Maine-iac

Hey, Its almost spring break for me, and i will be headed up to Hood from thursday the 20th through till the 30th, for my break. Im looking to see if anybody would be interested (weather and avy condition dependent) in either doing a little climbing, a little climbing/skiing, or just a little BC skiing. If everything goes well i want to try and get out and ski Tom Dick and Harry, ski the south side, and possibly climb the Sunshine route, or some other interesting looking route. As well, i will most likely have a pass for Meadows, so if the weather just blows ill be cruising around the resort. Since all of my friends are heading south (bishop/redrocks/smith) for break i will be lonely and looking for some company. Woot 700 inches for Hood!!! Thats one epic snow cave. - Maine-iac

Bring your skis for McLaughlin. I had a fantastic ski from the summit to the car last year. It was a little bit of a pain finding a trail going up through the trees, so just blast straight up from the car park. If you are ever heading past Eugene drop me a line.

I've got a Magellan eXplorist 200. It is at least 4 years old, and doesn't receive the best signal in dense woods (are there any that do?) and it has no topo map or any bells/whistles on it, but since i feel im solid with my map/compass i just use it as a back up. It works great and has quite good battery life. GPS is nice, but map and compass is where it is at. I have also managed to log 21961 miles on it but i guess thats what happen if you like to know where you are while flying....

Step 1- Marinate steak tips in oil, soy, and weird mix bought in grocery store for a while. Step 2- Soak corn on the cob for 30 mins in water. Step 3- Prepare grill. Step 4- Wrap corn in tinfoil. Step 5- Cook corn for 10 to 15 mins, turning. Then add steak to grill. Step 6- While the steak is grilling don't touch it! Sear it, then flip it. Step 7- Once at desired rawness remove from grill, along with corn. Step 8- Let it sit, and run inside and grab a very cold Sam Adams Summer ale. Step 9- Eat Step 10- Repeat joygasims in mouth means a job well done.

Mix a little of Milwaukee's finest and a few more ATVs and you have yourself a real 'merican sport.

Oh hell ya there is climbing in Eugene! Some of the best basalt crack climbing this side of Springfield. Muffy, if its nice weather ill gladly show up with a rope. What time were you thinking about climbing?

Im rockin' a pair of Line Prophets, with a turned up tail. And let me tell you, i don't think i have ever been so frustrated with my skins (a pair of G3s) coming off the tail of them. I was just thinking i would throw some ducktape on the backs, and call it good. I dont think i could bring myself to notch the tails.... But thanks guys for the info, its nice to know im not the only person with this problem.

Thanks Spotly for those pictures. Its nice to see what a camera will actually do with a picture. Just curious, but where are the top two pictures taken? Currently i am looking at a Sony Cybershot DSC 90 or 120, an Olympus Stylus 790SW, and i will have a look at some of the Cannon P+S's.

This article is interesting, its about America's National Parks http://www.npca.org/what_we_do/visitor_experience/clear_air/code_red/

It is actually becoming quite the problem. I happen to like fish, and now when its hot out i turn dark red, and the opposite happens when im cold. Damn mercury. At least i dont live in LA and eat the fist there.

IT Bands also tend to hurt on the inferior end of the knee cap as well as the lateral side. They (from what iv heard/seen/felt) can be very painfull and will stop you right where you are. It just started all of a sudden for me one day, and ended almost as fast as it started, although there was close to a 5 week period where i couldnt do anything. Muscle imbalance/strain is also possible. I managed to blow out my hip flexor with a few hours of snowshoeing and that was last march, i have only now just started training again. Let us know what the doc says. and make sure whenever you are in-doubt about something to put ice on it. If it is IT problems the good thing is you can "push" through the pain, although it takes quite the pair of balls to do that.... Good luck man

So the other day my friend was filming me while skiing, and he crashed and my camera is no more. I was using a Sony Cybershot (2004?) 5.1MPEGs. What do people recommend for a new camera? My budget is anything under $300. Do people like the waterproof/crush proof Olympus cameras, anybody using a new cybershot??

