mneagle

This is a new route I submitted to the new Olympics guide (not sure if it made it in). It's to the left of the regular route. Pretty steep in places. I did it alone and mostly at night by headlamp. I slept on the ridge crest and finished the traverse the next day. I tried to traverse all the way to the north peak but the snow was too unstable.

The "Exit 38 Bandits" use a slim-jim to open the car, then steal or copy a credit card number and close everything up nicely. The only way you'll know you have been taken is when your credit card bill comes or if the card company calls you because of unusual spending changes. Also, I never locked my soft-top Jeep but that didn't stop some genius from cutting through the plastic window and then bending the drame down.

Here's an interesting site that I came across. It reminded me of the old Nike Missle Base that was behind the farm I used to work on back in Illinois. Missle_Silo

C3 set of 5 (000-2) for $250.00 on Backcountry.com. Using the 20% off coupon (that expires tomorrow 1/3/07) I got the whole set + free shipping and no taxes for $201. http://www.backcountry.com/store/BLD1061/Black-Diamond-Camalot-C3-Package-000-2.html?id=thcHumfD

According to this report, lawyers make $150,000/year on average: Money_Mag_Lawyers Given that this number includes the scum as well as the saints of the profession, it seems reasonable to me that there should be a certain financial incentive to serve the public. You may want to evaluate your own career choices on this page: Money_Mag_Careers

The mountains are no place for people with severe persistent asthma. Stick to cragging until you get it under better control. Even with good control you should consider bringing an Epi-pen if your asthma is really that bad. I'm glad others have had luck with their asthma and climbing but you have to understand that there is a selection bias on a climbing website. Those with a bad response probably either died or took up another hobby and wouldn't be prowling cc.com. Also, upper respiratory tract infections probably increase the likelihood of developing HAPE (at least in children) that travel to high altitude, so I would be extra careful. (Ref: Durmowicz AG, Noordeweir E, Nicholas R, Reeves JT: Inflammatory processes may predispose children to high-altitude pulmonary edema. J Pediatr 1997; 130:838-840.)

Clinics in Chest Medicine Volume 26 • Number 3 • September 2005 Copyright © 2005 W. B. Saunders Company Pulmonary Function Testing and Extreme Environments ASTHMA Convincing evidence is lacking that lower air density at altitude conveys much advantage in patients who have COPD and asthma. Stable asthmatics who do not have hypoxemia at sea level have little added risk at altitude other than remote location in the event of bronchospasm. Reduced exposure to allergens and pollutants in mountain areas may reduce the likelihood of exacerbation, although complete absence of these triggers cannot be assumed. Exercise in cold, dry air theoretically could provoke some asthmatics, although Matsuda and coworkers [125] report no changes from sea level in FEV1, exercise time, oxygen consumption, or heart rate in children who have exercise-induced asthma exposed in a hypobaric chamber. Nonspecific airway challenge testing on current asthma therapy before travel may provide some reassurance. Asthmatics may opt to monitor spirometry in field settings. Jensen and colleagues tested several devices by mechanical means in an altitude chamber and found that portable flow meters underestimate PEF as a function of increasing altitude and increasing target peak flow [126]. Pedersen and colleagues address similar issues and advocate carefully developed correction factors for meaningful use of selected instruments in settings of variable barometric pressure [127].

