carolyn

Okay, so I am going to be investing in a pair of my first "real" boots this winter. I had just rented from REI last winter, but they are cutting out their rental dept from what I hear, so I am S.O.L. I need my own pair anyway, since one of my climbing goals is to be more independant and not have to keep borrowing (or renting) from others. Im ready to make the commitment! I had been renting Koflachs all last winter which I really liked. My feet tend to get cold easily - Koflach's kept them pretty toasty (better than my mukluks I must say!) A good friend of mine swears by leather. It seems like plastic is better on vertical ice (which is what we have here in MN and Ontario) because it is more stiff. Its also warmer (on my feet). On the other hand, plastic is pretty darn bulky. Leather might be more practical - I can use them for hiking, backpacking, etc here in mn, ice climbing, and for my trips out west in the mountains. Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks! carolyn ps...warm feet are VERY important to me!

Rick, I just put down In the Zone last week. I was curious again after you asked about how the accident happened. I went back and looked thru it a bit. He seemed to elude to the fact that the belayer did something, but wouldnt come right out and give specifics. AJ, I find it interesting that in the presentation he wouldnt really answer the question, too. I think earlier in the story the author also mentioned being irritated that it was taking his partner so long to set up the belay. Or am I getting it confused with another story. In the story, there is no specific reasons mentioned, other than he couldnt find anything but little knobs for his feet, he slipped, yelled "falling", and wound up hanging from his rope right above the ledge. *shrugs* who knows

Right now... I just want to learn enough of everything so I have options. I prefer ice. I wanna learn how to ski. And I want to dogsled a few more times in the near future. I think it would be fun to learn how to combine the last two and do some skijorning! WAAAAAAAAAAAY Later... I want to climb Aconcagua, Polish route.

Hollyclimber, Youre reading my mind. I just finished another book today and will be due for a trip to the bookstore tomorrow! I go in spurts with reading...right now I cant seem to read enough. I admit Im a John Grisham junkie. Tonight I just finished Winterdance by Gary Paulsen about running the Iditarod. Good story, but the writing was a little irritating. Cascadeclimber-I started In the Zone last week and zipped thru it in about two days. I REALLY liked it. The story of the folks on Foraker really got to me. Nanda Devi was okay, but I got a bit sick of the bickering going on. Seems like there were a lot of different sides to the story. I would have been interested in hearing them. Walk in The Woods by Bill Bryson kept me laughing a alot! Touching the Void was great. Crossing the Antarctica by Will Stegar (local MN folk) is one of my all time favorites. Within My Reach...cant remember the author, but written by a 17 yr old who climbed everest (didnt summit if I remember correctly). He is just so frank. And the resourcefulness /creativity of being so young was inspiring. To the Summit by Margo Chisholm is what got me thinking that maybe I COULD start getting involved with climbing. I read a lot of books on wolves. (other animals as well) Among Grizzlies by Timothy Treadwell was a recent one I enjoyed. I do read over a lot of my books on backpacking trails in MN again and again and again...kind of what you were talking about hollyclimber...looking at what you have done and what you want to do...planning the next excursion. As a beginner, I get sucked into my Freedom of the Hills book a lot as well. Happy reading! Carolyn [ 10-27-2001: Message edited by: carolyn ]

newbie, congrats on following thru with something you seemed to want to do so badly. It must have been an incredible experience for you. I appreciate the thought you put into describing it for us. I spent a day on the nisqually glacier with a friend of mine who guides for rmi (in fact he was probly one of your guides) about a week after your ascent. this was the first time I had ever seen the mountain (I live in MN). I was in complete awe - just loved it! Im very very sorry to hear about your friends. Im glad you were able to keep them with you to help you achieve your goal. My guess is there will always be a piece of them on that mountain now. A lot of people I ran into while I was out in the NW seemed to think being in the mountains during the tragedy was the best place to be. In a way, it was probably true. I spent a night on Baker with no planes flying overhead. On the other hand, I found it difficult to concentrate as much as I would have liked to. I wound up turning back on one of my trips - not JUST because of the turmoil- but reflecting on the days now, I think it played a big part in it. I didnt realize rmi included so many people on their summit attempts. I would imagine that in itself is difficult. So many personalities, so many logistics. Your perspective was enlightening and I will definately keep it in the back of my mind. Im sure there will be a day that I will save up enough money and need to be part of a guided trip in order to accomplish a particular goal. Anyway, best of luck in your future endeavors. I really enjoyed reading about your progress and success. be well, be safe, carolyn

Did you go? How was the trip?

