Photos by tim

Must have done this route a dozen times when I was still living in DC. Of the routes I did climb at Old Rag, I would have to say this was the most fun, and Oh My God or Report to Sickbay were the most rad. Never got to lead Bushwhack Crack though, heard that was a super classic. Anyways, this is the sort of stuff that made the approach worthwhile. Hung Li belaying. Note double chalkbags -- it was kind of wet and seeping. This picture was taken by RRRadam Bingel.

This would be Fritz at the belay, watching me spin around like an idiot fiddling with a camera while out on a lead. On a hook. Under a 40-to-50-foot roof. That's one fine route, all I have to say. Harrison Shull freed it at 5.13, I went for the easy ascent at C1.

The problem with a tick list is that sometimes it gets in the way of ridiculous photo objectives like this. Besides, I would have had to tape up for Tax Man. Photo by Doug Wright. Thanks man.

Damn hippies, they're everywhere. One of the caretakers of the Refugio gets in a little balance work before breakfast, Aguja Frey in the background. Yes, that's granite, and yes, it is some damn fine climbing.

There seems to be some distortion going on here, as ALL of the icicles in the picture pointed down on that day. Regardless, this is some sort of WI4-ish two-tiered pillar that I had a pretty good time on, after shaking out the barfies. Big fun. Note that I'm not topping out in the photo, rather, coming up to a one-foot shelf that led directly into a second steep section similar to this one. From the side the thing looked dead vertical, but from this angle, not so much. I can't figure out which is "truer". Look at the icicles on the far left -- that is a separate flow which was thin and also vertical (most routes in Confluence drop off a shelf).

This would be artm on Moosedog Tower. Pretty 'rad' move. Photo by Catherine Carrasco.

This is the first pitch of a two-pitch 10b we, Adam and I, did in order to facilitate getting sunburned. Pasty Boy (me) is not visible. Photo by Catherine Carrasco.

It is important to practice placing one's picks surgically whilst climbing ice, lest you dislodge large chunks of brittle ice upon your belayer. rrradam has not yet discovered this. Photo by Steve Hurwitz (with some rigging assistance and film provided by yours truly)

This is a fun climb up a water groove that bakes in the sun, perfect for lazy winter days. Pat is leading the last pitch.

Me, at Looking Glass, on the Nose. Photo by Catherine Carrasco.

Finishing up on Airy (5.10a) after the crux lieback section. A bit over-popular these days, but still one of the most spectacular traverses you'll ever do.

This is, according to Patrick Paul, a route of relatively recent vintage and high caliber, on the Magician Needle. It goes at around 5.11 with some ass clenching runouts. Anyways, if you look closely, there's a red speck (the leader) with a cast shadow onto the light colored ridge, a thin dark line (the rope), and a white speck (the belayer) beneath the great expanse of slabby horror between them. Pretty 'rad'. Took this shot from the second pitch of Yellow Brick Road. Yes, the Magician really is that big.

Tom McMillan marches up the classic fingers-to-hands-to-face-to-flare crack of Thin Ice.