Bronco

After a brief analysis my best guess is that a small piece of cornice or ice (or Joe Simpson) blew off the top of the slope, landed mid slope and triggered a point release slide and caused the funny shaped crown.

Isn't there a story about some ubergeek scientist/engineer around here getting their coffee spiked with some chemical and it knocked them out or killed them and they were revived or something like that? CBS? Do you know anthing about that?

Any route on the N. Face of Der Eiger!

May be some impact on accessability if the State performs the clean-up anytime soon. Monte Cristo site polluted Heavy metals left from mines closed decades ago make it one of the most poisoned areas in the state, although the risk to visitors is low. By Lukas Velush Herald Writer Twenty-one long-abandoned gold mines clustered around a remote ghost town make for one of the most polluted sites in the state, Department of Ecology officials said Thursday. The Monte Cristo area in the mountains 60 miles east of Everett, is contaminated with such high levels of arsenic and other toxic heavy metals that the Ecology Department gave the site its highest ranking -- a one on a scale of one to five. The state also announced that a former fuel site in Arlington has officially been cleaned up. The old Arlington Fuel Stop at Highway 530 and I-5 was listed on the state's hazardous sites list in 2001 and has been removed because the owner has removed all contaminated soils. Soil and water tests taken at several locations around Monte Cristo show unsafe levels of arsenic, lead, mercury, cadmium and antimony, all heavy metals that are dangerous when ingested, said Geoffrey Crofoot, environmental health specialist with the Snohomish Health District. Although arsenic occurs naturally in the region's mountains, it normally takes some external force such as mining to introduce it into the environment where it can possibly be consumed by people. Crofoot sampled the most likely polluted locations, the places where mine tailings had been left behind. Those include sites where ore was crushed and loaded onto trains, and places where tailings were dumped. Although the toxic metals found at Monte Cristo far exceed state standards, the danger to hikers and others remains low because so few visit the remote location, Crofoot said. The only way to get there is to hike more than four miles down an old road. The pollutants are in the soil. "Unless you're eating large handfuls of the stuff, you're not going to have any problems," said Crofoot, who did an assessment of the site for the Ecology Department. The risk of contamination would be much higher if the site were in a highly populated area, but "the fact of the matter is, you have these piles of polluted ore 60 miles away from anywhere," he said. Still, it's important for those who visit the site to be careful. "It comes back to the common sense of washing your hands and cleaning the material (dust) off before you leave," he said. There is a danger that the pollutants could work their way into the public water supply system, said Caitlin Cormier, an Ecology Department spokeswoman. "When you have contamination on your site above certain levels, then it must be cleaned up," she said, adding that the site had never been tested before because of budget constraints. The mines closed in the early 1900s, and it may be difficult to hold a private company responsible. The U.S. Forest Service, the state Department of Natural Resources and private citizens now own much of the land. Now that the site has been listed, the Ecology Department will figure out how to clean it up. If a responsible party cannot be located, the state may have to pay for it. The state has not yet come up with a cost estimate. Arsenic is the biggest problem, Crofoot said. About 25 percent of every ton of ore left behind at the mines is arsenic -- a level so high that some companies switched to mining arsenic when their dreams of finding gold didn't pan out. For perspective, that same ton of ore contains 1 percent to 3 percent lead, mercury, cadmium and antimony, all levels that violate state standards. Miners flocked to Monte Cristo after prospector Joseph Persall in 1989 found an outcrop of rock high in heavy metals -- including arsenic -- that made him think there might be gold. After he made his discovery, a railroad spur was put in, a smelter was built in Everett and mining began in earnest, Crofoot said. Little gold was found, and the rail line and Monte Cristo itself were hit with a constant barrage of avalanches, floods and other natural disasters. Mining activities largely ceased in 1912, when the rail line shut down. The Arlington fuel stop was listed as a level 5 site, the lowest in the state's ranking system for polluted sites. The owners had to clean up petroleum-contaminated soil. It was operated as a Gull station in the late 1970s, then Texaco took over in 1989 and found contaminated soil. Texaco removed the soil, but the groundwater was still polluted. The current owner, Balbir Singh, entered the Ecology Department's Volunteer Cleanup Program after the state listed the site as contaminated in 2001. Groundwater tests now show the site is clean.

