willstrickland

I started to write a "what the hell, how do you lose the bags?" but keep in mind, the story in the mass media is rarely even an approximation of the actual events. Let's wait and see what their real story says. Anybody know these guys?

Easy: McMarket McDomination. If there was ever a poster child for the evils of globalization it's gotta be McD's. Shitty processed food, terrible wages, destruction of local culture, chemicals, hormones, did I mention shitty food? Please, please, please check out http://www.mcspotlight.org and see what the mass media won't be telling you anytime soon. I don't normally pitch web sites, but check this one out and adbusters http://www.adbusters.org as well. Ever wonder why tv lineups are called "programing" think about it, then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! -Will the Wanker

Check out the recent thread on cams for some good info. A big part of your rack selection beyond basics like nuts is going to be specific to your local area. Find some local trad climbers and ask them what's good for the routes in your area. Then ask them why, and ask 15 more people the same questions. Alot of this comes down to personal perference.

lambone, I'll be as impartial as I can here because I have a strong personal opinion on the topic: I've seen the book, he pretty much tries to sell it to everybody in Camp4 at some point. Also had one of those long conversations with the Chongmeister ...I was trippin my face off on shrooms at the time and I love those kind of encounters anyway. Kept me entertained for a long time. The info in the book is quite good, and obviously comes from mucho experience. The production is nothing to speak of, it's essentially a homemade jobber(I heard he was still looking for a real publisher to pick it up). I guess the one he showed me was a sample or something, it was just bound in a binder. It is a BIG book. It has straight dope on tech issues, but also some of Chongo's character in there such as the "Why you don't want to climb a wall with a stranger" section. Is it worth $80? IMO, no. You can get most of the same info from other sources for much cheaper. Chuck is a space cadet of the first order, but he does know what he's doing. As for supporting his habits...not an issue...he'll be doing what he's doing whether you contribute or not and I respect him for choosing his own path. The valley is hot as shit in the summer and I can't blame anyone for losing motivation when the mercury rises. However, leaving a huge hanging camp (like 4 bags) up for that long is poor style. Would I tell him to his face to take them down? Probably not, at least not until I've got the balls to lead the A5 on the way to those bags. If you run into him offer him $40, it's probably worth that just to have as a souvenier. His tome is not exactly on the best seller list, so I'm sure you could bargain with him. Might be a piece of climbing legend when we're all old and feeble. Chongo is one of those fixtures that makes the valley climbing scene what it is, for better or worse.

Looks like they're sold. Thanks to all who replied, stay tuned for more liquidation of gear. BTW, anybody wanna buy a '99 Tacoma SR5, V6, TRD-Off Road Pkg 4x4 Extra-cab w/canopy, power everything, automatic?

Yeah, Yankee bucks. Or a fat sack of BC nugs would suffice too, I'm not picky

Third Pillar of Dana and Matthes Crest are great. Fairview didn't seem too sustained. West crack is great, about the only crack on the whole damn formation. Seems like there was an article in one of the rags a couple of years ago called "Sierra Six Pack" or something like that, ahhh it's coming back to me... concentrate, visualize, Rock and Ice I think. Anyway, it's a rundown of some classic moderates if you can find a copy.

Charlet Moser S12, all strap, semi-rigid, homemade-antiballing plates (easily removable if you don't like 'em) used two seasons. Bought these as a spare set and so I could throw them on all my boots - step-in compatible or not. Have since realized that it's not often I use crampons on anything but my plastics. retail: $138, I need $50 and shipping.

Easy there limpy, I'm not only here for the debt, but also for new climbing. Kinda figured I had to get a "real" job for a while, people are chill out here, Portland is a great city, blah blah blah. I'm not for big cities in general, but if you gotta live in one...can't really beat P'town. Cluttering up the hills out here? I wouldn't be so brash as to "guide" in unfamiliar territory and I didn't come here to guide...I'm flying a desk designing roads/bridges/infrastructure. Besides, I wouldn't wish the east coast on anyone, it's a mean spirited kind of place. I haven't lived in the east for years, Utah feels alot more like home (you don't notice the fucked up politics when you're in a town of 300 people) than the east ever did. So sit back my brutha, load the bowl, give the fiance' big hug and dig on the fact that you're young, in love, climbing hard, and it's summer...life's pretty good no?

