chris

So I have an idea I want to post as a poll, but I don't know how to do it. Ayuda, por favor.

Dru? Anyone? Has the ice around Hope filled in?

Drew has it - I just read a great article in the british magazine Climb. It advocated using an aluminium ladder Bachar-style, and I want to try it out.

I think its possible - climbing at that high a grade seems a bit hit and miss for the people accomplishing it. And Graham has been at the top of the game for long enough that his claims have credibility.

Hey all, I'm looking for an eight to twelve foot, aluminium round-rung single ladder. Does anyone have a used one they could part with?

I just inherited two antique conductor's pocket watches. I can't find anyone up here in Bellingham willing to assess and possibly repair them. Can anybody recommend anyone down in Seattle or up in Vancouver to me?

Do you mean the road that you can access from exit 38, that then runs parallel but up-hill from the RR Grade Trail? Ah, hell - I just remembered Bigwalling is in the Valley now. Anyone else - can you tell me where the snow line is around exit 42?

There's also some good ice climbing outside of Wanaka (just north of Queenstown), and great riding at Treble Cone. The New Zealand Alpine Club prints the best guide books, and they have a store in Christchurch.

For a flight from Seattle to Monterrey, with taxes, $590.00. I figured out it would cost me about $275-300 in gas one way, and then I'd have to get Mexican insurance, plus time spent driving, so the extra $30 or so seems worth it.

I'll be in the Potrero between 4 January and 8 February. If anyone is coming down during those five weeks, feel free to drop me a line!

Distel, Dude, when you come home, we'll through a proper party for you too. When the hell do you come home, or have you married some beautiful babe of the steppes and are immigrating to Mongolia?

Its was a good time. Blake recruited a bunch of co-eds from the dorms, so it wasn't the sausage-fest we were fearing of, and a lot of people turned up with lot of food and beverages. So thanks to everyone who came and made it happen! MtnFreak So, this is the first time I've put pictures in a post - can someone tell me how to make them bigger? These are all in the Gallery as well. Billygoat, Blake, and a betty listening to tales of... ...Polish Bob climbing a crack or fisting a goat, can't really tell which. While some people checked out the library... ...others watched a Blake Productions slide show. And Whirlwind was amused... ...as Billygoat convinced MontanaPup to stand still for a photo. And Blake kept pontificating on the benefits of mono versus double crampons... ...while Jon got to know Irie a little better.

Its quicker and easier to park at Narada Falls and sking up the obivous open field to the road, turn right, and follow it out. Usually there's a good skin track kicked in from Reflection Lake up to Castle-Pinacle Col, and great skiing to be had...

Blame Fern - we switched dates for her, the princess!

Wednesday, 7 December, 7pm Come help us say good bye to Blake as he sets of for an adventure in New Zealand. Its a potluck, and MisterE's the MC, so send him a note. You can also pm him, me, or montanapup for directions. Hope to see you here!

Whatever happened to them? Heard that they were closing shop at Pioneer Square, but hoped they were moving to a new store front.

Dru - what the hell are we looking at?

I think Blake is joking - you never want to use a Tibloc for a "running" belay, in any form (that is, the rope running through the tie block or the tie block running over the rope). Not soon after Petzl first released them, people were experimenting using them for teams simul-climbing, with the idea that if the second fell, he wouldn't jerk the lead off of his stance. Story is a French Guide was climbing easy terrain in such a manner when his client (or partner - this is were it becomes foggy), fell. Since the Tibloc was not "set" instead of gripping like a traditional ascender it shredded the sheath for several meters. This yanked the guide off of his stance, and there was a complete failure of the system (if the rope parted or the gear failed - this is foggy too) and both climbers fell to their deaths. This was recounted to me on an AMGA Advanced Alpine Guidess Course in 2003. The lesson - Tibloc's are great substitutes for prussiks in numerous applications, but not for belays of any kind. What the AMGA instructor cadre uses, typically on rock courses, are Pro-Traxions. These useful doo-dads allow an instructor to "shadow" a team of three by jumping onto and off of ropes at will. I've started using one and have taken numerous falls without any bad side effect to myself, the rope, or the device. I am using a static line too, to save the wear on my dynamics.

Alex, We know Bachar is backing him because we read the article, in which Bachar is quoted, before opening our pie-holes. One of the first lessons I learned here was to make sure I could back up my posts. And remember half the people who post on cascadesprayers.com are jack-asses, and the other half are liars.

What state is that in? I picked up a postcard during my last trip in Mexico. Its a watercolor of a colonial town with these red cliffs climbing up behind it. The caption says Tepoztlan, Morelos. Problem is, I haven't found any other mention of it anywhere in any travel books...

Eldorado - road is gated right at the Eldorado TH. In today's conditions, I'd want to have a high-clearance 4WD do go up the Cascade River Road. Shuksan - very possible in the right avy conditions - I've been looking at it for a possible ski-mountaineering trip this winter or early spring. Baker - the Glacier Creek Road is usually closed long before the Heliotrope Ridge TH. But if you get there early in the morning with a six-pack, you may be able to bribe a sled-head to give you a lift.

I think RBW got lucky with the weather - I climb in Ecuador in a pair of Nepal Extremes, and I still get cold feet. And the last thousand feet on Chimbo is not the same as Rainier. But ditto about the gear storage tip - he's right on. And if you have time to acclimitize and a little bit of extra cash, try staying at the Tambopaxi lodge at the foot of Cotopaxi. This lodge has incredible views of the mountain and surrounding alto playa, cool straw bale and brick contruction and is owned by a Swiss-Ecuadorian local. Its a great place to stay for a night or two to accimitize if you have the money and time. Have an adventure!

If I remember my history, that was a satirical arguement made by Don Willans - who smoked like a chimney - during the Bonington Expedition on the South Face of Annapurna.

OK, its official - the potluck is next Wednesday. PM me or MontanaPup for directions. Cheers!

Dru- What are you looking for in the weather reports before heading up? A week of temps below freezing at night? More? Daytime temps? I finally have Environment Canada website figured out, and I'm trying to track the temps before committing to the first trip of the season.