Terminal_Gravity

No worries, iain. And, thanks for the beta on the yokum approach. BTW, the Reid glacier was an easy and safe "walk in the park" to cross solo.

quote: Originally posted by iain: quote:Originally posted by thelawgoddess: looking for links and other source recommendations for upping my knowledge ... There was a pretty heavy-duty thread on the topic here awhile back started by Terminal Gravity, I believe. A search under his name may get you there. Selters spends a bit of time on it in his crevasse rescue book. tlg, I definately did not start that thread. I did post on it a few times. The opinion of several posters was that any solo or un-roped travel on a glacier, except when it is fully free of any seasonal snow, carries an un-acceptable level of risk. I personally think that that attitude is patent bullshit and myopic absoluteism. That being said, it certainly ups the ante and requires a level of knowledge, experience and focus that might be equated to free soloing rock. I do not recommend it, but feel that it is a personnal choice and can be appropriate for climbers that know what they are getting into. I solo glaciers often, but never casually. I pick the glacier and route carefully and move with heightened awareness of subtle snow depressions, terrain variations and cravasse clues. I often probe, take a long way around a suspect area and always carry an accessable second tool in case I have to climb out. I also mantain an awareness of my inner self and make sure that I am truly focused and not just fooling my self into a false sense of security. I have learned that from experience. I have never soloed where there are true monsters but I may if things were right. In Alaska or the Himalayas, rather than bamboo I would use a single pole vault pole or a sail board mast with a webbing ladder attached. This pole could also be used to pull a sled and increase your security. The bottom line is; that when it is done appropriatly, I don't think that the subjective exposure is any more than that of other mountaineering pursuits. I think with some people there is an irrational phobia of cravasses and an irrational complancency of rock fall, changing weather, environmental exposure and, most of all, a false security of the rope. my 2 cents [ 08-02-2002, 08:08 AM: Message edited by: Terminal Gravity ]

Alex, I'm not really sure what the 3 sisters marathon is. I just assummed that it was only compromised of just the 3 sisters. I'm curious though. I would probably have trouble justifing Bachlor...it is not on my list of mountaineering objectives...go figure Norman C. let's see if PP responds and take it from there. I'm always serious about climbing and my schedule is pretty open except for 9/10- 9/21.

I'm coming in here late, Lambone. I want to say, though, that I think your efforts and trials justify your actions. Thank you for sharing them. No one that has not been wet, cold and hungry high on a mountain in the intensity of a storm should pass judgement. I think that we will all be wiser in the mountains from the discussions that your experience elisited. I agree with iain's attitudes so I won't reitterate them here. 'Glad your safe.

Pencil P (from one cronic gumby to another), to be the contrarian to all the doubting Thomas's; I might be into it. Sounds up my alley, but I really don't know how far it is. How far is it? Less than 60 miles? Are you thinking bike's or just run/hiking; which would be my pref. On the same vein; any body interested in doing Washington, the 3 sisters and BT (and maybe throw in 3FJ for bonus points) in a day from opposite directions & swapping cars, and meeting some where to drink whisky, eat steaks and exchange cars and pass out?

http://www.pelican.com/main.htm Pelican makes super waterproof stuff and bomb proof construction. I use their little LED as a back-up light or when I don't expect to need a light. It weighs about 1/3 a pikka, and uses 4 watch batteries that I think are available in lithium. (It also has a red LED option which does not interfear with your night vision. but it may be to dim) I used to use their versa light as my main head light with a red lens for night snow travel or non-technical night hiking and could see better than with a big'ol halogen light.

Caveman, I agree with you. I think if you need a tibloc you shouldn't be simul-climbing. I own two but only use them for roped glacier travel. That being said I think they are a good idea for simul-climbing if the leader is really drunk and may not be able to properly belay the second anyway.

Take a hard fall on a tybloc --- you get to live another day --- so that you can go back to work --- so that you can afford to buy a new rope.

Hey iain, What beer are you serving at the dinner? I may be willing to donate a keg for the cause...especially if I could get a free ticket out of the deal. I'll probably make it if I'm not climbing.

? for you

On a similar subject I want to share something that I suggested about 8 months ago. Atleast one CC.comer thought I was joking...but I'm serious. The plastic forest pass signs that they post at trail heads are made of a high grade UHMW plastic. it is the perfect material to make anti-snow plates for crampons. I used to use a dry silicon spray for my plates but the forest pass sign works so well that I never have to spray it anymore. Besides they are so easy and free to replace if rock scrapes start to build up. It is up to you weather or not to put the sign facing out or in

Anybody have any experience with the service department? I could not find a US phone Number on their site.

If anybody cares... I own both the petzel pikka and the princton tec Led head light. I think the Princton is the superior light and it is significantly cheaper. 1) the Ptec has a directional hinge to better use the light. 2) It has different brightness settings 3) it is easier to change the batteries. 4) most importantly I find that the pikka starts becoming dim after just 10 hours where as the P Tec has some circuitry that keeps the light bright for the full life of the battries; plus in a tent you can use the low setting just about indefinatly. The only disadvantage is that the switch is a bit tough to use with fat gloves and it is about 1/2 ounces heavier

Okay, bad news for glaciers but look at the bright side... no more Washington DC.