I have the Petzl Mini, and love it. The standard set up i use is a 10.2mm rope with 6mm prusik cord and it works great. Of course, you need to mind the pulleys though, because if you are hauling something, you need to reset the prusik so that you dont loose the extra few inches that the prusik travels before hitting the pulley. But i have never had my cord sucked into the pulley if that is what you are asking. Hope that made sense, if not make a system and it will, especially if you are in a vertical setting.

Which REI is having a used gear/boots sale?? I asked my local REI guy if i could just buy a pair of Koflachs off them, and he told me if they were being sold they would appear in scratch and dent sales. But, i wonder what their "lost boot policy" is..... I also looked at craigslist for all of seattle and portland, and nobody had a useful size. Damn Atomic!

I am thinking about doing a double traverse of the Sisters either in the spring (ski-able) or in the fall (hike-able). I was wondering if anybody has any advice on which one to attempt first, either the North or South Sister. I suppose if the North Sister is the middle point then i only have to deal with going up and down the same route once, versus going Up then Down, then Up and back Down. I did a quick search and i didnt find anything on a Sisters traverse, so i was just wondering what people have done in the past.

Hey thanks Dane for this great post. Its great to hear about somebody entire system for climbing, very useful information. Keep up the climbing!

Great pics!! I was just looking at this climb in the guide book, so its great to actually see some current pics! well done guys

So i have a question.... On a two person team, my buddy falls in the hole, and i am in self arrest. The snow is hard enough to hold a picket (standard MSR picket, not a stick, or sticks), or at least hold the picket long enough (and safe enough) until i can get a backup in place. Me and my partner have tied in at the end of the rope, and then coiled the rope back on ourselves until we were at an adequate distance apart. We then tied butterfly knots in the rope, and clipped into that. So still in self arrest position, i use my god like forces and get the picket into the snow. How do i transfer my buddy onto the picket? Do i try and take one of my prusiks (sp?) which would be tied onto the rope, and try tying a munter with a backup knot, and then loading that prusik? Then build my hauling system with the coiled rope that is around me.

I would be down. Any specific dates? I have been on the SS once before but called it off because of the line to get up through the gates. The only thing is i am car-less (student), so i would need to think about actually getting there....

Why indeed? Just remember, sometimes the soul is willing yet the quads are screaming, "Screw you dummy!" 8D HAHA very very true. Damn those inferior leg muscles. Maybe i should try straight-lining things a little more....or hucking things. That should give my skinny legs a little rest.

Thanks guys for the info. And ya Plexus, you are correct, they would get wet while yo-yoing. But why hike something once when you can lap it??

According to G3, they say never to leave your skins on your skis. There is no explanation why through, but I'm assuming they could become stretched? I guess if they still get you the turns you want, then no real harm is being done....

So i bought my skins at the beginning of the season, and i have heard different stories on how to actually store them (long term). Up until now i have had both of the skins together with the mesh sheet in between them, and i have kept them in my fridge. I have noticed that when they are mildly damp it seems like the glue is none existent, is this just a byproduct of them being wet, or could i be keeping the glue too cold? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Also, I have the G3 expedition skins.

Haha true that about the rivalries. Dont pick your school because of its proximity to climbing locals, or if you want to be a duck or a beaver (who in their right mind reallys wants to be one anyway?); although being close helps a bit, and will save gas money. Its really about getting a good education. Although....i kind of like the 8 year idea...

I go to UO and i love it. Best choice i have made in a while. The student wall, is your typical student wall. V1s and 2s a few 3s and 4s... and mostly 5.9s, a few higher and lower. The columns are great, 5 min bike ride from campus, easy top roping. quite a few good outdoors stores (backcountry..) The outdoor pursuits program is great if you are starting out, and want to learn new activities in a safe way. The leaders in that program have the largest amount of knowledge i have ever been able to tap into! But i would say the true gem, is the outdoor program (different than the pursuits program), its a community/school co-op where anybody can become a trip initiator and they use OP resources/gear/vans, and you can do anything you want to for a trip. http://outdoorprogram.uoregon.edu/ i have not been to OSU, so i dont know anything about them, as for UW, all i can say is Huck the Fuskies. haha. Which ever you pick, enjoy yourself.