Layback

Well done Mikey. Awesome pics. It was really great to meet you at Index last weekend too btw!

No beverages sadly. I guess in my semi-coherent rambling I failed to make the point I really wanted to... My point is this: Both the people who left the club (or encountered the club in a bad way) and complained about it on the internet and the people who stayed and changed things acted as change agents in different ways. Without the people outside the club complaining you don't have validation internally for what people are trying to change. The knuckleheads would just carry on as they were as if in a vacuum unaware of the incredibly uncool things they are doing to others in the climbing community. Maybe we've reached a critical point where anyone who would like to be a part of something cool, could do as Wayne just did. That would be rad.

Here's my theory on the club and why things are the way they are why change is happening now if anyone cares. For decades people in the club did dumb shit and pissed other people off. Instead of fixing the situation you had a bunch of dumb, arrogant pricks on a power trip running the club. These clowns told these people to just go screw themselves (some of you unfortunately) and these people couldn't really do anything about it except end up hating them. Then this thing called the internet comes along and all of a sudden a bunch of pissed off people have the opportunity to tell everyone how messed up the club is. New people join the club and realize that the club is messed up too. Some quit because there's just too much bullshit to overcome and they join in on the bashing (rightfully so). Some get pissed off enough to do something about it and chip away at the nonsense. More new blood joins the club and they fall into one of the two categories and the ones who decide do something about it chip away at more nonsense still. And on and on we go... Things take time. The club was incredibly messed up. The club is much, much better and most people are pretty cool. I find myself quite happy with things right now - but I still see some of room for improvement. I don't blame anyone who hates on the club. I hated them too. But I'm glad that I stuck around. I've met some really great people and have learned some really great things along the way.

So if I read these two posts right, you are saying Wayne was granted full equivalency because you support him, not because of his skill? I'm not sure that's the message I would want to hear if I wanted to join the Mounties and was a skilled but unknown climber. I was once a skilled and unknown climber and had to endure a shit storm of classes just to be able to do something I was already capable of so I understand what someone like that might have to go through. I am clearly not at Wayne's level but I can assure you that the intermediate class, which I had to take because I didn't know anyone, was a complete waste of my time. I was granted basic equivalency after some second year intermediate noob got to push me around at a FT in the pouring rain for 8 hours talking about "The Mountaineers Way". When my climb leader application went through a ridiculous amount of nonsense three years ago because of my outspokenness in the club I vowed to change equivalency and provide an easier path for others. I rewrote the equivalency program, began offering it 6 times a year instead of 2, and have gotten more people through equivalency in the past 3 years than in the previous 10 years combined. And for the record, since we're questioning my integrity and willingness to help anyone, I'm the one that just changed the ridiculous shoe policy. And I've just started. More people in the fight with outside blood to change club culture would be much appreciated. Like I said, just send me a PM.

So when are you joining bro? You climb with a bunch of us so you might as well get yourself a smurf suit and join us. P.S. Wayne's equivalency was the click of a button and I think we could do the same for you.

Wayne was just granted "full equivalency" and won't be taking any silly courses. It's an honor to have you Wayne. Thanks for helping out. If anyone else is interested in equivalency and seeing what's new I'd be happy to help with that. Just shoot me a pm.

That sucks about Bill. How shortsighted of the club. Very sad. I can guarantee you that wouldn't be the case with Wayne. Wayne has a few friends on the committee and although I don't know Wayne, I'd raise hell if he was somehow not allowed to pursue this. I hope it's okay to speak for the others but I know that Jim, Jessica, Geoff and I would have your back (among others).

It doesn't surprise me that there are a lot of negative comments. Years of ridiculous stupidity and militaristic attitudes take a lot of time to overcome in the public eye. Some of us joined and didn't like the way things were run and decided to do something about it. We could use the help. IMHO the club has come a long way from when I joined in '05 (and nearly quit because I refused to put my name on my helmet among other things). Wayne - I think it would be rad if you joined. And for the record if you've got the experience you don't need to take a class.

I think we'd want to do that anyway. PMS gets all of my business. I'll just be staying away from BD and Petzl going forward. I no longer trust these companies ability to limit this kind of crap no matter how nice the message is on that corporate BD website. I've been skeptical for a while.

I'd like to take an optimistic approach and hope that Jens is right, but... Can Petzl (or BD for that matter) introduce new legislation and tighter controls into Chinese manufacturing law that will effectively put an end to manufacturing plants producing bogus gear in after hours? This isn't a Petzl issue. It's a Chinese Manufacturing issue and Petzl produces gear there - so it's now Petzl's issue as well as Black Diamond's issue. Metolius and Wild Country are going to be getting the lion's share of my business going forward.

True - But when companies move manufacturing to countries like China (where there is a lack of government regulation in place to prevent this) as means of diminishing the margin so as to gain a competitive advantage and increase shareholder wealth this is what happens. Although Wall Street didn't produce these fakes they moved their manufacturing to a place where they can't maintain the same control in their original factories. We see this all the time with companies that outsource manufacturing to places like China. Go onto eBay and you can find 1000's of NFL jersey fakes that are created in the same factories that produce the legit ones. Legit NFL merchandise by day; low quality fakes by night. It turns out that the same it true of climbing gear.