My only experience on ice in the NW was last week at this time on Nisqually. It was AWESOME! The trek out there on the scree and talus slopes had a lot to be desired. Things were rolling down from every which way on the mountain and under our feet. Once we were out on the glacier it was hard to decide what we wanted to climb first. Too many good options to choose from! Just got back to MN tonight. We are looking at a freeze advisory in the southern part of the state! The northern part has been in the upper 20's the past few nights. More rain, more nights like this and we will be climbing ice out here soon!!!!

cavey, Fortunately for you my next scheduled appearance at a pub club probly wont be until next may or june...so you have plenty of time to practice chugging!

*sticks her tongue out at chris-w* Alright! I AM quitting!!!!! Just dont send me the bill for dry cleaning , Please! Next pubclub I attend I will be smoke free!

Well, again let me thank all of you who helped give me ideas of things to do or met with me and took me places while visiting the NW. I had an absolutely wonderful time! Couldnt have asked for better weather , either! As much as I wanted to get home, I had a really hard time leaving. Let me give you a run down of the fun I had! I started in Portland, staying with a couple good friends of mine. We did a hike up saddle mountain on the one unclear day, so I didnt see much. The next day they took me out to Hood. We hiked up the mountaineers trail to the top of the ski lift. What an amazing mountain. I found it to be one of the more beautiful ones. Later when my uncle took me out and about in the Gorge we stopped for lunch near Hood River with a great view of the other side, which I liked even more. I also spent a day hiking around on a ridge next to Mt.St.Helens. Fascinating area! A wonderful cc.com lurker took me out to Smith Rock for a weekend. I enjoyed this a great deal. Im not a fantastic rock climber, in fact I pretty much suck! I learned an awful lot though and enjoyed the challenge and atmosphere. I moved on toward Bellingham and out to Mt.Baker. I hiked up Heliotrope (spelling?) ridge and spent the night up there next to the glacier. I wish I would have spent more time there. So much to do! There was a great big rock made for some good bouldering. Had I been with another person, or very experienced it would have been great to climb around on the glacier and in/out of the seracs and crevasses. The view was spectacular! No one else was there, so it was quite peaceful (except for the marmots constant whistle). Onward to Cascade Pass and Sahale arm. I got up to cascade pass and bailed from there. I was sick of the switchbacks, it was late, and I was just not mentally into it for some reason. I really needed a chill day with NOTHING but sitting around , reading, etc. I figured if my head wasnt into it, it wouldnt be safe. I think I made a good decision. I do however hope to get back there and try it again. Just when I thought the scenery couldnt get any better, my heart stopped again at the site of the mountains. It was neat to see the ice/snow falling off of Johannasburg. I sat and watched it for a long time, thinking "do it again! I want to see it again, please".hehehehhehe I met up with Beck the next weekend. (thank you for squeezing me in , beck ). I had a lazy weekend of camping, sleeping, and reading while he climbed all over the mountain in a hail storm. We went up to the climbers bivy area on Mt.Adams at one point. Saw the beginning and progression of a forest fire, which was amazing to watch! My final destination was to meet a friend in Ashford. We went onto the Nisqually glacier to do some ice climbing. Whoaaaaaa! What an amazing experience! I never thought scree and talus could be such a pain in the arse..but now I know! It was definately challenging. Once we got onto the glacier I was struck with some unexpected fear....or more like terror. Climbing around on the seracs was fun, but eventually brought me to a stop for a while due to fear. The more time I spent on them, though a bit of the fear disappeared. We set up a top rope and did a few climbs. Unfortunately we couldnt get my crampons to adjust so I had to use some rmi rentals which wouldnt stick in the ice for the life of me. I learned a lot about chopping steps. I thought it was great to be able to climb on a bit of ice that had never been climbed before and never will be again. it made me start itching for ice season to start out here in the Midwest! The last day I spent climbing next to the Teiton(?)River. This was the first time I had ever done any crack climbing. It was really great...and good learning experience. Oh ya...and for those of you who missed last weeks pub club, too bad! I made my appearance. I think that pretty much covers the BASICS of the trip. I learned so much about myself, climbing, the mountains, etc. I imagine its going to take a bit of time to process it all. I cant wait to come back and even venture off to other areas of the country in the near future! Thanks again for having me out in your beautiful part of the country! be well, be safe, (and for those of you at the pubclub...fuck you! hehehehhe) carolyn

