Dan_Miller

Encountered on today's NPS Daily Ranger Report. Yosemite National Park (CA) Follow-up On Fatal Climbing Fall On the afternoon of October 23rd, dispatch received a telephone call reporting a fatal climbing fall. Jim Hewitt reported that he and his partner, well-known climber Todd Skinner, had been working on a first free ascent of the "Jesus Built My Hotrod" route on the overhanging west face of the Leaning Tower. Skinner's fall occurred when he was rappelling. Hewitt told investigators that he had been above Skinner when he fell. As he was rappelling on the low-stretch ropes that they had fixed on the route, Hewitt came to Skinner's Grigri descent device on the rope at the point where he’d fallen. The Grigri had a still-locked carabiner attached which had been connected to Skinner's harness. When Skinner's body was recovered, the belay loop on his harness was missing. The next day, rangers recovered a broken harness belay loop in vegetation at the base of the wall. It was very worn at the spot where the break had occurred. Hewitt later told investigators that Skinner was aware that the belay loop on his harness was in a weakened condition prior to the climb, and that they had talked about its poor condition three days earlier. For further details, click on "More Information" below. [submitted by Keith Lober, Emergency Services Coordinator] More Information...

Prime Rib Of Goat

Josh, Melting fast. Those south facing slopes between the road end and Long's, Ingall's pass are dwindling rapidly. Because of intermittent snow I carried the skis for about 800 to 900 feet of elevation before skinning up. The north and east facing slopes; as one might expect, have great coverage as of last tuesday anyway. Skiing around Ingall's lake and above is a hot tip right now.

I was there skiing on Tuesday, 5/30. Was able to go through the only real snow patch on the road with my GMC Jimmy in 4WD and make it to the road end parking area. If you can't get through that one spot expect a road walk of 2.2 miles. Hope that helps!

http://www.grivelnorthamerica.com/products.php?gid=1&id=8

Extremely impressive.

I ran across these the other day whilst surfing the web. La Sportiva Spantik with Fast Lacing System 38-47 by half PU Tech Coated Breneke Ceracom, molded TPU backstay, PE microcellular insulating form, Lorica 5 mm thermal structure carbon fiber w/ thermo alumimum TPU dual density Micropore EVA Vibram Montagna step-In compatable Micro-perforated Thermo-formable PE w/ water-repellent Lorica w/ Antiacqua aCoating 5 lb 1 oz A,E 650.00 Purportedly, per La Sportiva's and Alaska Mountaineering (www.alaskamountaineering.com) and Hiking's web sites they are quite toasty, reasonably light and precise climbers. They may just be worth a 'look see.' A little quick research reveals that Telemark Pyrenees has them for: 358.70 EUR Euro = 426.010 USD United States Dollars Anyone have any more info or personal experience with these quite pricey bad boys?