selkirk

That might be a first!

Same here. I've usually attach my chalk bag and nut tool to my harness with wire gate biners I've booty'ed. I'm 99% sure they're full strength if I need them in a pinch, I'm 100% sure they'll hold static loads for a rapel, and I'm 0% concerned about leaving them behind if it's useful. I've got 2 rap rings someone gave me as a b-day present years ago. They still have a bow on them

Additional layers of socks does not necessarily mean warmer. You have watch blood flow closely. If the additional layer results in a snugt fit at home it will be down right tight after all day on your feet. The reduced blood flow will then cause your feed to be colder than with 1 pair of socks and some room to wiggle your toes. If really need to stretch them, you might consider vapor barrier socks or something of that sort, though you have to watch moisture management or you'll get blisters That said taking a good pair of leather boots that have been waterproofed, on a 2 or 3 day climb of most local mountains will be just fine. Rainier in cold weather might be chilly but Baker, Shuksan, etc. etc. shouldn't be any issue.

Even Vietnam, Korea, the previous version of Afghanistan, all dealt pretty heavily with quasi-nation states or proxies for other nations. Not quite non-governmental actors, but not exactly direct nation vs nation warfare either (ala WWI / WWII)

I've got a crap load of these things Trango used to make them from a nearly identical mold. Reliable, nice size, highly functional, nice snappy gates that have held up. Not the lightest out there but the difference between 20 of these and 20 Camp Nano/Metolius Micro's is only 7 oz.

Vantage is a choss pile. Climbing at Vantage bears the same relation to climbing at anywhere good as bestiality does to sex. words from one who would know I've never fallen there on gear, so no words up or down from me. Taken some falls at Tieton and everything held fine My impression is that the rock quality for mid range gear (fingers and up) is fine. Not sure I would trust it sub-finger size though. my .02

One. Of the mid catalog picks has a big blatant Black Diamond logo on a pack:-)

mmmm, stemming loveliness! with a nice little boulder problem to keep you honest :mmondance:

Best climb for the grade in the park. IMO...... Made it into Fred's top 100 That final pitch is one of my all time favorites. How can you not love overhanging jugs with great exposure and good gear.

Pack Animal Pack Animal Direct :moondance: If you want to work on air time have a go at Calamity Jam! So much good trad

hmmmm, sounds kind of like the Tea Party, but with less political success.

Have a Shak (though not the hoody) :tup: Durability has been good but I've worn / washed it so often the under arm seams are starting to get thin. Recently picked up an Icebreaker GT260 and love it so far. A little lighter than the Shak. Can't weight to take it out.

I grew up skiing Schweitzer. Definitely got a bit spoiled there. not much in the way of beginners terrain last time I was there but the intermediate / advanced stuff is fantastic

Ron Paul will fit right in southern Id, even better in northern Id. I wouldn't get to close though. I'm not convinced bloodlust isn't infectious. Idaho politics scares me and I grew up there. :shiver: It's what happens when you have a 1 party system and a highly homogenous population. You're options are really conservative, mostly libertarian, or batshit crazy.

I do like it when the government decides that we aren't all going to be losers. The auto/finance bailouts weren't about picking winners, they were making sure we didn't slide into and even bigger hole than we were in. Besides, isn't that what SCOTUS did for W?

Mine are the Tan version, but probably also 8 or 9 years old, and they've been great. I havent' put in the mileage that Gene has so they aren't tooo floppy. I've had good luck with the Grivel New-matic attachment (lever in the back, plastic basket in the front.) I didn't take them up Rainier but I expect they would have been fine. Everything else you mentioned they were ideal for (Baker a few times, shuksan, Sahale, etc.) Took them out of the box and backpacked the Enchantments with no blisters. Great boot

aah isn't he cute! My wife nearly picked up a 5 footer there a couple years ago on accident (he was curled up 1 ft off the trail between the trail and her pack). He didn't even rattle at her

I have. Never whipped, but took a couple of short falls on Orange sunshine near the top. The gear is great The easier cracks tend to take wider gear as well. I think Offwhite mentioned, the nature of the cracks are not particularly cam friendly, but very hex / nut friendly.

Agreed. Great rock, lots of cracks from 5.4 to 5.10c. Good rock quality (not granite, but way above Vantage!)

Dragon thumb-stud / slings + the classic DMM cam sizes, finish etc, on a single stem instead of a doublet stem. Doesn't look like anything radicaly new or better (awfully similar to Tech Friends). That said, DMM always put's a nice finish on everything they do and their cams have historically been quite light. I expect I'd be happy to climb on them

Good climb but you're order is all wrong. 4. Toxic Shock (1 move wonder than mellow and fun) Do the twin cracks around the corner.) 2. Breakfast of Champions (straight forward, mildly burly. Do Rogers corner to approach). 3. Princely Ambitions (mmmm, technical fun) 1. Godzilla (dude!)

Crack Climbing Workshop Thread Here's a good listing of local-ish cracks Have fun and embrace the pain! Smith is always great, and Tieton is a great spot for TR-able cracks. 4538.txt

Ass backwards, fixed it for you... Maestri's actions in no way prevented others from climbing the mountain as they saw fit. Chopping the route remove's a climbing option that was available yesterday. Creation and Destruction should be held to much much higher standards than inaction. Maestri's route fails the standard of creation, but IMHO chopping the route (most any route) fails the standard of destruction as well.

Bolt chopping always makes me a little said. For new routes, I'm all for good strict ethics consistent with the local consensus, with the minimum possible gear left behind. The Compressor route seems awfully contrived and controversial from that get go, but does that justify erasing it entirely? To remove a route in this fashion implicitly assumes that your way is not only the right way, but the only way acceptable for anyone to proceed. And that strikes me as a arrogant and elitist. To each their own. If the Community doesn't like a route, don't maintain it. Leave it for it's historical significance, but allow it fade. The bolts will rust, but remain as a reminder.

I see more buses stuck around here than anything else!