Lambone

holy shit, that's a crazy story mattp I don't exactly understand the situation that led to David's fall, but regardless...it is truly horrible.

Drove up to Bend from Ashland and Rode the Deschuts Trail, Phils trail loops. Monday rode Cultus Lake Loop, warning...Cultus isn't cleared on the West Side, lots of carrying the bike. My wife is getting better/faster, thank god!

it's hard to see, but mine is a snaffle with a bazoka... I call him the Bahgdad Snaffler...

hey, I wanna go,...I live in Ashland. It's 1 hr-1.5 hrs to the trailhead from my house. Send me a PM I'm dyin to go there...

Road Phil's trails in Bend. Mt Biking is fun.

I have done the exact same thing. Nothing is scarier the doing a bunch of free climbing, then switching to aid and having to bounce test some sketchy piece. My near ddislocation happened while testing a hook on the Tripple Direct. I have to conciously tell myself not to hold onto the rock these days for fear of dislocating my shoulder up on the wall, it is my nightmare. I'd rather take a long ride! Nice Job!

If you are in Billings, East Rosebud Canyon on the North Side of the Beartooths is probly the best place to go for Alpine Granite. Ther are lots of long routes and endless untapped potential. Plus it's just an amazing canyon, even for just a day hike. There are good climbs pretty close to the Parking lot. Check out the Montana Alpine Climbing Guide by Ron Bronkhorst, they used to have it at Feathered Friends and Vertical world.

I agree with mattp's posts above. The Beal lines are light, but wear quickly. Better for ice climbing then alpine rock. They are half ropes, not twin ropes. There are some ropes out now being marketed as both half and twin ropes. Don't know much about them. The Stratos are the bomb. I feel confident climbing with a single line on easier terrain like the N. Ridge of Stuart. Very durable and resistant to wear, nice stiff hand, not tangly. I also use the Roca ropes that lawgoddess mentions. I wen't out on a limb and bought them from Jim at PMS without knowing anything about them. They have been great so far, like the Beal only better. I primarily use them for Ice though, since ice is is a bit less harsh on them.

yeah, wow! what's next on his list I wonder... scrawny little Tommy showed those two big macho men what's up. repeating Zodiac Free, and firing Dihedral in the same year. Dude is tough!

Hey Alpinefox, just curious, did Fred make any comments about the route being overbolted? Sounds like fun, what a ropegun!

I wouldn't be suprised if Lib Ridge sees more fatal accidents then any climb of it's nature in the US.

somebody give me some ruby red slippers!

damn, broken pelvis is a pretty seroius injury. it's must have been way cold in that crevase for 4+ hours. Glad he made it, those guys from REI are good people!

That is a cool little article Jason. Would you say that completing an AMGA course is a pre-req for being hired on with a guiding company? Or is it something that you can look into afterward if you want to expand your guiding opportunities. I have always considered guiding full time, and have done some part-time, under the table guiding...but I'm not %100 sure that it is something I'd want to commit to. i.e. I'd want to try it out before investing alot in AMGA.

yikes

Post deleted by Lambone

there is no spoon

there are several SAR people on this web site...and we do appreciate their input, especialy insight to the SAR perspective on accidents and such. I'm glad the guy is safe and sound, two tragic stories in one day would be two too many. I'm sure it is the sucess stories that keep SAR volounteers coming back for more...

Another vote for City of Rocks.

hey, thats very cool, great news... but another question comes to mind. if the guy is only 30ft down and unhurt...why do they need a rescue team to come up and get him out? I guess I don't know the whole story...but sheesh...seems pretty straightforward to me... well, i guess I know petty well that once you make the first call, the rescue party is on their way no matter what...

My last couple of big climbs have been multi-day solos in Yosemite...albeit on relatively moderate and safe routes. I haven't been climbing much in the last year, but these routes made up for the lack of quantity with quality. Anyway, when soloing a wall you have alot of time, and alot of opportunity to contemplate what the fuck you are doing, and the consequences should you blow it, or something unforseen happen. I tend to think about my wife and family alot, even my dog, shit sometimes on every piece on a scary pitch. When climbing with a partner I find that I am much more able to get past these moments of doubt, feeling comfortable and confident in my partners skills to watch my back. But when you are on your own, it's all a different head trip. Also, I think its harder to deal with this doubt when you only get a few big climbs in a year, or even if you manage to be a weekend warrior. When your on the wall every day it just comes much more naturaly. Well I guess i don't really know what my point is, or if I have one. But I'll say this...alot of people here are saying, "fuck that, tune out the doubt or call it and go home." i really don't agree with that attitude. Doubt and fear keep me focused, they help me make good decisions, when I contemplate cutting corners to save some time I'll think about myt wife for a second, and look at the big picture...does it really take that long to tie some knots in the end of this rope...death is for ever, and losing a friend lasts the rest of your life. Now put that extra 30 seconds, or extra 1/2 hour for the safer route finding into perspective. thoughts of my wife, and my new appreciation for how much it sucks to lose someone keep me safer in the mountains, and ya know what...I'm totaly cool with that. Cause i'd rather climb a few easy routes until I get old then many dangerous ones for the next few years. Ofcourse easy and dangerous are relative terms and subject to change

Spanker, i don't know shit about Utah either... but just as a suggestion, you might try this question on Supertopo.com, and/or rockclimbing.com...if you haven't yet. Those sites reach a much larger regional audience. I do know alot of people go slot canyon hiking that time of year, which can be just as cool, if not cooler len climbing.

yeah totaly...sorry I can vouch from experience that people who risk their lives and voulonteer to help climbers in need are true heros, they totaly kick ass...although I hope all of us never need them, it sure is nice to know they are out there, waiting and exited to get that call.

jeez...poor guy. allready that is a long time to be in a crevase, especialy if he is injured and in shock. hope they get him out soon... not to critisize...but you gotta wonder why people don't rope up on Glaciers in the Spring time. Do people not ussualy rope up below Crater Rock or something?

personally i would use and recomend using a Gri-Gri or a Shunt over a Petzl Ascender for a TR solo belay. I have a hard time trusting a single ascender as the only means of being connected to a rope. There have been many accounts of ascenders coming off a rope, on walls in yosemite for example. although this is usualy from cleaning on weird traverses and such, the danger is still there... I have read that a Petzl pro and Mini- Taxion can be used for TR self belay, but I haven't used it for that purpose. I like the advantage that the Gri-gri gives you if you want to lower down quickly to re-try a move.