chris

The Army Surplus store down on 1st in Seattle has them.

This isn't a new concept - Jim Bridwell wrote an article in the 1970's about benchmark climbs in the Valley. If you could do all the 5.9's listed, then you were a solid 5.9 climber to the Bird's standards. But the article is long and I'm not cut-and-pasting it here. Do a google search with "bridwell brave new world" and you should find a copy out in cyberspace. Reading his article inspred me to cull through the index posts and write up a "classics" list. Please note that all the grades and comments were not made by me. Index Cracks: 5.8 p1 Even Steven p1 that approach pitch to GNS, forget its name - wide p1 GM Private Idaho "5.9" - these are all pretty real for 5.9s Toxic Shock p1 Jap Gardens Godzilla Rogers Corner p1 Davis Holland Battered Sandwich 5.10a p2 GM -> Heart of the Country as one pitch sinker great practice for Thin Fingers! Breakfast of Champions - more great practice for Thin Fingers! The Zipper (P1) 10 "5.10a" Libra Crack - thin hands! Saggitarius - long pitch with everything! Breakfast of champions 10- hard 5.10 Davis-Holland on UTW Godzilla p2 and Slow Children Thin Fingers (I dont think its 11a at all, sorry) Slow childern 10+ Narrow arrow direct 10+ 5.11 Even Steven, upper Iron Horse others I am not good enough to climb Marginal karma 11-

I have to agree with Griz. They will make you check it in. My experience in the last few years is that they have cracked down on oversized carry-on. And airline staffs appear to wait until you're at the gait for this confrontation - that way there's less time for you to argue. My carry on lately is a BD Speed 28 and a Lowe Alpine Summit Attack, both stuffed to the lid - the Lowe fits under seats, and the speed 28 fits in overhead bins without too much hassle. If you ask, most airlines have heavy-duty clear plastic "trash" bags for items like your pack. Alaska certainly does, so you could always stop by their desk first and ask for one. Also, buckle all the buckles and tighten all the straps, then fold up and tape down the excess strap - that way there is a smaller chance of getting stuff caught. And in addition to $10 military surplus duffels, you can by a cheap one f0r $10-20. If you leave your pack empty, you can fit more into the duffel than if you try to pack it filled.

Panos Kleftikos taverna - Best Greek and authentic, go early to get in Sichuanese in International District (12th and Jackson) - Sezchuan, fabulous and cheap - get the green beans, dumplings and the mapo tofu Mashiko - best sushi! yum....Hajime is the best.. The Globe - yummy vegetarian.... and then there's this really good Indian place on 85th and Greenwood....

The scale idea is good - I didn't consider it before. And Jim's right, I'm doing this occasionally to balance out my pull-ups - its also part of a whole-body-power-endurance program a friend showed me, that includes some weight lifting. But since some days I can't make it to the gym, I was trying to figure out approriate alternatives, like push-ups instead of the bench. This question was to help me compare the difference in gains. Thanks for everyone's ten cents!

OK, if I don't have access to a bench press on a training day that calls for them, push-ups seem to be the appropriate alternative. What percentage of your bodyweight does a push-up lift? What about feet raised to level with your shoulders?

Yeah, I was a bit worried at first too - until I watched someone else take a fall. Last weekend, I used it on several climbs and took repeated, unexpected, falls. Because it's clipped directly to my belay loop, I'm only dropping 3-6 inches. I also use a static line when climbing in this fashion - more to save the wear on my lead lines. I know that AMGA rock instructors use this technique as well - and on lead lines, without any incidences. But that's just my opinion...

Hey Josh - I've been using a Petzl Mini Traxion - only requires a little bit weight at the end of the rope, and the device travels real smoothly. I strongly recommend it. Feel free to PM me with any questions.

Ty's right - check it out on page 19. The Dissappointment Cleaver (or the Ingraham Direct variation) is rated PD+. I really like the French Alpine Grade system, and wish we would use it more here - I think it would better describe a lot of the glaciated climbs we have. Instead, we have multiple different, local grades that don't mean a thing to visitors with no way to compare them. The Kiwi Alpine Grade system uses the same considerations as the French, but also includes the technical grade of the hardest pitch. So, a alpine wall that might be graded V 5.10- with a 16km aproach from the road here in the states might be graded in New Zealand as Grade 3(17).

The Search function needs some serious help. For starters, the default is posts newer than 1 week. I think most of us use it to check posts a lot older than that, and its annoying to have to fiddle with the dates. 2nd. There's no way to fine tune the search to just the initial posts. For example, if I type in "Triple Couloir" as a search, the Search engine will not only show me every intitial post with "triple couloir" mentioned, it will also show me every RESPONSE to that post. This is a real drag, especially so when the search is much broader - like trying to only find "Liberty Ridge" trip reports. Third - it was mentioned above - there's not way to return to the Search Results! If you click on the back button on your browser, it automatically resets the Search engine, and now you have to start all over again at the beginning. Please improve the Search function!

