Don_Chicho

Here's looking at Sahale and Boston:

My buddy and I were up in Boston Basin to try the WR of Forbidden last Saturday, 6/12 when the weather was hot and we were going to die in avalanches. We bailed because the West Ridge and East Ridge were all still caked in snow. In the morning the snow had a 3-ish inch crust over many feet of unconsolidated spring snow. It was cool in the morning because we could actually walk on the crust sometimes like a sidewalk, but otherwise was perfect step kicking. When the sun hit the snow, it only took an 1-2 hours before it was mush, posthole hell.

Was up on Roger's Corner this weekend and found a loose nut on the right bolt of the newish bolt anchor at the tree belay spot at the base of Breakfast of Champions. We had no wrench so couldn't tighten it, but if anyone plans to head up there, maybe bring a wrench and some Loctite and tighten that nut. Would it be standard practice when installing a bolt to put something like a Loctite on there to prevent the nuts from backing out?

Article on MSN.com. Page 1 - safety first in the gym. Page 2 - REI - "temple for the athetlically inclined" http://cityguides.msn.com/citylife/cityarticle.aspx?cp-documentid=10832887

21-ML-59620-ML-

As a heads up, there was a report from a climbing party that when up at Silverstar last weekend, thieves burglarized a van, but not for the van itself or the contents inside, but for the catalytic converter and tailpipe/muffler assembly (sawed clean off). These were vehicles parked at Washington Pass along Hwy 20 for the approach to Silverstar. Now there is yet ANOTHER thing to worry about when parking at the trailheads.

I did some searches and didn't see anything on this particular topic. Sorry if it is a repeat. Heading down to Yosemite this Summer and I was wondering about hammering ethics for the walls there. My belief is that if a route is said to go clean according to the topo/guidebooks you should do everything in your power to not nail and if a pitch (or pitches) is maybe too sketchy (according to you) to do it clean then perhaps you shouldn't be climbing it, right? If you need to get past a certain crux portion, would one get run out of the valley for hammering a couple pins? And say you do it anyway, would you keep them fixed or clean them? What if the route is rated clean with fixed gear? Wondering what you all say because I'd like to not stir the climbing ethics pot down there being an outsider and all. My stance right now is that if I can't do a clean route cleanly then I should retreat for not having the cajones. For those of you that have been down there, what have your experienced been?

Missed beginning of the episode. 2ish am: wake up out of my slumber to a yelling match between a bunch of dudes saying how much of a better climber they are than the other. guy #1: "I climb 5.12 f&$#er!" guy #2: "I've done A4+ first ascents, beyotch!" guy #1: "If it wasn't night time right now we'd all be bouldering over there man!" guy #2: "let's go right now! Get the headlamps, let's go bouldering." 2:30ish am: Wendy demands for 'her f&$%ing keys a$$hole' about 89 times. Emphasis started on the 'a$$' at the beginning but later moved to the 'hole' later on. 3:00ish am: Oh no Wendy's gone! She's run off in a fit of rage, crying and swearing. Other guys in the group announce a search party to find her because according to them 'it was getting cold and she might die.' 4:00ish am: phew, Wendy is found and saved. Wendy and guy have heart to heart and she is now praising the same 'a$$holes' for being such great guys. Someone got some post rage snuggle time for sure. 4:15ish am: finally i can get some sleep. Will Wendy recover or will she lash again? Tune in for next weekend's episode.

To Wendy at Skull Hollow this past weekend - I hope you were able to 'get your fucking keys and leave.'

Sent you a PM. Hopefully I beat Dan for the hammer.

- you can always find food in the dumpster, never any gear

Of the four times I've been up to Squamish so far, twice I've encountered eastern block euro climbers that are inconsiderate, oblivious, and down right dangerous at popular crags, the most recent episode being this past weekend. In my opinion these people are nuts! Each time it's been a group of four, two dudes and two girls, there are ropes going everywhere, the loudest jibber-jabber between belayers and climbers, mass confusion (at least it seems that way), and the biggest gripe - not being considerate of those waiting in the queue to get on the route!!! It's freakin craziness, ropes are going everywhere, there's all kinds of yelling between themselves, basically a huge cluster. I've had to deal with and have seen everything from them dropping a top rope on our route from above as my partner is still climbing, climbing a different route and then traversing over to our anchor and using it also, using twin ropes through the same pro and biner (i don't think this is the proper technique), toproping through rap chains, hanging out during a lower on a climb to give beta to their friend on a different route while others are waiting for that climb, pulling ropes off toprope without letting anyone know they are coming down, and just all the generally loud yelling back and forth. I'm just curious if any of you have had similar experiences or if I'm the only one cursed with running into tho these nutballs.

Why are there no manufacturers that make classic mountaineering axes with hammers instead of adzes? Seems like it would be helpful for hammering pickets and can dig snow or chop ice just as easy. Anyone know if such a thing exists or used to exist?