Rad

I don't remember it being that great, but it's been a while since I've been over there. I still have a few chads on my punch card so I'll check it out again sometime. VW Tacoma has very good bouldering.

Real rock is the best, but I do enjoy climbing indoors too, particularly good bouldering. So here's my two cents on the Seattle area gyms. Anyone else got opinions. You know you do! Bouldering: Stone Gardens > UW IMA > VW Seattle. Roped climbing VW Seattle > UW IMA > Stone Gardens. Main factors: wall space and variety, setter quality, and hold quality and variety. Anyone going to the SG comp this Saturday? I'll be flailing in the >35 division and look forward to seeing the open dudes and chicas strut their stuff. (full disclosure: I'm a UW volunteer setter so I may be biased)

It won't be lost. Just don't clip the bolts. Think of Sonny Trotter.

Disclaimor: the highest on Hood I've been is Timberline for the HTC. But it's definitely possible to get stuck in November or December. Avalanches are certainly possible, as are big storms, and if snow is low or late it may be possible to fall into a crevasse or bergshrund. Others will be more knowledgeable. Plenty of accident, signaling, and rescue data and anecdotes here too: http://www.mountaineers.org/nwmj/10/101_Rescue.html

Google pulls up a few incidents that may provide ideas. What I don't see right away was a case where a spring boarder rode into a crevasse and survived - and it was caught on video. Anyone? http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/03/backcounty_snowboarder_dies_at.html Looks like the Mooz character here has a video loop that might fit with your book: http://www.snowboardingforum.com/back-country-travel/16393-tr-another-mt-hood-climb.html http://www.traditionalmountaineering.org/Report_Hood_Bergschrund.htm

I went 11 yrs ago and trekked in the Kanchenjunga region. We didn't see any other trekkers and stayed in fantastic villages. It wasn't a climbing trip, but I used one of our rest days at the highest camp to scramble a 6111 meter unnamed peak. It was fabulous. It may be too sketchy to head that far into the sticks now, but after that trip and many other travels in foreign lands I'll share my 2 cents: - People - Choose partners, guides, porters, etc, based on character and reputation. If you go trekking/climbing for a month you don't want to be stuck with someone who will steal your stuff or be causing you endless headaches. - Patience - Expect things will cost more and take longer than you think. Nepal and other developing nations move at a different pace. Not necessarily slower, but if you are in a hurry you'll invariably get stressed out and spend more money than you intended. - Learn to bargain. In the US we generally don't have bargaining as part of our daily lives, but it is an important skill and one that most everyone else does on a daily basis. - NEVER part with all of your money up front. - Culture - expect that the people and places you see, perhaps more than the peaks you tick, will bring the best memories of your trip. - Bring your lessons home. All of the things above will enrich your life back home too.

Don't worry, they rarely leave the couch.

Great list of routes! I almost got on Lucky Streaks many years ago and have been itching to get back ever since.

Cute. In case anyone reading this thread wants to learn about devices and mountain rescues, I wrote an article on this topic a few months ago that may be of interest: Climber 9-1-1 article

Doug Robinson told me that he and others believe that the southern sections of the Eastern Sierras were cleared of a lot of loose rock by nuclear testing in the Mojave. Hearsay upon hearsay, but it's an interesting idea. Maybe if Rainier blows up Tieton will be cleared of loose rock. Then again, St Helens didn't seem to help.

AC, welcome. A word of perspective: cc.com is like the rest of the interweb. There are many treasures to find, but they are often hidden in mountains of trash. Happy hunting.

For those with access to med journals at UW, can you post a link or pathway to the article? Thx.

The forecast calls for plastic.

So I got out and did the plank today. We decided to just take one rope and got down in two raps on a 60 (rap from top anchor over the edge to an anchor just under a large tree, then to the ground from there). If you had two 60s you could go all the way to the ground from the top anchor. The 10s on the vertical wall look like fun - will have to return for those.

Does one need two ropes to get down? Likely to dry quickly or seep? thx

I agree with your assessment and personally believe that the needs of the many outweight the needs of the view (insert Spock emoticon). I also believe that one can find a middle ground between the extremees you mention, where there protection is spaced far enough apart to keep the leader engaged but close enough so no one gets killed or paralyzed. This is true regardless of whether you go ground up or top down.

Frank posts on this site as Frankazoid. Send him a pm. If he doesn't respond send me a pm with your contact info and I'll pass it along to him.

Cool. Congrats! But I thought aid climbers were a dirty lot. You guys look way too clean to be legit.

W ridge of Thompson. The chimney route up Chair. Warning: a lot of the rock in the SnoQ pass area is loose and fractured. Proceed with caution.

Get well SOON!

Watch that foot!!!

:tup:

Cool. If you don't get a response right away perhaps post a puc or two from the card. Odds are decent someone will recognize the climbers and a connection can be made.

RIP Dallas. I know many here will miss you.