fenderfour

I think you need to sound less creepy if you really want women to show.

Do attempts on Chicas at the climbing gym count?

I think the splitters failed because of quality. The wire used in the stem was very stiff, not really flexible at all. The trigger construction and action were terrible. The new Trango flex cams are using the splitter gear 4cu design - 2 sets of cam lobes in direct opposition. They look and feel pretty damn good, but I haven't placed one yet. My main concern are the eensy-weensy springs that are a bit exposed to abuse in the smaller sizes.

Aluminum oxide is porous.

Anodization is the part of the process that creates the aluminum oxide. For the record, it's a lot harder than most rock. It's on a softer substrate (aluminum) and gets scraped off. Anodization adds no color. After the part has been anodized, it's cooked in a vat of dye for XX hours. XX depends on the type of the dye and how intense you want the color to be. I'm gonna take off by Catbirdseat costume now.

New trail vehicle? Dammit I love those baja bugs.

Small cameras are cute, but they can be a real bitch to snap off a pic when wearing gloves.

Hey Gourd - Thanks for making some kick ass products at great prices. I picked up an icefall a couple of years ago and it is my pack of choice for almost everything. I hope to see the new improved MEC versions soon. The Brio is similar, but quite a bit heavier and could use fewer zippers.

Next weekend (3/26-27)we will be venturing into new territory due to lack of snow at our normal venue. We will be all over the Washington Pass area on easier slopes practicing ice axe arrest. We will be chumming up the parking lots and the approach slopes. We will not be chumming up the routes. A positive note - we should have a bomber boot path up those approach slopes for you to use.

We will be descending on the Icicle en masse this year. As a climber, I really hate to do it, but it is a necessary evil for our curriculum. I will let you know when it is scheduled. Maybe you can all climb something hard that weekend and leave the <5.7 climbs for us.

Kathy Bates has a full frontal nudity scene in "About Schmidt" That's some scary shizzle.

This weekend (3/19-3/20) we will be climbing at Mt. Erie. I'm not familiar with the crag, so I can't tell you exactly which areas, but there are two locations close to the top of the hill with a number of easy climbs.

I will update this thread weekly so that all of you know where the gapefest will be. Don't hate us. We don't hate you.

The gym allows people to push themselves in a safe environment. Hell, just last week I saw a couple toprope-leading a 5.8. They never would have done that outside.

Diameter of rope is measured under load. I assume the 80 kg test load, but I'm not sure.

Will future climbers malign FWA's done this year, or will they just see the first ascensionists as lucky for the great weather?

Disclaimer - I'm not pissing on ayone's achievements this year. I'm just curious: A friend and I were discussing FWA's this year - Do you think that they will be maligned by future climbers as a "2005 FWA", meaning that the mountains weren't in full winter conditions? Is a winter ascent about the date in which the climb is done, or is it about the conditions encountered?

What did the deaf, blind, paraplegic boy get for Christmas? Cancer

Fat kid... Right here...

Did Chris do any Monty Python skits on route?

Someone here knows you, hopefully you will see these.

You borrowed a rope from Tony and climbed Godzilla while we gaped our way up City Park. I've got some great pics of Corrie on route. Send me a PM so that I can send them.

You can french free the bolt ladder wiithout too much trouble. Just bring a chicken cord in case you get tired. You don't need jugs either. Prusik baby, prusik.

The mounties building hass a bolt ladder on the side of it, but I would imagine there are certain liability issues that would prevent you from using it. I wouldn't worry too much about the ladder on Monkey Face. My partner and I are gapers with almost no aid experience, and the bolt ladder went quickly.

I've heard that the first pitch of City Park is almost made for camhooks. That will probably be my first destination.