Dru

Why female Brian? My feeling is, if you are looking for a girlfriend, you should come out and say it, not pretend you are looking for a climbing partner. If you aren't why does the sex of your climbing partner matter?

If youy are improving in any way, that means you are improving!!!! For instance if you can climb a route of any grade with less flailing than the last time you did it, that means you have improved! Better have a beer to celebrate improving.

I came about 6 inches and 1 small shrub away from falling off the top of the Apron at Squamish. It was quite scary. I like trees a lot more now.

quote: Originally posted by The Antagonizer: Tell ya what? The Antagonizer will come to one of your little faggy meetings and then if you want to talk shit you can. Jman I do believe you can't climb shit so suck my ass pussy. What exactly is an 'ass pussy' [sic] and why do you have one? Did it require surgery to create or what? I don't think I really wanna know...

If you travel unroped on a glacier you should assume you are soloing and take the same mindset as you would soloing on rock. If you are roped on a glacier however, you should evaluate whether conditions are self-arrestable or not. The recent accident on Baker seems to have resulted from the party being roped up but not having pro in. Under the circumstances there would have probably been less injuries if they hadn't been roped up, or NO injuries if they had had good pro in in addition to being roped up. Then again I wasn't on the mountain, maybe they couldn't get pro in, who am I to question them.

Featured Clinic Topics: "How To Dry Tool Up A Dead Log Coated With Ice" "How To Remove Ice From Ice Climbs to Make Them Mixed and Trendy" "How To Spend Three Weeks in a Tent With Guy Edwards and Not Go Insane" and the all important: "Censoring Objectionable Route Names Before Publication in Alpine Journals"

A good Arcteryx harnesss a couple of women climbers i know use, is the Verro. Although its "unisex", it is fully adjustable and pretty nice for all around crag, ice and alpine climbing. But, if you try a bunch of harnesses on, before you buy, you won't go wrong. The new Petzls are pretty tricked out, you should try them too before you make a decision.

Alex's kids have NEW DAD aka Conrad Anker now. Last seen posing as Austin Powers clone in the Koflach ad, wonder what they think of that?

I think you can gettum at Coast Mountain sports???? Cause we used to sell them to them. But maybe they don't sell well to the yuppie 'outdoor look' crowd so they stopped carrying them in their great sweep toward the posers? You could special order thru Valhalla Pure. Or call Arcteryx and ask who sells in Vcr area.

Getting freshies as of last week. Look out for serac collapses on that SSW buttress, it goes regularily. Give us a TR if you survive.

I nominate the Capt. to bring his beer drinking assistance device - I won't call it a beer bong becauise there is no smoking involved.

Big Rock Oktoberfest Ale is not yet available.

On second thought, don't they realize that "sasquatch" is a Canadian word? Yankees must call the North American Yeti "Big Foot" by official cryptozoological decree.

C'mon Evans, you met that leather pants guy on Davie Street, not horse packing...

This one was here first, I think. http://zapatopi.net/bsa/militia.html

yeah you go right under that roof and then have the hardest moves of the pitch up the next crack to reach the first belay. so much for thinking 'just this move asnd then its over'. i'm not telling you where i'm going next but it involves erik and borbon.

