Couloir

Nice work Monty. Great TR!

I wish someone would STOCK the Verticals. I have only been told you have to special order them. Is it so crazy that I might like to try them on? WTF?

I realized the odds were against me, but I went up last night after work hoping to find a window and get some exercise in. It was getting dark so I bivied just above the Palmer in heavy pea soup...whiteout the whole way. I cooked up grub, threw back a couple of splits of Cab (screw top) and hunkered down. The weather only got worse. I packed my stuff and high-tailed down at 3am. Yuck. There was another party just leaving as I came down. Curious if they had any luck.

Good tip!

Good TR. Nice read.

Axel, of course. When he decides not to show up his fans will be so enraged they'll take down the whole arena including Mustaine. Axel has fans? I say the shark wins. The shark operates much more efficiently in water. The fight will ultimately take place under water. The bear will initially think he can kick the shark's ass, but when the shark fucks with him just a little too skillfully, the bear will shit (and not in the woods), freak out and run the hell away.

Thinking more about this, RMI is in a great position. RMI does a really good job of customer service. But where they can capitalize is in "delighting" their clients. Since they ARE the incumbent guide service, they have a really good idea of who their customer is and what they want for their money. Well, everyone else will be struggling to get where RMI is. RMI needs to go from where they are now, to really setting themselves apart from the others by truly focussing on the client. Making them feel that whether they reach the summit or not, not only did they get their money's worth, but they want to spend more. There are many ways to do that. MANY ways. If you boil it down, climbing really has nothing to do with it. This could be a good time for them.

I couldn't agree more. I've climbed THAT side more than 50 times. Unless you literally cannot walk, or the weather itself is really bad, pull the tampon out and keep going. It will invariably let up just above the Palmer. Usually around Triangle Moraine.

"...we turned around at the Palmer Lift."

Well put.

Don't you mean 4:20? Yeah, I was smoking a fat bowl when I wrote that!!

That's actually the best outcome of any decision. It's only bad if it goes one way, but everyone except one or two people voted against it. [insert Bush election(s) comments here] In terms of additional traffic, there shouldn't be any. RMI has been the staple up there and they seem (I have not heard any complaints, personally) to do a great job. Do others deserve a chance to guide up there? Sure, why not? Will this increase traffic? Probably not. If a market is worth say $1 million, and one company has that market, then adding competitors only reduces the market share of the incumbant. It doesn't increase the actual market. Due to the increased marketing from new companies in he heap, overall sales might increase, but they would level off in a short period of time. There have been situations however where new competitors have entered a market, and it did grow, substantially. But that was largely due to either a marked improvement, or a technoligal advance. So, unless they pave a path to the summit, keep it plowed, and provide special sheltering options for the "clients," nothing much will change. Afterall the market is what it is. It's influenced by many more things than the number of guide services at MRNP.

Sorry, 4 hours and 28 min. I suck! http://maps.yahoo.com/dd_result?newaddr=...s&terr=3005

Plastic is a petroleum product.

Gotta love tolerance and an open mind for a different opinion!

Eugene is actually much closer to Smith than Medford (~2.5 hours compared to ~4.5 hours). I'd choose Eugene anyway. Pretty cool town, laid back, college town and less than an hour to the beach too.

I believe the Mazamas still do this sort of thing. Also, in Forest Park, the Friends of Forest Park do this sort of thing almost year round. http://www.mazamas.org/activities/trail_tending.php and http://www.friendsofforestpark.org/html/our_projects.html

I know I'm tired of wiggers.

I've strategically cut out the butt of my neon spandex capris, don a very tight wife-beater--trimmed off mid-tummy and holla-hoop my gear sling around my sweatband-laden, mullet-sportin' head while I'm waiting for the short bus too arrive. Who's with me!?!?

It's sold in virtually every climbing shop that sells books (Climb Axe, US Outdoor, Mountain Shop, OMC, REI, et.al.) and yes, it's a great guidebook.

So, did the ever find that cat?

Another vote for the Edelrid Ultralite. I love mine. I haven't used it in really warm environments, but I have heard it can be too warm. I'm not concered about it though.

I was running in Forest Park one time and I snuck off on a side trail to pee and low and behold there was a huge pile of poop. Well, the person didn't have any toilet paper so they used a dollar bill!! I returned a week later and went to the same spot. Low and behold the dollar bill was gone! Wow!

I bet it is extremely tasty right now.