Not a recall, but something incredibly disappointing. This is exactly why we need to buy from companies like Metolius, which is made by climbers for climbers in the USA. Wall Street's bottom-line tactics aren't in our interest. http://www.petzl.com/us/outdoor/news-2/2011/02/11/warning-regarding-presence-counterfeit-versions-petzl-products

Rad.

Cool. When did the Mazamas start offering this?

+1. I met Joe a couple times and was thoroughly impressed with his kindness, humility, and generosity. Joe would most certainly do the same for any of us. It's the least we can do. RIP Joe. You were a good man with a big heart and some amazing skills as both a climber and photographer.

This peak never gets done and then, wham!!! A TR on CC and a TR on NWH. I'm curious, all of the guidebooks say it's pretty run-out. Would you give it a PG rating or more like a R? I need to get out there! This is such an impressive looking peak! Congrats!

Nice job! Would love to see some more pics if you have them.

Has anyone been there recently? I'm thinking of something in the area for this weekend since west of the crest looks questionable and I'm wondering what sort of snowpack conditions I might find. Has anyone had the chance to dig a pit or get out there at all in the last 5 days?

Impressive piece of pioneering and style guys. I am way psyched for you Tom. I'd be curious to know the last time the Cascades saw a FA of an unclimbed peak. I'm sure it's been some time. Does anyone know?

Rad. Do you have any pics?

That's cool. You should post this over here: http://www.nwhikers.net There's more than a few peakbaggers who would be very interested.

I figured someone was getting cocky about an upcoming climb...

Thanks for sharing the pics waterboy. That top pitch looks nice. Too bad we got such a late start. Nice to see you up there.

Hey - Thanks for the heads up guys. I certainly don't take it personally. That was my first time there - you guys definitely know the area better than me. Dang, after a 5 year hiatus from WI, I guess I am a bit rusty. That felt WI 4 to me. I need to get at it more...

Trip: Lillooet, BC - Rambles Right Date: 2/14/2009 Trip Report: Priscilla, Paul Helen and I spent the weekend up in Lillooet. It's been nearly 5 years since I've been on waterfall ice. The last time was when I was still living in New England, where I had the opportunity to get out nearly every weekend in winter. This was a great treat for me. Saturday afternoon, we headed over to Rambles. We took a quick look at Rambles and Rambles Center and decided that we didn't like it - the ice on Rambles wasn't fat enough to take full screws and Rambles Center had missing sections. So we headed over to Rambles Right just a few hundred yards away. When we got there we saw Richard C. and his wife (Susan?) from Everett finishing off the first pitch. Above them was Scott W and his partner, both from EMRU. I led the first pitch (WI 4) and set up a top rope for the others: Helen Got Her First Experince on Water Ice: After that, Paul took a spin, but unfortunately ended up aggravating a partially torn bicep: With Paul hurting, Priscilla took a run and broke down the TR. On Sunday we looked around for other things to do but everything WI 4 and under seemed either occupied or not fat enough for my tastes. With that in mind, I opted to head home at noon to get a jump on the 5 hour solo ride home. Priscilla and the others spent the rest of the day scouting out routes for next time. Her notes are at the bottom of this TR... If anyone is considering going up there, there are a number of WI 5 routes (way out of my leading ability) in great condition including Carl's Berg: Priscilla's Notes: Loose Lady is in, and the first step (considered an approach) was nice and plastic, but wet. It makes a good place to practice, a frozen creek slab about 20 ft. high, something like WI2. Good place to start, and then move up higher for swinging leads up to WI3-4. The Rambles is partially in. Rambles central is discontinuous and mixed; Rambles left looks good, and Rambles right is good. The bash up there through the woods pretty much establishes that if you use it, it will be for a whole day. What we found there was WI3+ to 4. Isodorth is in, but the river crossing is not frozen, and the approach in the book was disparaged by local climbers as a trip in itself. We didn't go there. Carlsberg is way too much for people who aren't somewhere in the WI 5 level, but it is nice n fat. We didn't see anyone using it. Icy BC is in, but not as fat as I have seen it before, and therefore steeper on the first pitch. It looks to be WI4. Upper pitches are even more. There are a series curtains and seeps to the left that are in, although the curtains don't all connect. They are about WI4. To the left of that, I was told there is a walk up/down, in the range of WI3. We used the lower right of ICY BC for a practice area and made a nice afternoon of it. We checked in with locals and were told Cherry Ice and Honeyman aren't in. We had a good time of it though, and Joe led a pitch on The Rambles Right, which I cleaned. That section was really plating off and climbers above kicked down alot of bombs. FOOD: The Lillooet Lodge is absolutely a delightful surprise. Japanese cuisine, including sushi, and very good. The Greek place has taken on airs and is charging tablecloth prices; it's still good. Goldpanner was closed. Mile-O is now owned by a Korean man and it's showing its years, but is still just fine for dirtbag clilmbers!