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joel20

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Posts posted by joel20

  1. I lost a memorial bracelet of for SSG Jason Fegler "Gunny" of C 1/502IN 101 ABN 2 winters ago around the Icicle Creek Area while doing some ice cragging and I was wondering if anyone had ever happened upon it since.

  2. I've been away in the Army for the past 4 years and 3 months, 2 years in Iraq. Just did some soloing around Bozeman Thursday. I feel confident in leading grade 4 ice at the moment, 5 when I'm back in shape and in better form. Not really planning on any alpine until spring but I'm open to any ideas. Don't ski but am learning to this year even if it means neglecting my board.

     

    Went climbing in around Chatanooga, AL a month ago and was climbing 5.7 with bad form. Led a single pitch of a trad route of unknown difficulty while teaching an Army buddy the basics of rock climbing.

     

    I don't know any of you in person as I learned most of what I know past the basics in Europe. PM me if interested or get a hold of me at (253) 459-2685. Really interested in doing some more mixed routes this season.

     

  3. That sucks. I was just there climbing on the 21st on my way to the parents house. I knew nothing about this. By the way, it was a good day. I'd never been there before but I want to go back again with a partner so that I won't find myself leaving a stubby on Genesis II again. Would have stayed around for a a second day but I didn't want to risk having the weather moving in as it was already snowing and was scheduled to do so for the next couple of days. Parents would have been pissed if I didn't make it home for Christmas a third year in a row and not having deployment as an excuse anymore.

     

    Speaking of being home and climbing. Anyone wanna go climbing?

  4. Hey, don't worry about what's going on in Iraq. We are over here right now and we stopped caring months ago. I'd be more worried about the Suede Denim Police coming for your un-cool niece.

  5. Alright I have to recant my last statement. I really didn't know what I was doing at the time. Really the least goes on but this is my current favorite.

     

    "Want me to check it out?" "No, it's my turn to kick it."

     

    That was followed by a very large explosion 15 yards from me. Problem is, that's not the first time.

     

    Lesson learned? If it feels wrong it's more than that. It's FUCKING WRONG!

     

    There was also last March 2005 when I got back from Tikrit. After just one WI4 warm up climb in Cogne that made me decided that it was an alright idea to start climbing without a partner. A week later I found myself on Mont Blanc du Tacul on the first bit of ice that I could find. After I'd had enough shaking I did around 10 rapps on a single 60 meter static line and headed back towards the cable car station and salvaged the day my boarding down the Valle Blanche. I was just too intimidated to climb over there alone again. Damned near ruined the rest of my trip. Only did the climb because a Canadian that I met in a bar had recommended it to me.

     

    Didn't help that I saw a girl and a guy rope coming up as I was rappeling down. Women never seem to have a problem finding willing climbing partners.

     

    Chamonix? What climber wastes the better part of a month on being intimdated in Chamonix? Lesson learned? I'm too inexperienced to go climbing without partners, partners, Partners! That and don't read Mark Twight literature while being deployed and away from actual climbing.

     

    Both of these fall under the things that you don't tell your parents about no matter how old you are category.

  6.  

    914

     

    01-02-2006

     

    PlanetMountain.com

     

     

     

     

     

    JC Lafaille missing on Makalu

     

     

    For 6 days no one has heard anything from Jean Christophe Lafaille, currently engaged in the difficult first winter ascent (and, above all, solo) of Makalu, the fifth highest mountain in the world. The news bounced from an agency to internet sites and newspapers in its terrible non-determination: Missing! Jean Christophe is missing and no one has heard any news since Saturday 26 January, the date of his last dispatch from the high camp at 7600m, just before his summit bid.

     

    His wife Katia Lafaille, who throughout the expedition was in constant contact with her husband and who was the first to raise the alarm, is currently on her way to Kathmandu. From there she plans to fly to Makalu in an attempt to find signs of Jean Christophe. Yesterday a helicopter and a small plane flew over the great mountain but were unable to locate the Frenchman: despite splendid weather there were no signs of the 39 year old mountaineer neither at Camp 1 at circa 6600m nor close to the last camp at circa 7600m.

     

    Now, while the hours whittle away, it's useless hiding the fact that the term "missing" increasingly acquires a much deeper and darker meaning. Even if, in the case of a Himalayan mountaineer as experienced and strong as Lafaille (eleven 8000m peaks summited) it is difficult to completely abandon hope. As many will remember, in 1992 Lafaille carried out an incredible "return to life" on the south face of Annapurna after a trying 5 day solo ordeal. A strenuous battle after having lost Pierre Beghin, his companion during that adventure. And now, once again, during these hours and days of wait all we can do is hope for one of these other "possible" miracles.

     

     

    www.jclafaille.com

     

    News archive Lafaille

     

    www.explorersweb.com

    www.everestnews.com

  7. Really the best way to train for that is not to wear it but to hit that stair master, leg extensions, and squats. Work on your cardio with sprints and that stair master, no weight. Never run with that pack on. When you do wear the pack only put in about 40lbs so that your joints can can benefit from having just enough stress to make the stronger. Go running on trails, practice your land navigation skills in the woods with your pack on. Also, never fully extend your front leg when walking with your pack. One thing that I can't stress enough is to stretch and drink lot's of water and replace your salts because no matter the temperature you'll have furnace on your back.

     

    Really though, what requires you to carry that much gear. Whatever it is you should really question how much fun your having with it and whether it's worth the price of wrecking your body.

     

    Also make sure to take a first aid kit including a SAM splint, tape, an ACE bandage, and quite a bit of ibueprofen. That and to stop when it starts to hurt in a bad way. Make most of your load water so that you can either drink it or dump it when you need to. If you take that pack up a mountain dump the weight before you start going down it to save your joints. Glucossamine chondrotin may also help you out.

     

    My job requires me to carry loads often in excess of what you're describing. Often in the dark usually having a guarantee of wading at least one shit canal and it's always a big suck fest. I always ask myself if it's worth wrecking my body over or getting blown up in the process. I just happen to think no, the Bush twins dying rich and powerful is not worth it. That's not to say that it's never fun but it's not worth it either.

     

    Still I can't see the need for anymore than 60 pounds of supplies in the civilian world. I absolutely hate anymore than 30lbs of pack weight. It doesn't hurt, it just seems really innefficient.

  8. Whan that Aprille with his schoures swote.

    The drought of Marche hath perced to þe rote.

    And bathed euery veyne in suche licoure.

    Of whiche vertue engendrid ys the floure.

    And Zephirus eke with his swete breth.

    Enspired hath in euerie holt and heth.

    The tendre croppes and the yong sonne.

     

    beowulf of course, which translates into "quit being a vag"

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