matt_warfield

I aspire to 5.13 in sarcasm and dry humor to make up for my lacking in real climbing ability and the web is my current choice in lieu of face to face. Technology outspeeds our natural communication mechanisms sometimes. Gene, I think I understand your situation. I just hope you or he/she were not on belay at the time. I will add one more situation that was not the best. Going into the Enchantments to do Prusik and trying to "coach" on how to get in shape for the trip for all early summer and having one team member kind of sort of not do it, started to flag on the way in and I suggested he should just pitch his tent at Snow Lake and wait the trip out. He ended up making it to the basin at dark:30. Not my best compassionate moment.

Let me repost again for those not so jolly: 1. Some climbers don't like Are you high? Why can I not understand what the hell you are trying to say? I will explain in a non entertainment mode and hope it meets your approval cuz I've only climbed for 40 yrs. 1) I do not like to be around people that are not safe and don't want to be told how to become safe. 2) If you are a beginner trying to belay a person trying to send 5.13 you will get schooled. 3) Epics or or big trips are not for the unexperienced, even if you are hot on them. 4) Bivys and especially unplanned ones are not for everyone. 5) Happy New Year anyway And I am not high, just knowledgable, but thanks for the inquiry.

Yes, but Nastia is Russian, and tough as nails. No offense intended, only respect. I read "One Day In The Life of Ivan Denisovich". I can only assume not our Ivan.

And let's remind ourselves of the bottom five for nonclimbers associated with climbers: 1) What is good is to distance yourself from a climber or remove him/her from the sport and learn to watch mindless TV from the the couch. 2) Belaying an "expert" because they want you to be a belay slave but certainly must be excellent at it or hissed at even if you don't care. 3) Going on a climbing trip when you couldn't care less but it takes days and days and weeks sometimes and you don't get it. 4) A bivy can be a fine thing. 5) Happy 2013 to all and I hope for good climbing in 2013 and beyond. It's not MMA but nearly.

Every time I hear somebody say "alpine fall" my nads recede nearly into my abdomen. And everytime somebody says "retreat off Willis Wall", they (gonads) are in my esophagus. You could name any child "hanging glacier" or "sirac" and be more creative than the sports stars.

Thanks for that. Here's the shit on Broadway: very open to begin with then you cross N. Chimney, then Casual, then steapens toward Pervertical and it is "dangerous". 45 deg. snow can be more dangerous than 90 deg. rock. Thanks for posting that report.

Tague felt his demise after doing multiple 5.13 trad routes in Eldorado and then trying his about 50th route on the Diamond, slipped on the snow and went to heaven. He is in one of the climbing videos. I am a student of climbing since BC, like many on this site that are more shy. That's why I would rather drop on the gear from rock than slip on the "whispering wind" of snow (Led).

Bummer. Blue balls suck. I took care of it.

Ok, you asked for it, 2:00 at the Longs Peak TH, which is happy hour at Estes Park. Storm in on the trail guns blazing, at the Boulderfield meet a hiker that doesn't appreciate loud conversation at 5:00 a.m. and protests. We point out that climbers frequent the area so they can get on route around 6:00 a.m. to avoid the lightning. He sees our bulging biceps, pecs, and triceps and retreats to his tent. The rap in to avoid the N. Chimney (you can check how many people have died in the N. Chimney approach) was affected by a stuck rope but we were still on the rock by 6:00. Great climbing and nearly off the rock at 11:00 when the pack was dropped. Instead of hiking off we needed to rap back and get it (car keys and wallet were involved). After passing by Tague's rope there were several more raps including one with a spike of rock on the ledge about 12" high for anchor so you had to slither on your stomach to keep from pulling the anchor off while engaging the rappel. Found the pack, all is good except the walk out. On the way back was a ranger who was cutting switchbacks cuz they want the public to follow the rules but they know the shortcuts. Game on! Needless to say we made it back just behind to avoid legal issues. I was never sleepier in my life at 6:00 p.m. Luckily my wifey wasn't there to lock me out of the condo in my boxers. Late night antics are poor for an alpine start. The climber's dilemma.

