tony_seattle

thanks for the list of dead climbers; it is good to remind people that even non-technical routes can be deadly by ignorance, inexperience or genuine accident but I would like to encourage young people to dream, plan and do things but be smart about it. Death is inevitable and happens once in your lifetime; one can die being shot in the city or hunting or just in car accident. These can be more common than you think. I’d say keep your life interesting and take calculated risks.

Nagarjun is a cool place. There are also other places around but your main problem will be to get there and to find climbing buddies. Nepalese don't have money to do it. I spend 6 months a year there and I always pay someone to come with me. Nothing for me but helps them to survive and there are fees averywhere because they are so poor including government. If you manage to get out on the trek especially to Khumbu area there is lots of awesome routes but again you issue wiill be climbing buddy. Low budget is a problem no matter where you go especially if you looking for luxioury products and services and climbin in Nepal is luxioury for locals. Have a great time, it is awesome coutry and great people. kathmandu is very polluted and often polution stays there for long time because there are no winds to get them out of the valley, especially in winter.

you should not need diamox but if you are concerned you should take it with you; if you acclimatize for couple of days in Quito and get up to Pichichna for a day you should have no altitude problems. If you are comfortable on Rainier climb, Cotopaxi is not that much different, just a touch higher but much easier to climb as you will climb from very comfortable lodge, so it all makes easier. Have a great trip and great climb and lots of fun in Equador, it is really nice place

I climbed both Orizaba and Cotopaxi, none of these are technical for climbers; bear in mind that mountain madness does take inexperienced climbers on 'expeditions'; this is why they have to rope them up and make sure that they can arrest sliding down rope chain; they are responsible for their safety of at large inexperienced customers. On both climbs you drive by SUV to climbing hut, Cotopaxi hut in fact is very nice and worth the fee. Cotopaxi is more spectacular and can be icy and you definitely will need crampons and ice axe. The most dangerous part of it is at the begining where you have a short section going diagonally and this is where inexperienced people trip. If you however climbed Rainier Emmons route, this is similar difficulty, so I would suggest doing that as preparation and then you will be qualified to do Cotopaxi without the guide. When you arrive to Quito (9000ft) you want to spend few nights there and you do acclimatization there up to 15000ft. There is a cable car, which will take you to something like 13000ft and you can hike to the top of the hill (Pichichna), it in itself is an amazing hike with spectacular views on the valley. Quito is really cool place and spending there 3-4 days is fantastic holiday itself, great and inexpensive restaurants, colnial history and you must visit Guyasamin museum Capilla del hombre, amazing architecture, views and cool art. I took the bus and jumped off at the turn off to the park. You can hire transportation there to the Refugo for $25, now maybe $30-50 and you should be able to climb next morning. It took me 3hrs solo to the summit at comfortable pace but it takes 5hrs for the rope team. If you climb solo let them all go and leave 1 hour or maybe 2 after they left for your safety and you will probably catchup with them before the summit. So don't bother with Mexico vulcanos as preparation for Cotopaxi unless you really want to climb them as such. Do Emmons route to qualify you for Cotopaxi and acclimatize in Quito. Cotopaxi is very busy so you don't need guides. If you decide to take a guided tour form Quito there are few operators and there is a cool climbing shop. And good luck, it is a fun holiday. I hope that this is useful. If you have further pleas email me tolejnicki@hotmail.com cheers tony

If you interested to have a go on British route on Shishapangma in September please let PM me. It is a very cool route for an independent climber, we will have a base camp from 1 September until mid October; it is rare opportunity to do this route. Cheers Tony

Hey Dude, you will find that all of them are similar in price and service, it is very competitive there; I used them only on the way down from plaza de mulas; I carried all gear and climbing food, because I was travelling light doing carry-over from plaza Argentina; I recommend to take only food for the climb and access to basecamp and use basecamp restaurants, cheap and nice food; doing direct route is pretty cool and not difficult as most of people will make you believe; I hope that by Polish Glacier variation you mean direct route and not false Polish track...

Hey Dude, I did Polish glacier direct route in 2002. My experience with the weather there in summer is that it is very consistent and it lasts usually 2-4 days, so you have to wait it out in the base camp, which is really luxioury with good food; after climtizing you can summit really in two days if you are reasonably fit; you can radio from camp1 and then once you past ameghino col all the way to camp2; once you on Polish glacier you have visual to basecamp all the way until you reach summit plateau; Mendoza has many climbing shops and you can hire radios in them; there will be many radios on the mountain, every group carries them so you can communicate with the basecamp even if you don't have radio; once you on the glacier then you will be most likely by yourself; if you doing false polish route you will be with other 50 people and if you doing standard route you will be climbing with 200+ others on the switchback path; if you need more info please ask me, cheers Tony

I will be in Red Rocks 11/22-28; looking for a climbing partner

check your pm

Anyone climbed or descended Kain Face lately ? I was trying to find route condition from Robson Park rangers but I could only get to talk to their answeing machine for last 2 days. We would like to have a go at it this weekend. I appreciate any information.

i'd like to have a go at goode ne buttress this tue-wed. anyone interested? pm or call 425-443 1760 tony

Interested to climb NE Buttress of Goode tue-wed?

Ken Hill, if you are still interested in Bugs, please call me or e-mail me, I could not decipher your phone number in the mesage, so I cannot phone you.

PM sent

I'd like to drive to Bugs for 3-4 days of climbing easier routes i.e. around 5.8 with short 5.9 sections; I lead comfortably sustained TRAD upto 5.8 and not sustained sections 5.9. I can follow short section of 5.10 if necessary. However with a new partner I'd like to stay in 5.9 range. I am very fit for alpine style climbing. I'd like to leave Seattle early Sat 8/5 and climb until Wed 8/9 and drive back to Seattle 9th or 10th. I have a car and don't mind to drive; I'll pay for gas, so if you have time but no money and can climb sustained 5.9 it is a good opportunity to take. I will be climbing from Sun until Thu so e-mail me or leave message on 425-443 1760 if interested. Tony tolejnicki@hotmail.com