Freeman

I just ran over to the Petzl page and ran their fall simulator on this one. For a 72.6 kg climber falling 2.2 meters on 1.1 meter of "static" rope (fall factor 2) on a static anchor (12 mm bolt and Grigri) the calculated force is 17.1 kN. As you know, the UIAA rating for climbing rope is 12 kN with a fall factor of about 1.7 - the assumption is that a human body can take 12kN. Anything more (like 17) would result in probable injury. Just one more reason to not fall on runners (or a daisy chain)

Climb: Cannon Mountain-Cannon Mountain Couloir Date of Climb: 5/23/2004 Trip Report: The CFCC skied Cannon Mtn Couloir this weekend - it should last for at least one or two more weeks. We left Wenatchee about 8:00, parked at the Stuart trailhead, and walked out the old road to the big washout. Climb up the burned hillside, then traverse to the base of the couloir. The snow was good for step kicking - we didn't need either our skins or ice axes. Being old and slow we were on top by 2:00 and back at the car by 5. The rain and cooler temperatures had smoothed the surface and an inch of new wet snow made the skiing delightful. A photo from the previous week - there is less snow in the burn now but plenty in the couloir Gear Notes: Normal ski stuff - two hiked in tele boots - one carried AT boots

Actually, Mister E, one you might be interested in for your area is the orignal Mt Erie book - one of the few I would part with.

Every guidebook to Leavenworth that was ever written - including the orange and white Beckey's, a bunch of old Off Belay's from the 70's, and, like a couple of people in this thread, a copy of Climbing Ice, but it's signed by my wife as a Christmas present - and says that my present is a three day seminar with Chouinard and Donini learning to ice climb (circa 1978). A friend has promised his copy of Routes and Rocks as well as his orignal Beckey when he passes on - I'm in no hurry to collect.

Marylou Where is the road gated? Could you drive to Silver Star Creek or did you bike? We skied Silver Star Glacier from the cul to treeline two weeks ago in ankle deep pow - really great skiing on North aspects. If you got to 5400' you were probably close to the good stuff - usually the best skiing is from there to the cul.

The Duck Brand in Winthrop is pretty funky. And a great place for breakfast http://www.methownet.com/duck/

I'm pretty sure the ones I have are for the Comfort. They are one piece that slides over the binding (its got a funky looking fork thing that goes around the pivot post). I would be happy to trade for the base plates that screw onto the sides of the older bindings (two small pieces per binding). E-mail if this is of interest - I'm leaving saturday for a week in the Selkirks.

Only the parking lot and rest rooms. We have climbed there during the winter. (People have been known to park at the gate off the roadway when the lot is closed. I won't say that is legal, however....). Remember that parking on the road itself is a no-no

Here's the beta http://www.skileavenworth.com/programs/jumping.htm

Shawn, check your PM's

Nice going, Kyle and Curt, probably the second ascent! My recollection from 25 years ago is that it was a lot of effort for not much climbing, but if you want solitude and exercise.... There can be some serious avy exposure on the way in too

The Chelan County SHERIFF's Posse has been disbanded. There have been political differences between the Posse and the current CCSO administration. Skuttlebutt says the Posse is restarting w/o the "Sheriff" in its name and will be available for search and rescue missions under the direction of the Sheriff IF he wants to use them (remember that under RCW the county sheriff is responsible for all SAR missions in his county. In the past the Sheriff's Posse has been involved in a lot of the non-technical search and rescue missions in Chelan County (lost hunters, hurt snowmobilers, etc). On the other hand, the Chelan County Mountain Rescue Association (CCMRA) is alive and well. CCMRA typically does high angle and technical rescues and evacuations, althought we occassionaly assist with non-technical missions. CCMRA is an autonomous organization of volunteers who work under the direction of the Sheriff's incident command structure, but are independent of the CCSO. Recent missions have included the recovery of an avalanche victim and a recovery/rescue on Snow Creek Wall. I would be happy to offer other information off the bbs - please feel free to PM or e-mail me Freeman Keller secretary/treasure - CCMRA www.ccmra.org

Openspaces could you e-mail or PM me? Freeman

There has been a lot of chatter on TelemarkTips in the avalanche forum lately http://www.telemarktalk.com/phpBB/viewforum.php?f=5&sid=c9e2ff12c99eff8acc72dcde4e2a756d One interesting thread are the problems with, and possible recall of, the Ortovox X-1 (not on your list, I know).

I've got a good pair of the original Chile's (springs, not cartridges) with risers, heel lifters, and extra spring assemblies. Even got a couple pics I could send to you if you are interested. 50 bucks for the whole thing

check your PM's

Turbo was one happy puppy flying on the long line with his handler (and friend) Scott. I'm looking for a photo but all I could find was our other SAR dog - Eddie - on a Kootney High Line at Bridge Creek. It is amazing to watch a trained avalanche dog at work - and they seem to totally enjoy it. Turbo will be missed by the mountain folks around Wenatchee.

Looking at my book shelf last night I realized that I have about every Leavenworth guide from the original orange Beckey, the white Beckey, thru Victor's latest. I should donate the set to the Smithsonian. Does this date me?

Condorphamine Addiction - about 8 30 meter pitches of 5.8 - 9 with a move or 2 of 10c. Bring 12 qd's Givlers Crack (5.7) is worth the hike - then you can do the perfect 10 - Bo Derrick (5.10) Everything at Pearly Gates and of course, Orbit and Outer Space

As part of the State Parks budget b.s. they have been charging $5.00 to park at the Pinnacles. Don't know how much they have enforced it - I do know that other parks in the area have been fining violators.

