Off_White

Matt, I figure thats because you're a more "total experience" priented climber than a purely goal oriented one. I completely agree with you, and my sense of loyalty has also led me to climb with friends who are less than fun (in the not really clicking sense, not the irresponsible sense) for years.

The "dynamic belay" debate has been around a long time. I remember when it was over whether a sticht plate put too much absolute force on the system, and you were far better off using a hip belay that allowed for more "slip" in the belay. Everybody's got to make up their own mind, but I'm tying in. If you're worried about the force on a given piece, use a screamer.

quote: Originally posted by troubleski: When do you think the snow is generaly best there.???.. Winter is often best. Sorry, I couldn't help myself. I've got the same kind of scheduling thing, got to pick a time quite a ways in advance to have everything else in life arranged for a longer abscence. If you can't be flexible about when to go, the only answer is to be flexible about destination, and go where the snow is good.

quote: Originally posted by Greg W: Oh, and Fuck Off Trask Not without an invite he doesn't! Football, thats the game with the funny shaped ball and no sticks, right?

Yup, I can sometimes be heard talking to myself, "check my knot." I'm something of a coelacanth of the climbing world, having learned in the days of hip belays, goldline, and Robbins blue boots. I always attach the belay device to my harness, and myself to the anchor, and set myself with a stance that minimizes the actual load on the anchor. I'm also very fond of an anchor for the belayer, even at the base of sport routes, perhaps because I often outweigh my belayer, but also because having a belayer tied in shortens the leader's fall. I do sometimes like the "place two pieces instead of one" and place gear frequently right after leaving the belay" ideas that others have mentioned. Particluarly if it has been a long ways between placements, I think it would really be a bummer to have that piece pull, so I'll place another nearby. I also really hate the thought of falling right on the belay, and want some pieces between me and that kind of a test. I usually carry a largish rack as well, preferring to have it and not need it as opposed to needing it and not having it. Another side topic attached to this whole issue is reconsidering advice offered on this site a few months ago about overcoming fear by intentionally falling on your gear. I have a really hard time overcoming my trad upbringing with the whole "the leader must not fall" agenda. I'm sure it keeps me from pushing my limits, but an incident like the recent one does nothing to make me want to change my ways.

Hey there Pindude, I don't mean to belittle the snowpack out there, and my observation is somewhat limited (I only look when I'm thinking about going) but I kept seeing Steven's get multiple 18" overnight dumps and Schweitzer report 1" in 7 days for the same time period. Maybe you're in the track but sometimes the good stuff gets wrung out of the clouds before it makes it over to you? For what its worth, Mission Ridge mostly seems to get much less snow out of a storm than the areas closer to the crest (but one could argue that its better snow). Does stuff further east, like the Big Mountain in Montana still count as inland NW? There's some great hills out in your neck of the woods, and I wouldn't discourage anyone from checking them out, I'd just say check the conditions and predictions before heading that far away. Schweitzer is just about top of my list for places I'd like to be for a big dump.

quote: Originally posted by Greg W: Glad you didn't say anything mean; I would've been forced to tell you to bite off! [/QB] That would be sooo rude! Besides, I've been nothing but polite on this thread, and I somehow doubt that Erik would bite me regardless of what you told him.

this is supposed to be the world's funniest joke: Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn't seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy takes out his phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps: "My friend is dead! What can I do?" The operator says: "Calm down, I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead." There is a silence, then a gunshot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says: "OK, now what?" Here's the story: http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/science/10/03/joke.funniest/index.html

quote: Originally posted by Dr Flash Amazing: A guy walks into an auto parts store, and says to the guy at the counter "I'd like to get a gas cap for my Yugo." The guy at the counter thinks for a moment, and replies "OK, that sounds like a fair trade." Friends don't let friends drive Yugo's.

I've been to Schwitzer once, and it was a great hill. They hadn't any siginficant snowfall in a week, but we still mangaged to cut up some fresh stuff in the trees. If you were there for a big storm, it would be fantastic, but they aren't really in the Cascade storm track, so you gotta watch the weather. We left Schwitzer and bailed for Bachelor, where we got a major dump that made for a couple of the best days I've ever had at an area. But then again, I love those big trees (and my helmet)

A long ways back, 1980 or so, I recall white circles spray painted on both the trail to Lake Constance in the Olympics (which had some monstrous blowdown at that time) as well as on the rote.

which would make the crucial date May 19th 1915.

Okay, on Lassen, looking at Shasta?

