kurthicks

i found this locally today. Less than 30 miles from my front door. w00t! too bad it's going to fall down before I have time to climb it.

me too. let's hope they start making it again.

you could remove the gripswitch and thread that hole, IIRC. OR...not that it helps...you could drill a small hole at the bottom of the shaft, below the gripswitch, and thread it with cord. See box #2.

I'm glad that you didn't die. we will be going there soon, so if you want to actually learn how to ice climb you are welcome to come with us.

it was about 14 today in Canmore. not too bad for climbing actually.

here's a deal on winter stuff. www.ems.com ice tools are on sale here gloves are all 50% off too.

the climb is about 100 yards upstream from Air Roof and then up the hill (1 hour breaking trail without snowshoes through chest deep pow on 12/30/06, but less than 10 minutes down). it is best seen when driving downstream. it's in the guidebook.

is 'shitting razorblades' still in? it seemed to hold up well (grow actually) during the last warm spell.

they're not mine, but someone should pick these up. http://neice.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=848&sort=2&cat=last7&page=1

the last pitch is the best of the whole route IMO, too bad you missed it! The traverse and the "M4" are good too. Nice work Did you find NYC's screw on the traverse pitch?

If you go in to Abiel, take photos of the North Face for all of us to see!

west arete of Eldorado all the way to the NF of Buckner, then out over Boston and Sahale.

cliff is much better for drytooling, IMO. I'm back at work tomorrow, so I'm out.

I know a guy who took a ~300' sliding fall simuling on Hood (on one of the headwalls, Reid, I think). He was just stopping to place another picket and slipped off his feet, rocketed past his partner who got slammed into their lower picket and arrested the fall. Both walked away unscathed.

Yes. My favorite jacket. light, almost windproof, dries fast, packs small, durable, fits over a helmet, etc. It won't do rain or a heavy fog well, however, so be aware if you're climbing in poor conditions.

Well done! I was looking at it again today at Banks...mmmm.

Having been in the same situation, it is far better IMO to take the time on the pitch to rewarm your digits than to suffer afterwards. It is OK to place a screw (and even hang) and shake out vigorously to restore circulation, because it is far better than the alternative as you have found out. Another reason to go leashless

I agree 100% with everything that has been said in this post. I hope that Jamin will take this advice and banter seriously and return to Pullman safely this spring, where he has the opportunity to begin to learn new skills and techniques, to gain much needed experience, under the careful eye of more experienced climbers at the WSU Alpine Club.

that's what I heard too... seeing as it's unfinished, i will stop spraying about it.

go about your business... nothing to see out at Banks anyways.

This is the climb between The Cable and H2O2. We did our best to clean the brush at the belays and on route, but it is still a little prickly. I think a couple more ascents will result in less brush on the ramp, thus resulting in more ice (since it won't be taken up by the bushes). Also, cleaning the cattails from the ledges will definately help increase the ice.

What stopped you? It looks sweet, especially once the first pitch forms fully. I bet that it goes down this weekend!

Call Acadia Mountain Guides and ask for Jon. he can hook you up with the beta.

Trip: Banks Lake - Brush Master II, WI4+, 5.7 (FA) Date: 12/28/2006 Trip Report: What do you do at Banks when it's not "in"? You go mixed climbing. Today Matt (NYC007) and I established a new route that is mentioned as a "rumor of ice" in the Washington Ice Guide. It is located between "The Cable" and "H202". We named the route "Brush Master" after it's slight resemblance to Mixed Master (which we just climbed last week). We found no traces of prior ascents. The route starts on fractured basalt, by the road, left of the ice runnel to gain a snowy ledge. Traverse out right to the icicles and ascend the brushy ramp, protected with many many crappy knifeblades, to thicker ice above. I belayed after about 50m, just after the first ice step (yellow/gray aliens helpful). The last 50' of ice were sunbaked and partially detached, but the sun was shining and it was a great, although quite technical, pitch. After that, one double rope rappel from the now slung bush brought us back to the ground. A nice little mixed route. Brush Master (click for topo) Me leading the first mixed crux Higher up on the sun baked and detached pillar. A good day out "Brush Master" II, 65M WI4+, 5.7 FA: Kurt Hicks, Matt Cusack Gear Notes: An arsenal of knifeblades (8 or so) small cams #1 or 2 camalot (optional for last pitch) a couple screws & screamers slings double ropes to rappel Approach Notes: Park about 100m south of H202.

from today: Our general impression was that things are growing fast out there. below freezing all day from the feel of it. Clockwork Orange (P1 looks in) H202 (looks ok to lead) Emerald (not in) Punchbowl & Trotsky's Guiness & Kickapoo Juice Zenith (P1 in, looks like a hard lead, or good TR) Salt & Pepper (in, but hard to protect, I think) Cable (looks like a TR only) Sody Pop & Rainier Light other things we saw: Children of the Sun -- looks like a good TR now Champagne -- P1 looks in, others not so much Lenore C -- looks in Bavarian Dark -- in, but detached at bottom Scotch Cave -- the cave is in, but not Scotch on the Rocks Absent minded Professor - getting close Peewees -- the right side might be climbable More Banks Ice - the left column might be leadable stuff left of MBI -- some is leadable for sure Fred's Gully -- looked in There is some roadcut ice in the Million Dollar Mile