mneagle

There is data to support that 125mg twice daily is equally effective as 250mg or more. Diamox is both a prophylactic as well as a treatment for AMS and cerebral edema. Diamox speeds acclimatization and can be stopped without worry for rebound. Dexamethazone (Decadron) however does not and therefore if started for AMS/cerebral edema at altitude you should not stop it until you are back at lower altitude. The only treatments for pulmonary edema are descent, supplemental oxygen, or nifedipine. Why they chose to treat edema with "dex" in Vertical Limit I cannot explain, but it is completely wrong just the same. If you don't know what you are doing with nifedipine you could easily kill yourself. Your best bet is to take it slow. Spend 3-4 days in La Paz at ~11,000 feet. Then go to Condoriri base camp at ~15,000 for another 3-4 days. Ilusioncita at a little over 16,000 feet is a good first climb to test your acclimatization. The weather in Bolivia is very good and stable, so don't let your Washington instincts to not let good weather pass by. If you push it you may be very sorry.

I've put in two trip reports in the past: http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB1&Number=5918&Forum=f1&Words=bolivia&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Main=5918&Search=true&where=sub&Name=310&daterange=0&newerval=4&newertype=y&olderval=&oldertype=&bodyprev=#Post5918 http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB1&Number=30557&Forum=f1&Words=bolivia&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Main=30557&Search=true&where=bodysub&Name=310&daterange=0&newerval=5&newertype=y&olderval=&oldertype=&bodyprev=#Post30557 I posted some pics of the Ala Izquierda climb in the alpine gallery. The best routes down there really depend on the conditions. I would advise avoiding the Quimsa Cruz area due to glacial retreat. The Condoriri area is a great place to bag multiple moderate peaks and if conditions are right, a few major alpine routes. Yossi Brain's book is pretty good, although many routes may be up a bit in difficulty due to glacial retreat. Have a great trip.

Crazy vs. purist? http://www.crystalcanyons.net/Pages/TechNotes/RemovableBolts.shtm

Alta has had 72 inches so far with a 34-43 inch base and 22 fresh in the last 2 days! We did some snowshoeing up Big Cottonwood Canyon Sunday and the powder was deep, dry and amazingly untouched in the back country. This is only the 8th time since opening that Park City is opening before Thanksgiving. We have all the makings for a banner year.

UBB23-ML-275860-ML- went to Spray, coz it was.

I agree that this is a great route and getting up it is a major achievement. Check your watch before making the traverse. Once you're across it you are fairly committed. My partner also carried the pack suspended from a few girth-hitched runners. The belay above the squeeze chimney is a memorable one, perched atop a jutting block. It's a very physical climb and a bit of a sandbag but I don't remember it being very runout. Definitely rack gear on the left side. Enjoy.

http://www.omegapac.com/omegaman_adventures.html

Extremely constructive comment. Thank you. Here is some info from micromedex (probably the most used online resource for doctors and pharmacists): Ciprofloxacin-induced tendonitis, an unusual adverse drug effect, can be unilateral or bilateral appearing between 3 and 30 days after initiating therapy. Prognosis is usually favorable and symptoms resolve within the first week after antibiotic discontinuation with persistent symptoms occurring for several weeks in some patients. The mechanism for tendon damage is unknown. Tendon necrosis related to ischemic processes in areas of deficient blood supply has been suggested (Carrasco, et al, 1997). As of October 1994, the FDA's Postmarketing Spontaneous Reporting System has received 25 case reports of TENDON RUPTURE thought to be associated with fluoriquinolone therapy (Szarfman et al, 1995). A majority of the cases occurred outside the United States. The patients were 33 to 85 years of age with most of the ruptures (n=17) occurring bilaterally or unilaterally in the Achilles tendon. Tendon rupture was reported to occur 2 to 42 days after the start of fluoroquinolone therapy. Most patients allegedly received therapeutic doses; however, in 7 patients the dosage may have been higher than recommended. Of the 25 cases, 16 had risk factors for tendon rupture (eg, concomitant corticosteroids, advanced age, long-term dialysis). Other sources have stated that more than 40 cases of Achilles tendonitis and rupture have been associated with the fluoroquinolone antibiotics (Huston, 1994). A retrospective review of outpatient prescriptions for ciprofloxacin (n=2,122) within a naval medical center over a one year period was conducted. International Classification of Diseases (ICD9) codes for admission for ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE were identified among the ciprofloxacin prescriptions. None of the 24 admissions for Achilles tendon rupture received ciprofloxacin. The result was not statistically significant and clinic visits (non-admission visits) were not apparently analyzed. The authors concluded that prospective studies are needed to quantify relative risk of Achilles tendon rupture in patients treated with ciprofloxacin and other quinolones (Shinohara et al, 1997). Cipro is one of the most frequently prescribed medications in the world. It is one of the safest antibiotics with a very low rate of cross reaction with other drugs and adverse drug reactions, but as with all medications there is some finite risk.

Has anyone climbed this tower via the 5.9+ route described in Becky? I've climbed Clean Break and was wondering if it is comparable in quality/worth doing. Thanks.

So has anyone called about getting the key to the gates? How far is the hump if the gates are closed?

Will a Fixe 10mm bolt fit into a hole made with a 3/8 inch drill bit? I know that 10mm = .39 inches and that 3/8 inches is .375 inches, but I'm wondering if that small difference means a tighter fit or whether the bolt just won't sink.

Does anyone know anything about Rawl hex-key bolts (the ones tightened by allen wrenchs)? I'm wondering if they are as strong as the hex-head bolts and whether the tapered head configuration is acceptable on anchors and hangers.

