Bigtree

Thanks for posting kevbone - I loved it.

Don, I just finished watching Warren Miller's Cold Fusion DVD which had some great heli ski footage of Waddington in it. Seems to me the young bucks flew in via Whitsaddle heli from a ranch on the Chilcotin Plateau. I know you're opposed to that kind of stuff in the area but it still looked very cool, particularly one scene where a guy takes a spectacular/lengthy tumble which ends as he bounces off the downslope side of a 'schrund or crevasse and then stands up and shakes it off like its an everyday occurrence. Coincidentally, I bumped into an oldie but goodie article about your Waddington traverse in Mark Krosse's Fifty Favorite Climbs. I have a better appreciation of your passion/motivations.

Beautiful photos Gary (I like the nude cyclists and and Pigeon Spire pics the best).

I bought a pair of K2 Shuksans this season (181 cm)and am very pleased with their performance resort riding and in the backcountry. The testers in my '07 Backcountry Gear Guide magazine describe the K2 Mt. Baker as: "Designed on the Work Stinx footprint and also sporting Titanal laminates but in a softer-flexing layup, the Mt. baker is big and beamy and damp - no tester called it lively or best suited for tight trees. testers found this year's version less contentious than last year's. "Nice damp ski. Can plow through anything. Super stable, [produces] a nice, solid, round turn" said one. Added another: "Feeling a bit blocky and planky at ow speeds, they tend to plow through, rather than float on, soft snow. Crank it up a notch and they plane-off nicely in deeper snow, windpack and chop" If the price is right and they're anything like my Shuksans buy 'em.

Maybe a new KFC outlet with a take out window - yum. Would save me the drive into town. Then again, all those greasy climbers fingers might warrant a new special YDS rating system (eg., 5.10 - KFC, or 5.10 - TH). A serious problem to think about.

Exactly. Look at pics of the Chief prior to the old fire that burnt up the face (I can't remember how far back that was) and you'll see how weed-like hemlock, pine and spruce really are.

A multi-cultural apple tree - very cool. What kind/variety of apples did you go with? I've got robust one that produces fujian and the other that is the focus of my angst is unknown to me (produces a large yellow apple).

Methinks the issues might be misplaced priorities and/or the sanctimonius attitudes of the "save the the trees" crowd. Like I said before, if folks are truely moved by the issue they can put their own money up and buy the property like the climbing community did with the access to Smoke Bluffs a number of years back.

Not if you have ""deep roots" in "Old Squamish", and close ties with some significant community members, including a couple of members of Council" and certainly not if you are a card carrying disciple of David Suzuki (he's kinda the Al Gore of the north except smarter 'cause he's a scientist you know).

Dear Abby, I was harbouring thoughts yesterday about cutting down an apple tree in my back yard. The tree is old and decadent and long past its prime. Oh yeah, it also produces dry starchy apples - blech. On two occasions I made a move for my Stihl 034 but chickened out and grabbed a beer instead afraid that someone with far purer motivations than myself and certainly one more in tune with the environmental values of our time would hear my saw and report me for unauthorised tree euthanasia. Worse than the horrendous fine I might incur from the local Victoria city council, my biggest fear was that I would be banned from climbing in Squamish for ever once those pure souls learned of my transgressions. What should I do - I'm so confused?

Sure sounds like an intolerant, narrow view of the world you've got going there Jim. Lets check back in a decade shall we once the gentrification of Squamish is complete and the quaint heritage/history of the region has been further sanitized and all those trees on the surrounding mountains have grown another few metres?

Unlike hypocrites like you, I'm comfortable and guilt free living in a world that values trees in both their living and unliving states. As a side bar, next time you're driving the Sea to Sky highway up the Squamish/Whislter corridor look around, there is no shortage of trees.

