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Interesting. From my perspective (an avalanche awareness gumby who has never climbed Shuksan), I was thinking your forecast (4-11 inches over two days) looked foreboding. You being much more seasoned than me in both snow assessment and Shuksan experience, seem to be downplaying the danger, or at least saying that it is not obviously going to be a deathtrap. Is that a fair statement? How much new snow do you consider a bad sign? Perhaps as a skier, "no amount of new snow is ever bad!"? I guess what the new snow is sitting on is important too. It seems like the snow out there before these storms was fairly consolidated mush. That seems like it would be good?

You don't need any cams for pitch two. Just clip the bolts.

Hey Peter Puget or perhaps others who profess to understand these economic numbers. Here's what Rush writes: "Kennedy kept trying to swerve away from the question, saying that Bush wasn't a conservative because he'd turned our (on-paper-only) surplus into the greatest deficits in the history of our country -- not as a percentage of GDP of course, which is the only way to judge such things. By that measure, the deficit is tiny. Peter, is the italicised statement truthful? I was somewhat aware that our record deficit is a record in absolute terms but not in terms of % of GDP, but is it accurate to classify it as "tiny"? Isn't it still pretty far up there in the ranks of all past deficits?

But Matt, you left out the part of the forecast that said it's supposed to dry up over the weekend!

You could just belay at that spot where the "secret #4" goes instead of the Saber bolts. Then you wouldn't have to worry about ropedrag either. But you wouldn't be able to take as cool pictures of the infamous Canary stepout. Shit! You guys are making me want to go climbing . Can't we just talk about Iraq, Pub Club and poo some more?

They really are pulling out all the stops to discredit ol' "Dick" Clarke. Try doing a search on Google News for "Richard Clarke" and check out all the dirt from Rush and others. Here's some good stuff (from PP-disapproved Dan Froomkin ) The last point is germane to Lummox's initial post. "1) Senior administration officials can make remarks on a not-for-attribution basis to the press -- but the White House can later decide to make the attribution public if it can help discredit said senior administration official-turned-whistle-blower. 2) When you're a special assistant to the president, your job is to tell the press the truth -- but only the parts that reflect well on the president. 3) When you're the national security adviser, it's really important for the public to understand your position so you give lots of interviews to the press -- but you can't answer questions under oath before a legislatively-chartered body because that would be a violation of the Constitution. 4) It's not okay to suggest the president has credibility problems -- unless you're the president, and you're at a black-tie correspondents dinner, and you're being really, really funny."

You mean if someone slaps you, you can make a lot of money from it? Hmmm... Is there a statute of limitations on that sort of thing? Hmmmm...

I've got 10% of my retirement plan going into TIAA-CREF "Social Justice" fund. I don't think I've ever bitched about Wal Mart's labor practices, big tobacco's ethics though. I have bitched about big faceless entities' environmental practices. So Will, is your post a rhetorical, you're a fucking hypocrite", slap, or is it a call for all socially conscious individuals to investigate possibly overlooked ethical problems with their portfolios?

I thought that placement was marginal. Apparently that might have been empirically proven. It did not do much to alleviate fears of the consequences of a fall right there. Canary was scary before. Probably still is, eh?

You should call 'em "Mad Scientist Chocolate-Applesauce Bars"

If you really do want to head out and dive right in, might I suggest "diving" into a pitch that has obvious cracks and many obvious rests from below. A guidebook would be a good thing to buy, and then looking for something with the description "good beginner lead".

Yeah, ditto that question for a 5' 11" 160 #'s. And I got dibs on JoshK's skis!

Yet another climber not up to Mr. Doo's exacting standards... Next!!

Climb: Static Peak-West Ridge Date of Climb: 3/21/2004 Trip Report: Static Peak (not Point) None of my usual partners will ride with me to the mountains anymore, due to my habit of eating grapenuts and yogurt while driving, so I had to find a new face. I got Klenke, bushwhackin' peakbagger extraordinaire, to accompany me Saturday. I suggested Static Point. He countered with "Peak". Here's a photo Klenke PM'd me of the Point and the Peak. We went for the left skyline ridge. We drove up to the (closed until 4/15) gate at Olney Pass. While driving I ate granola with milk instead of the usual and Klenke didn't seem too upset with that. We rode bikes to the usual Static Point parking spot, stashed the beers in the creek and headed on out. It started out pretty steep, with mild bushwhacking. Just a couple of cliffy spots to get through. Klenke, in his element After about an hour we were on consistent snow, then it got hard and steep enough for crampons. We climbed up through the trees right of the steep snow face in the above picture. It got pretty steep where an arrest would be unlikely, but it was good cramponing snow/ice and you just about always had a tree to grab. We broke out onto a narrow ridge corniced on one side and steep granite on the other. Got to do some bomber handjamming with gloves to get over one steep spot. Cool! fun narrow ridge Very windy at the top, but killer views for such a dinky peak. view South view East We downclimbed our ascent route. Then we were gonna go bag some blobby peak to the North at Klenke's bequest, but then we realized we left the rope up near the top where we had contemplated rapping. Good thing we brought that rope so he could have an excuse to climb the fun part again, and I could just sit by a tree and wait instead of bagging some blob. Also I found out Mojo bars have pretzels in them! Descent straightforward. We did not get avalanched upon. Gear Notes: Crampons, axe(1), rope not used Approach Notes: Gate at Olney Pass until 4/15. Road intact to usuall Static Point parking lot, but several trees down (two large) across the SP spur.

Kerry - McCain ?

He's got that "outsider" cred that seems to work well initially until the machine revs up and grinds 'em up. He was a strong backer of invading Iraq as I remember.

Hey Rudy, For the answer to your question, look to your signature.

What do you mean? I have 1500 posts exactly. I meant that it is interesting that with respect to the Iraq "situation" countries did not tend to jump on to the "winning" team. I guess that means either there was just too much sleaze to overlook, or perhaps that we are not obviously going to be the winners?

OR

So what does that tell us about Iraq?

He seems pretty good, but doesn't he have a bit of the "psycho" problem, or did his Repub rivals just paint him that way?

The discussion will turn to "good methods for avoiding the draft", and "what's your lottery number?"

Here's me on a v -2. I didn't fall off. Chalkless!!

Perhaps maybe it's getting tougher and tougher to credibly support the Shrub? And yeah, I've noticed that noone ever bagged on Bush before the "mass exodus"