freeclimb9

"We're all fucked. It helps to remember that." --George Carlin

I write again, 5/16" buttonhead bolts ("Rawl Drive" is the trademark) have not been manufactured for over a decade. In other words, unless a hardware vendor put in a stockpile back when Flock of Seagulls got radio time, you're not going to get them. Nor will you find the lightweight SMC hangers that go so well with them. The end of that era occured when George Bush senior still had his finger on the button. It's over.

Without question, an electric drill makes the best hole for placing a bolt. And the best bolt, IMHO, is a five-piece (3/8 to 1/2 inch in diameter and at least 3.5 inches long) since it can be taken out without additional damage to the rock and is realiably strong (stonker, in fact). In wilderness areas where machines are illegal, a Hurricane Wilderness Drill http://www.bigwalls.net/HMWDrill.html is the ticket. With regard to what bolt to place in the wilderness, I think it depends on whether the route will see other traffic. For a trade route, I'd put in the time to hand drill a 3/8" hole. For other stuff, the old 5/16 button heads were great (again, IMHO), but haven't been manufactured for over a decade. I've used Rawl's 1/4" Spike with a fender washer (over which a nut's wire can be looped then cleaned by the second) many times for my own obscure first ascents; This set up costs about 25 cents per placement, goes in fast, is pretty strong, and can be removed with a claw hammer, or crowbar, later, if so desired. But you'll make no friends of other climbers who come across your gear (the Spike looks pretty shaky even if the shear strength is over 5,000 lbs).

it takes about 1-1.5 hours to drive from Yosemite Valley to Fresno via Wawona. Going down the Merced river through Mariposa and Madera will take twice that long.

Yea. I think you're talking about single chain links. Hardware stores have them. If you're talking about a screw link (maillot), try a climbing shop.

staying awake is never a problem, but it did take me awhile to get used to the shaking and tremors after being awake for a couple of days. The shakes also tend to freak out climbing partners when you're far above them and runout and their belay gear sucks; That'll teach 'em. I do need to have my eyes closed for a couple hours a day, but can go without sleep for up to four days. Ah, the joys of mania!

"Adrift: 76 days at sea". Dude floated across the Atlantic after his boat sunk within minutes of striking something (whale?) near the Canary islands. "The Long Walk". Dudes and dudette walk from Siberia (after escaping from a Gulag) to India across the Gobi. "Love is a Dog from Hell" by Charles Bukowski. Stories about the sickest "adventure" you may embark on.

Obviously, the "universal alpine rack" never compares well with the beta-rack for the area you're targeting. The mega-rack that many climbers own can always be pared down to a sick minimum, or a sane medium, with a few suggestions from others (or from your own experience in the area). I've never gone into an area without at least an inkling of what's there to climb. [This message has been edited by freeclimb9 (edited 08-11-2001).]

bears, mountain lions, ring-tailed cats, coatimundis, parrots, bobcats, lots of rattlesnakes, bats, bees, even a few gila monsters. The wierdest wildlife experience was being attacked by a falcon while hiking through the forest near Yosemite falls; The crazed bird swooped on me half a dozen times over a half-mile length of trail: I was gripped. The most hilarious experiences have been inadvertently interupting folks mid-coitus, or having a wank. You know, I love nature and all, but I don't LOVE nature.

Here's another ultra-lightweight pack manufacturer. With the hipbelt, and ice-axe-loop options it should work well for climbing. http://www.ula-equipment.com/pages/main.htm

No Crack cream available at Restoration Hardware stores http://www.restorationhardware.com/index.htma/item.html?item=97&sid=hvmtlwRvJzig6vLS It's good. Really.

I don't care whats the bitches be doing as long as they looking fine. As in, whatz another name for pirate treasure? Booty! Sho' they be hoes, but then I'm a pimp daddy. And it be part of the natural way that I gets the quim when I'm rooster crowing, then another pimp gets hiz with a cock strut. Some sayz that I otta busta cap in a bitches ass for that kina shit, but omelette it slide cuz the hoes is capricious (ooh, that's all polysyllabic and shit).

"Suffering is the orgin of conciousness" Dostoyevsky

"free", emphatically. Otherwise, Old Grain (available in Minneapolis) is a funny one.

If you want super affordable gloves for wet winter use, one word says it all: Vinylove. Seattle marine supply has these freezer gloves by Atlas that go at about $13/pair. Check it out at http://www.seamar.com/atlas/460.html The orange ones are a little softer than the blue, but both allow carabiner and ice-screw handling similar to bare hands. Plus they can easily be customized with a Marks-a-lot pen.

I've a pair of BD X-15s with "Alaska" picks that I'm very happy with (50cm hammer and 55cm adze). I'm very confident in their proven design which is straightforward and simple (KISS all the way). I used the hammer and another piolet tool (75cm) on Liberty Ridge some years ago, and was well served. On water ice, the tools are a little rattly for hooking since the picks lack a full complement of teeth, but they swing well, and I don't worry about side punctures (which is a real concern with carbon fiber tools--one hole, and they're worthless. Plus I hat to rely soley on glue for head attachment). The DMM Fly would be a great choice too, IMHO.

Lover's Leap is close to the Lake (like within 25 miles), and is incredible. There's a magic to the Sierras, and I hope you tap into it. best regards, Will

I met Bobbi about a decade ago at a Beanfest(she stayed at my house afterwards for a few days with her climbing partners rejuvenating for more climbing on Mt. Lemmon --I lived in Tucson at the time). My impression was that she's a unique person --some might even say eccentric (but most full-time climbers can be classified that way, IMHO). She does what she does, and nobody's hurt by it. It's pretty harmless.

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).