(I'd like to point out that the free camping/squatting area on the Mamquam River was also closed down Sept 6th by District of Squamish - plan accordingly) This Bulletin Was Written by Anders Ourom: Several representatives of the climbing community met with B.C. Rail on Tuesday (4th) to discuss climbers' access to the lower Malemute. We opened communications on an issue which is important to both parties. It appears that there may be possibilities for climbing on the lower Malemute in the future, although any solution will take some time to implement. We ask that in the meantime all climbers respect the voluntary closure on climbing on the lower Malemute, starting immediately. B.C. Rail is considering some suggestions we made which might address its concerns, and this may take a few weeks. Please don't climb at the lower Malemute until there is clear information that it is allowed again. This will show our good faith, and show that climbers can be self-policing when necessary. If you climb at the lower Malemute during this time, you may jeopardize any future for climbing there!! We will publicize any developments by broadcast e-mail, as well as in the next Access News (late September) and in the Access Alerts section of the CASBC website (www.bivouac.com/casbc). In the meantime, B.C. Rail has no immediate concerns about climbing on the upper Malemute (i.e. anywhere more than one pitch off the tracks), and climbing can continue there. Kris Wild (Squamish Rockclimbers' Association) Kevin McLane (guidebook writer) John Howe (Squamish Search & Rescue, S.R.A.) Brent Mathieson (Association of Canadian Mountain Guides) Anders Ourom (Climbers' Access Society of B.C.) Climbing at the lower Malemute began in the 1960s, and there are many popular, excellent climbs there. Its popularity seems to have recently increased. The lower cliff is entirely on the B.C. Rail right of way, which may extend for 50 - 100 feet from the tracks. The cliff was briefly closed in the late 1980s, which led to construction of the current access trail, and a sign being posted. Access and train safety information was also prominent in the 1992 and 1999 guidebooks. As most of you know, last week several climbers at the lower Malemute were asked to leave by B.C. Rail police. As a result, several climbers contacted B.C. Rail and arranged a meeting to discuss this. The climbers who met B.C. Rail on Tuesday believe that they are broadly representative of the climbing community, and of all climbers' groups with an interest in this issue. We believe climbers and B.C. Rail can resolve this matter themselves. There is no need to involve other groups, politicians, or the media, the general media especially. We met to plan, then met Constable Andy Thom of B.C. Rail Police. Constable Thom was quite informative and helpful. We met with him for an hour, then went on a tour of the lower Malemute together. B.C. Rail is well aware of climbing at the lower Malemute, and has gradually become more concerned about this, as well as other activities on and near the tracks. The incidents last week were not the result of any one event - B.C. Rail has intended to address this issue for some time. Their concern, ultimately, is safety - both for trains and their personnel, and for people on or near the tracks. They are also concerned about legal issues, including the Railway Act, trespassing, and potential liability. Constable Thom was open in discussing possible solutions which would address B.C. Rail's concerns, although these would have to be approved by management. Some of the possibilities (we emphasize that they are possibilities only at this stage): - regular, open dialogue between climbers and B.C. Rail (this e-mail is being copied to Constable Thom) - education of climbers about train safety - new, punchier signage at all access points - zoning areas, depending on proximity to the tracks - closure of Penguins in Bondage and climbs at Slopers (south of Murrin Park) - establishing access routes from above, by rappel and perhaps a trail and ladders at the north end of the rockfall area, just south of Chasing Rainbows - building foot paths along the base of the cliff, as far away from the tracks as possible, with a fence in between, about 2 metres from the side of the tracks (this may involve several hundred metres of chain link fence = $$$) - possibly filling in some of the depressed areas between the tracks and the base of the cliff, to provide more room away from the tracks for belaying and walking In the long term, the area in front of the Malemute will be used for expansion of the port of Squamish. A great deal of fill will be used to make a solid strip of land about 100 metres wide in front of the cliff. There would be increased industrial activity in the area (log sort, loading and unloading ships, construction...), but there is a slight possibility that the tracks may be relocated away from the cliff. Other consequences remain to be seen, and the port expansion may not happen for a few years. It seems certain that any solution will take: - time - good faith negotiations - fundraising (signage, fences, ladders...) Ultimately, if climbing is to resume and continue at the lower Malemute, climbers have to show that they can be good neighbours. This will take effort from every single climber - there may be zero tolerance for transgressions. Please stay away from the lower Malemute until further notice, and ask other climbers to do likewise! Anyone contemplating climbing at the lower Malemute, despite the voluntary closure, should be reminded that the tracks and cliff are entirely on B.C. Rail right-of-way. B.C. Rail police have the legal right to arrest and remove anyone found there. Even if they're not physically there to kick you off, they may be watching. If you do climb there and get away with it, it doesn't prove you're clever, or that you can ignore reasonable rules. It just proves you're a selfish idiot. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR CO-OPERATING. WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED. Anders Ourom (CASBC) (604) 228-1798

I like to slit open my snow-bounder's guts and crawl inside to stay warm, just like Luke Skywalker in Empuire Strikes Back. Also no ducks are hurt that way

possible explanations 1) different materials 2) different joining techniques on the swages 3) different weave, braid pattern or "thread count" on the wires 4) I wouldn't hang 16 tons off a nut 5) alien death rays cutting through home depot have weakened their stock of wires.

Terry are you stalking me? how come you are on all the routes I'm on? The s ridge of gimli was originally rated 5.7 in 1974!!! it is burly. i figured about every other move on 1st pitch was 5.8 and placed something like 15 pieces and ended up making a station out of wire racking biners. 3rd pitch was cool, I went right and found and overhanging flake hand traverse near the top of the pitch!! loved that blind flapping reach round the roof at the top of pitch 6 or 7. you didn't by any chance find a BD nut tool below the roof did you? fern dropped hers there...

"Disconnecting the rope" - maybe she read Touching The Void??

Moral of the story, if you are in conditions where you cant self arrest you should probably either unrope or place pro.

