ken4ord

On the back cover is that Janis on that pencil that was in last year, on the way back to Lilloett down the road from Syncronicity?

If you are flailing on a one pitch route then I would say your safest bet is lowering with gear and/or draws left in place if there is enough rope. Back up your top piece if you can or if you want. If your top piece fails then you have the others in place to catch ya, but remember the closer you get to the ground being lowered, and the top piece fails, the more likely you are to deck. Just like with rappeling you want to check your top anchor to make sure it is bomber before commiting. Then hike around the crag and rap from the top to retreive your gear. On bolted climbs I have never worried about lowering off a single bolt (as long as it is flush with the rock and not a spinner and there is a nut holding the hanger in place and it doesn't cross load the biners and/or force them open). With multi-pitch or no access to the top of the crag then start employing other techniques that others have mentioned here. As for getting off trad route I have used knotted slings wedged like chocks, rocks with a sling placed like a chock, slung horns, snow or ice bollards, whatever is on the rack usually I'll go with single bomber piece. When rapping off a single piece I always back it up loosely (so only the single piece is weighted) with a back up anchor and send the heaviest person first. There job is to test it and make sure it will hold the others, that includes rapping, bounce testing, anything it takes to assure the other people that it is good (sometimes it just your self you are assuring). Last person to go pulls the backup anchor. On bolted routes I usually have a single biner on my harness that is my leaver biner (an older biner that I keep for those occasions), clip the rope into it and lower removing my draws. Again only if the bolt looks solid and only if the lowering or rappeling won't cross load the biner and/or force the gate open. Another option that I employ on both sport and trad routes is down climbing back to the anchor. At times that includes falling my way down the route. More than one way to skin the cat.

Your right, that doesn't look like ice to me. Looks more like low angle neve.

Sweet, I hope I get to make it up there before I take off.

Sweet, thanks for posting that link.

Sweet pictures!!! Man Sea of Vapors looks so cool. I want to go back already, this working shit sucks. Two days rest and I am already to hit it again.

Well dude, I was NH climber, and like others have said you are not going to find the same accessible ice that you find in New England. There is no place that I have been too that even begins to rival Frankenstein for ice cragging. And the better areas like Marble Canyon are sort of like heading to Texaco. The season out here start a lot later unless you make the drive to Hylite or the Rockies (btw, the rockies are awesome right now, just got back from a 10 day trip there). Just pray for cold, last winter was suppose to be a good year here, I got out 7 times maybe, not much compared to the 20-30 times a New England season that I was used to. Good luck. Man I miss the Kangamangus highway, my favorite on that road was Way in the Wilderness, what an awesome climb.

Damn didn't have computer or did I get any of the messages on my phone until we were back. That would have been fun to hook up for beers. God knows I didn't need anymore than I already had, at one point I woke up on the trip at 3 am said "hmmm I still have I my shorts on", surprised that they were dry. Found out later that some nice Calgarians found me at the bottom of the stairs unable to make it back on my own. Moral of the story sauna, hot tub, and black russians don't mix well.

Yeah and while we are at it, it doesn't look like that moss is full strength either.

Cheers now get out the ice will ya. It's in.

Have fun Bug, damn your a machine if your ready to do that approach and descent again. Man my legs are just starting to feel normal again.

Agreed

You wouldn't be able to ski until you hit the meadow area after the boulder field. IMO not worth hauling skis to approach. So anyone here ski the coluir, Jim Nelson mentions it in his guide?

Hmm that is a good question. I would think I would reserve skiing it for the late spring. I would think by then it would be filled in with snow, during the winter I think I would feel little insecure going down that slot on hardpack. I think it is too steep to really fill in with powder, but maybe somebody else knows differently.

well, it's hard not to when that's what the local news is comprised of. and as for "fascination" ... just look at some of the other drivel posted on this website. at least this is somehow climbing related. tell me you wouldn't take advantage of your millions to follow your boyhood dreams! everest wouldn't be my first choice of a big mountain to climb, but i really don't think i'd turn down the chance ... if i ever had it to turn down. Actually it wouldn't be my first choice if money was no object. After all the pictures and slides I have seen of the mountain, I think it would really depress me to see all the people and shit up on that mountain. Mankind has managed to make pretty good mess that mountain.

Along the same lines Touching the Void

Who cares, well actually looks like some of you do. I never understood the fascination of following what the rich and famous do.

Yeah that hike was brutal, feels like it is straight up hill. Then the postholing in the soft snow, I freaking hate postholing. When we decided to give it a go there were several times where I wanted to turn back and join you and Bug for beers and just truck it back to Seattle. Thankfully I kept on talking myself into going a little further, cause once we got up on to the plateau the glacier was nice and firm. No post holing or crampons needed, that is when I new we could do it. When we got back it was tempting to take your truck and go get some food, after Dave's yelling for you, didn't produce a response. Then we found the beers, ah yeah, beer is good food. Billygoat we couldn't have done the climb without ya, seriously a big thanks to ya. I asked Dave on the way down what we would have done if you didn't offer to stay and wait for us, both of us didn't have an answer, we probably would have bailed. Thanks man

I'll be your private dancer, dancer for money....... bahahahaha Tina Turner, I didn't think people around my age listen stuff, now my Mom, yeah, but Icegirl

Hey Mark, I'm lame, the only camera I carry is the one in my mind, as of yet they haven't worked out the technology to share those images I have of Dave climbing that pitch. Though, I think it was easier than when you guys climbed, just because it was one of few place on the route with real solid sticks.

I take back what I said about the Quarks being heavier. I was thinking about when I first tried them out and they are much lighter than they used to be. Made me even think about getting those and getting rid of my Cobras, they have more clearance and lighter than the Cobras.

It was a great time. Dave thanks for talking me into giving it a go. I am riding on cloud 9 today and really stoked now to get on some Canadian Rockies goodness. Yeehaw!!!!!!

Sweets thanks for the info. Can't wait to get up there.

Congrats on the new job, SLC is pretty cool place for outdoors stuff, (though not as cool as the PNW). Make sure and get out during the winter and enjoy some of that Wasatch goodness. Hopefully see off this Tuesday.

Sounds like quite the trip you guys had, gald ours wasn't as eventful. Good to hear that everything work out and you guys are ok.