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River rock after work
Mike and his dad John propose an after work session at River Rock on the Truckee. We’re hoping the days are still long enough if we get going at 4pm. We arrive before 5 and Mike jumps straight onto Karl’s crack 5.10a (see dirty talk). After we follow that there’s still time for me to…
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Sierra Buttes Lookout
I’ve wanted to climb up to the crazy lookout tower on the Sierra Buttes ever since I passed below on the Pacific Crest Trail in 1996. Now Dad joins us to do it sixteen years later! We camp and picnic first at the packsaddle campground. Packsaddle Camp Kuhns and maps The crags loom above the…
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Climbing at Big Chief with Dad
Ann and I figure this may our last chance to climb for a while, and Dad is happy to come along as an observer and photographer. The weather couldn’t be better and we have a great time cragging. Ann on Festus 5.10a Ann on Festus 5.10a Dylan on May Cause Drowsiness 5.10d Ann at the…
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Lava Tube Caving
None of our small family gathering have any experience caving, so there’s some trepidation as we start toward the “cave loop” at Lava Beds National Monument with headlamps in our pockets. The gang sets out As it turns out the first “easy” cave we hit is the longest one – a full kilometer underground. The…
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Lava Beds Three Sisters Loop
Dad and I enjoy a 7-mile loop hike on nice pumice trail that is really almost 11 miles. No matter, our talking makes the walking go by all too fast. We do make sure to notice that the lava landscape defies our usual expectations of eroded land forms – here gullies run straight into hills…
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Big Chief Perusal
Ann and I finally made it up to the Big Chief crag for a little climbing. This place has a great out-of-the-way feel, and though I’ve read that the rock is basalt it feels very different from other basalt cliffs in the area, almost like it was made of molten aluminum dribbled into a great…
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Friday Thomas Creek Cragging
Wes joins Ann and I for an early work departure for Thomas creek crag, verifying that this is a viable workday climbing destination, and the climbing here is fun enough to bear repeated visits. Whoop! 2012-09-07 16.14.39 2012-09-07 16.15.34 2012-09-07 16.15.36 2012-09-07 17.01.54 Routes: Brits on Holaday 5.8, Spit 5.10c TR, Spat 5.10b TR
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Picnic Climbing at Thomas Creek
We choose to stay close to home this labor day weekend. We’ve never been to our closest neighborhood crag, so today we pack up sandwiches and check it out. It looks like we might have it to ourselves, but fortunately Ann hears voices up top. We stand back and watch a guy wearing a bluetooth…
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Sneaking in to 90-foot wall
We’ve been scheming for over a year now climb at 90 foot wall. This little collection of easily toproped cracks is an easy hike from the most popular trailhead on lake Tahoe at Eagle Creek. The first few times we came here, we didn’t even get parked. The first time it took us 20 minutes…
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Lovely Luther Rocks
It feels like we’re really sinking into late summer and soaking up all we can. While huge fires blaze to the north, we settle in at the big meadow campground and try not to twitch too much as campers chop wood and fill the air with smoke. Bliss comes in the mornings as cooler days…