plark42

My wife and I moved to Bend last September. I am a teaching professor at OSU-Cascades and will have summer off (mid June - mid Sept). I am looking for mountaineering partners who have flexible schedules (off during weekdays) and who want to climb local peaks. I'd like to eventually climb all the peaks that can be seen from Bend- Sisters, Broken Top, Washington, Jefferson, 3-fingered jack, Hood, etc. I've done two NOLS courses: Alaska Mountaineering (2002) and Backcountry Skiing (2010). I "know the ropes" so to speak- though it's been a while. I have all the needed gear and am fairly fit. PM me if you're interested!

CC'ers- Thanks for the words. I climbed outside (off and on) for about 2 years in Colorado Springs (at the Garden of the Gods) following my friends on sport routes (2001-2002). Needless to say I wasn't as good a climber back then as I am now. My technique is much better nowadays after thumbing through several rock climbing books and being more fit. I'll most likely take the gym's lead climbing class to learn how to fall in a controlled setting. The 5.5 at Foster Falls would be an ideal start. - MJR

Hey there CC'ers- How long did you top rope before you led your first sport route? What was the grade of your first lead? Any advice? MJR

Hey CC'ers.. I am looking for a great way to get my cardio indoors during the off season.. any good ideas short of joining a gym? Has anyone out there ever followed a boxing regimen? I wonder if that would work for cardio... Thanks!

Definitely!!

Sorry Thatcher... I am going home to Houston from July 1st through the 9th.. D'OH!!!! and then after that.. we have to start packing to move to knoxville starting July 15th (my last day of work is the 14th).. and we move on the 20th.. Damn it!! Perhaps we'll climb together when Ashley and I move back up to the NW after she's done with Vet school!!! (You plan on moving back to the NW when you're done with school?)... perhaps I could make a visit sometime to the NW to climb one summer.. that would be super fun.. I am still thinking about soloing shasta.. i haven't quite decided what I'm going to do.. This is the LAST weekend I have to climb any snow for many years.. so I might as well suck it up and make the 9 hour.. round trip drive.. take care!!

hey thatcher- unfortunately I'll be in KNOXVILLE, TN starting at the end of July (for the next four years..) I think I told you that Ashley got into vet school there.. so we're packing up and moving out there on July 20th.. It's too bad that we can't meet up and do shasta b4 that.. I was really looking forward to it... shmo well.. such is life i guess.. unless you wanted to grab a cheap southwest flight to sac town!?!!? hahah.. I'll pay for gas to shasta and back!!! hee hee.. I'll see how I'm doing on thursday.. I may just pack up my bag to leave work on friday and drive up there.. I would much rather do it in 2 days rather than one.. coming from sea level and all... it would be nice to sleep at the trailhead at 9000 ft or whatever.. and then again at 11000 or whatever... wuhoo!!

Hey CC'ers.. I am thinking of soloing shasta this weekend.. (Drive up friday night.. sleep in the car.. hike up to the lake helen camp and set up a bivy on saturday.. and summit sunday morning and drive back).. Has anyone out there soloed/bivyed shasta? (I am assuming that there are so many people up there that it would be hardly a solo).. i have a p.o.s. mountain hardwear bivy sack that's basically a gore-tex shell.. is that enough? I am guessing shasta gets a wee bit cold at night up there.. any suggestions? I guess I could just do it all in a day...

that seems to be your advice for everything.. although it does have some truth to it.

Hey CC'ers.. What's the best method for getting motivated to make a long drive to climb some distant peak? This past weekend my girlfriend and I drove 4 hours from Davis, Ca to matterhorn peak just north of yosemite. After we hiked out on sunday.. the long, uneventful, half awake drive home reminded me just how much I hate driving to and from the mountains. I always tell myself I would climb so much more than 1-2X a month if the mountains were an hour or less away. It's such a drag to have to factor driving into the equation. It just takes so much out of you.. you ever try hiking up a 14er in colorado after sitting in a car for 4 hours? I know everyone out there has.. and it SUCKS!! How do you keep yourself geared up to make the drive?? We spent nearly $70 on gas alone to make this trip.. I was thinking of doing shasta this weekend (also a 4-5 hour drive).. but I just don't think I'm up for all the time in the car. Same thing goes with bc skiing in the winter. It sucks to drive 4-5 hours round trip (to and from Tahoe) just for 5-6 hours of skiing.. How do you do it?

hey CCers out there.. I am looking for someone to climb shasta with me over the weekend of june 24th/25th. I am coming from Davis, CA (near sacramento) and want to share the driving chore/gas money with someone else.. I am a WFR, Avalanche I certified and a NOLS mountaineering grad. I have a nice 2 person 4-season tent, stove, and even an extra ice axe/crampons for someone to use!! let me know!!

Hey CC'ers I have a follow up question. So I want to get into climbing class 4 and low grade 5 alpine rock. What's the best way to learn all the technique involved with leading trad routes? Are there any courses out there that are recommended? I am thinking of taking a rock seminar course here in California that teaches everything from anchors and rappelling to placing pro and multi-pitch climbing. is that the way most people do it? Did anyone out there get formal instruction? is it even worth it?

Hey CC'ers.. I am debating as to WHICH aspect of mountaineering to pursue the most. In your opinion, what is the BEST form of alpine climbing? 1) steep snow 2) technical rock (4-5.?) 3) ice 4) glaciers 5) rock scrambles 6) mixed I am a big fan of glacier climbing though I am not a fan of steep snow. I want to get into alpine rock but I just don't know...

I am in pretty good shape.. though I haven't been at that kind of altitude in over a year!!.. either way it's going to kick my ass.. I like the idea of making it to Helen Lake on Saturday and climbing Shasta on Sunday.. I could spend some time to construct nice snow walls so that the wind won't be much of an issue.. (and that way making dinner won't be as cold).. thanks for the advise.. keep it coming...

So you camped at Horse Camp for 2 nights? Would there be any advantage to camping at Helen Lake the 2nd night? Would it make acclimating any easier? probably not I presume..