Jedi

I talked to a fella at Grivel and asked him about the G-14. I'll try to remember some of the things he said (We got side tracked talking about the Ruth Gorge). Anyway, he said they will have a North American website up and running in a couple months with a little more detail descriptions of the crampons (and other things) than present world wide website. The G-14 should tackle 85% of what you will run into. Great all-around crampon for steep terrain and alpine conditions. But it is not going to preform as well as the Rambo's or Rambocomps on steep waterfall ice. Sounds honest to me as no crampon is going to cover all terrain and be the optimum performer in every catagory. From the description given to me, it just sounds like it is an improvement over some other all around performers. The front points: The mono is offset and and the points are interchangable. I mean that it is not like my Switchblades where you have a set of dual points and a mono point. But 2 points will cover both set ups. The fella still recommended the Rambo & Rambocomp for vertical waterfall & more difficlt mixed and the G12 for things that have more snow as the horizontal points on the G12's do better at not shearing in snow. Hope I got all the info right but I am not making any promises that I did not understand something Jedi [ 06-21-2002, 01:24 PM: Message edited by: Jedi ]

Anyone got the number for Grivel in Salt Lake? Jedi

I have a pair of Mega's that i bought too tight. Size 41. worn one day. great shape. $90 to your door in the lower 48. Unless anyone out there knows how to stretch these things. They hurt my big toe. Jedi [ 06-19-2002, 01:47 PM: Message edited by: Jedi ]

Do keep us up to date on the axes and leashes. I am pondering a new set of crampons. Switchblades have to go. Need something to help me compensate for my lack of ability and strength . I have been eyeballing a set of M10's on sale right now. I have to admit that I do not like CM's crampon straps as they do loosen throughout the day. Have not tried the one's on the M 10's Unsure about the Bionics because BD has not recalled them, yet. Robocomps look nice and I have heard great things about their "stickyness" ice. But their long secondary points sound like they make mixed/rock climbing not as enjoyable as it could be. Any experiences with these crampons guys. Jedi

Yeah, I have climbed a little ice and my post was a goof on the issue. Sarcasim comes off poorly on a computer.

Gee-wiz, I hope a new rating is not created. "This mixed route is WI 4 in January thru Febuary with leashes. BUT! It is AI 3+, M4, In March. BUT wait! It is WI3, 5.5LL,GL ( stands for LeashLess & GloveLess) with no gloves and no leashes. Then it is considered 5.10DI,LL,WLWUILBO (Dry Ice, LeashLess, WithLightWeightUnInsulatedLeatherBootsOn) in November during a low precip year when the sun was out and that wet spot was dryed up but a hold was broke where there is typical ice but if you reach 3 feet over to your right there is a side pull that some consider to be off route and down grades the whole thing to 5.2 unless the damp spot is there which changes everything. Then, if the sun is in your eye............don't EVEN get me started." What were we talking about? o-yeah, the choice is yours because you are free to do what makes you happy in this country. I am curious, about one thing. Are the tools that the leashless, non aiding, non cheating guys using straight shaft, no hook thing for fingers, velcro and or rubber grip free? Jedi

DOH! Sorry Allison. I must have seen the name Tom Stoppard in your post which apparantly stuck in my head. Sorry about that, Jedi

M, I would go with the Bibler Winter sack at 9oz if you are talking an altitude that rain is not a factor.

Allison, if you score one and someone else contacts you, let me know. I need one also. Jedi [ 06-12-2002, 12:23 PM: Message edited by: Jedi ]

Orovox (sp?) is rumored to be making a ultra light weight bivy sack. It would be made out parachute type material ("just in case" type of bivy sack for cold conditions). Probably pack as small as a baseball and weight just a couple oz. Probably not very durable (guessing). But it would be nice to have to help keep the bag dry in the snow and keep the spin drift out. I imagine they would not be popular in the damp NW. Jedi

Whatever liners come in them. "Standard" I guess. The tags kinda hold the liners in. The Modular MITT's have been sold. Still have the Gloves and the the Mutant Mitt's. Jedi [ 06-06-2002, 09:03 PM: Message edited by: Jedi ]