Hey there! Just wanted to thank all of you who have been so patient with me and all my questions over the past month or so. After giving a local gearshop my arm and leg for the remainder of the gear I needed, I have finished up my packing (and boy am I BAD at it!). I drive about five hours to "dairyland" (thats wisconsin ) to visit with the parents for a day before heading off to the great NW! After reading responses to my posts and others I have developed a good sense of what I am doing and where I am going (without making any definate plans). Im extremely excited and nervous at the same time. However, I know with the help I have received it will make for a GREAT learning experience! Thanks again! And I will update you as soon as I return! Be well, Be safe, carolyn

Yaaa! A question a Minnesotian is qualified to answer! GOOD long underware (tops and bottoms) - midweight zip tops are wonderful. Fleece pants I have slept with my mukluck linings on my feet...guessing muklucks arent top priority on a mountain so I will vote for down booties! I have friends who absolutely LOVE them! You can also make good camp "booties" with liners from sorells (or whatever) and then cover them with a sleeping bag sack. Sinch it around your ankles. Basically a cheaper, lighter version of mukluks have to admit the hand/foot warmers do WONDERS. you can usually get them cheap from a gas station. Buy 'em in the summer and they are cheaper. I have a shit load of them (also EXTREMELY helpful in the mitts when ice climbing). They actually have some that are reusable if you dont want to produce the extra paper/garbage. balaclava....a THICK one! Hats! Hats! and more Hats! Last but not least, consider what your sleeping bag is rated at. Ive done winter camping in a variety of bags...0 degrees or below makes a world of difference! *waiting patiently for snow and ice here in MN* Be well, Be safe, (and be warm) carolyn

awww, Im going to miss you in Bellingham...Im heading up there from Portland on Sunday or Monday (9th/10th). Have a GREAT time, though!

Crossing Antarctica by Will Steger and Jon Bowermaster written in journal entries by the first man to cross antarctica by foot (and dogsledding). Im always fascinated by those who can survive in such exteme weather.

I just heard the other day about people going into crevasses, just to ice climb out. That is soooooooo crazy fun sounding! I cant wait for the day to try it! carolyn

You folks are all fantastic! Thank you sooo much for the ideas and reassurance. i never thought about the stove or the fuel. Ive been borrowing a lot this summer and was planning on picking up a stove before heading out, but maybe I will wait. Lambone, and all...what do I hope to get out out of this trip? Well as I said in one of my initial posts I had a scholarship for an outward bound course which got cancelled. I will be taking one of the courses in the spring (for free thank goodness ). I just feel like I have worked too hard this summer physically, emotionally, and financially to say "okay see ya in the spring". So I am coming out anyway! Ideally, my goal is to learn and get some experience on glaciers. I would LOVE to do some ice climbing if conditions warrant it. (cause gwad I LOVE ice climbing) A summit or two would be nice, however the learning, safety and enjoyment of the trip are much more important to me. My plans are still flexible and up in the air. I am flying into portland on the 2nd and will spend some time with a good friend of mine who wants to take me on some hikes. My uncle, who has climbed all over the world wants to take me out for a climb or two. At the moment I plan on staying in the portland area until the 9th, then I am moving onward. I will be heading to the N. cascades with my pack in some cheap rental car. There have been a few people from this site who have shown interest in taking me out climbing. I plan on meeting with some of them and deciding if we will be compatible. I also have a friend who guides for RMI and if he is given time off will be heading up N with me. If worse comes to worse, I have been looking up places to backpack and I will just do some solo backpacking for a few weeks. Unfortunately I will not be in the area for the big fall fest. I believe my flight from seattle leaves a few days before the big date.*sigh* I wish I could explain how badly I want to learn more about climbing. I wish I could even understand myself why I would want to. Unfortunately I have this complex, this fear that has kept me away from it for so long...and still causes me to hesitate at times. I wonder what makes me so special to think I deserve to be part of the beauty the mountains hold. Its time to stop questioning and analyzing and start doing...THAT is the purpose of this trip! I hope I explained it well enough. be well, be safe, carolyn [This message has been edited by carolyn (edited 08-20-2001).]

