Jim

Also near Barlow Pass - Del Campo. And Mt. Forgotten on the on the north side of the road is a great trail run/scramble.

It's going to be interesting to watch how this progresses. The technology curve is pretty stunning. I've been on one study where we used one of these: Critter Cam in the Sky They are getting cheaper and easier to use. I was working on the Idaho Power big game study mentioned where the plane crashed and two biologists and the pilot were killed. Having been in my share of 'copters and small fixed wing craft for field work in the lower 48 and AK- and having lost colleagues, maybe this cheaper and safer way for some work will cut down on such tragedy. But anyway - they are getting cheaper and everyone loves gadgets. So how this meshes with public privacy is going to be a process.

I don't usually autobloc except when snow/icey, but I think I will on the first few raps on this new one. Debating about 8.7 vs 8.9. Off to Sierra and any weight reducion would make me happy for the slog to base.

I only used this on one trip to Bolivia, slept in it for a week then ended up using other folks tents or just bivied. Not even a scuff on it. $450 with ground cloth.

Wow. This is tiny. Looking for a light alpine rope - anyone try this one? They also make an 8.9 - assume that is a bit more durable.

Thank you Matt. I spent part of the day in the cemetery with the Vets doing a little maintenance. One of them pointed me to a review of the 3rd Volume of WWII history by Rick Atkinson in the NYT Book Review on Sunday: After all the noise and fury, it is the quiet moments that echo in the memory. In October 1945, Henry A. Wright, a widower, was waiting at the train station when the bodies of his three sons came home - Frank, killed on christmas Eve in the Battle of the Bulge; Harold, dead of his wounds in a German POW camp; and elton,killed in Germany just two weeks before the war ended. Their coffins were placed in the bedroom of the farmhouse near Springfield, MO, where each had been born. "Neighbors kept vigil overnight, carpeting the floor with roses, and in the morning they bore the brothers to Hilltop Cemetery for burial side by side by side beneath an iron sky"

For warm and light these guys can't be beat: http://www.exped.com/exped/web/exped_homepage_na.nsf

What? Is Ivan now steering the Mars Rover?? [video:youtube]

He also was famous for leading a desperate pitch then telling his second - "Don't fall here or we'll both go!" Then chuckling at watching them, wide-eyed, and gripped.

Hard to come close to some of his antics and epics. One bold SOB. Met him in the early '80s. Mellowed by then. Old school ballsy.

I'm just glad we're getting clear and concise news coverage of all of this. All the BS all the time

Two isolated losers. This sounds familiar. Not sure what is sadder, that they thought this was a solution to whatever ailed them or the current media feeding frenzy. I don't have cable and mostly use the tube as a streaming vehicle. Looked on line at CNN live coverage - holy shite - about a minute was enough.

IMO it's more than non-politically correct. No evidence other than he's middle eastern. Great. Who's next? Those Irish are pretty militant too - plus they drink too much.

That is F$#%ked up. These colored folk were given the ride and they were not even terrorists blame-gamers. Just the usual racial hysteria deal. Was on last night: Central Park Five

There's lots of charities that work in far-flung places, including mid Asia, that manage to generally keep track of where their funds go to. The whole thing of Mortenson spending money, flying around the country on private jets - using the charity's donated money, is just the tip of the iceberg. It's pretty obvious he lied about his travels over there, lied about being captured by the Taliban, and stonewalled any reasonable request to account for all the money he was spending - in the US and overseas. Liar and cheat. Oh - and you may want to look into it more. It wasn't JK that blew the whistle - it was Charity Watch (foremerly the American Institute of Philanthropy) - a non-profit that monitors and rates charities. Early on they called for Mortenson to resign and for the Central Asia Institute to come clean - they never did, which is why they were investigated by the MT Attorney General. Has Mortenson done no good? - of course not - but the amount of money he defrauded from donors, spend on shit for himself, and to build up his image - completely separate and way, way outside the legal practices of charities led to the Central Asia Institute getting an F and recommendation of "don't send money here" from Charity Watch. You may not like JK, but what? - Charity Watch, the DA of Montana, and 60 Minutes are making stuff up too. Sheesh. And if you do want to help kids in the region here's a list of charities that do pass muster and don't cook the books for self-profit. What a surprise - accountability!! The Decent Charities

I didn't realize my landlord during graduate school was still at it! It's amazing what you can end up doing to a house while dividing it up into apartments, apparently without a level.

Well, if you could provide any evidence other than talking to someone in Bellingham I'd believe you rather than the 60 Minutes reporters. They make stuff up too I suppose.

Likely in the basement, as usual, by All Star break. It's a nice stadium on a sunny day, however.

I think the "personal" part of it is that JK gave $75k to Mortenson's charity and lent his name to the charity, and introduced Mortenson at Seattle's Town Hall for a lecture - so I'm sure it is a personal sting for him as well. IF you read the article, it seems pretty damning and more than just sloppy book-keeping. The guy lied, made up stories, sucked money out of the charity to pay for all kinds of personal things and promotion of his book and himself, lied about what he accomplished in Pakistan, wasted way, way too much money, left good folks hanging in Pakistan, hasn't owned up, and continues to stonewall and powerplay. JK does seem to have a bit of the ankle-biter dog thing going on - but Mortenson's story is a good one. Too bad it's a sham and folks still are throwing money at him.

Nice when timing, weather, and logistics all work. Good score - thanks for the stoke and photos.

Well, after initially thinking this guy was just incompetent, he appears to be a scam artist. Slush Fund

Just need to go a bit higher!

Yes. On Goldline with wool knickers. There is a good reason this has evolved.

They just spray in July - September instead.

Oh, man. That will keep you awake at night. Jobs like that - cops, criminal lawyers - you probably get a very skewed view of humanity.