Bug

Luck has had a great deal to do with my survival. It was those near misses that convinced me that I had to listen carefully to the people who knew what they were doing. If I had tried to impose my style or methods on any of them, they would have climbed with someone else as well. Oddly enough, most of them had pretty much the same style and methods with a few technical tweaks of their own. I still like good luck. I just don't count on it.

OK. But were you naked? Bummer dude. That sounds harsh.

800 ft up Royal arches variation. Fell 60 ft. Cratered on ledge. Unhurt. Why use ropes?

Should we go back to Icicle? September work? October?

True. I am harsh. The 5K M mountain in Peru he is climbing next week will be harsher. Sorry if I offended anyone. Seriously. I have been climbing alpine for 35 years and see a disaster lurking. I may piss him off and look like a total f'n jerk. But if one thing I say helps him push for the speed that helps him avoid death in a freak storm at altitude then my karma is still good. I don't see any signal that he accepts anything I said in PM's or elswhere. Spray at me all you want. I am worried about him.

Focus and complete the task at hand. Cut time where it is easy and safe to do so. 1) Rack gear quickly. Maybe even try a new system. Those squeeze chimneys are always going to suck with gear hanging off every loop on your body. 2)Rack gear in a way that is simple and reproducable. Do it the same way every time. If both partners do it the same way, the second can sort as he climbs and just grab what little is left from the lead and boogie. Or switch racks quickly for whatever reason. 3) Quickly complete what part of the pitch is obvious to the next rest stance. The unobvious becomes easier to judge the closer you get. 4) Learn to pack quickly or the night before. The last guys to start often have to climb in the dark. 5)Choose foods that require no cooking. Add hot water and stir. Gulp it down and go. We all love home cooking but The last guys to start often have to climb in the dark. 6) Being slow by choice is selfish. Alpine climbing requires efficient teamwork. I would not climb with you again for that one reason alone. You are otherwise a nice guy and you lead the hardest pitch. I wish you luck in Peru. I hope it does not come down to luck but I fear it will. You are tackling a long route. Peace.

I was told that most of the ones being taught, never returned to the slopes even if they could still walk.

I posted some pics in the gallery. Send that one to your mom Pnut.

Okay....NOW I am really scared. Bug, I met you the other night and you didn't seem that bad... See. I was playing the ninties thing and you didn't notice. Be specific. I don't get it. My generation invented Gloria Steinem. Look her up. I only exagerated a little bit. The virgin Mary was NOT included. OK. I'm calming down now. I went climbing with lots of girls and did not consider it a date. I am talking about being in a relationship and trying to teach your SO how to do something difficult and painful. When I was being coached on how to instruct skiing, I was told that the first rule of instructing was "NEVER TRY to teach a SO how to ski!" And they were serious. Otherwise, My humor may be raw but there is some truth there. I am like Jimmy Carter. I have lust in my heart for pretty women. I have heard that there is an operation that can change that but short of that, it is a fact of life for men. As I would tell my daughters, since YOU brought up the generation thing, "For a man, the relationship starts with physical attraction. He wants to have sex with you. You can't change that about men. So what you have to look for is one who can accept "NO" gracefully or outrun my 00 buckshot. Either way, you have picked a survivor. You decide which one is more interesting." Cheers and welcome to CC.COM. Seriously.

Have you looked at the West face of Dragontail? Start at the very bottom of the point of rock by Colchuck and pick a route. Definately include the Fin. Mix and match the pitches from different routes. Or do one of the cracks going up Asgar.

Dima and I were up there the same day. We were stuck behind Pnut and friend. They were moving OK but I was in a hurry to beat the clouds. We bailed right on SNafflehound ledges and got off route on a 5.10 stemming thing that turned out fun. Dima led that. The rest of our trip went well except for the divergence of styles. Still thinking about how to present the TR for that. Anyway, good meeting Peter and Ki up there. Hope to see you elsewhere.

Amen Sister! Once again I am forced to recall the infamous women's size 6 fire's. I am not sure how many girlfriends wore them. I do know that most of them now know how to belay but refuse. None of them ever learned how to climb. No. Not REALLY climb. Usually I would not get any that night because "the bugs were bad" and somehow, that was my fault. Or "the trail was too steep". Uhm, it's a frigin climbing area. You know, cliffs and stuff? Or "they're too tight". You could be wearin mukluks inside em. Or my favorite, "I can't go to work with scratches on my legs". Never mind. Then there is the ever present risk of exposing a girlfriend you really like to the hoards of horny climbers who are willing to comb their hair and act like sensitive, enlightened men of the nineties when they are just trying to get in the panties. But you can't tell your girlfriend that or you will only speed up the process. At that point, you are reduced to combing your hair and acting like a sensitive, enlightened man of the nineties. I hate that. I am really looking forward to the time when women are comfortable enough with their own damn feminin side that they don't need their man to have one. I was born with this thing and it's stayin where it is. If it points at you, you must be pretty. That's a compliment. Besides, the other side is an asshole. So I guess I have two points to make; One,If you are going to date a woman so you can climb with her, make damn sure that climbing is in her heart. And two, make sure someone else has already got her past arguing about "the right way" to belay. I've done my part. Someone send one my way. PS. The shoes ran off on the feet of the last girl I tried to date AND climb with. I'm taking all sizes now. I won't hold my breath.

Just stay high. Like Ivan.

Dang. Already booked.

I totally missed that part! That would explain the no response.

No response. I've gotten rusty.

Most likely, if someone really messed with someone else after meeting on this board, there would be a small posse on the prowl. Male or female. Check out pub club. (Bring your sister.)

I was up there Sun-Mon and the snow was pretty hard early in the AM. Otherwise, pretty easy going without an ax.

I'm on it. I'll let you know.

Alpine, trad, let's go. I need a partner (for climbing).

Looking for a partner for this coming week. Alpine, trad, etc. Whoever you are, come on out.

Jog.

They will not find you if you camp at the base of the N face. Water will be your only problem. If you are doing Norwegian buttress, bivy down in the big boulders by the lake. Just be careful to snaffle proof your food.

Climb the south ridge of Adams. No crevasses. Big crowds. But you will get a feel for slogging and get up to 12K. Maybe take a rope along and practice some crevass rescue over a steep snow face.

A hungry bear has a larger territory and a broader range of appetizers. Long dry years force the bears to forage further and get more aggressive about their territorial rights.