mattp

Why does it turn so nice today? Couldn't we have traded Sunday for this?

I guess you were being sarcastic when you wrote that "errors" of this kind will kill ski areas, too, eh? There is a 20 year old case where Stevens Pass was successfully sued for not properly marking an "improved" ski run, where the same idea of a ski area's responsibility to properly warn of hazards, and to make sure that when they alter terrain they do so safely was at issue. And I think there is a fifty year old case where a ski club in Leavenworth was sued over their waiver for use of the ski jump that remains there till this day. Somehow, despite this legal system you so abhor, we do not see trees wrapped in memory foam and there are ski runs at places like Jackson Hole where one could easily get killed on a regular marked run, along with regularly skied "runs" that I'd bet even cc.com's hero Sky might not attempt (not to insult anybody's manhood, but SS has a serious drop-in and I bet Sky would not be threatened by this statement). Lest you fall back on how jury awards have grown out of control, check the studies undertaken by the ambulance chasers that have largely debunked that myth, as well. I don't think the insurance industry has done very well at refuting those results, if you look at the actual numbers - though I am sure any resolution of the "argument" is far from clear. Face it: your argument was that the jury system is flawed. Well duh. But to the extent you seek to suggest that we need to take these important matters away from juries, or that criminal cases like OJ are not properly tried before a jury, you are getting awfully close to arguing against one of the founding principals of this nation. I'd think you guys who rail against government's abuse of power would be all for juries: it may be the number one way in which power is reserved for the poor little victims of the government - you and I. To the extent that you think the legal system has been perverted and the framers intent has not been realized, I'd think you might call for greater involvement of "the people" in our justice system -- not lawyers or government appointed "experts" or "regulation" such as tort reform or increased mandatory sentencing.

That is one of the sillier things you've ever posted, Mr B. Of course the jury system will not work perfectly every time. No system will. A general acceptance of the merits of the jury system requires simple acceptance of nothing, but it requires a belief (hopefully based in fact) that the jury system works better than other alternatives. I thought you were a smart guy.

Mark McKillop was asking about the original start for Silent Running, and yesterday I checked it out on rappel. It appears that all of the bolts for what was originally the fist pitch are still there - in their original (slightly aged) state. If you want to chase some old bolts, head up through the bushes to the left of the current start of Silent Running, and scramble right and up some greasy slab to some ancient bolts about 150 feet up and left of that current start. Then climb up, passing three rusty old bolts with one just over a smaller overlap (you start out soon passing one maybe 3 feet wide), and then traverse right to reach the belay for the start of what is now the third pitch. This is not recommended. It is dirtier, scarier, and less direct than the modern start to the climb. It also stays wet longer after a rainstorm.

It sounds like mixed results so far. I got three out of four: I made it home for the cigar on the deck Friday evening, went to two hospitals as planned Saturday, skipped out on the church on Sunday, and climbed on Monday. We didn't replace any bolts, but had an enjoyable time at Three O'Clock Rock and I got to do a route I've not done before. Damn, Jens! Yesterday, I was looking at the Dome and thinking of you.

Trip: Darrington - Silent Running: car to car Date: 5/28/2007 Trip Report: I’ve been confined to the couch for a few months with back pain, and finally my physical therapist, my wife, and the weather gods agreed I could take a day out in the woods -- but my regular partners all had plans for the holiday weekend. Thinking I could combine a light day of climbing with some “do good” work serving my fellow climbers, I posted a notice in the cc.com “Partner’s Forum” saying I could easily gimp out, but I wanted to replace some old bolts on Silent Running and guess who responded? That generous soul, T’Vash. So, after agreeing that as it had rained the night before and maybe the rock might not be dry at the crack of dawn, Tvash and I met at Safeway at 8:00 and mosey’ed our way up there. The approach hike was grueling. It must have taken 40 minutes, as we grappled with windfalls in those deep dark woods, wildflowers in the way, and all kinds of hell! And then, at the base of the climb: snow. I scooped some into a ziplock and stuffed it down my back for an ice pack, and TVash led up the 20 foot snowfield that ramped up to 20 degrees! The rock was dry and I led the first two pitches as one, with some simulclimbing, while Tvash quickly followed. I tricked him into leading the crux by telling him it was well bolted and then offering to lead it myself. Tvash also took the “bonus pitch” at the top. Setting up to do our good deeds, I dropped my lucky wrench. Ka dink ka dink ka dink. So much for my lucky wrench, and so much for the bolt replacement project. We figured it meant we’d do some more climbing instead of drilling. Looking for something we could climb fairly quickly, we climbed three of four pitches on Revolver (it could be Penny Lane – I have not done eiher and I can’t quite remember which is which). It was pretty good, though I’d have to say I think Total Soul and Silent Running are better. The third pitch was clean and fairly sustained for a bit. 5.10b? The views of Exfoliation Dome, when the fog finally cleared at the end of the day, were great. Back on the ground, I stuffed more snow into a ziplock and put it on my sore back, took a couple of pain killers, and headed down the trail. I guess the physical therapist was right: climbing would probably be OK, he had said. Fast and light is the way to go. Gear Notes: Silent Running is mostly bolt protected, but a light rack is needed. Leave the tiny wires and any double behind. Gear to 2" for the last pitch only, otherwise, gear to 1" . Ten runners. Approach Notes: The road is in good shape - for now. Lets hope it doesn't need repairs any time soon because the F.S. may not be able to afford the work. Minimal snow is left at the base of the climb. Gunfire in the valley.

