ScaredSilly

Hi, Sorry for the delay. I was out of the states for a bit. My contact was never able to get anything worked out. The importer is a marine wholesaler down in Florida and for whatever reason my contact felt it was not worth the time setting up things for a one off sale. My suggestion is that if folks have a contact via PMR or another similar rescue organization that you try that route. Otherwise REI $270 is a descent enough of price.

To leash or not to leash. For a nice little hill climb I typically have a wrist leash. Now whether it is used is another question. Crossing a glacier - you bet. Plodding along where I am zig zagging back and forth I might or might not be using it. Most of the time I do, learning how to switch the leash from wrist to wrist is not that hard. it just gets to be a PITA when going only a few steps and in some cases I might not switch at all especially when going down hill. As for the length, the leash is as long as my axe - this length is so that if I want to chop a step or use my axe as a tool I can slide my hand down to the spike so I can swing it properly.

Seems like I have seen something similar in my travels but I can not recall. For ice climbing, we used to carry conduit for bailing off of. That was before v-threads got to be the normal - though I bailed using them back on the 80s.

And what do you base the above from??? You say "most frequently" - which implies gray area. Perhaps Colin did take care of it, maybe BD. But until there are some a facts presented much of what has been alleged is just idle speculation. Which being idle speculation some might take as an attempt to defame. Further, I have yet to see anything presented such case law that says anything needs to happen (which is why I posted the fair use info) That said, the topic is important for people to address which is also why I posted the fair use info. However, a quick note to Colin and BD might have have garnered more than slagging them in public.

Perhaps this might shed some light on the discussion: http://www.centerforsocialmedia.org/resources/publications/fair_use_in_online_video One question to ask who produced the video and who owns it and thus who is responsible for securing copyrights? Did Colin make the video and sell it BD? If so I would think he is the responsible party. Or did he make the video as part of his sponsorship agreement? If so, then it might be a gray area of who should be responsible. Certainly, if BD produced it then they would be the responsible party. At this point I would say it is a gray area - as no one knows the sponsorship agreement.

Sobo - Like others have said I would double check with your agent as well. As I too have not ever heard of car insurance covering the contents that were unrelated to the vehicle.

I would not quite say that the Darts are disposable. You can actually buy replacements for the front section for about 1/2 the original cost. Of course by that time the complete crampon is probably shot anyways. You can also buy the dart or dartwins and put them on the heal section. So if you are really cheap you can have 1 1/2 pairs and go bothways. Gene, I would not be embarrassed about putting them back together bassackwards. That is nothing compared to a friend who BITD got a pair skins for his skis and said they were terrible that is until he realize he had put the tip and tail kit on the wrong ends.

I thought the Petzl single wire gate interesting. One thing I noticed is that it seemed like the opening was slightly smaller than most. I also notice that the bottom of the biner came out more than most. Both of these features are directly in response to the single wire gate.

Not sure about NTSB, but the TSA should not be any weirder than normal when looking at the pack.

Hi, nothing yet. I pinged my contact (they can not make the ultimate decision) so there is bureaucracy at play. I hoped to have something sooner sorry.

I have been using a Bibler hooped bivy sac for quite a while. Except I use it with out the hoop. Lots of room for me and all my crap. If I have my boots inside I put them up by my head to help keep the sac off my face. It comes in two sizes, I got the long so I could bring all my crap in with me.

Kevin, I think the climbing community understands the effectiveness of a PLB. But PLBs are just one tool in the quiver that will help one survive. Like any tool it can be misused and overly relied on. Just like the knuckleheads who blindly relied on their GPS and drove down a snow covered road only to get stuck. I think perhaps what you are seeing is that as climbers we do not want to be told what to take on a climb. The NPS used to do that 30-40 years ago. Further, climbers do not want to be singled out as the only user group to be legislated. Especially given that the resources being used are not in proportion to those of other user groups. As such, there will be lots comments some true, some false. Kinda of like the health care debate. I can understand your frustration but do not leave the table.

