fishstick

Gotta be brief here, but I'll second checking out Stone Hill. Awesome place. Great swimming at local lakes as well. South (East) side of the lake, about 2 miles West of the big bridge between Eureka and Libby. Vast potential in other areas near there.

As of last week PC was huge. Some of the southern stuff has been really burnt and has come down; ice 9 for instance. North facing stuff is thick, bombproof and surprisingly firm. Avo hazard has been all over the map, but might be best described as THE limiting factor late last week. Lots of wind and some fresh snow. Overall conditions are better than you’ll ever get here. GB

I haven't used the OP, but my smileys have proven to be very close to a BD sans express knob. QC is at least equal. Keep in mind a screw isn't going to engage until the side threads can draw it forward. Often the fastest way to create that opportunity is to punch an X shaped hole with the spike of your tool. Move upwards one move such that it’s a waist level, then go to work. I really recommend practicing placing screws by bouldering. Get a couple of feet off the deck and fire in a bunch of screws. It’s great exercise and will help create confidence when you’re out there probing miles above your gear, knowing that sooner or later, you’ve got to plug something in. Cheers, GB

Heel raisers. GB

The solution is actually pretty simple. The straps on G-12s are essentially almost not load bearing. I had the same problem on 2Fs when using AT boots and simply replaced the grivel straps with inexpensive nylon straps with plastic buckles (tri-glides?)(the ones that double back the webbing but DO NOT split apart). It all might sound bizzare, but if you think about it, those starps are rarely that tight. Double the staps back (feed through the back of the buckle) to ensure that they never come apart. GB

I’m raised about 15K south of the Bull River Canyon. I’ve climbed 32 of the water ice lines in the area, but have not been there yet this year (writing from Vancouver). It’s quite early to climb in the canyon, or the routes to the south. Generally stuff starts coming in closer to Christmas, although there have certainly been exceptions. Modern willingness to climb very, very thin sans gear will help. Compounding problems this season was a very dry summer. I’m unsure what has happened this fall. Lines fed by leakage from the pipe going to the powerhouse might be in better shape. Still, my money would be wait at least 2 weeks. Cheers, GB P.S. Made a quick phone call to a non-climbing resident. Average fall temps. Not cold.

A potentially interesting stove is the jetboil (see jetboil.com). A friend who tried one suggested that it might be to stoves, what the tikka was to headlamps a few years ago. Although it lacks versatility, it might be an alpinist’s dream. It’s rumoured to boil a litre of water in about 90 seconds. My friend “boiled” a cup of ice in about 55 seconds. GB

I’ve used the Grivel Easy G and the Charlet copy of such. I prefer both over the lockdown, as the tool doesn’t spin if when dangling from the wrist (which in effect shortens the leash). All three suffer from the fact that if going to a heavier glove, the leash in effect shortens based upon the increased circumference of the gloved wrist (an android is only affected by the increase in radius). There is a simple improvement that can be made to all three as well: add a small slider ABOVE the sliding cuff. When climbing snow or doing anything where the leash isn’t tensioned for long periods, the slider can be moved to lock the cuff in a closed position. Thank ADE of cc fame for the idea. As for the Android, I love em and hate them. They are very secure, and seemingly fragile and prone to fuck-ups. Punching a tool into hard crust for a while, is potentially going to destroy them. Breaking a pick on an androided tool and trying to switch to a third with the android cuff still on, is just a barrel of laughs (don’t ask). It’s also difficult switching hands quickly (snow) with androids. Finally, if you do need to go gloves off, good luck getting out of the cuff, or better still, getting back in. No doubt someone out there is asking why would I want to do easy climbs with an androided tool? My answer would be why would I want to switch tools or leashes every time I faced an easy exit. It’s all gear. Q: Do you own your gear or does it own you? GB

