Vantage, May 9

I was really looking forward to the annual WCN trip to Mt St Helens — I like rock climbing but I actually like doing long hikes and scrambles better. I aspire to actually be a good enough climber and fit enough to lead stuff in the mountains, but I’m not, so I’m happy to class 3/class 4 it. St Helens is of course not technical, not even a scramble, but it’s got the snow, the setting, and a really cool summit (it’s a volcano! that is currently actively volcanoing!). When I did it a few years ago at the same time of year there was even a low cloud layer to pass through (~30F snow flurries below, sun above). Getting above the clouds really makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something even if St Helens is only about 8000 ft.

Unfortuantely this year the WCN group called it off because of the avalanche forecast. I’m sure plenty of people did it and had no issues, but most of us decided we’d rather not have to worry about it anyway, especially since the danger would inevitably disappear after a few weeks anyway.

There was also the temptation of Plan B at Vantage. It seems I’ve been there a lot this year, but in the spring the scenery is changing weekly. The pink phlox-looking stuff is not in bloom anymore but these were:

Puffy Flowers

And of course it’s great to spend time with friends in such a beautiful setting!

Dawn and Traisa

• Sunshine Wall, Air Guitar, 5.10a trad (lead) one of my favorites, and easy for a 10a, but I need to get used to people watching/talking about me when I’m climbing…
• Sunshine Wall, Clip ‘em or Skip ‘em, 5.8 sport (lead)
• Tomato Wall, Hamhocks 5.9 trad (lead w/falls) proximal cause of falling was getting a cam hooked in a loop on my shoe, but if I had chosen better gear placements (ie. placed nuts from the good rests and saved the cams for the awkward layback stuff), I may have been able to untangle myself without freaking out. Or if I had just borrowed everyone else’s .75s. Or if I hadn’t climbed over-conservatively because everyone told me the route was a sandbag (I don’t think it is; if I can almost do it it shouldn’t be more than 5.9)
• Tomato Wall, Go Cat Go 5.10c sport (lead w/falls) just couldn’t figure out this one (or I’m too short), a lot of climbing up to reach a clip, then downclimbing to get back on my line