Curious Cat

After 5 years in Seattle I moved to Salt Lake City in 2002. Although afternoon cragging in LCC and a 25 minute commute from our doorstep to the lift line at Alta were pretty nice, I really missed the North Cascades. Lone peak was pretty nice, but that wasa about it for good alpine climbing. After moving to Fort Collins last year I finally escaped the new house projects to get in some climbing in RMNP and see how the Rockies compare to the Cascades. We headed up Tyndall Gorge for Hallet Peak, a huge monolithic face with many 7-8 pitch climbs. Our route was to the right of the central gully up through the dark overhang near the top. Hallett Peak: Pitch 1 was up some easy blocks stuff with the ever present yellow lichens: Jim turning the roof on the 5.8 second pitch. It was a continuous corner crack with sweet stemming and good gear: I can't remember whether this is pitch 3 or 5. There was a lot of wide open mid-5th class face climbing with solid holds and spaced out protection. It felt great to run it out with pretty large exposure. Jime heading up more of the same terrain. Note the blue sky overhead on the last shot. We were enjying ourselves and not making too much effort to hurry. This turned out to be a mistake as within the next 45 minutes RMNP lived up to its reputation for rapid weather changes. I found myself panting and fighting massive rope drag as I ran 2 pitches togetther to get through the last 5.8 roof section before the sprinkles started. Jim followed and finished the last short pitch before we both bolted for the repel route as thunder roared overhead. Pretty scary. We did have time for 1 photo before repelling. A few days later my wife and I did some more hiking and spotted a few more future objectives. The Shark's Tooth - from Northeast: There are sure a lot of spires around the park. These are Zowie (left) and Wham (right) on the way to Andrews "Glacier". This is what they call a "glacier" in Colorado (note guy to the left of the photo who just took a run through the sun-bowls): Nice scenery on the way to check out the Cathedral Spires. Glass Lake: The Cathedral Spires have some must do spires including the Petit Grepon (center), the Saber (right) and the Shark's Tooth (left).

I take care of people all the time with DVT's. You're lucky, in a way. Clots below the knee tend to break free and travel to the lungs less often and the long term damage to the valves in the veins is usually less so long term problems with swelling are not a big deal most of the time. Major bleeding is more likely to occur while on coumadin and bleeding into your head is the biggest concern. I strongly advise patients to avoid any activities that can result in head trauma. Here is Colorado that involves telling people they should not ski, climb or mountain bike while being treated. I get a lot of groans but after I tell them that I have also taken care of a lot of severely brain injured patients in the ICU who had head bleeds on coumadin, they usually comply. My advice would be to take some time off from climbing and instead pursue those activities that you've been meaning to do (read more books, take guitar lessons, etc) but climbing has always gotten in the way of. As for the pain, it's variable. Many people have no symptoms at all. In people who have pain, in my experience, it usually subsides in day to weeks. Heating pads can help. Stay away from aspirin and NSAIDS. It concerns me a little that the doctors who put you on blood thinners haven't already talked to you about these things and you have to ask for advice on a climbing web site. I hope they have filled you in a little on how coumadin works. If not, it is a vitamin K antagonist. This means it impairs your liver's ability to make certain clotting factors that vitamin K is used in making. It is a competitive inhibitor, meaning that you need to balance the coumadin with the amount of vitamin K you are taking in. This doesn't mean you need to avoid vitamin K, just that you need to eat a fairly steady diet. For example, if you eat a pound of broccoli one day despite eating a diet usually devoid of green vegetables your blood will get too thick for the next several days, increasing your risk of more clots or the clot breaking loose and going to your lungs. If your blood levels are difficult to control, a nutritionist may help you sort out your diet. On the other hand, some drugs can accentuate the effects of coumadin and can cause you blood to get too thin, increasing your risks of bleeding. Antibiotics are frequent causes of this situation. Make sure whoever is giving you any new medications knows you are on coumadin and discuss the possibility of drug interactions with your pharmacist.

When I lead the second pitch of Bishop's Terrace I was told by a Valley savy fellow that it is considered "The 5.8 of the Valley" that others should be compared to. It was strenuous but I still think The Lizard at Index is way harder.

The rep from Merck was trying to convince me to use Singulaire for allergic rhitis a few months ago and gave me some literature to prove it. It used some screwy statistical method that I have never heard of and the rep couln't explain. I got the numbers out of the paper and there was only a 3% absolute difference between placebo and drug and (with the help of my palmpilot) I calculated the number needed to treat was 65 to prevent 1 event. so, 64 pissed off patients that wasted money on the drug compared to the 1 who got better? The rep blushed and had no reply. I thanked him for lunch.

