Thinker

I think they're running AWAY from Dwayner and Pope.

I spent the last couple of weeks working near Salmon, ID...way up in the hills. As I was relaxing one evening in the motel hot tub (with a great little buzz from some mediocre single malt), I realized that the same principle that allowed my arm to 'stick' to the nearly vertical side of the hot tub and thus support my arm that was holding my book is the same force that holds a climbing shoe on nearly vertical rock. Based on my (sometimes faulty) memory, that force is defined as static friction. The interesting thing about static friction is that it can be overcome, and then the rules of kinetic friction take over. That's when you get that sickening feeling of your shoes buttering off the rock...or your arm starts sliding down the wall of the hot tub...or your tires break loose and start skidding. A Google search yielded this little figure to illustrate the point: Note the instantaneous dip in friction resistance once the threshold of motion has been reached. This would indicate that (theoreically) it's better to find a way to reset that sliding shoe than to hang on to the bitter buttery end...or at least find a way to stop the sliding motion for a brief instant to allow the static friction to resume it's meager grip on the rock. (I know this all sounds a little too Cartesian, but it endured the scotch buzz and so it must be meant to assist someone struggling with slippery shoes. Come to think of it, I was kind of like a brain in a vat that night....) edit: oh yeah, context: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/frict2.html

http://www.shorelinemtn.com/store/retailstore.asp We've Moved Good News! We have moved to Spokane, Washington. In an effort to reduce costs we have moved out of the San Francisco Bay Area. While we will miss the spectacular beauty of the Bay Area and the proximity to Yosemite and the Sierras, the cost of doing business had just gotten out of control. Spokane is an outdoors-person's playground with tons of great climbing close by. These cost cutting efforts will allow Shoreline to continue to provide cutting edge climbing products that have made us the leading supplier of top brand climbing gear. We also are working on a new catalog and expect that to be available soon. Thinker sez: These guys have been one of my favorite gear retailers for over 10 years. It's good to have them a little closer to home, even if I do have to pay sales tax now. To bad they won't have a retail store there.....

show me the bolts, baby! click here

Take the gauze, but find a different place for it. The 'empty' space in a helmet is critical for it to operate as designed when loaded from the top, i.e. rockfall. In other words, the helmet's suspension system needs room to work and the maxipad could transmit the force of a falling rock more directly to the top of your skull, resulting in a more severe injury. Even when compressed, a pad has a certain thickness that could impair the helmet's function.

This post got me looking back at some of my favorite personal photos. This one shall serve as evidence prima facia that the WAC is indeed significantly different than the Mounties. (The faces were smudged to protect the not-so-innocent.) The hordes below are mostly Mounties on the Nisqually practicing crevasse rescue...the same thing we were doing that day...in a slightly different style.

Don't drive. Fly to Boise or Pocatello or Salt Lake City, rent a car or pick up a partner, and head em on out to Almo. RT tix can be had for $69 quite regularly; check the Alaska Air webspecials and those of other airlines. That gets you at least one more day of climbing....probably 2. fyi, it's 700 driving miles from Seattle to Almo/The City. All but the last 50 or so miles is wide open interstate.

Why choose just one when you can do both?!?! Keep posting and start climbing.

I believed you, CG33...but I was one of the few. it's good to see you coming back around after such a 'hearty' welcome.

I got started in a midwestern university outdoor adventure program. We had one classroom session, one outdoor wall session, and then were off to climb for a weekend. I suspect some local universities have similar programs that you can sign up for even if you're not a student. At least that way you get the basics in a safe outdoor setting.

now THAT'S good beta

Best thing to do. Whatever you do, stay away from the Moutaineers Yeah, but where else will she learn to tie a one-handed bowline....

Just walk across the creek a couple of hundred yards upstream from the cable. Unless you're dealing with snowmelt or recent rainfall, it's a whole lot quicker. I think it went up to my knees the last 2 times there.

I used to live in Idaho and have been there more than a few times. There's loads of info on this site for the searching. Do you have any specific questions about the City?

The first time I ever saw Dwayner was at Leavenworth...right after the red-headed interceptor finished with him.

from web page

I found a little alien in a crack at the base of 3 Blind Dikes. Someone forgot their bottom anchor. I found a 300 foot static rope in a rope bag in the middle of the street in a small midwestern city. I suspect someone forgot to secure it properly on the fire engine. 2 stoppers and 4 or 5 biners with REI price tags still on them on Chair Peak. Found a full can of Rainer Beer at a bivy site on the Turtle last year.

I was scoping that route, too. It does appear to join TS at the top of the 4th pitch. ....looks GROOVY BABY! LeeJams gunned the 10b leads for us that day as my lead head was just not working very well on those pitches. Whitelaw has been promising that guidebook for so long now that it will soon reach mythical status.

check out this site for more beta. web page

yes. and yes. i posted that shit already fool. Thanks for contributing, Lummox. If this were the Spray section I'd say you and your sproty dogbone quick draws don't really count. But since it's not, I won't.

speaking of Thesenga, did you see the retraction the NPS made regarding the trumped up charges on him? twas quoted in one of the recent climbing rags.

Joshua Tree National Park (CA) Flooding Caused by Tropical Storm Erika The remnants of Tropical Storm Erika struck the park on the afternoon of August 20th, causing sudden flashflooding in the Morongo Basin and two to three inches of rain in in an hour’s time in the town of Yucca Valley. Cars were swept away by a major flash flood that ran through the town’s streets, and homes filled up with flood waters. The town’s fire department was swamped with emergency calls for help. A BLM engine and crew from the Black Rock Interagency Fire Center, located in the park, responded to provide assistance. Over the course of about four hours, crew members assisted with numerous swiftwater rescue assignments and helped salvage property from homes. While en route to town, crew members saw roads flooded with three feet of water, cars stuck in washed-out roadways, and vehicles being swept down washes. One park employee had her car partly buried by mud and debris at Black Rock campground. Covington Road, a dirt four-wheel-drive road, has been closed until washouts can be repaired. [submitted by Jeff Ohlfs, Acting Chief Ranger] from the NPS Morning Report, 9/02/03

for as bad as most here bash the Mounties, I hear they sure have a happening singles program. I'm surprised you'all aren't in there trying to rescue those misdirected ladies.

I really don't have any worries about the biners after I file the burrs off. Just wondering if anyone else ever sees the same thing on their biners, and if anyone goes so far as to have dedicated biners for bolt hangars...

The grooves are really quite small, and the only ones I really worry about are the ones with sharp edges or snags that could damage nylon fibers. I've just touched them up enough with a file that so they're not sharp. LeeJams gunned the 10b sections of Total Soul Sunday. It was a pleasure to watch after seeing him on his very first rock climbs just a few short years ago. Anyone else have problems with the trigger wires slipping thru the trigger and becoming 'unequalized' on Metolius TCUs ? My yellow one does it at the worst times, as Lee found out.