matt_warfield

mountainproject.com adopted the CO climbing forum and it is fairly complete but is oriented toward technical climbing. Nothing is really like cc.com, however, for so many reasons.

The Diamond will most likely be wet this time of year but many of the south facing alpine classics should be in. Boulder area has scads of cragging and Lumpy Ridge in Estes could also be an option. For current conditions try climbinglife dot com which is updated at least weekly and gives RMNP climbing conditions better than the park service since it is written by the head guide at Colorado Mountain School. Have fun.

If the weather doesn't pan out and you find a partner consider going to Castle Rock and doing Midway and Sabre.

Well shit, lots of people are posting 5.11's so it has to be on the list! Under the criteria I could have put Yellow Wall or Pervertical but Casual was a stroke of genius (or luck) and is a mandatory "moderate" for those who like splitter vertical granite in an alpine setting. But I also agree to the extent that the sea level 5.10 sport climbers that go for 10a at 14,000 ft. will get their asses kicked. I think the consensus is that 10a feels like 11a at that altitude and that is without considering the approach or alpine start.

Camp 4 in Yosemite has all kinds of problems, as many of you know. Basically, if there is any food in the car, they will break in. Of course they are not griz but that doesn't matter when you lose your window and food. I grew up in Montana and saw plenty from afar. My close up was a mother and cub on a trail. The cub went up a tree and the mother ran up the hill and we hiked right through. Maybe she was low on the motherhood scale... I also visited Kodiak AK once and the airport terminal has a large (like 10 ft.) stuffed Kodiak grizzly in the middle of the lobby. And 30 ft. off main street in town there are claw marks. We hiked with full senses on (and bear spray) but were told that the mainland AK griz are much more dangerous than the Kodiaks.

Not trying to jump on your case Rad, but why is it that nobody ever sees a 'small' bear? Seriously, other than seeing a cub, whenever anyone tells you they see a bear, it is always a 'big' one. This was pointed out to me by a long-time Stehekin resident who had listened to hundreds of visitors talk about the 'very big' bear they had seen that day. There was a bear with us at the Index LTW a couple months ago. The most frequent mountain area in which I've always seen them is the N. Fork Bridge Creek. My personal Grizzly view is that most 'Grizzly' sighting in WA are actually black bears (which can of course be many colors). I'd guess that every now and then one might wander in from Canada into the extreme N & NE tips of WA. The last 'Class 1' (verified/proven) Grizzly sighting in WA was 12 years ago. Since that time there have been roughly an equal number of Bigfoot and Grizzly sightings, which make me wonder how groups like Conservation NW get data to claim there are "About 10" grizzlies in Washington. Blake is right on this one. I'm sure grizzlys are in the state from time to time from Canada but almost all in the lower 48 are in MT. It is extremely unlikely that they would be south of the N. Cascades (Arch's story being third party evidence would need due diligence). And most black bears aren't that big but this is an area, much like fishing, climbing ability, and certain body parts where hyperbole is prevalent.

Despite the fact that many here despise Colorado, anybody would love these moderates: Yellow Spur in Eldo J Crack and Mainliner at Lumpy Rocky Mountain National Park: Casual Route on the Diamond (climbing to 10a on one of the best alpine walls anywhere) S Face of Petit Grepon (5.8+ to a tiny summit) Sykes Sickle on Spearhead (some of the most exciting 5.9 you will ever do) Whatever climbs the Stone Nudes are on in any particular year

Gotta be the top of Split Pillar. Kind of like a lookout. And there is nothing wrong with reluctant girlfriends (just look at it as a challenge)

Nice! Now off to Supercrack?

If you see RuMR over at your cliff, just hit him with your biggest BigBro and he'll crumple. But if he gets on the rock, you'll never catch him. Okay, okay, a disclaimer. I have learned a lot from AMGA Certified Guides. If the instructors of any class have those credentials, then I am sure the class will be worthy. But I have also had scary advice from people that shouldn't have been instructing.

I think RuMR is only pointing out in his inimitable style that climbing ability and judgment are equally important to rescue systems and knots. The best safety is not to need to be rescued to begin with. I hope the class goes very well for everybody.

Get Peter Croft's guide to the Sierra highcountry: "The Good, the Great, and the Awesome". It is guaranteed to delight and inform.

I am working but it is making up for last week when I was in Bishop soaking up sun all week at 70 deg. so I'm okay with it.

Enough. The entry fee is low.

Saskatoon has a billboard that says "There's plenty of room for all of God's creatures. Right next to the mashed potatoes".

There are so many climbers in Colorado, if you just start asking around with the staff you should get hooked up. Also, there is a decent climbing shop/gym in Estes Park and then the granddaddy of all outdoor shops- Neptune Mountaineering in Boulder to check in at. Or the Lumpy Ridge parking lot on a weekend. You'll get swamped with options. RMNP rocks- you'll have a great summer.

I mistakenly left a camera at Vantage a few years back and then found a note at the parking lot a couple of weeks later. After retrieving the camera from the finder, it turned out to have some moon and topless shots on it from anonymous donors. Hope you get your camera back and if you do be sure to see if there are any new shots. Climbers can be mischievous!

Just what we need- an organ recital.

One time I got stuck in a squeeze chimney for about half an hour jammed in the crack by my camera which was right on my chest. The wind was blowing and my partner could not hear what was happening. I eventually extracted myself, exhausted, with resolve to hang the camera off a sling next time.

We're going through this exact thing right now with our 14 yr. old cat. Didn't eat or drink for days then the vet (kidney failure) then a bit better after IV THERAPY and then the vet again ($$$$$) and now home with resolve to not visit the vet again until the end. Subcu water, fiddle with food, and wait to see what happens. Your timeline lets one know what is possible but if quality of life is not there, it'll be time.

And of course added a dash of snobbery. And some celebrity members of high caliber.

I would be interested if enduro cragging folks like Caldwell, Potter, or Croft or alpine folks like Colin, the late Alex Lowe, Steve House, or Chad Lowe trained like this. I think one has to distinguish endurance things from gym activity. For endurance, doing is training. And at Gym Jones, the following pullup totals are noted: Mark Twight 40 Steve House 52 Nonetheless, I like the CF profile and might check it out sometime.

The thread title gives me license for a joke. A kid walks in on his parents in the bedroom in a compromising pose and inquires innocently what they were doing. The Dad says "This is what a man and a woman do when they want a baby". The kid thinks for a second and says "Dad, turn her over because I want a puppy instead!"

Yes but Norway has all that oil money. I think they'll be okay.

I think that the tax code also provides a considerable bit of encouragement/subsidization of this perspective. It's not home ownership that is at fault here. It is the interest only and negative amortization loans that are out there. There are plenty of very happy property owners in Seattle due to appreciation and tax benefits.