Bill_Simpkins

I believe the camera shot is facing SE? The coulour was filled with snow. Looked easy. Probably easier than it was getting up to the notch between the Bell and Concord. The next day we scrambled up the S. ridge of Whistler and shot this picture of the back side of the Liberty Bell group. This was taken on the 4-19-04 from the summit of Whistler.

I was there last weekend. The road is open to the trailhead. A little snow on SEWS Arete, a little snow on the Bell. Did not need axes on routes. Need axe for Beckey route approach. Heres a pic from last weekend. SEWS.

"Another prophet of disaster, Who says this ship is lost. Another prophet of disaster, Leaving you to count the cost. Taunting us with visions Inflicting us with fear Predicting war for millions, In the hope that one appears."

The rock ridge on Baker on the way to Camp Kiser on a cloudy day.

Luna Peak Elephant Head Just guesses.

Someone wanted to see this ? I took this on Saturday.

A block of fresh parmesan. Just munch on it. Jerky. Hard boiled eggs.

The first time I went up this my hands felt like hamburger. I havn't had that problem the last few times. Just used my hands less.

I am going to be in Vegas this weekend. Looking for a local resident with wheels to climb with on Saturday. Just checking the area out is good enough, but climbing a little would be a bonus. I need to be back on the strip in the evening for a B-day party. pm me.

Lot's of water. Breathing. Light pack. Sweat Less. If your getting warm, shed the layers! The biggest thing that helps me is just staying calm. I try to stay relaxed as if I'm parked on the couch watching infommercials. If you stay relaxed your more likely to eat when your hungry, drink when your thirsty, and keep a comfortable pace. Taking in the veiw and reflecting why you got yourself up there in the first place helps a lot, that this is where you want to be. Last time I was on Rainier, I noticed that 75% of the people of there were all stressing out. WHY??? They were soooooo just fixed on the summit. They looked totally wasted and miserable. They weren't thinking clearly. One sign of this is almost everyone was wearing black gortex and long underwear at Camp Muir when it was like 70 degrees out! Holy crap people, THINK!!!!!! When even a little anxiety kicks in, the body goes to shit. Pack light! What would make altitude easier? Less work! The lighter you pack, the easier it is. A Shasta Pack shouldn't weigh over 20 pounds. A Rainier pack shouldn't weigh over 30. That's max. Camping up high the night before helps to. Pretty much all the same stuff you heard before. Just keep in mind that there seems to be a bit of randomness to how some people handle altitude. One time it can be a breeze. The next time your puking in a crevasse. My opinion spoken. Good luck with this and take care!

St. Josephs is in B'ham. Stop wasting your sick days being sick! Hope everything goes smoothly Friday. Be Well. -Bill

I have one. There are also two little tie points on each end. You tie a piece of cord between them and you have a regular gear loop on one side and the separated loops on the other. Best of both worlds. Sweet!

The Grivel 3rd tool works nice! Plus you can climb and self arrest with it! I've used it on aid routes too. The pick is good for pulling pins.

America needs to wake up. The problem is, no one wants to. It's too much work. It seems impossible, so we just accept it.

Does NOFX noodle around much?

Being inside solid rock is a definate advantage for a physics lab. Leavenworth, and the souranding area is probably the most solid place in Washington, acre to acre. Index might be a good canidate, but the weather is so shotty there it could interfer with certain particle detectors. This large area of solid rock might help in gravitational experiments. The Black Hills in SD would be good also. Dry climate, solid rock.

Aid climbing helped my placments a ton. Now I can pretty much just look at the spot and grab axactly what will fit. Plus almost every piece on an aid climb has to support body weight. The down side is cleaning. But learning to clean is almost just as important.

"The needs of many, outweigh the needs of the few, or the one! You will always be my friend. Live long, and prosper"

Yeah, I heard straight from someone who climbed it last year. Someone said that new roads made the approach to the Southwest Route a lot shorter, to about half an hour or so. From this discussion, it's sounds like he was full of it, or he was thinking baout something else, or I misunderstood him. Next time I see him I'll ask him about it.

My altimiter was $15.00 brand new. It's one of those small ones you stick to the dash of your RV. It's actually not that bad, and is never far off from the digital ones. However, I've only brought it along a few times. I rarely ever bring a map or anything. Once though, a compass, map and altimeter saved me and a friend in heavy fog in the N. Cascades. It's all personal preference. For me, if the weather looks questionable, if the route is complicated, or there is lots of schwack'in, I'll bring a map and compass.

I have a set of the DMM TCU's. I love them. They have the doubled up sling, they are solid and lite. I agree that they can over cam and get stuck if you really cram them in. However I've only had this problem with the 0.5 purple. Other than that I use a set of WC tech friends, which are super solid, and doubles with forged friends because they are super lite.

Ruth Mt. Lady Peak-Cheam Range Sahale

Sunday was nice. There were just a couple of wet spots on Banana Peel. The smoke bluffs were sunny and warm and dry.

Use the rope or a runner. No daiseys or cord.

Not any more. I'm no longer a poor man! I just use the large Tech Friends now ! heheheh If I'm in somewhere where I'm saving weight, I belay/rappel on a munter. The munters work great, I use them all the time, although I prefer an ATC. As far as were to put the biner...If your harness has a belay loop...USE IT! If not, do it the other way.