Julian

Dane, do you have a more detailed opinion on the Arc'teryx Atom LT (performance in the field, etc.)? Also, could you expand a little bit on what you see as the difference between a "belay sweater" and a "belay jacket" (such as the MH Compressor Hoody)? I'm looking to get an insulated hooded jacket (synthetic only, no interest in down) for belaying/rest stops/cold days, but not something that's too warm because I get hot easily. It doesn't have to be bombproof but hopefully would offer at least some weather resistance, and obviously needs to be helmet-compatible. I've tried both the Compressor and the Atom LT on in-store and like the XL size (normally wear a large, but that gives room for layers underneath plus it doesn't need to be a super-technical cut given what I want to use it for).

Rain....please tell me what is wrong with this style of climbing? Besides the bolts....because I have sieged the hell out of certain cracks that I wanted to send....all on gear. O.K. dude...I'll try to explain it simply. I kind of like you even though you come off as Forrest Gump with typing skills...Actually I think you're smarter than most people around here give you credit. It's like this...can you walk up to a 5.9/5.10 and get your fat body up that thing? Good for you! You're a 5.9/5.10 climber. Now if you did that same climb, and had to rehearse the difficult moves over and over again until you got it wired, is that the same same thing as having the ability to approach it and do the route because you're up for it? Are you now a 5.9/5.10 climber? I don't think so. I believe the same thing about many of these so-called "cutting edge" routes. Most of them require weeks of rehearsal, that is, siege climbing, which in my book, at least, is not the same as having the ability to "on-site" something because you have the developed strength and skill. Early in my climbing career, if someone was "free-climbing" a route, and hung off the rope: "hang-dogging", they were often booed and told to come back when they were up to the challenge. I happen to agree with this philosophy. I also believe that even you, Kevbone, can climb 5.12 and above given enough rehearsal time. It might take you months,rather than weeks, but you might very well pull off a 5.13. And for those who claim that sport-climbing and hang-doggin' has allowed them to get strong enough to do hard routes, there are enough indoor gyms around these days to help you "get strong" where there's no excuse to express your inadequacies on real rock by siege climbing. Can't do the route without falling? Pull the rope and start over or come back when you're good enough, but don't equate free-climbing with siege climbing....it's an illusion of numbers. There still aren't alot of climbers who can do anything 5.13 or above without resorting to rehearsal. Does it hurt me if they want to spend their lives that way...spending a month rehearsing a 50 foot climb? No, I just think it's pathetic. Even if it's done on trad gear. Don't confuse the abilty to on-site with the abilty to to rehearse a climb into submission. It's quite a boundary. But folks should recognize it for what it is. Just my opinion. Carry on, 'bone.

Silvertipmountaincenter has the Camp Awax (leashless setup with griprest and adze) at half price right now, 117 down from 235: http://www.silvertipmountaincenter.com/silvertipmountaincenter_i6271458.html?catId=349254 Obviously a bit more than you are looking to pay but a pretty good deal for a decent enough tool.

Don't even bother with a chalkbag, just dry your hands off in the sand between burns. In fact, the rock itself is gritty enough that your hands basically stay dry as you climb. I boulder-traversed for about a half hour without ever having sweaty-feeling hands.

Title says it all: I'm looking for a men's size large Arcteryx Gamma MX hoody jacket. Bonus points if it's in any sort of blue color, but I'll consider any offered. Pics a plus.

Fair enough I guess, although that's more than balanced out by routes in the Canadian Rockies that get 5.9 A2 and would be M7 WI5 X in Colorado.

I'd buy that mountaineering comic on a shirt for sure. One I don't really get is that Canada one though. Since when are the grades in Canada soft?

Find some foreclosed, abandoned home in west Las Vegas and squat in it until someone shows up.

The "Mountaineering" one is awesome.

This is just absolutely pathetic. Say ignorant crap about me and us climbers here all they want, we are choose to go up there and climb and make our decisions about what safety gear to use or not, and we can defend our actions against this sort of stupidity. But to attack the brave men and women of PMR, who are volunteering to go up there and risk their own lives to help those in need of rescue, is just beyond callous and quite frankly makes me sick.

