ken4ord

Actually there is a part of the Climbing Course called the Mentor Program, "Can anyone help me, I'm looking for a Mentor!!" Here you go, there is 3 of them in the band, I am sure any of them will do just fine for you.

but gary, their policy of having former students (with minimal experience after their first round of classes) teach new students is just asking for trouble...couple that with inflexible dogma about how things MUST be done and you are really courting disaster... The other thing that i have serious issues with, is that they are so damn focused on the technicalities (wrong word) of climbing that they don't teach the actual act of climbing very well...maybe if they spent a wee bit more time on this aspect of climbing (how to climb, and this is really where last year's class is woefully unprepared to teach this years class), we would see less of these "slips" on 3rd and 4th class terrain. Dirty harry is not far off the mark about 5.4 technique being the protection for 5.4 climbing...don't fall, you won't get smucked. several posters mentioned that (NOLSe i believe) that getting prepared on single pitch but harder terrain before venturing ontto multipitch is a good way...i agree Also, and i hate to sound like a punk so don't take this the wrong way, but some people just should not be climbers...just cuz you got the dollars does not mean you'll make a good climber... RuMR I agree with you that the Mounties really do need to focus more act of climbing, it is really sad that there are people out there that struggle with 5.4. I am not dissing people like that, I really think it is sad, and it would be nice if someone showed them how to climb better. A friend of mine used to guide this one NYC opera singer and the dude must have weighed at least 250 lbs and not athletic by any means, but he would still follow my buddy up the occasional 5.9 multi-pitch route. The other thing I also see that really debilitate new climber within the Mountie Org is the fear that they instill on new climbers. Everyone I have met from the Mounties has extreme "respect" for climbs, to the point that I think they are terrified certain climbs. Maybe it is an ego thing that the "leaders" play on the new climber on how difficult climbs are and such, who knows why, maybe it is just the organization, I don't know. Where I learned to climb we didn't have the Mounties, I am glad because I probably would have been a statistic and joined. I was scared shitless of heights and didn't have any balance when I started. Luckily I had friends that were in the same boat, none of us had much experience, but we all were learning together in a supportive atmosphere, instead of having some leader that tell us what was and was not possible as a new climber. We always encourged each other to push ourselves further, improve our skills and do it in a safe manner. We also just didn't rely on weekends, we would practice and read whenever we could, including the Mountie bible (I must have read that thing front to back a couple of times). Maybe if they spent time teaching their students climbing is not only a physical (movement of climbing) and mechanical (protection placing), but that climbing is also very mental sport there would less accidents. Maybe I am way off, but there is no need to be scared of these climbs, it is waste, better use that energy on useful thing like how to climb the route in a safe manner.

I agree with Chuck, I climbed it twice and both times I had fun. It is not the most spectacular route there far better routes in the Cascades, but it is a good day outing with some good views and no brainer type climbing. If you are there during the summer time though be warned that the route is a completely south facing amphitheater with no shade, so you can get seriously baked (and not the good kind of baked). The final 5 pitches is what really makes the climb the rest of it just approach pitches.

This is my point. If you're leading 5th class rock, you want to test each hold. If you're scrambling 1,000 feet of 3rd or 4th class rock, you move quickly and are more likely to -- oh fuck it, I'm not in the mood to argue. I know I'm right, but let's say we're all right, and get the fuck outside and play. Carry on, then, mates. I am sorry there is no way in hell I going to test each hold on 5th class terrrain and just say fuck it on 4th. That is rediculus. You'll never get a route done. Whether I am on 3rd, 4th or 5th class, I am going to assess mentally what hazards lie ahead. This applies to loose rock, if I see potential hazard, then I am going to test those that might be suspect. Oh yeah I know I am not right, I am ok with it. Rad I like how you broke it down, and yeah you can eliminate a lot of self induced hazard, but what A-fox is saying or at least what I think he is trying to say, no matter what you do to prevent a situation, at some point shit is going to happen.

No flights out of Kigali that day so I will have to pass. Have fun.

Riding up will probably impossible or be tough as hell, and it would probably become a hike-a-bike ride. The ride down would fun though. To rig you tires, Take sheet metal screws and screw them from the inside out through the knobs, just make sure you have plenty of clearance or you will chew your frame up. You can line your tire with a slick tire with the bead removed or just use a lot of duct tape, but definitely line them or you will definitely be walking your bike. I have done a couple of races on snow at ski resorts, and it is hard riding, it is more sliding than anything, but a lot of fun.

Yeah when I first saw the brick wall around the yard, I was thinking good bouldering traversing, but on closer inspection you can see through the wall, those bricks are basically mud.

That site definitely is insensitive. Those poor poos, how can a poo defend itself adequately. The rating of poo is all based on looks, the character of the poo is not taken into consideration.

Whitehorse Ledge in North Conway, NH gets my vote. 800 feet of slab goodness.

Very nice pictures. I am living in the wrong country. Damn I wish there was work for me over there.

Well I finally finished the damn thing. Last night I had a couple of friends come over to raise it. Then I stayed up until 11 drinking beers, putting in T-nutz, and hanging holds. Got up this morning for my first bouldering session. Damn I am weak, but hopefully that will change. It is unbelieveable how hard it was to get supplies. One day I spent two hours trying to locate wood screws, then I ended paying $20 for 150 screws. F-ing crazy. Oh well, now I need to find some mandrill turds to fill in the wall Theo my gaurd contemplating busting a move.

I believe that is Thin Air, a classic on Cathedral.

Dammit I can't believe the mainstream media got a hold of this. Gotta run and do some damage control.

Worshipping drivel is what it is all about.

Somebody was drunk again and it was only noon.

Here in Rwanda we did our part in the celebration of Cinco de Mayo. Started at 7:30 and finished up the festivities at 3:30 after 6L of Tekillya, 2 case of cerveca, and several bottles of vino. The funny part was the vino was french which was brought over by the french and drunken by the french who showed up for a Mexican celebration of kicking french ass down in Puebla long time ago.

I have flown with stoves, basically what I do is clean and seperate it as much as possible through out my luggage. Fuel bottles I clean out and leave with caps off. Haven't had any problems so far.

Hell yeah Sky and Casey! Damn Sky everytime I read your posts makes me miss the PNW. Nicely done.

Damn mods think they post their ugly self all over the place. Disgusting....

I will vouch for the that. So far all the monkeys I have seen climbing, would put the top climbers to shame.

This a good stoke thread, just proof that climbing isn't over when you become a parent. Thanks everyone. Awesome pictures. Have fun out there with kids.

are unbeliveably retarded

So I forgot to update long time ago, but here is what it looks like now that we have our study up and running. When these pictures he had not started our study. Now we are about halfway through and getting ready for our next study. This is what started out as a toilet. And here is the lab that used to be all dark and dank with holes in the wall.

Dude it is not about love, it's about addiction. If it is and it is gone you might your f-ed, you might as well take up the extreme ironing, I think there is a link some place in CC commie land.