chris

Ortovox makes a twin bivy sack called the Gemini. It is nothing more than a simple waterproof envelope - you'll need to seam-seal it. It packs up very small, is incredibly light, and is perfect for an emergency shelter, or an expected light weather bivy. I wouldn't use it when I expect extended bad weather, or on a big wall, but for the alpine light and fast it can't be beat. Keep in mind that two bivy sacks that can withstand a decent storm weigh as much - or more - than a Bibler tent. If you're thinking of using a bivy sack to withstand a heavy storm, then a tent would do the same job and be more comfortable.

Dude, it hasn't been above freezing for a while - Mon and Tue highs were both in the upper 20's. I was up yesterday, and the ice that you can see looks good, if a bit thin. But there is a lot of snow on the lower angled terrain that prevents seeing like 1/2 route. My assessment - it looks good, and worth doing. So do the routes to the right. I'd go back now if I wasn't leaving for the holidays tonight.

Moderators, I tried to post this in News, but... OK, Search doesn't suck, but it needs some help. Timmay promised some improvement in the 2.0 Search, but maybe I'm just not seeing it. 1. Can we please change the default for search from "Newer than 1 week" to "Newer than 1 year?" Who on this earth uses the search function to look back only seven days?! 2. And why do I have to wade through dozens of responses to a post when I'm looking for the original? Can there be simple off/on toggle for "Show Original Posts only" added to the search engine? This may sound like whining, but I'm just doing my part to talk about something other than Mt. Hood.

I speculate that they're having that beer right now in the bardo.

That's what I was wondering too - or if someone has some anecdotal evidence. The debate I've always heard was Mr. Yellow vs. Mr. Pink.

I have only voluntarily carried one when ski mountaineering.

Go away. Now.

What color do you like your goggle lenses for diffused/flat light?

I Can't Climb- If you click on the Forum List, you'll find a number of different forums with titles and descriptions. Your post - and a number of others - would be very suitable in the Newbies forum. Elsewhere on this website, its assumed that readers and posters have a basic working knowledge of some discipline of the sport. The sudden appearance of new members who do not climb, and profess a clear ignorance about the sport, but still wish to post their opinions, frustrates many of us regulars. It has been overwhelming.

Dolphy- This question is more appropriate to be posted in the Newbies forum. Not slamming you, but its a tangent question and deserves its own discussion in the proper venue. Not here.

Could be, but Corti actually fell later that day - sightseers claimed he had moved, creating theories that he was only unconscious, not dead as reported, and had awoke enough to remove himself from the anchor. Toni Kurtz (I may have the name wrong - too much history) I think is the most likely source of this story - the climber who died of exposure within a rope's thow of rescuers, dangling underneath an overhang, hand frozen to stiff to manipulate a knot past his rappel 'biners. His famous last words were "I'm through." He remained hanging there for a time, within sight of Grindenwald, until his rope frayed through and his body fell to the lower slopes. But this was in the 1950's, long before the mechanized cable or helicopters were used for rescue applications.

Whomever dares all, wins all.

The White Spider - the very first comparison study of Alpine Fast & Light Tactics on a challenging route. So ahead of its time that Harrer never realized it himself!

Absolutely right. Welcome back, Joseph. How was Beacon?

A special place where I can call idiocy - really?!?!?!?!?!?!? I'm there! Bye for now. Please go away.

That depends on many factors such as how many parties in a team, how skilled and experienced, which mountain, which route, what kind conditions, to name a few. But yes the right keyword is "no guarantee." Please go away.

Please go away.

Please go away.

Matt, Because of the recent press that informed the general public of our existence, cc.com has been invaded by a horde of people who don't climb, or who don't climb in the Cascades. They have perverted our forums to a degree even we ourselves have never reached. Worse yet, they clutter up our threads and waste our time reading though their ignorant and blatantly un-educated posts to learn anything of material value to the subject. In MontanaPup's words, "tell Matt they've hijacked entire website." Layton's analogy of gawkers at an accident may describe it best. Please lock this thread. Force the new arrivals to disperse. Better yet, please PM them and give them some ground rules - like where the bloody hell Newbies and Sprayers should post their thoughts. But lock this thread - its value has been lost in this worthless clutter. To which I'm going to start adding to in volume.

I'm considering a run up Granite Peak - can anyone tell me where the snowline elevation is?

Dude, no one ever plans to use one of these!

Choada- I've rope-soloed in the alpine, with a single strand of a 70m twin system, simply cloved into a locking carabiner at my waist.

Jens- They may be right about the sport climbing potential at Red Rocks, but they're smoking something and not sharing if they argue that the trad sucks. The trad kicks ass - I've spent a total of two months there now, and I've never climbed the same route twice, and nothing smaller than 4 pitches long. I'll keep going back. I'd love to hear about some big limestone walls with Verdon-quality though, so give'em a couple of beers and get them to tell you more.

Sorry Kev - I had to step away from the computer for a few hours. It sounds like your one piece of gear wasn't consistent with the route, and that a bolt was more appropriate. I wouldn't call this bolting a crack. To me, the issue occurs when someone places a bolt at a stance where a natural piece of gear could also be placed. That seems to be the inappropiate use of fixed gear. My question is more akin to my OW examples. When the South Face of Conness was climbed, there was no such thing as big gear, so the FA team placed bolts (the originals are still there, little 1/4"s spinning in the wind). Is it appropriate to replace the bolts of the FA team (all were hardmen, no doubt), or should current ascents carry wide gear, and should someone remove those bolts? Or when a piton finally works loose, should the placement be replaced with another pib, a bolt, or an RP? What happens when a team successfully frees an aid line, and one of the fixed pins used for pro later works loose? Is it appropriate to add bolts on a free version to protect an extended section of hooking?

I'm right with you there, Hawkeye.