I really like using ski crampons. I think they’re very useful for traversing or climbing frozen slopes where a fall could be very serious (ie. sliding into trees at speed), especially if you have skis with large amounts of side-cut. Given very icy conditions, the difference in traction is not unlike comparing a two wheel drive and a four wheel drive car. The increased efficiency at that point makes the weight penalty worthwhile. Ironically I carry the crampons primarily on mountaineering trips where skis are used on the approach, but rarely on ski trips, where the intention is cranking turns. If conditions are that icy, the skiing probably isn’t good (so I’m climbing). The exception to that rule is spring ski tours. Pre-dawn conditions in May often favour ski crampons, but conditions improve quickly after the sun hits the slope. A second (but rarer) exception is low altitude, steep forest. On the Coast I find that this zone can go through a hard rain/freeze cycle, while the terrain the terrain above gets dumped with powder. It’s actually feasible to develop enough speed after falling be killed instantly hammering into trees. That sort of makes 200g worth it. GB

Nice work Ray! There’s some pretty inspirational stuff up there. It’s great to see folks taking a look around! Cheers, GB

I like the 37% idea! Seriously, it looks as though Yoho and Glacier parks "might" be open despite what the maps says. Phone first! The two parks are on Federal, rather than provincial lands. Have a great weekend. GB

B.C. government issues backcountry ban canada.com Thursday, August 28, 2003 ADVERTISEMENT Click here to find out more! The B.C. government has upgraded a backcountry travel advisory to an outright ban. Last week, the province imposed the most sweeping travel restrictions ever put in place in B.C. Now, Forests Minister Michael de Jong says the risks of allowing people into the backcountry in the Southern Interior and coastal regions are just too great. The travel restriction order covers all Crown land and Forest Service roads, and carries penalties of $10,000 dollars and six months imprisonment . Private, municipal and First Nations reserve land are exempt from the order. The travel restriction does not include the Cariboo region, since the forest fire risk has been downgraded there. The ban comes into effect tomorrow (Friday, Aug. 29) at noon and remains in effect until September 14th. © Copyright 2003 Canadian Press Cheers, GB

The Alaska pick doesn't require a flick at the end of the swing, so you can dial more power and speed into the placement. I haven't tried them on waterfalls, but they feel VERY secure on overhanging, bullet hard serac ice. I switched to the Alaska pick after finding the Cobra very fragile. I snapped one, watch another friend snap four, and a friend of his got 6 in a season. Between the three of us we’ve got close to 50 years on water ice. I suspect that they’re going to hook “differently” on water ice, but the steep angle at the tip should be a benefit. They’re superb dry-tooling. My only dry-tooling complaint (which would cut down on ice performance) is the low profile of the blade limits the width of torquing opportunities. My one big complaint about the Alaska pick is the fact that the top of the blade sticks out the head of the tool, and gets driven through the palm of your hand when using the tool in canne position. Oh, I use the picks on rages. GB

If you know anyone who wants to buy a pair of Trango Extremes, I'd love to dump mine. They're 42.5 or 43 (8 3/4 -9), and fit just a bit too small. Little use due to the sizing issue. PM me. Cheers, GB

If in doubt, Powershield for the torso, Schoeller for the legs. GB

I’m far from an expert on this one, and never ski in a park, but I find it’s easier to kick out the tails on my twin tips. This helps when you have to turn on a dime in complex terrain with difficult snow. The confidence gained by the knowledge that you can do that, encourages you to ponder steeper, tighter lines. More options = more fun. GB

Most of the stuff said earlier is pretty accurate. Minor point to add is that the new version of what I guess is DrySkin, is much stretchier and has a vastly improved DWR than earlier offerings. You do pay a weight penalty however. I’ve also used a “Powershield-like” Shoeller with 2 way stretch. Personally I prefer Powershield or Powershield light for that application. Better wind resistance and less weight. Perhaps Schoeller has something heavier still? Overall, Schoeller is really good for summer, but in my mind, Powershield or Powershield light wins decisively for winter use. GB

Solo TR on ice is a really effective way to experiment with techniques, not to mention get an effective pump. Try using a microcender. Try it at night. Oregon Jack might be a great objective if you can find a trail to the top and own a 60m rope. GB

