sprocket

Nice post Sobo. Now you can go after the idiot whining about the use of Chinook helicopters I'm too lazy to create an account.

More important, best wishes for finding the missing climber alive and well.

I occasionally read the comments but end up getting so angry I want to smash my computer. There was a story last year about a woman found at the side of the road unconscious. The apparent victim of a hit and run. I found out much later she survived and was going through very extensive rehab. She had been a regular bike commuter, athlete and was apparently some sort of researcher. All that was compromised by some driver that couldn't be bothered to stop and help. Anyway, the comment section was packed with vitriol about arrogant/selfish cyclists. Made me ill and angry.

Anyone know anything more. As usual local papars aren't a fount of info http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012264103_missingclimber03m.html Hoping they find him alive.

Sounds like close enough. I guess I cold bring a 60M just in case. Walked by it a few weeks ago and was intrigued but I couldn't guess-timate how tall it was or find any online info. Thanks

How long a rope do you need? Will a 25M (80') gym rope suffice? Thanks

Muir is a great idea. Maybe even bring a tent and sleep there to see how well you feel the next day. Also make sure you wear whatever footwear you plan to use on your climb on the conditioning hikes. Big difference between going up Si or some such hike in running shoes versus heavier boots, also if you are going to have blisters or other issues you want to find that out before your climb. Doubling up once or twice a week on your workouts is really good. Maybe do a conditioning hike in the morning and then a 2-3 hour road bike ride in the afternoon. Mailbox Peak is only a few miles from Si and a lot harder and better training IMO. Tenerife is close too and is 4K in elevation and something like 12 miles which makes for a longer hike than Si.

Seems like there is one fatality every couple of years around here from a falling branch hitting a hiker. I was out a few years back trudging up the old Si trail with my head phones on and ran into a guy hiking with a helmet on. We both kind of looked at eachother like the other one was an idiot. Of course I was the idiot because the winds were howling pretty good and I was in my own world only focused on getting to the top as fast as I could. Fortunately nothing landed on or near me. Was out riding my bike one windy winter evening a few years back and was coming through the park just above Leschi. I stopped at a stop sign and then started rolling through the intersection. I hadn't gotten more than a few feet when I heard a big crack and turned around to see a big limb sitting right where I had stopped seconds earlier. Probably wouldn't have been fatal (had a helmet on this time) but would have been painful. Snow or ice would increase the danger.

Castle Rock is a great place to climb but the ratings are a bit old school and the pro can be scarce in places or tricky on some of the routes. R&D in Icicle canyon is pretty ideal for learning, 4 pitches of easy climbing. Finding the starts can sometimes be tricky because it isn't alway obvious exactly which rock formation you want. Might be worth either borrowing or buying the Kramer (sp?) Leavenworth guide or the Weekend Rock guide. Weekend Rock has a lot of climbs within driving distance of Seattle that are all 5.10 or under. Summitpost has some beta http://www.summitpost.org/route/164236/r-d.html Or for Castle Rock http://www.summitpost.org/parent/152633/castle-rock.html Hope you get some good weather to get out.

I think Greg Child's writing is generally very good. Galen Rowells' book about K2 is pretty good too. John Sherman makes me laugh.

If you are going with RMI they will get the basics drilled into you. If you are going to be on the mountain for 4-5 days you'll have a little more time to get acclimated and also a better chance with the weather cooperating. I would say that the biggest piece of advice is to look at the trip as an experience. Enjoy it no matter the outcome. I did a trip with RMI a few years back and we got turned around due to the cold and high winds but had a great time anyways. So did most of the folks on the trip, but there were a few who were really a little bent when they got turned around. As far as training I think a couple people mentioned that long steady efforts are the way to go. If you can get double workouts in one day a week or every other week that works well. Do maybe a decent conditioning hike in the morning (3,000-4,000 vertical if you can find it) and then maybe a 2 hour bike ride or trail run in the afternoon. You won't get much sleep the night before you go for the summit so getting used to a workload when you are a bit tired already is a good idea. Altitude can affect anyone. Some of the guides on our trip got headaches every time they got above a certain elevation. Sometimes the same person can be super strong on one climb and be struggling on the next. If you can get on something less technical beforehand to see how you react, maybe Whitney in CA, something in Colorado or if you get out here early hike up to Muir or maybe the south side of Mt. Adams, that is helpful. The guides will tell you that that patience and a positive attitude will often serve you better than being super fit. Be patient and pace yourself. Eat regularly and drink often. And bring earplugs. Good luck and have fun.

