plexus

Wow!! I'm glad I stayed away from the board the day that was posted!!! I did find my new hobby yesterday though: belay bitch!!! I belayed a friend for five leads at Garden of the Gods yesterday. Not as bad as it sounds, he didn't take the swinging whipper I thought he was going to on this 11. And the bonus is he paid for the beers and Mexican food afterwards!!!

I'm down with this line of thought. Seriously, the lift and other technical specs, other than weight really should be inconsequential if it is only used as an approach bike. I'm down for something I don't mind thrashing, what can get me up some logging road (N Twin Sister, Monte Cristo) and that I don't mind if it is mutilated by a bear while I'm gone for most of the day climbing a peak.

What about ancient Chinese Water Torture?

After a long, unfulfiling day at work, if in need of a pick-me-up, all I have to do is click... http://www2.nature.nps.gov/air/WebCams/parks/nocacam/nocacam.cfm And life seems somewhat a little better. And if that doesn't work, well, that's what beer is for.

Brienne, It depends on how high the walls are. I usually just traverse and boulder. If you want to try getting used to trad climbing, in your climbing do some lockoffs (to simulate placing pro). Also try climbing with a weight belt to work on carrying more weight. It's amazing what a difference that just five pounds can make. I can get up to 5.11 sport and nowhere near that with a full rack on. Well...actually I have a messed up forearm so I ain't climinb shit no more.

So after having my old North Face bag for close to 12 years it is time to retire it. It still keeps me warm but it is so old it now smells like I can smoke out anybody regardless of how many times I wash it. So any recommendations for a 15-degree bag. Thinking of down since I live in a dry climate now and it seems like the gortex technology has gotten it down to one drop of water isn't going to ruin it any longer. Looking for sumthing around $120 or so.

That last photo looks like from Lord of the Rings. Could've been filmed there. Took some great photos. Ironically we heard about the Kea parrots last week from a friend who visited there. They'll strip your windshield wippers off in a matter of seconds. Even more incentive to get down there. Thnx.

Sucks dood... I had a minor incident on a 2 finger pocket about 6 months ago. I let it be for over a month and it got better, but like I said, it was pretty minor, not the full blown mess you seem to have got yourself into. I say take advantage and start up a new sport... I already had as a hobby!! Just now I'm gonna be getting fat from the since the only activity I can do is..well...

Well got the I would say good news given everything: slight tear in the flexor tendons. out 3-8 weeks. Unfortunately it is in my right arm and I have to remember not to do much with it. Thank god I'm married!!!!!!

So today bouldering with a friend and the wife at lunch. Doing a low way overhanging traverse, legs spread out on lil' jobs, two fingers of right hand on pocket and left hand underclinging pooh. Shift wait, left hand slips off the dookie, body falls towards the ground, ring and middle fingers of right hand stay in pocket!! Well this is a new feeling, never stretched my fingers like that before. Obvisouly have pain in the forearm, small area of forearm is swollen. I can type, close hand without pain, carry light things, closing stubborn sliding glass door = pain. Have a trip planned on the third weekend of March. Am I going to be a belay bitch?!

Hey Ken, Can't you just bolt on some fossilized mandrill turds or something?

Wow, I'm shocked that Dru hasn't weighed in on this one yet. Maybe he's too busy booking his flight to the UK.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4756514.stm

Obviously Pope doesn't shop at your store!!

I can let you borrow my AT boots. Eight pounds for the pair, you'll be pulling Matrix moves in no time. Contact me in June when I am all skied out.

True is dat. Somebody said it a year ago on this thread that its all about expectations. That being said: 1. Frisco Peak - traversing from the pass is on china dinner plates slopingly stacked. The route we did ended up being over the river and down the dale three times on shit rock (although on the "ridge" was the most solid. Got up to around 5.8 but was fearful to put any pro on and just dragged the rope up and belayed the wife using me as an anchor. The talus ankle-breaker back to the pass was almost as bad. 2. Ingalls - this is probably my fault and karma because it took three trips (one night of not sleeping at the trailhead for both of us) before getting it. Tagged it on the way back from a trip to the Midwest and doing the talus/snow approach in six-year-old sandals...the three pitches didn't make up for the misery that I put my feet through. 3. The Cockscomb on Baker - I really should have read the description in the Beckey Guide instead of only looking at the picture. 4. Baker River crags - On the east side of the flow from the Baker River trail. Imagine the approach to Mt Blum with more brush. Also the rock wasn't that good and you're wallowing in goat poop at every ledge. {Cadveat: it still was cool to be someplace where possibly no person would be stupid enough to travel to}. That being said, I sometimes wonder why my wife is still married to me after all of the stuff I put her through. I know top of her list is: N. Twin Sister

Alpinist 14 was the catalyst for this mode of question. Here's the scenario: I've just finished the xx pitch of a climb and set up a hanging belay with three downward pulls (two nuts and a cam) and one upward pull (my favorite #10 nut). Partner comes up, we rack out and up she races. She gets in three pieces and takes a fall. Lets say there is 25 feet of rope up to the last piece and she falls 12 feet. How much force is put onto that upward piece? To complete the scenario, the three downward are tied off on a cordellete and the upward piece is clipped in seperately to the belay. All of her pieces hold. I was just thinking back to some hanging belays in the past and was wondering, should I have had more then one upward piece since if the person falls the initial pull is going to be up. Blind me with science.

Betcha the cage couldn't find them, they look like they would blend in quite well. They have to be crafty otherwise I think they would have gone the way of the Tasmanian Tiger.

I know my friend picked up some MX7s for touring, they are lighter than my planks and he picked them up for $40. I'm on 190s, and going to get some 176s at the end of the year so I can really aim for that spiral fracture going down shiite that is over my head. But I'm skiing Rocky Mtn pow-pow so I need the extra floatation to carry around my -belly

Was that loveliness taken on the Whitehorse climb? And is that a splitboard?

www.pnt.org They do quite a bit of trailwork and actually do some good work with kids that would otherwise be dropouts if it wansn't for their work program. I knw they were pushing years back to get the bridge over Swift Creek repaired but apparently a biologist wanted to place a phantom grizzly bear out there.

Apparently I head from a news friend in Seattle, Snohomish SAR is out at the Ice Caves as I type. Whaddya guys know?

Not sure if you have copyright or trademark rights on this but I'm gonna borrow this one.

Dammit they're out of my size ski boots!!!

Hey Fern, I would strongly suggest talking to some locals for some beta in Black Canyon, long, long, long committing routes with finicky weather that time of year. I'll be at Shelf on the second and third weekends of March if the wx complies. Also don't get the Climbing Colorado guidebook, found its only useist for camping toilet paper now.