[img:center]http://www.coptool.com/images/bosch-drills461.jpg[/img]

Very nice article. You should add Tomaz Humar's name to the list at the bottom.

Thanks for the advice and the pics guys! Those pics of the Aztar with the Grivel Slider in the hand rest position is probably the sort of thing I'm aiming for right now. Later I may look at doing some heavier mods to attach the Quark griprest and move the slider up to the matching position.

Dane, any experience with modding the Aztars for leashless by attaching various components to them? I'm going to be in Vancouver in a few weeks and want to pop by MEC since (at least according to their site) they have all the Grivel mods in stock there (horn, slider, trigger).

All three of these are absolute fucking jokes, for reasons that are too numerous to name.

You might be right....I'm not saying a agree with it. But here's the logic - Isn't the argument against using a PLB that of self-sufficiency - that you, and you alone, take on the risks of your climb, and therefore chose not to carry a PLB? If you expect to be rescued if you get in trouble, then what basis does one have for not being required to carry a PLB? I guess I'd like to hear the rationale for those who DON'T carry a PLB but EXPECT to get rescued if the shit hits the fan. I don't expect to be rescued, but I know that if I was on the mountain and word came to me that there was a climber in need of assistance, I would do everything in my power to help them and wouldn't even think to ask whether or not they were carrying a PLB/MLU. Personally, I don't want to carry such a device because I feel that the over-reliance on technology for safety and rescue is a negative direction that should be discouraged. How long after a rule mandating such devices until we hear a story about a woefully under-experienced climber who needs rescue from a route they are not prepared for because their PLB lulled them into a false sense of security? That said, I do usually carry my cell phone with me on a climb (since it's something I have with me anyway) but do not consider it a reliable piece of safety equipment.

Just picked up the Arcteryx Gamma SV hooded jacket from SteepAndCheap for $175. Any opinions on this jacket? I've tried the Gamma MX on in-store and loved it (but no way in hell I'd pay retail for it), so I'm hoping this is similar.

From my experience, a good portion of the "Yes" crowd is "hippy climbers wasting my tax dollars!" conservatives.

The media and general public seem to think these MLUs are like the holodeck on Star Trek and they can just beam injured climbers out of safety with the push of a button.

That's too bad Oh well, will just have to wait until another cold snap hits (crosses fingers).

Thanks for the beta! Any idea what conditions are going to be like today/tomorrow? What you guys got sounds promising but I'm worried about it melting out. Might try to get out there tomorrow if I can get some people psyched for it.

Does Diamond Creek Falls freeze up at all? I've heard 3rd-hand information that there are some climbable roadcuts out towards Willamette Pass, but haven't been out there myself. Anyone know if Paulina Falls is in?

These work better than expected on moderate/flat terrain. I used them the entire way from I-Rock saddle to the top of the Reid headwall last week and had absolutely no problems with them, including for traversing/wallowing. And of course they are baller on the steep stuff.

Didn't see any rockfall at all, and most of the "icefall" was little pebbles and chunks knocked off by the climbers on the front of the line. Towards the end of the morning (we topped out on the headwall a little before noon), some smaller stuff started coming down on its own, but nothing that could cause more than a sting if it hit you.

I have a North Face Ama Dablam Gore-tex Paclite jacket from sometime in the late 90s (back when North Face made high quality technical jackets that were not overloaded with unnecessary bells and whistles and Paclite was still made with little grey disks) that frequently goes into the bottom of my pack (taking up little space and weight) and only comes out in really bad Cascades weather (I was glad to have it for an unplanned open bivouac on Mt. Baker). When I'm climbing it's either in a few layers of polypro (believe it or not I really like the base layers from Land's End, they are light and comfortable for a cheap price), a Beyond Fleece action shirt (light and thin softshell), or if something warmer is needed a Mountain Equipment Co-op Slipstream 2 jacket, which is my favorite piece of outdoor clothing ever (Polartec Windpro with hardface - it sheds snow like a softshell, takes forever to wet out, breaths well and dries quickly). Pants are almost always softshells (REI Mistrals for spring/fall temperatures, Beyond Fleece Cold Fusions for winter), although I have some Paclite bib pants for really bad conditions (another North Face product from their better days).