genepires

If you leave them unequal, you will have more rope for rappels. Assuming 60m ropes, you will be able to make 59m rappels. Equaling the lengths gives you 58m rappels. Is the 6ft extra length of rappel matter to you? enough to warrant the un-eveness of the ropes at every belay? I would think that the extra hassle (minor as it is) would not be justified by the extra 6ft of rappel. Now if it was a 50m pair of ropes, I would think differently.

Was just commenting on the fact that according to his photos, it seemed like the there were a couple more pitches ice right around the pencil area than in the usual later seasons that I have been there.

the purpose of a leash is many fold. the best use of a wrist leash for climbing is to support weight when on steep ground, in poilet traction, so the grip strength is not a factor. tethers are for not losing tools. Are you sure you wanna climb with someone who is so anal as to dictate that you must use a wrist leash? I run from people like that.

for alpine climbing, the risk of a lost ice axe due to dropping is so overrated. In my 20+ years of climbing I have never dropped one, seen someone drop one, heard of someone drop one or even came close to dropping one. Even the consequence of a dropped is 99% of time nothing worse than bending over to pick it back up. Now the risk of using a leash in the alpine while in a uncontrolled fall down a snow slope is great. If I do not have control of the axe while sliding, I do not want it anywhere around me. There will be no magical flick to regain control of the axe and perform a standard self arrest. There is only pulling the axe out of your body. Learn how to do a feet and elbow self arrest and forgo the leash all together. Now of your climb has some steep ice, then a wrist leash has value and used for that purpose. When the angle lessens, the wrist leash comes off, the loop draped over the pick then adze and down the shaft to be kept out of the way. Just my opinion, but the harness to tool leash is the most useless and dangerous thing you can do in regards to typical axe use. The only time it makes sense to use a harness to axe leash is on fixed lines. BTW, my opinions are for alpine only and not ice climbing where the situation is different. Also may not apply for someone doing a high altitude climb.

seems like the ice pitches below the pencil are just snow climbing later on in the season.

what is wrong with having people "lurk"? Is it because lurkers don't add to an advertising count? (besides just not contributing to the site) Advertising will push people to log in and submit TR's?

I have been using weed wack wire in lieu of usual wire in broken wire repairs. Some have been on for 10 years with not a single sign of cracks. IMO, the kevlar trigger cord is an improvement over metal cables but second best to weed wack cord.

I would say for a #11 #11- the beacon rock post count accelerates exponentially. But the reality is that this train ride has been going light speed since inception. And we all know about going faster than the speed of light.

we should all be so lucky. thanks for sharing.

Blake had a write up of that route in rock and ice, I believe. Something like favorite unknown routes or something.

waterfall buttress area below e face three fingers. near roan wall sorta. His home away from home. Me thinks he has a PO box out there somewhere.

The sigline is sarcasm, I take it. no insult intended. Just a response to bearbreeder who is a stated 5.12 good climber and that him and his friends use all kinds of gear. Since he is using "good" to describe 5.12, I used "good" in my line. A better statement would be "If you are a 5.12 climber, you prolly are not asking the original question" FWIW, if 5.12 is good, I am not a good climber.

If you are a good climber, you prolly are not asking the original question.

lots of thick ice on the 10 degree hiking trail up to the pilchuck lookout.

Check it out, another climber on ellation. Will make Darin a happy little monkey!

Didn't know that was even possible. sorry to hear about it and hope that it works well for ya.

I am the 2%

pretty strong statement. can you give an example of this cordelette anchor failure? You can look it up in Rock and Ice and ANAM and will gadd's blog just as easy as I can. did search will gadd's site and what I could in the R&I. Nothing about cordelette anchor failures. So do you have an example of a cordelette anchor failure in real life or just testing? Maybe you can point me in the right direction instead of being rude? Your answer is more typical of a response to a politically directed question to someone who does not have an answer. Typically "go find it yourself".

and add the trip up the granite sidewalk to make a sweet semi novice slab experience.

Mikey (Layton) has gots lots of knowledge, experience composure but good judgement only 90% of the time.

pretty strong statement. can you give an example of this cordelette anchor failure?

Hey b free, maybe you need to define what steep alpine ice means to you? The definition can range anything from 20 deg snow to 45 deg ice faces to 70 deg gulley ice. IMO, those three scenarios would use three different tools ranging from 60cm straight shaft to something like the grivel alp wing to the nomic respectively. Sure the nomic could do all three but I think it is not best suited to all three. Just my opinion. On 30deg ice, I don't like the reverse curve picks but classic curve picks work great. With that, a tool that offers a classic or a reverse curve pick would be nice. (BD) for the shaft on alpine ground, I prefer a straight shaft near the spike and the curve near the top, like most ice tools are now. But I like the simple grip area for when it needs to be plunged into snow. So yeah the grip area doesn't have a pommel, but I am a leash wearing fool anyway. take your pick when it comes to leashes and grip pommels.

I have met more resistance to the legalization from church going country folk who think it is a gateway drug.

Show me one average person (not in law enforcement) that cheers these busts and thinks they are a great idea. I have asked 4 police officers about their thoughts on the legal weed bill before it was passed and they all said they were glad to not have to bother with busting pot heads. They only arrested for possession when it was convienent to get someone off the street. Granted it was a survey of 4.

SAID principal. Specific Adaptation to Induced Demands. to maximize alpine climbing training, induce demands that are like alpine training. So the most obvious is to do the activity as often as possible. If alpine climbing is hiking up mountains with a 40lb load to a base camp, then load up your pack to 40lb and hike up icicle ridge trail. If alpine climbing is long day trips up to colchuck peak, then start trail running around your low land hills. You are at a location and point in skillz that really focusing on training is almost pointless. Much better to get out and have fun for whatever the season offers. Ski in the winter. rock climbing in the spring. alpine jaunts in the summer. Lament the rain in the fall and call it a download season. Focus more on gaining a variety of skills and the fitness will follow. If you have to train for alpine, power up icicle ridge trail after work a couple times a week.