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cman

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Posts posted by cman

  1. I have used the CU ones and they are pretty sweet. They do take a little getting used to but definitely cut down on neck problems. At steep sport crags, obviously not a popular option amongst the commenters here, they are great. I would leave them home if you are slab climbing. :laf:

     

    the ones i used can be worn over sunglasses. Hungover could also be a problem since they give some people mild vertigo.

  2. I did that route a few years ago and remember it was just a little loose scramble to get back to the main trail and it was no big deal.

     

    I was down there two weeks ago and saw people climbing the route (my partners were aid climbing and wandering around aimlessly seemed a lot more interesting). This looks like the 2013 closures http://smithrock.com/b2evolution/media/blogs/routes/geagle-closure-2013.pdf but shows the First Kiss area outside of the closure area.

     

    Go for (as long as it is indeed open) and have fun.

     

     

  3. Trip: Jim Hill -

     

    Date: 2/17/2013

     

    Trip Report:

    Jim Hill was the place to be on Sunday with maybe as many as 15 people up there skiing. Feck, JeffH and i found a very nicely broken trail. After a little tricky sidehilling on the ridge and a short bootpack we summited in light snow but overall good visibility.

    We found about foot of nice powder in the upper bowl. It got a little heavier down low but still skied well. The trees at the bottom were very icy but not too bad. The new clearcuts at the bottom are helpful, thanks loggers.

     

    JeffH topping out

    IMG_01202.jpg

    Feck's New Helmet

    IMG_01212.jpg

    Tracks down the face

    IMG_01273.jpg

     

    And here is my ski video. Next time i will orient the camera the other way to better fill the screen.

    [video:youtube]

  4. That is a very in depth paper, well worth a read. i definitely agree with the conclusions they come to. I think a lot of small businesses sign up for these and only realize later what the real cost and impact of these groupons are.

     

    If i could get in on the IPO i would probably buy some shares. i'll bet the hype will drive up the share price on day one, before falling on day two.

  5. http://techcrunch.com/2011/06/13/why-groupon-is-poised-for-collapse/

     

    Interesting article on Groupon. It seems like i get a call every week from some site i have never heard of "we are like groupon", and have wondered how many of these deals can businesses really sustain. The proliferation of these deals can't really be good for many businesses long term.

    I know lots of consumers love these deals, and buy them all the time. I don't think Groupon is going out of business or anything like that but it does seem like the whole phenomenon is way over-hyped as being some kind of marketing revolution for businesses.

    Maybe with increase competition businesses will get a higher share of their groupon (when i talked to them they wanted us to sell a $50 product for 1/2 price, $25, and then we would get only 1/2 of that, basically selling a $50 product for $12.50) but long term businesses need to get more $ and control out of these deals to benefit themselves.

     

    or maybe i am just a groupon-hater...

  6. I went to Skaha many years ago and had a fun time, barely scratched the surface of all the climbing there. I do remember it was a far drive but only a little bit more than smith, from seattle. It is probably worth another trip. Not really sure why it is not a more popular area, as i remember is was mainly moderate sport climbing.

  7. Both those videos are great. I love how there are pieces of the sled all over the place in the rider video. All those people up top and not one pair of skis or a snowboard? they could be ripping up that mountain with basically no effort. i need to go hang out with that crew.

  8. Here are a few more photos from the Trip. It was a good time, the mountains in that area are incredible.

    A nice line right out of Holden

    IMG_0978.jpg

     

    Feck climbing on the upper slopes of Fernow

    IMG_0991.jpg

     

    Feck getting ready to ski down

    IMG_0994.JPG

     

    Bonanza in the background

    IMG_0995.JPG

     

    Jeff skiing down Fernow

    IMG_09961.JPGIMG_0997.JPG

     

    A view of Fernow from our ski up towards Dumbell.

    IMG_1007.JPG

     

    Feck's Pack that had a little run in with a marmot last summer

    IMG_1012.jpg

     

    We made it back to Holden just in time for easter diner. the village is pretty mellow but everyone was really nice and they had tons of hot coffee and fresh baked cookies.

    A little powder the first day and corn the next, and the weather held out just long enough, what more could we ask for.

  9. In the last few years that area, known as the "Reiter Pit" to off road enthusiasts, had been inundated with all manner of off road vehicle who were driving all over the place. So the area is now completely closed to all vehicles.

    The down side for boulderers is that you have to walk from reiter road, the up side is it is a lot quieter up there. I have not been up there is a while but all the off roaders made a lot of noise and made it kind of unpleasant up there. The solitude is well worth the walk, and the bouldering is good.

  10. I got the BD Covert Avalung last year. It is nice and i like the avalung built in (that way i will use it) It is a skiers pack but you could carry the split board as two separate skis. The compartment in the front is small, my old probe is too long to fit in there.

  11. i will second the bowline on a bight, which is tied differently than the one on the site you linked. Also the double figure 8 Selkirk references works similarly well (i have heard that called figure 8 on a bight). I like the bowline because it is a little easier to equalize that the 8, but both are good secure knots.

  12. The whole 'autolocking' seconds off an anchor deal seems to me to be the very height of laziness and relative disinterest in what's actually going on with a second - never do it and don't care for folks doing it when I'm seconding.

     

    I don't really get that? Autoblocking works really well. you can belay super fast and organize the rope with ease, all things with make the belay better and safer. I use the Guide and love it. Everyone is right about it being slow with thicker ropes. Also i belay off my harness sometimes if the position of the anchor is not well suited to autoblocking.

    If i am climbing with a total newby i have belay off the anchor with a grigri. very convenient if you have to lower them, also best for short/non alpine climbs.

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