Hey, I've got a pair of Charlet Moser S12 semi-rigids for sale. These are the all strap version. Bought these for the ability to use them on all my boots, have since realized that it's not real often that I'm throwing crampons on anything other than my plastics. Retail for $138, I need $50 and shipping for them.

quote: Originally posted by jtljohnson: I come on here from time to time to see if there is any useful information and all there is, is crap. C'mon now, there's all kinds of useful info: Size of each person's dick, how many scotch and waters I had last night, hottest chick in the mags... As much screwing around as there is here, there's also tons of info on a daily basis. I notice this particularly because I am new to the NW. Between the trip reports, route conditions,anchor conditions, etc I get alot of useful info. There are also plenty of experienced people willing to give their insight on pros and cons of various technical issues (such as stoves, 6mm rap lines, etc) and with that much input you can be pretty shure that you'll get all the relevant points covered within a few days. I return to this site daily for the "crap" you speak of. Makes the workday a hell of alot more bearable when there's some crusty climber humor goin' round. Think of it as a drunken fireside chat, not a Senate hearing. I laugh out loud at least once a day reading something Dwayner, Pope, Limpbone, Caveman, Dru or the other site "regulars" put up.

Hey, great topic Dru! The cascades? Yeah, right. Chongo? Are we talking about the same Chongo? Dude's had bags about 5 pitches up Sea of Dreams for like two years now. Last summer on the valley shuttle: Me: "Hey Chongo, when are you blasting off on the Sea? Those are your bags up there right?" Chongo: "I gotta find a cook to go up with me so I don't have to mess with it, fix a couple more pitches and then blast." That was in July. Bags were still there when I left in October. Alex? I couldn't keep up. Cesen? Probably steal your wallet, fuck your dog, and break your bong...then produce "evidence" and blame it all on your mom. My choice: FA Grade VII in the Baltoro with Kennan Harvey.

Whadya have in mind Ed? If the weather's right and it's worth the drive (I'm in Portland)I might be up for it. I've got a finger injury going on too, but hell I'll just tape it to the others and have at it.

Well, there's always Excaliber...hard free (multiple unrepeated 5.12OW pitches)reasonable aid (A3), no crowds, a justification for owning big bros and #5 Camalots.

Steck-Salathe. Hooo boy, a legend for sure, but as much for the sheer suffering one must endure as for the climbing itself. Here's a hint, anytime you see "physical" in a guidebook description...well let's just say the forecast calls for pain. Take a look at the supertopo website, there's a good list of the 80? best routes in the valley. Although it wouldn't be my list, it gives good coverage at a variety of grades. A great route that I've never seen anyone else on is Cold Fusion on GPA, wait till late afternoon when it goes in the shade and you'll likely be the only person on the Apron (mega-ton rockfall events will deter most sane people. Being on the apron alone is surreal, and the crux (some balancy friction at 10c) is in the first 15ft of real climbing. Another short 10b slab crux on the third pitch keeps it interesting. Second pitch is a little dirty from lack of travel.

Whoo weeee! 'at mofo Limp-bone a damn sight touchy ain't he? Slap ma fro! "Hey Limpbone Tyrone, woncha ride me dem blades up on da zip line no?" "Hell nah punkass! 'mon down heah n snatch dem mutha up yo damself!" Weh weh, ain dat sumpin?! Me strech out on deez dam hooks, he sassin' me like he dun lead dis damn A5! Seriously though: lambone, lay off the espresso drinks my friend, you just came in way too amped up this morning (not just in this topic). I don't know you, and it is still early in the morning, but maybe smooth over that caffeine with a couple of cocktails...may I suggest a double of a 12 year old single malt over three cubes of ice in a tumbler. Helps take the edge off, ya know? [This message has been edited by willstrickland (edited 06-26-2001).]

It's plenty easy to get 1/2" hangers, pretty standard fare in my stompin' grounds of southern Utah. 3 1/2" x 1/2" are the norm in soft sandstone, and 1/2" angles hammered into 3/8" holes are pretty common as well. I know Rawl, Metolius, and Petzl all make 1/2" and I'd bet that Fixe does as well. If you want a history lesson for soft rock belay anchors take a look at the third pitch belay on Ancient Art in the Fisher Towers...A 1/4 star-dryvin coffin nail next to a drilled angle that's half weathered out next to a fat stainless metolius 1/2" x 3 1/2"

Ahh, c'mon Pencil Pusher...get real Cops are probably the most vigilante mofos out there. The cops I know would probably laugh like hell and maybe even teach you the secret handshake for doing some shit like that. "Yeah, I had to chase him for a while, looks like he caught a few bruises when I tackled him.." Nudge/Wink "So then I tied him up to go call you guys and when I come back whadya know...some damn vandal done gone and tagged him up with a gang sign. I never heard of that "thief" gang...wonder if they're down with the crips?" As for the self-defense side, I don't know too many folks that would want to square off with a guy holding a pair of ice tools...or we could just tie them up long enough to airlift in the....BATTTLLLEEEE CAAAGGGGEEE!!!

