MPaul_Hansen

Those in the climbing scene who should be recognized, respected ...or other such adverb/adjective ... Perhaps it is worthwhile to mention the volunteers of Mountain Search & Rescue councils ....plus including the Founders, ie. Wolf Bauer (previously mentioned) Dr. Otto Trott + Ohme Diaber etc. ...

There are several lodges at Steven besides the Mountaineers. By Private clubs. Suggest you email on the ski area website to find out specifics. They operate on a lease or permit from USFS. As does the Steven Pass ski area. Overnight parking for the lodge users, I believe, is allowed in the lot just west of the pass on the N. side of US 2.

Advice for locally teaching kids in deep snow... ie Cascade Concrete, Snoqualmie Sement, etc. ...go if possible to ski areas w/ truly light snow ie Rockies. Or perhaps Mission Ridge, Mt. Spokane, small Idaho resorts such as Soldier Mtn.

WA St traverses - large YES, small also ?? i.e How about: All peaks of Lemah Mtn + Chimney Rock? ....or Denny Mtn to Chair Peak ? ? + Roosevelt or Kaleetan ? ...or an "off-the-wall" traverse of the arch N. of Rainier ...

Re: Major Newhalem Developments- NPS document, the GMP General Management Plan for Ross Lake NRA This includes a reference to "Establish Climbing Management Areas". See post in Access Forum, under saving N. Cascades climbing.

RE: Ross Lake Nat. Recreation Area GMP- General Management Plan NPS just sent out a flyer on the above. The link is: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/rola NPS staff contact is: Anna_Tamura@nps.gov (206)220-4157 Apparently public comment is still being taken on at least one document. And later on an EIS or EA.? There is a Seattle meeting at the Mountaineers, Olympus Room March 5 6-8 pm 300 Third Ave. West. Meetings also scheduled for Concrete WA on Feb. 25, Sedro-Wooley on Feb. 26, Bellingham WA on March 4. Under Summary of Alternatives page 8 it states: "no action alternative - Maintain existing climbing opportunities "Alternative B [& others] - Establish Climbing Management Areas"

RE: rope tows Understand there have been deaths in WA State, but will not give specifics here. Understand the Meany tow is planned to be eventually? replaced once funding is secured for a used replacement chairlift. Believe the chairlifts, at least in the past, fell under the jurisdiction of Elevator Codes & Regulations. There are a number of incidents world-wide for chairlifts and gondolas, including a fighter-jet in training that sliced a cable. Quite a number of deaths in this European tragedy occurred.

Old ropes - From a previous CC thread on the subject; another possibility is to make weaved hammacks out of the old ropes. I also use them to hang up Windsurfers from my basement rafters.

Also go latter in the year, when the crowds thin out; and there is more sunshine - ie in March to April. Children because of their small statue get cold more easily. I start them in a snowplow between my legs with essentially no explaination - to get them to learn the feel of the boards sliding on snow. That is learn by doing. Some kids like different approaches, though. But be sure to keep it fun. With timeouts to play in the snow or whatever.

RE: floods destroying roads .... As a retired road & bridge designer, the users of same should be aware that the available funds and budget can, at times, dictate the layout and design. Even though there added risks ie when major flooding and scouring, unstable slopes, poor soils etc are not factored in with the priority; that at least, might make same 'semi-permanent.

'True' summits - confirmation using a simple ?device? ....next time my friends & I are in the above areas ... will pack a custom altered Hand Level [or salvaged Theodolite Head from a Transit [similar to spotting scope] used by surveyors for decades, with a special mount to fasten to a minature camera tripod, and avoid hand unsteadiness. To get a direct visual indication of relative height. Yes, per std. surveying practice; sightings should be made in both directions, preferrably with roughly equal line of sights. [Not that this is of great importance ....]

"Vhy can't Ve just climb"? -John Salathe ....

RE: DH for the "average" joe skier .... If any readers want a 'kinder, gentler' introduction to Downhill Racing, the Crystal Mtn ski area has an annual spring-time event down QuickSilver, 'scaled' back to allow for most willing participants. Go to www.skicrystal.com and follow the Events links. One can use regular Alpine gear on this course ... or your telemark set up, randonee, etc. Not necessary for instance to own a pair of boards similar to my 220 cm DH Racers [Head] donated to me by an ex-US "B" team member.

