tomtom

quote: Originally posted by Alex: I think what we need is a quiz! Jon, Tim, to arms! You could take the GAPE TEST on cc.com and rate how much of a gaper...you...um...your friends, yeah, your friends...are! The very last question should be "You take tests to see if you are a qualified gaper" Doesn't Vertical World have a Certified Gaper test? 2 bucks. Such a deal. [ 05-31-2002, 01:18 PM: Message edited by: tomtom ]

quote: Originally posted by iain: If it interests you, PMR has some photos from our point of view. Click here. Iain, Thanks for participating in the rescue. What do you think the snow conditions were like when the accident occured? This weekend I was with a group on Rainier practicing individual arrest and rope team arrest. The snow was soft and wet from rain such that it was near impossible for an individual to stop a rope if the fallen climber had momentum before the rope became taut. The arrester would simply be dragged down on a bed of sluffing snow. Not good. - Tom

You edit your posts. [ 05-23-2002, 02:38 PM: Message edited by: tomtom ]

That's too bad, as I saw him last night on PBS. The show was on Darwin and the development of Origin of the Species. [ 05-21-2002, 01:03 PM: Message edited by: tomtom ]

Monday (5/13) we had snow from the parking lot, so we took the direct approach. There was snow on the ledges, but the climbing rock was clean.

Muir on Saturday. The Tooth on Monday. Lead the last pitch while it was snowing.

This year I've also been learning to place pro. Decent practice areas are: Icicle Creek: Mountaineers dome. The lower rock has plenty of cracks and short routes for practice. Vantage: On the left side of Sunshine wall are Chapstick (5.5) and a couple of lines to the left of similar difficulty. Beware of loose rock at the top, though. Smith Rock: In the Dihedrals right area are Left Slab Crack (5.4) and Right Slab Crack (5.5). [ 05-03-2002, 10:54 AM: Message edited by: tomtom ]

One Lane of SR 503 Spur near Cougar Set to Open Friday Updated: 4/25/02 COUGAR - One lane of the State Route 503 Spur east of the town of Cougar will open to traffic by the end of the day on Friday, April 26 - in time for the start of fishing season, announced the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Approximately 200 feet of the SR 503 Spur (at milepost 39) was washed away last Sunday after a breach in the Swift Power Canal. A pilot car will guide traffic across the new roadway one direction at a time until Monday, at which time WSDOT will re-evaluate how to handle traffic control through the area. Informational signs are posted at the junction of Interstate 5 (I-5) and SR 503 (Woodland) and at the junction of SR 503 and the SR 503 Spur (Cougar Junction). At the Cowlitz/Skamania county line, the SR 503 Spur ends and National Forest Service Road 90 begins, leading into the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. An additional informational sign has been placed at the junction of State Route 14 and National Forest Service Road 90 (Carson).

Mr. Pickles was Harry's pet (human/dog) in Third Rock From the Sun.

quote: Originally posted by Gaper_#1: [QB] Next time I will bring beer bottles and throw them from the top as to clear the route for me to climb if you create such a zoo. QB] I don't appreciate these threats of violence.

quote: Originally posted by Marcus Engley: I agree with the weight to penetration argument when swinging the axe, but I think the sledgehammer analogy doesn't apply well to self arresting. How much difference is a pound of axe weight going to make when you've got 170 pounds of climber pushing down on top of it? I think the clearance and pick style have much more to do with it, at least when arresting... Unless the lighter axe isn't as stable-- but that's design more than weight, I think... m I agree with Marcus. When I arrest, my hands are on the head and near the spike of the axe, and I throw my body weight into burying the pick. My body weight is significantly more than the axe.

quote: Originally posted by Rodchester: Grivel AirTech Racing: 8< snip snip 8< The lightweight doesn't help with self arrest either.

quote: Originally posted by lizard brain: Speaking of Vantage, I heard from unnamed sources that Frenchman's will be overrun by a Mountaineer's class this coming weekend. Head's up. Seattle Mountaineers will be out on Icicle Creek this weekend and next teaching leading on rock, so you might want to test their pro as you clip through them on the routes.

quote: Originally posted by b-rock: Sort of on topic, where's a good spot on Hood or Raineer to practice, for those learn-it-yer-selfers. Obviously we must wait for spring, but where have y'all found a few crevasses that are easy to walk to and easy to walk into? How about the North Face of the Paradise parking lot? Been used before.

quote: Originally posted by W: I and I think many others were thinking of going to this NPS forum tomorrow evening at 6:30, Mountaineer's Clubhouse. For those who want to get started early, check the cooler in the bookstore for brews.

Actually, the Khamsin 62 is kinda hard to find. As a self proclamed cheap bastard, I went searching around for a good deal last month. MEC in Vancouver did not carry it nor did I find it in any of the shops within a block. REI only had it in a small. I ended up buying it from a Seattle shop who had sent me a 15% off coupon in the mail. I haven't really used it yet so I can't give a review.

FYI. The Seattle Mountaineers has a basic climbing crevasse rescue class above Paradise that weekend. Half the group will be on Nisqually glacier and the other half doing roped travel and team ice axe arrest below Panorama Point. They will also be out there the next weekend as well.

Cool!

quote: Originally posted by johnny: Whoa there you guys, whats all the fuss about?? It's only a retail store; they are in busuness to make money not friends. No. REI is a coop, which is owned by the membership (including me). Profits are returned each year in the form of a dividend to the membership (including me). When someone steals from the store or exchanges worn out equipment for new, they are taking money out of my pocket. Some of REI's prices ARE above MSRP, including that silly Bibler tent that I really, really want.

I really want a Bibler Eldorado, but the website shows that they only carry it in green.

The post office has digital scales available for weighing gear and such. Can't beat the price.

Vasque is owned by Red Wing, so they have a few boots in the Red Wing Store on 65th in Seattle or you can have them order boots to try on. Vasque does have one leather boot with a very stiff sole. www.vasque.com

Thank god for the strong dollar. For the price of boots locally, I got Koflach plastic bootsAl cramponsDMM-4CU #2 w/ wiregate binerdaisychain Ordered Sunday, arrived Thursday! Barrabes still rocks.

FYI... "Science at the Movies", a free film and lecture series hosted by the Dept. of Chemistry, is pleased to announce its next event "The Limits of Vertical Limit". The event includes a talk by mountain climber and scientist Dr. Thomas Hornbein along with a screening of the movie "Vertical Limit". The event is Monday, February 11, 2002 at 7pm in Bagley Hall 131. This is a free event. The aim of "Science at the Movies" is to introduce and enlighten the general public about the science occuring at the University of Washington and to engage them in thinking critically about the science portrayed in movies. Questions can be directed to Mary Harty at the address written below. Thanks, MaryMary HartyAcademic AdviserUniversity of Washington Dept. of ChemistryBox 351700Seattle WA 98195phone (206) 616-9597

Here's one: http://www.albertsons.com/shop/alb_product-detail.asp?pid=14303&pathname=Good+Day+Laundry+Detergent+Reusable+Heavy+Duty+Bucket&pids=9644%2C74221%2C8920%2C80783%2C34738%2C34747%2C14 303%2C14304%2C44116%2C100737%2C84521%2C97071%2C34803%2C36000%2C35999%2C43866%2C43799%2C42887%2C103614%2C14176 [ 02-11-2002: Message edited by: tomtom ] [ 02-11-2002: Message edited by: tomtom ]