Self_propelled

Got some new Syner Gs and need a heel cup or some boot adjustment to avoid blisters on the heels, any suggetions?

I'm interested, PM sent today.

US$61 after exchange rateat 7-11. I just got my credit card statement. Retail CDN$75.

Patience? I read an article (online) a few years back about a guy who shepherded his son towards tele and had him making turns at age 9. Can't remember were I found the article but I do remember him saying to simply start out with a fair bit of cross country (w/out too much downhill) to familiarize with the free heel and definitely work on the tele turns at the lifts for more immediate successes and reps. We have some Rossi Telebirds with voile 3 pins and cables. They're 160s though. Let me know if you are interested. Our 3 year old just started on alpine, can't wait to make tele turns next to him!

Anyone else noticed the area around Glacier Peak on Google earth is in higher definition than other surrounding areas? Is there military/Air force training back there? Any ideas why?

Further to Tennessee's excellent advice, Climb in the shade!! Buy your Cipro in Bangkok, not here, same stuff way cheaper. Also, walk the trail between Railay East and West and have a cold one at the bar over looking Diamond Cave. They light up the climbing routes in the evening. The bungalows up there are also very affordable. King climbers has a great guide for Railay. If you get a chance to go north to Chaing Mai they have a bunch of routes about 45 minutes outside of town at Crazy Horse and they are developing new routes all the time. There's a guy from Southern Utah who has a climbing shop and gym in Chaing Mai, can't remember the name but its easy to find. Annddd, definitely heed the warning to run for high ground when the tide goes way out suddenly, there is no "surf" at Railay.

I second Pro SKi, they seem to really understand the need to get the skis turned around quickly. You can usually get some good beta from those guys as well.

I lived in South Asia for awhile and vacationed in Thailand alot. Love Railay, even after experiencing the Tsunami there on our last visit. Even when its crowded its still not as bad as Phuket, Koh Samui, etc. As far as cool things to do I would highly recommend kayaking in Khao Sok Lake and along the Andaman Sea, check out www.paddleasia.com.

THeres a great public swim center with lots of kid friendly stuff (its not just a lap pool). Not sure the hours but its not far off the road just past the 7-11

As Northwest climbers we should consider ourselves lucky to have the public supported access that we enjoy, and be thankful that our sport is not completely over crowded, as so many others are. Imagine everytime you go out looking for a parking spot at the trailhead for 10 minutes and then paying $15 bucks to park there, or waiting behind a dozen people at each and every belay, or needing to reserve every climbing route a year ahead of time just to get the chance to try a new route. Thats what the average person goes through when they play soccer or attend ball games. We are sometimes inconvenienced with questions or a wait behind a slow climbing party but for the most part we are left to ourselves in vast spaces with lots of options. Plus, a lot of the infrastructure to do this is paid for out of public funds. Enjoy what you got, be civil, and the nonclimbing majority will continue to be in awe of things we consider routine and let us have our space.

I have pictures from Railay West, BoBo's, Railay Village, Sand & Sea and Railay Bay got hit hardest. I still need to get pics off camera (next week) but will send to anyone wants them. I heard Freedom Bar on TonSai got hit really hard.

My family and I were in Railay during the tsunami and I am currently still in Thailand. If anyone needs help finding a missing friend please let me know. I will be here through Jan. 5 (thai time). PM me and I will send my phone number. Rob Campbell

Not that I want to see any development anywhere up there but, Who's land is on the opposite side of town from the Chief? The hillside that already has powerline scars running across it? Seems that would be a better place to put a gondola and view point. It would get tourist into/through Squamish town, allow a view of the Chief, a view back out the Sound, up the valley towards the Tusk, and most importantly keep development away from the park. Curious tourist could drop a loony in one of those pay telescopes and look for climbers on the walls. The Chief Gondola plans sounds flawed and completely opposed. If it did go through I'd bet that any number of opponents would figure out ways to sabatoge the construction. Sad and stupid (Believe me I know sad and stupid, I'm living in Nepal where apathy, corruption, and mismanagment rule)

Holly, Our car was stolen on July 20. My wife and I didn't lose a whole free rack but we lost a couple harnesses with the standard lockers and ATCs, we also lost two Taiga down sleeping bags, two pairs of La Sportiva CLiffs, altimeter, running shoes, trail shoes, several nice jackets (Mountain Hardware, Arc Teryx, MEC). We figured aroubnd $4,000 total loss. The car was recovered minus the gear. We live in Nepal and were just home visiting for the summer. Can you advise where you purchased the gear so I can send a friend over to look for the remainder of our stuff.

Jeff and Dave were not anywhere they weren't supposed to be. They were on the Nepal side of the border very close to Cho Oyu. The Chinese Army was on the wrong side of the border and they knew it. Jeff and Dave did happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Their base camp was close to an ancient trading route and a modern escape route for Tibetans. Tibetan refugees were crossing the border that day before the incident occurred and apparently had a run in with the Chinese. Apparently, the Chinese don't like it when their subjects try to leave without asking permission. The real bummer of the whole thing is that they didn't get to attempt the climb they set out for. They had to break camp pretty quickly lost some very expensive gear, probably to the chinese, and have had to return to Kathamndu when they could have been making a second or possibly first ascent on a 7300 M peak. They didn't ask to be SHOT AT, they didn't ask the AP to send their story around the world, and they deserve a lot of credit for not making more of an issue with the US and Chinese government. They just wanted to climb.