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Now if you were really good at snow-yacking one could drive to the Ross lake trailhead, snoyack the hill and then paddle in. A little rough on the way out but definatley a memorable approach.

In another thread Kurthicks made a great post about newby enthusiasm and judgment. It got me to thinking about ratios and how newbs represent in the numbers. I know that from a commercial driving standpoint it has been shown that as much as 85% of all truck driving mishaps occur in the first 2000hrs of a drivers career. This is also the reason for graduated drivers license's. I have seen studies from SCUBA that reflects a similar ratio but do not recall any numbers. Just out of curiosity anyone out there know of any similar climber or mountaineering studies? Or even have a sense of same?

You mean Pee-er pressure!

Is there going to be a sausage fest this year? I was sorta hoping to make it. I know that I have a couple of smaller projectors and screens available early march. Who wants to bring some show to the festivity?

Just go with what works for you now without spending too much on it. If you are like most of us and end up likeing the hills you will soon enough have more than one axe. Then decide which to take for the conditions you anticipate. Until then get something you can comfortably walk an incline with and don't get too crazy. A real 50+ degree slope is not where your going to be for a while. Something mid range that is a little fiddly on the steeps and sort of rough on the flat is about the best your going to get in a single tool.

Eric brings a good point about the parka bit. I would modify it a little. I changed afew years back to a bag that was cut a little looser. That way I could use it a warmer temps and in the cold I had room to wear the puffy to bed. I love that system and have since sold my cold weather bag as it never saw any use. For your potential new unit I wouldn't chase it down but would be willing to buy it if I changed styles. Definatley I would want it loose enough that we could extend the rating with extra clothes. Which includes the previous pee bottle comment.

You are close to right on. The MLU is a transmitter similar to an avy beacon. It is on a differant wavelength and power though. When activated it can be trianglated from a much greater distance. They only work on Mt Hood (the only place with the recievers) and they do not work like a beacon for one part of the party to find the others. What is nice is that if an outside source has a reciever on they will know that someone in trouble. However, they do not "call for help" like an PLB or EPIRB. Thus someone at home must monitor for your signal or be looking for it. Unless you are on Hood stay with your PLB and I would even use it on Hood as opposed to the MLU anyway.

These threads always seem to get a little depressing. Then along comes the "why did they do that"s. I understand that the effort is going well. The SAR folks are at the site as of last night and plan to resume rescue after sunup this morning. So I wanted to share a favorite sunrise on Mt Hood pic. This is from a few years back and was taken on arrival at portland international. Great idea why we do it.

I was thinking the same. Sort of a "is that self induced penalty slack?"

Unless you need them back now. Yates does a quick economical job. Go Here

Afternoon, Arch. Wasn't looking to exclude folks . I sent a PM near the beginning when the thread was leaning into spray and it looked like a serious question. You seem like youv'e got a pretty good handle on this stuff but most of what I sent was to start off attempting to shift when the engine was off that way one can determine if it is tranny or clutch related. Then move to evaluateing clutch. based on miles and behavior. Pumping the clutch will cause a clutch with air to work but if there is a leak it will trickle down. Then a bit about adding fluid. You all picked back up on how to bleed before it ever got back to the status. Thanks for the props and spray one spray all

Hence the anamoly part. The old farts are supposed to be the sensitve, gentle types. The new kids are the social beginners. But then again another person on this board once accused me of being a sourdough Maybe when your that old you loose your teeth.

So I was just over for a brief visit to RC.com. It struck me as funny. That the board which is "for more serious climbers" in manys opinion had only a brief note regarding the recent passing of Bradford Washburn. Mostly oriented around the "who was that?" and how to find out about him. Yet on a trip here, to the board for insensitve jerks, there was a definate sense of persons who knew and cared. What are you guys doing to our reputation?

I can totally relate to those climbers on the snow field. Those wing suits make a flapping noise as they fly, like a flag in a breeze. I was up on the chief a couple years back when out of nowhere this flapping, hollering guy came cruising fairly close behind me. One of lifes stranger experiences.

Ski's or slowshoes would be fine on the road. Unless there is a lot of fresh stuff you can even boot the road. Once you go off road the flotation might be nice. Of course on the way back out there is plenty of hill and the last three miles go by in a long gentle hill. I'll give you two guesses which one is nice then. I forgot again to load up my pics from that area from a little over a week ago. I will try to get them up tommorow.

I'm wit Alex. Plan a time to get to the bottom. There has been sufficient snow this year that they have the Hwy closed back at Early Winters Campground. It's about 9 miles to where you will leave the road then a few more to get out of the trees. It's a nice route but this year unless you get a sled to help or plan some extra skiing the approach takes a bit.

