ryland_moore

Is it worth filling out all the details for a measily $5?

The last 2 times I've been over by MG and there were climbers on ZZ, I've seen small rocks come off once the climbers were up on the 3rd pitch/top. One girl was hit on the arm walking from 9 gallon to 5 gallon. If you are belaying, the small stuff usually falls out away from the Wall because of the bulge to the left of 2nd pitch. Just be careful. Never seen anything bigger than a golf ball, but that would defiantely hurt!

What is the difference between a first-time snowboarder and a snowboard instructor? 'Bout three days! Screw 'em! I know there are plenty of snowboarders out there with etiquette, but the other punks just give the group a bad name........Enjoy the snow!

I heard from a fairly reliable source that most of the 24 contestants elected to go on to the next round have very little to zero climbing experience. Most are of the Ironman/Triathalon, Adventure racer types who were selected beyond the fifty. For example, I do know that a friend of mine was not selected and he climbed Cho Oyu two years ago, yet some of these folks have never even been as high as Rainier! Should be a meladrama worth watching! Starts Jan. 7th.

Since I have convinced my parents that I am poor (which I am) they decided to hook me up for Denali. Picked up the Serendipity Cloudveil jacket, summit OR mitts, BD whippet, Grivel G12 crampons (to fit over my overboots) and the FF farmer john fleece suit. My girl gave me the Dana Designs Iceflow pack, and my bro hooked me up with a pair of nice BD express. I think my Mom misses me and wishes I lived back on the East Coast. Oh yeah, that Mountaineers Monopoly is pretty fun! Although I think Cotopaxi should be valued more than it is!

Hey iain, I need to talk to you about specific GPS units. Call me at my office 541-345-2799 . Need to talk to you about WAAS Trimble Geo XT and other options that are hopefully less than $6k.

Wha?????

Good points all (CC Highlander, Cpt., j b et al.) To clarify, rangers I mean climbing rangers specific to Rainier and not the Larry the Tools of the Cascades. I see all of your points. Wouldn't it be nice though if everything were so black and white. Can make things a lot easier to determine which side of the fence to be caught on. p.s. Page top mo-fo's (I just broke my page-top cherry!)

Expand services across the board or expand services as it relates to ranger work and administrative support?

DFA, I would have taken everyone......only problem is, I didn't win. On a good note, no one won last night and therefor it is $215 million on Saturday! Yeah, I got a chance.... Have fun with all of your travels climbing or not over the Holidays!

I just don't understand it. Fees increase, it is called inflation. This is not some governmental ploy to squeeze out every climber's last dollar or try and get climbers to give in, it is to help a well-run and much needed team of solid individuals (rangers) and support you when you are on the mountain. You shit at Muir and Sherman don't you. You wanna be the one to remove it? Like you should be anyway! Then quit whining. It is bad karma. Wouldn't want to be one whining over a few dollars then have an accident, cause the mountain gods didn't think you were respectful or worthy enough to be there. If you don't want to pay the fee, dont. If you feel like you want to, do. Our society is like this with everything. I choose not to buy a seasonal NWForest Pass, but pay for Rainier. Gas is the same issue. We expect gas to never go up in price, yet in reality if gas prices stayed true with inflation, we would be paying around $6.00/gallon. Sorry for rambling. Support the Rangers, they do serve a purpose.

Actually, $2 million is cheap for that type of land. Factor in the timber value and I gurantee it is over $2 million with old growth there. Also, with the sprawl of Seattle and Tacoma, who knows what developer might be able to get a zone change 10-20 years down the road. Then that property would be worth $20-$30 million with 500 2-acre ranchettes on the banks of the Carbon! Working as a director of a land trust, we rarely see properties come across our desks like this, and if we do, are usually out bidded by Weyerhaueser and the likes. Sounds amazing. Also, these dollars are federally appropriated and do not have any effect on the National Park fees increase. This comes from the Dept. of Interior not having enough money in the budget for all parks across the US. Kind of like admitance into Teton-Yellowstone doubled from $10 to $20 overnight 4 years ago. It's called inflation. We get so fixed on what something is worth or what we paid for something in the past that we do not realize that it costs more to keep these places running so that we can continue to enjoy them. I have no problem paying the increased costs, b/c most of my experiences up there or on any mountain are priceless anyways. My two cents.

I lost a star for that one? Damn, you guys are gettin' tough! Who told you who I really am! Damn, thought I was pullin' the wool over your eyes! Trask, don't even start....

I see a distinct difference b/w the two as well Mtnr Michael. Usually a drive to climb is a weekend, but if I am spending vacation time or a week or so that either you have to drive for long hours for or fly in a plane, I would count that as a road trip. Doesn't have to be in warm weather. Excellent ice to be had up in BC during Feb and I probably would not "drive to a climb" for that but "ROAD MUTHA-FUCKIN' TRIPPIN'" for that one. Ideally, I dream of an endless summer (or endless winter for you tele/ice climbers out there) - one continuous road trip around the world climbing in both hemispheres and dirt-bagging it for a solid year. Anyone wanna dream with me! Or better yet, pay for me to go with them? I'll bring 5 of you with me if I win Powerball tonight. Stay tuned....

