none_dup1

Any recent reports would be welcome! (trail conditions, pro needed, etc.) Thanks!

MTNRGR, Does that mean that you are a mountain trained Ranger? Just wondering. My old man was in the 10th Mountain Division in WW II. Those were mountian trained infantry-- bad to the bone. We need a big mountain inf. unit (real one) in a real hurry-- too bad the army can't see that. BTW-- mountain phase don't count-- no offense, I'm only sayin'...

I'm not sure that the $15 goes into anything othe r than the general fund. Anybody got info that disagrees with that? The climbing patrols are very worthwhile (except the next time a punk on the Muir Snowfeild yells at one of my group about stepping on the rocks, I'm sure that I'll have to clock him), and the cleanup essential, it's just that I don't think the fee goes directly there. I'm tired of the PS complaining about cut budgets, and then thrashing around for solutions and finding climber's fees to be a good, PC target. When I payed my $150 on McKinley, I gave some thought to spray painting it red. Smoot wrote a great article, many years back, on the extremely low incidence of climber rescues versus "good old boy" rescues. It's stunning when you contemplate the unfairness of direct user fees to climbers, but not to day hikers, etc.

In defense of our friend, here, I remeber doing the E. face years ogo. Mostly, I liked the cool drawing in Beckey's guide. It wasn't a whole lot of help, though. We had limited scouting, since the face was covered by a rising fog. When I was sure that it was lifting, I led up the center weakness and found little to no pro, although what I would describe as wonderful rock, about 4th Class. I remember clipping a knifeblade that was hammered down at 90 %, and worked out about halfway! Also remember having opposed small nuts or even micros for the first few "anchors". This experience, and others in the Snoqualmie alps, has taught me to include pitons on my rack in that area. BTW, there's a great crag right there, but a beer would have to be donated to get it out of me... We traversed right to the NE ridge, somewhere under the rockband which is the first class 5 "crux", because we got our first good belay in there. Sounds like where our protagonist had his unfortunate fall. I knew a really experienced climber who broke his leg when he caught a crampon on his pants, just getting up from a rest, right at that mountain. Took a helivac to get him out. Of further interesting note, we downclimbed, rapelled the NE butress, and the last rap was off of a slightly rusty (new, in my book) piton, backed up by one of my nuts. My partner (BTW, he displayed a wonderful show of diarhea while roped-up, in what we will call a "high dump"-- pretty funny stuff!) went first, and I stupidly pulled the nut and rapped on the piton only. It was only 20 ft to the bench/ shoulder, so I went for it. Word came out, a week later, that some guy had grabbed a fixed pin climbing the NE butt, and fell to his death. Anyone remember that story? I didn't place the pin, but I'll never rap on a single anything again after that one. I also remember some ya-hoos up there, climbing the NE butt in LL Bean/Rockport loafers, belaying off of a single loose hex. Guess I shouldn't talk, though. I recommend the E face route, I think its a classic. Take a hammer and some small Bugaboos and even small KBs, but expect those as your only peices for three pitches of 4th Class slab. The 5th class was clean, in my shakey memory, but the heather staircase on the summit pyramid was exposed, slippery and wet!

In defense of our friend, here, I remeber doing the E. face years ogo. Mostly, I liked the cool drawing in Beckey's guide. It wasn't a whole lot of help, though. We had limited scouting, since the face was covered by a rising fog. When I was sure that it was lifting, I led up the center weakness and found little to no pro, although what I would describe as wonderful rock, about 4th Class. I remember clipping a knifeblade that was hammered down at 90 %, and worked out about halfway! Also remember having opposed small nuts or even micros for the first few "anchors". This experience, and others in the Snoqualmie alps, has taught me to include pitons on my rack in that area. BTW, there's a great crag right there, but a beer would have to be donated to get it out of me... We traversed right to the NE ridge, somewhere under the rockband which is the first class 5 "crux", because we got our first good belay in there. Sounds like where our protagonist had his unfortunate fall. I knew a really experienced climber who broke his leg when he caught a crampon on his pants, just getting up from a rest, right at that mountain. Took a helivac to get him out. Of further interesting note, we downclimbed, rapelled the NE butress, and the last rap was off of a slightly rusty (new, in my book) piton, backed up by one of my nuts. My partner (BTW, he displayed a wonderful show of diarhea while roped-up, in what we will call a "high dump"-- pretty funny stuff!) went first, and I stupidly pulled the nut and rapped on the piton only. It was only 20 ft to the bench/ shoulder, so I went for it. Word came out, a week later, that some guy had grabbed a fixed pin climbing the NE butt, and fell to his death. Anyone remember that story? I didn't place the pin, but I'll never rap on a single anything again after that one. I also remember some ya-hoos up there, climbing the NE butt in LL Bean/Rockport loafers, belaying off of a single loose hex. Guess I shouldn't talk, though. I recommend the E face route, I think its a classic. Take a hammer and some small Bugaboos and even small KBs, but expect those as your only pieces for three pitches of 4th Class slab. The 5th class was clean, in my shakey memory, but the heather staircase on the summit pyramid was exposed, slippery and wet! [ 06-07-2002, 11:24 AM: Message edited by: none ]

Use brown rice syrup. Get it at the health food stores, next to molasses. It's the #1 ingredient in Clif shots and Clif bars. WAY cheaper than the Gu packs, and almost the same stuff. I snarf it out of an squeeze bottle on all my alpine climbs. Works great! Twight would approve.

