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Coldfinger

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Everything posted by Coldfinger

  1. No... I'd like to see Congress and the USFS spend the $$ to install and maintain the infrastructure needed (i.e. good trails and toilets) instead of running around and charging user fees (which do mainly pay for more traditional Bago type sites) or writing citations. Here in Wyo., there is quite a backlog of trail work and user impacts that can only be addressed or remediated by actual WORK and not "planning" or "education." Ask a few seasoned USFS or NPS types and you'd be surprised what you will hear. The backcountry is not getting the funding it needs.
  2. When folks start talking about "win-win" scenarios you can usually interpret that to mean some nice over-educated consultant has decided to fix a problem that doesn't exist all the while being handsomely compensated. You can bet there is going to be an uptick in permit checking, nevermind food storage (and camping x distance from water and trails) warnings and citations. On the other hand, climbing is a victim of its own success as those who sought to make $$ from it have popularized it so well there are serious crowd problems now. It is awfully clear that many of these folks went straight from the city gym to the crags and can be kinda clueless in the woods (one of my favorite examples being tons of unnecessary cairns). Yes it's wilderness, but it's getting to where some places really need pit toilets. I'd welcome that rather than more hassles. Lets just hope these rangers don't go sneaking around in your tent looking for things like the NPS ones do (yes they DO!).
  3. Well there is the irony of knocking cairn over with a foot..... With shovel in hand. Funny how "leave no trace" works! If we were only as strict with the air he is breathing!!!!
  4. A quick look revealed they are apparently US Forest Service Rangers, tho whether they are also LEO's is anybody's guess.
  5. Sorry, just remembered this: NOLS instructor!
  6. Standing at the edge of death..... Also known as the edge of bad breath.
  7. Spoken like veteran high altitude mountaineering would be.
  8. Gotta say that FIT, FIT, FIT is the #1 thing for me. Have come to the conclusion that it's not the glove itself that matters per se, but what you do with it. So I am extremely unlikely to pay anything close to full retail for the ridiculously priced gloves of today. So I only buy gloves in sizes I have actually tried on. Too small and hands get cold quick, too big and it ain't easy to climb and way too easy to drop stuff (and one gets cold fingers from having to take them off all the time). Have been very very impressed with the Mountain Hardwear gloves, totally waterproof at the shell and don't get all sogged out and then frozen like the bladder types. Had good luck with a pair of waterproof overmitts (no insulation) for really cold belays. And I do not climb in the approach gloves--nice to have two pairs in nasty conditions. My approach gloves are usually waterproof/breathable but much cheaper $$ wise. Do like the gauntlet gloves for Ice, not so much for approach or skiing.
  9. .....by 83 feet! CNN Story So does this have any effect on 8anu?
  10. The time-tested, tried and true approach is the noobs should follow the lead of the guide/leader/experienced folks. Pay close attention and imitate. Make it absolutely clear that this is no democracy. Obey without hesitation, but feel free to ask many many questions LATER, when you all deprogram with the beverage of choice. Also, that the medium (rock/ice/glacier/weather) has to be treated with complete attention and respect. Beginning to climb is quite perilous, but a good dose of humility is far better than a big dose of macho/machista bs.
  11. Thought this was important enough to warrant its own post: Keep in mind that FATIGUE is something new climbers are especially prone to and also ill-equipped to deal with. Add that to HURRYING (A PRIME contributing factor to all sorts of incidents) and those two factors are usually the causes of most accidents. You really have to keep a keen eye on new partners as the day goes on and be patient with them as they tend to slow down and lose focus dramatically as they tire. I have thirty odd years of experience so a nasty bushwack or talus slope is something I can navigate at a pretty good clip. So it can be tempting to push a new guy to keep up. Best advice is: you slow your ass down and don't rush 'em!
