SnowByrd

I hate November too..every year without fail shit happens.... This year...car wreck so no climbing or skiing for ???? Buy a full spectrum light..they help alot.

isn't that deck the halls? franz ferdinand, killers, etc?

Wait a minute...ru that puppy's father?

Whew! At least you didn't need one of these!

So can anyone answer the original question? Has anyone used the Cinch? Is it better/worse than the gri gri? Why?

You're getting me a saw for Crimbo? Thanks CBS....I was hoping for the new BD cams....doh! So ru teach me how to saw off my arm in the true tradition of 'mounty survival tradition'? sicko!

Ya never know what people might be up to I'd hate to spoil somebody else's fun if I showed up unexpectedly with a 10 year old...better to be safe. Actually, I heard stories about this short perverse dude named Rudy, or Ricky or something like that... Plus...if Layton is in the vicinity, well...anything could happen

anybody mind if i show up with a 10 yr old? nothing x-rated happening is htere?

need a belay bunny?

Nope....my 2 year olds father (im mad at him for joining) ships out after the first of the year. Lets just hope they come home safely.

Grandma!!!!!!

What sort of skiier does a person need ot be? How bout equipment?I don't do nordic...or steep black diamonds... but I have a pair of downhill skiis I'm willing to thrash or donate to the cause...boots are hard downhill girly size 8 if I don't get to go and anybody else wants em. Skiis are about 8 years old...153's I think.

Bummer...a positive outlook and some oxycodone will go a long way. Are you having surgery? DUDE! That So sucks! My auntie has a herniated lumbar and has has had surgery twice...still its not fixed. On a positive note, my coworker, Frank, was in so much pain from the same thing, he had surgery and was back to work the next week, even though the doc said to stay home for 2. Here I am whining about a broken thumb...You can have all my oxycodone...I like it too much and have 3 prescriptions I haven't filled yet. Get better! Do you need anything? Everyone has been SO nice to me...offering to drive me places and stuff. PM me if you need anything at all! -Nina

Obviously, I know thats not gonna happen.... I broke my hand in a car accidnet on Tuesday night and now i can't climb. Is there any way to keep my 'climbing head' about me while I heal? This sounds silly...but I just learned to lead and I'm terrified I'm gonna lose it all and have to go back to following 5.4. I have surgery next week and I'll probably be in a cast for 8 weeks after that. I'll be able to ski (since I don't use my poles anyways) but if anybody has any pointers or kewl tricks to keep in climbing shape, I'm all ears I hate being injured. DAMNITDAMNITDAMNIT! Just anything to keep psyched...and maybe some rehab tricks as well. I'm going to edit this and ask what I really meant....so far people have answered my nferred question... If you've been injured before, either while climbing or otherwise, would you share your experience if its not too painful and tell us how you coped with not being able to climb and what you did to keep in shape? I'm lucky....mine is not a climbing accident so therefore I don't have to face any demons when its time to get back onto the rock....I can just go climb. Kudos to everyone who has faced an injury of some sort and kept on climbin'.

i'm game.....

If you are saying you oppose locking biners on the rope end and then have locking biners opposed and connect to them for the rope to pass through you are not doing yourself any favor. What you have done is added two extra elements to your system that could fail, not that locking biners fail. My point is sometimes simpler is safer. The more complicated you make a system the more chances you create for error. If any of you can get a biner to disengage from a bolt with rope tension, then you have powers beyond mine for fuckin' up. For that matter if you can get the rope to dissengage from a set of correctly opposed draws on a top rope anchor, I suggest you give up climbing and take up water colors. I'm not that dumb....

I made the mistake of back clipping and had to downclimb and reverse it. Won't do that again... I'm not worried at all actually...I just wanted to poll people and find out what they thought. Its sort of a 'mounties' versus everyone else discussion actually, because my climbing partners are mainly mounties. I didn't want to nor do I now want to bring in the mounties vs non mounties way of doing things now (thats for spray) but I thought it was a good topic for discussion. I should have been clearer when I originally posted the question. No sweat iain...you've contributed to this discussion and I appreciate it. As we both know, threads wander...and I contribute often to the wandering I love to climb and I know its dangerous...I just prefer to do it safely.

The original question was referring to the bolts you clip into while on lead....NOT the anchors at the top. But then the discussion drifted to the top anchors. So let me clarify....I use opposing locking biners at the TOP when I set up my anchors through the chains (one for the rope and one through the anchor), or bolts at the top....I do NOT use multiple or locking anything when clipping into the bolts leading UP to the anchors. Make sense?

I saw your old post...when is this thing coming out then? Where?

I'm a total paranoid when it comes to the hangar...I know I'll get made fun of for this but being a newbie, I'm still learning...so I'll sure I'll lighten up (literally) with experience....for the hangers, opposing is automatic....in addition, I replace the hangar end of one draw with a locking biner that fits thru the anchor and I also replace the rope end with a locker as well. So they both oppose, and I've got lockers thru the anchor as well as for the rope. 2 draws for the hangers...one for each clip.

I've just had a lively discussion with a friend on the proper way to orient biners on a quick draw for Sport Routes. If you go to REI, and pick up a sport draw, the biners are facing the same way. BD's for example. 1) Said friend says that gear manufacturers are now saying that it is dangerous to oppose the draws. Is there any evidence to support this? 2) Climbing Gear girl at REI (been climbing for 13 years) says they are set up wrong. They should be opposing. 3) Everyone else I've spoken to says they should be opposing. So what's the scoop? And most importantly...WHY?

Went to Vantage with Dryad. Learned to lead. Whoo Hoo! Thanks Simona! Climbed alot. Great Weather! Ran into CPoly, Craig, Rocksanyone, and TBSqrd. Hiya Guys! Went out to dinner and a club with Doc on Halloween. No hangover though.

To answer my own question....the UPPER stuff is open...and its all black diamond...which I cannot ski...yet. They're supposed to get a foot of snow this weekend....but that remains to be seen. So for plans...well...I'd say maybe next weekend for Hood if they open the lower stuff.... So Dryad...lets hit some rock. Do you fancy a trip to Vantage? We can stay overnight if your little heart desires...PM me dear and lets make some plans. If you still fancy freshiez....Im sure you have your choice of partners...I've got the 10 year old so we'll probably climb.

I'm an idiot...please help me read a map Is the Palmer snow field that whole area? Is it below the lodge or above it? They need a better map of the trails.

Here's the dealio...its supposed ot be sunny but cold in Vantage...and its a 2 hour drive....theres our rock. The Palmer Snow Field is open at TImberline...and its snowing....but I don't know what the Palmer Snow Field is? Is it just one lift with a coupld of green runs? Is it several lifts with a mix of easy and difficult runs? Can anybody help here?