Hey, since I'm rehabbing an injury: Anyone up for a little burglar baiting? Basically you leave everything in plain sight and stake out the parking area where the break-ins are occuring. Then when you catch the varmints, either A) Beat them senseless, B) hold them for the police, C) gag them, tie them to a tree naked and spray paint "Thief" on their chest, or D) all of the above. One downside is you'll probably lose a window before you catch them. We did this in Tennessee once after a rash of robberies at T-Wall and the kid we caught got so nervous that he puked. Thought about using him for a human dartboard. A few pints, a bullseye on the ass...what could be more fun? Squeeeeeaaaallll like a pig boy!!

quote: Originally posted by otherguy: I am off to climb and get rid of the disgusting taste this site leaves in my mouth. sorry, forgot to douche...

Whoo weeee! 'at mofo a damn sight touchy ain't he? Slap ma fro! "Hey Tyrone, woncha ride me dem blades up on da zip line no?" "Hell nah punkass! 'mon down heah n snatch dem mutha up ya damself!" Weh weh, ain dat sumpin?! Me strech out on 'em dam hooks, he sassin' me like he dun lead dis damn A5! Seriously though: Dude, (yes Dude, because I'm tempted to call you something else) chill fucking out. Although you are the king of the world, you are digging yourself a hole faster than a coked-up backhoe in a peat bog. Pencil Neck tries to give you a little friendly advice and you jump on him like he was fresh pussy in the county pen. At first, I had hopes for you: Sought some formal instruction, motivated, wanting to lead, confident...all good traits. Charm is a good trait too, and they say Ted Bundy had that in spades. If you're that hair-trigger at a keyboard, I'd hate to see you on the sharp end. One piece of unsolicited advice: either lose the 'tude, or buy some draws and lycra.

Special Ed: Consider using some 5mm Maxim Tech Cord as your emergency/rap line. Yes, it's static. It's also superior to spectra/vectran/nylon/etc. No, I'm not affiliated with Maxim. It's basically as strong (or stronger?) as spectra with a much higher melting temp. It's a little pricey though, here's the manufacturer's spec page: http://www.neropes.com/techdata/tech_cord 1200ft spool...looks like you'd need to find some like minded folks to split it up with. Personally, I find that the advantages of half ropes on alpine rock solve the problem for me. The package ends up being a little heavier, but all the rock routes I've done in the mountains seems to wander all over freakin' creation and the reduction in rope drag from using half ropes is a godsend when the climbing gets hard (or is that: the reduction in friction is a godsend when the climber gets hard?) KY Willy

well, I get enough spike and medieval implement action in the bedroom to tide me over until winter. "Sweetie I said CRAMPON, not TAMPON!"

I met Lyzz a few times around Moab, on Potash and at Indian Creek. She was a super friendly and positive person, one of those folks that lightened your mood just to be around. She was also a very solid crack climber. I found it a bit in poor taste that Climbing ran the rope ad (Sterling I think?) a few pages later that shows a guy soloing Incredible Handcrack (also at Indian Creek). Seemed just a little insensitive to me, maybe I'm blowing it out of proportion. Another thing I hate about that stupid f#*&@$ ad is that it implies that the guy is just way runout over his last pro. The caption reads something like "XYZ Ropes, because it's a long way down". This implies to me that he's climbing on the rope. In fact, he has zero gear in and is only trailing the rope to rap off or set up a TR. If you've ever climbed this route you'll notice that the guy is just pulling through the end of the crux and there is about 25' of 5.8 hands left to the anchors. The ground is only about 10-15' below the pedestal you see at the bottom of the picture, and just out of the picture frame. He is one move from the best rest on the entire route (excluding the pedestal right off the ground) and there wouldn't be much reason to place gear at that point. Misleading for the sake of commericalism. Pisses me off that does. Soloing is a very personal decision and something I think we all do at one time or another. I've soloed easy rock, hard rock, and easy snow and ice. Sometimes it's just fun to cruise easy stuff for a long way without messing with all the gear...Royal Arches is a great solo, goes fast, the route is obvious, there's nothing sustained on it, the crux is easily aided by pulling on a fixed line. It amounts to 14 pitches of 5.6ish rock which goes very quickly. If you're soloing for ego gratification though, like the glitter sequined chalk bag guy at Josh soloing at Intersection Rock on a weekend, shirtless on a cold windy march day...or the knob job soloing on Swan slab at midday when the climbing school was teaching, or countless other toolboxes I've run into at the crags...you'll eventually see the light, one way or another. (Wow, a whole paragraph in one sentence! No wonder I wasn't and english major)

quote: Originally posted by AlpineK: I recommend a Chuck Pratt slide show. I'm in no hurry to be in the same place that Chuck is, may he RIP. BTW, there was a memorial celebration of Chuck's life yesterday at the Ranch in the Tetons...possibly the last chance to catch those stories from those who accompanied him in those journeys.