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Stephen_Ramsey

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Posts posted by Stephen_Ramsey

    glucosamine?

    in Fitness and Nutrition Forum

    Posted

    Is anyone out there taking glucosamine on a daily basis, to manage pain from damaged cartilege, and curtail further damage? Seems like the jury is still out on the effectiveness of this supplement for arthritis and related ailments... maybe some climbers out there are taking it to deal with climbing-related injuries? (I'm going to ask my doctor too, but wanna hear from climbers who are taking this stuff).

     

    Thanks,

    Steve

    Alpental conditions 11-22-03

    in Spray

    Posted

    Jason,

     

    OK, thanks. Appreciate the info. Looks like a great resource is being developed, for mixed climbing enthusiasts.

     

    If you see a climb with tape on the bolts DO NOT climb the route. The people who have put in the bolts get first dibs on these routes. It means that they have not yet been climbed by the people who put in the bolts and should not be climbed until the red flagging on the bolts is removed.

    No worries, Jason. It's not like I could climb an M7, in this or any alternate Universe. :-) But I hear what you are saying about the red tape. Good to know.

     

    Cheers,

    Steve

    Hey Scott!

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    JoshK said:

    why does nwog.org now say future home to "northwest mountain guides"

     

    Scott, are you actually planning on guiding people?

     

    Just to clarify, "Northwest Mountain Guides" is a completely different guiding company (see www.gotrek.com). I think the NWOG site now has the title "Northwest Outdoor Guides". wave.gif

    RMI, is it any good?

    in Newbies

    Posted · Edited by Stephen_Ramsey

    Stephen_Ramsey said:

    I have also done a three-day privately guided climb with a senior RMI guide, on Mount Baker.

    Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but for the sake of the USFS people who have apparently been reading (and misunderstood) this post, I would like to clarify: the guide possessed a valid permit (or concession, whatever you call it) from the USFS to guide on the north side of Baker. I can provide more information (names, dates, etc.) if contacted by private message.

     

    Thanks,

    Steve

    TRs: Valuable or chestbeating fodder

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    mattp said:

    It was recently argued that nobody has ever trashed a beginners route report and that there is nothing negative in the culture of this board that would discourage less experienced climbers from posting here. I disagree.

     

    We recently discussed the Mount Hood report where the guy noted he got a snowcat ride and was flamed for it, and I think we already discussed the several-page assault of Scott for reporting that he skied whatever it was - 70 degrees? - at Stevens Pass. Also, I look back at the reports of Chair Peak from this summer and I note that while I have deleted the snidest of comments, what is left still gives the very clear impression that a simple climb of The Tooth is not worthy. Every single thread contains references to "I soloed it" or "it is really a good climb in the winter" or "I climbed it in three hours car-to-car" or whatever. Similarly, somebody reports an attempt of Silver Star (a 150 foot class III scramble) and the response is "you should have run up Burgundy" (a 5.8 6-pitch rock climb). For the West Ridge of Forbidden, one of the most popular routes in the state, there are few reports but all of those from this season deal with car-to-car speed or solo climbing the route and at least one of them contains the response "great -- another chestbeater report on the West Ridge". Similarly, when someone asked about the Sitkum Glacier not long ago (another of the State's most popular climbs) somebody responsd that it is a stupid route and he would NEVER climb it again because it was so boring. For Mount Adams, somebody asked whether he needed to bring crampons on the south ridge and he got a lot of good information but he also had somebody say "totally unnecessary – there is absolutely no exposure at all." What if somebody is proud of climbing The Tooth and thinks they weren't a complete idiot to go the wrong way around the pinnacle south of Pinneapple Pass and somebody else might want to know where NOT to go? Or the guy who attempted Silver Star - was he supposed to feel proud of his attempt on a scramble route when he was told he should have "run up" a technical rock climb in stead? Wouldn't this kind of thing tend to discourage people who are not strong technical climbers from posting their trip reports or even asking for beta? Is this why we have not a single route report from the Beckey Route this season? One report of a climb of the Emmons Glacier? Neither of these are "trivial" routes, in my book, and I bet there are lots of people who would like to read about them.

     

    Mattp,

     

    I totally agree with your post. Several times I've posted on CC.com asking for beta on a moderate/easy route, and received a snide or belligerent response. I've observed a clear tendancy on this web site for some people to back-handedly put down (or worse still, directly belittle) TRs of easy routes.