An atheist was taking a walk through the woods, admiring all that the accident of evolution" had created. "What majestic trees! What Powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!" he said to himself. As he was walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look. He saw a 7-foot grizzly charge towards him. He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing in on him. He ran even faster, so scared that tears were coming to his eyes. He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. His heart was pumping frantically and he tried to run even faster. He tripped and fell to the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw the bear, right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw and raising his right paw to strike him. At that instant the atheist cried out "Oh my God!...." Time stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent. Even the river stopped moving. As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky: "You deny my existence for all of these years; teach others I don't exist and, even credit creation to a cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?" The atheist looked directly into the light: "It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask You to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps could you make the bear a Christian?" Very well," the voice said. The light went out. The river ran again. And the sounds of the forest resumed. And then the bear dropped its right paw ........brought both paws together.... bowed its head and spoke: "Lord, for this food which I am about to receive, I am truly thankful."

Dairygold for breakfast, lunch and dinner. mmmmmmm...

I'll take crazy over big anytime. I'll show you my face and if you ever see me at the crags, feel free to come see how much of a man you are.

You're right Greg, I weigh more than that, but 117 lbs of fury is all I can muster unless my wife lets me have my balls back.

Dick: Keep it up and you'll be dealing with 117 lbs of Scotch/Irish fury!!!

WHY YOU, COMMIE BASTARD!

I just re-read the original post and figured I'd give a serious answer, it is interesting to note that you are the same as your parents. I'm the same as my old dad, we're both Aquarius. We have a good time giving my mom crap because she's a Gemini and we don't always see eye to eye.

I like to party.

NEVER!!!

I've already been there pal. I think your threats are pathetic, but entertaining none the less and prove the point that unions operate like organized crime, the ironworkers filling the role of street level thugs. I guess you guys get off on it though, so carry on.

You guys really think it's that old? Looks state of the art to me. I think I saw Mark Twight sending m10 with one of those not too long ago.

I'm reminded of Dru suggesting that someone run a flame over their Schoeller jacket to get rid of piling not too long ago. Think her warranty is voided?

"You there! Give me that GEAR RUSTLER!"

C & S Rawks! I need a gear rustler!

Most ironworkers are gay...not that there's anything wrong with that. C'mon now, that's not nice, check out this ironworker, does he appear to be the least bit gay? Dick: I have no problem for any person "standing up" for fair pay. That's your right. But, if you think intimidation of other workers is accomplishing that, you're as big a coward as the ironworkers we dealt with. In my case, your noble efforts to "stand up for fair wages" accomplished forging a negative attitude toward unions and arrogant ironworkers I'll have the rest of my life. I have a couple friends who are in construction trade unions and they seem to think it's a joke when you guys call for a "wobble" or some such half day off. It isn't 1930 anymore. To tell you the truth, I haven't hired any Union contractors since I've been in property management and construction management for the last seven years. I don't plan on it any time soon either. What is it you think you and your brothers grand methods are accomplishing again?

nice one will! how about this one from the Wenatchee Mounties- "look at me, I'm the boggie man, arrrrrggghhhh!"

I don't know if you are LUCKY but I do know Alpine K was right on one account, you ARE an ironworker. This is the exact line of bullshit the ironworkers would lay on us "scabs" for taking food out of their kids mouths and associated threats, derogitory names, spit on us, vandalize our work etc... What about our kids? Oh, and if the opportunity came for what would have been even numbers on each side the ironworkers were very nice and cordial. It was only when we were outnumbered 20 to 4 that they got aggressive. What a bunch of pussies. The shitty thing is, we weren't doing IRONWORK!!! Nice how you imply that if we don't agree with you, the "roughnecks" at the tavern would be glad to "discuss" it with us. More intimidating behavior. Thanks for verifying what kind of people ironworkers are I think you are the one in need of an education on Unions. The only thing you know about Unions is what the ironworkers have spoon-fed you. [edit] I guess maybe I don't have such a problem with all Unions, just a little pissed at the ironworkers still [edit] Gee, I feel a lot better now. Have a great day!

I'm sure you've all seen it by now anyway but, if you haven't you should. I lauged out loud when the crucified criminal started lauging at Jesus (who was also hanging on a cross) and God sends a raven to peck his eye out. Is there something wrong with me?

PEST CONTROL A woman was having a passionate affair with an inspector from a pest-control company. One afternoon they were carrying on in the bedroom together when her husband arrived home unexpectedly. "Quick," said the woman to her lover," into the closet!", and she pushed him in the closet, stark naked. The husband, however, became suspicious and after a search of the bedroom discovered the man in the closet. "Who are you?" he asked him. "I'm an inspector from Bugs-B-Gone," said the exterminator. "What are you doing in there?" the husband asked. "I'm investigating a complaint about an infestation of moths," the man replied. "And where are your clothes?" asked the husband. The man looked down at himself and said,........ "Those little bastards."