terrible_ted

Funny, I heard that on NPR just this last week.

Successful?? And I thought my standards were low... -t

I send them to my congressional representative. I include a note that says, "Please consider this a vote against the Fee Demonstration Project." I don't know if they're paying them for me or what, but I've yet to get any response of any sort. -t

The Mountaineers are coming around on this. You'll see many descriptions of snow and ice routes calling for running belays, and you'll often see it in the trip reports for intermediate rock climbs as well. It still is only given cursory coverage in field trips, and as often as not, when you talk about 'kiwi coils' or traveling in coils to students (basic or intermediate), the usual response is for people to coil up a bunch of rope in their hand and/or drape it over their head and shoulders without an additional tie-off. This is usually pretty easy to talk folks out of... Simulclimbing has been given less emphasis on rock, and I often worry about newer climbers confusing 'protected simulclimbing' with 'dual-free soloing.' Usually something like the W ridge of Forbidden will be their first exposure to simulclimbing on rock, and instruction is on a case-by-case basis. I believe that the majority of active climb leaders have appropriate simulclimbing skills in their bag of tricks. I'll be curious to see if this gets any more coverage in the newest version of Freedom. -t

What? That seems pretty odd. I thought REI only carried two tools, the BD overpriced-whatever-of-the-month, and the Moser XXXar equivalent... I always thought it was funny that the company that claimed "It all started with an ice axe..." only stocked two alpine axes for nearly a decade... -t

I like my Simond Piranhas. I ordered them from Barrabes a few years ago. The shipping was refreshingly minimal: two pieces of cardboard taped around two tools - kind of an ice tool cardboard sandwich. Picks and spikes poking out all the way around. The tools arrived fine, hell, they're designed for abuse. I feel kind of sorry for all of the packages between Spain and the west coast that they shredded apart... -t

I'd have to go back and review the details, but essentially those ships didn't have the 'legal authority' to make those claims, unlike Thompson. I think it had to do with knowing the actual course of the upper Columbia River. When people ask where I went to school, I like to tell them Captain Robert Gray Elementary. -t

Hi all: Thanks for the advice, it all looks pretty good and sensible. I've been doing some stretching and it seems to be responding pretty well. The alphabet trick is a good one, although I seem to recall hearing something like that before, albeit in a different setting... The ankle is really an amazingly versatile joint - it's too bad I had to mash it up in order to develop such appreciation for it. It's already clear that my balance and gait are way out of whack. Hopefully the advice hear will help me work through that more efficiently. Any advice on how long 'cold therapy' is really useful? As much as I dislike it, it's relatively easy to ice down the ankle for a half hour - it's just not clear to me when it ceases to be a real benefit. Courtenay: Great to hear about Goode! Maybe we looked over at you from Black Peak (ugh..) that weekend! -t

I rather blindly stumbled across a recent account of Thompson's western explorations ( "Sources of the River" ISBN#1570610061) a few years ago and was overwhelmed, leading me to mention it when the 'reading list' topic came up. I figured the underrepresented nature of his (largely Canadian) history gave me a clean shot at Dru... who nonetheless proved well-armed enough for a cogent response. I initially came across the book as part of my general interest in both early NW exploration and the Columbia River in particular. I suppose there were a few positive aspects of growing up in Astoria... I'll take advantage of the topic to point out that Thompson's history is extremely compelling reading. Many of his maps were used by L&C and the Corps of Discovery. Had Thompson not been beset by the bureaucratic fumblings of the Hudson Bay Company, L&C would very likely have arrived at the mouth of the Columbia to find a British flag. Then we would have been the one with the Wanker problem... -t

Typical BI fellow. It took 3 months to come up with that? Here's John Keegan's analysis from back in April. "one of the most inept ever designed" Pollack's assertions regarding an "Arab" mentality seem both overwrought and ill-supported. -t

Hi all: I managed to sprain my ankle this last week. I'd like to think I did a pretty good job of it... Anyways, I'm off crutches now (after 5 days w/no weight) and moving into the '2 weeks w/no heavy use' period. I want to get back up to speed pretty quick, although I'm well aware of the perils of rushing rehab, so the question comes up: What is a good set of exercises to rehab a badly sprained ankle? I don't really have access to a swimming pool, so that sort of thing is out. Given the ratio of ligaments/tendons to muscle, I'm also assuming that stretching is probably more critical than any resistance exercises. Any ideas/suggestions? Thanks, -t ps Courtenay: Did Goode work out? I'm very curious!

I believe that I posted a summary of the original traverse in this forum last year some time. I'm too lazy to search for it, but you could probably find it. Yes, you did, and a belated thanks for doing so. Original Ptarmigan Itinerary

Oh yeah... when did Austin Post start accumulating all of those excellent photographs for the USGS? He's still out there, although I suspect that work didn't start until the 50's...

Hi Lowell: Not to get too far off your topic here, but I'm wondering if there is any written account of the original Ptarmigan traverse out there? I've always been curious as to exactly which peaks the original party climbed, and how much time they spent doing them. I agree that an account of pre-WWII climbing in the PNW would be a very worthy topic! You'll just have to hurry up and plow through the ski mountaineering book so you can start on the next one! -t

..maybe for you, but if there's an afterlife, then I'm slated for the BBQ lounge... and it could be scary...