Racing is good.....if done safely. Please be advised, as best as I can recollect, there were several serious injuries and the death of a prominent Skier in the Silver Skis Races. May have contributed to suspension of said race, among other factors. Of course the same can be said of formally sponsered DH races. Even on the FIS - World Cup circuit with plastic fences etc a death occurs...say every 5-10 years or so.

RE: is it worth the drive ?? Perhaps, if time permits, some could consider alternative transportation; to be? "oil-smart" particularly given the price of fuel, which is expected to rise in the long-term. Island Cnty Transit route in vicinity http://islandtransit.org/index.cfm?pageID=2506 There are links to various county bus systems from KC Metro Transit Also see http://transit.metrokc.gov/tops/oto/translinks.html Regional BUS access links

Matterhorn, McKinley [Denali] & "Ghosts of K2" on TV Viewers may wish to take in the 3 one hour TV shows that are on Channel 271 in Seattle today. Includes reference to the American K2 expedition, and its heart-breaking attempt to save the late Art Gillkey. Participants in this attempted rescue high on the slopes of K2 include local PNW mountaineers.

Re: US 2 expansion -some cancellation history Will add more on a later edit, about actions to defer construction in the 1960's and 1970's.

RE: What got you started in climbing .... Introduced to hiking in my youth by friends...and followed. Friends then graduated to 'scrambling' and in turn to climbing when older. Since that time just another way to enjoyed the outdoors, be sociable, and get some exercise for conditioning, physical fitness.

It has been some years [ ?decades? ] since a large suspension bridge has been constructed in the US. Hope someday to tour the cable(s) and make an "ascent" of the towers. But probably not due to US insurance and liability issues. And now security issues. Such tours are permitted on a few such large bridges overseas, however. No budget at the moment for an overseas trip, but if undertaken will post a TR .....

RE: gear storage - alternative approach .... Prefer to segregate equipment [ ice, trad, alpine....etc] into plastic storage bins 3'x18"x15" or so, resting on 1" or 7/8" plywood shelving; shelving supported on wall studs with underlying 'knee braces' of 1/2", 5/8" triangular plywood with top and side strips. Knee braces mounted to wall studs thru side strip with 3 min. 3"+ wood screws, knee braces at 32" cc or 48" cc. Optional: add bungee cords/webbing on outside, to retain bins in case of an earthquake, or accidental impact.

RE: ski ballet & 'freestyle'...evolved into two events Several links exist on the history of FreeStyle Skiing but do not seem to explicitly state why Ballet was de-emphasized in favor of the two FIS sponsered events - Aerials and Moguls. Probably there are several factors, including popular and commerical appeal, ie on the World Cup Circuit and the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy. At one time "ski ballet" was a demonstration event at a past Winter Olympics, some time ago. An example of a link with some limited information: http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/sports/freestyleskiing/history.shtml Also see http://www.fis-ski.com http://www.freestyleski.com http://www.ussa.org/PublishingFolder/232.htm

Yes, situations and policies can vary, but USFS OFFICIALLY allows B/C tourers to go up the Sun Valley, Idaho groomed resort runs; w/o charge on Baldy Mtn.. Of course as long as one keeps well to the side away from those descending. This policy seems to have been working well for several years now. PS Took advantage of this by awakening at 4:30am 2 yrs ago in Elkhorn and ski ascended the 600 ft Dollar Mtn backside before opening during a 7deg F snowflurry. The snowfall abatted, and greatly enjoyed seeing the sunrise, before descending on the best 14" of Rocky Mtn light fluff I've experienced.....

Re: Survival Gear for Winter conditions.... Some good previous suggestions... Past experience is that an implement [shovel - blade ] to quickly make a trench igloo can be beneficial.

Willis Wall first ascent by Charlie Bell First ascent of Willis Wall not by Charlie Bell

Speaking from the perspective of one who was unsuccessful in making a permanent relocation to NZ some time ago: Read the NZ history of the last 200 years, especially since WW II. And perhaps the James Michner book - 'Until They Sail'[Return to Eden]. And the movie based on the book of the same name, with Paul Newman. Yank men in the past were not always looked upon with favor, though times have changed attitudes, at least to some degree. Since 1965 or so, wages were not what they once were. But NZ is arguably, indeed a more elegaritan society. But personally I always wear a Canadian MapleLeaf lapel pin when travelling overseas, eh ??