ScaredSilly

A few comments after several long chats with multiple people in the NPS. 1. The public shelter and the guide's (now NPS) hut are historic buildings. So there are fairly strict rules for their up keep. They can not easily be removed or changed. I think both serve a need and should be maintained. I griped over 10 years ago about the public shelter and it condition. All I can say is "keep the damn doors closed" as that is what has cause many if not most of the problems. 2. While I personally advocate that the guides us temporary shelters such as Weather Ports. The guides have mixed feelings because the snow level varies as the season progresses and such they need to be reset. At what frequency I do not know. 3. The Gombu shelter was an illegal construction and is slated to be removed. But until #2 above is solved it will remain. Similarly, the A-frame now used by the guides is to be removed, but will remain for now. 4. The whole Camp Muir update was stalled by the floods as money had to be re-allocated. 5. Climbers are not the only folks at a Muir - just look at the congo line on the weekends. Day hikers also have an impact. The NPS is aware of that. Personal side bar - IMHO there should three permanent structures at Muir; NPS shelter, Public Shelter, and the crappers. Everything else should be temporary. All of the above to a large part are separate from the climbing fee. In regards to the climbing fee: 6. Guided clients also pay the climbing fee. It is included in the guiding fees. 7. The blog is a big issue and they have been made very aware of the need to keep it updated on a regular basis. There are some politics in regards to it. That said, I believe it probably has the biggest visible impact in regards to the climbing program that if the blog is not maintained on a regular basis that many climbers will forego the fee. 8. Out reach is a big issue. Gaitor was out there. He sold the program. For the program to continue the NPS needs to look at his tenure carefully. Those who follow need not follow exactly but they need to be doing a lot more on the out reach. See #7 for a prime example. 9. There will always be mix of users. Many of us on CC are old hands and do not need the hand holding like many coming to Rainier. We want to see condition reports and get to the business of climbing. We (or at least most) how to deal with a blue bag, how to find the damn bivy site in a white out, look at a weather report etc. As such, we do not require much from the NPS. However, we are the minor, the small minority compared to the others. The others, do not mind and actually like having rangers on the hill. And some really need that person contact. Like the guy climbing in blue jeans with a clothesline. 10. Something I would like to see is the NPS go to a lifetime pass for climbing. Say after 5 season passes you get a life time pass. Or just pay up front for 5 passes. At this point some of us should probably get a refund after all the seasons spent on the hill.

Fall is a perfect time to head south to Spain/France/Italy. If ya want to clip bolts Bouix, La Turbie, Finali, Calanques, etc. Verdon would certainly be longer routes but still lots of bolt clipping. For alpine you could also go south the Maritine Alps outside Nice. I did some fun climbing while living there. Much more quiet than Cham.

The lifts may close but not all of the telepheriques. Many of the huts are fully open (i.e. staffed) for a limited time in the winter/spring months. When not staffed the huts always have winter access. However, they might be quite cold so you should be prepared to have all your gear. During April and May many huts are staffed as that is prime time for skiing for the Haute Route and for climbing many of the classic faces that melt out in the summer. I will be over there again for the last three weeks in April climbing and skiing. Send me a note with your abilities and I can try to make a few suggestions.

Actually, only pitch 9-10 are truly farmed. Back in the early 90s I climbed pitches 6-8 on natural ice. Pitch 6 actually forms up often as does a bit of pitch 8. Pitch 7 is a free hanging pillar which oddly enough was much fatter when it was natural ice. I think that season, 92??? was the first time that many pitches had formed. That said, I have to give kudos to those who did the work for the farming on Stairway as well as to the climbs to left of Bridal Veil. It was great to have some new lines to play on. Perhaps this next fall we will have work party.

Hey Dane the reason there is tat is cause locals climb it when it is fat, top out, and walk down the trail Off to ride my bike into the office.

BTW, what I find interesting is that it only applies to a ski operator. Here in Oootah, others in their official capacity can close areas. Here is Utah's version. Note the wording for the ski patrol. 13.12.020 - Closed or unsafe areas—Designation—Signs. The sheriff, forest service, national park service or ski patrol for the ski resort upon which the designated area is located shall be authorized to designate closed or unsafe areas through the use of regulatory signs or other devices. When regulatory signs and/or devices are in place, there shall be a presumption that their placement was authorized.

Also posted here: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/999961/1000_fine_for_out_of_bounds_sk#Post999961 Here is what I posted in that thread: Folks should read the bill: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5186.pdf Here is the language: (b) A person shall not ski on a ski slope, trail, or area that is designated by a ski area operator as closed to the public and that has signs posted indicating the closure. Any person who violates the provisions of this subsection commits a civil infraction and is subject to a monetary penalty of up to one thousand dollars. Basically if the ski operation says the area is closed is within their boundary and you ski in it you can get fined. It has nothing to do with going out of bounds. A ski resort/patrol cannot close terrain outside of their boundary as they have no control over it. Once again the news has failed to do proper reporting. Folks should send the reporter, Ray Lane a note. rlane@komonews.com as well as the patrollers who gave him BS.