This Bulletin Was Written by Anders Ourom: As of today (29th), it appears that climbing at the lower Malemute at Squamish is no longer permitted by B.C. Rail. Climbers there were asked to leave by B.C. Rail police. CASBC is working on this issue, but in the meantime it seems best to assume that access to the lower Malemute is not permitted, and that B.C. Rail may actively enforce this. Some background: 1. Climbing at the lower Malemute began in the mid-60s. It offers a fine variety of excellent climbs. Until the mid 80s, climbers going to the cliff parked at the log sort yard, then walked along the tracks. There was then a brief flurry - the company (Triple C?) closed the parking lot to outsiders, and installed a gate. At the same time B.C. Rail temporarily closed access to the cliff. They were concerned about climbers on the tracks, trespassing, and liability. The closure ended when climbers built a new access trail, which avoided the log sort, and posted a sign (now rather weathered) regarding the access problem, and climbing on/near the tracks. 2. The cliff is entirely on B.C. Rail property, and they have the legal right to prevent climbers from going on the tracks or climbing beside the tracks, and to escort people off their property. They need not call the RCMP - B.C. Rail police are armed, and can arrest trespassers. It would be possible for them to stop anyone from going to the cliff - there is only one access point. 3. A walker and his dog were killed on the tracks near Shannon Falls in June, and soon after B.C. Rail started leaving a leaflet ("BC Rail Police - Trespassing on the Railroad") on cars parked for the lower Malemute. 4. There appear to be more climbers at this cliff than in the past, and some at least seem to have less awareness of train safety. Groups of climbers near the base of Clean and Crescent Cracks, for example. The suggested code of behaviour appears in the Climbers Guide to Squamish at page 141. 5. B.C. Rail may have been turning a blind eye to the situation, as long as it didn't perceive a problem. Increased numbers, or decreased attention to rail safety, could easily be perceived as problems. 6. I was at the lower Malemute last Sunday (27th). I talked with several groups about rail safety. At one point, someone in the log sort yard shouted "You can't climb there" - I'm not sure why. A few minutes later, someone from the log sort yard came to the base of Clean Crack. Someone (he thought a climber) had parked in the log sort yard. He was going home and locking the gate, and wanted the car removed. 7. Today, Andrew Querner reports that he and some friends were climbing near Clean Crack, when B.C. Rail police appeared and asked them to leave, which they did. Andrew provided the name and phone # of the officer involved. 8. As a result of what I observed Sunday, I e-mailed a number of Squamish climbers and activists, asking what to do. My suggestion was that CASBC and Squamish rockclimbers (at CASBC expense) jointly place new signs with information about access to the lower Malemute, and train safety, on the trail just before the tracks, as well as near the base of Clean Crack and Crescent Crack. Response so far has been in favour. 9. Officially, B.C. Rail will never agree to climbing at the lower Malemute. We can't know whether keeping climbers off is a priority for them, if they just want to make a point, or what resources they might put into this. CASBC's strategy will likely be to - upgrade the signage, asap, - post information on the situation to our website and in the next Access News (mid September), and - seek out an off the record meeting with B.C. Rail, to discuss the issue and see if it can be resolved. Please forward this as you deem appropriate. I will provide updates as/when necessary. Any suggestions on next steps are also welcome. Anders Ourom aiourom@telus.net

seen on a sign outside an auto body shop near my house: "Pain is temporary. Glory is permanent. And chicks dig scars."

The worst thing about dying in the mountains is having people say stupid things about you after you are dead. looks like Mom also knows nothing about mountaineering: Hiker who died on mountain was ill-prepared: mother KAMLOOPS (CHNL) — The mother of the 43-year-old man who died on Mount Baker on Sunday says her son was ill-prepared to be hiking on a glacier. Mount Baker hikers' names released Evelyn Ewan of Kamloops says her son Glynn had no previous experience climbing glaciers and shouldn't have been taken onto such a dangerous glacier. "If he had known better operating procedures, if he had been a hiker, when the head man slipped, Glynn would have known to either disconnect the rope or not try and hold on and hold him, which he did. And then of course when he couldn't hold him and it gave way, it just propelled him right into the sharp ice and smashed his chest." Ewan, who fell to his death while climbing Mount Baker with three other people, grew up in Kamloops and attended the 25-year reunion of his high school last month. Evelyn Ewan says he hopes her son's body can be recovered soon from Mount Baker. Inclement weather has hindered recovery efforts on the mountain. She said her son's employer has offered funding to help recover his body from the 2,580-metre level. "My son's company, Francis Foods, [is] going to pay for a private recovery," she said. "That way it would give them some personnel to try to do it again today. We don't know if by the time we get all the wheels in motion they can still get it done today. But, if not today, it will be first thing tomorrow morning."