John Frieh

Plenty of shops in your area... Feathered Friends Marmot (sounds like you were already there) REI SEA locals: who am I forgetting here? Also a drive down to Portland never hurt anything... US Outdoor has a mind boggling number of options. While you are here you can hit OMC and Mtn Shop. If you do get your boots from a cc.com supporter/advertiser make sure you tell them you saw their ad on cc!

Butch has standards though...

Hope the sendbot is wearing ice skate fruit boots!

I assumed you were talking about the CO rockies as you have recently complained about CO skiing and CO alpine climbing. My apologies for the assumption but I think this demostrates why I feel you make a lot of CO/WA comparisons... hence my assumption. My advice would still be make due with what you have regardless of where you live. If you don't like do something about it beside pissing and moaning about it on a website.

All routes at Rocky were developed by us... we stay off all existing routes (i.e. they are rock climbing routes as Rocky was developed as a rock climbing area years ago). IMO it is bad form to drytool existing rock routes unless the route hasn't been climbing in years and year or you have permission from the route developer. I have drytooled some existing rock climbing sport routes at Broughton's Bluff (also in Portland) but only because the route developer/FA gave me specific permission to do so. We generally top rope the routes at Rocky as it speeds things up so everyone gets more laps in but I have led them all minus one with trad gear. If you are new to drytooling I would highly encourage you to start with top roping, move into sport leading (bolts) and then finally leading with trad gear.

No one as far as I can tell is pissed off... I'd believe the troll except this is your third or so "Colorado is ______" thread... kinda hard to believe it is troll when every other week you have another CO/WA comparison. As long as you are staying stoked to get out regardless of where you are more power to you!

Perhaps that person would have benefited from the cheerleader chick sticker more than myself.

Rereading that perhaps a better way to say that is a back pointed point can be used for raking as well as other mixed techniques. Isaac and Gadd's books both have plenty of illustration and much better descriptions of raking and other mixed climbing techniques.

A rake point is any point pointed backwards/in the opposite direction of the front points. They are easy to spot as they are serrated in a manner that would only engage if one had the sole of their foot parallel to the wall. A good example is the Petzl Dart: Counting from the front point back you see at number 3 (don't count that tiny little one) you see a point that seems pointing in the wrong direction... that is it wouldn't do much kicking in ice. However on vertical to overhanging terrain you can step your foot above a hold and hook the hold with the point. The serrations on the backside of the crampon allow you to "grasp" the hold and not just slide off. Another way you can use this point is raking... you move the rake point above a hold (vertical cracks in overhung terrain are great for this) and pull you foot back towards you... as if you were raking imaginary leaves with your feet. The point should become lodged in the crack and allow you to then pull down on it. Interesting sidenote: the bionic sports one of the biggest rake points... so big one can basically use it like a spur... Gadd pisses and moans about spurs but hangs from his rake points all the time... Hmmm... BD Bionic Rake Point:

Technical ice/mixed Old worn out Rambos Bionic is a good crampon. I have a pair of raptors (bionic bolt version) that so far am happy with... haven't had them that long though. Consider demoing the Petzl M10. Did you not like the Rambo? They offer a comp version also. Also: do you want something with a replaceable front point? Are fixed front points okay? One thing you will notice between the Bionic and the Rambo is the "rake point" is positioned further back on the bionic... the rambo has it further forward. This will result in you having to high step further to rake holds.

So I went with the Zojirushi Tuff Slim Vacuum Bottle - 0.5 Liter (REI has them for 36 bucks)... haven't used it a ton but so far I'm stoked on it. Used it at Hyalite this past weekend to keep my Stumptown pipin' hot... coldest day was -15 at 9:30 am... I think it warmed to -2 that day. Thermos kept the brew super toasty... it was apparent it had cooled some but was still hot. It should be noted on the -15 day the thermos poured slower... I get the impression the brew inside the cap was starting to freeze... it still poured (slowly) but removing the cap and just pouring it out was much faster. Someone else in our party had a starbucks thermos... I don't know how old it was but it did not keep its coffee as warm. Finally I found if you preheat the thermos the brew stayed warmer longer Additionally my #1 Cheerleader Chick Sticker (thanks Loren!) has definitely been a great addition

Harold: it's a good thing you are a nice guy in your real/original avatar... it tends to balance out your dirtyharry persona

About a centimeter approximately. You can lace your boots differently to fight heel lift. Almost all boots run true to size (i.e. match the brannock device) minus La Sportiva which seems to run a little on the small size. Make sure to size yourself in the brannock in both an unweighted position (sitting) as well as a weighted position (standing) or even better go to a reputable shop. Where are you located?

What you looking to use them for? What do you own currently?

What is it with people being snobs about climbing? My area is better than yours Rocky Butte? Nasty! I would never climb there Snoqualmie pass?!?!? More like Lowquality pass Why waste my time with some ice in the gorge? It's not Banff so why bother? What ever happened to just being stoked about getting the chance to go climbing? Hell... how about just being outside?!?!? Is everyone turning into a snob that is "too good" to climb something because it isn't up to their "standards". I don't know about the rest of you but just getting the chance to go play outside is what I live for... yeah the gorge will never be colorado but who cares? It is a whole lot better sitting at home watching reality TV or spraying on the internet.

Drytool session tonight 12/22 at Rocky Butte 4:30 pmish - ??? All you need is boots... I have everything else. Page me at 866.248.0956 if interested.

Late night session tonight 12/21 in the gorge 7 pmish - ??? Leaving town around 6:30 pm... can alter this or meet you out there if needed. All you need is boots... I have everything else. Page me at 866.248.0956 if interested.

Why wouldn't I go in there?

Thanks for the insight Harold but the scope of this thread is approach and climbing conditions... not what the weather will be... Thanks anyways though

What mechanism is used to attach the head weights? Does it appear to be robust enough to stand up to mixed climbing abuse? Are the weights located so far forward on the pick that it will limit certain pick placements drytooling?

I can drytool either night. Depending on response I will pick a time. PM me before 2:30 pm if you plan on attending so we can make arrangements to meet. Don't just show up and hope to find me in the dark... And if I haven't said it enough times: - newbies are welcome! you only need a pair of boots to attend! Just let me know what you need to borrow. - speaking of I have a pair of monsters if anyone wants to try them out PDX drytool party line: If you want to go regardless of whether or not I scheduled something PM me and I will gladly take you out any time my schedule permits (which during the week is fairly open).

Mist Falls. PM me if you want directions. Not a mat of deathsicles but definitely debris blown off the falls from the high winds.

Hey! You said it was on the house! You know I am good for it!

I have been out of town the past three weeks so I couldn't organize anything... I'm going to throw something up for this week in a second... The golden rule of PDX drytooling is if you want to go PM me. Anytime. I go roughly 2 times a week regardless of whether or not anyone else is available so chances are you want to go we can find a time to go. Fair?

And the ironic part is I am a weak mixed and especially weak ice climber