tanstaafl

Andy is that Oscar in that pic?

Defining moderate as climbs I actually enjoyed while I was on them, instead of climbs that seemed great once I was back down sitting around a fire with a drink in my hand: Cragging: Davis-Holland/Lovin’ Arms – Index, WA Something of Value/Last Moon/Moonraker – Blouberg, South Africa West Face – North Early Winters Spire, WA Camp Farm – Cochamo, Chile Hyperspace – Snow Creek Wall, WA Buch Goin - Refugio Frey, Argentina Alpine: North Ridge – Forbidden Peak, WA East Ridge – Wolf’s Head, WY Lost Marsupials – The Throne, Little Switzerland, AK Squash Head/Backoff – Santaquin Canyon, UT Triple Couloirs – Dragontail Peak, WA

Spectacular Hansel commentary.

Just a note: the route Washburn climbed with his wife was not the West Buttress, it was Karsten's Ridge to Denali Pass in 1947. He did the FA of the West Buttress in 1951 and she was not on that trip. Also, prior to the Denali expedition, she had been on the FAs of Mount Bertha in 1940 and Mount Hayes in 1941, so she wasn't totally inexperienced.

They're nice for reducing glare on snow/glaciers when the only sunglasses you have are ones you found on the ground.

I can't remember my fingernail status in that pic but I know I hadn't showered for about a week. Those were the days.

Yuppy (ok, not so young), check; overpriced Tshirt, check (I did win it in a raffle though); hair not pulled back, check. Not a housewife however. Do I win a prize?

Pretty much. But the thing about the creek is that grades are kind of irrelevant; it's all about your hand size. I found that often 5.11+ climbs were easier for me than 5.10- climbs, just because they tended to be thinner cracks and my hands fit that crack size better.

Never been to trout creek, but I learned to jam in Indian Creek. It was perfect because if you couldn't jam, you weren't going anywhere, so I learned fast. Trout Creek sounds similar from what I've heard.

Porter you lucky lucky guy. Soooo jealous.

I was at Peshastin weekend before last; it was coooold. It was actually really nice in the Icicle last weekend.

If your course was from the Red Cross, it's not too surprising that it wouldn't use new American Heart Association guidelines. Even the conventional CPR is taught slightly differently by the two agencies. Note that hands-only CPR is recommended only in cases of *witnessed* collapse of an adult. Children, infants, and adults you didn't actually see keel over still get conventional CPR.

Keep moving and you'll stay warm during the day wearing light clothing. Maybe you do. I am perfectly capable of moving and freezing my ass off at the same time.

Nice! Sounds burly; I'm glad I didn't try to horn in. K

Got this announcement in my email this morning, thought I'd pass it along: The Northwest Sherpa Association is organizing a memorial service for Late. Sir Edmund Hillary. Sir Edmund Hillary was one of the first persons with Late. Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, to climb Mount Everest, the highest mountain on the Earth. Sir Edmund Hillary has also been one of the pioneers in helping the Sherpa Community in the Everest Region of Nepal by providing facilities for education, scholarship opportunities, and medical facilities . Late Sir Edmund Hillary (July 20, 1919 – January 11, 2008) The Northwest Sherpa Association is deeply grieved by the sudden demise of Sir Edmund Hillary at the age of 88, on January 11, 2008. Thus, to pay homeage to the departed soul, we have organized the memorial service at Nalanda West Buddhist Monastery. We would like to request the mountaineering community of Seattle to attend the ceremony. Event information: Date: January 19, 2008 Time: 9:00 AM- 10:00 AM Venue: Nalanda West 3902 Woodland Park Ave N Seattle, WA, 98103 Please arrive by 8:45 am. Tea and Cookies served by the NorthWest Sherpa Association. Thanking you, Sincerely, Northwest Sherpa Association, Seattle , WA

Yeah, we ended up staying with exceedingly hospitable friends of my brother's. It was great.

I got to drive my dad home from a week in the hospital at 6 pm on Christmas Eve.

Thanks, Archie. Yeah, the hospital had a couple of recommendations, but those places were still ~$75 a night. That may be the best we can do though without subjecting my mom to my living standards.

Hey you Portlanders, I'm looking for affordable accomodation for a week (the 16th through the 22nd or so) in Portland. My dad is having surgery and this accomodation is for my 79-year old mother (and me at least part of the time), so the cheap loud places located above bars that I'm used to aren't going to work this time. Anybody got a place they like for visiting out-of-towners?? thanks

"For study purposes, curvy women were defined as those whose waists are smaller than their hips." Interesting definition.

Elisif Harro and murraysovereign, just for that story about launching his boat

Friday the 16th or Saturday the 17th? Isn't there a Ballard Alpine Club event on Friday?

Nice, Ken. When you get back with a partner I recommend Roulette, it's fuuun. Also let me know when you're headed there next; I know a couple of Cape Town climbers you might be able to hook up with. Lion's Head has some nice climbing too.

Interesting that you make no mention of Chris's discovery that his father had not been divorced from his first wife when he married Chris's mom, and also fathered a child with the first wife after Chris was born. I think you'd be hard pressed to find an 18-year-old capable of forgiving their father after learning that, but maybe the ones who aren't naive and self-righteous would just take that right in stride.

Didja have to frontpoint all the way down the same way?