[Solo Bely Devices]

Freak, Solo Leading is what I want. For solo top roping I have pretty much done what you have done; and come to the same conclusion about bouldering.

Kyagpa!, Thanks for the comments on the solo aid. It sounds like a hardship to have to feed it by hand. I am hoping to find a hands free device. That wren silent partner thing looks promising but is way to spendy to buy to try. Also I would guess that it creates a fair amount of rope drag.

One hint I have that may help for your first third problem is to clove hitch to your running anchors rather than feeding through.

[Solo Bely Devices]

Can anyone recommend (with rationale) a solo belay device. Thanks in advance.

[Rigid crampons]

I have an ageing pair of foot fangs. I love them. I have a pair of hinged pons, but I never use them except to lend to newbies. I have never used the fangs with flexible boots, duh.

On the rare occasion that one should find themselves in a situation that requires crampons and balling is a problem, try these tricks. Concentrate on your step and slide your foot just a little before you plant and also as you lift for your next step. I also spray the plate with dry silicone lubricant, it wears off after a couple of miles but it helps alot for a while.

I think that the comment about horizontal front points holding better than vertical points in soft snow is not based in reality. In true soft it is your toe that is suporting your weight with the points stabilizing your foot. If it's soft over hard, verticals will hold better with less kick. On firm neve its a wash. That being said, I think horizontils work better on rock.

[Main Thread for bolting issues]

I have a couple of SMC split bolts with hangers that anybody can have for the cost of postage and an assurance that your a responsible climber and not some pro-on-rap piece-of-shit sporty. I'll never use them.

Yes, I put in two bolts back in the 80's on a first ascent in the Feather River Canyon, CA. I still regret it. The route could have been a fine top rope problem; it was my ego that needed my name in a guide.

[super light homemade stoves? anyone?]

Your right, the canister does get cold after about 20 min. of full burn time at 32 degrees ambient and then start burning a lot less hot.

So... here's the trick. Take a copper wire and wrap it against the can, put the other end in the flame. Voila. It doesn't take much to keep the iso-butane gaseous. Specifically, I took a few strands from a stranded wire and wrapped it around the can, twisting it tight. then I took a 16 gauge solid wire ( about 4 1/2 inches) made a tight hook on one end and put hooked it around the stranded wire and bent the other end into the flame. It gets hot so don't touch it with your poly or tent. There maybe beter systems but this works so well I didn't try for any thing better.

If your are caught in a cold snap without the wire get some water hot and then pour a little in your pot lid, sit the operating canister in the lid and within seconds it will be back at full blast. ;D

 

[water!]

I think your onto somthing there, Dru.

Did you know that ethanol (the stuff we drink) has 5.5 calories/gram...more than GU...more than M&M's.

Alchohol is my life!(i'm a brewer by trade)

[Kiss or Kill]

Dru, well said!

[Climbing with youn'ins]

One other comment I have on how to insure that your kids have fun in the outdoors is to make sure that they are warm and dry. With smaller body weights and likely lower fat percentage they are more suseptable than us.

It is also much harder to find quality gear in their size... but fortunately you can carry more layers without breaking your back.

[Climbing and Parenting]

Thanks Dan,

I think that you "short rope" attitude has merits and can be a lesson to me.

My daughter, Claire is 7 now and is an enthusiastic hiker. I hope that by climbing with me she can see, even feel, the difference between climbing within ones limits and beyond them; and the focus that can come from respecting exposure versus the danger that comes from fear of falling. When I started climbing without my parents around at age 12 I had that typically youthful "can't get hurt" invincibility. A couple of broken bones later my climbing got safer. Hopefully, by me setting a good example she can avoid that phase.

I can relate to the night time homesickness and morning enthuasim.

[Climbing and Parenting]

No more comments on this thread???

[super light homemade stoves? anyone?]

Hey Tim,

I consider myself to be an ounce shavin' climber fiend. Besides weight I consider small size (lower pack size & therefore weight), toughness (ability to stuff into a tight pack and take a few hits) and relibility (if I can't melt snow I could die). I just purchased a snow peak Iso-butane stove. It weighs only 3.25 oz and fits in its own cigarette size plastic container. After the stove is in I could fit a small size bic and a book of matches. It worked flawlessly and boiled a pint & a half of water in less than 4 minutes. It also simmers so slowly that I could toast my bagel without burning on my pan lid. The titanium model weigh 2.5 oz.

Its an option you might consider. My biggest two problems with the soda can design is first that it is so fragil that you need a container for it (maybe your pot) and second, the fact that you can't turn it off; what happens if you have to cook in your tent and have a problem. I hope my view has merits.

TG

["Bolivia" July, 2002]

Hey DKemp,

Could you forward me that info as well.

Thanks, TG

[Mt Robson- Conditions]

Whoa Bonzo,

Let's ratchet back a couple of notches.

I should say that the thing that got to me the most was the fact that you appeared to be hideing behind a psuedonym. I actually agree with your attitude about beta on big mountains. The irony of your comment is that the only beta (if you call it that) that I was hoping for was news of a bit of fresh snow, (Thanks Dru). I personnally enjoy adding to the adventure of mountaineering by not knowing to much and was hoping to have the trudge line covered.

It looks like took thing a bit personally too; tit for tat is all. I do respect your climbing ability and wish you well.

I am a newbie on this forum but you don't know shit about my climbing history. We could compare resumes but that would be a bit like comparing dick sizes; and I don't like you that much.

