Hendershot

It's not going to happen, America is not ready for a female president.

Here is a link to the TR. http://www.grivelnorthamerica.com/headlines.php?id=43 An outstanding accomplishment by Marko & Boris. I am looking forward to reading more about it maybe in 6 months Alpinist will have a feature.

I'm from the Seattle Area, but when I visit Portland I always check out OMC and Climb Max. They are like a couple blocks away from each other on 27th & 29th, Sandy Blvd. Next Adventure is the Second Ascent of Portland, off of Grand St.

In addition to an ice ax, pick up "Freedom of the Hills" book by the Mountaneers. They cover multiple techniques for self arrest as well as a valuable information on glaicer travel.

Ditto, Love my Houdini too. The DWR finish doesn't hold up against much more than a light sprinkle or light snowfall. Still a great shell to go over a light fleece or a baselayer. At 4 oz the weight is negligible and is always in my pack if I'm not wearing it.

This topic should turn into a heated thread soon. You can't blame someone for wanting to go light, except to a point where you aren't prepared. When some RMI clients asked to borrow my partner's shovel at Muir last year, we had a discussion on how light you could go by relying on others parties gear. Still our conclusion was you need to be self sufficient in principle no matter what. I had my experiences with carrying way to much gear, because I over anticipated bad conditions, 40lbs on glaicer peak in the hottest day of summer. I also went too light and had an uncomfortable night in the Enchantments. Between these mistakes I carefully examine (& weigh) each piece of gear before I pack it. My buddy lent me Ray Jardine's book and I proceeded to get rid of my redundant gear. Besides reducing pack weight, in both packing mistakes I made, they could have been solved by researching current conditions before setting out on my intended route and pack accordingly.

I agree, Thanks for letting us have some vicarious ice

Massive kudos. Thanks for sharing, very inspiring.

Pretty knarly pic. Whatever it was that smashed the hell out of it, it made that hex it's bitch. We can only speculate. Thanks for sharing.

This came up in the latest Access Fund newsletter. There is a link to a survey that can easily be completed. The survey will help justify retaining access.

Post deleted by Hendershot

I don't use the "F" word. "Fall" I seriously tell my climbing partners not to say it unless they or myself are in fact falling

No they are not they same. Anyone who believes that is a stupid motherfucker. Wow, that is how you articulate your point, compelling.....

Islamic Extremists are the same as Fundamentalist Christians. When the Federal building in Oklahoma was bombed, was there any profiling of extreme right wing fundamentalist Christians? Did our "War on Terror" begin there? Was that when our President begin tapping phones without warrents? Was a Homeland Security act passed to quitely impeade on our civil rights "for our owe safety"? No, because the attackers were white militant Christians, just like Waco. We wrote them off as some whacked extremists and didn't use them as a basis for wholesale condemnation of an entire group of people, as a portion of our citizens are doing now.

If you missed any episodes, they are doing a marathon on Dec 24th at 5pm. The hero of the whole show was Phurba, the head Sherpa. Phurba's team set all the fixed ropes that other teams used and saved Tim and Gerard's life. I'm not going to say much more for those who haven't seen it.

I can only review the Bibler big wall bivy sack that I am using. It is solid, completely waterproof, but the ToddTex is not very breathable. It has a bug net which helps with breathability and large enough to store extra gear at my feet. At 2 lbs, it's heavy when compared to other light weight bivys, due to the tie in point.

Tauntauns smell horrible, but do the work of twenty sherpas and you don't feel bad when they get mauled by a Wampa. You just wish the smelly beasts were around to haul your frostbit ass out of a cave. Sadly, Tauntauns are disappearing as fast as our glaicers.

My 6 picks for 06 Les Claypool, Of Whales and Woe Tool, 10,000 Days Neko Case, Fox Confessor Brings The Flood Audioslave, Revalations Deftones, Saterday Night Wrist Muse, Black Holes and Revalations

On the other end of the spectrum, I picked up these bumper stickers. "The Bush Legacy, Leave no Child a Dime" "Smile, your government is watching" "God, please protect me from your followers"

Buy used, it's a buyer's market. Most people buy tools and don't use them enough so you will find some for sale. Check the yard sale or craigslist.

I always remember the bad trips, but some of the better ones include the Grateful Dead in Portland Meadows 95' hearing them play All along the Watchtower and getting lost in the sound as they went of on some tangent to the point I forgot what song they were playing. Then they came back to the chorus and I remembered where I was but forgot where I parked my car after the show. Another notable was hearing Soundgarden play Waiting For the Sun as the sunset over the Gorge in 96'.

I'm with Catbird on this. I tend to climb trad a level or two below what I climb on sport routes so I don't push myself enough to take a fall. I own a set of these superlight rocks and have't take a fall on one yet. We are talking a difference of 900 pounds of force (4kn) vs. 1350 pounds of force (6kn). That won't stop me from using them, besides I don't run out my pro that much either.

Vivace in Seattle makes the best cappuccino. I always hit up any Coffee People shop when I'm in Portland for the Black Tiger beans. I'll try Stumptown's espresso next time I'm in PDX.

Tenacious D, greatest rock band EVER!

It was great how you can hear the sound of the wind, but you can't hear the guy saying, "SHIT, SHIT, OH SHIT, WHAT WAS I THINKING?"