ScaredSilly

KOIN has new poll ... If Oregon adopted a law mandating Mountain Locator Units for climbers, what else should it contain? Training requirement for summit attempts Search & rescue reimbursement when MLU is not used State authority to close mountain to climbing, based on forecasts All of the above

What the lay public does not understand is that in this case the MLU would not have helped unless 1) it had been activated 2) all three people carried them 3) searchers would have been on the spot Friday afternoon. RJ - PBL have come down in cost $300 gets ya one: http://www.rei.com/product/791972

I find it interesting that TWO stations are running poles. Folks start calling the news directors voicing your disgust. http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/927232 Right side 3/4 the way down the page: http://www.katu.com/

I was in the 11% voting. Do not forget to send in some comments to viewersvoice@katu.com This was my comment: I will carry a beacon as soon as all the other screw balls like mushroom pickers, hunters, boaters, skiers, bikers, and the rest of the other knuckleheads who cost more money to "rescue" than climbers.

7-MERGE-926832-MERGE- merged with related thread

Not good news: http://enews.earthlink.net/article/top?guid=20091212/71c6311d-ff08-4dfd-b24d-0d7b5a27cd1f http://www.kptv.com/news/21949650/detail.html

Wow sad news. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/world/breakingnews/79012497.html

Bill, a friend used a spot on Denali and I was with him when we did a run up Rainier. IMHO the spot is fine for checking in so to speak but to be honest if I am up a river of excrement in a native american vessel without any means of propulsion I want a PLB The new McMurdo is my choice: http://www.rei.com/product/791972 BTW remember the fine print on the SPOT- Service Fee: $99.99 USD annual. Optional features include automatic tracking service (SPOTcasting) and guaranteed extraction service for countries or regions with non-responsive emergency services. Hmm, the wife asked me what I wanted for xmas ... might have to suggest this unit. PS I ran into Aaron Ralston last month down in the Utah desert.

I saw the followups on smithrock.com that it was some climber's kids drawings but is that now the official conclusion and more importantly is the closure lifted.

Bump ... can anyone give an update??

BITD on Rainier my partner was too poor to buy all that fancy polypro stink wear. So he fashion himself some out of pantyhose. Not just any pantyhose but purple ones. Now that was a climbing and fashion statement. Later he fashioned a G-String out of a bandana that he normally wore on his head.

What time of year? During the summer the Climber's Ranch is your best bet. Otherwise, Motel 6.

A three season tent will more than likely work fine. The biggest concern would be wind. Make sure it can be tied down.

You can find similar ropes on Cooper's Spur. Back in Oct 93 or so I found several. I pulled a few lengths out and watched them slither down the slope before dropping on to the Elliot Glacier.

I use a Wild Things Belay Jacket. It packs down nicely and gives just enough warmed while, well belaying. http://www.wildthingsgear.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=88&zenid=115da24dc1aa260a84368b24851d464e

Once you have one end of the pole in place put your finger under the other end. That way your hand slides along the floor. Once near the grommet move your finger. Do the same with the other pole. Do not stake out the tent before hand.

Hmmm, I have done nothing because my insurance will cover medical costs no matter where in the world I am. I might be paying up front and only be reimbursed 80% of the "standard and customary" costs but I will be reimbursed. What is not covered is rescue and repatriation. But for that there is coverage via Assist American and over similar programs that I get through diving (DAN) and climbing (AAC). The kicker for these is that you must contact them when you need assistance not after the fact as they want to be in control of the resources used.

I have been using neoprene socks from these folks: http://www.gator-sports.com in combination with dachstein socks. This system works quite well but it should not be used unless the temps are below freezing. Further, you must dry you feet at the end of each day to avoid trench foot or other nasty fungal problems. Typically, once in the tent I turn the socks inside out and let them dry a bit. They go in my bag for the night. Finally, after a couple of days the socks will sink.

Chouinard once said something to the affect that if you want to be sponsored to get a job. Or as I like to say - we are all whores we just sell ourselves in different ways. And some are better at it than others. More seriously, several of my friends are or have been sponsored at one time or another. I have even been the recipient of some free gear from time to time. People forget that while we (i.e. climbers with a job) do just as hard core of stuff that those who are sponsored do the mfg. are not trying to sell their goods just to us. I was in Manhattan this week and saw a lot of people walking around wearing North Face clothing. I seriously doubted that many of those folks have climbed more than a set of stairs but hey they looked good.

On mountain routes it is nice to have medium and maybe one longer screws for the belay (using your tool(s) for the rest of the anchor). For glacier/crevasse travel we typically take per one person. I think the most screws I have ever taken for a big route (ie. Cassin Ridge) was 5-6 screws for stuff like Rainier's Norward routes it is more like at most 3-4 screws, for Coopers I did not even take a partner but if climbing roped 3-4 screws would be sufficient.

I had a something similar but not quite as bad. I think they doubled my rate and took away the double indemnity clause. After about 10 years they dropped the restrictions. On thing that did help me is that I was climbing regularly which for some odd reason the insurance felt that it was better to climb regularly than not. Do some shopping around.

Something, to watch for at about 6:20 in the original video. It is my understanding from another source that while the rescuer manages to clear a path to the victim he did not fully clear an airway. Because the victim had the avalung part way in an ice mask formed around him. Further, if you watch the rescuer he steps away for about 20 seconds before he finally clears a good airway.

There is camping with showers in Zermatt just down from the train station. There is also a hostel also a block down from the train station. Those are your two cheapest options in Zermatt. Everything else is expensive including the huts. As for transport - fly into Geneva and take the train. The cheapest and easiest option. If you are taking a white gas stove look for Essence C at a hardware store. Other wise plan on using cartridges.

It is kind of a joke about the expression "there is a reason it called Camp Hazard". While it is indeed named after Joe Hazard, the camp can also be a hazard due to ice fall right above it. Now a days people rarely camp there but instead camp about 200 feet below.

Shit I did not even get hardly a thanks when I gave the owner of Falcon my corrections in person. So what you expect a hand written thank you with a complementary signed copy??? :-) Sorry, youth but the kids from the high school in La Grande were climbing those nipples well before they ever went to EOU (EOSC for you old farts). Some of those sorry ass punks even skied them. One of those punks just had Pattagucci publish his book on his romps around the hills. Alright now I am insulted, BITD that was one of my finest FAs. Yeah, it is dirty, ain't very hard, and lacks any difficulties and some people make fun of it by skiing it but shit we drove up from LaGrande at least twice before we got the thing done. What do ya expect for a couple of 18 year olds that had barely got away from their mama's apron strings??? I think Lee's took us three tries cause of the damn snow Bill mentioned. Hell once later we were on a roll and did both in a day. We were such studs. Yeah stay out of Eastern Oregun nuttin but mutton ...