     

    I'm not whining or complaining. CC.com is what it is. I'm just agreeing with your post, and making the point that that beginners *do* notice the subtle (and not-so-subtle) put-downs that inevitably follow a trip report posting for a moderate route. Count me as one person who chooses to post his gumby/beginner trip reports elsewhere (in what is frankly, a less judgemental/negative forum). I'm sure there are others.

     

    Inevitably someone is going to reply to this saying "who cares" or "fewer gumby TRs -- no big loss", or whatever. In a small way, it will just validate my point.

     

    I do enjoy and appreciate CC.com for what it does well, especially getting the latest information on ice conditions. But let's not kind ourselves-- it isn't particularly newbie-friendly.

     

     

    Chiwawa Lyman Glacier TR

    in North Cascades

    Posted

    Hi John,

     

    Did you do it in a day?

    We camped in the snowy basin just below Spider Gap.

     

    We never needed to rap, and downclimbed the short steep step at the highest shrund (far climber's left on the descent, against the wall).

    Yeah, the step was short, but we were really tired. Seems like the route was in fine shape, but I don't really have a basis for comparison. Certainly was a fun day of climbing.

     

    Cheers,

    Steve

    Chiwawa Lyman Glacier TR

    in North Cascades

    Posted · Edited by Stephen_Ramsey

    Hi John,

     

    How did you get to the top and on which day?

     

    We summited at 11:00 AM on Sunday morning 10/26.

     

    Our ascent route skirted the first large bergschrund (the one at the very base of the route) on the climber's left, then traversed climber's right. Went into a moderate-angle mixed gully, then straight up a 2-pitch, 45-degree ice tongue leading up to the snout of the icefall. Then directly up through the icefall. We passed the final schrund (the one just a few hundred feet below the wide snowy saddle) on the climber's right, very near the moat, then traversed climber's left once above it.

     

    On the descent, we followed some tracks along the climber's right-hand side of the Lyman Glacier. We rapped on a V-thread into a wide (but largely snow-filled) crevasse, but downclimbing or scrambling through the moat would certainly have been an option. This may have been the same ice step you mentioned in your TR. Then followed the tracks down more easy snow slopes, then down about 800' of 3rd-class terrain that alternated between snow and rock slabs. Then down a steepish snow gully, to reach the first crevasse at the bottom of the route. Followed tracks (climber's right) into the moat to bypass the crevasse.

     

    thin short rope was a good idea on the upper glacier as many cracks are lurking, but covered with new snow.

    I second this. My partner punched through on the lower Lyman. Her first time punching through into a crevasse, something of a right of passage I guess.

     

    Didn't see a black ditty bag, but it was dark when we got to the trailhead. Sorry.

     

    Cheers,

    Steve

    Knee pain

    in Fitness and Nutrition Forum

    Posted

    Hello Catbird,

     

    As a long-time runner, I would recommend it (seeing a doctor). Especially if you can find a doctor who knows something about sports-related injuries, and who will not hesitate to refer you to a specialist if necessary.

     

    Hope your knee is feeling better soon.

     

    Cheers,

    Steve

     

     

    Question about ice tools?

    in Newbies

    Posted

    FWIW, this is what works for me (I only climb moderate ice routes, so I'm not sure how applicable this will be to your situation):

     

    For ice climbs, my partner and I carry two pairs of Shrikes. One pair is bent-shaft, and one pair is curved-shaft. The straight-shafted tools are better for all-around use (chopping bollards, clearing rotten ice for a screw placement, pounding in pickets, etc.), so most of the time the leader uses the straight-shafted tools. However, when we have to deal with a steep section of ice, we will switch so the leader can use the curved-shaft tools.

     

    For early-season snow/ice climbs that have some alpine ice, my preference is to carry one straight-shafted tool and one ultralight ice axe (e.g., BD Raven Pro, 60 cm). Being able to shaft both the tool and the axe in the snow is nice for those types of climbs.

     

    For waterfalls, I use the curved-shaft Shrikes, or (preferably) borrow a more waterfall-oriented tool like a Cobra.

    High top rock shoes

    in The Gear Critic

    Posted

    I use the "Boreal Ballet Gold shoes". They are very nice. I've only used them on moderate alpine rock climbs (e.g., Ingalls East Ridge and Liberty Bell Southwest Face), so I can't comment on how they perform on steep technical rock. The sole is pretty stiff, which I find helpful when I'm climbing rock while wearing a pack (which is almost always).

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