KaskadskyjKozak

you've neither regressed nor progressed that's more your style. in your Mom's basement.

The sky is falling? My hair is burning! A crisis here a crisis there, a crisis everywhere! Let's obsess about them all endlessly! On a climbing web site! Here's some links! Read, wring your hands, call the waaahmbulance!

That works. You should teach j-bot some multi-tasking skills.

How's the manifesto coming along? Did your Mom at least make you some cookies and milk?

For the densest amongst us: - We had gorgeous weather last w/e - We will have more gorgeous weather this w/e - Some small minority prefer to focus only on how "shitty" it supposed is - Some small minority prefer to work on their manifestos while sequestered in their Mom's basement rather than get out etc.

j_bot has no outdoor photos to share. surprised?

There was snow along the stream you use as a handline on the final 2.5 miles or so of approach. we used climbing boots the whole way. The summit ridge is 99% snow-covered. We used 1-2 screws only. also we had a small rack but never used it as the snow at the top of the couloir is still quite deep and wide. Beware that the Bergschrund crossing we used may be out by now. However, there looked to be a crossing lower down all the way on climber's left that could be a go still.

Spectacular!

I need to go back and bag the Stuart Glacier Couloir next year - you can join me for that one. :-)

Nice Jim! This year "turns all year" really has some meat behind it with the snow pack, eh?

No need to apologize! It is par for the course on steep snow/snice climbs. :-)

Cats must be jealous: they only have nine lives. :-)

A few pics from my partner's perspective: KK leading: KK leading: KK belaying:

Regressive shill leading some alpine snow/snice: To think there is something beyond these endless threads. Huh.

Trip: Mount Stuart - Ice Cliff Glacier Date: 6/26/2011 Trip Report: Mountainguy01 and I had planned to climb the ICG a couple of weeks ago but opted to make alternate plans due to very warm temps. This weekend seemed like the last opportunity this year to bag this gem, so we went for it. The forecast was excellent to boot. View of the objective from the approach: We made the correct turn off the Stuart Lake trail, crossed a nice log, and got to the benches beyond. Unfortunately we then proceeded to follow cairns on the boulder fields for 1.5 miles, traversing at around 5000 foot elevation. We corrected this mistake on the return route the next day. Boulder hopping where we should have dropped down to the stream: Finally we met up with the stream we should have followed to begin with and ascended 400 feet to the flat areas that led to the base of the Sherpa Glacier. We noticed another party of 4 was up there and were proceeding to the moraine below the ICG. We decided to head up there as well and dug a nice platform on the snow. View up the Ice Cliff Glacier: During dinner another party of two arrived and introduced themselves. Looks like a busy weekend up on Stuart! We opted to sleep in until 2:30 am and heard the other parties head out. We caught up to the parties at the base of the ICG where the party of 4 was pitching it out. My partner and I opted to simul-climb the entire route. We only had 3 pickets so we reset several times overall. But this was also do to us folding the 60m rope in half for the upper part of the route. Leading out after resetting: A quick break about mid-way up: The snow conditions were excellent for most of the route, and there was no noticeable ice or rock fall the whole day! This was despite a freezing level rising from 8K to 10K over the weekend. We caught up to the other teams again below the 'schrund. It was spicy and will not be "in" for much longer. There is a step across move to a foothold that is on a lip that will break/melt soon. As my partner made the move, and later, I did, we were pummeled by a waterfall of ice particles from the parties above. Purchase with our tool/axe was difficult as the snow above the 'schrund was loose. So we planted a picket and used that. The picket actually was a "gift" from above as the party dropped it down on us from 200 feet above. It fortuitously landed three feet to my left, impaling itself on end at the lip of the 'shrund. The move over was as follows: step across, grab the picket, step again, eat ice waterfall, stem with right foot, awkward move up, and voila, over the 'schrund! Other climbing teams at and above the 'schrund: Temps were quite warm and I was sweating like a pig with a t-shirt and gore-tex coat. Most of the route was in the shade, but of course the top of the couloir was sunny and I had to lead it. Purchase of tools was good but it was more work to get up it with a layer of soft snow on top, and I was slowed by the extra effort. View down the climbing route: At this point I finished my water and was feeling dehydrated. I crawled like a tortoise up to the false summit, rested, and then made my slow way over to the true summit. Summit pron: We were on the summit less than 5 minutes before heading down. Snow was sloppy coming off the false summit, but got a bit better lower down. We found the top of the Sherpa Glacier and started plunge-stepping down. We were starting to get cocky - "this is not so bad... where is the crappy down-climbing". We soon found out where it is. For what seemed like an eternity we faced in and downclimbed that crap all the way to the bergschrund, which is currently an easy step-across. We plunge-stepped the rest of the way, then discovered why camping on the moraine now seemed like a bad idea. :-) Even a 200 foot ascent felt like insult to injury at this point. View up the Sherpa after descending it: We had a good rest at camp, and made good progress down to the stream and followed the faint trail and snow-patches with boot marks as far as we could, then head up towards the benches. Soon we lost cairns and I dug out my GPS while partner scouted out above. When I looked for him, I couldn't find him. After 15-20 minutes of yelling and blowing a whistle in vain, I started out, heading to the benches that I could now see, found cairns, the stream crossing at the Stuart Lake trail and headed back. I kept hoping to see my partner somewhere, but never did. My pace got slower as first the right and then left hamstring cramped up, and then my calves began to get sore. I got to the TH at about 7:45 - no partner. OK, stress level is up another notch. I hit the bathroom, and when I came out, he was there. All's well that ends well. Time for Heidelburger. Gear Notes: 1-2 ice screws, 3-4 pickets, helmet, ice axe (venom) and 2nd tool, 60m skinny rope Approach Notes: Cross stream, ascend benches, then drop to stream and follow it.

