moira armen

Haha Wayne, nice innuendo! I said it at the time, and I'll say it again in public - that was really, really fun - I think I am ready to re-embrace ice climbing (but only on non-epic powder days)! The turns at Stevens weren't as much fun as climbing this - thanks again, Doug, for a great day out! Best date of 2014 so far! But our BC ski trip next week is probably gonna blow it outta the water!

Wow...I'm so...well...speechless...amazing...awesome...inspiring

Nice climbing AND nice trip report. Your beautiful photos made me wish I were a better ice/mixed climber, so that I, too, could experience what you did. Lucky ducks! Keep up with the inspiring posts, thanks!

Hi, it's me again. I couldn't remember my username, so I posted using my old username -- which isn't my real name -- but this is my real name and I think it is oh-so-much cooler to use your real name than to hide behind a fake name, so I'm glad I found myself -- thank you to Google search for helping me in my quest! Now I know I have no underlines, squiggles, dashes, hyphens, or capitals in my name!

Wow, what a super cute and happy baby! I'm jealous, I wish my parents would have taken me ice climbing!

I do! I do! Looking for others who feel the love and want to toprope out there on dry Tuesday and Thursday nights. No whining allowed about dirt, poison oak, traffic noise, trash, or lurkers. I can meet at 4pm or later. If you're interested, PM me. It will be fun!

Well worth the change of plans. I never knew Nason Ridge had such fabulous views. Glad I wasn't with you for the five hour slogfest out!

Nice job Marcus on your climbs! Nate and I tried to get out today. The windy drizzle didn't deter us but the multi-car smashup we witnessed on I-84 just before Crown Jewel did. Rain freezing as it hit the pavement caused about eight or nine cars to hit the median at 60 mph and spin off the road, all in the same spot -- there was a curve. We narrowly missed being hit by the first vehicle as it spun straight at us then off the freeway. The careening cars were actually bouncing off each other on the shoulder like pool balls. It was like being in an action flick only the sparks and squealing tires were real and right in front of us. Physics in action. People were shaken and vehicles damaged, but no one was seriously hurt. We stayed to help, then once the troopers and EMT's arrived, we skipped the ice and headed home before the road got worse. It's closed now. I am jealous of ALL who got some!

Thanks for telling us about it. I'm still sad that it's not snowing, but starting to feel better knowing there's ice. Hafta find my own flow since probably all of cc.com will be on yours -- it looks pretty fun and a great early season warmup!!

Time?

You do not!

You guys inspire me to get out and with awe...all your TRs are so rad!

Ha ha, well prudence would also dictate not doing scary things where you could die, so clearly the prudence gene missed me. But that's ok because if I exhibited "prudence" that would make me a prude. And nobody likes a prude.

John, that looks so completely beautiful and awesome. I am inspired. Adding Alaska to my dreams list. ps. You ski now???

Hey, it was fun to meet a few of you and get some faces to put to names. Glad you got good weather on Sunday, we got some nice turns down further south, too. I'll have to try to make it back again next year!

Interestingly, it sounds like these guys were going uphill when the avalanche struck them by coming down from above. So, you pole-strap wearing uphill travelers have been warned!

Anyone dug a pit recently in the Hood area below 5,000 feet. I've been KO'd with the flu and haven't been up since it was hardpack...just wondering if there's any recent info to help influence my in/out of bounds ski decision making process. Thanks!

photos?

2 speeding tickets = $243 1 gallon of gas in Montana = $1.43 2 days of climbing in Hyalite = priceless Thanks for a fun weekend Casey and "'Lub"! A few choice shots: Casey on The Good Looking One 'Lub on The Elevator Shaft Casey on some climb in The Amphitheater--notice water ice climber's right taking a leak! Kristina and me on Mummy II 'Lub considering whether he likes 33 degree showers at The Sceptre

Climbed the route Saturday. Postholed up to the base, then good kick steps for most of the route. The steep part was thin snice over friable rock. Still a great day in the mountains! We fixed some anchors to get down--slings on trees and two pins in the protected overhang after the steep section. How do people normally get down this?

Just to answer the original question, the route was snake face and the guy who pulled off the block was okay, all things considered. He did have to get stitches in his head and his leg. He pulled it off through no fault of his own, his partner had just done the route so I'm sure he pulled it too, it just happened to have loosened up extra special for that one unfortunate guy. Rock can be that way. Especially here. Maybe he pulled a hair harder than his partner. He didn't really pull the block onto himself, luckily because it was huge, but it seemed more that his head was either grazed by it, or he hit his head when he fell--he fell horizontally, probably because he was holding onto the block when it came off and so it pulled him sideways a little before he let go. But who knows, I was right beside him and I still don't know! Pretty much the only lesson here is if you climb there belay alert, don't stand directly under your climber, wear a helmet, and test your holds. Probably 90% of people do that anyway. Oh yeah, FYI I got on the route the other day and it's still 5.9 even with the hold missing.

Yes, it is!

Anyone been up to Spring Mountain? Is the road open the whole way? Thanks!

Sadly, someone stole my ipod from my locker on Monday night. I have never bothered locking it because I would never have thought any of my fellow prg-ers would be thieves, but apparently one is. I know lots of people (women anyway) don't bother with a lock, but you might want to start using one if there's anything of value in there.

Thank you for coming all the way to Portland. Really good show, I enjoyed the mix of your trip with the ski history behind those descents. Thanks for bringing the historic skis, too, it's amazing what those guys did on that gear. The old ski films were the best ski movies I've seen this year. But the highlight for me was hearing you describe the first silver ski race on Rainier! Happy turns, Moira