I just wanted to wish you luck and hope that most importantly you stay safe and ENJOY yourself and the beauty around you! carolyn

Thanks, duffel bag is a good idea. Think I have seen them at that wonderful REI store for a zillion bucks. (good thing I am getting a fair amount of money from my recent car accident ). Can you tell how anxious I am about checking my gear in on an airline. EEEEKS! If I lost it!!!! *trying not to think about it* Got good rain gear. Except my boots, which decided to crap out on me last week in the rain. Dont wanna get new ones right now, so I best find some good waterproofing stuff. Sheeeeeesh, its so early out there! Almost bedtime for me over yonder!

Okay, I really AM heading out to your area soon. My plane leaves on Sept 2. Anyway, I only want to bring my backpack and then maybe a daypack. I am trying to figure out how the hell to fit all of my stuff in it, and get it on /off the plane safely. For those of you who have travelled with all your gear, how do you pack it in a way that you dont have your axes, helmets, etc hanging from the outside of your pack where they can easily get lost or stolen? Sorry, if it seems like a dumb question but as most of you know I am very knew to this. Also, what is the most appropriate type of clothing to bring. Remember when you say it might be "cold", I think Minnesota cold (mukluks,heavy shell, balaclava, etc) I will be in Portland and then the N. cascades, mainly. Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might have! be well, be safe, carolyn

I find it kind of funny that when I remember back to highschool and how I used to get mad at the people who were able to wear the REAL "izod" shirts and addidas shoes (hehehehe, that sounds soooo silly now). They were the "rich preps" (sorry, Im not much of a 'labeler', but I remember that being the label they had). I always wondered what made them so special because they had such nice clothes and I had to wear the hand me downs? Later in life I learned (thank gwad!) that what you wear doesnt make you who you are. these folks who had all the good clothes, cars, bikes, etc were people who had money. Some of them were assholes. Some of them were nice. All of them had insecurities, strenghts and weaknesses - just like me! I guess this post kind of reminds me of the highschool or college experiences Im sure many of us had. Clothing and gear does not make us more or less of a climber. Its our own insecurities which make us think that we need the good clothes or we dont need the good clothes to be labeled a "climber". Once we get more confident in our abilities and/or our personalities we start realizing what is right for us individually and what others have or dont have wont bother us so much. If you wear wool, fleece, or whatever because you have found that to be the best for YOU then so be it. If you are wearing it to be different and "cool" you are losing out. Heck, I know a guy who leads dogsledding trips in N. Minnesota and wears cotton - everything. Crazy? Rebel? Stupid? Naw, just found that it works better for him (still dont get it, but whatever works! ) Now, from a "newbie" (can I tell ya all I am beginning to hate that word) I will explain this... When looking for appropriate clothing to work outdoors in the winters here in MN I immediately looked at the expensive, REI, North Face, Columbia, Patagonia, etc. I thought thats what I was SUPPOSE to have in order to stay warm and dry. I bought some of it to test it out. I liked some of what I got and Ive given away or stored others. I had to learn by trail and error what works best for me. Maybe a lot of the people who you run into on the mountians with this expensive gear are just trying it out for the first couple times to see if it is a right fit for them. In time they might realize its not necessary for them...then again, they might realize it is. this is getting long, but I feel the need to continue.. A great example with me might be the fact that I have a silly, bulky looking edelrid helmet that I have inherited from work. At times I think, "shit I better go out and buy one of those Petzl helmets so I dont look like a moron". Then again, who the hell cares. If the helmet fits and serves its purpose then why bother? Maybe someday I will be able to afford or find another helmet which I like better. Maybe not. My point being, a lot of emphasis is put on not looking dumb (just like in highschool)...therefore my own insecurities lead me to think it is necessary to go out and get the "hip" looking gear. So I go up into the mountains for one of the first times wearing my petzl helmet and whatever other clothing/equipment I thought was necessary to look like a climber. I dont know what I am doing. I look like and idiot. And then I get judged by others for being one of those gear heads who doesnt know how to climb. See how that becomes a no win situation for someone new to all of this? It would be easy for me to get defensive or look "cocky". I guess I just hope that we can all get past the "looks" and remember why people are in the mountains -newbie or not....because they LOVE it! quote: "And from the other hand why a newbie’s don’t take upon themselves to learn a little more in depth the essential skills before hitting the trail?" Ive been given two trains of thoughts on how to learn...take a course or two and/or go out and experiment, learn by trail and error. I personally do NOT have the money to hire guides or take a bunch of courses. I have had to beg and plead people to take me out. I have had to do things solo. I have read books and asked numerous people questions. I KNOW I have made some silly mistakes that could have been costly. Who here hasnt? I dont believe there is anything that can completely prepare you for the mountains. You can know the basics, but from there it is all about experience. And you dont get the experience by reading a book or having a guide take you thru things step by step. Finally, you wonder where in the industry sets the standards? Well, you, me, and everyone else involved with enjoying the outdoors set the standards. No one else. We are the ones who are responsible. Not an easy pill to swallow at times. Sorry for the length of this post. I appreciate those of you who made it thru and allowing me to express my opinions on this topic. be well, be safe, carolyn

