goatboy

THREAD REVIVAL: Anyone know of a pull-test on carabiner strength showing the load in AlpinFox's image (above)? I can't find anything anywhere definitively answering this question.

Anyone ever see that photo of the climbing rope going THROUGH the guy's leg after it snapped while pulling a car out of the ditch? Unbelievable and awful. I can't find it right now, but will keep looking.

I can see both sides, but it is pretty bad right now. A bigger detriment to visitors is the road, which was closed 20 miles from the original trailhead last time I checked. I am in favor of the trail, but would hope that the road is seen as a bigger priority (even if they're classified and managed by separate people/agencies)...

Is it possible to set a TR on the Millenium Wall?

Mazama Country Inn is nice. Also, check out Lost River Resort for something cheaper?

Wow, fantastic!

It was just a link, as I saw it - with a single question that could have gone here in the original post. What did the blog entry accomplish that couln't have been conveyed more directly, to more people, here?

Any relation to this by chance? LINK http://www.king5.com/news/Man-trapped-in-Skykomish-River-near-Shelton-111292374.html

Gorge ice is a fleeting and elusive beast. With the current pineapple express taking place, I'd give it no chance unless things seriously cool off. Have fun, drink good beer at HOPWORKS URBAN BREWING where the ice is much more reliable.

I'd be happy to buy one of these to support a good cause, but would be more likely to buy multiples if I could see a preview of the pics (i.e. buy some as gifts). Let me know if the pics become available online to check out. Thanks!

That J Tree climb looks kinda like Loose Lady, but that's not on the Geo Tour road... hmmmm

There is no climbing-specific word (other than "Becky" instead of "Beckey") misspelled more often than pickets. Even NPS documents will make reference to the "Pickett Range." Which might even be pronounced, "Pick-Kett" instead of "pick it." Just saying.

My memories of Joe are of him rocketing past me on Rainier at light speed as I trudged towards the summit, his second time summitting in 24 hours (as I later discovered). He had superhuman energy and ability, but was also very humble and kind - a rare combination. I am very sad to hear this news, even though I did not know him well - I know that he was a special one, and that is already leaving a great void in many people's lives. At the same time, I feel lucky to have met him and grateful for all that he contributed to the climbing community.

It's best not to "dig too deep" into the Vantage toilet situation, I find.

Lovely place and great photos. That shot of people downclimbing snowy slabs in rock shoes all roped together with no pro made me shudder a little bit.

How about the camp "hosts" at Red Rocks? I heard from someone that the same grumpy old couple who "welcomed" people to Red Rocks in the fall/spring were working out of Icicle Creek in the summer months (this was a few years ago) - anyone else notice this?

This might be a tongue-in-cheek rhetorical question on your part, but I can only imagine the Smith Rock folks are a little edgy and conservative around fire since their own employee started that huge fire down there in the 90's that torched large swaths of the state park, eh? Which is not to say that it couldn't be managed appropriately now, but just pointing out the historical context to your question.

...especially in a thread about an accident. Let's take the bickering elsewhere.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013235533_apwahikerrescued.html LINK

"young" is relative, I reckon.

First, let me say that I love NZ and hope to go there again someday. There's a real interesting confluence between wild alpine terrain and civilization (i.e. huge glaciers with huts on them, very remote places with helicopter access, a tiny island with tremendous vertical relief, and a culture that embraces the wild and the touristy all at once...) That's why I believed it MIGHT be possible. The bolts on Aspiring are a good example. But why let helicopters land at Bevan Col, and have a hut at Collin Todd, if you're against a single small bolt in a rock? (Cue the predictable, droning rants for and against bolting. My point is more about the cultural intersection between the wild and the tamed, which of course includes bolting, but is much bigger)

Joke's on me. I just looked at the date of the post (April Fool's Day) and realized it's all a joke. But I wouldn't put it past them!

One item of note from the NZ website you mentioned: FIXED LINE GUIDING on Tasman (!) Fixed Lines for Guided Parties on Mt Tasman from November (01-Apr-2008) A new guiding operation will offer climbs of Mt Tasman with clients clipping into fixed lines. The Rarakiroa Guiding Company are offering climbs from November this year. Company director Steve Rainsbury says he and lead guide Bryan Anderson came up with the idea of fixed rope guiding in New Zealand when guiding in the Himalaya two years ago. "We were assisting clients on fixed lines on a freezing day on Makalu and grumbling how much more fun it would be to be doing it back home in the Southern Alps instead." The company says it already has a number of overseas climbers lined up for the first climbs in November after they were granted permission by the Department of Conservation to run the service late last year. "Logistically, the service we are offering is a little different to conventional Southern Alps guiding. We needed permission for clients to be dropped off and picked up at the base of the route by helicopter, and more importantly to be allowed to drop guides, ropes and other equipment high on the mountain. Since we are fixing pretty much the entire length of the climb it is a lot easier to work our way down." Clients will be helicoptered to the base of the Stevenson-Dick Couloir on the Abel Janszoon Glacier at about 2700m. They then ascend the couloir to gain the north-west ridge at about 3300m and then the summit at 3497m. Clients will clip into the fixed lines using a jumar and there will be guides stationed on the route to provide assistance. "The couloir is about 45 degrees, which is achievable for most people with the security of a tight rope, although it certainly takes some effort, and the final ridge to the summit isn't too bad for a ridge on Tasman and can be easily protected by our guides. By using fixed lines and helicopters, even those without mountaineering experience should be able to reach the top of an iconic New Zealand mountain in a few hours. We have essentially chosen a route that is direct and away from other climbers. We need our guides to have a route of their own to work on. We are offering a true mountain experience to people who would otherwise never wear a pair of crampons or swing an ice axe. The idea is that you don't have to be an elite climber to experience the best the mountains can offer." Rainsbury says that although Mt Tasman was always their first choice for fixed line guiding in New Zealand they have also been looking at routes on Mt Cook. "Despite Rarakiroa (Mt Tasman) being the best climb in the park, there will always be a demand for Mt Cook."

I love how the one running around has the helmet on, and the tiny one climbing seems to have a sun-hat on. Given the situation, I actually think this was the safest approach!

Hey Rad, I actually have a Spot II and haven't really found much use for it, but you're welcome to borrow it if you want to field test it at any point. It's very user-friendly in terms of being able to distinguish between types of outgoing messages: there's a separate 911/HELP button, and another button that is to send a pre-established message (i.e. "we're on our itinerary" or "we're going to go back the way we came in.")