Dustin_B

from here These guys are getting a little sloppy.

Pro Mountain Sports sells them too!!

Maybe we can get someone that works at REI to tell us how superior REI down is to Marmot and FF.

Yeah. It was raining, so I took off my hardshell and went elsewhere to climb. I enjoy my freedom to climb where I please, not where my class is scheduled for the day. Too bad for the students and instructors. They probably would have had more fun in the sun at Vantage. Screw that, you can take that over crowded, desert choss pile of falling rock and share it with the hordes of others on the Sunshine Wall or the Feathers; just make sure you wear you helmet, that place is falling apart. Once or twice a year at Vantage is more than enough for me. No thanks. 8 students practicing placing pro on the ground on and off the lower routes and 6 instructors critiquing them (on the lower shelf of Mountaineers Dome no less) is hardly a horde. But people choose to see what they want to see so whatever.

Seattle Mountaineers intermediate climbing course is having their rock 2 in icicle this weekend. Everett Mountianeers intermediate climbing course is having their rock 2 at Royal Columns May 3-4. If you want to climb a route that the Mountaineers have a rope on and aren't using (or an adjacent route), ask to talk to the area leader. If the area leader is no help ask to talk to the field trip coordinator. I'm sure they'd be accomodating. Also, Boealps basic course will be in Icicle May 3-4, Boealps intermediate course will be at Smith May 3-4, and Squamish May 17-18

That was the intermediate climbing course at Mountaineer's Dome on Saturday. There were 8 students and probably 6 instructors. They were wearing gore-tex, precip, softshells, hardshells, whatever because it was RAINING.

Marmot and Feathered Friends carry these 8mm slings too.

Chris, I just got a new type of extendable wear contacts that are suppose to be 6 times more oxygen permeable than the nearest competitor (may be marketing hype?). Apparently there is only one company who makes them right now. I can't remember who makes them or what they're called, but I'll find out and let you know.

Just for the record, I'm not homophobic and I have many gay friends and co-workers (well not really). I like gay people wait a minute, ignore that. Oh, just forget it. I was just having some fun. I'm sorry if I've offended in homosexuals out there.

Then why the hell are you posting to it fag?

50, 100, 500, 1000? Who has the most? I'm talking about every biner from your belay parabiner to every biner on your quickdraws, rack, whatever! All of them. I'm about done putting together my rack and I was adding them up; I think I have about 70, maybe 75. This is my second year of climbing and I'm wondering how many I'll have 5, 10, 20 years from now.

For all you techie gear heads out there, here is some good reference info on several popular brands and models of biners including weight, strength (both open and closed gate), and gate opening dimension. non-locking biner specs locking biner specs

Do you think Marmot's new "900-fill" down sleeping bags are just marketing hype or truely 900-fill? Personally, I don't buy it but those bags are light! marmot home page

I looked for signs along the trail but didn't see any. The only signs we saw were the ones that say "climber's trail" and the others that identify the different vegetation, etc. We also saw no other footprints on the dirt trail and it looked like no one had been out there recently. Trail was dry.

Another exception: if you go out planning on failing and fail, this is a successful attempt, or successful failure (it is what you planned to do). Also if you go out planning on failing and summit, this too is an attempt because you failed at your goal.

First hand knowledge: Royal Columns is open. We were there yesterday and today. Didn't see a soul either day. Its great having an entire cragging area to yourself. Ok, so it was cool(er), breezy and overcast but it still rocked. That place is tens times better than that Vantage pile of choss. We saw no raptor nests in the vicinity.

No. sounds like a man's man!

AMEN (to Trask's post)

Thanks for the great info everyone. I think I will be doing more of the "casual alpine routes" so I'm going to go with 4 doubles, and 2-4 more singles. I also have a set of regular length quickdraws so I think those could take the place of the 12" runners, but maybe I'll pick up a couple of those anyway to experiment with. After the good points that have been brought up I'm glad I didn't decide to get 6 doubles. It sounds like that would be over kill. Doesn't sound like anyone carries the 36" runners; I guess those are an awkard length because they don't double as well. I have lead a little with a friends rack and I think I like the singles tripled and on my harness or gear sling with a couple doubles over my shoulder. Thanks again, this was quite helpful. Dustin

So how many of what length runners do you carry on your rack? (so I know you are going to say it depends on the length and rating of the pitches so just give me an example). I am putting together a rack and so far I have 6 single runners. I am thinking about getting 6 doubles too, or maybe 4 doubles and 2 more singles. What about carrying a couple of half (12") runners? How many pieces (and therefore runners) would you expect to place while leading a full pitch rated in the mid to upper end of your abilities? Gracias.

yes, I regret asking now but I wanted to see the discussion on the stress on pro while lowering vs. rappelling

just found it, never mind: here

Last fall after rope-up, there was a thread about an inexperienced female climber (forgot her name) falling (and nearly decking) while leading Sabre at Castle Rock. The thread had many people critizing her. It also had a good disscussion of the force on a piece of protection while lowering vs. rappelling off of it. I'm trying to find that thread but my search is turning up empty. Anyone know the name of the thread I'm referring too? Thanks.

Unfortunately he's not, I already asked him the same quesiton at one point. This may come as a shock to some of you in the PNW but W's approval ratings are pretty high right now (when you look at the country as a whole). Regardless of whether he wins WA and OR matters little. Am I joking? sort of, but all you anti-war protesting hippies make me sick. I'm not talking about anyone specifically (and not the poster of the question) but just the group as a whole. Now, if I thread drift anymore on my own thread, we're going to have to put this in spray.

Actually after looking at that thread I remember I have read it (and posted in it too). I was hoping for some more recent route conditions, that thread is 6 weeks old (I mentioned "couple weeks" in my original post!). Like with that warm spell we had last week, did the ledges get melted out much? Anyway, I talked to a friend who did it last year and got the technical info I was looking for. Thanks.