Uncle Tricky, That was a great story to wake up to and read right before going to...WORK Thanks for putting so much effort into it! It really was a pleasure to read and envision. To many more moments like these in life! carolyn

Oh ya! They also work real well to pull a car out of a ditch! except the knot usually holds longer than the rope. [This message has been edited by carolyn (edited 08-18-2001).]

Any ropes course facility or experiental education organization would probably be happy to take them off your hands. They are used for initiatives and games. Also to train people how to tie various knots.

Thank you so much for the great stories. I laughed and smiled a lot! Im so jealous of those who have spotted wolves...cascadeclimber was that you who said you saw a pack? They are my absolute FAVORITE animals. I swear I saw one when I was in the boundary waters area a couple years ago. I was driving down a road and it was there one second on the side of the road and slithered away so quickly I didnt get a great look. No dog could move as sly and graceful as a wolf. Turns out there was a pack living in a gravel pit (of all places) about a half a mile away. So, how abundant are bears in the N. Cascades? I will DEFINATELY watch out for those goats, cute as they may be from afar. Dru- that photo is AMAZING! Thanks for sharing it! If it wouldnt kill the server, we should start a thread with fav photos from the mountains. Keep the memories coming! they are great! be well, be safe, carolyn [This message has been edited by carolyn (edited 08-18-2001).] [This message has been edited by carolyn (edited 08-18-2001).]

okay, I am revin' up for my trip to the NW...I finally have my flight worked out and I will be leaving in a few weeks! (can you just see my eyes sparkling?-THREE weeks away and free to explore a new world) Anyway, I was wondering what are some memorable things people have seen while they have climbed or been out hiking? What can I look forward to? Even though I am not in the NW now, I would be happy to start with some memorable sites I have seen over the past few years while out and about. *Whitewater rafting on the Colorado River. Looking up into the hills and seeing a mountain goat (or sheep as they insist to be called) on a ledge, with a black bear hanging out right underneath. INCREDIBLE Kodak moment! Too bad I didnt have a camera *Running into my first bear in Colorado. *giggle* The first few times I went up to N. Minnesota to camp, we would make sure we left our garbage out and sit outside all bundled up waiting for a bear! (I know, thats BAD:P Now I hang my food up high and PRAY I wont have a visit). I FINALLY saw one as I was starting a leisurely walk in Colorado Springs. Darn thing was ready to hit the dumpster. Fortunately it ran after I yelled at it. I forcefully retreated back to where I was staying. *Camping on a lake in the boundary waters, a friend of mine and I started howling to see if there were wolves nearby. I will NEVER forget the magical sound when they started howling back. It was definately a LARGE pack, and nearby *Knowing a bear was on a trail I was hiking last week, I whistled and sang all the way. For some reason I started whistling a silly song about five birds as I took a break. Honest to god, five little birds flew around me and hung out on a Pine tree next to me, singing along. *Speaking of birds- After hiking up to Hanging Lake in Co. I had a bird decide it needed to hang out with me. It sat on the limb of a tree next to me, moved to the bench next to my arm, and eventually to my shoulder. People kept staring at me. But this beautiful blue bird was keeping me good company. *Ice climbing in a nearby site. I was soooo damn focused on throwing the axes right (one of my first times out), when someone I had seen there before said, isnt this a beautiful day. I remember turning around and looking at the valley and the snow lingering down. It reminded me that my technique was not so important. What was important was feeling how beautiful my surroundings were and enjoying it! Im going to leave it at that for now. Im excited to hear what others have seen! be well, be safe, carolyn [This message has been edited by carolyn (edited 08-10-2001).]