summerprophet

Here is a little bit of knowledge from both sides of the coin. Me: Recreational climber approaching 40 Professional full time guide in my 20's Still put in some guiding (3-4 trips a year) As a guide, you are constantly looking out for clients who are looking for ways to kill or injure themselves, or kill or injure you. Multiply this by 4 clients and your brain is overloaded with potential risks and hazards. After a 12 or 15 hour day in the mountains, physically I am fine, mentally I am done. Please let me apologize in advance for all my peers if we come across as grumpy at times. Guides encounter individual groups all the time, it is part of the nature of the game. I usually go out of my way to avoid other groups, but sometimes it is unavoidable, or particularly with intro to rock classes, sadly the teaching methods require us to hog into a climbing area. (quick hint: All intro to rock classes wrap up early, swing back around 2:00 and most guides will be wrapping up as all the clients are exhausted). I know we are there first, and take advantage of a number of routes, but please understand that we were up long before you, hiking in the dark, stringing ropes at first light, (usually the junior guides, while the senior guides is with the clients). Guides are knowledgeable folk however, particularly when it comes to knowing routes outside the scope of the guidebook, or hidden gems. If you encounter a guided party on a route you wanted to try, please be brief, but feel free to ask us for alternatives or suggestions for similar routes nearby. And then there is the dick swinging contests. Often (particularly in my youth), there is always the young male climber (not a client) who wants to chat you up, discuss or belittle your gear, or brag about some route he has done. As climbers, we all encounter this guy, but as a guide, I have a number of clients paying for my time and services, so please accept my friendly reply and smile, and when I hint that I have to get back to my group, please fuck off. Luckily, as you approach middle age, you become less and less visible to these types. So please accept my apologies in advance, but with that, please offer a little bit of understanding in our direction. We have a job to do, clients that are more deserving of our time than you, and our brains are working at full steam. … and hey, we are working on making future climbing partners for ya! Justin

There is a steam vent on the disappointment cleaver route above the cleaver proper. I have spent a lot of time in the mountains as well as a lot of time in the oil industry, and there is a definite difference between the smell of hydrogen sulphide and the volcano steam vents. I am guessing the mountain vents are primarily a sulpher dioxide smell. (More sulphery, and less rotten egg). The primary problem you are going to encounter with finding H2S is that it is actually heavier than air, and once it is forced out of the vent, it is going to begin to settle beneath the snow. I would expect the best luck you would have would be a hollow or depression, where the H2S could collect. I am assuming of course, that you know all the hazards of working with H2S, (walking through H2S saturated snow releases the toxin) and you have a personal alarm in addition to your scientific equipment. Best of luck with your stinky research!

However available it is,.... they still walk there. The summit of Everest, even with O2, sherpas, fixed lines, and the blessing of the weather gods, is still a shitload of hard work. Certainly more that I am interested in doing. I openly admit to using Diamox (or acetazolydimide... most likely spelled wrong). Is it cheating? Sure, might be. Do I care? No. The fact is 99% of us are without sponsors, and are just happilly following paths that others have already blazed. At Marks level, he may have cause to bitch, because he is in a very select group of alpinists chasing a very small amount of expedition funding. Making these claims loudly and fervently is Marks style. I generally don't listen much.

Anyone who has spent an evening around a campfire with Sobo would come to a quick conclusion that you are high f**king risk. If there was someway to freesolo whilst driving 80 through a snowstorm in an Afgan bombing range, you know who would be the poster child for that endevour.

Hell man, I was on your case for the last two summers to get up there. I don't do threesomes on aid. Plenty of stuff up there for multiple trips.

Wooks, If you are up for a two hour drive once you are situated in Wenatchee, I have a heapload of aid climbing to get done next summer. Beautiful lines, first accents, multi-pitch, multi-day if you are so inclined. Sobo can vouch for me...... oh shit, is it to late to take that back? (PS. Sobo... if you have guesses as to location... keep you lips sealed... not for the interwebs)

Well the climbing season is upon us once again. Central Washington Climbing Guides is again offering a (brief) self-rescue course for rockclimbers. This will be a weekday afternoon at the Royal Columns, and will quickly cover a number of tricks and techniques to get you and your partner out of a bind in the event of the worst happening. Just like last year, this class will be free of charge, but donations can be made to Central Washington Mountain Rescue. Save the Date: Thursday, April 14th, 2011 5:30pm Meet at the Royal Columns Parking area, Tieton, WA Be Safe, Justin

Title pretty much covers it. toss me an email (don't check in here too often) I am in central WA. Justin summerprophet at hotmail dot com

Kevin, I got some big cams you are welcome too. Justin

Count me in for Slesse, partners cancelling have always been a problem for me on that route. End of June?

Also may be interested, dep. on your experience level. Toss me an idea of your availability. J.

I have an 11" Samsung that does just that. Super portable, fits in a glove box, takes SD cards. Consumer Reports scored it really good. Likely doesn't have the processing power to run Win 7. Runs XP just fine though. Newer (more expensive) would have 3G and HDMI outs.

I got mine off of ebay. Keep your eye out there, although they usually sell right at your upper price range.

Nicole, You are bound to get a load of unhelpful replies on here, and at best you are just going to get people stating that pack X is better than pack Y. You would be better suited finding a good packfitter who can identify your problems and needs. It SOUNDS like you are looking for a 32L pack that has either aluminum stays or a stiff plastic framesheet, rather than just foam for structure. As the more expensive frame designs are typically reserved for larger loads (45L and upward, you may find difficulty in your search. Gregory, Arcteryx, and Dana/Mystery Ranch all are very well known for their well designed frame systems, although in the 32L size you may be looking at just Foam. Osprey and Lowe also have some frame designs that dont work for everyone, but if you are having problems fitting, these may be your solution. Personally, I have always been amazed at BD's customer service. I would suggest giving them a call and explaining your problem. They may offer a fix, or have a good recommendation for another companies backpack

Thank you so much for the heads up. If only the rest of your tribe were so considerate.