Mer

Thanks for the long version and the pics. Sounds like you scored on the adventure component of the trip.

Yup, I have, simul-climbing on Slesse. Tibloc was on equalized pieces to limit movement, I was belaying with a gri-gri, and trailing rope behind. The leader knew I was coming off, I knew I was coming off, there was no damage to the sheath. There's a bunch of info on the Gripped BB about the setup we were using. I'd use the setup again --the only thing I'd change is the weight of the damn pack that pulled me off the moves, dadgummit.

Routes generally improve with a little traffic, but does slab actually become harder? Every time I slither off a hard slab route I start in with my theory about how every tiny crumb or crystal that might have once been there has long been broken off or smoothed away. Admittedly I’m crappy on slab, and should learn to climb better and rationalize less, but you think there’s any truth to the theory?

Anyone done routes on Grimface in Cathedral Park? I see there’s a blurb or two on the bivouac site, but I haven’t spent the 20$ Can. to view. I have been scrambling up there, noted that one could camp at the lake below the peak, but wonder about the technical routes up through those splendid looking cracks. A web search reveals only guided outfits, no actual info. Thanks

This thread makes me feel so patriotic, I feel we should sing a few bars of the National Anthem. Happy ten thousand'th Dru. All together now: "They shot a movie once, in my home town. everybody was in it, from miles around...."

You got some rock close to town. It's not amazing huge, but it's there. Check the central BC rock book as a starting place and sniff around for info about ice routes on the Coquihalla. Dru's right about the location, within a few hours in every direction there are interesting things. Good snow/alpine in Rogers pass, good rock in the okanagan (Vernon, Kelowna are never overrun like Skaha.) You can go west or east for ice depending on conditions. What makes it good is that you always have options. The only wierd thing about Kamloops is that all the climbers seem to eventually turn into mountain bikers. It's a big drain on the partner pool. Beware being sucked into the biking vortex, oh yeah and watch out for that paddling thing too.

It's open again. There are hundreds of angry, impatient truckers burning up the highway now.

Umm, shouldn't that be its "beautifically challenged" head?

I keep mis-reading the subject line as "Barbarianization" Now that would be a theme town. None of that ye olde timey crap, just broadswords, chain mail, smiting and quaffing. Yeah!

I caught this on the news last night, the trucks weren't caught in the slide. It was already across the road and they drove into it. Looks like it was just east of the last tunnel in Glacier NP. Low cloud is preventing the helicopters from getting in to do controlled releases and the highways crews can't start cleaning until it's a bit safer. And it continues to rain here, ho hum.

Small town, no gym!

Just thinking about the upcoming change in seasons and the transition from ice to rock. After climbing ice all winter do you anticipate being strong and having a really steady head when leading? I tend to have less pro in an ice pitch than in an equivalent rock pitch so you’d think it would help with feeling calm when way above gear. Yet last year it was the opposite for me, I may have been strong, but when I got on the rock it felt so unwelcoming that I was totally sketchy. I missed the feeling of being attached to the ice and just felt like I was going to slither off the rock any second. Eventually it went away, but it was a strange sensation. Does anyone else feel weird for a while when switching mediums? Maybe I should just boulder for a day or two till I’m over it.

What if have to skewer a grizzly bear with my trekking pole or swim an icey river in the buff? Would that not increase the raditudinal factor of my hike?

Yikes, my mouth was getting a little dry just reading this. This is a good idea, to spend some time thinking about the options available in bad situations. I'd like to condition my brain to think better when things go amiss itstead of switching into "panic and whimper" mode.

Enough, it's everywhere I can't possibly avoid it I’m just going to go home and drink vats of coffee till I can’t see straight cause my eyeballs are shakin.

Maybe espresso stout is the answer! Nelson brewing company or Black bear or somebody made it--I'd be having it for medicinal reasons only-- Aye, stout and oatmeal for breakfast, good for what ails.

I was quitting so I wouldn't have to carry an extra thing on long trips-- when all it does is dehydrate me. Going without was giving me a savage headache and I was less than charming to be around (ahem). So I'm trying to get clean. Oh, yeah and it's bad for the planet too, chopping down the rainforest so I can have a morning buzz--it ain't right.

Oh, I miss the coffee. It's too hard. I haven't really even quit yet, I'm still methadoning with tea and chocolate and a few of them cliff bars every once in a while--and just a little wee esspreso sometimes on a weekend. I'm so weak.

I quite drinking coffee a few months back, then I became foolishly addicted to Chocolate Java Avalanche Cliff Bars. I finally got off the damn things. I do not need to know that there are new and delicious bars coming soon--I'll bet lemon poppy seed or ginger cookie would be so fine with a big mug of smokey, black french press--damn these addictions. Maybe the new bars won't make it to Canada I'm going to go brew up some peppermint tea.

Hey, my beautiful work looks like crap in the attachment. Let's try this

a little bit of flowcharting foolishness...

A saw an add on a bulletin board in a laundo-mat in Terrace BC that said "For sale, truck with 2000 lb wench". Sure she'd get you out of the ditch, but how do you attach her to the bumper?

At my last place I had a stairway to the basement that wasn’t used (lead to another apartment ). I piled gear on the stairs and could walk down and pick out what I needed. The railing above it was a useful place to dry stuff too. It was a beautiful thing, my Pit of Gear. Now I have a wedge-shaped, under the stairs closet. To get to stuff in the back I have to swim over the pile in the front. Terrible. Soon I’m going implement the plastic tote box system, a different tote for each sport, and one for the multi-sport stuff.

Yer thinking about a Big Turk Dru. umm, the candy bar I mean

...also renewing your driver's liscence/passport red peppers