Thanks for the replies. We are down there for 3 day on the slopes next week starting Thursday (2/12). Got a package from a hotel in SLC that includes rental car w/rack and lift tickets to any of the 4 resorts in BCC and LCC. Since Alta is out we were thinking a day at each of the other 3 unless one of them seemed more suited to our abilities. Snowbird looks huge with a lot of steep terrain but plenty of moderate stuff for us. Any other thoughts or advice? Any of the resorts a little less crowded on the weekends? Good eats? Looks like there is a little snow in the forecast for every day so far. Thanks again for all the replies.

Sorry, another couple of question. Ground transportation. Any recomendations? With up to 4 people aand a combo of skis and boards we would need a large and expensive vehicle. It looks like you can catch city busses to many of the resorts. Also anyone traveled with a snowboard on plane flight? Any bag/packing recomendations? Thanks

Thanks. Sounds like Powder Mt. is worth a look. Any other resorts you like? Looks like there are 10+ within 50 mi. of SLC. Also any recomendations for lodging and dining in SLC?

It's next season and I'm looking for a little more help. Any recommendations for lodging in McCall? Same for Salt Lake City? Any advice for flying with snowboards? Also if you were in Salt Lake City and had 3 days on the slopes which resort(s) would you choose? i know Alta doesn't allow snowboards. Again looking mainly for moderate terrain. Thanks

Bump.

Looking for a good all around all-day shoe and found this on sale for $60. They would replace worn out Mythos and Boreal Zens. Fit is good for my wide feet. Wondering if anyone has used these and what you think of them. Durability, how they climb, etc. Thanks

So that time of year again. Am heading up Dec 1 for 3-4 days on the slopes. GF and I will have a couple of 2 for 1 tickets from Warren Miller this weekend but will need to buy 1 or 2 more lift tickets. Wondering if anyone has looked into the best deals this year. We have purchased Stevens Pass season passes if that helps although we haven't received them and am not sure if we will before heading up. Thanks

Ok, so now that I've been debilitated several days (with no end in sight) from a reaction to the Amoxicillin and having to cancel a climb and being reduced to a couch potato I’m ready to embrace something different. Is there a good place to start with the sinus irrigation? What and where to buy? The basic "recipe" for the solution? How often? Daily? With the onset of congestion or respiratory distress? Thanks

I wonder the same thing, if the bacteria was sitting there dormant from the previous bout and then just was triggered again. The doctor was all for the saline flush but as maintenance, she said it could just stir things up once the infection was in full swing. I was just looking for some feedback since there seem to be some well informed people on this site and I got some. The reality of out medical system is that I got my doctor at the end of a hectic day and got at most 10 minute with her so I wanted to have some questions to throw at her. Hopefully a round of antibiotics does the trick and this doesn't become chronic.

Tried the salt water in the nose. Worst experience in my life, sinuses went crazy and my head felt like it was going to explode. I had to put on a hot compress and take a bunch of codeine Tylenol. Went to the doctor and got anti-biotics, was told if it recurs that she wanted check for structural issues. She said the salt rinse is good for maintenance but once it sets in it's not a good idea. The Sudafed idea wouldn't have worked in either of the last two bouts since the first came at the tail end of the flu and this one started as 3 days of what felt more like a chest cold.

Never been diagnosed with a deviated septum and have never broken my nose but will ask doc if that is a possibility. I had surgery when I was twelve and that got rid of the chronic problem I had then and the only recurrence was at the end of bouts of the flu or a nasty cold when my sinuses would be clogged for a week or so. This is a very recent thing, 2 bad bouts in the span of 2 months. I've always had a sweet tooth, not sure I could go sans sugar. Thanks for the feedback.

So I've always had problems with them, including surgery as a child but now I've gotten nasty cases twice since May. Knocks me completely out, facial pain, headaches, clogged sinuses, respiratory problems and minor fever. Took 2 weeks to almost fully recover last time and I'min the midst of a bout right now. I'm going to the doc's tomorrow. Any advice on questions to ask? Treatments that have worked for you? Given that they aren't always caused by bacteria what else works besides antibiotics? Thanks

This would be her second marathon. She suffered through the Seattle Marathon a couple of years ago when the weather was terrible. I guess things went well until the last few miles when the legs just stopped working. this time is hoping for better weather over on the peninsula in June. Her cold has moved to the lungs and she's developed a nice cough the last couple of days. Thanks for the feedback.

Was a head cold then she ran on Tuesday and Wednesday and now it has migrated to a chest cold. Pneumonia would suck. She ran eight miles Wednesday and felt ok for the first half but suffered for the second. I guess I was wondering if just 20-30 minutes of light running/cardio indoors for a few days would preserve more of her fitness than resting a few days and starting up again. Sounds like rest with a chest cold is the way to go, pretty big gamble if pneumonia is possible. Thanks DPS.