Yes, that was Jeff, Maddy, and Robin (father of one of the 2). Robin was running base camp. Yeah, the Canadains were there to try Reality Ridge, Alaskan grade 4+. It has only been done 4 times. The 1st carry up a 2000' couloir kinda hurt their drive (would have hurt mine, too much work). The loads were heavy (15 days of gear,food and fuel). The snow warmed quickly (mashed potatoes) and made travel tough. They then decided to try to only go to 13,200, where the technical terrain ends. Then come back down to camp. That was the plan when we last saw them. I gave them my topo for PK 11,300 so maybe they would have better luck. I bet the warm weather made traveling on double corniced & knife edged ridges "fun". It was their 1st time to AK. Rangers tried to talk them out of the attempt. Glad to hear they are safe. Super nice guys. Jedi

Ahhh, that must have been the 3 guys from Salt Lake. If it was, they made an attempt and got up above the Grey Rock bivy (upper bivy) and then came back down. Conditions were not good but it was still "doable". I talked to a guide who did it (he met Salt Lake guys on the way down) and he said they seemed a little intimidated by the route (possible reason for coming down). It took the giude 3 days to get to the summit and a day and a half to get down. This guide climbing it 15 years ago. Our 2nd attempt had us punching though crusty/rotten snow at 4am. Just not a good season but I am sure next year will be butt cold and not one good day (just the opposite) which will thwart my efforts. Just have to bring more beer. a 12 pack does not last 3 guys long on rest days while laying in the sun. Nice of Paul to fly a case in and Doritos. If you go next year, ask me about the squeeze chimney. Jedi

Yes, $50 bucks to your door (regular shipping) in the lower 48 states. Interested in a picture of the gloves? Send me an email. Jedi

DRU, I thought I was the only one that knew that. If going down is not bad enough, throw in being roped up into the mix and a crevasse in here or there for some spice. Drill: -Ski a little bit. -Fall. -Ski a little bit. -flip rope out of way as not to run over. -miss turn. -rope tightens. -pull guy in front down when you fall. -Ski a little bit. -crevasse coming up. -snow plow in wet snow. -cross skis. -fall. -Ski a little bit. -fall because you actually make turn and didn't fall. Excited you look up, lose concentration. I need to practice.........bad. Jedi

Sometimes the indians don't have the consitution for the route you've chosen and you have to go back the next year with another indian. Knee deep and thigh deep snow we encountered was the rotten snow. Crust on top, rotten sugary crap underneath. You need a mask and fins to swim in that stuff. My first time on AT skis in the mountains. They rule for glacier travel. I don't think I'll ever go back to shoes if I can help it. Now If I can only learn how to go down hill.

Write your congressman about global warming. We ended up bailing early because it was too hot in the Ruth Gorge and I did not bring my rock shoes and chaulk bag. Would have been a great season for rock climbing. In the area for 14 days. Never saw it dip below 15 at night. 35 at night was the norm the 2nd week there. 2 cloudy days and the rest of the time it was blue bird skies. Hot during the days. 118 in my tent one day. We had to shovel snow INTO the area around our tents because the snow was melting so much. I have never seen so many avalanches in my life. The Ruth really puts on a show. French team put 2 rock routes on Mt Dickie. one was 30 pitches, the other was 40 pitches. I heard Moonflower was REALLY lacking ice and people were not bothering. Talked to 2 guys that went in to do the Infinite Spur on Foraker and chest deep rotten snow turned them away. Rumor was rotten/melting snow on the Kahiltna made things tough for teams without skies and snowshoes. I heard stories of people with snowshoes being knee deep. Probably using MSR's without the adaptors. Heard there was a knee deep and deeper, trough leaving the airstrip heading down to the Kahiltna Good weather probably made for good summit days for those up higher. Flight Service ditched a plane on the landing strip on the 24th durning take off. Downdraft probably pushed the back of the plane down. Rear hit 1st, then a wing and it flip over on its top and slid a ways. No one was hurt luckly. The Ruth area is awesome place. Looking for partner for next year. SW Ridge of Peak 11,300, SW Ridge of Dan Beard, South Face of Huntington and Ham & Eggs are on the "to do" list for sure (not all in the same trip of course). Jedi

