Bronco

I like to just whine about bad stuff on the internet everyday.

I went skiing with a couple guys who brought their dogs Saturday afternoon. The dogs added a lot of humor and entertainment and seemed to enjoy the sunny afternoon as much as us. Made me want to get another dog, I didn't realize they were so adept at keeping up in deep snow.

I bought some at marmot in Bellevue last year. Their number is on the website at www.marmotmountainworks.com

From www.heraldnet.com Loop highway to stay closed By Cathy Logg Herald Writer With spring in the air, hikers and climbers have begun heading for the hills. But some Snohomish County hills will be much harder or impossible to reach. About six miles of the Mountain Loop Highway will remain closed this year, from Barlow Pass to the Bedal Campground on the Sauk River south of Darrington. Heavy rains and massive flooding in October caused millions of dollars in estimated damage to "roads, trails, bridges, campgrounds, the whole ball of wax," said Ron DeHart, spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service's Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. "The enormity of the damage far exceeds our initial assessments," said Rob Iwamoto, acting U.S. Forest Service supervisor. Recreation sites that had withstood previous 100-year flood events were damaged or wiped out, primarily on one weekend that brought more than 10 inches of rain in some places in a single day. "This isn't going to be repaired overnight. It's going to take a couple or three seasons," DeHart said. "We're trying to get a start on it now, and as the weather improves. It's pretty awesome some of the areas that are blown away and inaccessible for spring hikers. They just won't be able to get there." The damage includes about 30 miles in Snohomish County of the popular Pacific Crest Trail "that's just gone," DeHart said. Authorities are working with their counterparts in the Wenatchee National Forest on the east side of the Cascade Mountains to find alternate routes for hikers. "We had other floods in '96 and '98," DeHart said. "It's happened before, but not quite to this magnitude. This was the mother lode of storms we've seen in recent memory. This stuff came cascading down fast." The first problem was just trying to get a handle on all the damage, since some areas are still covered with snow and authorities haven't seen the full extent of the damage. The $12 million is just a preliminary estimate, he said. The Forest Service has formed several assessment teams, which are learning more as the snow recedes and they can get into remote areas. Some of the hardest hit are the Suiattle River drainage north and east of Darrington, and along the Whitechuck River, which drains into the Sauk River. "There's a number of fairly major recreation areas that are in need of some repair," DeHart said. "In some places, roads are impassable, bridges have been destroyed or removed. If we're going to put everything back the way it was, it's going to be a pretty monumental task." In an aerial assessment last year, Forest Service personnel couldn't even find Kennedy Hot Springs, he said. At least 15 recreational trails and 20 trail bridges were damaged or destroyed, along with more than 40 roads or road segments that now are impassable. Out of 40 campgrounds in the National Forest, 13 in Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom counties suffered damage, DeHart said. The Kennedy Hot Springs ranger's cabin and a nearby backcountry camp are buried under mud and debris, and some of the historical cabins at Monte Cristo were damaged or destroyed. DeHart estimated the damage at $5 million for roads, $4 million for trails, $400,000 to $450,000 for campgrounds and other developed sites, and another $2.5 million for watershed and fish habitat losses on the Nooksack, Upper Skagit, Cascade, Stillaguamish, Suiattle and Whitechuck rivers. Tackling flood-damaged areas poses a twofold problem: repairing the damage and finding the money to pay for it, he said. Forest Service officials have applied for emergency relief funds for federal roads through the U.S. Department of Transportation, and expect to see some money from that source, he said. DeHart urged people to check the agency's Web site or the nearest ranger station before venturing into the forest and backcountry, especially those headed for higher-elevation recreational facilities. Many remain unsafe and will remain closed indefinitely. Reporter Cathy Logg: 425-339-3437 or logg@heraldnet.com. Check before you go For more details on damage in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, visit the U.S. Forest Service Web site at www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs.

Tools of the Trade, The art and craft of Carpentry by Jeff Taylor Must read if you've spent much time on Jobsites.

Are they supposed to act like an interior decorator or what?

It's only dangerous if you're a mountie. Personally I'd set up a Tyrollean for traversing the main danger areas.

