plexus

I've burnt both retinas before climbing Goat Peak. Forgot my sunglasses, squinted most of the day to try to limit the damage without avail. My left eye worst than my right one so it is possible. I was in agony for three days (ask my wife). It will pass after time and ever since that day, I have always carried an extra pair of sunglasses in my glove compartment. I also have had very mild snow blindness from doing Anderson Butte in similar conditions you are talking about. Last about a day. Trust me I will take snow blindness over burnt eyeballs any day of any year of any millenium.

But were the goats starting to look good on the way back to the pass?! Once you go mutton, you'll never stop stuffin!! I've had the same ghost experience on Ingalls and must say it was quite nice to go at my pace and not have to worry about gumbies dropping stuff on my head.

Still getting over bronchitis. Thunderstorms, which I'm finding out are not fun here in the Rockies at 11,000 feet, cancelled my overnight trip. As a consolation prize, went bouldering the past two days - Castlewood Canyon & 3 Sisters. Still have absolutely no energy and find myself shutting down long before my arms get pumped out. Looking back, probably a good thing I didn't try to do a double peak in the Gore Range. I HATE GETTING SICK IN THE SUMMERTIME!!!!

Read all about their exploits - sans the Denali sheep - here: http://www.climbing.com/news/hotflashes/denalidiamond/

Amen to that!!

Absolutely awesome!!

:noway: Wow!! That friggin sucks. I'm glad they are both OK and it was a clean fall. Damn!! Never seen a full-on zippering out and hope I never do.

Hope it's only an ankle fracture he suffered.

It's a lovefest all around. I like the summit picture denoting the happiness and the fatigue. Sounds like you did the route in style. After all, you never know when you'll gt a chance to get back on it.

That's very cool and probably worth more to you than some heirloom china. I have a journal my grandfather kept in WWII. I could care less about the case of silver or what ever knicknack that comes my way. The leather book is a way for me to reconnect with my family's past.

I can't wait to read the whole blow-by-blow. Between boxing-glove mittens and the homo-hudler, how can't it be a great read? Congratulations on the climb Colin. And people were beginning to think Alaska was climbed out! Psssh!

The FA owner does have the right to add protection if he wants. I too laud him for bringing this up for discussion. I say go up there with one of your closest climbing partners, have them lead it and ask their opinion. I think though that if you did add a bolt or two, you might regret it later on because it could spoil your previous accomplishment. Think about it, try it again, wait till the end of the summer before making a decision.

A big hell yes on that. There are a few climbs in Squamish that are a lot more shiny now. Same with Bastille Crack in Eldo. I've led it once and don't have to do it again. That gaston off the flake was scary stuff on that buffed stuff. Even Becky Route on Liberty Bell is a little "used" in places.

Always remember the giant carrot at the end. That's what I tell myself when the alarm is going off and it's still dark out.

Curious as to why the Mounties rappelled? I like the summit bouldering moves myself.

June 24th-30th. Everything 20-50% off. www.cloudveil.com

"A lot of people go to college for six years." "Yeah, they're called doctors."

Any word from the land of gianormous mosquitos and flies with insatiable thirsts? Inquiring minds want to know.

I've seen it before a number of times, but that just looks like somebody glissaded with a bloody anus!! Sorry about the weather. You can at least say you gave it a try and tried to defy the odds. And if it's any consolation, that peak and I have a grudge with each other due to sleep/migrane problems on a couple of attempts.

Wouldn't this have the same drawbacks as the cordellette?

Remind me not to go camping with you!!

Leavenworth trad ethics is an oxymoron on some crags there. I've noticed similar lines in Icicle for years. And then you'll find crags that are done the right way.

Interesting setup. I can see the benefits. I'm assuming that the center loop is the one connected to the bomber piece?

Cordelettes always go up the rock with me. Yesterday was able to use it in multiple uses. Frist time was to equalize an anchor, second time was to tie the wife down to a boulder while she belayed me, third time was to tie a tree as an anchor, and the fourth time was to equalize a giant cam and a bolt as an anchor. That piece of nylon saved me from lugging around an army of slings.

Looks like a nice runout to the summit pyramid there. How was the rock quality and how sustained was the climbing?