Beck

I don't have much up to date info, but for anyone who didn't hear, an avalanche at 13,000 ft on the lib Ridge route has definetly stranded a group of climbers, don't know if any of them were injured, a helo was suppossed to overfly their position this AM. check tommorrows NPS morning report for a incident report at NPS.gov/morningreport/

This is not a reccommendation on any one pack or other, rather a lament that not many pack manufacturers make mid- 4,000 cu in packs that weigh under five pounds- Some of the Dana and Gregory packs weigh in at 7 pounds( if I'm remembering things correctly)- admittedly these are serious load haulers but you start out with a seven pound load w/o any gear. For light overnights you can get by with any maker's klettersack, I wish more companies would put out larger versions of the classic"garbage sack with straps" style pack- no side access zippers, no "spandura side panels" or other wierd crap that usually craps out when you're in the thick of it- I carry arcteryx Bora sometimes and also a great alpine pack from TNF that they don't make anymore- 4800 cu bivy extension sleeve spectra type fabric sub four pounds. I hear raves about Kelty cloud and a similar pack they make- very very light and carry well, too!

quote: Originally posted by danielpatricksmith: Beck, Thanks for the report. I loved Mellow Gold, your second album, not so much. Well, it's all been downhill since "one foot in the grave"- I think i was happier when i was homeless.

To throw in some more digressionary info, a piolet IS an axe; your carry an axe in various positions, piolet canne, like a cane, piolet panne, like a finger, piolet ramasse, like a railing (if i'm rembering this correctly.) French technique is all styles of walking on ice/snow without front pointing. I don't believe front points made it onto crampons until the 1930's so "french technique" reflects that gear restriction on climbing. [This message has been edited by Beck (edited 05-26-2001).]

If Pope needs advice on his pick he should get Donna to give his a good polish- Pope, Chouinard has it right, 5-10 degrees Negative clearance on a piolet pick. Or are you referring to "recurved" picks for aggressive front pointing and waterfall /mixed use? Most axes don't have the correct clearance so you'll just adjust it with a file, don't use the grinder wheel or you'll wreck the temper.

Last weeks' storm pattern deposited a good amount of fresh snow and layering in the snowpack- Sunday 4/20 experienced collapsing, vacuous crusts throughout. Even though this week's warm temps have totally helped cook it down, if the weekend's weather rolls in, please keep aware of continuing snowpack instabilities, particularily on shaded, sheltered, or wind loaded slopes. This IS a conservative report, I'm just calling the shots as I see them- Beck ANNENDUM: jan, feb, mar, apr, may, let's make that 5/20 [This message has been edited by Beck (edited 05-25-2001).]

Alpine K's first response to Donna was right on the money- She should loosen up, have some fun , and roll with things - in this site, on the rocks, wherever- Her posts seem to elicit more sympathy than anything else- I do empathise for her, but there's over six and a half billion of us crowding this rock and she'll just have to share that sacred ground she walks on with everybody else, in reality or in cyberspace.Weather she's hot or not.

What a grave disadvantage to live in a technologically advanced society with free access to public forums like this on the internet! As well as an affluent society that allows a lot of us great opportunities to enjoy recreation in the hills with a whole bunch of shiny things and flashy clothes and hi tech devices to guide even more people out to the mountains. A horrible shame on the magazines and retailers for exploiting the outdoors and crowding the "great" places. Cascade climbers is a great resource for discourse, discussion, beta, etc. and as is the case with public forums, there is a lot of chaff off the grain. If the users of this site can't cope with the reality of a lot of crap on the internet, I reccommend hooking up an old IBM Seletric to the phone line. People really are allowed to be stupider than you, Donna, and maybe not even as good a climber, too!! Heaven forbid you need to share the wilderness or this site with people more novice or loutish-have a satisfying summer beating the crowds- don't get a case of Route Rage!

It is not purely corporate forces driving the hoardes of cragcrowders. Corporate forces may encourage yearly updates to your gear or ski quiver via annual "product updates" or new "color schemes"- just look at the monstrosity that REI has become! What draws people to the mountains are the same urges that draw all of us- vistas,grandeur, recreation, connecting with the earth, getting grimy. Society and American Culture are the tainting forces at the crags and the big walls, the classic routes and the "hot spots" Rude behavior, hogging routes, dropping rocks, loud music, louts on routes, are all more emblematic of our failing as a culture to embody and encourage a vital and cooperative outdoor ethic. [This message has been edited by Beck (edited 05-22-2001).]

Rob, I used the word BOMBSHELTER metaphorically, this is the new BETAMID that weighs in at 2.2 lbs. a pound and a half lighter than the MEGAMID.

I have to concur with this TR regarding the snow conditions. While climbing in a different locale this past weekend I have to report unconsolidated snow conditions on most aspects. While by this time most climbers are expecting firm corn snow and well consolidated spring conditions THIS IS NOT THE CASE. The snowpack (as of Sunday 4/20 at least) showed significant storm layers from the last weeks snow and hard crusts atop weak grains or buried surface hoar. We need a prolonged period of cool nights and warm days to cook this snowpack down, the forcast looks promising. [This message has been edited by Beck (edited 05-22-2001).]

Will concur with Smoker that the Sitcum off Glacier Peak is one of the nicest, most sustained glisades you can do in the Cascades- that whole earlier chat Re: debris up the butt shows me not many climbers are giving the standing glissade a shot? MUCH MUCH more fun than sitting and more graceful too, you can carve turns like skiing and change directions as well.

The snowpack isn't settling into consolidated springtime snow conditions yet and the Ptarmigan Traverse demands a stable snowpack. I wouldn't do it so soon this year, as we've gotten quite a bit of late season snow. Our plans for the Forbidden Traverse over Memorial Day may get hosed off as well.

Just a note to all that the new tent from BD ROCKS!! 2.2 pounds of dual pyramid tent that sleeps two and sets up on your trekking poles- think of two smaller versions of the Megamid joined in the center- it is the BOMBSHELTER that is a fast and light school's wet dreams!

go to any optometrist and specifically ask for "glass lenses for snow and high altitude use. I have looked into this in depth and when the optitian calls the lab any reputable local lab will get your lenses from a speciality lab in Cincinnati. There are the only lab in the US that does high altitude lenses and i imagine opticus uses them as well. My lenses cost just over 120 dollars. Bring in some Julbo frames and get your glasses done cheaper, just make sure you get "high altitude glass sunglass lenses. ------------------