I looked the pack over a little more closely and I think the body is made from the same or very similar fabric to the Wild Things Andinista and Arcteryx Nozone. I think that's why its relatively lightweight for its size. I'll stuff some gear in it and take another picture since I know you want to see another one.

Have you not read his other posts? He takes pride in stating and restating the obvious.

Trundle on your partner and put brown coils in their chalk bag.

I was checking out Lambone's verbal abuse of some noobie at Rockclimbing.com and noticed they have a NEW SLACKLINING FORUM that you might check out. Slacklining is fun but not really training. Go for a good long run or do some chinups if you can't climb.

I'd like to say welcome back to Veggie belay! Welcome!

Glidelites are great, just make sure and doublecheck the size of the tip loop carefully to see that it won't possibly allow the skin to slip down on a short downhill section. Oh yeah, SKINS ARE AID!

http://www.suburban-trunkmonkey.com/ I've seen #1 but the other 3 seem to be new.

Yeah, note that we skipped Church to go skiing.

actually what she said was, "Dad, you ran over this finger on that last run, watch it next time".

...about how nice it was to take her on her first trip to Stevens Pass (or any ski area for that matter) and she said that if you were inside spraying on the website or cleaning your garage on that beautiful afternoon instead of skiing some corn -

last picture for today

another picture

Lowe Crossbow 90 Weight: 6lbs 5oz. Base Volume: 5400 CI Maximum Vol: 6400 CI Fit Torso: 14" - 22" Fit Waist: 28 - 46" - Extra large expedition pack features Lowe's stabilizing system to control your load. - APS Adjustment system allows you to quickly and easily adjust the suspension for a perfect fit. - Crossbow stabilizing system features internal nylon rods and strategically placed compression straps to pull load close for balance and support. - Internal hydration pocket and port accomodates 2.5l bladder and drink tube. - Dryflow mesh covers the stay pads and shoulder harness, keeping you dry and cool. - Bi-laminate foam waistbelt and shoulder harness; open cell foam inside cushions while closed cell foam outside distributes and suppports weight. - Modified A-Shaped bottom opening allows easy access to your bag; zip out horizontal divider above separates the load and protects your sleeping bag. - Top compression straps to lash on ropes, sleeping pads or other bulky yet lightweight gear. - Two front bellows pockets keep important gear within easy reach. - Front daisy chains, ice axe loops and extra tabs make it easy to lash on extra gear. - Wand/picket pockets with compression straps keep ski's or poles secure. -Made of Endura/Spectra ripstop nylon for durrability. Retail price was $300.00, I'm asking $150 OBO. This pack is a load carrying beast yet not too heavy. I've carried some monster loads in this thing and it is by far the most comfortable pack I've tried for heavy duty plodding/slogging. I really like it for what it is, just not using it enough to justify keeping it around and not planning any long trips in the near future. It's in good shape, lightly used for a couple of "expeditions" on Rainier and Adams. Send me a PM if interested.

Found one, thanks Will!

I've found myself off route in the middle of that big slab at Peshastin just wishing I had any pro, even some crappy cam in an exploding pocket.

This book is specifically for the Bozeman area (as opposed to the Montana Rock guide) and not very many copies were printed when it came off the press in 1995. It seems like it has a green cover. Send me a PM if you have one you want to sell.

Fromage: I think they weed out some pussies on the way to Muir by making them haul huge packs. I was the only person in the group who wore leather boots. They will make exceptions, but, you'd better have a good reason. I argued my feet were super wide and none of their rentals would fit me. It was interesting that there were people in my group who were from Arizona in plastic boots, Super dooper down parkas and full on goretex bibs who were "freezin!" in 30 degree temps. I was like "whatever, we're on Mt. Rainier, duuhh". Chris - I'll make you a package deal for an Eddie Bauer Down Parka, Eddie Bauer Goretex parka, Kelty 0 degree mummy bag and a Lowe Alpine Crossbow 90 backpack. All lightly used and in excellent condition. Send me a PM or email if you're interested.

Last of the Mohicans is a good read. "The track of the cat" by Walter Van Tilburg Clark is pretty good reading. A very good read is "The climb up to Hell" by Jack Olsen. I'm still looking for a copy of "Death on the Ice" by Cassie Brown. I hear it's a good read, indeed. Anyone read the "Sovereign American's Handbook"?