Looks like "fun".

Did we run into up there? We were one of the groups of 2 (there was another, and then the group of 4)

check your email.

You don't, and that's the point. No shit. JayB illustrates a specific point A with a graph. Resident hand waver brings up Points C, D, M, Q, and R - w/o any reference to anything. Other than proving another hair fire it's vacant. Cheers - going home to pack up the skis for the weekend BC trip. Amen. I'm packing as well. Too bad j-bot and prole don't climb or ski - it might do them some good.

just dumping data as you usually do is meaningless. Your new plot like the previous ones isn't addressing the increasing disparity in access to higher education between low and high income families that was discussed. The advantage in educated population we had relative to other nations is not only long gone, but is likely bound to get worse now that the middle class is broke, can't borrow anymore (which as you know helped many over the last few decades to get a college education) and now that your types refuse to fund public education appropriately. I am not very familiar with trade schools but I suspect that a greater fraction of the pop in Europe goes to trade schools than in the US and I don't think trade schools are post high school edu in Europe. As I already said, trade schools can be a reasonable option if they lead to stable and living wage work, which is increasingly doubtful in the little paradise you guys created. 1) Access to higher education in the US is comparable to other industrialized nations 2) Nowhere *near* 100% of folks in any country attends postsecondary education by the age of 34 You're not only not so great in your analytical skills, but as a supposed "scientist" you sure seem incapable of understanding the simplest bar-chart. Oh, yeah, you can always blame your lack of attention on the fact that your hair is on fire.

It's all about emotion. And then insulting the other side. Judging from the chart above, it looks like it's still about dodging questions about equality of access. Nonsense.

and in what utopia is there no need for people building houses, maintaining infrastructure, repairing plumbing, electricians, cleaning teeth, etc. and if an 18 year old has no idea what to do with himself, best to shuttle him off to college rather than work 2-3 years and have time to think about the former question before pursuing it- if you think otherwise you're a service tool.

+1. Everything is just fine the way it is! Conservatism at its finest. Sorry for spoiling this conversation by introducing data! Look at us! Down in the mud with...Sweden! Germany - uhhhh..Nevermind! Japan - Ditto! It's all about emotion. And then insulting the other side.

And Rob will be saying there is no problem? Status quo is just fine?

+1. Everything is just fine the way it is! Conservatism at its finest. Yeah, that's what everyone is saying. Great "analytical skills". Here's a clue - when people (or internet bots) are constantly harping on how their hair is on fire and the crisis is at hand signifies imminent disaster, the response will typically be to debunk that bullshit.