rob

I'm curious, why do you think camalots are safer than friends?

that's a funny picture, seahawks. It's a good think I haven't seen it, like, a hundred-million times now.

If they had MLUs this would never have happened.

So, I'm looking to start adding some cams to my rack. I've mostly ever climbed with camalots, and of course I've loved them. But they're not cheap. What's the scuttlebutt on friends? Forged friends are just so cheap, and have been around forever. Anybody here climb with them? I guess they're real popular in the UK. What's the story? What is so great about BD that would justify spending twice as much? Isn't the obvious downfall with friends (rigid stem) easily backed up with cordage? TIA

a Narc leper? Twice the fun!

you guys better knock it off, or he'll come in here and let some air out of your heads.

forgotten children's fund -- I always try to donate to children's charities. These guys buy toys for needy kids who would normally get nothing during the holidays. They're 100% volunteer-based, so you get a lot of bang for your buck. Incidently, they are always looking for volunteers around christmas to drive around and help wrap and deliver presents, which is a good way to help out if you got no cash. They are also local. Downtown Emergency Service Center -- I volunteered at one of their shelters last year and was really impressed with their permanant housing programs and outreach. Also local. ACLU of Washington Foundation -- The ACLU Foundation engages in litigation and education programs, and donations to the foundation are tax-deductible, unlike the ACLU (which engages in lobbying and whose donations are not tax-deductible).

lot of truth to this. hatred is the heart of racism.

That's no accident. We take bets on how many times we can get you and your buddies to clarify the specs. My record is 11. Slip your dev a 50 next time to offset his loses and he'll hook you up. SShhh!

I dunno, man. I don't like it. I guess it could be done safely, if done correctly and competently. You'd have to be very comfortable rope-soloing. When you were ready to fall, would you let slack out of your toprope to allow you to fall past the gear? And then fall on the lead rope, counting on your TR to backup the fall? Yikes. Personally, I wouldn't feel comfortable with a setup like that. I wouldn't feel comfortable taking falls in the first place since the routes I climb are probably ankle-breakers, but even if I could climb higher grades, I wouldn't feel comfortable taking leader falls on a rope-solo system by myself. But that's me. You may feel more confident with your skills than I. Now, the real question is this: If you just want to work on your chops and improve your leading, and you're comfortable rope-soloing, what's with the intentional falls? I do not think falling will improve your climbing ability or even your ability to assess good protection. Unless you want practice falling.

As a new leader myself, I've never liked the idea of falling on gear, on purpose -- even if it's to test the gear or placements. I'm no hardman, and most of the leads in my ability do NOT have clean falls. Also, I think learning to lead climb SOLO is a pretty dumb idea. I think you are better off just climbing within your ability and having an experienced leader clean your gear and give critique. The best practice for lead climbing is lead climbing. Maybe leading some easy aid pitches on toprope (with a belay! Not solo) might be a good way to learn to place gear with less risk. But I still wouldn't fall on purpose. Personally, I think learning to judge the quality of a placement by visual inspection, yank-tests, etc. is more practical. This is how you will test gear in the real world, you will not be able to fall on it to test it.

plus, the butterfly doesn't look like a giant wad of crap, unlike the bowline-on-a-bight

Stewart, I'm curious why you've decided that these two guys were high? Their report didn't say anything about that, and clearly you haven't spoken to either of them about it. So, did you just make that part up, or what?

I remember a few years back when some tribe in the northwest was going to harvest a few whales. They insisted they had the right to do so, because it was their tradition and their way of life, etc. I remember being surprised that speedboats and explosive harpoons were (apparently) also part of their native american whaling heritage. Go figure.

Costner? Please.

I still play with legos. There, I said it.

I'm sorry to hear about this. Was he alone?

Have you got anything without SPAM?

Dunno, man, weather at vantage looks passable....

bump bump

Twins for alpine? Why not stick with the doubles?

hmm, aggressive belay...energetic? lively? attentive? paying attention, listening, handling the rope energetically and actively, etc. It's a silly way to describe it, I guess. I guess I see an agressive belayer as someone who considers himself part of the climbing process and is engaged in the moment, rather than someone who kinda belays without any heart, spaces out, etc. I guess I'm a weirdo? Anywho, that wasn't my point.... This is our concern, Dude. I don't know if doubles are gonna cause more of a hassle then they are worth while I'm still working on my lead chops. Should I stick with singles until I'm more confident above the anchor?

Last minute change of plans due to the avy forecasts. So, I've got a free saturday. Weather looks like crap pretty much everywhere. How about vantage? I've never climbed there, is it too early in the season? I'd love to get out on some rock again. Follow to 5.9, do some easy leads (5.5). I'd love to figure something out. PM or email me if that sounds interesting.

OMFG, the guy at REI almost dropped me a while ago. I was stuck at the mall with the kids for a few hours while the wife watched a movie, so we sauntered over to the "pinnacle" cause the sign said climbing was free. So, I got the kids suited up, they climbed a bit, and then they wanted to see me climb, so I scramble on up and rang the dorky little bell and the guy says, "whenever you're ready" -- so I say, "leaning back" and he says "go for it" -- and then proceeds to drop me 5-10 feet. He later claimed the grigri "slipped". WTF? Sometimes stoned is better than stupid.

I'm a new leader and have really fallen in love with alpine climbing. Recently, I've started climbing with friends who are into half-ropes, and I've becomed a bit enamored with them. But I've never lead on halves, and wanted to know what your thoughts were before I invest in a new rope (or ropes). I'm into halves for all the usual reasons. But how much of a learning curve is it to lead on them? As a leader, will it be harder for me to find agressive belayers who are confident managing doubles? I already know the pros/cons of both systems, but what are your recommendations? Some of my friends have recommended sticking to singles until I'm a more confident leader, and then switching. Others have said that's crap, and they started on halves from the beginning. Thoughts?