Bug

Dreimer, There are many good options for classes around here. But they all cost money and you still need your own gear. There are many posts/threads on this board about what gear is needed for Rainier and what books to read (Freedom of the Hills). I can usually be persuaded to go up Rainier and have done so several times. As long as everyone understands that they are as responsible for safety as me, as far as they are capable, then I am happy to go. I am not a hot climber, just a fun seeker. By taking responsibility, I mean read Freedom of the Hills. Practice the skills. Prussick up a rope in a tree. Set up a z-pulley system in your yard. Be ready to really help in a rescue and be ready to learn a few extras on the way up. Get your own gear, harness, prussicks, ice ax, crampons, helmet, boots, etc. Much of it can be bought for very cheap in the YardSale Forum here and on Craigslist. If you are not sure about something, ask on this board. Or PM me. If I don't know the answer I will be honest about it. Hey, come to think of it, I have some gear for sale! But get some idea of what you want for yourself first. Some people on this board will encourage you to "Go for it" and just get out there. Not everyone survives this method. I am proposing a careful self reliant study coupled with some easy climbing with an experienced climber. Cheers! Bug

Jordop's sig line 3 posts before. Dick died about 25 years ago. His stepson Matt died a couple years later. Matt was a good friend for a long time. We used to ride in the back seat of Dick's Buick convertable through the Big Blackfoot valley with all manner of Jazz blaring on the 8Track loud enough to hear through the roar of the engine and wind. That line of Dick's is about going forward. Or perhaps about discovering the ability to move forward and the healing it brings.

Never has your Buick found this forward a gear. -Richard Hugo, "Driving Montana" Dick was an amazing man who focused on the moment and the gift that we have being alive.

I lost my bet to my GF and had to give a fully satisfying backrub. Now she's betting on the Hawks again and I can't bring myself to jinx the lucky bstds by NOT betting against them.

These are probably sold. Check is in the mail.

Still have them. Sent you a PM back.

Nice. My girls loved it. Now they won't get off u-tube

Click it and read it!

Back to the climbing... not that a big frigin cookie wouldn't bribe me to keep drifting..... How did the Triple Couloirs look?

I knew a guy named Dan once. A date introduced me to him and said Dan was interested in climbing. I was into cragging in the Bitterroots at the time and asked if he was interested in that. He said no. He was interested in mountaineering. About ten years later I went to a slide show on K2 at a friend's house and it was Dan putting on the show. He and a friend had done it prety much alpine style and spent a night in a snow cave way the hell up there. The next time I heard anything about him, he was on the radio talking about how he found a guy dying at 28,000 ft on Everest and helped him get down. Go Dan.

Personally, I hate seeing registers up there. I don't care about the ones that are discrete - little tubes buried in a pile of rocks. But the big silver boxes that stand out like a phallus in a convent are just too much.

I used to refuse to sign them until I became "Bug" which is short for "Dung-Beetle". Now I sign them "Bug was here. No shit."

Yahoo couldn't find you email address. Sending PM

Hey Delmarco, I sent you a PM with my phone number. Did you get it? Bug.

There is a theory out there that most giardia is from your partner's hands, not from the water. Eat your own gorp slim-master.

As was said earlier, find the face of a drift or hill that is not about to slide with you in it. Dig straight in and then up. When you are high enough that the floor of your cave will be higher than the top of your entrance, start digging sideways. This traps the warm air in the cave. If the top of the entrance is higher than the floor, it will be MUCH colder and drafty. Put a high vent hole in a place that is not going to get buried by snowfall or blowing snow. Out the face you dug into works best. A ski-pole-basket size hole is perfect for me. Have the floor of the cave slope up a little bit so it will drain into the entrance. Dig small ditches around the outside edge. Smooth out the roof so you do not have dripping stelagtites. This is nearly impossible to get perfect. I love my goretex bivy bag and my 2lb Polarguard 3D bag for that reason. To each his own. I use a metal shovel. stick it straight into the snow and make a four-sided block. Pry it one way or another to get it to break off in the back. You may have to cut it in half or dig out one side to get it to break off. Hand it out to the person outside who can then make a wall to channel the wind. I like to sit outside the cave a lot. The inside is really nice for reading since the walls reflect all the light in every direction. Chop in some shelves for gear and stash. You can cook in there if you have good ventilation. I always make two extra high vent holes and plug them when I am through. Don't think about the fact that it could all collapse on you any second. Bring a dog. If you don't have a dog, bring a girl-friend but they eat more, whine more, and you have to carry most of their gear. Bites don't it?

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This is what came to mind for me too. If you have 4x4 you can get to the trailhead on the West side pretty easily. The road is good it just may be buried in snow right now when you get up higher. When you are on the summit you get a great view of Mt Index west face.

Your accident sounds like it happened on very steep terrain. Typically, simul-climbing is done in easy terrain where one might even consider going unroped. But at the very least, both climbers are comfortable with the difficulty level. I always try to have three bomber pieces in at least. The idea is to move quickly between difficult sections.

Intuition Boot Liners, size 11, never molded - $75 (Redmond) I bought these from a friend and then got a pair of boots with liners already in them. Never used or molded to anyone's feet.

REI 6000cubic inch Backpack - $10 (Redmond) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reply to: sale-256219323@craigslist.org Date: 2007-01-01, 6:29PM PST This pack is in great shape except that the waterproofing is delaminating off the inside from being stored too warm(?). It was barely used so the pack is still strong and durable. Very comfortable for 6'+. This is a great pack that I picked up at a garage sale for $10 and just don't use. Location: Redmond

Dicey for me after many years of climbing. It is very easy climbing but the exposure is around 1000'. That is enough to mess with your head and make you do something stupid. Yes, boot fit is most important. But for beginning climbing, you might not need the really stiff boots. Find a few cheaper boots to test out. Look in second hand stores and garage sales. Until you are really sure about what you want your boots to do and how to fit them to your feet, don't spend a bunch of money. I slog up Rainier with hiking boots and flexible crampons. If you are getting into ice climbing then you need the stiff boots. If you are getting into alpine rock and snow, lighter boots are better. The climbing style is important. Laces that allow you to control the snugness around your lower foot and toes is important. Those Titanium ice fields would not be adjustible at all for the lower foot. I would not even consider them for mountaineering if I were you.

I patched one hole in the arm. There is still a tiny one on the back but I ran out of patch. Lost almost no down. Otherwise in great shape. $25. I'm in Redmond.