John Frieh

If you care… what do you think are fundamental country music albums? Folsom Prison? Red Headed Stranger? Serving 190 Proof? I think I have a good start but I have a feeling I've overlooked many due to my age... help me out... Additionally I’m always looking for the obscure quality stuff… And a pre to anybody who suggests Shania Twain or Billy Ray.

And if you are in the market for something... ask! This board is swelling with people who seem to have an opinion about everything (even though some of them don't climb… you know who you are! )

My point was only that generally when a company buys out another quality slides… however there are notable exceptions. To date Arcteryx is still making bomber stuff regardless of their parent company. As Bouchard (founder of wild things) said “if you can’t climb gear won’t help you; if you can climb you won’t need it/it will only weigh you down” (or something to that effect) or put another way “the climber makes the gear… the gear doesn’t make the climber.” If you are out there every weekend you’re going to get a pretty quick idea of what does and doesn’t work. It’s like when ever I am in a gear shop and some employee tells me that x item is the bomb… I ask him how many times he/she has used it, how often, etc etc. You will quickly find out whether or not they are getting out every weekend and truly abusing this stuff (which if this is the case you should ask them if they need a partner) or if that is what the rep told them. A good way to track a clothing garments quality is to find out how many stitches per inch (SPI) the garment has in high wear areas (don’t expect your average punter gear shop employee to know this… email the company). When Arcteryx first came out they did 13 SPI in their jackets. For comparison TNF uses 6 SPI. With that said back in the day TNF used 10. Hmmm… But to answer your question a few examples (not a definitive list) of good stuff (feel free to add): Cold cold world and wild things backpacks. Wild things and Integral Designs sleeping bags. Arcteryx, Patagonia, Cloudveil outerwear. Nunatuk or Feather Friends down items. Between these companies you should be more than outfitted.

the druggies?

pms.

So how long do you give Adidas to fuck up Salomon to in turn fuck up Arcteryx? I agree: buy outs are so suck.

When I graduated HS I could bench press 290 , could only climb 5.8 trad , and wore a medium in patagonia. A few years later and I can't bench press 290 , can climb a little harder than 5.8 trad (yoga was the key) and still wear a medium in patagonia. Maybe I should be hitting the doughnuts.

Just out of curiosity: how many people actually fit into Patagonia jackets? The sleeve length in the medium is too short for my arms... the large has the right arm length but I'm no where close to being fat enough to fill out the body (the medium fits much better). And its not just jackets... anything long sleeved comes up short on me. Anybody else have this problem? And I am a large in any other vendor. Maybe I just have ape arms or something...

If Layton and Jordop know about it then it has too be another bullshit choss community service project route. As my good friend Brock always said: it hasn't been climbed yet because its bullshit. If only I'd believe him

Which route on Gunsight? Which peak?

Ahhh... one of "those" 10b climbs. Thanks for the info!

Pray that the high avy danger scares them away from your projects.

Yeah... that's granite... I’m thinking Chimney too… MCash: where is that? BobbyPeru: thanks for the info! Is there any other unselected climbs at the pass I should take a look at? Have you ever done the firefighter route on Cutthroat?

My favorite "in town" place to practice is the produce section of the grocery store.

East face of Lexington. I have heard the infurno route on SEWS is even better... overhanging offwidth! w00t! Has anyone climbed this?

I wouldn't doubt for a second the years of experience you have wiggling around in dark tight warm places Rudy. At least your packing protection...

classic. This has got to be the climbing equivalent to a girl fight... a boulder/sporto pissing match (only RuMR can't pull Mr E's hair ). RuMR: what do you even own a # 5 for? paperweight?

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So which one should I buy so I can start practicing?

Alpinist. Not as pornorific as the mag but still hot. Has significant FA dates on the calender to remind you what country you should be in climbing instead of at work . And Guy Edwards is Mr. February.

Own a 4.5 and 5 also... looking at getting a # 6 next. I have used them on 4 - 5 routes a year (multiple placements per route) so they have paid for themselves... but I'm like E... I seek those routes out. Now would be a good time to pick up the old models for cheap.

drop it like its hott

Careful... Iain "Icy Couloir" Morris is gonna get ya!

Haven't climbed in OR much have you? Just kidding... I agree... mine are merely the best of what I have climbed IMO...

If you didn't know Finger of Fate is in the Sawtooths in Idaho… if you want to go climb this let me know… I climb it at least once a year. And if you drive that far you should also climb some routes on the elephant’s perch which is a hop skip and a jump from the finger… recommended routes include the mtneers route (the roof pitch is spectacular 5.8), astro elephant (I can only pick one pitch?), and definitely the fine line (these three routes are all on the elephant’s perch among other classics… I have topos for almost all of them in my gallery). Jason headed for the 3 tier roof on the Mtneers route: Ron sniffing his butt (yet again) mid roof: Brock sewing on lower astro: Astro Elephant is in center of face (kinda makes WA pass look puny huh?): WA pass awesome pitches: Hand crack on Rebel Yell (wine spires… sorry no pics). If you’re into wideness the offwidth/chimney pitches (pitches 6 and 7) on e face of Lexington are a hoot. Bring a 2” by 6” and a saw or some tube chocks and wear either a crappy shirt or even better a leather vest for thrashing in the wideness: I agree with fox… the upper pitches of the w face of NEWS are a hoot… especially if you link pitches (linkable pitches). willstrickland’s pic: The 8th (7 if you run 6 and 7 together which you should) on liberty crack is great (sorry no pic… there is a roof right off the anchor so the belayer can’t see you). Enchantments: The 5.6 slab with crack splitting it on the n ridge of stuart is absolute an alpine setting classic… especially if you don’t have bivy gear on your back. But then again the whole ridge is. Basically climb this route in your lifetime and pick the pitch you like most. But don’t let yourself climb it until you are competent enough to do it in a day. From above: Running: The upper pitches of the west ridge of stuart in winter/early spring are awesome… climbing onto the north face past the pin is some awesome exposure. Climb Stuart Glacier Couloir or Razorback ridge to access these. Loren’s (cascadeclimber) pic: [chestbeat] The rock fall variation on the girth pillar is granite perfection. Please bring me my crampons back if you climb it [/chestbeat]. Zoom in Prusik: climb all the routes and pick your fav. Goatboy: excellent discussion… I wish more people would chime in… can anyone comment on - central pillar of swiss peak - Cutthroat - Firefighter - SEWS – Infurno - Stuart – Kearney route - Lexington - Tooth and Claw