RocNoggin

anything planned for next week, weather permitting? do you have lights set up? cheers!

HOLLY CRAP! did you guys really climb tonight?!

I'm in for the weekend of the 22nd! anyone else interested in carpooling from Olympia? where does everyone camp at? sounds like fun! :-)

and when you go back to do Chitlins make sure you also do CA! I climbed that early this summer and loved it! especially the 5th & 6th pitches, outstanding! lots of fun, great rock and outstanding views too, awesome!

altitude can be such a crap shoot that trying something big, like Orizaba, may or may not really tell you anything. I have been to 14,000+ several times without complications but on two trips to Mexico I have had split results. if you go to Orizaba before Nepal and she does well that really doesnt mean she will do well in Nepal, and likewise if she faired poorly in Mexico it doesnt mean you will have the same result in Nepal. my advice: climb the peaks now that have the most appealing routes to you and when you get to Nepal take your time aclimatizing.

as I read the report Goran had placed at least 6 pieces of pro, maybe more if the 3" cam that was his last piece was not part of the "3 small to medium cams" he had placed enroute to the crux. the top two pieces failed and therefore the 4th piece was too low to prevent him from decking. since he was a big boy I am sure there was a lot of rope stretch but wouldnt his 4th piece been more than half-way up the climb? it is that run-out at the top that the 4th piece couldnt do enough to soften his impact on the ledge?

what weekend is LoveFest? last I saw on the poll it was a close call between the 15th/16th and 22nd/23rd.

just heard the weather report for Thur-Sat and it doesnt sound all that good, getting better Sun/Mon. and at any rate the problem right now isnt so much the weather when you are climbing but all the snow that has just been dumped on the old ice and crust before you get there! watch out for freshly covered crevasses with weak snow-bridges. good luck!

I would also recommend SummitClimb.com. while I havent used their services, yet, I do know the owner, Dan Mazur (who is currently in Nepal climbing Ama Dablam), and he has a great attitude about helping others and is also very flexible in the trips that they run. you will be on their permit and customize your trip to use, or not use, their tents, cooks, porters, guides, etc. but one thing they will have onsite that is a great option to take advantage of is the gamow bag, to treat altitude emergencys. check them out, and as others have said, just start talking and asking questions of the guiding operations and see what they tell you. good luck!

great TR! fun reading. I was up in the Enchantments during the week before the RopeUp (when the weather was nice) and didnt know about the RopeUp till after I got home. sounds like it was a fun time...for standing around in the rain! LOL maybe next year...

close call as to which weekend is most popular. since it is so close between the two weekends should we have two Love Fests?