catbirdseat

Tell you what - let's do this test, which is more reflective of real life conditions. You and I will do an unequipped bivi somewhere. No tents, stoves or sleeping bags. Only normal day-trip winter climbing clothing and gear (pack, screws, ice tools etc). You will get a foam pad. Hell, you can bring a Thermarest if you want. I will get a fire. You can't come anywhere near my fire and I can't come anywhere near your foam pad. We will see who is warmer through the night. Okay, but I get to break your back first to make it fair.

I've not heard it expressed like that, just that they are rated hard.

Yes, it's an old saw, but you've probably forgotten more than I've ever learned.

My turn to call BS Dru. Let's do a test. I'll have you lay down in the snow while I spend an hour making a fire. Sure I could get a rope under you or a pack. But if you have a broken back, which would you rather have under you, a nice flat foam pad, or a rope?

I would have to say that based on trip reports, you've been getting out, my friend.

You can't get by without the foam pad even if you can manage to build a fire. The guy was flat on his back on snow.

Enough. Jay made a thoughful post. Time for some moderation here.

Does Paris Hilton ever present the left side of her face to be photographed?

Whoever removed the pointy stump at the bottom to the start of Celestial Groove significantly reduced the committment factor of those first moves. Granted, you can get a decent cam in so no worries.

I think it's great that people even argue about this topic, even if no "resolution" is reached. To hear some tell it, they don't even question it in places like France and Thailand. They just bolt everything and no one gives a shit.

is this what the scattered tea leaves told you or what You are, of course, free to do as you please. I'll do the same.

Old style, or old old style? The type they stopped making last year, or the type they stopped making in the '90's? Us old farts like precision. There are lots and lots of those "old old" style cams with the harder metal out there. Some say they aren't safe. I wouldn't use one at Vantage, but seems like they must be fine on granite.

What's so funny?

Does it matter that useful discussion is padded by fluff? The fluff can be interesting too. Some people are drawn by that and occasionally post useful thoughts.

They may use the tusk to detect salinity gradients and thereby detect freezing sea water. The salinity would go up as salt is excluded from the water as it freezes. Many of you may be familiar with sensitive teeth. As dentin is exposed by receding gums, it become sensitive to heat, cold and changes in ionic strength, etc. So this isn't so far removed from experience of the narwahl.

I've been climbing for 7 years and I'm not ready to claim I know everything. Seems like I now have a good idea of what I don't know, whereas before I didn't know even that.

Cobra_Commander's post in Spray gave me an idea. I was torn between spray and being serious. Let the mods move this to spray if it goes that way. So you hear people like RuMR all the time saying things like, "I've been climbing for 20 years", etc. with the implication that because of that you should accept whatever assertion they happen to be making. I submit that it has almost no bearing on the reliability of their opinions other than to show they were around when a particular event might have occurred. I mean, some people by climbing very intensely with a large variety of partners can in a short time acquire a great deal of knowledge, for example Distel and Layton. Others who climb only occasionally and always with the same partners may have many years of experience but end up with a very narrow view of what's the proper way to do things.

Come on people. It seems clear enough to me that he's reposting someone else's report.

Why don't you show up to one? Then you can find out what REALLY goes on.

NEVER! Bwaaahaaaaa!!! It's like Sysiphus rolling the big stone up the hill. As soon as he reaches the top, it rolls down the other side and he has to start all over again, for eternity.

This just in. There may be hope after all.

That was a hilarious review.

So which is is boys? Can bouldery mean either poorly protected or hard start, or both?

First post in six months!