fern

no bird closures this year. Roman Chimneys would probably add another day of climbing - and hauling up a chimney. there is a full rap route from Dance Platform down in the vicinity of Uncle Ben's (labeled in guide book). Could probably avoid hauling right up to Dance Platform and rap U-Wall itself with a few traversing type raps at the top. The rap from U-Wall approach ledge to Flake Ledge (sort of down the climb White Streak) IS A FULL 60 METERS - tie knots!!

you should wear a dust mask next time! I bet you'll have no trouble getting a belay! I often find when I am really getting freeked and sweaty-palmed I completely forget I even have a chalk bag and I instead madly wipe my hands on my trousers and teeshirt - it helps to wear cotton . I mostly use chalk to tick foot-holds, this is especially fun to do in the gym

I was talking to a fellow at Sentinel about the logistics of doing the McBride traverse in 2 days - 2x30km days w/ bivy gear versus one day to Naden Pass , no-gear bivy with a campfire then blast through to Garibaldi Lake in one day. Ha! I am not worthy ... maybe next year ... anyways I think you are sandbagging a little Mike to suggest that the whole Neve is a casual day for someone #1) not in great shape and #2) who doesn't even know how to ski.

trench? ... it's a ridge ... they are kinda opposite

hangers: http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER<>folder_id=667517&PRODUCT<>prd_id=335055&bmUID=1081920181581

THIS is one of my favourite WTF?!? threads of the past. I was sad it died out so quickly....

I think regardless of the activity the only way to improve is mileage (and avoiding injury). If you separate the touring aspect from the downhill aspect of BC skiing there is actually a fairly small set of skills that will get you through just about any backcountry touring terrain. For example side-slipping, kickturns, balancing on one foot, taking skis on and off on steep terrain. You don't need to be able to do any sort of downhill turn to get into some spectacular areas, and the more you get out there and experience the variability of conditions the better. But for learning basic skills of downhill skiing riding the lifts is the best way to develop quickly, even taking lessons ! On my list of quality $$ investments to my skiing #1 was good ski boots, #2 was a ski pass to a local hill. But I did BC touring in plastic mtn boots for 2 yrs before that even though I never made a single successful turn. I guess my point is that if you can't even ski very well on the hill then you aren't going to ski any better in the BC and you should practice at the hill, but if you want to be a competent and safe BC skier you do need to go into the backcountry as soon and as often as possible.

this is St Vitus Dance Direct and it is a nice alternative to the 2nd wet bushy approach pitch on the N. Buttress of the Apron, but it is often wet. thx Ken

I think BP has the right advice ... get creative. There is no replacement for the river site. Any public suggestion of "yeah go to this place..." will probably end up with that place getting overcrowded and shut down too, like the Smoke Bluff parking lot last summer. If there is a "No Overnight Parking" sign then don't be surprised if you get booted out in the middle of the night.

why don't you just weigh it yourself? you could take it to a salad bar and put it on the scale. you'd even get an official barcoded sticker telling you how much it would be worth if it was made of jello and juliened carrots!

I don't think the Chief campground is officially open yet so you can stay there for free - walk in only. you can drive up the Stawamus road and camp wherever's convenient. if you sleep in your vehicle you can stay pretty much anywhere you want. keep your eye on your car from where? the climbs?

maybe I should add for those unfamiliar with this tour that it is 40km, w/ cumulative elevation gain/loss of about 5000' . It is suitable for not-so-experienced-but-reasonably-fit types, very fit types could do the whole thing in about 12-15hrs. There are no necessary steep slopes though you could find some if you wanted. Avalanche exposure is minimal except in a couple of discrete spots, and the main concern is sun-affected slopes and wet afternoon slides. Crevasses are well filled still but will start to gape soon, and the lake will probably start to melt within a few weeks. Navigation in a whiteout if there was no previous skin track to follow would be quite challenging - but then it always is.

Climb: Garibaldi Neve-Garibaldi Neve Date of Climb: 4/2/2004 Trip Report: Fern, Dru, and Billygoat skied across the Garibaldi Neve. Friday evening we shuttled one car to the Rubble Ck parking lot and skied up to the Elfin Lakes Shelter. With a near-full moon and clear skies the night skiing was scenic and we noted several planets visible. Saturday we left not early and skied over the Neve. Snow conditions were good with nice crusty snow and a well laid skin track. The descent to Sentinel Bay was not too bad, turns were linked. The Sentinel huts are unlocked and in OK shape. We did not attempt Mt. Garibaldi, but it looked good - bergschrund is not open yet. Sunday we skied out across Garibaldi Lake which was icy enough to skate across most of the way - skins not necessary. The Rubble Ck trail was in fairly gross icy condition and heavily postholed by hikers, but was skiable to 3km (just above the steep short switchbacks). It was fun. Maybe some pictures will be posted but not by me. Thanks Dru and Billygoat. Gear Notes: huts open = no tent needed Approach Notes: Pay for parking and shelter at Diamondhead parking lot. Rubble Ck. parking is free until June 15.

if you leave the gear in as you downclimb to the ground so that you have a TR to the highpoint when you get back on it's kinda whack to still call that an onsight even if you don't ever weight the rope or fall. And the more times you up and downclimb that bit of rock the less a vue your effort becomes. I've always used the def.n. that you can downclimb and preserve the onsight, but I recognize there is a whiff off dishonesty in that usage. I think there's a gap in terminology between redpoint and onsight - since to me redpoint implies that you've worked the route and got to know it very well before you finally lead it no falls. I've heard the tongue-in-cheek deja vue applied to those routes where you've been on the rock before, but never intensively worked the route ... for example if you TRed it once 5 years ago and now you lead it and only remember it a little. If I was looking for a partner though I wouldn't ever say "I onsight X, redpoint Y etc." though - for one 'cause it sounds lame, and for two because as this thread illustrates people interpret those statements very differently.

May 1st is Ron gonna be there?

Article is called 'Air Drop' , by Roland Burton. It is in the Canadian Mountaineering Anthology edited by Bruce Fairley. But it is mainly a humour piece, and very old school (1970 or so). Still a good read. They had instances of the bottoms of their whitegas jugs blasting right out on impact etc. I think the main lesson was to drop twice as much supplies as you need.

hee ... you are so

excellent!!

resize your pictures!!!

you can get these big blue tarp-like shopping bags at IKEA for like $2 or something. They make a pretty good budget rope bag, big enough to carry 3 ropes, easy to flake into. They lack the gimmick straps of one of those metolious jobbies, but you can probably rig your own with some cleverness.

the best place for you to store your rope is at my house. I *promise* I will not use it. However you should know that even properly stored ropes get fuzzy and dirty spontaneously over time, that won't be MY fault 'cause honest I won't use it. My house is also the best place for you to store your cams, skis, cd collection and big screen teevee.

I can't stop looking myself! ... I don't have any issue with Lambone but speaking generally that whole aid forum is morbidly compelling.

is there a $ reward for this 764 HERO thing? hey Ken what is your license # and what time are you driving each day of the week? .... I don't even need to live in the same city as you to cash in on this scheme - one little phone call every morning before I go to work, chaCHING!!