Stefan

thanks for the report!

I agree completely. It also allows the most successful ascent of whatever you are doing. The earlier you are there, the more time you allowed to screw up on a route, and spend time in deep snow conditions.

I am in the same boat with Klenke on one of his peaks. Three tries on Malachite. Zero summits.

nice!

I have always thought something could be done doing a car shuttle and exiting via road 12 on the east via road 1260 at the south end of the range. Problem is....road 12 does not open until July 1st every year.

If you were able to make it to the gate in your car, then you were able to make it past the rockslide. Which means they cleaned it up. Thanks!

Dberdinka: Was road clear of the rock debris after Clearwater Creek? The reason I ask is becuase earlier this year we wanted to do Groat but there was rocks in the road making the approach over 6 miles one way which we were not up to.

I know on the south end it is now 12 miles one way to the base of the traverse. That's what it shows on TOPO!

Beautiful pictures! thanks for sharing!

Motorcycles baby. That's the answer. Great gas mileage...and if it is light enough you can push the thing under the gates and then up the road....and even up many trails.

Another vote for the Klenke mobile. I have a Honda Civic myself. 35MPG ALL THE TIME. I average about 30 trips a year to the mountains.....maybe one of those trips a year I wish I had higher clearance. You really want to save on gas and have a place to sleep? Get a Jetta Station Wagon TDI. 50mpg on diesel even with the air conditioner on full blast even while sitting in traffic. Diesel prices are high compared to unleaded around here. I heard it was temporary due to some manufacturing problems that will be rectified.

Based on sales, I see wayyy more demand for 10.2-10.5mm ropes than for anything sub-10mm. The price/demand relationship only works up to a point, until the supply catches up to demand. At some point if demand is high enough, production gets ramped up to a volume that starts bringing the unit cost of production down, and competitive pressures force the manufacturers and retailers to pass those lower costs on to the consumer in the form of lower retail prices. More than anything that's why 10.5s cost less than 9.4s - they're making far more of the stuff, so it's cheaper. So in this instance, the lower demand product (9.4mm rope) ends up costing more precisely because there's less demand for it. Thanks for that explanation!

thanks for sharing! My question: Did you leave a Roperesque register or a Pullenesque register? There is a dichotomy in registers between the two of those grand folks.

very nice Ade! And yes, I do brush bashing too with Klenke. Enjoy the brush? No. Deal with with the brush? Yes.

I don't know if this is the correct place to put this information. Here you go: Big Devil Peak Northwest Route: 1) It says this: "From North Cascades Hwy at Sky Creek raft across the river." It should say: "From North Cascades Hwy 1/4 mile downriver from Sky Creek, raft across the river." 2) It says "Time: 2 days round trip". It should read, "Time: One long day." 3) The pictorial of the 1963 route shows a picture of a camp halfway through the route. Eliminate the picture of the camp--that is totally untrue.

It is called marketing. Outside magazine is marketed for "wannabes". SUVs are marketed the same way--funny how I have never seen a Land Rover, a Mercedes SUV, or BMW SUV ever on a logging road. The climbing product mix is determined at REI headquarters by the climbing department. How much is purchased is also determined at the REI headquarters by the climbing department. If you feel you are being underserviced, then write a letter to the climbing department manager at REI AHQ. They do read them. REI is a high service orientated operation and I am sure they would excel in any type of service. I believe you can order any piece of climbing equipment you choose at the service desk--that may have changed but I am not sure. Many of the decisions on product mix, and inventory levels are based on results of historical performance for that department REI.

I would like to know if any ranters of REI have ever managed an outdoor retail business? Big or small. Don't matter. I wonder what Jim Nelson would say about the importance of product mix, products that have turnover, low inventory levels.....

thanks for sharing Paul!

Nice!

Damn good show you two.

I suspect becuase there is more demand for 9.4mm. If people demand more of a product, you can get away with charging a higher price.

Does anybody remember the old Eddie Bauer back in the days before many of you were born. They used to have climbing stuff. They went to clothes becuase they had better margins. If REI wants to move to better margins and more turnover on product...then good for them. In the retail industry you have to have a good location, decent margins, good turnover, and low overhead. Otherwise you will go belly up...

I had ACL repair. I was climbing in 5 months. However, I religiously did the PT told me what to do. It took 3 months to get the muscle mass back.

thanks for sharing!

Wow. you had a fire? Good job on getting one going! Wish I could spend an extra night in the woods if something went wrong....with a fire. mmmmmm fires.....