SMU

Funny how things change - when I first began climbing Hood, the Pearly Gates were easiest way up AND down the south side. Not so much today. Cheers, Scott

Thx!! Scott

Hi, Thinking of buzzing from Boise to climb Thielsen this weekend - does anybody know if the standard route is free of snow? Thx! Scott

That was my second concern. I've been wanting to do a daytime climb since January, now we're looking at the midnight slog . . . If I head out by midnight I should be on top my 5am, assuming I don't have to wait in line. But, as warm as it seems to be getting, it may shed stuff in the dark too. Hmmmm.

thx ivan! I've been up there before and found a good bottle neck one day, back when the Pearly Gate was the main route. We went up/down a chute to the left and made good time. But, the Gate is different these days - guess I can go take a look!

Weather seems to be looking better for this weekend, albeit a warming trend has me nervous. Still, I'm thinking of a South Side climb Sat night. I'm driving from Boise - should I expect huge crowds with a long wait on crappy snow? Cheers, Scott

I camped next to that spot Friday night. Crevasses seem to be common in that area. Here's the same spot during March of 2000:

A few neutral thoughts from an outsider passing by. I'm an avid backcountry skier/hiker. I do commute around town on a motorcycle (65 mpg if you're keeping track), but I don't ride motocross. Some comments: - Motocross is a legitimate sport. You may not like it, but it is nonetheless a sport that some folks DO enjoy. Others enjoy synchronized swimming (hey, it's Olympic season! ;>). Speaking of that, I wonder how much energy is needed to maintain an olympic pool? - As for global warming, this is an absurd argument and you should lose it. Trees are cut every day. We all live in wood houses, and I'm sure the timber lost for park construction will be sold to the highest bidder. If trees are not cut to allow park construction, then trees will simply be cut someplace else. Heck, for all we know the proposed location IS designated for tree harvest regardless of the MC park. - I'm guessing the MC park has chosen a location that would minimize noise impact to most people, i.e., they are located far from residential areas. By choosing a location in "the middle of nowhere", they are now "impacting" folks who enjoy being "the middle of nowhere." Where should the MC park go? As an aside, there's a MC park several miles from my house in Idaho. It was built many years ago, far from housing developments, but close enough to drive to. In the past 5 years some high-end housing projects were built within eye and ear-shot of the MC park. Guess what? The new homeowners want the park to move someplace else. - Fuel consumption: aside from getting to the MC park, most MC bikes will burn just a few gallons of fuel during a typical day of riding. Most of my bicycle racing friends burn way more gas when they travel inter-state for their bike races. We all use fuel for a variety of reasons, and it's a bit arrogant for any of us to decide what is the most legitimate use of that fuel.

>I have seen that Russian pro while over there, but never used >it. Super light. Thanks for the tip: I posted the same question there, and we'll see what happens . . . As for the strength, the stoppers appear robust, although the cams are somewhat lighter than my old set of Friends. (Of course, almost all NEW cams are lighter than my old Friends!) Cheers, Scott

Hi, I'm new to these forums, and thought I'd start with a gear question. My Brother just gave me a sack of unused stoppers and cams, stuff he got from a friend about 5 years ago. It was apparently bought in Russia, and most pieces have "Kouba" stamped on them. Anybody have experience with this brand? I bought some Russian-made Ti screws about 15 years ago, and soon heard stories of how they would facture and break, so I'm wondering about this new kit! Cheers, Scott