You will probably catch it from someone. But I would start with a carefull reevaluation of Down. My first puffy was an old school nylon shell and required "special" handling and use. That one didn't make me happy. I changed to a Modern unit with an Epic outer and new construction methods, Way better. Synthetics are still not quite up to where Down is. If you are only buying for Rainer and relative warmer conditions synthetic works but down is still lighter. I think there is a race on. The shell fabrics are making down attractive faster than synth is getting warm and light. If you are still pointed that dirrection I have seen some good stuff advertised in Mountain Gear using the new Primaloft. I have no personal experience with it though.

Gary, In part reply to your OP. Spray painting will get scrubbed off. Touch u paint is no more durable. Unless you want to go to a complete prep, prime, finish system. On the other side. I have for several years used spray paint hurridly applied (and redone once a year) to identify biners and other gear that I have relagated to slackline use. Once the paint is cured despite the loads applied I have seen no affect on the webbing or slings. The paint rubs off in the locations one would guess at. The dried particles brush off or work out of the material. For marking practice gear I would say go for it. P.S. If we ever go climbing and you find gear on my rack that is painted an ugly mint green, don't use it

Yes there are several devices. The Soloist as mentioned by Ryland is a good one. I personally use a modified Grigri when soloing which also works well. I would strongly recomend that you get a specific solo device as they also cover techniques. Solo climbing is not a beginner type thing definatley hook up with an experienced person to go over some of the methods. As to the prussick idea. A prussick will usually hold. It will also usually slip some. To accomidate that most folk use two. Here is the real bear. If there is any slack in the system there is more force developed that the prussick must catch. When the prussick cinches and arrests par of this force is disapated as heat. Often one will find glazing or melting of the prussick after a unintended fall. There are many considerations such as this that need to be worked through. Find some good partners or even to come around full circle, Go Hire A Guide.

Jamin, I would try to reserve judgment as to your qualifications. But you make it awfull hard. I know many a person that can talk a good line. This is only talk until the same person comes up with another question like soloing with prussicks. I would be interested in hearing your "method" but most of the ones I am aware of are nearly as old as some of the rocks you are climbing. This would seem to also answer the original struggle as to if your just talking a good line. Of course there is anonamous internet humor who can tell. When in doubt refer to rule one as the cliche goes.

I am fascinated to see where threads drift on this board. The op was about hints and now it's a validity of guide thing. Who'd a thunk it. Mostly I tend to agree with couloir. Guides are facilitators of the trip. I haven't hired one in a while. But admit that several times I decided to do a route in a totally new area. I've hired a "certified partner" instead of taking my chances on a random local. Maybe for one of the locals, that have good connections, a guide is a cheat or less than admirable. For someone to fess up that they are outside their relm of experience is definatly not.

Yep. I think I just got dumber watching that for 3 minutes, my brain hurts now. You actually watched it for 3 minutes? OMG So you guys didn't see the naked chick run through at 43:47? Very worthwhile I thought. Of couse we did, thats why Oly gave us instructions to put our junk in the box.

Most work wear shops have a real nice helmet liner that the construction folk use to line that buckets when it is cold. I have two differant ones that I use. Not a bad way to go they are cheaper than custom climbing gear and are designed to stay in the helmet. Pretty much the two that I have are wind stopper or not and full head sans face.

ENS it has been noted in this thread before but here is a little more "guidance" if you would. Great physical shape is good but if you have a choice of focus your cardio condition will dramatically influence your acclimating. I know of few people in great cardio shape that failed (in a good window) due to not being able to keep going. I know of several incredably strong folk who could not keep up the 12-14 hours of slogging. As to the Colorado climbs it is a good goal but not a good comparison. In Co. you fly into 5k+ and you are nearly acclimated by the time you even start the climb (unless you race from plane to peak). On Rainer you fly into a near sea level. and in most cases don't start a climb until the day you put on your boots. Acclimation deteriorates quickly, by the time you get to Seattle you will be a sea level dweller like the rest of us. That brings us back to the cardio again as to how quick you adapt. Have a great climb.

I tend to agree with Gary most of all. For those who are inclined to keep records it needs to be defined. On the other hand a couple years back I made a mad dash around as conditions were perfect to grab a winter accent of the Becky route. Blue bird day great time had by all. Heck if it was a freak year and I had a chance to do a first summer accent of Oregon Jack for instance I'd be all over that too. Who knows if we keep screwing with the weather all kinds of "firsts" might be in the making.