A lot of times high mileage reflects a greater distance per trip rather than a greater number of trips. That's usually a good thing (assuming oil has been changed regularly), as long (usually freeway) mileage trips allow the engine and exhaust system to come to temperature. Many low mileage vehicles are used for the same number of trips, it's just that they don't go very far. It usually takes a 12 - 15 mile trip (20 minutes or so) to heat up the exhaust system enough to expel all of the moisture. I'll bet the exhaust system on this rig looks a lot better than than the exhaust on my own, 57k '98 Toyota Tacoma. No major repairs is a good thing. By '98 most of the problem had been engineered out, but those late 90's Toyotas are notorious for blowing head gaskets <40k miles. Before '96 you might expect it. Past '96, and it's the sign of a lemon. -t

After living together for seven years? I would've been happy with a handjob... Sure was a nice smoke...

We were sitting on a high Costa Rican terrace, sipping a fine rum and listening to the electric riot of tropical bugs, bats and owls whirring around us in the night. My old lady sat in my lap and her skin glowed warm and orange from the reflected light of the lava geysers. We finished the last of a Simon Bolivar and as I blew out that last cloud of thick, chocolate smoke I let my whirring heart carry me forward, looked into her eyes and asked her to marry me.

French Glen, OR. Unfortunately, the population has boomed in the last decade... -t

From last August: 7.5 hrs to Cub Lake, another 1.5 hrs to Itswoot Ridge camp (weather really got shitty about the time we hit the lake, so we wandered about on the snow for a bit trying to pick up the line to the ridge) 8hrs from Itswoot Ridge back to the trailhead. -t

CC: We did the route last year in August. I'll check my travel times when I get home tonight and post them. BW 2+ or 3. The salix and slide alder on the upper part of Bachelor Creek were pretty annoying, but it doesn't last forever... The avalanche field is pretty impressive. When we went through, the logs still hadn't stabilized, so you'd find yourself walking along a log, look down and see you're 12 feet off the ground, when it starts to teeter-totter... It was a semi-mature forest that went down - some of those tree boles were >3' in diameter. The slide must have hit from hell of far away - there's a big bowl just above the slope. It's funny, because you look at it and think that it was probably the kind of forest you'd be hiking through in order to avoid avalanches... Do it - it ain't that bad and the camp on Itswuit ridge kicks ass. I wish we would have done the (Dome) traverse, though, because I'm never going back that way... Bring a fishing pole - there were some nice looking fish in Cub lake. Sushi! -t

Frank Zappas 'Ring of Fire' and 'Stairway to Heaven' cuts from "The Greatest Band You've Never Heard in your Life". Bobby Darin's 'Mack the Knife'. The California Guitar Trio doing 'Bohemian Rhapsody???' Almost, but not guite... How about Pink Martini's version of 'Brazil'? -t

Nena "99 Luftballoons"

The biggest advantage to Diamox (Acetazolamide) comes when sleeping at altitude. Essentially, it makes you breathe more during a period of time normally associated with low respiration. You then start the day at a lower oxygen debt than you would otherwise. You'll need to drink even more water to counter the diuretic effect. It will only have a marginal effect on a short climb like Adams. Many people have allergic responses or other contraindications. Try it out at home before you rely on it in the field. Better yet, save it for Denali... -t

1. Lighter pack - You could save 1 - 4# depending on the Dana you have and the pack you go to. 2. Less water. Do you typically drink all of your 2.5 liters of water before you get to snow or camp? If you can refill water along the way (e.g. keep topping off your bottle with snow when you get to snowfields, refill at streams when you pass them, etc...) you can save 2.2# per liter. Drinking a liter at the trailhead can help tremendously. Cutting water seems harsh, but realize that you're currently carrying 5.5# of water - 12% of your pack weight. 3. Crampons. From steel to aluminum can save a full pound. Unless you're front pointing on water ice, aluminum crampons will probably do you fine. 4. Ice axe? One of those old green or black REI axes are about a pound more than something like a Grivel 'Racing' Axe 5. The aforementioned synthetic --> down bag switch. If you have a Gore-Tex cover, it helps alleviate concerns about your down getting wet. 6. Ditto the above on getting rid of the fleece. The stuff is bulky (forcing you to carry a larger capacity (heavier) pack). You have a down jacket and a Gore-Tex coat to keep it dry. 7. Sleeping pad? You didn't mention what you use, but two light z-rests weigh less and insulate more than one Thermarest. 8. Helmet. Lightweight helmets can save 0.5 to 1# over the old standbys. What I've found helpful in the past was to weigh every item I use, research the various low-weight (i.e. high cost...) items for their cost and their actual weight, and then calculate where I get the biggest bang for the buck in weight reduction. You couldn't go wrong by heading down to ProMountain Sports and asking for advice. Cutting pack and wallet weight is something they do very well... -t