Not to be a smart ass but if you have to ask - you probably should not be considering it. Seriously.

Folks should read the bill: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5186.pdf Here is the language: (b) A person shall not ski on a ski slope, trail, or area that is designated by a ski area operator as closed to the public and that has signs posted indicating the closure. Any person who violates the provisions of this subsection commits a civil infraction and is subject to a monetary penalty of up to one thousand dollars. Basically if the ski operation says the area is closed is within their boundary and you ski in it you can get fined. It has nothing to do with going out of bounds. A ski resort/patrol cannot close terrain outside of their boundary as they have no control over it. Once again the news has failed to do proper reporting. Folks should send the reporter, Ray Lane a note. rlane@komonews.com as well as the patrollers who gave him BS.

Lama has other sponsors besides Red BullShit. Mammut <- Write the Swiss side of the company. Read their views: http://www.mammut.ch/en/cr.html http://www.mammut.ch/en/cr_sustainable_ecological.html oetztal <- Austrian Tourism

The Mazama Lodge is a fine option. During my last visit to the south side my partner and I treated ourselves to one of the Chalets at T-Lodge. The Saturday afternoon buffet after climbing was excellent!!

Gotta agree with Hugh - most mfg installed racks are held on via a couple of sheet metal screws into the stringers that form the roof. For some reason it reminds me of the story about car wheels and aircraft engines. How many lug bolts hold a wheel on most cars? 5 or 6 How many mounting bolts hold an engine on a Boeing 7X7? 4 BTW Nice little rack. Things like that are nice if they can be multi purpose. For instance, building legs so it could be used as a table.

Locals in Ooootah: http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/journal/culture//winger-for-the-weekend-75

While most DSLRs have few moving parts there is still a mirror that moves. It used to be that I would have the grease removed in my SLR and have it dry lubed. I would do the same my lenses (all manual). With all the auto-focus lenses I am not sure what lubricants are used these days. With any camera in the cold I tend to keep it stuck down in my coat. It keeps it warm enough but not so warm that it fogs up.

FWIW, I can remember climbing at Smith in the late 70s and seeing ropes hanging from Morning Glory Wall. So for better or worse climbers have been leaving crap hanging around for longer some have been a live.

Not one from this year but just found it on my computer:

Too bad you did not ask him to show you the bad biners before revealing yourselves. It would have been hilarious to ask him all kinds of questions, then finally tell him thanks for such fine safety concerns but then reveal yourself by saying something like Ian all of our draws are bad!! As said what a douche bag.

Those who actually caught the thief should make a flyer with said person's picture on it and post it up on the B-board at Smith and other locations so that others will know who to be looking out for. 111 - I am guessing caught by others climbers. I doubt the thief will get any LEO attention as quick draws left on routes for any extended period of time for the most part are considered technically abandoned. (Lets not start a discussion about it from a climbers point of view - plenty of that already).

I posted this image in our trip report from this summer. The summit cornice looms!!! North Face of Mt. Hood.

Very true have done that on many of slopes, but for many it is not that easy - especially for newbies. And unfortunately, the runout is rather deadly for Cooper's Spur. Seems like around 9400 feet give or take. Then stay above 8600 feet until it is possible to regain Cooper's Spur at around 8000 feet. Or something like that.

While I would also agree that the north would a better place for such an outing but as said remember that the road up to Cloud Cap may not be open yet. In 2010 it opened July 4th weekend. That would not stop many as you can hike up from Tilly Jane but something to keep in mind. Especially as one can day hike out Cloud Cap to the Elliot. That time of year an ascent of Copper's Spur is good fun. Coming down may be different story. However, as I have down twice before after a north side route is to come the south side and walk back around via the Newton Clark.

Those are decorative marks on the head which as said above would make it a alpenstock or walking stick and not a true ice axe. The adze/pick looks to to about 6" long which is quite small compared to a std. ice axe but perfect for fitting in one's hand as they walked a snowy trail. They are quite common through out the alps BITD. Now folks use ski poles. I have one that I picked up years ago. While the head is not decorative the shaft is carved with a reminder of an walk to the Jungfraujoch. I.e. folks take the rail car up and then walk across the glacier on a well marked path to the col, admire the views, then walk back to restaurant for lunch. All quite civilized. So you have walking stick from the alps that some one brought back as a souvenir.

The flower is probably an Edelweiss. As such, I wold guess an old Hope Edelweiss ice axe.

Note sure if folks have seen this or not: http://www.fullscreen360.com/st-helens.htm

Was fondling through some old slides and thought this one would be good as it was the center fold image for an issue of Summit back in the mid 80s. Note the styling tube socks and chocks. And of course a Whillans harness!! Hey Shapp recognize the rock? (High Valley, Oregon - Do Or Fly 5.10)