Thinker

This site is worth a look and a laugh if you're bored at work today. I'm especially fond of the account of the highpoint expedition to Nebraska for reasons I'll not divulge in this forum. Hint for the technically challenged among us: Click on the links on the left of the page in order from top to bottom to read the story and see the exedition photos.

Muffy, I didn't know you swung that way!

Kellyclimbsnow looks like she's right up your alley! her profile

I'm waiting for Mt. Rainier to blow her top and send a wall of mud all the way to the Puget Sound. Death amidst such total chaos will surely be a relief.

How has the Latona worked for you'all in the past? They've got a great little balcony they can banish us to if we get too rowdy. Fiddlers Inn and the Hop Vine seem to be viable options, too.

Another news source, looks like they're set to collect info from various sources. http://www.csac.org/Incidents/2002-03/20030120-Canada.html#OTHER

I like the dbl fish myself. It's a proven winner, matters not if the ropes are of significantly different diameters, and isn't really that tough to untie once you've done it a few times. I've seen conflicting speculation about the applicability of the EDK for ropes of differing diameters, no test data yet (haven't really looke for it either.) My opinion is, why in the world would you want to use a knot where it could matter if the tails are 6" long vs 18" long....sounds like there's a huge amount of slip in the knot.

DFA, I respectfully disagree. Unless Dru edited his post and changed the image between your post and mine, I belive the knot shown is not rewoven i.e. ringbend. If it were, the ends would be on opposite sides of the knot. What's shown is a typical overhand knot (EDK).

So Mike (or Erden, or anyone else involved with the investigation), When is the accident investigation scheduled to be completed and made public? Providing that date could go a long way toward helping folks find the patience they need to refrain from the speculation you (and many others) find so objectionable. I look forward to reading the report of findings. I hope the investigation techniques, including scenarios considered, testing methods considered, and conclusions (including any dissenting opinions) are fully described. The report from this investigation really has the potential to break new ground in several areas, as well as to educate climbers about a few aspects of our systems of protection and the methods of accident investigation. I'm personally content to await the final report before critiqing the methods.

The 99 cent store has some high quality headphones in stock.......

I suspect it is......luddite!

http://www.bigfatbaby.com/newfun2/flash/saddam.cfm

I liked Trask's original post. It just wouldn't be cc.com without his surly attitude creeping in from every dark corner.

I'm cross posting the post from the Best Knots thread in the climbing section. The link is actually to a page on the Washington Alpine Club's climbing class webpage. see web page and web page . (The images of the knots are obviously from an outside source.) The WAC's basic climbing class has just opened up the application period for this year's climbing class, and given the number of newbies who frequent the site I'll give the class a plug. The class teaches basic techniques for climbing rock, snow, and ice in a small and intimate setting (30 - 32 students max each year), and provides plenty of supervised opportunity to practice the techniques. The class is designed for absolute beginners with some backcountry skills, but is often taken by climbers with some experience. I, personally, had been rock climbing for a number of years in the midwest before moving to Seattle. Even so, I'd never rappelled on a munter hitch before, nor had I learned any self-rescue techniques....both of which I've learned thru the WAC. I was also completely lacking in steep snow and glacier climbing skills and knew enough to get some training before venturing too far out into the Cascades. The jokes about group climbing directed at many of the alpine clubs are indeed funny and not without the occasional justification. However, learning skills in that environment can be a reasonably safe way to go. It's also the most accessible to most beginners unless they are lucky enough to have a mentor willing to get them up to speed. It's up to you to choose then how you spend the rest of your climbing time, whether as a alpine club drone on group climbs, as an independent agent, or some combination of the two. It all depends on your skill level, your confidence, and perceived risk. Check out the class info on the website. I'll be happy to provide more of my personal opinions on the subject if you're genuinely interested. I'll also cross post this to the Newbie section.

