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slaphappy

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    Mystery Photo

    in Spray

    Posted

    Matt- That's not actually a sleeping pad, although we were carrying over. It is a low elevation climb that can easily be seen from the road but there is no direct "trail" to the formation and there is significant elevation gain to the base. It can be done in a day (rare) but we had another objective as well.

     

    *The clue has to do with the distinct change of color in the stone from the climber's left to his right. It is described as such in the Beckey Bible.

    Mystery Photo

    in Spray

    Posted · Edited by slaphappy

    Matt you are right, there is a pine directly behind "me" and it is on the eastern side of the crest. Not the Coquihalla though.

     

    *There is one subtle clue that should clue someone in to the location.

    BODY RECOVERY AT VANTAGE

    in Climber's Board

    Posted · Edited by slaphappy

    Allison (and others)- The way this whole thing has unfolded is not humorous. Although had someone made the dummy look a bit more fake, no 911 call was ever placed, and no one got hurt "investigating" I do find the concept behind the prank humorous. I have participated in a rescue where the climber did not live, I assure you I find no humor in rescues. Had things turned out differently, are you so uptight that you can't recognize any humor in it? confused.gif Geez lighten up.

     

    A number of years back while wandering around late night under a full moon, I sat on top of Sunshine Wall, and with my feet rocked Herm's Tower back and forth a few inches. We joked about toppling it down, and how someday it would fall over on it's own, hopefully without a passenger. I never climbed Positive Vibrations and warned my friends of it's precarious state.

     

    One thing that puzzles me (why, I don't know) is if someone pryed or used a car jack to trundle it from the top, why didn't just the top 10 feet or so topple off? The columns at Frenchman's are just a bunch of huge detached blocks balanced atop one another. If they jacked it from the bottom, well, they have a death wish. Or was gravity the culprit?

     

    On a lighter note, JY says there is a pretty awesome crack where the chimney route used to be, anyone climb it yet?

    BODY RECOVERY AT VANTAGE

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    JY heard that Herm's Tower had been toppled. He went over to confirm this and to recover some of his hangers from Positive Vibrations if it was in fact true. (it is) While heading down the scree he saw what looked like a body under some rubble, immediately called 911 and waited for them to respond. After they showed up and discovered the dummy, they now want to talk to the individuals responsible for the hoax/trundle. They told JY he did the right thing by calling 911 before approaching the "body". One of the officers who responded apparently twisted his ankle in the scree.

     

    I doubt the individuals responsible for the prank would have wanted it to go this far, it's a shame that it did, it's really quite humerous.

    RETRO

    in Climber's Board

    Posted · Edited by slaphappy

    Cavey, DeadSpace isn't talking about where your pin is at, he's refering to the roof to the left of it. You traverse a thin seam straight left (from your pin) and pull an awkward roof. No one thinks a bolt should go there, he just wants people to climb his route. It's a rather weak troll.

     

    One thing he doesn't mention is that if the leader were to fall and pull the sliders or didn't have them and fell attempting to climb through, the fall would be a pendulum smack onto a steep slab. The .75 Camalot before the roof is bomber and would keep the leader off the deck for sure. That said, leave it boltless.

    ALPINE BOWLING

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    Hmmm, I might be able to help you CB.

     

    While rapping down a route in Leavenworth my climbing partner nudged a block the size of a big fridge. Surprisingly, it moved a few inches. After makin damn sure no one was around he proped his feet up on it and gave it a shove. It slid down a short slab, went airborne, then crashed on to a slab below. Instead of breaking up it bounced, hit the hillside below pulverizing a small vine maple and creating a crater where it used to be. After tumbling a few hundred feet downhill, still gaining momentum, it hit a 12" dia. (aprox.) Ponderosa. The tree appeared to explode. The block, still in it's original form, continued it's path of destruction down the hillside occasionally visible bouncing through the dense undergrowth and finally coming to rest in a large scree/boulder field. After rapping to the ground I went down to see what was left of the tree. The block had crushed the trunk but instead of cutting it, the tree was actually up-rooted. What a terrifying display of power!

     

    What about trees that come spontaneously crashing down cliffs, nearly wiping out two climbers? [Eek!] That's gotta be worth somethin!

     

    Surely you have seen a few CB. Let's hear it. [Wink]

    Voile Split Board

    in The Gear Critic

    Posted

    I know that some of us have discussed this before yet I can not resist plugging snowshoes as a far better option for backcountry riding than a split board.

     

    genespires says:

    quote:
    Some things that suck:

    -following a ski track is not easy as your track is way larger than the skiers. Like breaking trail all the time, unless there is a fellow splitter in your group.

    -traversing tracks is hard

    -time it takes to convert between uphill and downhill modes. Makes rolling ridges and the like very annoying. Flats between steeps too.

     

    things that rock:

    -going downhill!!!!!!!!!!(makes it all worhtwhile)

    So what I see is that basically splitboards suck. If the ride is the only good thing, does it not make more sense to use a one piece deck that performs far better in adverse conditions? A board with a cut down the center of it will always be a compromise torsionally.

     

    genespires also says:

    quote:
    All in all, times are very fun. But you have to think a little more about where you can go, topography-wise. Need to avoid rolling terrain, avoid traverses and find consistent slopes to ride down.

    Iain makes a number of good points as well. In a nutshell, snowboards split or not aren't ideal for backcountry "tours". They are, however, tuff to beat if you choose the right objective. Steep runs with minimal flat areas are obviously the best.

     

    From my experience while riding with friends who own splitboards rarely (never that I can recollect) is it significantly faster for them to try and switchback up any steep hillside than it is for me to snowshoe straight up, particularly when there is a crust or windpack. The split board in ski mode simply can't traverse the slope, be it the lack of support from the soft boots or the wide skis. They end up taking them off and post-holeing. Although I would never say snowshoes are as fast as a proficient free heel skier, it is possible to ride together effectively given the right conditions.(them breaking trail [Wink] )

     

    If you're a boarder looking to limit your runs to the Muir Snowfield (or the like), by all means a splitboard is the way to go. However if your looking to explore some of our steeper terrain save the $1000 and by a pair of snowshoes. Yes, snowshoeing is gruelling and damn near impossible at times but it keeps you in outstanding shape for those long alpine approaches next summer.

     

    Just my opinion.

    Climber Dog's

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    PLEASE, leave dogs at home while cragging some of us do not appreciate their presence. I don't want help eating my lunch (or an audience), don't like being greeted, sniffed, barked at, begged from, HATE them under my feet on approaches, HATE changing plans cause "my dog can't go there" [Roll Eyes] , and hate dog shit on the trail. MOST owners suck as well, your dog and their "tricks" may be cute to you but not to everyone.

     

    Crackbolter said it best- "NO DOGS!!!"

     

    * I am not a full-on dog hater, just hate them when I'm out climbing!

     

    Oops forgot one- I don't need help "cleaning" my scraped up legs or hands!

     

    [ 11-17-2002, 12:36 PM: Message edited by: slaphappy ]

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