Looks like a sooby that would give you more incentive to do car-to-car attempt.

No tex, you win.

quote: Originally posted by Dennis Harmon: Or did you mean rapping off it? The answer is no. But I've climbed with guys who swore that it was a reasonable alternative as a second rope for emergency escape purposes. Hope that answers your question. Dennis Yeah; I did mean rapping off Parachute cord; which sounds alot more emotionally troubling than jumping out of a plane...which I have done about 780 times less than you...because I found it boring.

I like the names that play off the nearby easy classics. For instance "The Swallow" on Taquitz. Was named after the bold little flying insectivore. Next to it is "The Gulp" If I remember right the pun twists and continues with "The Spit" Then "Deep Throat"

quote: Originally posted by Dennis Harmon: Damn! That sounds down-right heinous...ever tried using parachute cord? Dennis Only when it was attached to a parachute. Have you?

Good comments all (especially your , Bronco). Few of the thought are new to me however. I acctually find humor in my recent bad luck with partner climbs. The boge out factor is the biggest frustration. Here is the score. I was supposed to climb rock yesterday with some one I haven't climbed with in awhile, she told me Tuesday that she had to make it Friday instead and then told me last night that she had to cancel all together. Last Sunday a friend boged out the morning of the climb..sore shoulder from volleyball...Whaa. ( soloed anyway; see TR under spray) 2 weeks ago I was climbing with a friend in Montana. She hadn't quite recovered from an ultra-marathon and lost it on the crux, almost passed out, I lowered her off she was white as a goast and puking by the time she got to the ground. Let's see...wdietz was supposed to climb Mt.wash. with me 3 weeks ago. Couldn't; family obligations. I soloed the standard route anyway. Just before he left for Yos. willstrickland and I failed on NF of Hood. Slab avy potential & he forgot his helmit. (No fault of Will's he was great to climb with) A week prior I had to turn back with this woman ( on Hood again) who is in better shape than me and more technically proficient. She got suprise migrains and was dizzy and having trouble seeing. a month before that wdeitz & will came out for some water ice and 2/3rds of it had melted in a day. We went for it anyway but gave up after one pitch. a huge block almost took out will at the bottom of the climb. I January after making sure my 2 partners had the same goal ( and I thought the same motivation) in S America they both decided to bail on our agreed upon route and do the standard. That really burned me. Fortunately, I've climbed enough solo this year to make up for it. See; it's almost comical. - cheers

I thought I'd share this with the gang of sprayers. The other day I found myself rappeling 180 feet down a single 6mm non-spectra static cord. I thought my bowels were going to release for sure when I had to jump past a little overhang. Here's how not to do it. I was roped-soloing a 2 pitch local face. I was doing a steeply rising traverse from one established route to another on moderate face to gain a higher anchor and ran out of rope shy of the ledge system. I was on a pretty good stance and the 4 or so moves to the ledge seemed about 5.6 so rather than down climb about 30 ft I decided to untie and free solo the last 6 feet. I planned to tie into the anchor with my auxillary rope (doubled up) lower back to the main rope tie it off and rap' to retrieve gear before reclimbing to do the second pitch. Yes i've dropped the odd piece of gear in my history but to my horror a gust of wind hit after I had untied the knot completely and since I was a full pitch up and concentrating on the rock the rope some how got away from me...and managed to pull through a few of my running belays lower down. After reaching the anchor I was faced with 3 chioces: Free solo unknown rock above...I don't think so. Double my 6mm and try to swing to my main rope about 50 feet below and 20 feet over. I didn't like the thought of scraping such a thin cord along the rock. or, what I did and rapple on a single line to the ground...more fun than I had intended; fer sure.

Allison bought the canoe. But the rest is still for sale. Come on; a kayak with accesories for $100. or make an offer. I might even trade for rock gear, hooks, rope(newish), aiders, kids harness whatever.

quote: Originally posted by thelawgoddess: hey tg, i didn't mean to say you're a miserly old fart. I'm not particularly miserly anyway.

My decission to make my own version was not predicated on saving 9 bucks. Firstly, Japan has very stringent beurocratic rules on designs. Secondly, The giga screen does not go up the side wall of your melt pot. I suspect this is to follow government regulations. It also allows a user to have any size pot, so it is more saleable With the screen going up the side of the pot it nests better, transfers more heat and is even more wind proof. Supply me with an old pot & I'll build you one for $8.94.

I took a thin (lightweight) stainless pot that was about 3/8" wider than my primary snow melting pot. I cut 4 radial slots that allow the stove arms to fit through. And then I drilled and ground a hole to fit tightly over the burner screen but not fall past the burner. (There is a little lip on the burner. Make sure the hole is big enough to fit clear to the lip.) This lip supports the wind screen. I then cut the top off of the pot so that it is about an inch up the side wall...I would have had it higher but my melt pot has a handle mounted on the side. This system makes the flame almost completly immune to wind. The air inlet is below the windscreen so it is not starved for combustion gas. I am not sure if this method will work with the auto light. In windy situations I just put my pot on the stove, start the gas flowing and spark a bic next to the pot-screen gap and the flame usually lights. Since the flame and heat is forced along the sidewall of the melt pot it is more effecient even if there is no wind. In my pack the screen nests nicely over the pot, Hope this helps - TG