climbing4fun2000

Please go to climbers board and read URGENT message. Craig

I'll make this short, an F#@*ing virus has hit my email address book. Unfortunately quite a few of you good people are in it so please, until I post another notice DO NOT OPEN ANY EMAIL FROM ME (golf4fun72 or craigallen3). So far I have not been able to find it so I may end up have to wipe out my entire frigging system and start over. Anyway, I hope nobody's computer get affected and I will post again when I get it under control. Thanks, Craig Pass the word along in other forums.

And all this time I thought an avalanche was a bad thing. I never thought of "snow surfing". I can hardly wait for this flick.

OK, so here's the deal...one of my climbing partners is not real excited about winter climbing, option 2 does not have the gear for it and option 3 can only go on the weekends. None of these are really working for me. So I am looking for someone to do some winter climbing with. Nothing too extreme, unless you won't mind a rookie (I've been climbing for 2 years Helens (spring 1, summer 2), Hood (south side x2), Adams (Mazama glacier). I am really wanting to climb, but the whole partner with similar enthusiasm thing is turning out to be a hard thing to find. My goal was, and still is Aconcagua and Denali, and if those go well I would love to try Cho Oyu as my "Dream Climb". Anywho, neither of my climb partners share this desire and so here I am...all dressed up and no place to go. Some of the routes I would like to consider this winter are: Hood (Wy'East, Leuthold Couloir, Cooper Spur), Adams (North ridge, West ridge, Northwest ridge), and the Fuhrer Thumb on Rainier next spring. As you can see I want to progress. I work m-f but can get a day or two off with short notice i.e. when conditions are good, so I am looking for someone to hook up with. I have some gear (rope 9mm, 2 ice screws, snow pickets, biners, draws) and I have the desire, now I just need a good solid, reliable partner. Or someone with the same number of screws loose rolling around in his/her cranium. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Hey, who wants to climb Yocum Ridge on Mt. Hood? Ok, Ok, I'm not technically ready for that route yet but it is my dream climb. Has anyone done it? What is it like? How would you prepare for it both physically and mentally? Oh yeh, when the time comes who would be interested in joining me? ------Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow--

Hey, you just can't be too careful. (Why do you think most climbing knots have a built in redundancy) ;-) Better safe than sorry!!

Anyone heard about closures on Adams due to forest fires?

I told myself that I would never get into these squabbles about "spray vs. beta/info" but... a) Most of the time the spray comes off as just good-natured fun (or maybe it just matches my sense of humor) and b) every time (almost) that I have posted for information I got it. The only exception being looking for info on "The Castle" but like a personal message I received said, that?s more than likely because not very many people have done it. c) Most of the time they're only posting what most of us are thinking anyway. So where do I stand; if I read a posting and I laugh when reading it was worthwhile, there is far too little laughter in this world. And besides, the serious answer to the question is usually soon to follow. I know, I know, "I shouldn't have to read a bunch of smart ass crap just to get to the info" or "if you don't have any info then don't respond" but this really would lead to a boring site. Final thought: And this might be the most important part, never, and I mean NEVER have I seen a "smart-ass" posting that put a fellow climber in danger! Spray threats yes, but honest disinformation for the purpose of seeing someone get hurt, or because someone is upset with someone, never. So I personally enjoy the tid-bits of humor mixed in with the good information that IS available here. Touché Dru and Caveman and anyone else whose made me laugh. Climb safe all!

Alpine Tom, I have to agree with you. The REAL climbing is definately in CA or CO! By those standards the NW is subpar. Anyone thinking of moving here can email me and I'll tell you how horrible it is...and I won't lie...promise!

Well, it looks like we have it penciled for the 22nd and 23rd. I'll post my opinion. Looking forward to it.

< < < Saying a prayer for family, friends, victims, and the survivors. Stars and Stripes forever!!!!

I traveled across one glacier unroped and will never do it again. We were on the descent (we roped up going up) and when we got to the crevasse field my partners decided since we only had about a quarter mile to camp we should just do it. We did, and I almost fell in while probing. It was a gaper, when the crust broke loose it was about 3-4 feet wide, and about 25-30 feet deep. Needless to say I shook my pant legs to clear the "new deposit" and we continued. I then cussed myself out for letting them talk me into something I knew was STUPID. Again, I will never cross a glacier unroped again as I feel fortunate to have survived that experience unharmed. Climbing is dangerous stuff and the best way to limit this danger is to do things right, and in my opinion that means roping up on glaciers. Caveman is right about even the ones you see can get you, so I prefer to tie one on. After all, it became a practice for a reason!! Have fun and stay safe.

This could be what I'm looking for, being new to climbing. Will there be people willing to take a "newbie" on some of the easier stuff? (So far I've managed up to a 5.8 short route.) I can get some killer fire wood and I have a slide projector. Let me know. I also have a guitar but will only sing if nobody is home; wait a minute, my dog begged me to stop the other day so ixnay on the singingay! But I'll bring my guitar if you want.

I'm new to rock climbing and my experience is very limited. Having said that I say this "The Hammer" at Brouton Bluff kicked my...! I attempted the crux until I almost ripped the skin off my fingers. I then regrouped and tried one more time later; Hammer 2, me zero! The people I was with said the route is MUCH harder than the grade (5.7). Since I flashed The Sickle at 5.8 I'm inclined to agree. That's my rookie input.

Going up is optional, getting down is mandatory. Unknown (to me)