roger_johnson

I've read many times on CC.com that bivys are someting to be avoided at all costs; that "bivouac is French for mistake" and that to bivy, in some way, implies that you are a gumby... To answer that I quote the great French guide and philospher, Gaston Rebuffat. "The man who climbs only in good weather, starting from huts and never bivouacking, appreciates the splendor of the mountains but not their mystery, the dark if their night, the depth of their sky above...Some mountaineers are proud of having done all of their climbs without a bivouac. How much they have missed! And the same applies to those who enjoy only rock climbing or only the ice climbs, only the ridges or faces. We should refuse none of the 1001 joys the mountains offer us at every turn. We should brush nothing aside, set no restrictions. We should experience hunger and thurst, be able to go fast, but also know how to go slowly and to contemplate. Variety is the spice of life." from Starlight and Storm

camp Muir?

Todd Bibler got his start here in Tacoma. He was a student at UPS and did some sewing on custom gear. He made really nice, lightweight alpine harnesses and his small two man tents. He sold them through Northwest Mtn. Supply in downtown Tac. He did all this without liability insurance! Whn the legal world started seeing climbing as an untapped source of $ he had to stop. Then Bibler moved to Boulder, started the business again, it flourished and was swallowed. At least that is how I recall one companies history...

Many years ago I made a concerted effor to climb all the routes on Chimney. My favorite was the East face direct. From Pete lake, up to the large, broad ridge south of the glacier, down off the ridge onto the glacier, up the icefall and onto the face below the summit, follow obvious weakness to top. (sound like Becky?) Day one to bivy below icefall, day two, to top and out. Rock quality was fine. Not clean Yos. granite but for the central Cascades, it was good. Pro was 3/4 angles and KBs.(pre-clean era) Used a lot of slings on horns and flakes I think I recall...

Last night in Tacoma at Backpackers Supply "The Bird" gave a "private" slide show. "Private" because it was very poorly attended; one of the greatest Amerian climbers of all time and he only had about 25 people attend!! He recounted his 1981 epic on the East face of Mooses Tooth with Mugs Stump. Then he showed slides of his 2001 climb on the same face. The routes joined up at about the 2/3 height. 1981 was in March, lots of snow and ice. The 2001 was in summer with lots of snow. The rock has been weathered to beyond useful or reliable but they climbed anyway... Bridwell is truely a hard man, knows the risks and stays in control and finishes climbs; very seldom bails. A great climber.

I got thru with that address.

My climbing partner and I both hav been taking it for several years and seem to be holding off the effects of walking down hill-sore knees. I used to have knee problems and stopped running and had severe problems after each big climb. Glucos./Chond. and MSM have made the difference, I run again and have no knee soreness after a climb... This advice is worth what you paid for it...

If you were on the summit of Stuart and looking North, Rainier would not be in your left view. It is South of Stuart, behind you. Are you sure you were on Stuart? Perhaps Pinnacle? Just call me a smart ass...

Task, If you are coming out of the closet, use your real, whole name....

I don't care what that web site says, I am almost positive that Ron Gardener and Kent Morell of the WAILERS in Tacoma wrote LOUIE-LOUIE. Paul Revere and the Raiders did't record it until '63. I have a Wailers recording from '61 with it. For what it is worth...it is worth what you paid for it- nothing.

Zeno-Jeez, lighten up, Bugrs' comment was as funny as shit (is shit funny?)!

A new route in his name is a good idea! Use his stuff and make it a good one!

Too bad about the way you "scored" the booty...someone had to die. Maybe make a contribution in his name?

Three to five days is not a real long time so why do you need a huge pack? Make it a real adventure and trim down the gear; move lighter and faster and more safely. Assuming it will be in the "good weather window".

I know of a small but dedicated group of people (with the resources), who have been talking to the NPS to eliminate all the buildings, except the original stone hut, and build a new, hidden from view, hut, big enough for independents and guided. It is a long road but with private money doing most of te work, the NPS is at least listening.

Would your wilderness experience have been enhanced by many braided trails and people camping al over the place? How about keeping all the camping in one place and just a few steps away-quiet and solitude.

Mr. Happy--"White Spider" is good but falls short when we are talking about the whole of the Eiger. "Eiger-The Vertical Arena" deals with all of the stuff that goes into the making of the legend. It has some very insightful chapters about the first ascent of the North face and the Nazi connection, a-la "White Tower". Fascinating stuff!

I've enjoyed Tom Pateys "One Mans Mountains" time and again. Good tales of climbing and great humor! A must read! "Welzenbach's Climbs" by Eric Roberts A good biography about one of the early hard men pioneering ice rts. in the Alps before modern equipment made "murder of the impossible" possible. A recent release by the mtneers. "Eiger-The Vertical Arena" edited by Daniel Anker This is a great book! A thorough examination of the Eiger, from early history to modern rts. The mystic of the great north face and the railroad through the guts and the great rescues and deaths. If you have any interest or have been there this is the book to help understand its' bigger than life reputation. Don't miss this one!

I once saw a guy stand on a tuna can.

Mayby thread creep is like a knot in slippry rope, with a little tension the rope pulls through the knot. The knot is still there but not in the same place.

OS,Sorry I jumped on that. Actually I recall calling something 5.4c onetime in the name of humor. You are right: not 5.9. I really don't like old rts. rating to be inflated or deflated for that matter, by newcomers who have little experience for making the new ratings claims. I don't see Damnation as an off-width, I climb it as a lieback. Angel has gotten more difficult with the grease, rubber and rounding of edges. It could be climbed several different ways in mtn. boots.

Officespacey, Where did you come up with 5.8d? That sounds like sport talk. Canary was done by Becky, Collins and Claunch in the 50s, pre sub catagories. Becky rates it 5.7. The first pitch is steep but has sharp holds and edges- 5.7. The second pitch starts with an exposed step down with good hands and then goes around the corner to a less steep face with rounded knobs, edges and scoops. Protected by bolts it goes at 5.7. It probably feels more difficult because the bolts are not every two feet. I have done Canary many times and it is always fun and seems consistant with Lworth ratings. 5.7

The White Tower was filmed around Mt. Blanc and is supposed mto represent a unclimbed peak in neutral Switzerland during WW2. Lloyd Bridges plays a young hot shot nazi who climbs for the fatherland. It is a good representation of western impressions of nazi fanaticism. Much of which was supposedly carried out on the Eiger. The Rebuffat movies are by far the best treatment climbing has ever had! They are movie versions of his books: "Between Heaven and Earth", "Starlight and Storm" and "Neige Et Roc". Rebuffat came to the USA acouple of times in the early 70s and showed his films. They are spectacular! They rely upon the spiritual rewards of climbing for their grace. They also caught the beauty of the high Alps and the technical climbing is well done. Someone should get the rights to them and sell or show them.

Really should break open a bottle of cheap red wine. Batso got the big wall installed in the American climbers conscious. He made that big scary first lead into the void; we are just following him. Climbers everywhere lost something with his loss.

a,f,c,b,a,a,a,55