Jens

I'm right nearby for some business this evening but should be able to swing in at about 8:30ish. I could go for some PBR (if I remember right the college inn had it on tap?) I went there a bit when I was younger.

If anyone else owns the G-10 crampon (non step in) how are you strapping them in? I've noticed that grivel and many pictures of climbers are strapping them different than the manual showed 8 years ago when I bought my pair. I've used em' a ton (Probably put in in 80 + days on em' )and never had em' come off but I wonder why the switch in how people are strapping them? I first noticed it on an REI sale flier about 6 months ago on one of the models and just laughed but then, I started seeing it everywhere. (guides, shops, etc.) Any thoughts anyone?

Chris Stephenson and I hit Lillooet on Friday and Saturday and were surprised to find how good and thick the ice was. At marble we were able to walk across the lake. I led deeping wall and a mixed route to the left. We Tr'd many mixed variations. We climbed all the ice and mixed lines at the rambles left and rambles center and could not beleive how thick and hero ice it was despite all the internet banter. Plenty thick for screws. And very few climbers. ------ Gotta love that Reynolds bar- cheap good food and free pool! ----

Thanks for the update. Hopefully it will get colder. I wonder if people are walking across the lake or are they going around?

Interesting thread. I really have no idea why this might be. Perhaps people are less likely to beat the brush and devil's club than they used to. -- Speaking of index and number of climber visits, although I've never really climbed at index a whole lot, the place seemed to see a lot more people in the early 90's than it has in the last five or so years.

I lost and or somebody may have accidently grabbed a BD turbo express screw with a black knob. I was climbing at the Alpental 1-4 areas both Saturday and Sunday. Piles of gear and packs were together from a lot of different folks. If somebody grabbed it, (I'm 90% sure it was on Saturday) if I could get it back that would be cool. Jens Klubberud

Just bringin this back to the top. Anybody seen these lately? ---- I have some personal business near the park enterance for few hours tomorrow and the next day and am thinking of doing some soloing with the tools. The weather looks to nasty to ski up high on the mountain. If you are in the area, pull over at the bridge and join me. Or perahps at Narada.

Its funny how stories get passed around between climbers in the northwest. Campfires, long car rides, bivys, etc. Anybody hear any good ones lately? -------------------------- Secret limestone crags with pockets and bolts? Airplane wreckage debris booty? Mysterious caches (odd places)? How Twight was banned from Canada? Wolverine Sitings? Hermits living in cabins in the foothills? McCord or Fort Lewis stuff in the Cascades? Body parts sticking out the ice on the Nisqually? Finding a real big gold nugget on an approach? Ancient fixed pins in impossible places? Secret Hot springs? Magnetic Field anomolies? Mystery climbers establishing hardest routes under the radar? UFO's? All of the above have some shred of truth to them. Don't ask.

What's the combo? Some climbers on this board have been given it by Rangers.

You could shell out 3 grand for the surgery that ends hand sweating permanently. (It was feature in rock and ice or climbing a few years ago?) I guess for people that have to shake hands a lot at work? --- Try putting rubbing alcohol on your hands before climbing.

Just saw the new mad rock ice boot ($179 reatail probably on sale somewhere for $130). It looks like a dead ringer for a sportiva. ---- Rember back in the day when we had like 4 brands of rock shoes to pick from and slippers were $150? Looks like ice boot prices might come way down also? (my ice boots retailed for $585!).

How long of a chunk of cord do I need for the Redmond Lead Room? I've got a ton of older cut down pieces but they are all fairly short (to short for Seattle). I hit Redmond VW about once every month and a half or so.

Did anbody driving to Paradise get a peek at the routes above the Nisqually bridge today or yesterday? How are they lookin'? That place seems to ge quite cold. ___ Gotta love the internet for ice reports! --Spend a lot less on gas than before the net!

Anybody go to Banks today or yesterday? If Vantage has ice, Banks must be huge? ----- Thinking of going tomorrow.

Is mammut coming out with sewn slings soon that are even thinner and lighter than their new ones that are selling like mad? Or was it just a false rumor? Anyone know when?

It's cool that the 900 crag is seeing more crampon action than just from me and my buddies over the years. I took the rotting access fund poster down from the tree last year and relaminated it. I haven't got around to rehanging it yet.

Just got back from climbing in the cooooold on Dec.1-4 with Eric Gratz. The lowest temp on my very accurate digital thermoter was minus 18 farenheit driving on the Icefields parkway before dawn. The ice was nearly bulletproof at some areas making picks bounce out. On the plus side, it allowed us safe ice screws but made the climbs harder than just a few days before. We busted 3 picks in 4 days. Dec. 1-went to Stanley Headwall climbed Nemisis (very brittle ice) Dec. 2 - climbed at moonlight area (brittle ice) Middle and right lines in. Left flow spraying. Dec. 3 climbed lower pitches of weeping wall right (plenty of ice in and more forming fast). Dec. 4 -climbed at Gibraltar wall plenty of ice to climb but lots of wet stuff. Also found some mixed stuff to TR. If the cold keeps up, stuff will be in nicely Eric will post some pictures.

I know which cave you speak of. A chunk of cord or soemthing was hanging off it a while back. The cave looks like a cool sport rock climbing cave but I've not ever seen any ice or verglass anywhere in the vicinity. If the warmup is mid thirteen it's way outta my league though! I don't think it would be a place to mixed climb. This could be a really good year for Banks.

thanks for the tips. I just put in a new front door and seem to have a draft.

Hyalite for me 10.5 hours. Banff for me 10.5 hours

With ice climbing season here, I'm trying to get another year out of my tires. They were sipped for snow and ice about 35 thousand miles ago. Can I get them re-siped? Should I? How much will it help (I can't afford new tires right now). Will they re-sipe the same slits or sipe in a new place? How much does sipping really help on snow and ice? I know.. I really should buy new tires. any comments would be much appreciated. thanks

climbed there yesterday (it is toast) arch down and avy debris filled in the rest. Only a few small spots left--- not worth the trip. Avy's were making it unsafe. sad

If my memory serves me right isn't there a fairly good forest service road that goes by Hyak past the septic treatment plant and eventually spits you back to I-90 at exit 62? I'm 90% sure I've driven it before ( along time ago) They could plow it in a few hours?

I'm looking for a size medium or large down jacket that is well under 2 pounds that sells for somewhere in the ballpark of 50 bucks. Anyone have one to get rid of?