Enjoying some good times on the north wall 2/11/2007.

There is a lot of rock along the trail. A lot of that rock has water running down it. I have not taken ropes into the canyon but there is some rope worthy rocks in there.

This is a 640x480 shot from my PowerShot s70. If someone could tell me how to submit higher resolution photos (resize I guess) then I can submit some better photos. I have 4 resolution sizes above the best quality allowed by this site.

The water was running low that day. About 20 secs after I took this shot a bear cub walked right by me to my right. He crossed from the other bank. It was so unexpected that I did not get my camera back up until he had moved off some. I think the photo I got of him makes my story less credible rather than helping my case. I was still shooting in low res in the shade so the picture looks like one of those Bigfoot shots. In any case it is nice to see the wildlife hasn't been completely choked out, and there are still green and clean places in the east. This is actually on the Cedar Run Trail, next to White Oak Canyon. They share the same parking lots. It is a good hiking loop.

I left the trail and went up the stream for a while. There are several falls in a row you can climb up beside without rope. I did it in my old running shoes. It is easy slab climbing. The rock is slicker than ice if it is wet though, so be careful. The water was running low that day so there were plenty of dry placements. It is so easy to get sucked down ghost trails on this hike. The trail is always above on the right though so if you want back on just head up. I have done the loop 4 or 5 times, and each time I take a different variation.

It took me a while to appreciate the beauty in the eastern mountains. I think it is all about the immediate. What is right around you any given second is beautiful if you look at it the right way. A lot of times all it takes is for someone to stop and look. A lot of times I just have to get my head out of the clouds look down and see what is right around me.

This is also right at the 1st fall in Whiteoak. Just behind Bekatod. This boulder has 2 problems, the one in the pic being the harder one. Start off "sitting" and just above the water. You have to find your holds before you start b/c they're almost all blind reaches. I just call it Problem 3 b/c there's 2 problems on this rock, and Bekatod all side by side. and this was the 3rd one I found.

This is at the first waterfall in Whiteoak Canyon, in the Shen. Nat'l Park. It's a fun little climb. This is my friend Ben Morton. The boulder got it's name from a play on word with "Becca + Todd" scraped into the boulder.

rrrADAM setting an ice screw his first day Ice Climbing. It's not as easy as I thought, so again, props to all those who do this regularly.
Photo by: Steve Hurwitz

rrrADAM getting on the sharp end his first time out Ice Climbing. Hard to roll smokes when the tips are cold, and even harder to place the screws with gloves on. Kudos to all you who are serious Ice Climbers, you have my respect.
Photo by: Steve Hurwitz

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)

boulder just off the trail from the base of cedar run trail in white oak canyon.

boulder off of cedar run.

Below first falls going down the canyon - fingers > hand > > off-width

Wall below first water fall going down the canyon. Banks faces, cracks, and roofs. TR and trad