I forgot to mention the Monastery, which is up the Big Thompson Canyon just past Glen Haven. This is probably a 20 minute drive from Estes Park and is said to have a ton of good routes of all grades, although I haven't been there. The Monastery:

Estes Park would be the place for some nice hiking with the family. Lumpy Ridge has a fair number of routes where you could TR the first pitch. There is also a sport cilmbing area in Poudre Canyon called the Palace that not a lot of people know about. It is about an hour drive from Estes Park. It's got a lot of moderate stuff and is well bolted. It does require a steam crossing which can be up to your thighs and pretty cold. Eldo has quite a bit of single pitch stuff that would probably fit your bill. Photo of the Palace (not mine):

It's not that hard for 5.9 but if you fell you would most likely be badly injured. Sliding a #5 Camalot or #6 WC up is best. Bigger and smaller stuff is only available at the beginning and the end of the pitch. Here it is:

When we did it in late season we had some problems on the descent from EMS. The snowfield below dorado was all melted out and we had to climb down and through a lot of crevasses and got cliffed out to the left so we had to descend a long ways to get around a huge slab before making our way back up to the col. Still totally doable that time of year but with the melt out and short daylight we ended up making a 24 hr round trip from the base of Eldorado East Ridge. After a few hrs of sleep we bagged Eldo and then headed home for a total 2 day trip with not very much sleep. Also, we got confused on the descent in the dark and instead of going all the way down to the col behind EMS we just rapped the face down to the glacier. It cost me a cordelette to make the anchors. Enjoy.

The mosquitos were the worst I have ever seem. They followed us all the way to the summit, harrassing us whenever we stopped. Bring lots of DEET. We did it with a bivy and it was fine, but 1 day would work pretty well too.

Try looking here if you've got the cash: Valley Cams

Here's a great day: take crescent crack (classic 5.7) then the 5.9 slab variation to the top; rap off back side practically at the belay spot for the coffin. Climb the coffin 5.9 and up the second pitch 5.9 on the right side. Then rap back to base with 2 rapells while looking at the bolted 10a on the right side of the coffin. If you don't mind the tenuous fist 20 feet then lead it, otherwise TR it from the bolts at the top of the first pitch. These are all great pitches and close together. I alson agree that the Thumb is a classic route. If you want to sample the best climbing in Utah, consider a hike up to Lone Peak and take the Vertical Overhangs 10a variation on the summit wall or Out of the Question 10b on Question Mark Wall. Not sure if snow will be gone however. A 2 hour drive gets you to Maple Canyon if you want to climb cobbles.

Huayna Potosi high camp. Via de los Franceses is the slope at the top left of the photo. The standard route goes off the picture to the right and circles around. I was a sexy beast 10 years ago with those sweet gators. Expect lots of gapers like this on the standard route. And yes, I really did need 2 sleeping pads. [/img] Huayna Potosi West Face. Dalius, I'm jealous you got to climb it. A big storm came in 2 days before we were going in and conditions were too sketch. This is the piste on Chacaltaya complete with painfully difficult to use surface lift. Here she is, Condoriri. Ala Derecha is to the right (duh) and Ala Izquierda is a bit hidden to the left. Summit ridge of Condoriri from just above the ice gully. Now Dalius, you are the actual photographer...let's see some shots.

