catbirdseat

Oh, that would be a painful task, to be sure!

We need to get the only cc.com regular who has attempted K2 to chime in here. Where is he?

Explain why that is bad? It just means that there is enough flex that the gate engages as it is supposed to. You think that it casts doubt on the gate open strength? I don't think so. That is tested like any other biner.

For what it's worth, I think the best climbers are ones who are open-minded and get their learning from a wide variety of sources. They read books, they look at websites like cc.com and Rockclimbing.com, they might have taken courses, and they climb with a wide variety of partners with different backgrounds and experience levels. Most important they are humble and never think they know it all.

Don't use two singles as a twin unless you want a hard catch. I've seen it.

Rad put up at route at Shakespeare Crag at Exit 38 that has a "hidden jug". The jug is in a dark pocket under a roof. The move is much harder if you can't locate the hidden hold.

The traverse is in Bruce's guidebook. I've heard people call it pretty lame. I've not tried it myself.

I had what I thought was a callus on my left small toe for most of my life. The podiatrist saw it and said, "that's a wart". Really? "Yes". He said I could treat it with a salicylate product, but that they were really hard to get rid of. I was persistent and it is gone for good.

Matt, I heard that you put a lot of work into clearing that road. Now you're raring to go! You should come visit me down here in California. You'd love Tahquitz. Lots of long, long, moderate routes.

Right on. I wonder if there are any other Cascades expats out there. We could have the first California Pub Club.

Has gas gotten too expensive for anyone but the bicyclists to go drink beer with their fellow climbers?

Did you throw the middle coil first? Did you coil the rope or butterfly it?

This new campground will give you quick access to Fee Demo Wall and Mt. Garfield, not to mention Goldmyer Hotsprings. Go for it.

Sometimes I get intimidated leading up to a big climb, but once I am on the rock, usually the worries disappear. Your problem is kind of the opposite, isn't it? You are talking about more mountaineering type climbs aren't you?

Pika Peak, Washington Pass. Something like 9 pitches, most of which can be simulclimbed.

You are wrong about that. California has a similar program by a different name.

Damn thing looks like a giant termite mound.

Here's my general approach for finding The Right Crag. First try to obtain route descriptions and photos from more than one source. Do your homework. Bring a good topo map and a compass and try to figure out in advance, which bump on the ridge in the topo is your target. You might not always be able to figure this out, but you can narrow it down to one of a few. Do the approach and keep track of your position. Use the topo map to tell you where you have to be before you can see your target. Obviously, any intervening feature that might block view of your target must be considered. When you think you are in a location where you can view your target, determine your exact location, if you can, by triangulating on summits and features you can recognize with certainty. Determine the bearing to your target, and sight in that direction. There still may be confusion as to which of several summits might be your target. Now get out your photographs. Compare shapes. Heights can be deceiving. The one that looks highest might not be your target. If you are still in doubt, get out the route description. In the case of Temple, it might say something like "ascend a prominent snow finger or gully to a notch and the go left" (or some such). So you look up and see the gully and two summits. Your target is the one on the left. Also use the process of elimination. You might be able to recognize a summit that is not your target. And if all else fails, bring Fred on your trip.

So, Jens, do you think I could increase my lead limit by a full grade simply by doffing my hard hat?

At least you didn't fall down while walking. Thanks for the tale. It sure make one think.

Of the three or four major climbing areas in the Clear Creek/Copper Creek drainages, I'd recommend Three O'Clock Rock for your first visit. It's the easiest to get to and the easiest to get off of. It has a great variety of grades too. Bring a standard rack and a lot of slings plus two ropes.

A 30 footer on Barbed for your Pleasure, a dirty Bill Robbins obscurity, at Sunshine Wall, Vantage. Popped a 1.5 in Rock Empire cam and fell on a #6 BD hex, 2 feet short of hitting the deck.

We all know that Mark mean "generator" not regulator. A generator is simply a tube that passes incoming fuel over the flame, thus effecting the phase change. There are propane/butane stoves out now that are designed this way, basically like gasoline stoves.

Our rope team of four we were descending roped through Cadaver Gap on Rainier in February of 2003. It was steep wind packed snow. My crampons kept balling up in the back. Eventually, my feet went out from under me, and I instantly went into an arrest. Two climbers were below me and only one above me- Tomcat. Looking up from my prone position, I was gratified to see Tom also in the arrest position. After that, I decided to descend facing in, which was almost as fast, as I had two tools, but much more secure.