Okay, this is a good thread, but the stories won't always be in 2012: -gf couldn't perform after a monster approach -friend who got intimidated in Boulder CO and abadoned me and climbing forever. -near fight at the Boulderfield on the way to the Diamond -dropping my lumbar pack on the Diamond and having to rap back to get it and on the way pass Cameron Tague's rope, a 5.13 climber, but snow is not rock and he died, rope dropped in by his gf because she didn't want to see it again. If you climb enough you see some shit. Some good, some bad, but it comes with the territory.

Obama is more than half way educated.

Right now there are 35 registered guests and 56 lurkers. Many of them like to hear about the 99% who have common experiences and have just as much enjoyment as the "heros" whom we appreciate but are not. Keep posting. Where exactly in Montana? And remember, hero can mean an ultramarathon, a 25 mile hike with 5K vertical, a 20 pitch climb, a very tricky ski descent, a 100' redpoint at the edge of your ability, or kissing your spouse or children when they get up in the morning.

Suing is the American way. It is never our fault, only someone else's.

Rumor is its out of control elsewhere in WA. I will add just one more: watching my 1 yr. old granddaughter climb onto the open door of the dishwasher and pull all the drawers out and check the contents when she can barely walk. On her way for sure...

For rock climbers, any 3 days in Minnesota could be the worst.

Heroin and meth addicts that shoot see flu shots and autism as child's play.

1. Breaking my ankle (both bones) and limping around for 6 mos. (WI 5 on slippery sidewalks with crutches). 2. Carpal tunnel syndrome from typing and climbing too much. 3. Nerve damage in my toes from tight rock shoes (I have lost my toenails each of the last 20 years and they have given up) 4. Moving away from my climber friends in Seattle. 5. Getting older kinda sucks. But I have many hopes, dreams, and memories to sustain me. And 20"13" should be a lucky year.

I clip those every time. They just aren't at an opportune location. Placing them at every crux would have been better. What were they thinking.

When people are skiing shit I don't even want to climb, I just assume it is a ripple in the universe. But for sure.

except that #4 on the gendarme pitch of stuart - that thing will be there even after the earth is swallowed by a red giant I don't think anyone has complained about that piece. The memo on "overcamming" may have blown away from the top of the gendarme. And I have been chewed out many times for informing climbers about safety. I will leave any area immediately where it looks dangerous and folks don't wan't to listen. On the other hand I watched a dude that works at Redpoint take an intentional 100 footer off Heinous Cling (full) at Smith. Then there is the king swing at Scarface. You sure as hell want to have good hardware then because climbers are just nuts sometimes but we still want to keep them alive.

You don't say. Not that I'd expect a keener sense of observation from a Bozemanite. Well shit, in MT we hunt and peck any berry of any sort. In WA we complain because there are too many and some have stickers. (But I spent 23 yrs. in WA and know what you are talking about). Just trying to fun everybody before the Tide roll the Golden Domers.

To control Blackberry takes Apple with Samsung as backup.

I am current with all and my credit report hasn't been affected. On the same trip I got accidentally locked out of my condo in Estes Park in only my boxers. After Alabama rolls Notre Dame I may finish the story. Petit Grepon should be climbed by anybody in the vicinity. So much good climbing in RMNP.

Smith is a little complicated. You may want to wander a bit next time and visit tuff on the front and back and basalt at the northern and southern gorge. You are probably talking about the northern gorge area accessible by scrambling from the main parking lot. Spend some time getting to know the area because it is special. But the biggest "tower" is Monkeyface which is not in the gorge.

PNW is the absolute worst for blackberries. Delicacy someplaces and a nightmare for others. And I once set an underground fire from a campfire that simmered and spread overnight and could have become a big deal. They don't call it the Evergreen state for nothing.