good things come from following the advice of the guys who are known to be the nation’s de-facto stress barometers. Getting out and enjoying the day for 90 minutes cleared my head, gave me ideas on how to better structure a story, let my subconscious prioritize work and tasks for the afternoon. And the exercise energized rather than drained me. Paradoxically enjoying the day hadn’t stolen from other causes, it contributed to them.

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Enjoying Each Day

Research verifies that daily exercise, whether you hike, trail run, mountain bike, road riding, paddle or climb, makes people healthier, happier, and more productive. Spending a little time each day surrounded by nature is also good for de-stressing and regenerating. Here are some backyard places where you can easily work the postman’s orders into the daily routine. See our on-line guidebooks for details.

• Wenatchee: The Loop, Sage Hills, Saddle Rock, Dry Gulch, the Columbia River, Number 2 Canyon Road, Burch Mountain Road, Horse Lake Road.
• East Wenatchee: The Loop, Hydro Park Extension to the Loop, Badger Mountain Road, Blue Grade.
• Leavenworth: Icicle Ridge Trail, Ski Hill, Ranger Road, Mountain Home Road, Icicle Road, the Wenatchee River.
• Chelan: Chelan Butte Road, Lake Chelan, Boyd Road. 
• Peshastin: Sauer Mountain, Derby Canyon.
• Cashmere: Peshastin Pinnacles, Nahahum Canyon, Butler Ridge, Mission Creek Road, Yaksum Canyon.

Marc Dilley sent us two unique and beautiful photos of the Sleeping Lady above Leavenworth that we posted as Pictures of the Week on April 20. Vertical pictures create an awkward display in the Pictures of the Week box, so we pasted the two together in a collage. For an artist like Marc, our cavalier use of his photos was probably sacreligious -- a collage doesn't move your eye through the picture the way the photographer intended, it doesn't allow your eye to center in the same spot. From an artistic standpoint, it's dumb.

To give you the full affect of each of these photos as they were meant to be seen (individually) we've pasted them into this post. Enjoy.

Take a look at Marc's website www.MarcDilley.com if you want to enjoy many other fabulous photos.