Well, its a .... charming... summit. If I had to guess, I'd say you were standing on St Helens looking at Adams, hence those summit rocks were not in that configuration before May 18th, 1980. [ 10-03-2002, 02:30 PM: Message edited by: Off White ]

quote: Originally posted by Greg W: Bwaaahahahahaha. Bling Bling, Blah? Blee Blo blee, yo. Twice in one day, I find myself agreeing with Greg W. Next thing you, it'll be raining frogs in my frontyard.

quote: Originally posted by gapertimmy: TUFF RULZ yeah yeah, tuff is cool, granite is better, but anybody who's ever touched the stuff knows Tenino Sandstone is the best ever.

There's also the matter of context and individual personality. Anybody who is aware of DFA and his flaming left wing liberal leanings would automatically know that the lad was making a joke, whereas anyone who familiar with Trask's knee-jerk right wing scatological spew would know that he doesn't mean harm to anyone on this board and he was making a joke also. Scott'teryx on the otherhand would be obviously making a joke, and various and sundry would be compelled to tear him a new asshole for his chutzpah. Isn't life strange?

quote: Originally posted by Dr Flash Amazing: Fuck that, man! As a person on the cusp of generations "X" and "Why?", the Doctor finds convenience to be a key factor in any number of decisions. You wanna go fucking around with your primitive and inconvenient extension cords, be the Doctor's guest (not that the orderlies would ever let you near electricity or tools, of course). DFA will happily zip from project to project with nary a concern for outlets and such. Doctor, with all due respect, thats because you are an Autocad using fool who doesn't actually have to make a living in a blue collar world. Worry about a cord on a small deck? Get into a tight dank rotting crawlspace or some overheated insulation filled ceiling cavity and thats when it really matters. Much as it shocks me to say it, GregW and Trask know what they're talking about.

(Argh, there's a whole nother page! Am I gumby or what? I'm spewing about the Bear Creek topo here, for you johnny come latelies) I'm not laughing at you Cavey, its the bit on the topo that they label "glacier." I grew up down there and the Sierras were my first love (in terms of mountains), but if there is one thing that Washington has a leg up on over Calfornia, its glaciers. I don't think there's a crevasse in the Sierras you could fall into if you tried really really hard. Still, ya gotta love that beautiful clean granite. [ 10-03-2002, 01:16 PM: Message edited by: Off White ]

Ahhh, never mind Cavey, I sussed it out. Bear Creek Spire. I'm headed down that way end of October.

Oh Caveman, you bastard, that looks indescribably delicious on a day like today. Details?

quote: Originally posted by Greg W: quote:Originally posted by trask: New? I'm buying a new cordless drill; can't decide between the Porter Cable and the DeWalt 14.4-v I'm speaking from the contractor end of the field. I've got a 12v DeWalt that's been splendid. I really like the balance, and the voltage seems just fine. If you need real oomph, you might as well break out the corded tool, and by the time you get really beefy, like the 18v tool, the damned thing weighs so much it tends to defeat the "light and fast" appeal of cordless. That said, the 12v cordless DeWalt saw doesn't have enough guts except for quick casual cuts. I had to rip a 5' doug fir 1x4 the other day for a quickie countertop support, and after the cordless saw groaned and slowed down, I broke out the trusty handsaw and did it just like the old days. It did not, however, make me nostalgic for the old hammer and handdrill method of bolt placement.

Your creative spelling gives it away in one message!

At Mission Gorge in San Diego, where I learned to climb, we named a ledge "zone ledge." It even had a fixed bong.

I have a funny compass story. We headed in to Liberty Ridge from Sunrise once, traversing over Burroughs to St Elmo Pass, then hang a right and make for Curtis ridge. Being lazy, I'm fond of starting at as high an elevation as you can. We started late late in the afternoon, took a break at the great stone bench on second burroughs, and spent the night at St Elmo's. Well, naturally, it started to storm that night, so we decided to bail, but come back in about a week. Did I mention that I'm lazy? We stashed almost all of our gear, and started back through the near white out with just the map and a little water. Somehow we got off track, everything looks the same in a whiteout, and kept consulting the map, trying to make what we could see fit the topo lines. After a few rounds of "I think we're here" (point on the map) "No, I think we're here" (point on the map) we managed to reduce the entire area we were at into messy blur on the soggy map. The compass, well, we left that stashed with the gear. Eventually we headed down a snowslope, convinced we were on track to intersect some trail towards Glacier Basin, when it cleared just enough to provide a dim glowing spot where the sun was... behind us? We were happily heading in the wrong direction, making for the end of the Winthrop glacier. And we thought we had it covered because we had a map. Needless to say, we got back late to the car (borrowed yellow camaro with green metaflake steering wheel) famished (no extra food) and cold (no extra clothes), and had to open up the can of tuna left in the car with the lug wrench. So, do I carry all that stuff now? Well, not really....