  12. No actually many of the Tetons accidents have been on Teewinot and for some reason (hint: it's not a "hard" summit) the Middle Teton (Ellingwood Couloir being primo craterland), with one fellow even falling off the summit to his death last year. If you learn to boot/axe and/or hip belay with a bowline around the waist, it's pretty quick to get across short steep snow. The plan is not to fall, so not having the harness is no big deal. This is how old timers make quick and SAFE work of snow that is eating the lunches of quite a few noobs these days. (Edit: actually saved some dude's ass on Mt. Washington years ago when he froze in the middle of a chossy 4th class section, and we had him tie in quick directly to the rope with a butterfly knot, he fell shortly afterward.) Especially later in the day or season, steep snow can often be too soft to allow self arrest and the softness makes it WAY easy to slip in the first place. So the condition of the snow (angle, runout and especially firmness) is the most important consideration. What was relatively safe in the a.m. may be way sketchy when recrossed in the afternoon.
  13. Well if it involves steep snow.... Make sure you actually have anchors and belay!!!! Especially if there is any kind of lethal terrain below the slope (bergschrunds, talus, cliffs). Every year we have had serious accidents in the Tetons b/c some folks think the best thing to do is either: 1. Self arrest if falling. Or 2. Tie everyone together and hope the "team self arrest" works. The results have been predictable. As for rock, if it's fourth class, don't take any chances. Besides being safe you are making a great example of how important it is to always be safe. Teaching noobs its OK to take short cuts also has predictable results.
  14. ERRRR, again for the OP, anti thread drift etc. Think he was just askin' about twin/half ropes guys...... Would add Mammut Phoenix 8mm as a VERY sweet set I got to enjoy thanks to a partner. They are a bit thicker but same gm/m as the Sterling Photons if memory serves. Kinda enjoyed bopping along with the old clip that strand, clip this strand thing, seemed better than fumbling twin clips and the rapping was swoovy! BTW Happy Labor Day!
  15. Hey guys, dude asked for half/twin ropes, BW Ice Floss are TWIN ropes only, their dry treatment is "double dry" but that ain't making them a "double rope"...... Been using Sterling cords in 7.7mm (twin) and 9.2 (single/double), 9.4 and 9.8 and like those a ton, their twin/half is the Photon at 7.8, have used the Monster cords and they are sweet too.
  16. Yeah, forty rolls of blue tape to mark the holds and it should be good to go You are wrong--sounds like Orange and Green tape. And where the trouble started seems to be where it often is (fatality here last summer)--parties got separated and had no clear plans or communication plans.
  17. Really? You talk to folks in the wildland fire and forest management business and not only are conditions MORE dangerous, but fires are burning so hot that very few of the benefits of a "natural" fire in a "fire dependent" ecosystem accrue. Put another way, fires are now behaving in ways they often did not in the past, becoming much more dangerous and burning hotter. Round here trees are being killed even when there is no torching or crowning, just normal understory burns. It's actually really scary, but for none of the reasons you cite.
  18. Take the mittens! If it's windy on summit day you will be glad and, after all, unless you go up the S Face or Polish Glacier, there is not a foot of actual climbing. Any pair of plastic double boots should be fine. Just get em a little big. Agreed on poles, you will be very psyched with those. Standard routes you don't even need an axe most years.
  19. I guess I am left wondering why they don't teach how to "bail" in gyms...... Seems odd as they had rope and gear! One take home is ALWAYS bring bail cordage (6mm and/or supertape) AND a small knife..........
  20. DMM Alloy Offset nut & green Nano 23 biner sold, stuff added. Thanks!
  21. Howdy, Will ship free to lower 48, PayPal preferred. Pics linky! 1. Ortovox Patroller Digital avalanche beacon, used twice, excellent condition, retail $255, asking $160 $180. 2. Set of 2 Wild Country Rockcentric hexes, sizes 5 & 6 (green & red--new condition), & 1 DMM Phantom wiregate carabiner (red--excellent condition) retail $37, asking $24.
  22. Howdy, Will ship free to lower 48 via the mail, PayPal preferred. Pics link Set of 3 DMM Alpha Trad Wiregate Dyneema Quickdraws, 12cm, excellent condition, retail $84, asking $48.
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