I know...Just look at Trask's last quote! Go ahead, Trask, be the lemming and jump off the cliff when Bush does, may help the rest of us. If you never question, then you never think for yourself and always assume. I guess that is the difference between a leader and follower. Traqsk's quote sounds like propaganda from when someone fucked up but didn't want to have to deal with someone questioning their actions!

Oh Trask, if you only knew me! ROTC in high school, dad, uncles, and grandfathers all vets, and I am from the South. 'Bout as conservative as you can get. Member of the NRA and far from an Oregon Hippie. In Eugene I am extreme right (and not because I was the only one who didn't vote for Nader ) But Bush is a fuck-up. Put another Republican in there! I don't care. Just not Bush! He has no leadership abilities and relies on his staff to bail him out! Seriously! I love the US of A, just with another leader at the healm, that's all. Is it so bad, to admit he is not the best one for the job and that there are many others who are? If I were a hard-core Rep. or Democrat, I would want the best guy we have in the role, otherwise you face having the American people turn the other way......Since I am not party affiliated and go with whomever I feel is best for the job, it doesn't matter to me as much....but for thos who are left-or right, think about it....

Well, I still find myself in the middle, but love how the US intelligence is taking all the credit when really it was the Spanish Navy that discovered all this, with the US piggy-backing by saying, "Yeah, we were tracking them from N. Korea, but were going to stop them before Yemeni territory. Who knows where the SCUDS were going and for what purpose? Hopefully up Bush's ass!!!! I bet if we would just rid ourselves of him, then things would work out in other faccets. We need a gun-lovin' , recreationist, who likes to distribute wealth (to some extent). Think we can bring back Teddy R. from the grave? On a side note, here is a true article that you (guys) may enjoy

mb, check out MEC, that is, if you are willing to drive up to or are planning on being in Canada. Or get Dru or someone to buy them for you and ship 'em down since MEC won't ship to the good ol' US of A.

Not neccessarily. Late night hits, ODF&W don't want to get involved and it is usually just easier for the cop to let you have it then call a bunch of people, remove it, transport it to fish and game so they can remove teeth and check for disease - your tax dollars at work!

Or my refrigerator, seriously. I love road kill, especially when fresh (meaning I hit it or a friend did). As long as a deer was not hit at 60 mph, the meat is not traumatized and is fine. The main hurdle you have to get over is talking the state trooper into letting you have it. A buddy of mine actually got a moose that way. The moose was so tall that when he hit it, it took out the moose's legs and was suffering. He ended it misery with a knife and then was able to keep the 400 lbs. of meat and fed himself for a year and a half. 100 lbs of deer meat is much healthier than eating horomone-injected beef, pork, chicken, etc. Street value of about $300 easy. Pretty wise to harvest road kill if you ask me....

Just don't register your car in any of those states (unless it is a beater). Cost me $800 to register my truck in Wyoming and it was a pick-up!

winter ascents of major volcanoes, scout some unclimbed ice (if it ever gets here) near Willamette Pass, Denali in May, and routes that escaped me this last summer like Cutthroat South Butt and Stuart North Ridge. Maybe some classics like Prussik, West Rudge of FOrbidden, others. 2004: Put a group together to go into Yukon and scale unclimbed Peaks. Anyone interested? Never too late to start thinking about it! We could have a cc.com ho-down and bag as many unclimbed peaks in a week as possible, sending out cc.com'ers in all directions for a first ascent Fest!

The one down thing about mountain towns (if you are single) is the guy to girl ratio. Especially in Winter. I would keep this in mind, if at some point you ever even think you may want to settle down. For example, I wouldn't pick Leavenworth as a place to meet people of the opposite sex. Jackson is unique in that many folks are out there of 20-something age (trendy?) It can make for a long winter without someone to cuddle up with, unless you enjoy women missing a few teeth and mullets

I wouldn't throw Driggs out. Real Estate is still far cheaper than on the other side, it is growing and has high speed due to the ski resort there. Many small businesses operate out of there as well. Durango wouldn't be a bad place. A really cool town that is larger and in the south is Asheville, NC. If I leave Oregon it will either be to Driggs or Asheville. Maybe Chattanooga, but we'll see. Bend is a cool town for the Pacific NW. As for WA and BC, I'll let the other experts who live up there give you advise. The Jackson area is still my favorite for ease of access to amazing recreation. I could climb, paddle, hike, and bike all within a few minutes WALK from my front door. Haven't experienced that since living in the mountains of TN.

Anyway cliff in the South........even the redbirds are friendly.