imorris

I consider the AAC insurance to be worth the price of membership alone (of course I have not paid anything but junior member prices yet). I would be particularly interested in having this insurance when climbing on Mt. Hood, where if you so much as break a fingernail there's a photo of a blackhawk in the Oregonian the next day with a caption "WHO PAYS FOR THIS?" All goes back to the OES debacle in 1986. But I digress. There has not been a case where a climber has had to pay. Yet. -Iain

quote: Originally posted by jon: they might know something about security. warning geek crap forthcoming... Maybe M$' BackOffice team could learn something from prisoners' back-orifice security systems...

quote: Originally posted by erik: here is couple other dangerous setups i wouldnt want to use

Can I girth-hitch a sling to that?

We have a drop test facility to evaluate various components of our anchor systems. I may be able to fit in such an experiment when we do our next suite of tests. Link: CMRU Drop Tests -Iain [ 03-21-2002: Message edited by: imorris ]

Actually this is further evidence towards so-called global warming - climate instability.

I've used the S12 for about 4 years now (bail front) and it has been rock solid, after constant abuse on rock. Only thing I would want is a more aggressive angle on the second front tooth for steeper stuff. As an all-around, though, it's bomber. If I bought again I'd go for the Black Ice. Seems similar to the S12 with a more aggressive front end. -Iain

quote: Originally posted by Dru: Izzat Metasequoia thing Beckey plant or what? By that do you mean almost extinct? Yes. But there isn't any growing on the face routes of Mt. Sir Donald or Yocum Ridge....

Someone asked good places for crevasse practice on Hood or elsewhere. On Hood, the classic spot is the Eliot Glacier icefall. It has a many good cracks for practice. Access in late summer is easy from Cloud Cap along the east moraine. White River Glacier from Timberline is another option, but it can be a pain to drop down there off of Palmer.

quote: Originally posted by ruddersbox: August, North Milk Creek Gully... While I have not climbed that route in August, and I know others who successfully have, that sounds dangerous to me. There was a serious accident there last year from rockfall. One climber lost his sight after getting pegged in the head on his helmet brim and was evac'd by chopper. Fortunately(?) there was a Mazama party in the gully too and one of them had some advanced first aid training. I would stick to one of the ridges that late, if you absolutely don't want to get on a glacier. The south ridge (a slog until Red Saddle) comes to mind (but you'll be on steeper snow for a traverse at the top). Jefferson is not as much fun off the snow, late in the year in my opinion, but is nevertheless popular. If you do gain some basic glacier skills by then, the Russell Glacier is a nice tame climb and most crevasse hazard should be obvious that late (though considering the snowfall right now, maybe this stuff won't melt out!)

quote: Originally posted by Dru: ? Not in my plant Book.Cannabis sativa. Stink bug.

bulger wheat? It's sold as bulk at the food co-ops. Apparently there's a new variety for sale now.

Euschistus conspersus

+ tsuga heterophylla....WA's state tree if I'm not mistaken.

quote: Originally posted by Rodchester: The BD Alpamayo standard ice axe was around for more than a few years. Indeed, and it used to have that cool option of working as a shovel handle too but they seem to have stopped that idea, unfortunately. I thought that was a nice solution, and it was tough to break.

In my humble opinion, skis are much more conducive to the backcountry than snowboards. They are lighter, you can leave them on your feet to climb (no additional snowshoes, etc needed) and they aren't a giant sail/weedwacker when they are tied on your back. Granted, if you already snowboard and you want to enter the backcountry to board, then by all means board. But if you are looking for an all-around backcountry travel tool, and you might be doing some climbing too, I don't think skis can be beat. I just find myself constantly waiting around for boarders in the backcountry as they stop to put on their snowshoes or stop to split their board when they get stuck on the flats, or putting it back together again at the top of the hill. I would think this would be a pain in the ass to deal with all the time personally, but to each his/her own. -Iain

quote: Originally posted by cj001f: As for axe durability - WTF do you people do with your axe's - Demolition? Trundling? Fee-Demo Direct Action? Impaction. The hooking action is key.

Looks like a Ray Atkeson shot. Or a scene from current-day Lake Oswego. -Iain

Older versions of the megamid didn't have a vent in the top to let out moisture. You had a tropical rainforest in there when the sun came up after a cold night as the frozen vapor melted off the tent walls. Newer versions have a shielded vent in the top but you still get some ice buildup on the inside, particularly if you cook in there. I'm not even sure the megamid is made anymore. -Iain

Moscow - 5.7 trad, multi-pitch.Lycopodophyta - 5.7 trad, left of Bunny F.Hop on Pop - 5.8 bolts I'll third the Spiderman recommendation - beautiful and exciting (at least for me).

Isn't that classic Oregon climbing the routes aren't difficult but they can still scare the crap out of you at times.

I missed him at the Roseland in PDX. Too bad. Sounds like it was a blast.

it does? look closer.

I actually asked my friend in the lift line "could I borrow your snorkel next time?" to get some forced chuckles from the people around us for a tired old joke. Then he took out a real snorkel from his pack. People were much surprised. Probably more surprised that we would go to such lengths for a joke of that quality. -Iain

Terraserver is terrafying because it is owned by Microsoft. Just one more step closer to world domination.