Peter_Puget

Murray - I think the 3rd Symphony has been a top seller in the "classical" (despite not being classical at all) sale group for years. You've inspired me to go by the CD of Tapestry since my turntable is no longer active I have forgotten about lots of old records like that.

Absurd. Only three of the pursuits mentioned in this dubious equation require precisely the qualities that Ben Bowman suggests allowed him passage on "the Big Ben": guts, skill and determination. I might add that wall climbing and alpine ascents often require a lust for adventure and tolerance for physical suffering. Bouldering requires only steel fingers and a crowd of pad people, sporting the latest affectation of teen-age hipsters' culture. The adventure and commitment found on the side of a boulder is better equated to playing Game Boy on level 3. Not that bouldering isn't fun......just don't pretend you're on top of Everest when you mantle 10 feet above your little crash pads. Typical papal nonsequitors. Not even close to being responsive to my post. PP

Ever heard of the Thimble? PP

Just a reminder shakti wil be here 9/25 Moore Theater

Don't let the negativity bring you down. Truth be told Distel most of the "Alpine"climbing on this site is hard to distinguish from hiking. But still, TRs like Jayb's adventure on Glacier are great to read about because you can get a sense of the spirit of the trip. The same spirit can exist in a 15' boulder ascent, Erden's trip to the north, a Rockies north wall or a Yosemite Big Wall. PP

I hate to state the obvious but the answer is: There is no ROCK CLIMBING FORUM!

Matt - Several times I have suggested to people that the WMA would be happy to donated equipment and as of yet all have declined. Rudy I think you are the man! 1/2" stainless waiting for you! PP

I think a guidebook would rock! If the road and access remain open the area is a great addition to the westside! Erik it is bouldering - finding a contrived variation is the best part.

I believe the gate is now unlocked and you can drive almost to the cliff. I do not know if the area is "offically" open again but it is seeing a lot of activity. The cliff itself is huge but the rock is not as nice as the Town Walls. There are lots of boulders in the area tho. I haven't been there since the logging but I hear it rocks!

I don't see it either. Minx are we still on for the gym tonight? PP

Jordop - Draw in your two pitches!

So true...bouldering is the scene these days in fact I heard 20 people were at Zeke's a couple weeks ago. I need to check it out despite that fact that I probably could climb even a V1. With the new guide this has been a Leavenworth year for me I have even bouldered there a few times..the horror! PP

What’s the new route story this year? Record weather and aside from a couple alpine routes not much is new. I have heard of only a few new rock routes; however, about a million new ones should have been put up this summer. Where are they? Maybe if there was a New R……. Erik – Spill the beans on your activities this summer. You must be holding out on us. PP

Sorry Trask I won't keep bugging you although I was being quite sincere. Cheers PP

http://www.mikedoyle.ca/index.shtml PP

Is that the climbing team coach? Have read his training guide? It is on the web as a PDF (or maybe Word) file. PP

RumR - Waddya say we ban Mystic from the new forum onc eit's up and running? PP

I believe I did read the site. Pasted below is the enitre section related to cams being blocked by debris. There is clearly only one case of a cam being blocked by debris. (Rex Pieper's) The draw event is simply not the same as the cam being blocked by debris. Cam held open by a foreign body From: Bill Yerazunis The official Petzl propaganda sheet cautions that situations where the cam is pressed open by rock or 'biner can cause the GriGri to fail to work From: Dave Buchanan The Gri-Gri slammed into the draw, with the cam taking the brunt of the impact. For whatever reason, I did not get speed-lowered. I'm not quite sure why. From: Greg Daughtry There are two reasons why you did not get speed lowered: 1) 11 feet off the ground, your belayer was suspended in air, with the climbing rope under the tension of her full body weight. Provided that your belayer still had her hand on the brake side of the rope, this presents a lot of force for the cam to lock. The device was locked prior to hitting the draw, which is a big distinction to the warning case presented on the Petzl web site about belaying with a bolt clipped just above the gri gri, on the leader side. 2) Even if the cam were completely open, the gri gri is still a pretty reasonable friction device. So long as your belayer doesn't take her hand off the brake side, you've still got a pretty good catch. This is why loading the gri gri backwards isn't the end of the world. From: Jonas Wiklund I am well aware of petzl's warnings regarding these matters, but I see no physical reasons for failure of grigri when the belayer gets yanked up to the first draw of a steep route. If the cam is slammed open, whats holding the belayer up in the air, forced againts the draw? Momentum? Magic? An antigravity belt? The grigri is open, hence the belayer start to decent down the rope. From: Rex Pieper I took a 60 footer on the Black Tower pitch on Zodiac in '97 when a fixed KB blew a few minutes after I was standing on it. The fall length wasn't caused by more gear ripping as a big alumnihead caught me. Instead, a small pebble got wedged INSIDE the GriGri, not allowing it to lock up in a fall. My partner finally got the rope under control, stopping me 10 feet above the ramp at the base of the Tower. From: Robert Fonda Always, always check the cam device BEFORE you get on the rock. Small pebbles and the like can get into the device and cause the cam to fail. I check mine constantly when I am belaying someone (especially at Josh). All it takes is for your partner to kick sand down and jam your device! PP

RBW - I found one example in your links indicating something prevented the cam from working. From your post I was expecting a bit more than one. Thanks for the links. PP

I am not a Gri-Gri fan and would be interested in showing evidence of these accidents to friends who do like Gri Gris please post some links to the supporting documentation. Thanks. PP

I agree pretty much with Mattp however suppose a climber was to become really good at reeling in - he/she would become a hazard! For instance say I am twenty feet out from the belay and slip off (w/ no pro) while I am falling my belayer "reels in" 10 feet of rope. So ignoring slack I have now fallen 30 on ten feet of rope - a fall factor of three! Ouch! PP

DFA- Check here: Menergy Now that you got rid of the Sub you can afford to buy music!

“The boys are in the back room shooting out Menergy….Menergy”

Ah Gay Discos a great way to get a headache....but anyone remember the tune Menergy? Wild times.