slothrop

Yeah, and they're extending that 50% discount for this year, too. Hey, Shahid, I'm doing your marketing for you! There were only 29 expeditions last year (compared to 70 in 2001). The article sez that a Japanese guy summitted Gasherbrum I and had an epic, and another Japanese made it up Spantik, but died in the descent. Yeah, sounds like a bad year.

I did? When was that? The night of Alan Kearney's talk. I was climbing in my mountain boots for shits 'n giggles, with my girlfriend. I remember overhearing someone call you Scott, and then noticed that certain routes named after Himalayan places were set by a "Scott". Seemed like you.

That's the thing. From what I read in the AAN article, only three foreigners in 40 years have ever been murdered while trekking or climbing in Pakistan, and all those were lone, guideless trekkers. Though if you go around these days wrapped in a US flag, waving an M-16, and dropping Big Mac wrappers everywhere while grabbing all the burqa-covered ass in sight, your chances might not be so good. I'd say if you're a well-financed sahib who tips his liaison officer generously, you'll be safer than the natives.

There's an article in the American Alpine News about how tourism has dropped off in Pakistan. In 2002, the country brought in less than a third of what it made in peak fees in 2001. Add to that the two earthquakes that hit northern Pakistan, and it looks like the Pakistani tourism industry is hurting.

Scot'teryx gave me a belay test at Cascade Crags, where you are required to anchor yourself to the floor when toproping.

I'm a little behind in this discussion, but here are some ideas. Censorship bad. I'd rather see a degenerating thread locked than have it sliced and diced with the moderator's knife. Dru wants a moderator with style and panache, but even mattp will be hard-pressed to deliver graceful editing on a daily basis when dealing with the spray. mattp, I like how you step in and ask everyone to tone it down when the buttnuggets start flying. People around here respect you, for good reason, and I think you can use that constructively. If no one listens, just lock the thread or move it to spray.

Hey Timmay, the My Home feature is busted. I logged in today to find all of my favorite forums gone off the page. What's up?

Wow, iain, that looks incredible! Just curious, but why did you go all the way around the big tower at the top of the headwall, instead of going left where the route line first gets obscured? Duh, never mind, I reread your TR. Ice raining down and all that. Nice climb!

Nice, pope, sounds like fun. Thanks for keeping mention of Big Lou to a minimum.

How far up the basin is this? A friend of mine had spotted a flow right off the parking lot in November, but by the time we got out there to climb it, it was gone.

Naw, it must be awesome to climb with one. Look at the photos on the site: That's some climbin', that is. And at only $400, it's a steal. Way better than just strapping a cooler to your back. Can't rats chew through lead pipe and drywall? Why would some plastic stop them? Check this out: "Future releases will include lighting, hydration & heating accessories." I think that means you'll be able to make a hot tub out of it.

Pretty sweet. Safe travels, Erden.

Hmm. What are the approaches like for some of the classic desert climbs? A short hike off a Nat'l Park Road? Miles of trekking through featureless desert? Any significant elevation? Rough terrain? It seems to me that Cascade approaches would involve rougher travel with more elevation gain, if not longer distances, too.

Huh? How is desert climbing more "high-adventure" than some alpine grade III in the Cascades or Sierras or wherever? You know, with glaciers and avalanches and thick brush and such? There's no brush in the desert!

I've got nearly a whole set of them and they work for my simple needs (easy cragging and occasional alpine rock in the PNW). They are the same sizes as the WC Friends. I don't like the smallest sizes because they're too wide -- I like Aliens or TCUs much better.

Definitely go to Eldorado. The approach isn't that bad and the climbing is quite easy via the standard route. Good bivy sites at the base of the route, too, and you'll get incredible views of Forbidden across the way. You can stash beers in the creek mere minutes from the car.

Musta been one of these .

There's a big long thread on this topic somewhere around here. Just search for it and you should get some good suggestions. Your local laundromat might be the best place.

nice job, eric8 and bolt_..., uh, i mean, cracked. keep it up, all this fine climbing is motivating my ankle to heal faster.

C'mon, JoshK, why so pissed at dot-commers? Is someone an idiot for getting a high-paying job with an Internet company between 1996 and 2000? Lots of smart people have been getting laid off from those dot-coms for years now. Your concern is a bit too late.

Index was pretty dry (and windy) Monday. Princely Ambitions had nothing wet on it except my blood on the second pitch handcrack. There were a few others up there that day, I think erik and wallstein got in some climbing.

I'm looking for a partner for tomorrow to do something alpine. I've only got one day... maybe Guye Peak? My car sucks on snow, so I'd be happy to throw in gas money for a partner with a reliable winter ride. Call me at (206) 226.3299 if yer interested.

Word. Maybe we'll get some fat ice after freezing levels drop again. Gotta be lots of melting going on in the next few days.

Is there really more granularity? F-ED is 6 grades, and the list you gave goes up to AD/grade V. You can always use +/- with the NCCS grades, too. Seems like just another system to me, and harder to keep track of unless you know French or want another grading system to memorize.

There's a description of the Radium hitch here. Takes a lot of rope to rig that thing. There's a description of an anchor method on that page, "wrap 3, pull 2", that says you shouldn't cross the webbing when tying it, but how can you avoid crossing the strands? I assume you tie the water knot after you've done the wraps.