Cascade Climbing - Is it real???

Also posed on SummitPost:

Everyone talks about how the climbing and mountaineering in the Cascades is so great. I can't comment on it since I've been here for a few years and can't find ANYONE else who goes out and does anything more than cruise groomers or pull plastic at the gym. I feel duped.

Prove me wrong.

Have you tried this website? https://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ 

Sounds like you're talking to the wrong people.

That site appears to be dead.  Only good for old TRs

Cascade climbing sucks.  ;)  Who would want to stand on any one of seven volcanoes, climb world class granite at index, or climb stunning alpine routes in the enchantments. More peaks with scrambles or multi pitch climbs than anyone other than Fred could do in a lifetime.

It's all out there, beauty as far as you want to go! I love the cascades!

Great!  Want to get out there tomorrow?  

I was thinking of hitting rap wall or icefall just below it tomorrow alpine start! Do you ice climb, have touring gear?

Cascade climbing and cascade climbing partners are two very different things. As much activity as there is on the "PNW partners thread", last summer I would message that whatsapp group and get crickets.

Text Me if interested, or if you haven't done ice before, I have extra tools, crampons, I could take you to a few spots at alpental that are great for getting acquainted with ice.

I do need to be back to maple valley by 10 am so probably start at Crack of dawn!

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Dave McA wrote:

Also posed on SummitPost:

Everyone talks about how the climbing and mountaineering in the Cascades is so great. I can't comment on it since I've been here for a few years and can't find ANYONE else who goes out and does anything more than cruise groomers or pull plastic at the gym. I feel duped.

Prove me wrong.

There are so many people who climb outside / mountaineer / etc in the Seattle area.   Join a couple Facebook groups, I've never really had a hard time finding partners of one kind or another.  Now, conditions are more oriented towards skiing right now,, but give it a few weeks/months and Vantage and Levy will start being so crowded its incredible. 

Cascade climbers isn’t dead.  You have to use the forums.  It’s the og climbing sprayfest.  I met many a climbing partner there; everything from bigwalling to ice climbing to cragging in icicle creek area.

They have pub club weekly where people meet up and talk climbing.  Beckey used to go to pub club in the early 2000’s.  He’d brings notes and slides.

I thought this was a troll thread. You mean there's so many people on backcountry routes in WA it's creating conga lines.

Just like Alaska, nobody here actually climbs 

Maybe it's the OP that is the problem.

Of what i know of cascade climbers, they are a quiet and insular bunch

Gosh--didn't Beckey write only three guidebooks to the Cascades?  No climbing there. . .

Op prolly lives next door to puppy luvr 

Thanks for all the messages all!  @JasonA and I went out and had a great time yesterday.  I have been proven wrong.  

The struggle is real when new to town and trying to find a partner.  This post was made in frustration, not a troll; again, thank you to all who helped me navigate this somewhat quiet and insular bunch as @JohnClark says.  

A massive amount of my frustration came when I got a request from the Mountaineers to join in their Gala and bid on silent auction items when I had been attempting to contact partners in their group for a couple of years with no results.  They are so focused on getting people their first mountain experience, they can't serve the existing community and the rest of us get marginalized.  It's infuriating.  

See you all out there!

David, what you were experiencing is the Seattle Freeze.  Being a transplant is hard in the PNW.  Around here people have their friend group and, more often than not, don't want anymore friends.  Seattle is traditionally unfriendly which is one of it's major downfalls.  

Im with the OP, world wall had one party yesterday but little si lot was full. The last three days I have been out there people have stopped me on my approach with weird interactions. 

Guy: "Hey are you climbing"
Me: "Kinda why?"
Guy: "I am just getting into multipitch, I love the exposure thats the real climbing!"
Me: (wearing two back packs with 60 lbs of chain) "Nice, yeah sucks little si doesn't have much multipitch"
Guy: "Darn are there any exposed trad climbs great for beginners to top rope, like substation? I am getting into trad climbing!"
Me: (I honestly didnt even know what to say) "Not really, there are some good beginner climbs though"
Guy: "Cool, cool, I am sure I will see you again in the mountains. Thanks!"

With that said people have been weirdly nice about rebolting to me recently, even when I am actually just bolting a new route lol. I would love a new troll neighbor!!! 

Dave McA wrote:

A massive amount of my frustration came when I got a request from the Mountaineers to join in their Gala and bid on silent auction items when I had been attempting to contact partners in their group for a couple of years with no results.  They are so focused on getting people their first mountain experience, they can't serve the existing community and the rest of us get marginalized.  It's infuriating.  

Yea my understanding is that unless you are very beginner the mountaineers is not useful.   Washington Alpine Club is pretty good I've heard but they also offer more of an instruction-type course, but I know ppl who have found great partners through the group and the instructors are badasses.

Here are some FB groups I'm part of:

• Washington Ice Climbers
• Seattle Ice Climbers
• Washington's Alpine Climbing and Ski Mountaineering group
• Seattle Rock Climbers
• Leavenworth Climbing Community
• Climb Index!
• Exit 32/38 Climbing
• Washington Rock Climbing Conditions
• North Bend Bouldering Crew
• WA State Ice
• Washington Climbers Coalition
• Frenchman Coulee Climbers 

Today: Are you tr soloing that’s so cool that you can do that on wet rock.

The rock was bone dry and I had a leaf blower and drill hanging off me lol.