OR "Professional Modular Gloves". Red, size medium, and already seam sealed. Comes with liners Still have tags on them. Never worn.$50 OR Modular Mitt w/ Double Liner and GT liner (insulated Gore-tex liner). Red, size large. Worn on Denali once and look like new. $50 OR Mutant Modular Mitts, medium, black and are in perfect condition, never worn, $60. Can email pictures to anyone interested: jfclimbhi@earthlink.net Price includes regular ground shipping anywhere in the lower 48 states. I have PayPal account. John Fitzgerald

Always sad to read about a tragedy. We make our choices and sometimes things do not workout. I am always glad to hear that no rescuer is injured in the rescue. Jedi

"Dare to Fail" "Every man dies but not every man has lived" Braveheart "Men are not made strong by winning easy battles but by losing hard fought ones" "Nothing is imposible until it is tried"Laton Kor, I think "How far do we take this?""The question is not how far. The question is, do you possess the constitution, the depth of faith, to go as far as needed." -The Boonedock SaintsGood movie! I am amused by the simplicity of this game, please bring me your finest meats and cheeses. Jedi

Try Northern Mountain Supply. You will find their ad in Climbing or Rock & Ice. I got my Eldorado & vestibule for $150 off retail. Man, I have tried putting the poles up while in the Eldorado but could not do it. Hey, no one said I was bright. Weight with guy lines, poles, one door and no suff sacks is 4lbs 8oz. Vestibules is another 19oz. Jedi

Joe, you are on to something there. It looks like an ok route. I was hoping for something with softer rock, maybe bigger and more impressive. Looks like a route for small children and old ladies with walkers. But hey, if I have couple of hours to run up it while I am there, I'll make sure to take a picture of the summit. I wonder if I should wear sneakers or flip flops on the hike up....err I mean accent. I hear the last guys that were on it got bored with the climbing and left it for another day. Got any other suggestions Joe? hehehe yeah, Mark told me a little about it. I think I'll leave that to you guys, thank you very much. Jedi

In case some thought all hope was lost. I just called BD to find out where to send my Android leashes. I got the recall last month and I am finally getting off my butt to send them back for a unflawed pair. The guy says "I'll put pair in the mail today." I am thinking cool! I was thinking I would have to mail the faulty pair back and spend $3 or $4 doing so. Not so. Then I tell the fella I bent a section in one of my Eldorado tent poles. I was wondering how much it would cost for a section. No worries because he said he would mail that out with the leashes at no cost. No questions asked and it was all pilot error.It doesn't get much better than that in my book. Jedi

Yeah, I would like to attempt a couple moderates to get acquainted to the area. I don't want to be pushing the limits on my 1st outting to the Gorge. I'll probably just end up embarressing myself at the least. I'm sure the 2 we were looking at are spectacular. But I wanted to know if there are any other stellar moderates that are not as well know, yet. I thought about lugging the aid rack but I have my heart set on swing my tools as much as possible. hmmm...pioneering a route. Sounds tempting. Wish I was 18 and lead 10d trad. Thanks fella's jfclimbhi@earthlink.net Jedi

I am interested in any info on The Rooster Comb, Barille, Dickey, Dan Beard or any other fun routes on nearby peaks. Looking for anything WI 4 and up to 5.8 rock climbing. I am going with the idea of attmpting Ham & Eggs and th SW Ridge on Peak 11,300. But with the large amount of interest in both routes, we might want to attempt something less crowded. I hate to be standing in line to get on route. Can't get excited about someone knocking ice down on me and/or someone nipping at my heals. If I wanted long lines and crowds, I could go to Disney World, the Gunks or Yosemite on a holiday weekend.