JoshK

You mean people don't want to go to a country where there is a good chance of being kidnapped and beheaded!? Naahh!! Ya don't say!

These guys don't appear to have been morons. I think what AlpineK is saying is that your vast majority of tourons who heli-ski out of vail, whistler, what-have-you are probably morons, and I'd say, by and large, yes. That's why they hire guides to "protect" them. Juan is right as well, however; there are plently of very good skiers and climbers who can afford to or bum rides in helicopters as well. It's funny that just a few weeks after everybody lambasted everybody else for jumping to conclusions regarding avy accidents, everybody wants to do it again. It sucks ass no matter what happened. Maybe they did everything right, maybe they fucked up. maybe it was a combinations of both. In any event, hindsight is 20/20.

Is this compound useful or valuable in any way?

Yes, but it seems if they are *required* then strongly recommending them makes little difference, since you'll have to wear one if you like it or not

David parker, yes, I use the knot you are referring to, and the one that iain's picture shows. It's a figure 8 with the tails on opposite sides. I have always referred to this as a "rewoven figure eight" I tie it with 1 foot tails. I have heard concern, however, of using this knot to tie two ropes of different diamater. has anybody heard about problems with this?

Yeah, I agree, lay off newstips. She is at least making the effort that others we critisize have not. In any event, you are all ruining my effort to get a date.

Sorry, I know nothing about it. On another note, are you single elizabeth? How about dinner wednesday night?

robert, how long did you guys have to go on the road w/ the snowmachine to get to the trailhead? THose of us without snowmachine access are curious how far we have to ski from the car to get there

Elizabeth, perhaps members of this board/the climbing community would be more receptive if it wasn't for the long history of inept and misinformed reporting about skiing/climbing/etc. accidents that the news media has been responsible for.

How did dru get up to 4 stars again?

Hmm...interesting considering the hindu and muslim religions have somewhat of an...unfriendly...outlook towards each other.

the elevation of the american rockies mean nothing...they rise out of a many thousand foot plateau and aren't all that impressive to begin with. the canadian rockies are a different story.

"HELMETS REQUIRED AND ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED." Helmets are strongly recommended, not that it matters, since they are also required.

Had great conditions for skiing friday. Anybody who is paying to ride lifts should have their head checked, however. I have a seasons pass and still didn't ride the lifts, this is great weather to go touring and explore.

Soloed lover's lane on lane peak w/ skisports on thurs with *massive* hangover. great cure for the hangover tho.. Yo-yo skiied north side of snow lake divde and east side of chair peak on friday...found some suprisingly good snow (even some powder). not bad for a week after the last storm. slept in saturday and sunday...I think this was the best part of the weekend.

was up there today...the trail (the alpental backcountry return ski track) is as packed as packed can be. it makes for a very fast skin in, or can easily be walked in just boots. Off the packed stuff, it was a pretty lousy breakable crust. It wasn't too fun for the little bit we had our skis off, but it's still walkable.

Fuck...I knew I should have been more specific. Has anybody *here* who would like to comment on conditions been up there recently?

curious, has anybody been around or above muir in the past few days?

Yup...well, I guess that pretty much answers that question

anybody have any guess if there is any ice at all yet in the banks lake area? I'm guessing it hasn't been cold enough at all. I'm probably going to be in central wash. in a few weekends and I'm trying to decide if it would be worth some extra driving for a few short climbs.

Tim Eyman has to be one of the most useless pieces of flesh that has inhabited this earth in quite a while. The amazing thing is he gets a good precentage of the idiots in this state to vote for his idiotic self-serving crap.

Really great pics. Wish I wasn't sick all last week...I was supposed to be on that climb w/ skisports.

I suggest you drive into Leavenworth, ask which one is "J" mountain,then circumnavigate it and take pictures for us. Then post.

While I certainly think the cuban military/government is zero threat, it is true that giving them money only furthers their ability to enslave their own populace. There is a reason people leave Cuba by the boatload. We need castro gone, but solving other people's problems has gone become an afterthought since 9/11 and other "direct" threats have become a reality.

Oldest of two. My mom was the oldest of ELEVEN.