Please don't be offended by a little advice... Chacaltaya isn't a climb, it's just a place to get a few ski runs on the highest lift serviced ski area in the world. It's a nice day trip from La Paz, though. (I'll look for a picture when I get home.) It seems like kind of a waste to go into the Cabeza de Condor basecamp and only climb Pequeno Alpamamyo. From that camp you can tag several other summits of varying difficulty from walk ups to the more difficult stuff on Ala Derecha and Huallomen. We tagged an excellent line on the South Face of Ala Izquierda, which I would highly suggest provided conditions are good. Ala Izquierda (We climbed the left side of the serac at the bottom of the face and then traversed to the right to the mixed face. Descended the east ridge at right skyline.) Ala Izquierda (climbing the lower serac.) Ala Izquierda (Upper mixed pitches...don't forget the stubbies and screamers.) View from Condoriri (Illampu and Ancohuma in the distance): The ridge on Pequeno Alpamayo is pretty beautiful though: Illimani actually is a pretty cool climb that can be done in 3-4 days round trip from La Paz. The "trade route" turned out to be pretty challenging with hard/icy conditions with 1000's of feet of fall potential. Bring a few screws and pickets for the steeper wind-blown sections. Two French guides from Chamonix died there 2 weeks after we climbed it. They left their ice axes in camp and tried to climb it with ski poles...ooops. I've never been higher or colder than I was on Sajama. Not too thrilling otherwise but the local hotsprings are pretty cool if you can find them. Avoid the "commercial springs" and go a little further down the road looking for the rock stacks used to dam up the hot water. Sajama: If you are doing tourist stuff, don't miss the road to Coroico. Best to take mountain bikes down the road and spend a few days hiking back to La Cumbra. Unless you would rather ride in the back of a truck like this: Don't miss Lake Titicaca either: You can rent climbing shoes from Bolivian Journeys and go sport climbing in La Zona Sur in La Paz for an afternoon as well. La Florida, La Zona Sur: Have a great time.

Hmmm... web page

My wife and I climbed Cathedral Peak on Sept 11, 2001. We climbed the southest buttress and it was one of the best lines I've ever done. On the summit it was a blue-bird day, without a plane in the sky . We spent another night and hiked out on the 12th. I think we were the last people in America to know about the Twin Towers. Despite the association with terrorism, the Pasaytan Wilderness is still one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The Southeast Buttress is an amazing route. Every pitch was fun and challenging. We didn't bring any big cams, so we climbed a 10a finger crack just to the right of the 5.9 off-width. The walk off is a no brainer as long as you stay to the left.

I looked into hypoxia tents thinking I would use them for some research into the effects of altitude on sleep during my pulmonary fellowship. They are designed to work based on the alveolar gas equation: PA O2 = FIO2 (PB - PH2O) - PCO2/.8 PA is alveolar partial pressure of oxygen FIO2 is the fraction of oxygen in air PB is the barometric pressure PH2O is the pressure of water vapor PCO2 is the partial pressure of carbon dioxide At any altitude the fraction of oxygen is always .21 (or 21%) and the parital pressure of water vapor is basically fixed in the alveoli where air is basically fully humidified. Your PCO2 is also stable unless you are hypo or hyper ventilating. As the barometric pressure drops as you go higher the partial pressure of oxygen drops in the alveoli (and consequently the partial pressure in your blood will fall). Based on these priciples, the tents are designed not to affect barometric pressure but to deliver an FIO2 lower than the typical .21 of room air. Using a chart to correlate PAO2 with altitude you can calculate the FIO2 you need to simulate that altitude while staying at the same barometric pressure. Bottom line is that provided they are able to deliver the specified FIO2 they should be able to accurately simulate altitude. But why would you want to do this rather than just spending a few extra days in a beautiful place in the mountains? As for VO2max, I agree with others that it shouldn't be your focus. By definition your VO2max is past your anaerobic threshold so it really only matters in sports like sprinting. Although the anaerobic threshold can be modified, once you are in shape it is very difficult to get much more improvement with additional training. The real number to work on for endurance sports is the amount of time you can maintain exercise at a level just below your anaerobic threshold. Yeah, it's impressive that Lance has a VO2 max in the 80's and an unreasonably high anaerobic threshold but what is really sets him apart is that he can keep going at 90% of his anaerobic threshold for hours. This is a factor that really can change with training. I hope that was helpful.

Was this the route you did? I did it several years ago in cold but thin conditions and submitted it as a new ascent to the new Olympics Guide. I remember a short rock section midway up with a bulge that was a little scary to get over. I also remember thinking that I really didn't want to downclimb it. I went up after work and did most of the route by headlamp (hence the name). I bivied on the ridge and continued on to the summit the next day. Great climb. For reference, from the diamond shaped snowfield at the base of the route you just make a right turn and enter the standard couloir route for the South Brothers.