Bug

Cheers! It was fun talking to you. Always feel free to drop by my camp for a free coffee or beer. My girls now want a VW camper van.

I'll take it. Check your PM's

Hike at night for firm footing.

I'll go there for all my climbing needs. Thanks Dan! Call me if you need a partner sometime.

Oops. Sorry. How about a TR with pics? Hope we didn't disturb your sleep too much.

Old thread worth discussing. I have read and been told that when you are on a mountain in a lightening storm, you obviously do not want to be the highest object around but you also do not want to hang out in cracks and grottos. As Mike described, the electricity traveled through the rock and arced accross the crack, through them. The thing to do is stay above the surface but stay low and stay on your feet so you have rubber between you and the rock. I don't remember where I read this but it was in more than one place.

They don't suffer anymore once they're dead. That isn't justice.

Was that you guys parked at the base of Icicle Buttress? We almost camped at the bivy that night but we wanted a fire and knew wood was more plentiful above. Bummer. You could have entertained my daughters.

Justice is a detterant. Non-violence is tacit approval. As long as their actions cost them nothing, they will have no incentive to change. Be careful, but don't sit down and take it. Standing up in a measured way is OK. You do not have to kill or mame. Just bruise and twist. Maybe a little "eye-for-an-eye" property damage too. Carry binocs, sneek back to your car, mark the assholes and confront them where ever you can catch up to them. Just a little Montana style logic.

I will take all of that stuff except the condo and the Montana book. I have the book already. I am taking some teenagers out a few times this summer and will need some extra gear. Check you PM's

Nice TR. Sounds like fun. I talked to one of the 3 guys who did the route ahead of you. They crashed in a VW van by wehre my daughters and I camped. They made it out about evening thirty. They seemed to have had a good time. He said everything was still pretty frozen up there and there was a boot track up to the lake. I may have to get up there soon.

We were at the climbers camp above Bridge Creek Fri night. WazzuMountaineer was there too. The place is becoming a boater's camp. The second night we were up to the snow up the Stuar Lk road. Sat we were by Roto wall. There were big groups on either side. We watched one date climbing couple do the cruise n thrash. Last time I looked she was hanging by her hands and flailing her foot around like a fly swatter. It was painful to watch. Even my girls said she looked scared. He didn't get laid. I'll bet money on it.

Nobody showed. We were there and even sent some 5.4. My credibility with my kids is dwindling. "Never trust a climber" they are saying. Man. That really hurts.

Carrying your gear to a higher camp would be harder but then you get a better view. If you are willing to do extra work, go for it. You will probably have higher winds and have to dig a platform for your tent or dig a snow cave, but if that doesn't matter to you, it would work. If you do not know how you will react to altitude, go up to 8 or 9 k for the first night and aclimate a little bit. You will not get into the park until 9AM anyway. Might as well take it easy and take in some tourist stops to get some nice views of the mountain and potential routes. All the guide books show camps and bivy spots and if you are willing to dig a lot, there are a lot more possibilities. Just remember, people have died from altitude sickness on Rainier. The first time I ever heard of it was when two guys age 18 and 19 did a foced bivy on the summit. The younger guy died in the middle of the night. They were in good shape, warm, watered and fed. They just weren't acclimated.

I used to heat my van with a propane heater. One evening after a long day at work in the woods, I lit it up and layed down for a minute. When I woke up, the heater was going way down, then back up, then way down..etc. I opened a window and it popped back up to full power. I definately felt a little spacy but there were no long term affects. That reminds me of a story. I used to heat my van with a propane heater. One evening after a long day at work in the woods, I lit it up and layed down for a minute. When I woke up, the heater was going way down, then back up, then way down..etc. I opened a window and it popped back up to full power. I definately felt a little spacy but there were no long term affects. That reminds me of a story. I used to heat my van with a propane heater. One evening after a long day at work in the woods, I lit it up and layed down for a minute. When I woke up, the heater was going way down, then back up, then way down..etc. I opened a window and it popped back up to full power. I definately felt a little spacy but there were no long term affects. That reminds me of a story. What was I saying........?

I have some Trango Harpoons I would sell you for $50. Mono and double points.

The obvious answer is, "climb alot". No smartassing intended. You will learn more from doing than from following a book. And later, when the book is poorly written, it will not affect your climb. Just as an example, I grew up in Missoula MT. The Bitterroots are right there at the south side and extend southward for another 100 miles. They had plenty of easy terrain to backpack in and as I got more and more comfortable in steeper terrain, I ventured on harder routes that I would pick out on maps. I never had a guide book and my father and older brothers only came with me in the first few years. As I gained experience, I was able to see routes that would have looked like death zones before. When I was 14, I got my first set of heavy touring skiis and started winter mountaineering. Same story. Wait, watch, go. I spent a lot of time in the same general area the first year. This helped me see how avalanche potential builds and releases. I also pushed harder routes between sections of familiar terrain. Go to the Enchantments or someplace similar and stay off the trails. Run the ridges or traverse the plataue taking in several peaks. Don't be chagrinned by having to back off and find a different way. If that doesn't happen, you are either not pushing yourself hard enough or are pushing past your respectable limits.

Parachutes burn amazingly fast. I got helied into a few fires with our gear dropped by plane first. We watched the gear land, then got dropped on a rdge nearby. One rail on the ridgge, one floating in air. We boogied down to the drop area and found everything intact. Now they longline everything in by helicopter. You might look up a few old packmasters from the airdrop days to get some hints. One thing I remember is that everything was piled on light wood pallets made for the purpose. They definately absorbed alot of abuse.

Kid fun. My girls will be very happy to have other kids to play with.

We will be close to the road wherever we end up. Just stop at the truck and yell. Or listen for our squeels of joy.

Bring your kids and go climbing with us. We will be driving a gold F150 SuperCrewCab with topper. No telling where we will camp.

I have always been suspicious of protection at Peshastin. The first time I was there, I put in a large stopper and yanked really hard on it. Both sides of the crack broke out and the stopper almost took out my partner's teeth. No thanks.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! That is really cool.

I want the XGK. Check your PM's.

If you get plastic boots you may want to check out my Trango Harpoons for $50. They come with double and single points. http://www.knradventuregear.com/ice_snowgear/trango_crampons/trangoharpoon.htm PM me if interested.