jhamaker

Yo, any town in WA. UPS, Tacoma - expensive school, lots of inner city jobs. WWU, Bellingham - cheap, you'll fal in love w/ B-ham, and not get wk there. Seattle - big city. WWU, Cle Elum - bad rep for teacher school WSU, Nowhererseville, do you like to watch the wheat grow? Volonteer a few hundred hours w/ your prefered age group, thenGo for a 12-16mo Master Prg.

No climbng club in B-ham?! That's like not having a surfing club in Honolulu! Create yourself one, join the V.O.C. at U.B.C., or join the Mountianeers. www.mountaineers.org > branches

I agree with all of the above. To learn to climb, you need to climb - lots.The Intermediate class assumes you can lead. Lots of people can't, so they get partway through the course, and have to bail.You will get the most out of the Mountaineers if you climb lots (w/ and w/o the club). Consider applying for the leader's list in a few yrs. The Intermediate Course requires you to teach the basic classes - so wait to join the Int. Course when you feel you need a refresher on all those skills. Be sure to take the practice sessions before testing to do intermediate. Don't be in a rush, there are several lifetimes of peaks out there in WA that will never require more than one ice axe and a rope to get to the summit.

I vote for the cordelette. I like having one point as the main belay for everyone.I also like the security of tying in direct to the anchor w/ the climbing rope. My prefered is 20+ ft of *spectra* (expensive) The cheap way out is 8mm or so climbing rope, or 20+ ft of one inch tubular webbing. The belay is last resort security, it must not fail. I was interested to here that clove hitches slip at 400-600 lbs, can anyone substatiate this? AMGA refrences?

Keep off the rocks in any plastic boot. Once the sole is gone and the main plastic part gets worn, resoling becomes impossible. I like to carry a spare binding in the party for long trips (along w/ ski splints etc.)

Climbing was once associated with wilderness. Vantage was once just a crag. Now the BLM wants your money. Why? (Ten) fold increase in trafic in ten yrs Why? Bolts, guide book, popularity of (sport) climbing. How many more sacrifice areas can we afford?

I would love to head down to Red Rocks durring Thansgiving or at the end of the year. jhamaker@nospam@onebox.com