BigWave

I'm using grivel indoor picks on my woodie ....works ok but most holds I have are tough to hook and stay put it's really helping develop control and the ability to keep my picks still once on a hold. I also ditch my hammers and sometimes tape my spikes to reduce that 'ol possinbility of puncturin myself.

Went up to Ipsut last night and got pissed on, now I'm at home pissed off.

Hey Chappy, be careful with all that praise for the Olympics. Word might get out that there's another range so close to the mindless masses along I-5. With a range where you can feel like youre the first on there other people may want to check it out two. The rock may be shit but the alpine expereinces are teh bomb. After spending some time in the Olympics route finding in the cascades can seem easy.. Someone that lived in the south sound asked me the other day if there was anyhting closer than Granite and Si to train for bigger hills..I don't even think they had heard of Ellinor, Wa, Rose or any ofd the like... Let's keep the freakin secret alright!

We went in 5/20 towards Liberty Ridge from Itsupt Cr. No snow to the Dick Cr. bivy site. There was some unstable small slabs on the moraine of the Carbon at about 5k and heard some little whooping as we walked. The ground shook pretty well two or three times. It seemed like Willis wall was pretty active shedding some of the recent snowfall. We never saw the ridge or the upper mountian due to the weather. Damn weather man... guess we'll wait for the hordes to pound out the track for us..

Anyone driven anywhere close to the n. side lately? With the low snow this year it seems that the road may be open soon, if not already.

Anyone been up to the Itsupt Cr. entrance lately? Wondering if you can dive to the entrance. Heard it may be blocked due to a washout. Any info helps..

ou just need to call The Alpine Experience in Olympia... (360) 754-1199....They got em all....

Didn't Messner have TI crampoons on his Everest solo?

Congrats on the new job mammut- The Alpine Experience is also a Grivel dealer, they're down in Olympia and have a slew of Grivel stuff. Alp Wings rock. But the angle of the spike takes some getting used too on hard glacial ice. It will skid off if you don't pay attention, easily modified too. Props to BB for the leash design- I guess BD just couldn't recognize a great thing when they saw it.

Hoping to still get into Chinook pass this week. The pass is closed as of 8pm 12/10. Anyone know where they may plow to? At paradise today getting a little storm time. Boy was it snowing. I had three friends coming down from Muir and they picked there way down ok, but visibility was nill due to all the falling freshies!! First the snow and then the ice.

Thinking about heading to Chinook if the weather man is right. Hoping to find enough snow to at least tour around on and not lose all the base on my boards. Any one been there lately or have a guess what it might be like with a foot and a half of snow

We were in the coloir on 8\15 big moat that you pass by dropping in and scurrying through. The schrund at the bottom had a foot wide bridge as of 8\15. Good luck all.

Were headed up that way on Wed. Any beta to share? Does Becky nail it with the description? Which way did you take near the top?

Keep going to REI to try that stuff on before ya buy it from the Euros computer geeks that don't know a splitter from a splinter. Just don't go to the little specialty shops to get the scoop and the local beta to go buy shoes on line cuz that don't pay their bills and you end up asking the little guys to move out of the area. I do find it interesting that the first employees were amazing climbers and informed atheletes and now it seems that the majority of the staff are gumbies and gapers that will suggest an afternoon at Si and some clips @ 38 for some real climbing

yo, gore-tex is a plastic baggy type stuff that is stuck to some thing. it matters nothing when breaking in boots (except it may retain moisture to help with the get your feet soaking wet part)the material the boot is made of i.e. leather, fabric, syn. leather, or what ever is the part that determines break in, and is usually proportionate to breakdown time. Either way though, keep puttin one foot in front of the other.

Hey, it sounds like he is going to be dragging this line through the snow. For that it rocks. Light, quick protection for the occasional slog. I've used halfs and twins for the same thing many times, they work great. Be sure youre comfy with all your gear! On a 37m we usually use a kiwi coil with 2, one in the middle with three, feels a little crowded with 4. These ropes also work great if you need a tag line or just a liitle longer than a single rope on longer technical rock climbs. Go use what ya got and then tell us what you think. Happy sloggin'

One other bonus to nylon is the ease of using it as rescue gear; escaping the belay, friction knots, etc. Webolettes rock bot they are pretty slick if ya try to use them as friction\rescue gear.

Check out the Petzl mini traxion, worlds over the Basic

Just got back from a six day trip. The weather was marginal. Snow every morning save one. Ticked the Cain on Bugaboo. My buddy ticked McTech. One team pushed through the snow and iced cracks to do the NE ridge on Bug. Lotsa folks were bailing due to weather. We left Tues. just as the first t-storm of the trip hit. Lotsa graupel, hail, snow, and some rain the last week. But hey it may be getting better. (ps the big hose looked in last mon. 8\6)

If no one gets back to ya by the time you leave will you drop a line about the road when you get back? Heading up there Mon. Thanks

Has anyone done Town Crier @ Index? Will the aid pitches go clean (sans nailing)? What do you think the clean ratings are? What gear do I need?

So what about heading toward broken top? I there a feasible day or long day shot from Bachelor to he summit with a ski in there somewhere?

Any suggestions on season to ski it in a day?

Anyone have approach info on the South side of the South Sister for a ski descent somewhere near the end of March?

Congrats Hollywood, Wish I could have made it up there with Ya! Too bad about the ski. See ya on Sat.