Camilo

Nice work guys! Especially Jay for making it all the way up on flats. Get that guy some clipless pedals. I thought about doing this a couple of years ago as a human-powered sea-level to summit climb. If I get the time, I'll try it some day. You can ride from Astoria to Portland mostly on back roads and HWY 30, and then take your route up the mountain. Would definitely add fatigue and mileage, since it's about 100 miles from Astoria to Portland.

There are a couple of good shots of the fire here Good news: Gnarl fire leaves Mt. Hood structures intact by Helen Jung, The Oregonian Friday September 19, 2008, 9:55 AM The historic Cloud Cap Inn and structures at the Tilly Jane Compound that had been threatened by fire are safe, the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center said today. Crews had been unable to check on the buildings as the Gnarl fire, which suddenly kicked up earlier this week and aggressively advanced to a quarter-mile from the Cooper Spur Ski Area, blocked access. The smoke also obscured their aerial view of the buildings, said Jeree Mills, spokeswoman for the coordination center. But by last night, they had confirmed that all the buildings were intact, she said. Firefighters plan to lay down sprinklers once they can get to the areas, she said. Cooler weather is expected to help crews battle back the blaze, which has grown to 2,300 acres, up 300 acres from yesterday. The fire is 5 percent contained and officials have not changed their evacuation alerts to residents of the Mountain Shadow and Snowbird subdivisions. (For more on the residents, read this earlier post). Winds may push the fire toward Highway 35, Mills said. But overall, firefighters are expecting better conditions. "The unstable air making that thing just rock and roll -- it's moved on now." Other fires are continuing to burn around Oregon. Fire officials are estimating they will be able to contain the Royce Butte fire, southwest of Bend, by Sunday and the state has reopened Oregon 58, which had been closed due to the fire. More than 147 homes and cabins were threatened when the human-caused fire began Tuesday, and more than 100 people were evacuated from the Crescent and Odell lake areas and a nearby subdivision. No structures have been damaged in the fire, and residents are being allowed to return to their homes, but officials cautioned that residents should still be on alert. The fire is at 381 acres and is about 60 percent contained. The Rattle Fire continues to be very active inside the Boulder Creek Wilderness Area. It now spans 14,227 acres, up 3,070 from Thursday and is 28 percent contained. The Lonesome Complex fire, 21 miles east of Prospect, has crossed into the Crater Lake National Park, and covers 15,500 acres, up 6,044. Anyone traveling in the area is advised to check for local road closures through the state's TripCheck site. -- Helen Jung; helenjung@news.oregonian.com

To echo Korup: Ski buddy is an essential. Even inbounds on a deep day, you can end up hopelessly stuck in a tree well, or asphyxiated. A ski buddy who can ski powder is also nice because you can follow and imitate. That's how I learned - following my old man for years.

I just heard of Jim's accident on the radio. I never met him, but exchanged some messages about the guidebook. My sincerest condolences to his friends and family. For those of you who don't know, Jim has posted here as "retired"

A couple of my buddies did it and had a blast. The came out of it pretty beat up though.

The one on looker's left.

Ha! A good buddy of mine is in that picture. He's going to be pissed if he sees that!

I've got the Bakers (with Dynafits) and love the setup. My previous setup was Fritschis and Tua Crossrides, and I've loved the Bakers a lot more both in pow and hardpack. I'd recommend them for sure.

I'm not an ice climber, but it looks like some was starting to setup around Ainsworth. Couldn't get a clear picture while driving through. Here's a shot of Crown Jewel, looking not yet climbable. Edit: Shot taken at 2pm today.

JayB, I heard that all Shell stations in Washington state are giving coupons for 2 for 1 tickets with every fillup. My friends are stocking up for a trip. Apparently they are also good on weekends. Can any Washingtonians confirm this? Might be worth asking friends to use the Shell stations and mail you the coupons.

I have these skis mounted with Dynafits. I'm a crappy reviewer, but they work great. They're light so you barely notice they're on your pack (or your legs), and they ski just fine on the way down. I think I saw a review a while back on www.telemarktips.com that is more detailed. Durability wise, I haven't had any problems with them and have about 40 bc days on them. Hope this helps.

I wish I could still bike to work. New job allows me to enjoy all of the gridlock Portland has to offer, at all hours of the day

You might want to edit out your email and phone number now that you found work.

What do people think about suggesting the removal of toilets? Pee in the grass, poo when you get to the park in the morning? Seems that bathroom upkeep is the most expensive thing.

I call bullshit. Portland is full of look-alikes. I would also like to propose a moratorium on hairy man-ass photos. Winter's right: (from Willamette Week) And to be clear, I wasn't there. Edit: Hairy man