Seattle Forrest

I left for Leavenworth on Saturday morning, drove out to Barney's Rubble on Icicle Creek, and spent the day rappelling, belaying, and climbing. Camped under the stars at the crag. The next morning, I got up (later than I planned), did a scenic ride across town on a back road and then up the canyon to the Johnny Creek campgrounds, where the road is closed, then turned back for the car. Finally I did a few more rappels, and went home.

Slightly off topic, but this was the first time I built my own rap station, without supervision, and then rappelled from anchors I built. It was a bit scary, but it was also tremendous fun.

The road is pretty much clear of snow until it's closed, it hit 86 F yesterday, and the mountains are still snow-capped (but it's melting quickly), so it was a gorgeous ride. I was surprised at how many wildflowers are blooming right now, some of the avalanche lilies are even playing out!

Seattle Forrest

I still haven't figured out how to light a tent for photographic purposes!

Seattle Forrest

Near the bottom:

B. Carfree

My vocabulary can't do your pictures justice. Thanks for sharing them. They make me realize I haven't even been out on an overnighter for months. I'm now inspired to correct that.

Seattle Forrest

I don't think anybody has. If your weather has been like ours, it's mostly been too cold, and a lot of threats of rain or snow. The last night I spent out before this was a long and grueling backpack trip in October, just before the rains came...

woodway

Nice pics and report as always SF.

yamsyamsyams

Lovely pics and ride as always.

Question: how did you carry camera + tent + climbing equipment on your R3?

As for including tents in night pictures, it's usually done 1 of 2 ways: a small flashlight/lamp (at the desired light temperature) inside the tent, or using a flashlight on the outside to lightly "paint" light onto it during long exposures

Seattle Forrest

Sorry, I guess I could have been more clear.

Saturday morning, I drove out to Leavenworth. Had my bike in the back seat of the car, with my camera. The wheels were in the trunk with the climbing gear, and my backpack with my tent and sleeping bag and everything else was in the front seat of the car.

I wanted to stay out late stargazing, to do a road ride in the mountains, and to do some climbing. Camping was the best way to achieve all that. But the bike was a passenger and not the vehicle, when it came to getting from Seattle to Leavenworth and back.

Crafter

Hi, I spent many summer vacations in the area and planning to go back this summer again. Was the icicle road closed for the season or because of one other slide?

Jseis 

Thanks SF. I recall climbing & bouldering around Icicle Creek (Classic and Poison Ivy are two cracks I vaguely recall) and Peshastin (Martian Slab and Trigger Finger...before it fell) spring of '74. One of my buddies raved about Outer Space. Might be 39 years ago...feels like yesterday.