ryland_moore

Hey, don't be making fun of my home town like that! I actually used to break into that camp along Smith Mountain Lake (Where "What About Bob?" was filmed) and jump on their ropes course with friends using wax-xoated boat tie rope!

I don't think the memorial would cause me additional pain. I think that the wake may not allow me to fully have a chance to clear my head and appreciate all that my friend brought to the world. Maybe reflecting wqith friends is a good way to cope with this. But I know that until I get into the mountains, I will not have a free time to clear my head and deal with all of the clutter and feelings I have regarding the incident. I will probably do both. This is not all about me, but is a way I deal with things. I internalize feelings when it comes to death, and this is my way of coping. I will remember my friend no matter what I do and he will always hold a special place within me. As for the others, we each have our own way of dealing. Some are confused, some totally hystarical, and some quiet. If I truly want to be able to remember my friend, it will be done on a summit in a beautiful place and not at a memorial sitting around drinking a beer in his name. That may help my friends cope and will bring back good, tough memories, and is maybe a reason to be there- for them, but as for me remembering my friend, it won't help. As a side note, my friend was driving out of his way coming back to Portland so that he could be on the eastern side of Mt. Shasta. along Highway 89. If he had taken the straight way home, he would have been on I-5. I am sure that honoring and remembering him in both ways is the way to go. Thanks for all of your input.

I am struggling with what society and friends are telling me and what I feel is best for me. One of my good friends and old roomate was killed in a traffic accident coming back from the High Sierra Music Festival in Quincy on Monday and friends want to get together to remember him and have a party in his honor. However, all I want to do is escape and run, and the best place for me to gte my head clear is to go to the mountains and climb. My girlfriend says she will lose respect for me by doing this and that other people will think I don't care about what happened. Any of you been in a similar situation? I just feel my head can clear when I get up climbing and I can make this "weight" I am feeling evaporate, at least for a short period of time. Climbing affords me to clear my thoughts and is the only time everything feels really clear, whether it be life, a career, hard decisions that I need to make, or even dealing with the oss of a loved one. Sorry for the downer, but looking for some perspective. Thanks.

Did one happen to have long brown hair, from Fairbanks, and drove a blue volvo?

Impressive guys! How did you decend? I assume you came in from Colchuck/Stuart Lake TH?

Latest Conditions? Anyone go up there over the holiday weekend? Heading up this weekend.

In addition to that request, what about the Couloir leading up to West Ridge of Forbidden? Thanks!

Drink Cytomax for a month straight and then get back to me about how you like it. Kinda like Tequila if you've ever imbibed a bit too much in a single sitting. You won't touch the stuff again. (Picture yourself praying to the porcelain gods saying, "I'll never drink that stuff again!!!!!!") Actually, I prefer just Gatorade and/or water while on the trail and pound a Red Bull prior to ascent, and suck on some Gu during water breaks. It's all personal preference.

As for electrolite replacement, I'd say Cytomax, but only because I feel I recover quicker with Cytomax and not from any scientific information. However, I can only down the stuff on weekend warrior trips as the taste wears on pretty fast and will switch to gatorade for longer trips and only using Cytomax in small doses.

What would I get for it?

Show us an actual picture, and I'll tell you.....

"Hey y'all, Watch 'is!" One drunk redneck to a group of rednecks "Awe shit, I could do that!" What the redneck's cousin said after he performed the stunt that got him killed.

When? I'll be up there soon.

Does that time include Chad having to take breaks to throw in a dip? Thanks for the dip on Aconcagua, Chad. I needed it!

What Unit is you tag in Greg? I've got mine too! Don't shoot my ass out there!

Just because you can't climb steep faces with hard grades with no means for protecting it traditionally, doesn't mean it is not a sport, isn't extremely challenging, or worthy to spend time on and climb.....I enjoy both, suck at both, and find each style challenging in different facets.

Bottled water is simply tap water from some random municiple water supply. Just read the labels. Most of the companies are owned by Coke and Pepsi anyways. Pull the wool off from over your eyes and quit paying a $1+ for 20 oz. of municple waterr that costs you a penny from your tap!

No offense, Matt. Just have a differnce of opinion. If placed properly, wands do not blow over, but may get knocked over by another party's rope etc. Usually the most heavily travelled routes are already wanded on Rainier, like Ingraham Direct because they are guided and the guides leave wands up for the season. Typically all you need to do is add a few more at a few choice locations and you are set! I have gone up Rainier and had to turn around because I knew I would not be able to find my way back until the weather lifted, and I have continued up in complete whiteouts using wands as I knew I could find my way back down. It is always a judgement call in the mountains. Not even criticizing these 2 parties all that much, but like in Accidents in Mountaineering, you can always learn from others mistakes. I'm glad to hear they summitted and made it down safely. Just may have been a little too quick with the cell that is all. Shit happens in the mountains and none of us are exempt. Except Trask, and that is cause he never goes

You all are forgetting one of the most popular one hit wonders! The Pina Colada Song by......................... The infamous Rupert Holmes!

I guess we don't think along the same lines Matt, as wands have allowed me to summit and descend in whiteouts on Rainier. Without them, maybe I would have been trying to figure out how to call White River (although I don't carry my phone on climbs). Wands are absolutely neccessary in incliment weather on the bigger mountains, and I wouldn't go up without them. Even a GPS can act up or be off. Look where it got Dan -!

Also, think about getting a pair of VBL socks (Vapor Barrier Liners). Climb High makes a decent pair. This will prevent the moisture from your feet wicking away into your other sock layers and will keep them warm and dry. I typically use a liner sock, then the VBL, then a large expedition sock on winter ascents or climbs like Denali and they work perfectly. No need to get overboots on summer climbs in the Cascades! You can also just buy a pair of plastics too, but the Extremes should be warm enough with this combo, and cheaper too!

I still think they might have slacked on the preparation. Even if they were prepared to hunker down and even if they did not request a rescue, where were their snow wands? If you are heading up a large glacier in potential whiteout, surely they should have been prepared to get back down following their nicely wanded path, whiteout or not, and with nine people spaced out 15' apart, that covers some serious distance! I don't know enough about what went on up there, but could see how the media could sensationalize it. Carry wands when in potentially bad weather. Quite simple actually! And if the can't find the wands they placed, then they obviously need more experience to do so. My two cents.

That's awesome. Congrats to Chad. Hope he is well. That time is pretty schweet too! After doing that route this spring, I have total respect for anyone who can do a climb like that. You must remember that the route itself is over 15 miles long from BC to summit, and that does not include any objective hazards, crevasses, and fixed lines. I am totally impressed. Now kick Dan's ass on Khan Tengri!

Sorry ANna, Jason and I didn't get finished with climbing until 10pm and finally made it out to the bar by 11:15! Sorry we missed you! Can't do it today, but we need to get together soon!

Wait, I thought we were talking tonight! I can't do tomorrow as I have some late meetings. Anyone going out tonight? Jason and I are still tentatively planning on grabbing a beer after climbing. ANyone? Anyone? Beuler? Beuler?