JBC

You are correct Dane, both the the Rebel (and it's sibling Anarchist) are no longer on the DMM website. Backcountry Gear is still listing the Rebel axe and hammer on their website if someone is looking. Great tools, love my pair! Jim

I was up there on June 3rd and it was very icy above the hogsback. Jim Couch

I own both the Yates "Free Rack" and the Big Wall Rack. Both are good units, and if you need/want to carry a lot of gear they will do an excellent job. Jim

Long axes are FAR superior when chopping steps while descending. You can reach below your feet to chop the step without having to lean over so much! So there! To answer the obvious question - in 35 years of climbing I have had to chop steps while descending exactly - ONCE. I hope to never have to do it again, long or short axe!

East ridge is easier than the North ridge. Pretty much 3rd class as I recall. Exposed, but never difficult. Nice climb/scramble. Jim

Kerr, The trail will indeed take you to the N ridge. If you follow the trail you will be on the West side of the ridge and can follow a gully/depression to the ridge crest. The Pinnacle/Castle bowl that Matt mentions is on the East side of the ridge and can also be used to gain the ridge crest, but my experience is that it has a higher avalanche potential under most conditions. The actual climb to the ridge crest is probably a bit easier from the west than from the east. Jim

Or call your representatives and tell them you are opposed to the bills! Jim

Well, I did, but he left town. So now I don't know Jack anymore... Everybody's always looking for Jack...

Great story!

Hang in there Dane, and thanks for sharing. Jim

Avail 7th & 8th. Sent you an e-mail Jim

Thanks for all the feedback on the Monster ropes. the 7.8s look good! Jim

You have it pretty much right on here, it really boils down to impact force. Some companies choose to have their ropes certified as both. Mammut, for example, does not, but does mention in their rope book that the half ropes can also be used as twins. If the impact force is low enough pretty much any half rope should function fine as a twin rope. It is not always a case of the multi rated ropes being more expensive. The PMI Verglas & Metolius Monster 7.8 are both dual rated and sell for about the same as the Bluewater, Mammut, or Edelrid single rated ropes. Jim

Thanks!

How is the handling on the Monster ropes, particularly the 7.8?

http://warriorsway.com Arno Ilgner has written two great books which (among other stuff) cover this very issue. He also does 'falling' clinics. Jim Couch

Wired Bliss in AZ repairs cams. http://www.wiredblissusa.com/Repairs.html Jim

Thanks for posting Arob. I never had the pleasure of meeting the man, but my brother climbed Rainier in one of his groups and has always treasured the experience. Jim

You are welcome Dane. Jim

Dane- Looks about perfect to me. If the latch is to far forward it can inhibit the ski's flex. wildsnow.com has a great page on mounting 404s: wildsnow.com Silvretta 404 mount page Jim Couch

I am running the Grivel Air Techs (New matic) with my Charmoz boots and they fit well, the heel fits very well. The front half of the crampon could match the rocker on the boot a bit better, but the pos are tight and work well. I am actually thinking I may bend the front a bit to match the rocker - then the fit would be 100%. Jim

They look a lot like some of the mid 80s One Sport boots (Now Millet) One Sport was one of the first I remember to do boots with an integrated gaiter. Jim

I don't think your conclusion is correct. It is additional LOAD. The graph lists psi (pounds per square inch) on the y axis. If you read the analysis posted in the link, they are not measuring the strength of the placement, but the LOAD ON THE SCREW & ICE when a 1,800 lb load is placed on the screw! The implication is that the screw is stronger at the NEGATIVE angle because it is being loaded less. The negative angle puts less load on the screw than 0 or positive angle, but most interesting to me is that the 13cm screw at it's highest load (+15) is still as good as a long screw at -10 and superior to one at 0! There is also a very interesting chart of how a 17cm screw loads in hard, medium or soft ice: From the same link: www.jjgeng.com/html/body_ice_screw.html Jim

Dane, See your PM Jim

My daughter leading in Leavenworth. (Which she doesn't do often.) Leigh chillin at the belay on Liberty Bell. (He has come a long way - would never have been this relaxed a few years ago. My nephew Ian on SEWs. A friend said of this picture "His mom must just hate you" (She doesn't.) And a little winter stoke - from last winter. Leigh playing on the ice near Alpental.