Toast

Right on!

Nope, meeting some folks out there... but what's to climb in the area? Actually, more importantly, what's the drive time going via Yakima? I figure it takes about 2 hours to get to Yakima.

What's the quickest way to Cooper Spur on Mt Hood from Seattle... SR-26 from Portland or I-84 via Hood River?

Every time I smack into a roof or rock overhang I say aloud, "that's why I wear this fucking helmet."

klenke, you are #1 fuckhead

I hear they taste like chicken

Not for somebody with a short torso

Rad TR!

Help! I need to come up with boats for the Wuhoo adventure race this weekend. If anybody has a double kayak and/or a canoe that they'd be willing to lend out, please PM or email me. Thanks

yep, that electrical tape that keeps peeling off your biners sucks, dude

Nice job Dryad

TG, word has it you make a pretty bitchin' IPA. I'm a hop head

Cold hoppy beer... Elysian's Imortal IPA or Lost Coast Brewing Company's Indica I like the other kind too

HELP, I've fallen, and I can't get up

I think this is the most pertinent thing when thinking about the Mountaineers or any organized climbing organization. They're like a standards body. Not everybody likes the standards, and they're not always the only nor best way to do things, but they do lay out common expectations that others can work around. In the same way, just because you're a Mountie doesn't mean you can't climb and learn from friends you trust. Now, can't we all just get along?

You can find idiots anywhere if you look hard enough. It's not too hard to find a few on this board. Look around. Yes, the Mounties do attract a certain personality type, but that's not universal and not an absolute. You'll find plenty of cool people that have gone through the Basic and Intermediate Climbing programs with the Mountaineers. In general, I'm more apt to trust somebody who has gone through a structured program like theirs. It's not that their training is so superior... it's not. However, I know that anybody who has gone through their Intermediate Climbing program has covered the basics and knows rescue systems. Those climbing actively have hopefully grown a bit, been exposed to other methods, different systems, and integrated best practices into how they climb today. Yes, there are those numb minds who are the notorious ones referred to on this site, but they tend to dwell within the ranks and stay there. That doesn't mean you have to. The Mountaineers Intermediate Climbing Program is a good thing if you want a structured program that covers the basics of leading on rock, building climbing anchors, rescue systems, alpine ice climbing, and mixed climbing. I'm in the Everett intermediate program even though I live in Seattle. I'd give a big thumbs up to looking at the smaller branches if you're really interested.

I'm more like a late fffuck

where is quartz creek road?

I'll lay into Mountain Hardware Conduit SL CRAP. I bought a MH bivvy bag made of Conduit SL. It was billed as breathable and as "good as" Goretex by the sales guy. I got wet from condensation overnight three or four times in a row and returned the thing for a plain vanilla Goretex bivvy bag that's done me just fine. The price difference between the two was negligible. Mountain Hardware Conduit SL

Trask, I didn't ask how you'd clean a used vibrator...

I spent the weekend in an ice climbing clinic on the Nisqually ice field. Now my gear is all squeaky and full of silt. How do clean your locking biners? I tried flushing out the screw gates with Orange cleaner and spraying with machine oil, but I'm thinking that's prob not so wise given the petroleum residue that could compromise the strength of rope and slings. Got any tips on how you would clean them?

I did the north ridge last weekend, and I was pretty glad I was in boots... of course, we got a little off route on the descent

Last year was an incredibly fun time. Imagine, I show up Friday night at o'dark-thirty not knowing anybody. The first person I run into is Captain Caveman tossing me a palm sized puppy.... yeah, he's cute already... no, I got no problem with your dog, really. Okay, okay, I'll take him... beer? Cool (now I wish somebody would offer me a fucking bong hit, godammit... I just spent the last two hours in my car)... panckakes? Sure. So do I want to climb tomorrow? Sure. Orbit? Uh... yeah, sure... what's that? I had a great fucking time. I met the regulars, I met a legend or two, I met some wantabes. So this year somebody has stepped up to the plate to take on some of the organizing, and all you fuckers want to do is rip on him. I don't see you volunteering your time. Regardless of what you're whining about, shit won't get done without somebody taking some kind of initiative, and Beck is doing that. Decisions get made. You don't like the plan... then begin a dialogue and participate in the planning. Otherwise, sit down, shut up and enjoy, or throw your own party.