You might also consider the Naja Cup. The cup version has more clearance, a higher performance pick and (most importantly) a steeper pick angle. The regular Naja's pick has a bit of a tendency to pop when hooking on steep terrain. As strange as it might sound, I'd also get double axes, and rely on your third tool for a hammer. Naja hammerheads have such a low profile that they can be exceptionally difficult to hit with the palm of your hand if the tool is stuck. Keep in mind that the evolution leash system is pretty awful. The webbing slides in the buckle when weighted hard, and the whole system occasionally releases mid-swing. Despite those shortcomings, they're fun tools to use. They swing super fast, place solidly, and allow you to go and go without getting much of a pump. GB

I've got about 15 days using G14s on serac ice ranging from plastic, to bullet proof and brittle. I also used them on some straight forward glacial walk-ups. The version I'm using has the yellow plastic toe lanier. The verdict: The best all round technical crampon I've used. They'd be my first choice for all waterfall duty, all hard alpine duty where mixed or hard ice would be encountered. The only terrain where they'd slip from the gold standard position would be for extended steep snow or pure drytooling (I prefer a centered mono). Downfalls of G14s: Snow balls up between the front point rails (as expected). Get the antibotte. If used in mono point mode the mono is off-set. I'm not convinced the T section on the front points actually helps do anything except shatter a bit more ice. Compared to Sabretooths: G14s are in another league altogether. I tried the Sabretooth and just don't get what all the fuss is about. Crampons I've used heavily or owned: SMC rigids, Chouinard rigids, Footfangs (2 pairs), Lightfangs, Grade 8 monos (3 pairs), Rambo comps, DMM Gladiators, Grivel 2Fs, Simond Pitbulls GB

Below are copied modifications used on a cobra. Rope thimbles are curved metal bits used to reinforce bites of rope for industrial applications. "Not sure what Rope Thimbles are used for but just go to a hardware store and ask for them. I used the 3/8" size and hacksawed them into a "J" shape. I then drilled a hole through the top of the "J" after hammering the top flatter. I then drilled holes through my tool's shaft and attached 2 of these per tool. One at the bootom and one just above were yor index finger would go. The top one I use for matching. I used T-nuts so there wasn't an obtrusive bolt and nut sticking out of the shaft. I then wrapped the whole gripping area in sticky tape and added a strip of velcro to the underside of the upper shaft. I have velcro patches on the shoulders of my climbing top to stick the tools to". I hope that helps a bit. GB

What are you using the parka for? I've tested jackets with 5, 6 and 8oz PL1. For very cold multi-day conditions where the parka is being used around camp or for long belays, I'd rather be wearing 8oz, but bulk is a big issue. For most alpine climbing situations, 6oz would be more practical. 5oz works well for day trips or when you chose to just wear the insulated parka all day long. 5oz is my favorite as a waterfall belay jacket. Although I firmly believe that synthetic is the answer for climbing, not even the 8oz PL1 is anywhere near as warm as a good baffled down jacket. The latter would be practical for prolonged ski trips in drycold, or perhaps tourist routes on big peaks up north. GB

As of last Sunday the 17th: 10 inches of firm snow at glacier. Less than 1cm at parking lot and raining. Ice had become surface brittle, but still VERY good for this time of year. Given rain levels, it's probably still OK...but it might require somewhat of a battle to get in. The recent storms put a bit of surface snow at 4000 feet near Vancouver. Amazingly warm temps at the moment. The real question is how low was the snow line for the majority of the storm? Some snow is going to melt, but if there's a meter or two? Still, I think it'll be OK. GB

Winter ascent of Lowe/Jones. North face of North Twin, CDN Rockies. Rumoured be technically easy (4th) for long sections, but when the shit hits the fan, it really hits. Exiting the face looks brutal. Wear a helmet and take warm mittens. GB

Cavey, I was thinking about the King of the Mountain thing and was initially going to suggest renaming it Rage against the Machine. At that point I realized that I'd probably snap a cobra pick trying to remove it from your skull. Bummer. I'll run my fishsticks with well tuned blades so they don't stick in bone. Looking forward to it. GB