coug4

http://www.alexlowe.org/kcs.shtml

Irrigation: I learned to use non-iodized salt and a pinch of baking soda in distilled warm water. I guage the salt mixture by tasting a sample until is tastes like tears. Then heat 1/2 cup of the saline in the microwave to body temp. A ear irrigator does the job (no need for those "neti pots"). Fill and hold then gently blow. Disgusting but you get used to it quickly. I use it at the first sign of conjestion, infection or even a cold to reduce the likelyhood of infection. If you get the mixture wrong, too rich or too lean, it can be outright painful. Work on it - I swear by it!

Get and read the book Sinus Survival - changed my life in 1999. Irrigation was the answer.

Thanks Coul! I saw that the other day, but I was just bumping for the latest Beta. Were you on it since then? Same-same?

Looking for any up to date info on the route. Coleman crossing high or low? Ridge conditions. Number of screws used on ice pitches? Thanks

Anyone have up-to-date info on the conditions in the "Bowling Alley" on North Sister. Snow/ice or all "rocks"?

http://www.montanaice.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=890&start=0 They are not finished yet. Amy put up a good post yesterday suggesting that we keep up with our good citizenship and not interfere with the plowing efforts. As of yesterday they had it clear and open to the dam. Above that, there is still plenty of work for them and I assume they won't appreciate yesterday's new snow being packed by sleds etc. With some luck, they will wrap it up tomorrow. (John; it looks like they will just go to Grotto Falls, not the East Fork.) Steve

They plowed to just past Langohr today. Locked the gate so I suspect they will work to finish the job tomorrow (conjecure).

The sight of people looping the rope over the pick on modern tools creeps me out. Most tools today have sharpened (relatively speaking) top edges to assist in tool removal. IMHO this is no place for a rope! Worry about style and ethics somewhere down the line when you’re redpointing a WI6+. I have friends that have climbed on ice 15 years without a leader fall (knock on wood). On the other end of the spectrum I have heard of two falls this year by people just starting out. Stay in control and lead only what you can without undue risk. It’s supposed to be fun, right?

Heading back to Bozeman from Seattle on the 24th/25th. May take a side trip to Banks Lake. Anyone interested in meeting out there?

Bozeman? I'd recommend going to the Ice festival before you buy. Demo's abound. http://www.montanaalpineguides.com/bozemanicefestival/ Fusion and Nomic would be my pick (er, choice) for leashless. Everyone I know who has tried the Nomic is a believer; expen$ive but worth it. I thought the Monster's had a an unsettling twang on impact, not the thunk. If you think alpine is in your future check out Camp's Awax. Grip and swing are a personal choice so don't buy without trying. You can rent from Barrel too; I know they had Monsters there last year. Livin' in Bozeman so pm me if you want to get out this winter. Chompin' at the bit right now...

I'm in the market for a light pair of approach skis for ice climbing . With all the stuff on the net + ski swaps I need a list of skis that would fit the bill. With a climbing pack I top out at about 150 lbs and will be setting them up with Silvrettas. Need steel edges for those non-pow days. Your list? Steve

That BW is a tremendous shot!!

I took a group up Adams a couple of summers ago and on the way down passed a couple of guys with their dogs. We were just below the treeline on the tourist route. It was disturbing to see the dogs run from shady spot to shady spot. There was plenty of water around and it wasn’t that hot (70’s I’d guess). It was clear that the dogs were severely stressed from the above treeline experience.

Yep, he's been there for years. No idea how old he is but I've heard do-gooders have taken him to the pound a couple of times. I too understand he's owned by the trailer owner. My question is What's his name?

Oops. Ian Parnel - ArcTeryx; Mark Willford - Patagonia. It was one of them...

A long shot, but at the Bozeman Ice Festival I believe it was Mark Wilford that gave a slide show including his experience in Pakistan. Not sure how to track him down however - possibly through ArcTeryx.

A friend and I discussed this over lunch a couple of weeks ago. There seems to be a calm confidence embodied in climbers that is palpable. I believe it has something to with their knowledge of how simple and plain everyday life really is. They have been places, seen and done things of quite courage that separate them from the mundane. As a result, while blending into everyday life, they don’t feel the need to stand out. Myself, I strive in my own limited way to achieve some of that same level of understanding.

Prayers, wishes and thoughts for all those on the mountain!

Don’t discount the Van Trump Park approach; certainly the more scenic route.

So… I'm getting back into it after a few years (has it really been a decade) and would like to get some gear suggestions. I was a decent all-mountain skier in the day and would like to get something with some performance. I like it steep and/or the bumps but I would also like to get into backcountry skiing. Last year I moved to Bozeman and got out once on some rentals -- I believe they were Atomic. Kind of a gold color with clear coat on top so you could see the fiberglass weave (anyone recognize the description). They were excellent in the bumps, a little squirrelly on the flats and might have been a little small for the unconsolidated stuff. I know, I know there isn’t a perfect ski for everything but maybe there are some that might be worth looking at. BTW I’m 5’8” and 135-140 pounds. Thanks for the help.

Thanks for your service and we wish you a speedy recovery!

AAAAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!

In a previous life I had access to standardized salary survey data on a host of professional and technical fields (no longer, however). If you can locate someone that has access to these surveys (they're expensive) either as a recruiter or an employee of a software company you should be able to debunk her claim.

Check you pm's.