On the book promo tour . . . Aussie Greg Child will be at Powell's Hawthorne store on Tuesday 4/30, 7:30 pm plugging his new book on the recent Tommy Caldwell, Beth Roddden et al. kidnapping epic in Kyrgestan (sp?). Lynn will yap about her new book at Powells downtown on May 28, 7:30 pm. BTW, I have read that Greg helped Lynn write her book. (I do not work for Powells or have any affiliation with them - just trying to get the word out on local talks with two climbers I greatly admire - and both in the same month!) Peace, n_s

THESE FINE SANDALS ARE BRAND NEW ONLY WORN INDOORS A COUPLE DAYS. THEY ARE BLACK WITH THE TOE STRAP-CAN BE WORN WITH SOCKS OR BAREFOOT. THESE ARE SIZE 12 IN WIDE WIDTH $50 CASH TO TODD -SEE THEM AT FEATHERED FRIENDS OR E-MAIL ME IF ANY QUESTIONS P.S SANDALS HAVE THE BURLY WALKABOUT SOLE FROM VIBRAM

whutever, dude. I guess some people are the types who always get wet, no matter what. I Don't get wet in ANY of my double wall tents, but I guess if you pitch 'em correctly...Of course, I like to take my SD Superflash (SD version of the Westwind), wall and poles only, and dig it down about 6 in" in the snow-- 3 # mountain tent!Another nice trick, if I'm sloggin' a volcano, is to overstock the climbers in the tent. I've had 7 climbers in my Big Dipper-- dry as toast and less than 2 # per person. [ 04-10-2002: Message edited by: none ]

If you do go single-wall in the PNW, you WILL get wet, PERIOD. I do in mine (Marmot Insane Asylum). For a rainy or low altitude trip, I'll take a 7 to 10 lb. double wall mountain tent, like my Moss or SD. I just get a chuckle, like it's the big lie: " get a single wall tent, duuude, they're great." No one who owns one will admit the dirty little secret: you can't get the temp. gradient right in the warm PNW. Maybe on McKinley, a single wall would work well... although there I used my little SD Tiros.

A very close friend of mine, (a logger) once told me that if you don't log 'em down (old grow trees), they'll just fall down anyway. This is true, if you think about it. I, for one, (and the great majority of normal americans, thankfully) could care less about your silly cliff ecosystem arguements. I liked the entry that eluded to falling rocks at cliffs being hazardous to your head! Wake up! Mountains are by definition, crumbling apart. The "green" movement is over, and it's time to move on with our lives. BTW, logging is incredible cross training for climbing.. just a thought...

Good Grief, people-- are there any adults out there? First of all, study up on legal definitions of CO-OPs. They are for profit! Next: in my years of shopping at REI, I remember buying a Chounard Ice Hammer for $40, two Chounard ice screws (brand new) for 3 cents (!!!) apeice, these way rad stretchy fanny packs for 3 cents (!!!) apeice.. the list goes on forever. Maybe attitude blinds one to possilbilities...Here's a news flash: you can order almost any item of climbing gear you want, catalogue, special order, whatever, and get it at a dividend, at REI. Screw the floor stock- you know what you want! Then, if not 100% satisfied, it is returnable. I once returned two Camalots that had split sleeves right behind the swages there, and another 1 that had bad action when new-- try that at some other retailers.I mean, it's not all sunshine and light, but hoot, man-- what are ya' after?And, yes, I have seen Beckey at REI. And Dan Davis, and Royal Robbins, and Pete Schoenig, and Alex Lowe, and Greg Childs, and Ed Viesters, and Don Brooks, and Jim Wickwire, and Lou Whittaker, and Mark Twight, and..... [ 04-03-2002: Message edited by: none ]

for sale: garmont veloce tele boots size 28 (mondo sizing) roughly size l0 l/2 (i wear them tight as i go to size ll in some shoes) $200 cash these boots have only been skied 3 times and i'm selling because i need the cash badly. see them at feathered friends in seattle across from REI or call todd at 206-547-5307. i will be out of town 'til april l4 but you can always try boots on at my shop-feathered friends. thanks, my email if any questions is toddlerinseattle@hotmail.com

#1 ingredient in Clif bars and Clif Shots (Gu): brown rice syrup. Buy a jar of BRS for about $2.50 at the local health food store (right next to the molasses), pour into a plastic squeeze bottle, and you have a Gu stand in for way cheap. I use it on all my longer climbs and I know it keeps my legs moving all day. Keep it in an inside pocket so it stays more liquid. Great stuff!

