freeclimb9

Due to low snow, conditions are much like what they'd be in late July, or August, in a "normal" year. Note that afternoon thunderstorms have started already, so get on it early, and off early too. Being at the base of the route prior, or very close to sunrise is a good idea since the weather can go "bang" by noon easily. The Exum (upper alone, or the whole thing) is a classic for good reason; The upper is very doable in approach shoes, so you can save weight there (and it protects well with stoppers --most of it is fourth class anyways) for your in-a-day trip. You can test your fitness with a day-trip up Teewinot. Have a great trip, Will McCarthy

I just went through Tuolomne last weekend and it was uncrowded (it often is in my experience). The crux on Fairview's trade route is short, and requires more grunt than finesse; go early, and bring doubles of your camming devices to sew it up. Cathedral is a must (that's one to also go early for since the chimney is the bottleneck, and one slow party can put you under a thundercloud). Don't miss the great faceclimbing; Cibola is one of the greatest faceclimbs, IMHO, and there's some sport-style bolted climbs on Medlicott dome (I think that's the one. Or is it Cottage?). Another great climbing option is to hike to North dome from Hwy 120, and do the easy Crest Jewel (only a short parts are 5.10-); Even better is to get a shuttle to the valley, climb both Royal Arches and Crest Jewel, hike to 120, and hitch back to your Tuolomne camp. Rock & Ice #108 had a short article by Greg Couch on Tuolomne that will give you more ideas. If you want more climbing ideas, there's the whole Sierra Eastside (climbing both Primero and Segundo buttresses at the Whitney trailhead makes for a great day). Have a great trip, Will McCarthy

cheap food: phone order a couple funky pizzas (jalapenos and anchovies --which is actually quite good) from the local place to be picked up near closing time; They'll often be conveniently placed on top of the dumpster out back after closing. And there's the old standbys of ramen and canned tuna. If you're after convenience, energy snacks are the ticket though not cheap. However, most produce blood-sugar spikes --not sustained elevation of blood sugar (Powerbar is particularly notorious for this). And then there's the taste factor. In a couple months, my company will debut spicy and savory energy snacks made from whole-food ingredients (i.e. minimally processed). Recipes include Spicy Thai Peanut (like Thai peanut sauce), Chile and Lime, and Sesame Teriyaki. Check out www.energybite.com in the coming weeks. I know this borders near, or over, spam, but a question was asked. best regards, Will McCarthy [This message has been edited by freeclimb9 (edited 06-14-2001).]

AlpineTom, The Outside Magazine article http://www.outsidemag.com/magazine/0395/3b_intk.html consulted one nutritionist. And I would assert that this person made their comments based on a very narrowly defined set of circumstances such as athletic competition where the prospective bar-eater was performing at, or near, aerobic capacity; And in that case, a liquid would be better than a bar. Most climbers don't operate at that level for very long periods. Rather, we cruise at "fat-burning" low aerobic levels, and generally have no problem digesting fats and fibers while climbing (I know a few old mountaineers that favor canned sardines for high altitude). Powerbar's nutritional profile is based on decades old (three, actually) research on endurance sports, and knowledge about diet and athletic performance is growing. Much previous research had demonstrated that endurance athletes can effectively maintain weight with a dietary intake of 20% fat (Powerbar has about 3%), and the supposition was that minimum fat intake was desirable. More recent research has indicated that a diet richer in fats (about 30% of total caloric intake) can improve VO2 max (the study was done at SUNY, but I don't have my notes with me for further information). But the nutritional profile alone can be misleading; It doesn't indicate the source of the calories, or the Glycemic Index of the food (which can be interpreted as a measure of how quickly the food is absorbed). Powerbars have been shown to spike blood sugar then drop it to below basal levels (which is not suprising given that the primary ingredient is corn syrup); Snickers bars actually performed more satisfactorly (research done by Steve Hertzler at Ohio State, I believe). But, realistically, few people use energy bars as their only food source (which is a good thing considering that many are fortified, and relying on them for caloric needs alone would result in vitamin mega-dosing). But you don't have to take my word on the subject; Just what do you crave after a day of climbing? Most likely, those foods indicate what you're lacking. Beer, chips and salsa? Probably carbs and sodium are what you need. Of course, as you wrote, "If it tastes good and it works for you" is the most important consideration, and nothing works if it isn't consumed. best regards, Will McCarthy

dynamite babe, my heart sings just to know you're out there. Thanks for being. [This message has been edited by freeclimb9 (edited 06-09-2001).]

