pointy

I don't mind if they're a little dinged up or if they have hammers, an adze, griprest (or none of the above). PM me.

Trip: Dragontail Peak and Liberty Bell - Backbone Ridge and Liberty Crack Date: 7/19/2008 Trip Report: Warning: shameless self promotion ahead. A buddy and I did Backbone Ridge and Liberty Crack in one long weekend. I was a little tired when it was all over. Fortunately my buddy Mike is young and drove us home so I could nap. For the complete report click here.

How about the rap anchor at the very end of the Marsupial traverse? Those things are pretty sketchy.

I'm with Marko. Last year i made a fabric wedge to make my sleeping bag fit two. My girlfriend calls it the love triangle. It's big enough to fit the two of us, but small enough so that the insulation from the bag wraps underneath us slightly to eliminate drafty sides. There's no hood, and it can be a little drafty around the neck, but we both sleep warmer with the shared body heat. The best part is the thing weighs practically nothing and takes up almost no space. Here's a good website for DIY clothing and gear.

PM Sent

Partner wanted for trip to Red Rocks. Departing ASAP, the 10th or 11th at the latest. Split gas, etc. Looking to climb long moderates like Black Orpheus, Rainbow Buttress, Maybe Rainbow Wall. I'd like to switch leads but i'm willing to ropegun. Aid or wall experience a plus but not necessary. PM me

Anyone have any info on the bolted route just left of Much Ado About Nothing on the Shakespeare Cliff at Smith?

Has anybody out there been down the Forest Service road (i think it's 2096) that heads past Hoodoo to the northern approaches for Washington? In the winter do they gate the road or just stop plowing after the ski area? I'm thinking about heading up there next week and wondering if i should bring skis, snowshoes, or a bike. Thanks.

whoops i thought i was in the North Cascades forum i'm sorry if i ruined anyone's forum experience thanks for the beta and the links

Does anyone have any beta for Town Crier? The Nelson/Potterfield book shows a lot of fixed gear on the upper pitches, is it really there? Also, is it possible to fix the first 3 or 4 pitches with 2 sixty meter ropes? Thanks in advance

I've got a BD betalight. It's wicked light (like the name implies) and packs down quite small. I've used it in winds up to about 25 mph and it's pretty stable. Bugs can get in, but sewing or gluing some screen along the hem of the thing would keep them out and give you something to pile snow on to further anchor the tent. More than any other big item (sleeping bag, stove, pack) it has really let me go light. I'll never use a tent again below treeline.

Looking for a psyched partner for rock, ice , alpine, mountaineering, etc. I lead 9's trad and want to improve. Also lead WI 3-4. I've climbed all over the country. Have alpine rock and mountaineering experience. New to the Northwest, living in Bend. Just really want to get out there and climb.

i have the Trango in #'s 4-7. (the rough equivalent of BD .5 - 2). My girlfriend has a mix of old and new BD's. It's true that the lobes on the Trango are a little floppier, especially in the larger sizes. But they are lighter, cheaper, the stem is more flexible, and the sling is doubled, so i rarely need to clip them with a draw. The BD's do feel and look nicer, but i've fallen on both and they both held. The smallest Trango i have has the Splitter design. I bought it to replace an older style Trango that got terminally stuck. It has less range at the bottom end because the lobes can't overlap. It can also be tricky to place. Normally i think of the points of the cam lobes overlapping as an ideal placement. If you strive for something similar with the Splitter design it will put you at the absolute bottom of the range, rendering the cam nearly impossible to clean. The head is narrower than the older style Trango and the BD, but it is the same width as comprably sized Aliens or TCU's. Unless there is some other obvious advantage that i don't see with the Splitter design, i would pick one of those (Alien or TCU) instead.