I was at a search & rescue meeting last week with the Provincial Emergency Program folks in Victoria. The boys were pushing personal locater beacons (PLBs) for climbers quite strongly. The stats were thin for north of the border but I heard over 10 000 units sold/in use south of the border. Seemed a bit high to me given all the chatter and negativity about their use (and MLUs for that matter) in previous posts (perhaps the number is inclusive of recreational boaters?). Nevertheless, am starting to think it might be useful to purchase one of two for use on some of our Alpine Club trips. I see that REI has a couple made by ACR but I can't seem to find much else suitable for backcountry/mountaineering use (i.e., small and light). Does anyone have any experience/recommendations on other makes and models (apparently the integral GPS chip is a desirable feature)? Some good basic information on PLBs here by the way: http://www.nss.gc.ca/site/cospas-sarsat/locaterBeacon_e.asp

Are you for real? ... Yup...and trust me, whacking down a few second (or third?) growth trees across from a 1 ac paved parking lot and a 4 lane highway will not despoil your sacred "wilderness" experience nor will it make a material difference in the ecology of the area. Climbers will continue to flock to Squamish, tourists will continue to blast up the highway to Whistler in their gas guzzling SUVs, and in 6 months you'll be wondering what all the fuss was about.

No more so than you being a home owner and some wanker comes along and starts telling you what you can and can't do with your freehold tenure that you paid for. You guys have a problem with it, get your checkbook out and deal with it like the FMCBC et al did across the road a bunch of years back otherwise bite your tongue; unless of course you want to promote a society that thinks it OK to pass idiotic bylaws that purport to fine property owners $10K/tree for unauthorized harvest.

Kozak, spend the extra dough and get the Cadillac - you won't regret it. It does what the Vista does, but better (eg. bigger screen and better antennae). As for software, there is an abundance of "freely available" stuff that a person can download via bittorents if your conscience allows - not that I ever have or would mind you - (eg. Topo Canada, Topo USA, US National Parks @ 24 K etc).

Found this on "you" know where... Part 1 yfj3NuR0WSc Part 2 0MqFMLE2m_M Part 3 oPMOp80P4cY Part 4 wveYgzFNEKU Part 5 lTAZbdQZdE0

Thanks guys. That's what I was after. Just concerned about spending an inordinate amount of time meandering our way to our climbing objectives.

I'm looking for some advice on the pros/cons of heading to the bugs in July vs. August this year. The very rough plan at this stage is a hut-based week-long trip with West Pigeon Spire and possibly Bugaboo spire on the "must do" list. The feedback I've had to-date from some folks is that glacier travel in mid-August can be tough and that July is better. Problem is that mid/late August is all that really works for me. Thoughts?

Thought provoking, but not quite what I had in mind. Perhaps you could try again?

Does anyone have any mountaineering/outdoor/rock climbing related podcast sites they care to recommend? Doesn't seem to be much from what I can see...something to fill the void (as in between my ears) during those dog walks you know...

April was good for me temp wise a few years back (although i still recall getting fried - bring sunscreen). Lots of climbers about as university has wrapped up by then so you shouldn't have trouble hooking up with some folks on site.

I understand your passion Don. I'm just not sure that e-mails/letters are going to achieve your objective; particularly given our province's tenure scheme and the general lack of weight that this type of protest correspondence carries with the bureaucracy. This strikes me a classic land use zonation issue similar to all the others we've experienced up and down the coast since the '80's. If you want to win this one you'll need to rally some allies and try and speak with a single voice. Suggest you get in touch with the FMCBC of which you know the ACC is a part of. I'm sure Evan Loveless et al are sensitized to the issue and may have already taken action.

I love electronics, including my Garmin 60CSx (has a barometric altimeter); however, when it comes elevation I still prefer my old Thommen (0 - 15 000' range).

Jordop, I respect your view on this issue; I'm just not sure its tenable in this day/age, particularly given the attitudes of the non-climbing public, the amount of area that been locked up in parks over the last couple of decades in BC and the size of Waddington area. That said, sharpen your pencils and start your letter writing campaign if you think the BC Liberals will respond.