genepires

In addition to the fine advice above: On days that you don't have a partner, go hiking into places that you want to climb when you have the experience. Get to know the area. Even go up the descent routes if possible to know them well. You will learn many things like personal maintenance, travel on rough terrain and get some great conditioning in too. While out there, practice with the map and compass. While at it, go camping out there too. Buy everything super light weight but adequate. It may be a little more expensive, but if not now, then you will later. The rock gyms are a good idea, just be careful with giving your tendons time to recover properly. Tendons take much longer to strengthen than muscle and skill development. Takes years actually. So get in there but don't go balls out and hold back if you feel any twinge. A blown tendon is a very bad way to start a climbing career. Unless you are a teenager who still has their body under warranty. enjoy! starting climbing is such an exciting time. many of the most amazing memories where from the starting days.

While it is not a good idea to put your finger into things (insert Beavid & Butthead snicker) the probability of hurting your finger while clipping a rope into the biner is very low. The above example of damaging the finger when you suddenly load it (blown piece or slip while free climbing) doesn't apply while clipping the rope. When people have damaged the finger, it usually with the finger tightly curled around some biner or bolt or something like that. With the rope clipping technique, usually only the first pad of the finger is in contact with the biner. Putting the whole finger in (2nd or 3rd digit) makes it very hard to get the rope in. (more snickers) If you fall while clipping with only one digit in the biner, it slips out easily without damaging the finger. That said, I usually use the grab the whole biner in the palm of the hand and push in the rope with the thumb technique.

I remember reading somewhere there was something positive about the deformation of the foam that absorbs force while the hard lid either "shatters" or transfers the force directly to the head. Maybe it was in reference to lead falls.

but it what mike says is true, then as long as a complete essential amino acid profile is present in adequate amounts, then why pay the extra money for "superior" protien source. The bio availability just means you gotta consume a little extra of the less good stuff to get the same amount of protein. My thinking was mainly geared towards the whey concentrate vs whey isolate products. I have read some disturbing things against soy being estrogenetic (warrior diet) so it makes sense to steer clear of that. Maybe for that rare (extremely rare) day I am pulling a twight alpine assault,(like the mighty tooth!) I would be concerned about using soy as a fuel source to mitigate muscle canabalism.

I assume you checked out the supertopo alaska climbing book with fairly detailed advice. as per book: double carry up crosson w 2 weeks supplies if acclimitizing on route. if already acclimitized, then you need 5 days. manage risk: 60 to 100 wands! for along the ridge due to tricky route finding through crevasses. there is a photo of the ridge and damn if there isn't a ton of cracks. check it out if you hadn't already. tons of things to do there in the kahiltna if you get shut down from foraker. It looks like a small single wall tent is a good idea due to narrow ridge camping is expected. Also, it looks advisable to go as a larger rather than a smaller team. (shared trail breaking, load carrying, crevasse rescuing, ect) If you are a team of two or three, maybe look at mating up with another team while you got time to plan on it. I haven't been on the route but have spent a fair bit of time in the range on other routes. Just my 2 cents. Ask Westman for a experienced answer to your questions. Maybe try some alaskan equivelant to cascadeclimbers?

I have used the grivel ultra light thing and it has worked very well for volcano sloggin and such. Been too scared to try to front point.

Generally, if asolos fit your feet, then I would stick with that brand but find a model that fits the trip. They tend to use the same last (foot shape) for different models so there is a greater chance that it will work for you. Sometimes this doesn't work as they may use a different last for different boots. People. What model of boot were you thinking about? Enter the ongoing discussions of what to wear on rainier. Plastic vs leather debate. Oh I just read your post again and it looks like you are asking what asolo model is best for rainier. Am I right? (I don't know squat about asolo) Rainier in july is a fine time. enjoy!

My question was based on Mike's comment that the body breaks all protein down to base components then creates whatever it needs. So you can get whey concentrate and isolate or soy or egg or milk casein or on and on. But does the content really matter? I got that costco bag with a mix of whey iso, soy iso and something else and it tastes pretty good. At only about $35/ big 5lb bag, it is a bargain too. But i have been trying to steer clear of soy due to it's possible estrogenetic effects. Is they extra $10 for a high quality bag of protien worth it?

