AlpineMonkey

My friend and I were skiing in bounds at Mission Ridge and saw a skier drop in and set off this avalanche (in bounds). The crown was 5 feet tall in its biggest area. The skier escaped and was very lucky.

Hiked up Mountaineers Creek Road and then several miles up trail. My friend and I left our snowshoes on the side of the trail to do a climb. When we came back later that day our snowshoes were gone. Someone had put them on and hiked out with them, we followed the tracks back to the car. I would really like these back.

Found in scree while descending Prusik Peak.

Nice write up. It felt so good to get back up there and nice to meet you guys. I'm ready for the next climb!

I just saw these on Amazon and they are for sale between $250 and $500. Are people really paying this??? That's a lot for a book I bought about 8 years ago for $30. Maybe we should start investing in climbing books.

I can say Frenchman Coulee is not climbable.

I have climbed Ice Dreams as early as 12/3 in 2006 and Sad Cebu as early as 12/8 in 2005. I would think that there is a high chance that these two would be climbable now. I have climbed all different routes at Strobach on 7 different days between 2005 and 2010 with six days being in Dec. and one day in Feb. I often use history for a general guide for ice conditions, for what any of those stats are worth...December is a good time to head up there.

Last comment and I am done on this thread. Everything that this program is doing or has done is why we have the AAC, WCC, Access Fund…even LMA. All these organizations can lobby for climbers to kick over cairns and cut old tat if that is what the broader climbing community thinks is important. We don’t need the federal government to do this for us. https://secure.rco.wa.gov/prism/search/ProjectSnapshot.aspx?ProjectNumber=11-1121

Here is a classic example where the USFS implements a plan based on monitoring, looses funding, and climbing is closed. http://www.accessfund.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=tmL5KhNWLrH&b=5001177&ct=6794299 If you need more examples of various agencies and groups closing climbing when involved, just scroll through these: http://status.accessfund.org/

My point was that this program is supported by agendas that I don't believe are in the interest of the individual climbers. Hopefully this program looses funding and disappears. This is how all regulation starts. Below are examples of where this may lead: You'll be paying for a Special Use Permit to climb Mount Stuart or Dragontail, one that you must obtain a year in advance. You'll be filling out NEPA papers to fix an anchor. They'll be closing down Snow Creek Wall when they find an endangered "weed". There will need to be an ESA consultation to climb every route you can imagine. When you get your consultation back, the determination will go something like... that endangered weed was food for a bug which was food for endangered salmon, which are food for endangered killer whales...so no, you can't climb that wall or we will sue you for killing endangered weeds, salmon and killer whales. <---That was not a joke The bad part is that if this program continues and is supported in the future, once you realize that you made a mistake, it will be too late. Saying "I told you so" after the fact isn't going to fix that I could potentially no longer climb "free" (or aid) in the mountains.

This is not a discussion about bashing Adam and his staff; rather it should be about questioning the political forces at the 30,000 foot level, a level so high that even Adam himself can’t possibly climb too. No doubt the Wenatchee Ranger District (WRRD) cares about our wonderful natural resources and they have demonstrated this with their on-the-ground hard work. For those climbers who support the WRRD Climbing Ranger Program, I am respectfully disappointed in what I can only call “political naivety.” I struggle to believe that this will build happy trails for climbers to enjoy. It is about money and power. Every group that has voiced support has a political agenda and I struggle to find benefits toward the individual climber. One of the groups in support is called Wilderness Watch (WW). Let me assure you with some quotes that WW is not supporting a climbing ranger monitoring program that is in your best interests. “… rock climbing is a legitimate subject for agency guidance. In particular, the ban on sport climbing in wilderness is to be commended.” –Executive Director of Wilderness Watch “… the (National Park Service) authorizes the “occasional placement” in wilderness “of a fixed anchor…” This kind of authorization is well beyond the scope of a Director’s Order...We believe that the term “untrammeled” in the Wilderness Act means just that – not occasionally trammeled or rarely trammeled.” –Executive Director of Wilderness Watch Those who have questioned the intentions of this program should not be bashed on by those that support it, for they understand well, that programs like these promulgate future regulation. For those of you who do support this program, I ask that you think politically about the organizations in support and ask yourself whether their best interests are yours (Seattle Mountaineers, Wilderness Watch, Wilderness Society, Northwest Mountain School, Leave No Trace, Access Fund.) I think we can all agree that we don’t want a pile of poop under our favorite climb, but I don’t believe that is what this is all about.

Earlier this year I found a vintage wild country friend up in the mountains. It is in pretty good shape, but I don’t really want it and was thinking about throwing it away. I just looked on eBay and old friends that look in the same condition as mine are selling for about 25 bucks with half a dozen bids on them. Why would anybody want one of these? Are these things collector items now?

Does anyone have any experience with ice climbing in Rjukan, Norway? I am wondering if I can get by without a rental car? Would it be easy to hook up with other climbers with a car or worst case walk to enough climbs? If anyone else going there anytime soon?

Here is the link to the 2013 model that I am selling. http://www.petzl.com/us/outdoor/mountaineering-and-climbing-harnesses-0/adjama/dealers

I bought a brand new 2013 Petzl Adjama Harness (medium). I am really bummed because it doesn’t fit me quite right. I need to get a Large. Just opened it out of the box tonight, never used. I would like to get $65 to put toward me rebuying the correct size. They will not let me return. I would also be excited to trade with someone if they have the same harness in Large.