You may well be a better climber than I am, good for you. I will be better than I am today. Isn't that all that anyone can say. I do kick myself for giving up on alpine climbing for 6 years after a horrible climb in the Himalayas in '83... 6 days penned in a white out, altitude sick. I'm not perfect and have had periods in my life when climbing was not much of a priority.

I don't hate you Bonzo and I apreciate your intent. Sorry about the "gelatinous ass" comment.

TG

[Climbing and Parenting]

Great Thread. I had two children...My oldest daughter, eight, died in a freak accident on a family rafting trip a little over a year ago. After working 80+ hour weeks in Seattle (and essientially missing a year of my daughters lives) we moved to the mountains where we could spend time regularly enjoying outdoor pursuits. Logan loved the water, hiking, camping and was intrigued by climbing. There are certainly more risks in the outdoors than sitting at home playing video games. But I think the question is not simply life or death but the value of the life you are living. After all, given enough time the chance of survival drops to zero anyway.

I think that the real trick should be to maximize value of life not just the quantity; a risk/value assesment if you will.

Since my daughters death I have climbed more regularly and more extreme things, mostly solo. This has added enough value and focus to my life to keep me happy and emotionally healthy. Which allows me to be a good and interactive father and husband.

We all fantize or day dream about things... more money, a better job, a better lover. I found that after Logans death I was either fantizing about a large caliber shell entering my brain case or about climbing. Its not hard to figure out which is more productive. So... I don't think that climbing ,even extreme things, is completely selfish to your family or friends. It depends on the way you go about it. I would not miss my daughters birthday for any climb.

I recently on-sight free soloed The Grand Teton in a day, but the trip included my wife and daughter. They had a great time and hiked and swam the day I climbed. Clearly, that was not "selfish" climbing. Last week I choose not to solo 170 ft of active 70 to 90 degree hanging glacier on Mt Robson with only two screws, a couple of screamers and 6mm static line. I was not able to summit but at my level of ability doing so would have been a selfish level of risk.

I will keep climbing hard and often but I will be a better father because of it.

[Kiss or Kill]

Any comments on this book by Mark Twight.

I highly recommend it.

[Mt Robson- Conditions]

Thanks Dru, for your snow report and thanks Cpt.C for your comment and encouragement.

My trip was intended as a recon climb with the possibility of summiting. It was a truly great trip. Mt. Robson is a spectacular mountain. I will be back.

The glacier was very active and did not pay any attention to diurnal temperture changes...from the summit of little Robson I counted 6 major pieces breaking off of the upper hanging glacier from 1:00am to 3:45am.

I choose not climb higher than little Robson. Above it the old regular route invloves about a thousand feet of broken class 4 (when dry) ledges above a rock head wall and below an active hanging glacier. Currently they are verglassed and then covered by fresh snow. The glacier wall could be climbed directly (170ft of 70-90 degrees). I unfortunately brought only enough gear to protect short cruxes and could have used a belayer.

After freesoloing up 1500 ft of loose, sometimes wet 3rd, 4th and sometimes easy 5th class rock with a heavy pack to the col between L. Robson and the upper S. Face, I decided to take the lower snow field down. It provided plenty of fun. To stay out of the avalanche chute until I got low enough to react to a dump I got on to some pretty steep ice, punched into a couple of crevasses. And true to form, when I got low enough a few van sized blockes dumped. I ran to the side and they passed harmlessly.

If any one wants anymore info about climbing Robson let me know.

Cpt.Caveman,

I have to say that Bonzo's comments were small-minded and mean-spirited. It is his sort of competitive "look at me" bullshit attitude that leads me to climb solo more often that not. Let me know your thoughts but I felt that my inquery was appropriate for this forum. He seems to imply that asking for beta about significant mountains is less appropriate than maybe wether or not to use your left or right hand on that new problem down at the lycra gym. He is clearly a poser and a puss. He can't even admit who he is. What I really think is that he would sit on his gelatinous ass in front of his computer, masturbating his ego in front of us rather than climb.

So Bonko,

Here is your big chance to be a positive part of the climbing community and take a step toward becoming a human being. Apologize to me and other forumers. I do however expect you to reply with another acidic response and give us all some more of your eloquent drivel.

Steve Carper

 

[Border crossing]

Okay, here's the deal.

I had "cleverly" removed the band prior to attempting the hairy un-protected route across the border full of objective exposure. I also did not try to hide it, which would have been easy enough. He asked where was the origin of cigar. I played dumb and quizically said "Canada". There was a long pause where we just exchanged knowing looks and then he handed me the cigar back. We then discussed Afganistan, he closed by saying have a safe drive. It was clear that he had bigger fish to fry

[Border crossing]

I entered Canada through Kingsport out of Idaho on the morning of 9/13 with no delays and returned at 10 pm on 9/17 and was searched by a courtious US border gaurd that was more interested in climbing and my gear than the cuban cigar he found. The entire process took less than 15 minutes.

[Mt Robson- Conditions]

Thanks Dru,

I'll give a report around 9/19...or my wife will send a eulogy.

["Bolivia" July, 2002]

Hey Ken, I am planning to solo the five peak traverse of the Illimani massif around your time frame...may be we could hook up & do one or two of your warm up climbs. I was thinking of acclimitizing on Bolivias highest peak, Sajama. Interested?

[Mt Robson- Conditions]

Any body have any idea what the snow conditions on the SSW buttress of Mt. Robson are like. I'm going to go solo next week anyway, but a heads up would help.