Please be patient. We have a theory about what happened and we will publish it both here and in AINAM but we need a little more time to confirm details and get permission to make it public. At this time, let me just say that we need to check and recheck every link in the rappel system every time we rap. I liken the rope in climbing to the seat belts in your car - they are there in case something bad happens, but rappelling is like the brakes, they have to be used correctly and nothing can be allowed to fail.

Forwarded to me by the reporter that wrote the article in the Wenatchee Paper: Freeman, in case you didn't see this, here is a copy of the story about the climber who died at Snow Creek Wall that was written today in his hometown newspaper in Rhode Island ... Rock climbing fall claims city native in Washington JOSEPH B. NADEAU , Staff Writer 09/25/2003 WOONSOCKET -- As they remembered William M. Tharpe yesterday, it helped his family to know the 28-year-old former city resident had never feared living his life on the edge. Tharpe was killed in a climbing accident in Washington state's Northern Cascades on Monday. He lived for the challenges he found outdoors, his parents said. "He lived day to day and he lived life. Everything was always 200 percent, it was amazing," the climber's father, William H. Tharpe said from his Jillson Avenue home as family and friends gathered to remember his son Wednesday. Tharpe fell from a rock face known as Snow Creek Wall while climbing with a fellow graduate student, Matt Burns, 27, according to published reports. His family said Tharpe was reported to be climbing back to Burns to help him begin a descent off a ledge in the wall. The accident occurred as Tharpe unhitched the rope to prepare it for rappelling and fell 300 to 400 feet down the rock wall. "He had come back to him (Burns) and removed his harness from the rope and as he was retying it, he slipped and fell down," his father said. A mountain rescue team later plucked Burns from his precarious spot and located Tharpe's body. A "free spirit" who also seemed a throwback to the 60s, Tharpe had many interests in his active live and most involved a degree of risk, according to his family. It was a lifestyle that allowed him to pack a lot of living into just 28 years. "He surfed, ice climbed, mountain climbed," his father said. "He snowboarded on Mount Rainier." Somewhere in those pursuits, Tharpe, a 1993 graduate of Woonsocket High School, also had a plan. After earning a bachelors degree in Anthropology, Tharpe went to work on a graduate degree at Western Washington University. "He wanted to get a masters degree in outdoor education," Tharpe's mother, Linda, said. "He was going to try to teach in an outdoor program with kids," she said. It was a natural goal for a young person with a passion for snowboarding, skiing and mountaineering, according to his mother. "You name it, he had done it," she said. Tharpe was an Eagle Scout who had done his final scouting project on the deeply wooded Cole Farm and Booth Pond area near his home on Jillson. "He marked trails so people could hike them and not get lost," his mother said. His passion for the outdoors included trips to Europe where he climbed the Matterhorn in the Alps last winter, and also visits to Peru and to Thailand to surf," his mother said. As she grieved her son Wednesday, Tharpe said she kept thinking of his love for the outdoors. "I take comfort in the fact that if he had to die, at least he died while doing something he loved the most," she said. Tharpe's survivors also include a twin brother, Leigh, and a sister, Heather.

We have some theories about what might of happened but want to let the dust settle first. I would like to talk to Matt Burns when convenient - if anyone knows him could they ask him to call me. I think it is safe to say that the reports are fairly accurate.

I want to publicly apologize for my quip about the local newspaper, the Wenatchee World. They did an excellant job reporting the accident and rescue - accurate without sensationalizing it, and sensitive to the people involved. Michelle and Kelly, you

Necro, let me add a few comments about this accident specifically. I was there. When we arrived the local newspaper was already there, with a photographer and a reporter who I both know, trust, and respect their work. The photographer hiked up to SCW (I don't know if the reporter did - I didn't see her). We did our business and I finally got back to the trailhead about midnight. They were there, photo flashes in our face, reporter notebook in hand. We answered questions - specific questions about what route they were on and general questions about SCW and questions about what we thought had happened. I told her some of the things I couldn't or wouldn't answer and asked to strike some of my comments after I had thought about them. I rode home with the deputie who had served as the Incident Commander. He was, I guess livid might be the right word, that "those **** reporters kept asking the name of the climber". He refused to give that information, as did the rest of us. As we were driving home, at 12:30 in the morning, he called the county coroner and woke her from her sleep. He said she had wanted a call as soon as the SAR number was closed, whatever the hour. He gave her the victims personal information, name, drivers license, student id, etc, as well as information from the partner. I asked him why, at 12:30 in the morning, he was doing all that, and he said that she (the coroner) wants to start working on notifying the next of kin (How would you like that job). By 8 next morning there were already messages from 2 reporters and one more on the line. I told one that the last time he had misquoted me I told him I would never give him another interview, answered some clarifying questions from the one who had covered the rescue, and told the 3rd that her story on a related, but controversial, aspect of our rescues was not appropriate at this time. When I saw the story in the paper tonight I was pleased and satisfied. The name of the deceased was not give as the next of kin had not been notified. The photos and story told, fairly accurately, what had happened. I think the media did its job of reporting the news to those of us who want to know what went on. I think the deputie and coroner did their jobs by protecting the identy of the deceased. I think the rescue people did their jobs of handling the situation in the best way we could. I'm always sorry when we learn of bad things thru the news, but in this case I think it was ok.