Dr_Crash

Ouch! Where is da snow?! Any idea what the top of the climb (from the schrund up) looks like? Crossable by a solo gumby, or should I just add a 5th consecutive night of partying and drinkig to my week? drC

What is the shape of the route now? I'd like to solo it maybe this Friday night / Sat morning. It'd be my first solo, so much snow = goodness. If not soloing, I'll try to get someone willing to do the roundtrip from Seattle to Hood in 24 hours like that (being on Rainier on Sun). drC

Last Duck Dodge, can't miss that Another PC next week? drC

Get your very own portable hypoxia system: http://www.go2altitude.com/ or http://www.hypoxictent.com/science.html or I am sure others. drC

Speaking of books, a decent one is "Training for peak performance" (ha ha, thanks for the pun) published by the Mountaineers and focused on climbing only (unlike the previous one). Some good info and no nonsense. Warning: reading has not been evaluated by the FDA as a way to make you fit. drC

Oops.

Copy at a much cheaper price apparently. I'd like the Quark to get a little adjustable high pinky rest. Anybody knows if the Quark is changing for this season? drC

Fontainebleau, not fontainbleu . Some sites with topos: - [French] http://www.grimporama.com/francais/bleau/bl_circ.htm - [French] http://www.xavier-langlois.com/ - [English] http://www.coronn.com/TOPOS/readersTOPOS_download.html The IGN topographic map (Foret de Fontainebleau, ref. Top 25 / 2417OT) can also be found, along with every other IGN product, at the IGN store (Espace IGN) off the Champs Elysees. I like paper maps so I bought a few when I was there in February (Alps, not Fontainebleau), but if you like computer maps, they sell CD-ROMs pretty cheaply compared to the price of the maps they cover. drC Edited to point to English IGN page.

More like an answer to Grivel Air Tech Evo (which now also comes with a hammer), with the added twist of the replaceable pick. So many axes to pick from these days... And now Petzl had added the Cosmi'tec. Argh. So many choices. Which reminds me I need to get these Quarks for alpine and everything else drC

Thanks for the ideas all. Catbird, I had dismissed Darrington, I wanted a climb not just rock climbing. My partner ended up not even having time, so road biking was my day's program. But I'll keep those in mind for future use. drC

Hi, My friend has only a short day Saturday to climb, and we'd like to do better than cragging. I am looking for ideas of something we can summit around the area in a short amount of time besides obvious candidates like the Tooth and Ingalls Peak. No tough rock climbing please: I tore muscles in my left arm and forearm and am supposed to give them a rest. drC

(Not NW.) I like Mirror Pond and Full Sail beers a lot. drC

Happy bday. Best thing to do is fly away from DC and party here. drC

Wasn't an American plane (or rather debris from a ...) that provoked the demise of the Concorde? Talk about anti-competitive practices from Boeing... drC

If the AlpineLite 30 is indeed the same size and weight, my question is how well will it compress when you remove the back padding? If it compresses as well as the Genie, then it looks like a great small pack to get. drC

As jmckay said, there is a Tacoma branch of the Mountaineers (www.mountaineers.org and www.tacomamountaineers.org). They apparently have a sport climbing course in addition to the traditional mountaineering courses (you'd have to wait for next year as all these courses start at the end of winter). The gym is a great place to find people too, and most gyms have a "partners wanted" board you can put your contact info on. I found that a combination of learning with friends and formal training worked best for me; my time with my friends is too valuable to impose on them the learning of the basics, but as with many things, the more people you climb with, the more you'll be exposed to different experiences and perspectives. drC

Yes, I am saving for the Quarks. I'll suck up the extra weight on alpine, or will eventually use that as an excuse to get something else . I played with Quarks, Aztars, Black Prophets and Cobras. The Cobras were sooo sweet but they're way heavy; I loved those things but wouldn't lug them on a mountain. Someone has a pair of Aztarex but we got split and I couldn't try them. Also climbed using just plain old ice axs which was fun too. I only fell once without a rope and didn't break anything (but that will teach me from running up high daggering without really planting the picks). I give credit to skiing since I hopped a few times looking for balance after the slide. Oh, NOLSe, dunno about leashless now. We brought a pair of fruit boots for fun, and the one thing about the spurs is that they were quick to cut a long slit in my brand new pants (I heard about gaiters, yes, but left them in the car). I can't wait for winter and waterfall ice (not to mention that ski season I've been robbed of this year). El Nino, go home, bring on winter! drC

Did my first ice climbing (in crevasses, yes) and I am in love. I'd sell my rock shoes in a heartbeat if it'd help me get ice tools. This is so sweet! drC

You will ask, what the heck was he doing with ice screws at Marymoor?! I had screws racked on my harness for last weekend when my climbing partner called and offered some Marymoor rock climbing. I unracked the screws in the parking lot, and one of them must have dropped The screw is a Petzl Laser Sonic, 17 cm, shiny with an orange cap. If you find it, please PM me and I can describe how the screw is marked, and supply beer or other beverage of choice and profound thanks. drC - Parking lot gear dropper

For a glacier fall, you definitely do not need a 9.2 to be safer. The forces are pretty low compared to climbing. I've always used 8.4 mm, and it is not uncommon to see people using 7.6 mm (in both cases test and adjust your prussiking accordingly). In your case, adding a third person to the team would do much more for your potential safety in case of a fall than any change to the rope. drC

Print or read the mountain navigation guide. It will give you bearings to go down in a whiteout without a surprise detour through the neighboring glaciers (maybe not this weekend but it doesn't take space in your pack). Sunblock, sunblock, sunblock. drC

Foie gras. Tasty, salty, good for all occasions. drC

The 45 should be enough for a 2 or 3 overnighters. drC

Hey, I am doing my first ice trip (practice) this weekend. I have a friend who can lend me some BD tool, but I am looking at buying either Quarks or Aztars and I would love if anybody had some of these that they could lend to me for the weekend. Subsequent beer'll be on me of course. drC

FWIW, you can buy a Rainier-only yearly pass for $30. drC