Rad

Surely fake news.

Nice report and pics. The views are truly amazing, so you will have to go back. Later in the season the descent back to the lake is the best boot ski I've ever done. Super fun. And now you know all the beta.

Joe Simpson would like it back.

I've seen this recommended as the best approach, and one to do as a preventive measure.

Agreed. Stillcrankin, you can go back and edit your post to show more compassion for the people who will have to live with this for many years to come.

The only rappelling mishap I can think of off the top of my head is when I started down an overhanging face w a figure 8 and a bight of rope flipped up and locked everything up. I had no prussik or other way to unweight the rope. Fortunately, I wasn't too far from the top. I had to hand over hand up the ropes to the top of the cliff, which thankfully was only 10 feet, but if I'd fallen in that length I'm not sure what the 8 would have done to help or harm me, but it probably wouldn't have been pretty. I gave the 8 away the next day and haven't used one since. I haven't had other rappelling mishaps (knock on wood) and like Oly it always makes me at least somewhat nervous. That makes me check and check again. I have had multiple instances where I've inadvertently unclipped myself from everything when I was in a very exposed position and high enough off the deck that a fall would at least be life-altering. In one instance, my partner grabbed my harness and asked what I was doing. In the others I realized quickly what I'd done and clipped back in. So thankfully no accidents. In all but one of the cases there was a messy anchor that likely contributed to my mistake. I don't read ANAM every year, but there are plenty of patterns that keep repeating that I'm very aware of and try to guard against.

I feel so bad for the partners. IMHO, we must not write these off as "I would never do that" because you could. People do every year. It just takes a single error or moment of inattention at the wrong time, or sometimes it's just bad luck. So we learn what we can, try to be careful, and keep climbing.

Actually, it's very easy to do indoors. You can put removable bolts in t-nuts on any climbing wall and set up ropes, anchors, and everything you need to learn, test, practice, and experience different set-ups.

Truly tragic. I grieve for this young man, for his friends, and for his partners who will remember those few seconds for the rest of their lives. Gyms need to give ALL young climbers FREE basic training in rappelling, cleaning anchors, and other basic safety skills. There have been too many of these tragedies in recent years.

I sent a few questions via PM.

Good one TM! Maybe you can go up every Monday to collect all the shiny #1 Camalots that'll soon be accumulating from bailers. Sell on Ebay. The gear cycle of life.

Skis are aid And so are kite boards.

Skis are aid

BTW, great TR!

The work around is you can only paste about one sentence at a time. VERY tedious and probably fatal to the introduction of new TRs that aren't typed directly into the site.

Excellent! THIS is the spirit: "The mere act of daring to try something new felt like cracking a door into a new world" Hope you get back to one of those big lines on Sloan.

'Out on the road today I saw a Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac. A little voice inside my head said: "Don't look back, you can never look back." I thought I knew what love was. What did I know? Those days are gone forever. I should just let 'em go, but...

This is like the great Agatha Christie book And Then There Were None, which in turn was inspired by the poem below: Ten little Soldier Boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine. Nine little Soldier Boys sat up very late; One overslept himself and then there were eight. Eight little Soldier Boys travelling in Devon; One said he'd stay there and then there were seven.[8] Seven little Soldier Boys chopping up sticks; One chopped himself in halves and then there were six. Six little Soldier Boys playing with a hive; A bumblebee stung one and then there were five. Five little Soldier Boys going in for law; One got in Chancery and then there were four. Four little Soldier Boys going out to sea; A red herring swallowed one and then there were three. Three little Soldier Boys walking in the zoo; A big bear hugged one and then there were two. Two little Soldier Boys sitting in the sun; One got frizzled up and then there was one.[9] One little Soldier Boy left all alone; He went out and hanged himself and then there were none

Mt Erie near Anacortes is often dry and sunny when everything else is wet. There are some moderate multi-pitch routes that are nice, and the views and ambience are incredible if the weather is semi-decent.

I don't have suggestions, except to say that if you're looking to get into the alpine you should check out the avy forecasts here: https://www.nwac.us/

Wow. Too much coffee??

I thought so too, but watch this one from 1:15 to 1:40. Bet you can't stop yourself from watching it 5 times.

Cue exploding head GIF.

Not likely. There are two kinds of strokes: ischemic (loss of oxygen to the brain, which is usually due to arterial vessel blockage) and hemorrhagic (bleeding). Both cause irreversible damage in proportion to the size/area affected. As a long shot, this could be a temporary vessel occlusion (blockage) that is released within minutes of stopping the descent. That would be very unlikely. Add that no permanent effects have yet been detected and it seems even more unlikely to explain this. Maybe Dr Phil can help...

Holy crap. I learned something from you guys! Thx much. Rad ps. Once you've solved this mystery try to figure out why I get double vision during long pounding descents but not during any other high exertion times. It sometimes gets to the point where I have to cover one eye to keep from being confused about where to put my foot. Not fun, but it goes away within 20 minutes of stopping. There is no pain or other symptoms, and doesn't seem to be affected by ibuprofen, extra hydration, food, or electrolytes. I haven't been able to induce it using any other exercise mode. Very odd. Hasn't changed in severity in the past 8 years.