jja wrote: At great risk of starting a flame attack on my avatar, I'll add this: The link is actually to a page on the Washington Alpine Club's climbing class webpage. see web page and web page . (The images of the knots are obviously from an outside source.) The WAC's basic climbing class has just opened up the application period for this year's climbing class, and given the number of newbies who frequent the site I'll give the class a plug. The class teaches basic techniques for climbing rock, snow, and ice in a small and intimate setting (30 - 32 students max each year), and provides plenty of supervised opportunity to practice the techniques. The class is designed for absolute beginners with some backcountry skills, but is often taken by climbers with some experience. I, personally, had been rock climbing for a number of years in the midwest before moving to Seattle. Even so, I'd never rappelled on a munter hitch before, nor had I learned any self-rescue techniques....both of which I've learned thru the WAC. I was also completely lacking in steep snow and glacier climbing skills and knew enough to get some training before venturing too far out into the Cascades. The jokes about group climbing directed at many of the alpine clubs are indeed funny and not without the occasional justification. However, learning skills in that environment can be a reasonably safe way to go. It's also the most accessible to most beginners unless they are lucky enough to have a mentor willing to get them up to speed. It's up to you to choose then how you spend the rest of your climbing time, whether as a alpine club drone on group climbs, as an independent agent, or some combination of the two. It all depends on your skill level, your confidence, and perceived risk. Check out the class info on the website. I'll be happy to provide more of my personal opinions on the subject if you're genuinely interested. I'll also cross post this to the Newbie section.

Besides using the munter hitch as a backup belay/rappel technique, the munter mule combination is the mainstay of self-rescue technique. This combination of knots allows loaded anchors to be released (i.e. unweighted) while slowly loading the weight back onto the climbing rope or another anchor. If you ever run thru the scenario in the field you'll gain a whole new appreciation for this technique. 'Self Rescue', Falcon Guide Series, by David Fasulo has about the clearest presentation of the material I've seen.

Will you wear leather for ME too someday?!?!?!?

Hey, ends up I got a copy in my stocking. The format has changed somewhat. It's still divided into states, with a decent locator map at the beginning of each state section. The table format has been eliminated and most of the same info is included as text. It appears to be greatly expanded in the # of climbing areas it covers. My only beef with it so far is that Tim only gave the City of Rocks 3 stars (out of 5)....on par with some of the dumpy little climbing areas in the midwest I've haunted in the past. Maybe that's not such a bad thing though, it may discourage a few people from going there when I want to......

this is one my geeky favs: web page

Hey, did anyone else see the feature in the recent issue of Climbing magazine about the quadriplegic climber who 'climbed' the apron at Squamish? I don't quite understand how he can be a quad if he has use of both biceps and one shoulder. In any case, he's got guts and good friends.

Ya gotta appreciate this........... Dec. 19, 2002. 03:55 PM Security at nude prison BBQ criticized Naked inmates caroused in fountain, climbed tree JULIAN BRANCH CANADIAN PRESS REGINA - A barbecue at a psychiatric jail where potentially violent inmates frolicked nude in a fountain, feasted on filet mignon and climbed trees in an open courtyard was inadequately supervised, says a report by the Correctional Service of Canada. Photos taken by a designated prisoner during the August 2 barbecue at the Saskatoon Regional Psychiatric Centre, which showed at least one inmate naked in the fountain, were leaked to the media three weeks later. read on Trask, can you find those photos online?

I like it because it provides a great overview. I travel to tons of places in BFE and it's great for finding those local little gems before I go, and I don't always make it to the nearby cities to hit the climbing shops. Plus, it can make for some great adventures....the approach directions rival Beckey's for lack of clarity at just the right times. Story time with uncle Dave here: I remember the time in the Sierras this gal and I were looking for these domes near her cabin, based on Tim Toula's ramblings. We hiked for hours looking for the them, were chewed by skeeters worse than I have EVER been before (even in Alaska), got a little turned around while bushwacking, and finally found them on the way back to the truck. Great granite in a pristine river valley with very little development. That alone was worth the inconvenient approach, and I'd have never known they existed without RnR. It's also great for finding distractions during those endless drives through the midwest.