tvashtarkatena

I came screaming down a hairpin in Pemberton area during the mountain bike leg of an adventure race and damn near hit a grizzly in the middle of the road. I added that to my "things not to hit" list, just below 'oncoming train'.

Introduce grizzlies into the Olympics. Problem solved.

Paging Dr. Kaplan. Dr. Kaplan to the Earth Ward, stat.

People go where the guidebooks tell them to.

Depends on the phone. With the Galaxy 4 (Android) you get GPS navigation without cell service. With an iPhone? Not so much. Not yet, at least.

That would have been a more compelling video had they just eased that kid out through an open window.

Remember, a grizzly's only gonna kill you if a) it's guarding its cubs b) it's guarding its kill or c) it's just looking for something to do

If he's sleeping, switch the GoPro on and gently pet him.

More grizz = faster ascents.

The danger of an under or overexposed photo cannot be underestimated.

Thanks for keeping Wyoming's awesome routes less crowded for guys like me! While bears are a common sight in the Tetons (no big) - it's pretty rare to see one in the Cirque and other more frequented areas of the Winds. Me? I'm a bit more concerned with dangers I actually have to face there. Like lighting, for example.

Got a confirmation there's no snow at the base of the E ridge. Just checking out the S. Thanks. Courtesy note: Both routes are going to be a bit busy up there this weekend.

S Ridge. Typo. Been there recently?

Anyone been there recently? Ax or no? Thx T

Just climbed it. Def no rope due to chosstacularity. The descent is the real fun part. Good berries, though.

I really like this TR. Fresh perspective.

At the stand: Yates adjustable daisy (very adjustable - rated load limit: 300 lbs) clipped to the anchor backed up by a short length of dynamic rope attached to the anchor via a clove hitch (pretty adjustable) to a locking biner at the anchor power point. Clip the loose end of the dynamic rope into the anchor with a figure 8 on a bight, and tie in to your harness (threaded just like your belay loop) with a rewoven figure 8. The Yates is girth hitched to your belay loop. It's unclear how you're ascending the rope. That's the other part to think about.

Don't use an ascender or any toothed device to arrest a fall of any length unless you want to tear your rope a new one. A static rope like yours especially.

Thanks for the heads up.

For anyone wanting to add a wire to a picket - Yate's uses 5/32" cable - 2250 lbs. 42" eye to eye. Given that a well placed deadman will blow at 1500 lbs, you can get away with 1/8" cable (1750 lbs) Stainless cable with (properly) crimped Cu swage (don't use Al) will give you 90% of that - just over 1500 lbs. For T cross section pickets - you'll want to use an eye sleeve on the picket end of the cable to keep it from slicing through the aluminum. The biner on the other end has a larger diameter - not so much of an issue there. You can used galvanized cable with Al (don't use Cu) swages, but the Al will reduce overall strength a bit more. Fisherman's Supply in Seattle has the goods, BTW.

One rule of thumb: If you can't poke your bare finger through the snow (and it isn't just a thin surface crust) - vertical top clipped is fine. If you can poke your finger through and but you can still make a decent snowball - vertical mid clip - then backfill and compact the trench. This can be as much as 3x stronger than vertical top clip in such conditions. If you can't make a snowball at all - horizontal (deadman) is your only viable option.

There are three ways to place a picket (vert end clipped, vert mid clipped, deadman mid clipped), depending on the snowpack. Best to know 'em all: Traditional, Sierra, and Horizontal Picket Placement

I feel a tinge of sadness...that Mr. Kaplan and I didn't get there first.

Nice report!

Russia's put a couple of toys on the moon (and a handful on Venus), n thas coo. We put 3 cars there and played round of lunar golf, blew the shit out of a comet, attacked Jupiter, landed on an asteroid with no landing gear, drove the Euros to Titan, made Mercury our hawt little bitch, and launched 5 starships. Oh, and Mars? We own it. Fuck Yeah