Sure, some climbing areas have become very crowded. Just this last winter I stopped off at my old playground of J-tree, and was amazed at the changes: lots of climbers, and quite a bit of new road building. I still had a great afternoon of easy solos and bouldering. Other areas will just never be heavily used; They have their own "protections" in the form of long and/or arduous approaches. When I lived in Arizona, I fervently pursued first ascents in a remote area, and kept everything secret. After a few years, I realized that even if I offered money, I couldn't get people out there to climb. Now I mostly climb in Utah and Idaho, and I can't recall the last time I had to wait for a route. And back in March, I enjoyed several days of cragging and bouldering in Icicle canyon in Leavonworth with only the occasional other climber to be seen. for me, crowding just isn't an issue. I wish the same for everyone.

the Tioga Pass is historically open from Memorial Day till the first snows of autumn. There have only been a few years of exceptional snowfall when that hasn't been the case. (And I've been nabbed for the entrance fee in the wee hours of the morning, too).

when I started climbing my brother encouraged me, but warned that if I hurt, or killed myself doing it, I'd "look like an asshole." I thought that was an excellent comment. I check my setup three times, everytime, and have only been hurt from falling ice, overtraining, and groundfalls while bouldering. Of course, there's always tommorrow.

I've got a Cold Cold World pack (the bigger one, whatever it's called), and have used it on trips up to three days in length. It's okay. There's some stuff that's brilliant, and other stuff that's dumb (actually, my design gripes are the lack of angle on the waistband, and it's tendency to flop over my ass when partially loaded, but that's my fault for loading it weirdly). There's a guy in the town I live in that also makes packs: www.wildmanpacks.com, so that's yet another option. BTW, my favorite pack is one I made for myself that I've been using for 12 years. Someday I'll update it, and be ready for another decade of abuse.

I've been to Cabo many times fishing, and have also had the pleasure to walk out to Los Arcos to enjoy a little beach-sandal bouldering (you can walk through one of the swank hotels to access the beach and walk and scramble around to the point; You don't have to take a water-taxi). The rock is impeccable, but salty, and therefore the fixed gear is corroded. But, why climb when in Cabo? The place isn't a world-class destination for the rock --it's famous for fishing and wild times on the beach. Most people just go for the socializing. As a friend put it, women go there for two reasons: sol and pole. Enjoy an afternoon of beers at "The Office", then head to one of the clubs like "Squid Roe" for thumping and bumping. The town doesn't really come alive in tourists until after 10:00PM. JMO. best regards, Will

I went and checked out Triple Couloirs last week (3-21) which wasn't easy considering that I live in Northern Utah. I road-tripped out with a buddy who had to get his gear from a summer-job in Leavenworth. We boot-packed in on Tuesday: no problem outside of occasionally postholing with regard to hiking, but otherwise the snow was uninspiring. Recent heavy rain created an ice crust over variable "stuff" depending on sun exposure. Early Wednesday morning we walked across Colchuck lake, and started up the Hidden couloir to discover conditions that we didn't like. The rain-crust overlaid sugar: uncompactable ball-bearings of indeterminate depth (well, maybe a foot, or two). In short, we downclimbed, cursed our luck, and walked out to the highway. BTW, the bouldering and cragging in the canyon was great for the next two days. best regards

Might someone have an idea of the route condition? I imagine the recent (and continuing) snow has had a negative impact, but can someone confirm, or deny that? What routes might be climbable this time of year near Leavenworth? best regards [This message has been edited by freeclimb9 (edited 03-16-2001).]