Check out Travertine Hot Springs, about a mile off 395 just south of Bridgeport CA. Inquire locally. Nice free camping nearby and a great spring. Nice stop either heading down, back or both! Alos, a lot of great springs outside Bishop. Ask any local and they can tell you where.

What's the diff between UIAA and CE rating on gear (eg, helmets?) Some have one rating, some have both. Can some gearhead out there explain this for us, please? Thanks!

But, if you did live in Ritzville, you'd likely be self employed, and minutes (!) from ice climbing. If you did live in Forks, you'd probably be a logger, and able to kick any climber's a$$ with one hand behind yer' back! Just the facts of life, Seattle.. only sayin'...

Another fine and light system. If you've never tried the munter mule system, give it some practice. When applied to the Crevasse Rescue, it is more versatile and lighter than using any manufactured device. Alpine kit: 1 or 2 pulleys (depending on load possibilities), 2 twenty ft. nylon cordelettes, biners , no belay device (HMS biner), appropriate snow pro.

Yeah, good input on the autoblock. I use the munter mule to provide a belayed "let-out" or tension release. The tension release is required, since the possibility that one may have to abandon the original set-up in order to transfer to another rope is real (eg: if the rope is damaged, if the crvs lip is too big, etc.). I'm open to the possibility that the autoblock may be a simpler, faster set-up, but when the rope transfer becomes a reality, then you have to set-up a tension release system. The munter mule with "pulley friendly" friction knot is very powerful for immediate application, and for later exigencies.I guess I don't have a brilliant reason for needing a two way friction knot ( I could make up something, like the need to change the direction of the anchor 180 degrees iot protect the rescuers, but I'd be BSin' you ). I just find the prusik to be the simplest fr. knot with the most versatility. I do like the kliemheist, for a good wrap the end of the cordelette knot, for instance when placing a fr. knot on a taught rope, along with a munter mule, for various rescue purposes (eg: releasing the belayer fr the system).Many ways to do it! I'll certainly be exploring the autoblock some more, although I didn't like it for the rappel back-up. I forget why-- maybe it was too long, or too high friction... [ 03-24-2002: Message edited by: none ]

Yes, the business about the prusik working both directions is one of those minor points hardly worth argueing, but the prusik is small and easy to make. To answer the question, I'm using it both at the running pulley on the "z", and at the anchor "master" point to prevent losing your gained rope. The very rare situation where one might have to monkey with the system in order to change directions, or change ropes, etc. is where you may use the prusik to now work in the opposite direction, wheras the bachman and the kliemheist would have to be replaced. Haven't worked much with the autoblock, but I found it bulky and a little unwieldy, kind of like the garda-- I'll need to work with it some more, though. The elliot(sp ?) is a great place to get in a crevasse, when they're showing! [ 03-21-2002: Message edited by: none ]

I get my climbing fixes on-line now, since I'm a Mr. Mom with a 6 month old! The thing about the prusik is, that it is the only friction knot that I know of (until proven wrong!) that runs both directions, whereas the autoblock and the bachman are one way. So, again, the belay device is unecessary in the alpine environment, unless you intend to do severe ice. The hip belay and the munter hitch provide excellent, lw options, and the 20 foot nylon cordelette, when one knows the right knots, performs more tasks and does them better than a belay device.

Well, you're right, I am a smartass. My point is apparently well taken, though, in that a few of the responses are BS. There are a hundred ways to perform the crevasse rescue, and I wouldn't argue with any of them. But, I would argue for safety, efficiency and light weight. The biner replacing the pulley can be fine, depending on the actual load vs. the force available (eg: your skinny arms, vic weighs 250lbs.). The Jumar and the Wall hauler are the worst ideas I have heard, cuz of weight. The answer is: 6 or 7mm cord on a 9mm rope often work without "minding" on a cheap REI blue pulley, esp. if you set up your rescue all on one side of the vic's taught rope, and dress the prusik nicely. I never use the fancy ATC in front, or any of that, and the dozens of people I have worked through this with haven't had to either. Guides are pricks, I'm the first to admit it!

Dru, What's the absolute simplest way to mind the prussick knot at the master point of the rescue, with the least effort and a minimum of gear? Just wonderin', dude.

Yes, I took it 10+ years ago, and I thought that it was a breakthrough in the subject (no pun). I later taught crevasse rescue professionally, so I'm prejudiced about taking formal courses. I would say, go for it.

Climber yelling down to belayer on a mixed route: "I need a screw, my nuts are too small and I don't have any Friends. Send up some gear!"