chris

Thanks for the math SnoBoy - you get used to the skinny factor, and it rolls up so much nicer than 7mm. Cheers!

I'll argue that smaller diameter ropes are more likely to be severed completely when cut on a sharp edge than larger diameter ropes. Its a known hazard. Why is anyone surprised?

Nice job Wayne - time to get a helmet cam!

Actually, since the closest I've been to the Gunks is LaGuardia in transit, I really doubt that what I think is very relevant... And I think that's the case with most cc.com members - does anyone have experience at the Gunks? Based on reputation alone, I would expect a 5.8 at the Gunks to be a bit harder than a 5.8 at Index. Does that work for you?

I stick to 6mm cord, DPS. When I'm expecting to leaving some behind, I simply carry an extra cordellette. Chris

You cannot start the OP with this sentence and then seriously complain about the responses given, can you? But there are some good responses here - the Gunks are notoriously graded stiff (some say sandbag). Also, someone mentioned that softer grades can also be found closer to the Gunks than the Cascades (in the 'Daks). And still a third commenter pointed out that comparing the Gunks to the whole Cascades is a little misleading - I agree and think your comparison should be limited to Index or Icicle Creek. Finally since you said in your last post: Its hard to really make an accurate comparison without a little more experience than that - especially if your route experience in the Cascades has been the high alpine. Come on back sometime and try to get a bit more cragging in, then tell us what you think. Cheers Chris

Originally I planned on camping out, but rough weather on Mt Hood and car trouble has pushed me down to Bend. Does anyone have a sofa I can crash on while I get my brakes replaced and dry out some gear? Dates are tomorrow (Wednesday), Thursday, Saturday and Sunday nights. That's it. Cheers

I'm assuming you mean El Potrero Chico. The drug war seems to be confined closer to the borders and in the bigger cities. My friends in Hidalgo insist they've seen nothing of the violence shown on the TV in town or in Monterrey. Late March may be a little warm - good luck!

A short article in the OR daily news said they planned to increase advertising to 30%.

Nice TV - I'm convinced that black makes the best background for photos on the computer screen. Your site locks clean and pro!

OK - I did it. I have a blog and I'm interested in your views and feedback. Here it is: Climb.Ski.Run.Sleep.Repeat. Check it out, become a follower, vote in the polls. Thanks! Chris

Learning to ski without professional instruction takes longer. Simple. I've skied for more than 30 years and I still hire a professional ski instructor for a few lessons a year. Until this year - I finally decided to become a ski instructor instead! I'm still amazed that people look for professional instruction or guiding but insist on paying those people less than a mechanic for their time.

To the best of my knowledge, BD and Metolius will only re-sling their cams - but Yates will sling everyones. A buddy had his entire collection re-slung by Yates to match BD's size-color scheme, irregardless of actual make. Pretty slick!

So I want to mount a pair of Look Tx7.0 Bindings - anyone know of online resources for downhill binding templates? Chris EDIT: Due to my fruitless research and lack of response here, I went in today to Marmot Mountain Works in Berkeley and asked there. I ended up at California Ski Shop, who immediately and cheerfully mounted these old bindings on a pair of only-slightly-less old Tua Sumos for my newest pair of in-bounds rock skis!

Fear, You're right - that's why my other two pairs of skis are mounted with Dynafits. But these are going to be specifically for 50/50 in bounds and lift-accessed backcountry. So I'm less concerned with weight then performance. Since the Fritschi's are step-in bindings, I think they're also more suited for lift-accessed backcountry and in bounds skiing then Dynafits. That's my plan at least - I'll let you know if it works! Chris

I won't say that 7.8mm is more likely to get caught, but pulling a 60m rappel is. My experience is that 60m rappels are for clean raps with low likelihood of snags. Consider using a single rope and making 30m raps instead.

I think when you start talking about boards this fat, weight becomes a secondary consideration to performance.

I want a pair of fat sidecountry boards. Weight is secondary to performance. Because of personal history and bias and poor research, I've narrowed the field down to three: K2's Apache Coomba; Karhu's BC 100; and BD's Verdict. They all sport a waist greater than 100mm but less than 110cm, and I'll be purchasing them in a 185-ish size. Whatever happens, one of these three skis is going to be saddled with a pair of Fritschi's. So I'm looking for opinions - has anyone skied on any of these boards? Anyone made a similar decision? Anyone unhappy with on of these skis, or have another manufacturer that I just have to look at? Cheers Chris

If I wanted to put out a guidebook, I'd talk to Marty Lewis at Maximus Press. He's the fellow responsible for the latest climbing guidebooks for the Bishop Area, Mammoth Area, Owens River Gorge, High Sierra Select, and Big Chief (Lake Tahoe). I like his guidebooks for their format, informative (but not cluttered) topos, maps, and pictures. I also know that Marty is receptive to more work, providing he doesn't have to author it. Check him out at: www.maximuspress.com

To hijack the thread again - does anyone have an opinion of Cobras Vs Vipers? Almost identical geometry makes me wonder if I NEED a carbon fiber pair. I have heard the increased weight of the Vipers makes them more strenuous to swing for smaller people, but I'm wondering if the dampening in the carbon fiber is worth the extra $$. Ideas? Chris

Tvash, Not to be picky, but are you sure you accessed Mt Sill from the Middle Palisade Gl.? See, most people approach Sill from the Palisade Gl. through Glacier Notch. The Middle Palisade Glacier is south of Sill, across several deep valleys, and at the foot of the Middle Palisade. The Palisade Glacier rests underneath Sill and N.Palisade. Just curious Chris

I can't start a new thread to ask this, so I'm adding to 14 pages of material that I won't bother surfing through. How do I embed a link into text in my signature? I've tried the html code that I know without any success. Cheers Chris

I wonder if... 1. Most of the 5-fun climbs, especially those easily seen and or accessible, have already been climbed, and... 2. The most direct lines up the faces and aretes have also been climbed - often at 5.11 and up grades? Perhaps we're now "filling in the gaps?" Climbing the not-so-often seen features, the smaller walls, and the grades are accordingly falling somewhere in the middle? Also, I think the common grade has lifted too. When the elite climbed 5.12, what were the commoners climbing at? And now that the elite are climbing 5.14, shouldn't the commoner standard lift as well? Seems to me it should. It seems that most of my friends in Bishop and Lake Tahoe are quite comfortably in the 5.10-5.11 range. Shouldn't the majority of the new routes reflect that?

"It doesn't have to be fun to be fun." Mark Twight

Well said. I agree entirely.