Blake

Things are kinda divided up along the geography chosen by FB for the Cascade Alpine Guides.

I didn't climb it, but I would like to do it next year. He finished up the bolted belays at the stations. Scott Johnston of NCMG who posts on here was working on it with him, so maybe someone at NCMG will post the topo at their location in Mazama, like they did for other new routes. If you want a partner for it next summer, I am eager to give it a go Eric. We might even find Bryan's tennis shoe at the base somewhere. This climb is in the vacinity of "The passenger" and within conversational shouting distance to the climbers' left of the Direct East Buttress.

There is both a Mazama cragging guide, and a Bouldering Guide coming out soon. My understanding is these will be two separate books. As of January, I was told that he was finishing up the Bouldering and would soon move on to a book of alpine routes at WA Pass. However, this will be ONLY unpublished routes. A full WA Pass guidebook is somewhere further out on the horizon. Last summer he pointed Dan and I to an area about 15 minutes up the road from the Mazama store called the "Prospector Wall" (~15 min approach). This wall was MUCH better than "fun rock" and should be in the new cragging guide.

This seems like more of a personal wish or personal vendetta than any kind of real analysis. The whole point of my post was to re-iterate that most states (and hence most electoral votes) are pre-determined Dem vs Rep so electability is entirely based upon how well one appeals to independent voters in a handfull of states. Everything else is unimportant.

Recent polls indicate that hispanic voters are going with Hillary partly out of an aversion to voting for a black man. Blacks are largely in favor of obama because of race. Race has the potential of playing the decisive role. http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/770277#Post770277

I've heard a few people say that either Hillary or Obama is unelectable because there are too many racists or sexists who will vote against either one. This statement ignores the reality that ANY democrat is extremely unlikely to win a state in the deep south, and wont need to win one in order to be president. When discussing so called presidential "electibility" the only people that any candidate needs to be "electable" to are the swing voters in about 5 states, such as Ohio, PA, Florida, Michigan, Missouri. The fact that a bunch of racists or sexists in Alabama wont vote for Obama or Hillary is completely meaningless, because that state (and the rest of the south) will automatically vote republican anyway. In Summary: Unless you think that non-partisan (read: independent-minded)voters in key swing states are largely going to avoid women or black candidates, then using this criteria to evaluate "electibility" is foolish.

Corn ethanol is the stupidest thing imaginable. I think that having political importance in Iowa (and this myth of the american family farmer as a cultural backbone) is the only thing keeping our tax dollars paying for such a stupid program. http://www.newsweek.com/id/107575/page/1

My predictions: Obama beats Hillary McCain beats Ron Paul bets Huckabee P.S. the voting/ballot for democrats is completely meaningless and will not be used to assign delegates. If you were going to vote in the democratic primary, instead figure out which Republican you like least, and vote for one of the others!

Seam Grip. It'll last longer than the rest of the glove. If you have a chunk of missing fabric too big to fill in W/Seamgrip, you'll need some tiny bit of scrap cloth to cut to fit the hole first, then seamgrip over the entire thing.

Repeat bubble test + http://store.everestgear.com/117563.html

No, Washington's primary is on Sat 2/9 and the Election (when absentees are due) is Tuesday 2/19. Anyone of either party can vote for anyone of either party.

I think I'll be in Zion for a week in March. I am looking for climbing/canyoneering ideas, and also would love some trashable gear if anyone has it laying around. As far as climbing ideas, I'm looking for the best free climbs 5.7-5.11 (so far The Headache and Iron Messiah are on the list) If someone has any thin ropes that they retired from climbing, but we could rappel on them, I would love to take them off your hands. Same with locking biners and old junky belay devies (even a figure-8) that you might have laying around. It just needs to be ok for a few days of rappeling and getting rubbed by an abrasive rope. I'll be glad to pay as well. If you have done a canyon or two, and want to suggest one, I'd appreciate that as well. Thanks!

As FF alluded to, Seamgrip is a permanent adhesive. It is stiff and will essentially leave a thin coating or strip or rubber on (or between) whatever you apply it to. This is not something most people want running all across an insulated jacket. For patching tears and holes in shell jackets, it works great. It's an adhesive creating permanent bonds or coating, but it's not intended to waterproof the seams on clothes.

That time of year would be nice for ski tours (assuming the weather is ok, which is unlikely...) You could potentially ski the Ptarmigan traverse, climb some stuff along the way, and never look at the Sierras the same way again.

During the winter, if you don't ski, and have limited time to hit the rare alpine good weather, then it can be boring. If you think it's boring the summer, you are nuts.

Robert, I think that the Nooksack-> Shuksan (summit) traverse has been done a few times over the years. Les Macdonald (who also did the Labor Day route)...maybe even Jens Klubberud did it recently as well.

Special Delivery Update! Now Sending All Across

Think how often you might be hauling around that snowmobile john, and for how long on each trip.

Weaker climber should lead if they can route find and protect ok. When doing a lot of simulclimbing (N. Ridge on Mt. Stuart for example) it might make things overall faster to bring more runners and chocks than normal, in order to have longer blocks between belays.

Ron Paul is rad. Young people like him because he is honest and says things regardless of how well they would play in focus groups. He isn't trying to pander to everyone. I think if all politicians spoke with the same honest, respectful, no BS tone, our system would be better off. What are your reactions to this? w3iKkt9WS5s

1997 Subaru outback wagon - AWD - Manual Transmission 27 MPG Freeway

Cheamclimber reminds me of Jamin.

I am looking for a strong headlamp to use for night climbing and those trips when you expect and plan on actually using a headlamp. I think I have it narrowed down to BD and Mammut... Does anyone have any experience with the Mammut TX1?? Or the BD Icon?

David, good job! That stone looks fantastic. Respek! to all the local guys sending in Patagonia.

I didn't know that about Max... that's pretty cool! David Trippett from Seattle/Vancouver also just put up a new grade IV+ free climb in the Torres de Brujo area.