iain

there is the reward of talking someone through something they don't think they can do and seeing them do it and getting to witness them grow from the experience. that's worth at least something, but you might not get it with every client. I think it's less about the climbing and more about the people stuff. until this is realized, you might be frustrated in the business. you certainly won't be climbing the routes you really want to be climbing.

what's the difference. 2. why is this story front page news

3. The client is trying to kill the rest of the clients

yes, sorry. I'm not aware, however, that you can just "sign up" for a permit to guide on Mt. Hood. I know you have to be licensed by the state marine board, of all places, but after that you still need permission to operate on USFS land and I'm not sure how that is done or if it is even possible.

A friend of mine freelances as a guide and he lives month-to-month, and sometimes gets food stamps. Better sell that landrover. He has a good time with it, however, and he only takes 1 or 2 people at a time on routes rather than rainier pack animal style. Unfortunately, many mountains in this area are not very accomodating when it comes to commercial activities.

for some reason I've never thought about using purcell prusiks in an anchor system. Would be convenient to shorten or lengthen a component of an anchor. Not sure what kind of shock load a prussik in that situation could take before it started glazing. time for some more drop testing.

maybe consider climbing up NW ridge of BT as well and flail off 11'o'clock couloir and then out to dutchman. if 11'o'clock does not look good you have a good ski back to above green lakes then out to snowmobile land.

yes that would be pretty miserable. I've found that SE ridge to be pretty ugly in general as you weave up those gendarmes, deep drifts of snow on one side, ice, and at times, bare rock on the other. If I were to climb there again had the choice in the matter I'd just go up the Hayden G. even with the extra distance, etc. take the skis up the main south ridge to ski down at the traverse to the collier g, then head over to middle sister I guess. I've wondered if the west face left route on north is skiable. Nice trip guys!

Here was the scene over by Mississippi Head on Mt Hood this weekend. Be careful out there in the sun on those se aspects!

yeah signs of life/learning to fly/dogs I have heard that album in so many altered states of consciousness and in so many good times that I can almost get in that state just by listening to it. love it.

I usually find it very fast to ditch the trail early at the first junction early season and head up the ridge keeping b-top in view on the left. this gets you to treeline quickly and you can head over to se spur if you want to bother with that annoying route or do the cool routes on the east side (e.m. couloir or thayer headwall, both very cool).

Freedom Rock

that would probably be them. that area was probably the most dangerous spot on the mountain besides wy'east this weekend and sure enough there were a bunch of crown fractures all along the rim up there. oh and low and behold, some tracks coming down from castle crags.

I hope none of you guys were the yahoos plunge stepping down west crater this weekend after bailing on the sandy or whatever.

not to mention some serious slide potential off the west side faces, that stuffs always sluffing and we let loose some whoppers in zigzag canyon up at hood this weekend, one guy was partially buried for at least 15 min.

if conds were the same as the hood area I predict the traverse on the south ridge (if you went that way) was a wallow in porridge.

isn't climbing based in boulder or something? I think this is self-explanatory

I've never heard of "tuck and roll" being used as a self arrest technique

I find the silver "pigs in space" accents on the stock liners quite fetching too

nice pics guys. always have looked over at tam mcaurther from n sister and stuff but never considered the skiing possibilities.

The standard bed on the Tacoma is barely enough to sleep in lengthwise. Just a bit over 6 ft.

I think the tacoma double cab is overpriced and you don't get much of a truck bed either.

indeed I suspect he has the right arm of a javelin thrower.

yep Paris is where I ran into these beasts, over in the Montmartre part of town. Pain in the neck to keep change around for those things.

sorry, credit where credit is due...