Check Out: http://www.myccr.com/SectionShopping/Food/Bauly.htm Also, I bought a whole bunch of bulk freeze dried food from Mountain Home.

First of all insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies are the bitterest of enemies. The goal of drug companies to sell only expensive brand name drugs vs. the goal of insurance companies to give generic or no drugs are completely at odds with one another, and I couldn't care less about either of their motives when I'm taking care of patients. I'd have to say most doctors are not behaving in the way you describe and I suspect I have a better view of the front lines than you. My biggest motive is to be my patient's best advocate Preventing, treating and comforting when past all that and I don't feel alone. I agree that preventative medicine should be all of our first priorities but I often feel paralyzed by the overwhelming enthusiasm people seem to have for an unhealthy lifestyle. I don't think it takes "alternative ways of thinking" to see that being obese, smoking and keeping poor sleep habits for example are going to adversely affect your health. If a naturopath can motivate someone to just live a healthy lifestyle then power to them. But I don't advocate using unproven methods, any of which may turn out to be harmful. Western medicine used to do this all the time until evidense based methods came along and told us we were klling/harming people. The present system which you describe as "bogus research on the human lab rats in America" I would describe as the most essential step in determining the effectiveness and preventing harm from existing or potential treatments. Studies can be gravely biased which is why they are published in peer reviewed journals and why we are taught in medical school to be brutal in our review and interpretation of them. If you think doctors are hard on alternative medicine, you should show up at a journal club. You would be surprised how fast they are to call bullshit on bullshit when they lay eyes on an unethical or biased study. And the reason we do it? It goes back to my primary motive, to be the patient's best advocate. So here's my bottom line: WE ARE NOT THE ENEMY.

From a scientific basis there is no data to support it. Even Pizzorno's Textbook of Naturopathic Medicine (which I refer to on occasion to understand what some of my patients are talking about when they come in complaining of "systemic candidiasis", "leaky gut syndrome" and "acetaldehyde poisoning") doesn't mention it. I did find an obscure Norwegian journal that published a few articles on it, but the abstracts appeared to be refuting any supposed benefits. The global distribution of blood types definitely would not support the idea that blood types are related to available food sources. If this was true then what should be present is a distribution related to distance from the equator. Instead what we see is a distribution based on goegraphic isolation, which would best be explained by migration and a founder effect. When the average American is 3 times more likely to believe in the virgin birth of Christ than evolution it's no wonder that people are taken in by ideas like this. A lot of people don't like science mucking up there perfectly explainable world based on common sense and teleology.

Susan, you lurker you. Congrats on finally making your first post. I posted this thread just after we climbed it back in 2001. That was a good time. http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB8&Number=60807&Forum=All_Forums&Words=borderline&Match=Entire%20Phrase&Searchpage=0&Limit=25&Old=allposts&Main=60807&Search=true#Post60807 It really is a great line. Don't miss it.

I have a Wild Things bivi bag and I think it's great. The whole thing is made of sympatex so there's very little condensation. The mosquito netting is effective at keeping the bugs out and is large enough to allow for adequate ventilation as well. It weighs in at 15 ounces.

Your experience was very similar in some ways to my first attempt on Constance. I knocked a grapefruit sized rock loose that went bouncing down pinball style and by an unbelievable probability, perfectly threaded the needle between 2 large rocks hitting one of my friends who had hid behind it. It nailed him in the shin and sent him a foot in the air. After ice and ibuprofen, we decided to keep going. After blindly making our way across the "terrible traverse" we decided to call it quits as the wind/snow picked up and my friend's leg began to significantly swell. We went to the urgent care department that was connected to the hospital I worked at. My friend asked me who the attractive nurse practitioner was who examined his leg. I said I didn't know. He said I should find out and date her. Long story short, I'm now married to her. THREE CHEERS FOR THE LOOSE ROCK ON THE SOUTH CHUTE OF MT. CONSTANCE!!!! (She and I had a much better ascent up the North Chute in winter. Pics in Alpine Gallery.)

Anybody used these? I'm wondering if there is any difference in performance between the standard and the alaska picks. I'd be using them mostly for waterfall ice in the lower 48.

The North Chute in winter is a great route when in shape. The "terrible traverse" is much more solid on good snow than scree and topping out on the verglas covered summit rocks is awesome.

20% off all Black Diamond Camalots at shoreline mountain gear. www.shorelinemtn.com

I bought an Olympus Stylus 300 a few months ago and have been thoroughly impressed. It's the only"weatherproof" camera on the market, very compact, has a tough metal body and gives great pictures w/ decent options for a point and shoot. I haven't had any problem w/ shutter lag but I have not tried any action shots. The battery life has been really good. On a recent trip to Wyoming I shot 50 pictures or so any didn't have to change to the spare battery for the entire week.

Brand new Mad Rock Phoenix rock shoes size 11. Used 1 weekend but they're too small and I foolishly didn't buy them from REI. Bought new for $74 w/ tax, yours for $50. E-mail me at neaglemark@hotmail.com

The rhetorical answer: Replacing old bolts with larger ones by drilling out the old holes is fine but adding new bolts is a big no-no. Climb somewhere else if it's too scary. (Exit 38 e.g.)

One of the biggest differences is in the length of the routes and the sustained nature of the climbing. You have to seek out rests and milk them for all they are worth before launching up again. The best comparison to WA climbing is probably Tieton. If you can climb 5.9 or 5.10 there you can probably get up it at Devil's Tower, although to get the redpoint you'll need good endurance.