genepires

nice job Rad!

that is a mighty purty picture.

Come on JosephH, lets play nice here. I am asking a question that I am curious about since you have more expereince with the hip belay. Why is the braking position down between the legs vs. across the front of the waist, towards the loaded strand. It would seem like the braking position you say would have less friction. Are you saying that with the 180 degree bend is enough friction and don't need the extra? Just curious and not meant as an arguement. I am paying attention to the details. That is why I am asking.

you forgot that JosephH doesn't like the munter hitch. And to lock off the hip belay, one needs to "Lock off by diving your brake hand between your legs." Maybe Joseph could elaborate why this is a better lock off than wrapping the rope around the waist as far as possible? I am used to hip belays in a seated stance. Maybe this between the legs thing is a standing hip belay method for belaying leaders?

$5 million dollar policy? I am not that current with guiding office stuff, but I seem to remember that guide services I worked for had a 1 or 2 million dollar policy. a $5 million policy would be very very expensive to have access to a small rock area. So it is not only the volunteer outfits shut out of erie. Isn't erie tapped out as far as new routes go? Didn't Klokke climb and bolt every possible line imaginable there? Sucks to hear about trails being shut down though. If Dallas Klooke is reading this, could you get a hold of me. I am trying to get some info from you but have lost your email.

so Joseph you are saying that a hip belay is as strong or stronger than a normal belay device? I know the hip belay is strong enough to hold falls, but you cannot deny that the belay device has more holding power than a hip belay. BTW, you don't know who I am or my experience so how can you make assumptions about me and my hip belay experiences? Or for that matter and entire state? For an old guy, you need to chill out.

Sweet Dave! Let the lineup begin. thanks for the tremendous work you and your friends have put into making the great lines we get to enjoy.

the hip belay, while a good belay technique that has its applications and advantages, it is not as good as any belay device in regard to holding power. It has low friction power when compared to a tubular belay device. It is a matter of bends. A ATC has a little over 360 degree of bends while a hip belay at best has 270 degree. (not sure why you recommend the brake line be pulled between the legs which yields only 180 degree of bend. braking position should be across the body giving more rope to clothing contact and more bend in rope) The quality of the bends on a device is better too. The bend is harder in the device, giving it a greater holding power. Now of course, people used to get up BIG shite while using a hip belay. One could use a hip belay in rock climbs but, if I ever got to the top of a pitch and found I was belayed with a hip belay instead of a munter, I would be mad as hell. I want holding power, not belayer convienence.

is this a joke Pat? I know you have been up there in the early fall. It should be loose scree and dirt.

real nice TR again. thanks. so which was your favorite route of the 4 done? The asguard one looks good.

Not sure about your situation but if you were belaying off the anchor, then you do not have to be in the ABC alignment. The ABC thing is about pulling the belayer into the abc alignment when the force comes so you had better be that way anyway. but...if you are belaying off the anchor with the munter, then you need to be below the anchor. That way you can apply the rope to the position with the most friction, which is opposite of the tubular belay types, straight along with the loaded line. If you are above the munter, you cannot pull the rope below the device or towards the loaded strand, so the friction you can apply is less that optimal. It probably will still work, but not as good as possible. I forget the exact percentages when the brake line is at different angles but it is significant. so the short answer is you gotta be below the anchor.

I am a leashed fool too. I took those petzl ones off and put some androids on. I thought the peztl ones were too difficult but it may have been because I was used to the androids. I attached my androids at the lower part like your picture #2. Seems like the higher attachment would be for times were you would be grabbing the head more often, like the "alpine"? That seems rather weird though. Try both leashed and leashless amd make your own call about that. There is no one right way unlike what others will try to sway you.

My own feeling but I think if feeds in easier for belaying your partner up. It doesn't work at all for belaying a leader (in stitch plate mode), so I bring a ATC for that and rappeling. That total weight is not bad and the backup rappel device (the gi gi) has come in handy many times. I don't think too many people around here may have used a gi gi especially since petzl and BD makes something of the same thing. You ordered one and I doubt you can you even buy one locally. Maybe in squamish.

A ways back I used a gi gi from kong to belay off the anchor. then the reverso came out and I followed along till it developed a shard edge. then i got a guide atc and it seems hard to pull also. So I have gone back to the gi gi with easy pulling. If it is too hard to pull the rope through, maybe consider getting a kong gi gi. Maybe hard to find though. Look in canada for one.

It was a great adventure being in the back of Eban's truck as he plowed through the overgrown road to save some walking. Like a snowplow clearing the road. Made the crazy day even crazier and more fun.

Awesome photos Pat! Do you ever take sucky photos?

bugaboo rock from elaho bow valley rock for good rock routes. not what you asked for but worth keeping in mind if you are in the area. especially the bugaboos for some moderate trad climbs. Maybe a better question is how about some good moderate trad climbs and ice routes in your area instead of guidebooks? my 2 cents for ice routes fay north face is very good with hut bivy athabasca n face or silverthrone andromeda should be melted out and a serious rock fall hazard. rock routes the 5.4 on castle tower. I haven't done that route but another on the formation that had very good rock. how do you define moderate trad climbing? if you use the selected guide, expect serious sandbagging. It is the real deal. Should really be put to rest by elaho making a better guidebook.

5 rappels on the descent? Unless you rapped the snow field, you can do all the descent with walking. serpentine is not as bad you make it sound. It is a good first "big" route and worthy. If you have had a more reliable ride home, maybe you would be less grumpy about the route.

I have 0 hardman points. Maybe even negative points. I sleep on a fat 3/4 length and a full length ridgerest.

the ultra thin yellow MEC hardman foam pad gives you that cutting edge look. Solid 10 points for hardman rating. the yank foam pads have the little softer edge look. Award 2 hardman points. the inflatable thermarests are for comfort laden folks. No hardman points awarded your pad is decadant. You lose hardman points and must make up by soloing 5.10 alpine routes. the only advantage foam has over inflatable is durability. Put a hole in both and see what works better. Foam is not as cushy though. For one night a foam pad is OK. For multiple nights both a full length foam with a 3/4 length inflatible is common. But yours is probably lighter, warmer and more comfortable than my 2 pad system. A very good pad and worth the money. (which is why you don't see more of them around)

Nice TR. That is one of my fave alpine rock routes ever. So sweet looking from the parking lot and on route. If it was 100 miles (or 60KM) closer to a city, it would be swamped daily. Do you have any info of other routes in the area? Info is hard to come by but I would like to do more there also. I see you show other routes but I was wondering which are the better ones.

if your aim is alpine rock, I usually throw in a set of 6 hexes and a couple tricams for the belays, so I don't need to use heavy cams for anchors. A set of cams weights a lot. So my alpine rock rack would consist of set of DMM nuts (full with a couple offsets) set of cams (tcu purple to green, #2 and 3 camalot) set of hexes (something like #5 to 9) pink, red and brown tricam loads of shoulder length slings (x10 with one biner on each), couple double length slings and a couple draws. My choice of cams is only because that is what I got and it used to be light. Laytons choices in cams are superior beacause he is a gear whore.

that is the peak on the left in the fourth photo? little devil?

PM sent

sabertooths would be a good crampon for n ridge baker and hood, better than a "waterice" crampon IMO. Do yourself a favor and get a summer crampon (like the sabertooths) and then get a waterfall ice crampon if you like ice climbing after trying it. Hardman will say you can climb ice in sabertooths but it is more fun with the right gear.