Janez_Ales

One should not criticize what one doesn't know. JJ's guide book just happens to be one of the best, if not the best ice climbing guidebook.

I am in Canmore and was thinking of going to the Valley of the Birds, have a 4x4 that can transport 5 in a pinch, 4 OK, and with some luxury... janez.ales@gmail.com

All Brand new, I have been having to much fun climbing to have any time for skiing in this decade. I guess I was skiing lots in the 90's HAVOC 183 cm ( a hard to get length) $490 US O2 tele binding - midstiff $160 US T1 Scarpa tele boots size 10.5 $460 US Boots are black and grey with a thermal moulded liner (not molded yet Bindings were mounted in MEC and I put some carbon wax (-20 C) on the skis as a base layer... Prices as for individual items (no TAX skis and bindings 5% off, all three 10% off. janez.ales@gmail.com 403.609.0480

My initiation came when Guy and I turned around on some top secret climb and drove by Shannon Falls at sunset. Guy asked me if I do have a headlamp? Off we were... I think it was 1996...I got the last pitch, but no Guy at the end of the rope when i pulled it up... After a few minutes of setting up a quick rap into the wetest ice = slurpie I have climbed until then, Guy comes up - soloing. It was good to see him...

Screws, tools, and crampons can rust on a long drive home even if new... The way to avoid that is to leave them in the canopy, so they do not melt out and when you come home hang them ..., if you drive something else than a pick-up then they will warm up and will have to get air = dry them out. A small bag with screws - opened bag fits quite well somewhere near front passenger seat. Tools and crampons normally get enough air... Happy and safe climbing

The most rewarding moments of my teaching carear were when students asked themselfs the right question! I am not saying that there is only one right answer here, but the question is deffinitely the right one... keep pondering

On the funny note, "no boyfriend" will definintely help climbing but so does "no girlfriend" for guys As far as climbing 6 times 2-4 hours a night on plastic is concerned, not that I do it, not that I could do it, not that I would want to do it, but your tendons must be very strong if you are going to get away without any permanent injury. When I started climbing sport I wwas cranking 12's in three months, it lasted for 3 years, with occasional 13. But that was it. Injury. My right elbow still feels it when I overdoit. My schedulle was mostly climb 2-3 days/week on Medetiranean coast plus two evening sessions bouldering on south facing building walls - bridges. Now I am happy with a few trad 12's a year, a lot of alpine stuff, and of course a lot of ice, so a variety does best for your "cross" training... Enjoy your weekends, I am still paying the dues to the bugs...

Life is tough, you too should move to Canmore

Training is for those who like to suffer and have no fun, climbing all the time is for those who like to suffer more and have fun doing it. So before you waste another 17 years of your life, just like I did, tryin to balance teaching and climbing with another ten hobbies of yours, say no to everyhing, get your ice tools and move to Canmore You will never look back! Well, maybe on a Friday night, when you have a flue and nothing better to do than browse cc.com We will not hold the fact that you call yourself a "chick" against you

Ai Steve, if your boots are so good why are they cold, Cumbres should've been warm enough? Freney and Freney XT are two completely different boots. The one that fits me well is the XT. Anyway, we all like different toys... You must be kidding me, the only comp i went to was in 1988, where i pulled the last number for the qualifying round. It started raining specially for my turn I was thinking of straping a canoe to my back ( in the good old Jehova tradition). Quite fun actually when everybody was waiting if I am going to file an "official protest"... a waste of my time! I am here to climb, work, and, yes, to avoid flu bugs, as it happens:! When is the fest anyway? I might go to a secret location and sublet my room... :?

Hi there stranger, "...in order to serve you better please print your full name in block letters...". I guess in your case it would go something like Stevealot... Single boots will do on most days. It mostly depends if you do strip down enough for the climbing and have the belay jacket with you when you stop leading the pitch... If I remember right you have those Cumbre boots? They suck, should have never been sold, the shape is simply not right, and when you pul the laces they squeeze the toes more than the arch, and because the laces run too smothley, there is no way to avoid that. And of course they freeze quite well by the end of the day. The bigest problem of all, the instep collapsed, no torsional stability in the middle of the boot, where you need it most. Saying that, I have quite a high arch so they could work for somebady with a flat foot. I found that Freney XT are much better, should be a bit colder on the insulation, but because they fit better, they are warmer. Different shape on the same sole. "Did I quite my job?" My friend, that is like asking Don Juan if he parted with his ex? Just kidding... I hope UBC was my last 9-5, God did not make me for that... I brought my work with me, math modeling, algorithm design, the sort of stuff that the programmers claim they can do, but only until it stops working or it actually never did work. So if you wish anything from R&D to a working, (if I have to say this) code... unfortunately, hard to find work like this, o programming will do here and there I had a bad flu in the last three days, but I can breathe normally now, well almost. Climbing was excellent in the last 6 weeks, appart from my last day, when I already had a flu... ;~J

Too bad for you guys, hope Rampart was a good cozy spot When it was the cold snap of about -30 C around here some of the coastal dudes went home - too cold, I guess like you two. Well, I went to the upper weeping wall twice and to PC in four days of "cold". No belay jackets needed for most of the day! They are waiting for you in my valet, the $$$ that is.

Hm, for the amount of ice THOS has you could have been passing one a pair of crampons back and forth, but I guess you did not know that before hand... ... and yes, I did walk twice to THOS from the big hill

Good pics, Dru and Fern...

I am glad it is only your lens Dru, did you guys make it to Canmore this new year?

Mount monos on your Rambos and then take the spare pair and bolt it at the back so that it sticks out on top of the frame, but under the bail, pointing up of course... and yes, tighten your shoe laces

That said, I have never broke a pick , yet! Elders have told me so

Sharp is good (picks and points:) but a bit expensive

The mistery Janis is actually Janez He is out in Canamore now: 403.609.0480 Welcome to give me a shout when you get here. (Notice that I wrote when and not if...) We had a real west coast day here, freezing rain and all that... Thanks for all the work on the Guidebook Don, last two seasons were great fun out on the coast... Janez.

Sorry, unfortunately, dirtbag quarters are full. There will be seven of us in here...

Ah, what do I want to climb? Anything sane... I can lead all the pitches on climbs up to WI 5. If we want to do WI 6 we will have to swap leads ;~J

Any of you around here in Canmore? I have moved to Canmore and am free for climbing. Give ma a call on 403.609.0480 or better send me an e-mail on janez.ales@gmail.com Janez.

Yes, PNW has it all. U-Haul might be the only long term solution here. Saying that, if you drop by in Squamish or Canmore we can go climbing...

Some of us went back to Wedge this weekend. Definitely safer conditions than two weekends ago. Susi and Rudi climbed the NE arete, Tyler and Scott did the NE face, I went up Rethel/Parkhurst/Wedge via their north culoirs and the Slot. As you know the weather was superb...

vat du yu min by my aksent The eastern route around the glacier is duable, but not without some steepish climbing. Another party of two had tried it but they eventually ended up on the glacier where the photo was taken from. We did not even try the eastern side due to novices in the party. Snow conditions did not look promissing even on the slope leading to the ridge, easy to moderate shear 25cm down, most likely enough to turn around. We avoided it going up to the col on the north side of the slope, which is lower angle. We hoped for some wind blown ridge travel, but what we got was more and more snow even on the flat part of the ridge. Ridge higher up was nicely smooth, another indication of no wind through the night was surface hoar everywhere. Once we were sinking 2 feet, still on the flat part of the rige, it was time to get out of there. Two rappels deposited us down to the glacier... In retrospect we missed perfect turns in perfect pow down from the Weart-Wedge col...