Bug

Dear God, Please help me climb safely and keep my underwear clean.

I bought Stephenson gear (2 man tent and their two layer down bag) in 77 and loved it for use in Montana winters. I stayed warm anad dry. But it seem like over kill for 3 season use. You could get started for a lot less money using a lighter cheaper bag and wearing warmer clothes in it if you have to. Down is great for light and warm in cold dry conditions but not all that great for extended trips, especially not in wet spring or fall months. I love my polarguard 3D bags and paid under $100 each on sale (Sierra Trading post, Campmore). Also watch REIOutlet.com Another word of advice, I am 46 and have learned to respect the fact that my body is not making cartilidge at the rate it used to. Heavy loads will trash your hips, knees, and ankles very quickly if you are not careful. My father was a marine and tried to "tough it out and run it off". He was virtually crippled at 60. There is A LOT of really good light weight gear out there. My pack is rarely over 35 pounds anymore unless I have to take a larger rack for a bigger face. For a summer overnight, 25 max.

The coverage Sat was OK at W Summit. By the end of the day they had four lifts running. Not much of a crowd and they were mostly season pass holders. It cost $34 9-4 adult, and $27 for youth. They got more snow Sat night and all day Sunday.

Thank you. Olivia will love it and I don't have to spend much.

I'm thinking about taking a daughter up there but I don't want to pay top dolooar for one chairlift. Does anyone know how many lifts are open and how much they are charging tomorrow, Sat, Nov 12?

I went over Prussick pass Sunday. There was about 2 or 3 inches of powder over the Enchantments from about 6500 up.

What a pussy. You are banned from chestbeating for three days. Go to your room. Thanks. I was thinking about doing that this weekend.

With nothing definate and no takers, I decided to go paddling on the sound Sat and peak bagging Sun. Sun is open to any interested parties. Now going REALLY light but probably no higher.

Going peak baggin this weekend if anyone is interested. Going light overnight with bivy tent and pocket rocket. Not sure where but probably off I90 this side of the pass.

Cool. And wet it sounds like..... Gotta love thoese days of silent runing

As I pulled my gear together from various corners of the group site I couldn't help but notice all the wild animal scatt. There were piles of all colors and consistencies but every one of them had one thing in common- they seemed to have been thrust upon the ground at great speed. It was as though a very tall creature were scatting from on high. Or perhaps there were a few of them since there did seem to be many different colors. Some had chunks of burrito. Others were more like hot dog chunks. Still others were unidentifiable having the (apparent) consistency of applesauce and gravy. Did any of you notice any wild animals that night. They may have been climbing trees.

Cheap and heavy (Used Raemers on an old pair of downhill boards. Use your ice or mountaineering boot of choice.) Expensive and light (Dynafit). If they are approach skiis and you want to focus on the climbing aspect of your boot, Find the boots that really rock and then think about how they would be to ski in. Most of them suck more or less but it is doable. I have a Dynafit system I put together off this board for $675 all brand new. It would have been about $1200 retail.

craigslist.com Seattle/Tacoma/free wood

Beer gives me gas. Sorry.

"Leave something boltless" - how kind and generous of you. How about keep it simple, don't bolt in the wilderness and especially don't "safely connect" lines. No doubt the initial rationale for Ignorant Bliss Simple again, don't turn alpine climbing into "sport alpine" by creating alpine sport routes. Here we agree... I could not disagree more, there are already too many "climbers" who are totally unself-reliant and wholly dependent on purely bolted lines. Bolting rock to sustain their consumption and the relentless transgressions of a small percentage of their very large numbers is the problem with land use policies. More climbers cause the problems, not solve them. I like your extremism. I was once quoted as saying "There should be no bolts west of parkinglot wall." That would have closed off over fifty multi-pitch lines that each take one to five bolts. I placed three of them on a twelve pitch route. I put up or helped put up a couple dozen other lines that took all passive pro. But that splitter up the south face of Nez Pierce and the 15 foot roof crack 2300 ft above the creek were just too enticing to stand. There was one spate of rampant bolting in Blodget but for the most part, the "hand drilled bolts on lead" ethic stood,- even on Parkinglot Wall. I doubt that anyone would say even that is grid bolted though they are all sport routes. Anyway, I respect your opinion. I don't totally share it but there is a need for a few of you around......

RE:gear swapage OR Bivy sack like new. Miscelaneous stoppers. This n that.

And to follow up, the is a proven-effective deterent that I learned about in my Montana History class. 777

Rat would not be that bad if you knew exactly where to go. A friend and I went up there this weekend and thrashed through windfall down low on the way up. On the way down, we avoided almost all boulder fields and windfall. Basically, stay left and look for the very occasional cairn.

Once in awhile, it pops up that some people feel like CC.COM is an exclusive club of super cool climbers like me and that only super cool climbers like me should go to the rope up. None of that is true. Well, I may be a super cool climber to my daughters but at 6 & 9, it is still OK to think of your dad as cool. My real fate is just around the corner. Anyway, I will not have my daughters at the ropeup and will be offering to take any interested parties climbing "trad". I will have a monster rack of somewhat dated gear, two ropes and a couple extra harnesses. You will have to have your own climbing shoes. A helmet is a really good idea. A bicycle helmet will work. I would like to do the R&D route which is about 5 pitches of really easy climbing. If you do not freak out in high places, you will love this route. I will set bomber anchors and make sure everyone is clipped in safely. This is a good safe way to learn how to do multi-pitch climbs on a classic Icicle route right off the road. If you do not know about it, the ropeup is Sept 30-Oct 2 in Icicle canyon near Leavenworth. The group site at BridgeCreek has been reserved. For more information see the Rope up thread on the Events forum (http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php?Cat=0&Board=events&Number=492574&page=0&fpart=1).

Dang Victor. I was going to say 65 but it just seemed too long ago. Thanks for the update. BTW, I was climbing in 76 but not in 65. Oh, and I have dated myself.

Just got back from a recon up Rat creek. There is nothing up there. On the way down I kept looking at Icicle buttress and decided it would be fun to climb the R&D route with a newbie or three if anyone is interested. It is a 4 or 5 pitch route that cruxes out at about 5.5 maybe 5.6. Very easy climbing but also quite big. It would take a few hours with a team of 4 but It would be really fun. Bring a lunch and a water bottle. I'll be passed out by the keg. Just write your name on a part of my body that will not require a mirror for me to see.......

1976

The thin red Becky book has a description. Why don't people use that?

Der knotzen mit dem Umphen Schnozen. Ist gut.

Will you marry me?