ChocChick

I just acquired a pair of DMM Fly's (both hammers), 4 express screws, 4 Yates Screamers, and an extra pick with adze for $50! My ice climbing partner got all new gear 'cause he makes good money. He practically gave me this stuff! My boyfriend, who I am teaching to climb, is going to have a great Christmas!!!! This is the best deal yet!

These are all good suggestions! Fun routes indeed! If the girlfriend is feeling really mellow, Grotto or Two O'Clock will be the mellowest I think. I'm SO DAMN happy it's ice season!!!!

Just got my Christmas bonus - they eliminated my position - Merry Christmas, you've been downsized. :-(

Cluck, I am pretty confident I could come up with a great name for her, but I would need to spend a few days with her first . . . She's adorable! I will put in a vote for Luna. She'd be a cute "Bella" too!

I have not read Eric's book yet. I know he was an intgral part of the expedition, and I know he lead it. He also lead another expedition two years later to try and locate Irvine. The team ended up doing some rescues. Pretty amazing all and all. Interesting how the books say not likely, but the show seemed to say likely. Good show though! I will have to read Ghosts of Everest. Eric Simonson is an amazing man.

Did anyone watch the show on National Geographic channel about the Simonson expedition to Everest to try and locate the bodies of Mallory and Irvine? We all know that they found Mallory and not Irvine. But the show was weird. Conrad Anker was an integral part of that expedition (he was the one to discover the body) but he was noticeably absent from the show. And, I read Conrad's book about the expedition, and he made it seem that they all agreed that the evidence was pretty strong that Mallory and Irvine DID NOT make it to the summit, yet the show stated otherwise. They were saying that they probably DID make it to the summit because the photo of Mallory's wife and the summit flag were not found on his body. Interesting. . . . Anyone see it or have an opinion???

A long time ago I learned to do my own oil changes and basic car repairs so I didn't have to go through those kind of issues. I was treated really poorly one time when I was younger regarding a car issue that I was having by a pig of an asshole. I got mad and learned to do this kinda stuff on my own. It cracks me up to see the neighborhood guys gawk when I am doing my own car maintanence. It's probably not very sexy for the guys to see a woman with greasy hands, but the independence feels great!

Yes, discrimination will probably always exist - if not because of your color, then because of your sex or your sexual preference or your religion and so on and so on. I am just happy that my climbing partners and I can just get away from it, briefly, while climbing. Yeah, like Ken said, let's go climbing! (Preferably ice!)

I've been reading a couple of books written by women climbers. Part of the theme to these books has been men feeling that women aren't strong enough to climb. Some of the quotes in these books fires me up. Here's one: "The Grepon has disappeared," said Etienne Bruhl, sadly, that evening in Chamonix. "Of course," he admitted, "there are still some rocks standing there, but as a climb it no longer exists. Now that it has been done by two women alone, no self-resepecting man can undertake it. A pity, too, because it used to be a very good climb." Albeit, these books are a little dated. But I must say that I am so glad that most men have changed their view on this. I have lead climbs of all women, mixed men and women and I have been on climbs where I have been the only woman. When it comes to rock climbing, I can't always climb as hard as some of my male climbing partners, but never have I ran into an attitude from any of my partners. I just want to send a blanket "thank you" to all you male climbers out there who treat us women equally. Because when it comes right down to it I am simply a climber. No need to put the word woman in there at all.

Not for the ice fest. Done it too many years and it's not worth it. It gets too crowded to climb. I am going to Ouray in mid February when the crowds thin out and there is no waiting in line for my favorites!!!!!

Oh yeah! Gonna be climbing ice in Utah, Colorado and Banff this year! Maybe Lillooet if I can swing it! I've been doing some dry tooling, and am planning a little playing on seracs, too. I LIVE for ice season!!!! Thanks everyone for the glove recommendations. I usually end up using all different types of combos, so it would seem like I am in good company. Seems like the only times I really feel the numbing cold is when I climb in Banff. Anyways, I have had plenty of recommendations to check out OR, so I am going to take a looksy and see what I can find. I am just wondering if there is a "perfect" pair of gloves out there anyways???? Have a great weekend all!

So, I have been using TNF ice mitts and I hate them. The problem is that I have really small hands (extra-small size), so I haven't had the best of luck finding a good glove system for ice. I do lead, so I want a outter mitt/glove with a liner. Most of the ice glove systems I find don't come in an extra small. What have you been using for ice gloves? Just want some recommendations, thanks!

Loved your slideshow! I have to say, my favorite image was the one with the ram skull. Love pics like that! Hey, please share the song and the artist that you chose to accompany your pics. It sounded gorgeous! Did you say you were going to do the slideshow in Bellingham? I would really love to make the trip up there for it!

The cost to renew my Subie tabs is $233 this year, $165 of that is the Monorail tax!!!!!!

Went to go try out a new area yesterday - Fossil Rock. We had - for some reason - a hard time finding the climbing area. The map in the Washington Rock book isn't all that accurate. After some bushwacking, we finally stumbled on to the place, but didn't climb because we were running out of daylight. Is it worth it to go back again and climb? Anyone out there a Fossil Rock climber? Next time we are biking in, no doubt about it. The view of Rainier from there is F-ING AWESOME!

Yep, Vantage. Frenchman's Coulee, no way, hate calling it that.

How do you tell people who don't know any better to stop fucking like rabbits? You don't need to tell them to stop, just put birth control in the water supply!

Yep, it was super hazy last evening, but it made for a gorgeous sunset!!!

1. Don't call me dude. 2. We don't plan on sitting around the camp site all day. 3. I'd rather sleep outside in my tent than spend the night in my hot, stuffy room in the shared house that I live in with 3 other roommates in the city. 4. We'll climb, scramble or hike during the day and cook, drink, laugh, talk, have sex and sleep at night. Sounds like a perfect day to me!!!!

I am assuming it is. Anyone know otherwise?

All I want to do is get out of the city!!! Here's the thing, I don't know of any good places to go camping, because when I go camping, it is at the base of some climb. This weekend, me and my guy just want to throw some stuff in the car and car camp. If it is near some great trails, even better. Does anyone know of any really cool camping spots we can go to? If it is close to climbing, that's cool too! Some place that feels secluded, but not a 5 hour drive from Seattle. You know what I am talking about - getting away without really getting too far away. Help me people! Anybody? Anybody?

I think climbers actually started the Atkin's diet WAY before it got popular. A lot of the men I have climbed with have nothing but meat products in their backpack on climbs. Since I am a vegetarian, the Atkin's is not an option. Also ensured my climbing partners that I would NEVER covet their snacks and meals. You are right, the ad is incredibly stupid and horrible PhotoShop work as well!!!! What I crave after a long weekend of climbing - a salad with blue cheese dressing, Black Butte Porter, and french fries!!!!!

"Nice people lick" "What Would Yoda Do?" "How's my driving? Call 1-800-Eat-Shit"

"Fuck you, you fuckin' fuck" "Where am I and what am I doing in this handbasket?"

Hmmm, I wonder if those folks had their ashes spread in the area and it is just an area in the mountains that they loved coming to? Nice work on The Tooth solo! First time I soloed it alone it was a little diconcerting. But after the first time that feeling goes away. It is a nice trip to do alone when you want to get away in the mountains, but don't want to drive far.