John Frieh

Anyone interested in carpooling from PDX send me a PM.

As in if you could own one set of tool? What are you getting at? I think it depends on what you are looking for... are you shopping for an all around ice tool or are you planning on just water ice action and no alpine stuff...? I am interested in further insight into this question. Let's say for alpine mixed and waterfall ice, perhaps an all-around tool... In general a pure WI tool tends to sport a larger bend and/or a double handle. The larger bend allows for easier/larger clearance around bulges/roofs. With that said the majority of cc.coms are still cruxing out on WI4 (not a lot of bulges/roofs on 4s) so chances are having a tool with a ton of clearance likely isn't a deal breaker for most... Both the previous and current vipers have a larger bend in the tool over the previous and current cobras making them a little more user friendly on steeper terrain. With that said now it gets a little fuzzy... if you get a pair of tools and learn how to drive them (that one's for you Pax) you can get up just about anything. But know how to use them. Be comfy on them. A certain cc.comer who will remain nameless got up peak 11300 in AK with a pair of BD reactors... did someone forget to tell him you aren't suppose to take double handle leashless tools in the alpine? No... he just knew how to drive them... So... if you have a pair of tools... get comfy with them. Use them... a lot. 4 months to ice season!

OUCH! that's the same price they were when new. I thought the old cobras were $269, which I thought was plenty steep enough. Either way, I reiterate my previous sentiment, which is...OUCH! If you think you can make them for cheaper be my guest.

Nice dude! 4 months to ice season!

No prob dude... glad I could help out. Mtneers creek especially the first time can be very confusing... I still get kinda confused doing it. Basically once you cross the creek head straight and left until you hit mtneers creek and keep close to that until it turns up hill and then follow the cairns at that point. Practice makes perfect. Though some will disagree with me and yes mtneers creek is faster assuming you don't screw it up approach I personally rather spend a little extra time on the approach for a shorter descent (come in and out ingalls) but that is just me. I only come in mtneers if I am positive I can come down the sherpa. I don't think you go right... I think you keep going up and then downclimb to an exposed step up the 5.8 and then simul the last bit to the top. Who knows... No you did this right. The flagging is new this year... future parties shouldn't plan on it being there. You should look at CNR later this summer... also consider W or E (or both) ridges or S face of Forbidden S face of Prusik CCB of Bear (muy bueno) Slesse to name a few... Cheers!

As in if you could own one set of tool? What are you getting at? I think it depends on what you are looking for... are you shopping for an all around ice tool or are you planning on just water ice action and no alpine stuff...? I haven't been climbing ice that long so I never owned a pair of old cobras so I hesitate to comment. I do know a few unbiased parties who owned/loved/cherished the old cobras and tried out the new ones and have either placed orders for the new ones or are planning on doing so. And there is pressure for another PDX Ice Festival this year so assuming we get our act(s) together down here you should be able to demo all the tools from all the vendors this fall. Now do some pull ups!

Thanks Fern... Helen didn't do me in... I'm looking forward to Helen tomorrow... it was Mon + Tue Monday: 25 pull ups + 7 split jerks (135#) 5 rounds for time Tuesday: 9 BW Deadlifts, 9 Pull-ups, 1 Rope Climb 5 rounds for time Went to climbing gym Tuesday night... that was the tipping point. Tuesday was rough but am already better today. And speaking of diet... I'm down 11 lbs in 2 months... about 10% body fat. Still have a ways to go but it is slowly coming off.

Nice guys!

Cobra: 299 Viper: 229 No plans for spring thing yet so I'd plan on making one for this winter. Grivel sells the mini biners separately... go that route + a swivel and some super tape (1/2" super light tubular) and shock cord and follow the directions on alpinedave.com (though some of you might be hard pressed to find a cute girl to help you )

Helen is visiting the lab tomorrow! You should drop in!

Not climb the ice John. :lmao:

Complete as many Burpees as possible in 20 minutes.

Very similar to old... give me a day or two and I can get the exact price... I'll look into the spring thing Kurt... regardless of whoever makes the one you go with make sure you put a swivel on the thing. I believe ocean marina in SEA stocks them...

Drive all the way to Idaho to climb? Are you crazy? Nice Kirb! Great TR! Did you get a contact high from Willie?

Karma kicked in for using two cars... that's why you two had to bivy.

Appearance is a consequence of fitness.

Has anyone had problems with not being able to straighten their arms the next day after a lot of pull ups and/or a hard day of climbing? Not really painful but super super sore... In addition that I also sometimes get light swelling at the base of my bicep close to the inside of my elbow. Any tips for prevention/reduction/recovery? More stretching post work out? Protein? Water intake?

who wants a mustache ride!!! sickie sickie

I still occasionally have nightmares that involve that trail at night, a 90 lb haulbag, no ski poles, a dead headlamp and the smell of turkey chili :laf:

As of last Friday no. You will find some drips right before the summit and/or on the descent. If you are coming in from the north and doing only the upper ridge then you will likely need crampons/ice axe to get to the access couloir or plan on taking a very round about approach to the upper ridge access couloir. If you do take pons/ice axe the sherpa is a much quicker descent as Matt suggested.

Yes. You will find a hikers trail near the bottom of the cascadian (don't freak if you don't... you will eventually hit the creek) that will connect you with the ingalls creek trail. When you hit the creek go skiers right and follow this until you hit either Ingalls lake and/or a hikers trail and head to stuart pass. Yes. Goes real quick in between the two. wee bit of snow mostly scree/boulder field. Yes. From goat pass head more or less down and skiers right taking path of least resistance aiming towards toe of north ridge. If you hit the glacial ice/crevasses section in the center of the stuart glacier you are to high and need to drop lower. Yes if you want to carry it. You could get by with just a #2 and a #4 c4 camalot. Yes... most people don't. No major lurking crevasses exist but yes some are there some open ones so do what you feel comfortable with.

no luck down here or did you rule it out?

Sorry... I have a newb in tow that needs a few more sessions inside before we venture outside. Later this week or next?

club sport?

Nice TR and climb guys... great to see TRs on the more "obscure" stuff