plexus

NITRO!!! This is by far the scariest shit I've ever seen. Save me Baby Jesus!!!

Smoke Bluffs, that's really Northern Washington, right? Giant Green Snag Butt Cumberland Pass Lib Bell group Condor Upper Town Black Wall - Erie I'm out after 8. Never went to Castle Rock nor Snow Creek nor Spire, although I wish I had.

My condolences to the families and the rescue crews. God speed to his spirit.

Also if they are fatigued, a less technical, risky way down the mountain would probably be used. Their nerves are shot by this point so they would want to take the route that has less risk even if it is slightly longer.

And I actually thought about getting a cell phone after the recent events in Oregon. After reading this, I probably won't now. Thanks for saving me ketch.

I'll second that. My wife loves the basin, especially if you go early enough when there are scores of waterfalls. Last time up was shortly after 9/11. Had the sea of peaks effect as all of the mountaintops poked above the mist and fog that blanketed the lowlands and valleys. There were several small American flags on the summit in honor of those that perished just a couple of weeks earlier.

Well done gents. Very eloquent and introspective Bryan and Darin. My wife and I came across the remains of the small prop plane near Washington Pass a few years ago. It was a brisk October morning with painfully bright blue skies, the larches were beyond gold; they were pulsating. We came across the wreckage after climbing a couple of the Kangaroos, it was a very contemplative way to end the day. Said a little prayer and was quite thankful for the day we were able to experience. I always figure I can die any moment, I just try to live a full life without fear.

OK, I admit it. I laughed at this one. Just a tip, bring more clothes than you think you're going to need as well. Just from covering enough stories about people lost, most of them don't bring enough clothes to survive the night. Also no cotton.

In the Mt Hood thread, I keep reading comments about lines and quotes in stories. There is one thing you must remember; We are morons, especially in broadcast news. I have worked both in print and TV and I can honestly tell you, some of our writers and reporters and anchors are some of the dumbest people I have met. The best analogy to make is, if we were still hunter-gatherers, Darwinism would have struck. I had once made a writer change "hikers" to "climbers". His response was "Same thing". Mind you this was a guy who was 5'3" and about 200 pounds and had a heart attack reading Harry Potter. So I told him, "So I can call you an Orthodox Jew then. Because to me, it's the same thing." He finally got the jist. You'd be surprised how many "hikers" need rescuing in Boulder Canyon or Clear Creek Canyon. I can go on and on. I will say print reporters are generally smarter than TV reporters. To move up the ladder in print, you have to write well and know what you're writing about, or at least fudge it fairly well. To move up the ladder in TV, all you need for many News Directors is a certain look and be able to do a good live shot. I'm working on it, just like Barkernews is. But there are only so many of us that are in journalism that have any type of knowledge in regards to climbing and outdoors activities, and for that matter, many different niches that isn't related to journalism or television. Then again, I have a reporter that can't drive herself to a story because she gets confused with right and left. Sigh....do I have to go back to work tomorrow?

Best of luck to the rescuers, the injured party found and his two partners. Hopefully they didn't do anything rash.

Do you have a campus wall and vast quantities of beer? Another hobby like model plane building or ships in bottles would also be useful.

Hey dude, Backcountry skiing, if conditions aren't avalanche prone, you'll find plenty. The tour from Vail Pass to Vail resort is supposed to be top-notched. The only time I've been out backcountry this season so far, the coverage was thin just north of Dillon. Heading out to St Mary's or up by Rollins Pass on Monday. Also around Berthoud Pass is nice. The problem with there, is surprisingly many people don't realize it, the avy conditions are frequently high there due to the lack of sun, the constant pounding of wind and it usually receives a bit more snow than nearby places. Ice climbing, head out to Quandry Peak south of Breckenridge and north of Hoosier Pass. I don't do technical ice, but a couple of years ago, my wife and I did a real fun mixed route of rock, steep snow and some snice on the NE shoulder of Quandry. BTW, we could use another storm to get some fresh pow-pow. Also clean out yer private message folder or "No soup for you!"

I shave my face once a week. Is that groomed enough? I go for the secret stashes of plab. Did I use that term correctly Timmy?

Because the email says in response to "said photo in Cascadeclimbers.com gallery". I've gotten a few but they have stopped since I changed my email address. Take out the @ sign and change it with the word "at". People will get what your email is and you won't be the King of Spamalot. "Spamalot?" "Spamalot!" "It's only a model."

I would think there would be a way to deny access from certain IP addresses. Any of you techno-smarter-than-I-am guys have any ideas?

Like how you leave us on a cliffhanging ending.

I watched the video four times because I couldn't stop laughing at your friend at the right. The one guy is talking and the other guy is just struggling and can't get out of the pit o' powder. Looks like you guys had a good trip.

"Wow Ryan you really seem to be climbing really well tonight. What's your secret?" "Oh, I just took a page out of Moises Alou's playbook. I just piss on my hands before I climb a route."

I'd just hate to be up there on those contraptions!! I'd trust that equipment as much as I'd trust a tax accountant wearing a bow tie.

Stay off of it!!! I sprained my ankle a few years back, decided to take pain killers and wrap it and then climb a mountain three days later (c'mon, it was a beautiful sunny November day in the PNW, how can you not?) Well doing that I managed to rip some tendons and I still break scar tissue from time to time. Moral of the story: Stay off of yer ankle, unless the summit is really, really worth it.

Funny, I'm just about to replace mine. The backing got bent so it can't take proper readings for barometric pressure any longer. I'm thinking about getting one that you clip onto your backpack. Something to keep in mind, when doing anything in cooler weather, the watch is a pain with coat sleeves and gloves, etc.

Resort once, backcountry once. Until we get another storm here in Colorado, it's bring yer ice skates up to the mountains time. We're having record highs. Survival skied in the backcountry yesterday on a nice icy crust with rocks poking out. Buh-bye week-old dump. At least we'll have a good base for the next round of storms.

I agree, got my set for $80. The pain has been finding ski brakes. I see sets of 404s going on ebay for over $100 and I just shake my head.

"Cascade bushwacking has it's reward, I reflected, and that reward is the positive knowledge that there is a barbed-wire barrier between you and the civilized world, coupled with the kingly privacy of your very own alpine meadow." I like this quote. We were much more eloquent back in the day.

Like Darin, I have heard of people that have climbed Granite Mtn and the rock quality is friable at best; lots of loose stuff. They also never went back for a second time. I remember having the same question you had the first time I passed it on the pass trail.