OK,I have two day-trip ski packs (pure backcountry vs. lift accessed), and I have a pack that works great for long trips, but nothing just for the weekend. Anybody have recommendations for packs just big enough for one-two nights?

In fact, I think they've grown - I heard that the owner of the Northwest Mountain School, based in Leavenworth, bought into NCMG and brought his permits with him.

Probably not me - I don't answer any phones anywhere except for my cell. And check your PM's - I've sent it to you . I'd be comfortable short-roping one or two begginners up the slope, but the group size and the skill sets of my assistants didn't permit this. The glacier was completely open and exposed, so route finding was very apparent. But if you expect to use "traditional" glacier travel technique, I'd be very worried - the possibility of a successful team arrest is minute.

Found on Sunday, 2 October, at Murkwood, Mt. Baker: A dog pack. PM me its color and manufacturer and some of the contents. If I don't hear from you by Tuesday evening, its going up for sale at the WWU Outdoor Center's Gear Grab.

Hey people... The WWU Outdoor Center is hosting the umpteenth annual Gear Grab on Tuesday, 11 October, from 6-8pm. You can bring in your stuff to sell Monday from 12pm - late and Tuesday from 12pm - 4pm. Questions should be directed to them, not me, at 360-650-3112.

I attempted to lead a group of WWU students up the C-D last weekend. The rain Dylan's referring to created a bullet-proof, ice rink glacier. The storm on Thursday/Friday added a few inches of snow at 6000', but the winds Saturday night scoured the lower glacier clean. We weren't able to teach decent glacier travel and self-arrests, my assistants weren't keen on trying running belays to try the ridge, and some of the participants were clearly not getting it. The route looks straightforward though - if you already have glacier travel and cramponing experience, it shouldn't be a problem.

Actually, I can vouch that DPS isn't rich. He's a closet dirtbag who owns a house, and most of his income goes into it.

Great work you two - trully inspirational! for you both the next time at the Rogue!

I imagine so, though I think you'd have to be mindful of the daisy's direction of pull on the biner. I have to say, I learned to aid climb with adjustable daisies. Since then I've tried not using them from time to time, and found that adjustable daisy are much more useful.

I don't think placing intermediate pieces will be any faster, and will still require a ton of gear. I've been using adjustable daisies for the past two years, and you can do some intense high stepping by having your fifi/daisy pulling up while your feet are pushing down. Middendorf wrote about having two fifis - one short, one long (like 3-6 inches out), for opposing tension highsteps - back before the times of adjustable daisies. Metolius makes an adjustable daisie (am I spelling this right?) with webbing and a beefy buckle system. I use pair of autolocking Kong devices from Pagan Mountaineering in Moab that requires 8mm cord purchased seperately.

amen. that said, i prefer to keep my real name and real-world contact info off of this site for many reasons. there are quite a few people on here i've met and know to some degree or another, and when it comes to those people i certainly read more into (and/or get more out of) what they have to say. but when it comes down to people i don't know ... it generally doesn't matter to me whether they are using their real name or an avatar. (the big exception to that would be for posts from people like lowell skoog and don serl ... whose names definitely speak for themselves.) I have to agree with LG. I don't just hand out my full name, email, or phone number to every person I meet. Most of the time general conversations with people I've just met are limited to first name only, unless later in the conversation we agree to exchange contact information. I don't see it any different here. If someone PM's me, they'll find out my first name, because I sign off on all my PMs. And we may exchange emails, phone numbers, or mailing addresses. But just because I put in my 2 cents in the forums, everyone else is not entitled to know how to call my cell phone, send me emails, or come over for a beer. We use full names at the WCC forum because we decided that it kept the B.S. down to a minimum, and it does. But the difference between CC.com and WCC.org is like the difference between talking at a bar and talking at a business meeting - different circumstances, different standards. P.S. Home in 10 days (yes, I am keeping count) - another annual migration finished.

I agree, no bolts should be installed where natural protection could be placed, and I'd have no complaints if some were removed from some routes because they were inappropriate. But do the bolts (at the anchor your speaking of) protect a tree from being slinged to death? I've witnessed at some crags here in California where there has been some real damage done to trees being used as protection and top-rope anchors.

It is a great climb, isn't it? By the way, in photo #1 of your slideshow, you misidentified Overcoat/Summit Chief/Hinman for Mt. Garfield, which is much farther west. A quick way to check - Mt. Garfield is west of Snoqualmie Pass and not north of Keechelus Lake.

I just climbed the North Face of Ritter yesterday - thanks for the awesome steps kicked in to the R-B Saddle!

Will do. But the website was working last winter, after the guidebook was produced, so either the link is messed up or they've dropped the website. Stay tuned.