3 day trip = 4000 cubic inch 1 day trip = 2500 cubic inch I am sure someone will argue that a 3999 cubic inch is better for a 3 day. The best pack is the one that fits you best and can hold all the stuff you really NEED. Not the stuff you "want" to bring. Need is less than want. Except that as we get older and more tired, we all want less on our back than we need and maybe left unprepared. Whatever. How about get all your gear together including food and water and try your packs out to see what holds it all in. Then go for a couple mile walk and see if it sucks or not. I would suggest a very lightweight summit pack like the MEC genie when they used to make them. while it is extra weight, it might be worth it on summit day. enjoy rainier!

Hey Mike, what about all the different kinds of protein supplements? With what you said above, should we just use the cheapest kind available? What should one look for as far as protein supplements go? thanks Mike, gene

holy broken sea wall! you do have to work in new orleans. maybe you should stay in s africa. or maybe some other international gig like spain?

how about a new line of work? what could your work possibly be that you can only find it in new orleans? fancy bead maker?

It partly depends on how the rope ran in relation to the carabiner. If in a fall, the rope pushed onto the gate, it could easily come unclipped. I think most people know that little trick with having the gate face away from the direction of travel and having the rope come up through biner instead of going down. If the rope ran in the bad direction and the biner was facing the wrong way, then it would be unsafe. A flexible sling mitigates that risk a bit but a single biner would be locked in place and subject to that problem. There is also a stronger chance of cross loading the biner if it flips over 90 degrees during the climb or as you fly past. As most people know, a cross loaded biner will fail in a lead fall. (ex. Goran in vantage had a biner failure which may have been a cross loaded problem) Once again a good draw will help prevent a cross loading from occuring as the sling may bend and keep the biner loading properly. Is it unsafe? Probably not, I would think is not a good idea.

sweet!

one exception to the rule doesn't negate the rule. Maybe there is one real swavay smooth guide out there but most (including myself) just dumb highschool geeks. (said with smiles and love for guides)

way to get after it. definately a good call you made.

The guide may try to steal the girlfriend but guides have no women skills. They look good on the outside but the inside is a different story. The girlfriend is safe......from guides.

I thought it was something about the new company that was old dana.

so what does BMW stand for? All I found on the site was cocoon brand. I must be out of the loop. I still think it is for british motor works.

I think that beating personal limitations is more rewarding than going after records for the sake of fame. Fame is fleeting and will leave quickly. Not that one is right or wrong, just better from a personal standpoint. If ones dream passionately to summit everest, then by all means take the risk. But what is the point to do something inherently risky for the sake of bragging rights? I am just saying that before anyone puts themselves into serious harms way, there needs to be a well thought out inner dialogue about the reason why. If the reasons are inner then the risk may be warranted. If the reasons are solely external (example - the approval or respect of others, also known as fame), then the risk is never warranted. Bad experience with climbing will sort that out real quick. BTW, I am not in any way saying what Braydons motives are. I don't know him at all. This is just something that came to mind when I read about the chasing records thing. p.s. Bravo for thinking BIG!

I am down with the OR (outdoor research), MB (montbell), MH (mountain hardware) and the MEC. But what is BMW? They are diversifing away from high quality cars? (bridger mountain works?)

if there is doubt, trash it as it is only $10 for another. maybe save it for aiding?

why try to beat some record? Why not just go out and climb for the personal experience? Climbing for fame (definately not fortune) is one of the stupidist things going. While I don't know Jess at all, I bet that he wasn't racing for the record but getting on everest because he wanted to. He probably wasn't focusing on getting on the record books but got it as a nice after thought. Maybe I am wrong. Record get beat frequently and makes the dangerous activity seem stupid. Do you want to be the guy who gets hurt trying to achieve fame or the guy living for personal fulfillment? Dane is spot on with the experience needed. If your goal is the big mountains, then work your way up to them. Take our local hard man (once hard boy) Colin Haley. He spent the time getting after it locally, now taking it internationaly. Not saying you should follow his particular path but the progression is what is important. Seek mastery, not records (which will follow when you have mastery). Last time I was in talkeetna, I went to the climbers memorial and nearly lost it when I saw that 2 teenagers (19 yo) died in the ruth gorge in the late 90's. It is one thing when some 50yo bites it but when a young-un dies doing this, well, it does hurt those who care a bit more. I hope you get after it, smartly of course.

the volant is cut small which I mean that it is not meant to be layered heavily under. So for denali a larger than normal volant may be needed. Of course you would need the optional hood. the volant would be great for new england climbing.

they stretched lengthwise?