freeclimb9

Massacre Rocks is just stupid hot this time of year. It's not really enjoyable, IMHO, until November. I'm always up for some climbing at the City. And the newly opened Castle Rocks is pretty fun, too.

I just sent a PM with my phone number. Yea, I often do have weekdays free. The valley I live in is about 70 miles from SLC. Some poor saps actually commute to Salt Lake for work. The City of Rocks is two hours away. But there are many other climbing areas to choose from. And the weather typically cools off by Labor Day.

I'm around northern Utah. So if you want to climb --and there's a lot a places to choose from-- drop a line. Got floor space and shower if you're in to that hygeine thing. BTW, full-moon party at the City first weekend in September.

I've been living in the "Right Place" for seven years now. It's all as wacky as you might suspect. But, hey, this is America. And unless you're David Koresh, you can worship how you like. Personally, I think Krakauer is out of his element writing on the Mormon extremists.

John Maher, Heritage Resources Program Manager in the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit of the Forest Service, has selected Alternative 6 from the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) issued in 2002. This "management policy prohibits the recreational activity of rock climbing as well as any new, non-historic activities that might be proposed at the site. All bolts and other climbing equipment that are technically feasible to remove will be removed." However, "other non-invasive recreation activities, consistent with the historic period (time immemorial through 1965) including, but not limited to, hiking, picnicking, stargazing, and fishing will be allowed to continue."

Friends in Tucson say the smoke in town is pretty bad. I can only imagine what the mountain itself looks like.

Bam! Texan Lance Armstrong put in an amazing ride today at the Dauphine-Libere: check it out at cyclingnews.com

An interview of Peter Metcalf (President of Black Diamond) with Howard Berkes will air Wednesday morning on NPR. The interview subject involves Governor Leavitt's deal to remove wilderness designation for 6 million acres of Utah lands. Metcalf wrote an OpEd piece published in the Salt Lake Tribune on May 4th (check it here ) that began the threat to move the Outdoor Retailer Summer and Winter Markets to another state. More information can be found at BD's "Stand" webpage .

I've written my state senators in the past, and I don't see them voting to abolish the Fee Demonstration Project. I just wrote both Utah Senators with the following note: "I listed the topic as "Agriculture" since my main concerns lie with behavior of a Dept. of Agriculture entity: the Forest Service. I request that the Fee Demonstration Project not be extended --at least without major tweaking of Forest Service accounting and collection processes-- (and definitely not be made permanent) based on the recent report from the GAO (http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d03470high.pdf). The GAO report states 1) that the "Forest Service information on Fee Demonstration expenditure is not consistently reported"; 2) the "Forest Service has no process for measuring the impact of Fee Revenues on deferred maintenance"' and 3) the Forest Service has inaccurate reporting of some Fee Collection." The collected Fee Demonstration Project funds have not supplanted recreation programs funds, and have not resulted in a decline of congressional appropriations for Forest Service recreation programs. I think there should be stricter Congressional oversight."

I came across this story while checking fish reports. The setup is a long range sportfishing boat out of San Diego is headed for Clipperton Atoll from Cabo San Lucas when: "Well then the unfortunate happened. One of our 19 passengers had a heart attack. Paul (our accurate rep and fire Captain/paramedic and also an allcoaster) took over with Brian. He gave absolutely excellent care and we called the Coast Guard. The response as nothing short of incredible. We had to head directly for Cabo and the Air Force sent out a C 130 and dropped 3 medics along with tons of gear. These guys parachuted in and Joe picked them up in the skiff. They took excellent care of our passenger. The next morning a Coast Guard helicopter dropped a basket and off went out patient along with dropping lines for the Air Force guys to take Mr. Toads wild ride up to the hillo. Last we heard our friend was doing well." I've come across no complaints of the costs incurred in this "rescue", but have read many backslapping, proud-to-be-American comments. Imagine the cost of flying a C130, then a Coast Guard helicopter, the 1000+ miles from San Diego, then flip the finger to anyone who suggests climbers pay an additional use fee to cover mountain rescue costs.

I'm making no plans to get rid of my WRX wagon. It's a blast to drive.

I gave distel a call Saturday AM to see exactly where to meet in Joe's Valley. Ha. He was still in Washington and planning on Squamish. I climbed in Area 51, and had the place to myself. Then went over to Boy Size boulders where I promptly tweaked a tendon in my hand. That hasn't happened in years. The consolation prize was a roundtrip canyoneering adventure. Springtime blooms filled Eagle and Forgotten canyons with their perfume. Very peaceful, and I didn't have to use my amputation tool once.

Puma?

You're off about the 5 piece bolts. All you have to do is unscrew them, and lift the sleeve out with needle nose pliers. If you want to drill the hole deeper, or a larger diameter, the drill bit will go right through the aluminum wedge sleeve left in the bottom of the hole. The original question was about wedge type anchors. Those don't come out. Thre break it off then drive it deep before drilling a new hole is the only way I know of to update them.

Howd'you know if you've never even climbed there, buster? 90% of Joe's is bomb-bomb-bomber stone. Dunno where you think all this choss is, but in the week DFA was there, he didn't run into much of it. Your pejorative propaganda is painful to peruse. Most of the rock around Joe's is pretty crappy. But the boulders are generally solid (i.e. the cliffs are scary --I don't know of any routes on them-- but the solid rock holds together as the boulders mass waste and tumble into the juniper forest). What's funny to me is the absurd amounts of exposed rock in this state eclipsed by people's notion of where the cool climbing is. I know of a boulder field probably 50 times bigger than Joe's within 20 miles of Orangeville, but I've never heard of anybody climbing there. Maybe it'll be the next new thing?

I'm thinking about doing a little canyon exploring in the Swell and some bouldering at Joe's, or the Dinosaur park. Utah doesn't truly suck. Drop me a line if you're coming to the state this weekend; I'll climb with you.

I made a late May foray into a southern Arizona climbing area once, and saw half a dozen Gila monsters that day. What nature was thinking in giving them day-glo orange coloring, I have no idea. Afterwards I learned they're worth at least $2,000 each on the black market. Temptation sucks.

I have a BD Whiz Kid harness that I'll sell you for $20 plus shipping. It's not a body harness, though.

I ran the Mail Trail a few years ago, and crossed Death Canyon. That was in April. But even in August, the water in the canyons is cold. Not much sunlight reaches the canyon floor, and evaporative heat loss keeps the water chilly. Definitely bring a wet suit, or semi-dry. A dry bag for your stuff, and/or a car-tire tube and bike pump are very handy for floating your pack (sounds cheesy, but it works like a charm). I look forward to your TR.

Optimus cannister stoves are high quality. I saw one --the Crux-- that fits into the concavity of the bottom of the fuel cannister; Very cool, IMO. They also make great liquid fuel stoves. The Optimus Nova is superbitching.

check http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/cgi-bin/nut_search.pl for nutrition content of foodstuffs. For dry roasted unsalted cashews, 100g will have 15g protein, 32g carbs, and 46g fats (the remainder of the weight being water and ash).

Happy Springtime! The view from my kitchen this afternoon.

got my camera working. f'ing MS bs.

Blue screen of death. Sucks don't it? Did you try a restart with the last known good? Sometimes that works.

Barge cement will work. Clean the area with sandpaper and/or trichloroethane. The 5.10 resole trick mentioned above helps. If you can get it, Ubi glue is reputed to be better.