This auction would be a great way to support the cause: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190365539998

Monty, while I respect the work your organization does, the above statement in regards to the accident on Mt. Hood in December is utter BS. I realize my statement is harsh and I know I was not there when Mr Gullberg was found. But how can you or PMR make such a statement? His companions were not found and to my knowledge there was zero trace of them. As such, they could have has all the survival gear in the world from a stove, to sleeping, to a PLB. None which would have done them a damn bit good if they were laying unconscious in the bowels of crevasse. More than one climber has died from exposure not because they lacked the resources but because they could not functionally use them. With no disrespect to Mr Gullberg but from what information I gathered his gear was spread out over the mountain after the accident. Rather hard to retrieve it when you are injured. ( i have dealt with such a partner after a serac avalanche that swept him into a crevasse and almost led to him to being buried alive). Ringy - dingy is the term I want to say. Now I noticed in your second post which is similar you do not make the above statement. If PMR is to have any credibility with in first the climbing community and the lay public PLEASE, PLEASE think very carefully about your statements in the public. I was not impressed in the least bit with the PMR statement and reasoning regarding locator beacons last month. I really want to see organizations such PMR be on front lines and give my support but at the present time I am just not reading statements that allow me to give such support. The stakes are very high for climbers in the PNW right now. Sincerely, Allen Sanderson

Kevin, thanks for braving the waters and posting up. A few comments. Given the way legislation works these days with all the special interests most people are very skeptical anytime a business and an elected official propose legislation where a specific business will gain from it. For quite sometime, the general public has perceived winter time climbing above timberline to be an unreasonable risk. And the accidents that do occur are costing the states large sums of money. This is a myth, has been debunked several times by the state of Oregon and by organizations such the AAC which did a study on this subject. (Sorry, I do not have the links handy). On the cost scale climbers are a ways down on the list. As such, the climbing community is rightly upset that they are being singled out when they are not the problem. I disagree that education can not be successful without legislation. One only has to look at laws regarding motorcycles and helmets or cars and seat belts. Many states still do not have laws regarding wearing helmets or seat belts. Yet many many years of education has made people realize that wearing a helmut or seat belt is smart. Further, when laws are passed it affects everybody who rides a motorcycle or drives a car no just a select few. Carrying a PLB is just one tool that people have available when they find themselves up a river of excrement in a native american vessel without any means of propulsion. Just like a driver does for winter driving (some carry chains, some rely on 4x4, some use studded tires). All are a good idea by themselves and some times all are needed. Further when some form of additional traction is required, everybody is required. Though using them, like a PLB, GPS, Sat Phone, does not guarantee you will not crash. If your goal is to get factual information out there please do not speculate on the incident on Mt. Hood this past December. While you may feel that not taking a PLB could well have cost the climbers their lives. I feel the opposite. Without speculating too much and for sake of argument say all three climbers did have a PLB, it is hard to activate a PLB if you have fallen and are unconscious, further if during the fall you have lost your pack which has dumped it contents it will be hard to activate a PLB that is lost. Finally, I complement you on willing to work with the community. However, forcing the usage of PLB on a small user group is not the answer. Sincerely, Allen Sanderson

A friend pointed me to this link on Lou Dawson's site: http://www.wildsnow.com/2323/plb-rescue-beacon-acr While I think PLB and their like have a place, they should not be mandated except in a few cases (maritime & aviation). What dismayed me about the write up was the number of false callouts and the lack of registration. I find it very sad.

More fun quotes by Kevin Stoltz: http://www.plbrental.com/articles/PR070924.asp Why wouldn’t a person hiking solo carry a PLB? “There are a number of reasons but the biggest one is people just don’t know they exist and how easy they are to get a hold of”, says Kevin Stoltz, President of PLB Rentals, LLC. “We are continually working to improve public awareness of PLBs so people will choose to bring one along, even on day hikes. Nobody thinks they’re going to get into an emergency situation, but anyone who is out in the wilderness should carry a PLB…just in case. If you get lost, injured, or stranded in the wilderness, a PLB can save your life.” Public awareness by legislation ... legislate this fucker

This action is called special interest group. It happens all the time with crap at the political level at the local, state, and federal levels. Nothing new but it does help to use it as ammunition against the bill. Kevin Stoltz's company: http://www.plbrentals.com Interesting comment: http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/personal-locator-beacons-or-personal-body-locators/

An LED flashlight is an electronic signaling device.

I get your point and perhaps I am jaded. But people need have some intelligence when traveling in avy terrain. Yeah, we all do stupid things. Most of the time we get a way with it. Sometimes we do not - at that point we are a dumb fuck. Hopefully not a dead dumb fuck. And yes, I have been dumb fuck before.

Every winter here in Oootah, a dumb fuck motor head or two to three gets caught in a slide from their high mark antics. The best one so far was from the guy who got slammed by a slide trigger by his partner. He held strong and filmed the whole thing right up to and including when he got buried. What amazes me is that these jokers park their sleds and the bottom of the hill in the run out zone to watch. All of it is Darwinism.

Bring skis ...

He he, my letter to the Oregonian was published in this mornings paper. I wonder if will stir the pot any?

A quick bump now that the holidays are over. I should hear something this week, the shop needed to contact the distributor ... Thanks for everyone patience.

As an OSU grad I always liked the expression - Fuck a duck, eat a beaver.