Me too. We had our go-rounds on cc.com, but we had some good times climbing together. I think he's posting here, at a low level, however.

Puget has it right: if you are following a rope gun, have not done a lot at Index, and if your target range is 5.10, I'd go for Davis Holland / Lovin' Arms and take it from there. It faces the morning sun, so it'll heat up early on a hot day and an early start might be a good idea - even if the first pitch still has moisture on it when you get there. Once you are done with that, some of the choices lower down will fall into shade.

This reminds me of the "Bush screws America" video, but now they have it flagged for "adult content," so I can't link it.

Tonight, I plan to go home and enjoy a cocktail and cigar on the back porch. Tomorrow: I’ll visit family members sick and dying in local hospitals. Sunday: visit a pentecostal church. Monday: go climbing. Two out of four ain’t bad.

They're working on it.

If you and your daughters put up a new route while you are up there, you can call it "Dancing with the stars."

What? You mean a debate on gun laws should be based on actual facts? You guys are re-writing the rules!

Hanman is full of funny ideas though. Who else believes the label on a package of "boat rope," proclaiming it to be stronger than steel? And don't get him started on galvanaic corrosion. As to the holes, we think there might be a future with the use of neoprene roofing washers, but I did read or hear about the same study as Mr. McKillop several years ago and I wonder what the reason for such a result might be and whether it would apply to the use of washers.

This one isn't going to make Volume II of Fifty Classics:

They said it got back burnered when they had that big slide in the canyon - what was that - two years ago? Anyway, there have been some attempts on the part of climbers to restart the discussion and the planning process but I'm not sure what the status of the matter really is. It has been frustrating for some of those involved that it has taken this long but as far as I know the climbers have thus far been willing to wait until the land managers are ready to proceed.

That's what I heard, too. The rangers did, however, ask that all climbing development stop until they can fashion a climbing management plan or similar document/guidelines.

There are good roadside places up in Clear Creek, as mentioned, and the official campground down at the Mountain Loop Highway is real nice too. I've generally done pretty well with forecasts in the 20% range, but then again I've also been willing to persist in the rain. I've climbed The Kone in a hard rain just for grins, and the first time we successfully climbed Jacob's Ladder it rained on the third pitch so we bailed, only to have it clear up and thus allowing us to go back up again. Some of the routes dry quicker than others. If it rains bad you can always bail to Erie.

I haven't actually tried anything yet. At this point it is still fantasy. I think my "new route" should be just what the doctor ordered, and it could turn out to be a "recommended route." It won't be crowded - at least not until we come back and post it on cc.com. Then it will be like this:

After months of major gimpage, I'm thinking to go climbing this weekend. If the forecast and my family obligations cooperate, I'm thinking of going to Three O'Clock Rock and maybe trying a new link-up that I expect to be 5.8 or 5.9, or possibly replace a couple of old bolts on Silent Running (5.9). Any takers?

If I'm not mistaken, you took the same swipes at me when, three years ago, I said that Bush had lied about the reasons for invading Iraq. Then, as now, you all too often prefer to take stabs at some cartoon character of "the left" or some ridiculous distortion of someone's argument than to simply discuss the issue. Have a nice day, fighting the X-men.

I don't think it would have taken an elaborate conspiracy to decide that catching Bin Laden was less important than, say, ousting the Taliban. Bush and company have been saying they were trying to do one thing when they were actually trying to do another at several junctures here.

The highest peak in the area is 14,000 feet. map

It is certainly more plausible that they didn't really want to catch him - given how they went about it. I'm not sure we'll ever know exactly what they were thinking or trying to do.

They made that mistake only because the actual capture was not at the top of their list of priorities. I cannot for a second imagine that anybody in any position of command in the U.S. military would mistakenly rely upon Afghani soldiers to carry out a sensitive mission like that. Did they REALLY think there were no informants, traitors, or terrorist sympathizers in the Afghan army, or insufficient numbers of them that a Bin Laden "escape" was not a risk? Use your brain! And what's up with the two months' heads up? Clearly they were playing a political game with other desired results that were of higher priority than capturing the bad guy.