kevin

Since we keep bringing up JTree 5.7s how about Double Cross. Sustained vertical hand to fist crack that had me exhausted at the top. Its locally known as "pumkin head" cause the first pro is nearly 20 feet up with a bad landing and many 5.7 climbers have pitched trying to get the first piece in. Recently I saw a new topo for Royal Arches made by Chris MacNamara that rates the step across move as 10b. I'm not sure about the ethics of changing a rating for a free move, but it definately is more accurate. I, too, opted to grab the fixed rope.

I grew up in Clovis, which is essentially Fresno. From the Fres airport allow two to 2.5 hours to the valley floor. You'll be at the park entrance in a little over an hour, but from there to the valley is decievingly long, especially if you get behind a lot of tourists, RVs and whatnot. If your flying down and renting a car(?), its not a bad alternative to just drive from San Fran. Its roughly a 4 hour drive to the valley from there, but you'll save probably close to $200 on round trip airfare to fresno since you'll probably have to go through SFO to fly to fresno anyway have fun Kevin

Titanium is a great material, but it doesn't work miracles. A 2 liter titanium pot will be one to two ounces lighter than the aluminum blacklite pots. Saving ounces is definately important in the mountains, but the price difference is phenomenal. A set of two blacklite pots is about $30 whereas one Ti pot will run around $80. If you want to save weight, put that $50 towards a good light pack or sleeping bag where the weight savings may be measured in pounds instead of ounces. If you've already done that and still have money to spend, then start thnking about things like Ti pots and spoons and stuff. That's my opinion at any rate. That said, I have both a set of blacklite pots as well as a snow peak Ti kettle (that I found cheap) and prefer my blacklite pot because it boils noticably faster. I think that's do more to the pot vs kettle design, but its still something to think about. Basically, I agree with Jman, Ti pots are a great way to go, especially with the nonstick coating, its just a matter of justifying the price. kevin

I've found LS boots to run large (ie buy a smaller size than usual). My experience has been that if LS boots fit your particular feet, they will be comfy out of the box. If not its a pretty long breakin. This is probably true for any solid leather boot, though. I'm refering mainly to the heavier boots like the makalu and up. kevin

I always liked poopout pass in the gore range colorado

Thanks Marty Its pretty amazing what the media will refer to as a "rock climber" With movies like Vertical Limit and Newspaper headlines like that, its no wonder people think all rockclimbers are crazy. Somehow I just have a hard time putting myself in the same category as honyokers like that guy.

I heard a rumor that a climber took a pretty bad fall at Minnehaha this last weekend. Just curious if anyone out there knows if this is true or knows any more about it. kevin

Alex, I agree with you completely, and I'm glad you made the distinction. However, I feel like much of the arguements I've read are about the conflict between different styles in the same place more so than about the ethics of leave no trace. They are definately two different arguements. Your point would definately hold true if damaging the rock was the only issue here, but I don't believe that is so.

I agree with the majority, I really don't enjoy sport climbing and cringe at sport routes in trad areas, but this forum has got me thinking and I want to pose a hypothetical question. If we have the right to ban sport climbs at "our" trad crags, then does that give sport climbers the right to ban trad climbing at vantage, smith, etc. This question in no way reflects my views, just food for thought from the devils advocate.

I have always used MSR stoves and liked the fact that they are easily repaired in the field, but have always been dissapointed in the frequent need for field repairs. Returning to camp cold, dehydrated and exhausted after a long winter climb, the last thing in the world I want to do is take apart my stove so cause its clogged(and I have been in this exact situation). I used the Apex II dru mentioned on a three week trip and loved it. The owner of the stove has had it for several years of very regular use and never had to do a thing to it. Its similar to a whisperlight but it simmers and doesn't require any priming rituals- just light it and go- plus its quiet so you can actually have a converstion while cooking (unlike the d-fly). I've been considering buying one for myself and I'd be real interested to know if anyone has had any bad experiences with these. kevin

I feel that gym and sport climbing have created an entire new sport. Even the most basic gear- shoes, harness, rope, carabiners - have developed entirely differently from traditional climbing and mountaineering. Even ice climbing is developing this same division with these new mixed "sport" ice routes. I like most of you all, climb for the aestheitcs of the envrionment and for personal challenge and have a hard time relating to the competitive spirit and number-hunting of sport climbers. It seems to me that if we want to look at the future of climbing we need to start differentiating between the future of sport/gym climbing and the future of trad/mountaineering. I don't have any problem with this division - I can climb as I like and sport climbers can continue to push for 5.15. I think the biggest problems come from not distinguishing between the two. I personally have seen great sport climbers epic in the mountains because of a little run out or route finding. As long as climbers can distinguish that two very different types of climbing have developed (and possible the corresponding attitudes/ethics or each type) I think many of these debates will start to disapear. Let me know if you think I'm off track. Kevin

just to comment on fishsticks post, I recently got a pair of schoeler pants (patagonia guide pants) and I love them. My first trip out with them was a five day winter mountaineering trip and I only put on my shell pants once. I may not have even needed them then, either, as I stayed warm and dry the entire time. They aren't cheap, but I think they'll start bevoming more popular as more people realize how great they are for certain conditions.

you can always climb walls. campings free...

I'm not trying to complicate the matter but I agree that we always have to take ratings with a grain of salt and reasses the the route once we see it for ourselves as to whether or not its within our ability. I've done a lot of climbing in hte sierra and once read a comment made by Norman Clyde who put up many first ascents there. The rating system he used was simple: If he didn't carry a rope its 3rd class; if he carried a rope and pitons, but didn't use them its 4th class; if he carried a rope and pitons AND used them its 5th class. These ratings still stand on many of his routes leaving behind some pretty challenging 3rd and 4th class routes.

I spent a summer living in Los Alamos (about 1.5 hours from Abq) and climbed in the evenings at least four days a week and never even put a dent in the hundreds of routes in the area. Most of the climbing is along a nearly endless basalt band at the top of the Rio Grand canyon. The white rock over look has a lot of good sport routes, but much of the other areas have a ban on bolting so are mostly trad or TR. There is also some good hard sport climbing in the nearby mountians in an area called the Dungeon (although I heard the dungeon may have taken a hard hit during the fires last spring). There's a great online guide to the area at http://home1.gte.net/jgchen/rockguide/