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Mazama today

There are techniques for climbing steeper ice with one ice axe. One should know them and be comfortable with it just in case. (much like one should know how to make a munter or do a dulfersitz) Main disadvantage I see for going with more technical tools for "mountaineering" is the weight. You aren't really gaining much if for 20ft of a 6000ft ascent 2 tools could make it slightly faster. For Lib ridge I paired a Quark and a Camp Corsa Nanotech. It was nice having the camp for 97% of the climb, which (in the conditions we found) was mostly snow.

Rapping with both through the ATC. Rope in that photo is a 70M X 8.2mm Petzl Dragonfly. I've used the same tag with a 9.*mm single on rock. The trip from the photo we climbed with the 8.2mm half as a single. When I've rapped with the tag line I don't really expect to get much friction/safety from the tag, but it is nice to keep the rope in your hands - it is skinny and you can lose it easily to the wind. The extra friction doesn't hurt.

Just to jump in the tag line discussion since I'm a fan of 'em. Used it tons with ice and also on some rock. Rapped all of Infinite Bliss with one. 5mm X 72M static You just have to learn to work with it - can't toss it like you would a regular thicker rope There is for sure faster travel of the skinny rope through the belay device and you will see the knot travel if you lack friction at your anchor and run the tag line through the anchor. I tried this at home when I first got it and it was very obvious. This is why it is a very good choice to put the thicker rope through the anchor and then tie your knot. For even a freak event where a knot is sucked in, as a safety measure this is what I have done:

Viagra. Supposedly works on the same receptors and can be used to treat Raynaud's. I have lasting effects from frostnip I got on my fingers a few years back, which makes doing my favorite activity (ice climbing) very frustrating and an exercise in obsessive constant preventative actions for my hands while climbing. Viagra will be a last resort since my climbing pants fit tight as it is.

During cold snaps you can have ice in WA within 1hr from Seattle. Rare and depends on what you want to climb. Anything less than WI4 on the West side gets buried with snow in winter. Get the WA ice guide and check this site during winter to figure out how to work the WA ice season to your benefit. BC (near Lillooet) is a bit more reliable and 5-6hrs. Some climbs are always in but can get a lot of traffic due to that. Past that you have similar long drives to: -Canadian Rockies (Banff, Canmore, Field, icefields pkwy) -Hyalite Canyon in Bozeman, MT -Cody, WY. 3-4hrs extra from Bozeman. Any of these 3 have very reliable ice seasons and are always worth the extra trip, IMO. Doable as a weekend trip if willing to drive through the night.

not cool

*Thanks, no longer available. --------------------------------------- I have 2 ropes, free with pickup, no shipping. Both are singles, approx 7yrs old and in the 9.8-10.2mm range Here is what I know about them: -Blue/white on left - Mammut, ~4 lead falls -Green/white on right - New England rope, ~2 lead falls Both have been stored out of the sun in a mild apt or storage locker that sees no light. I cannot say whether or not you should use them for climbing, that is up to you. I think they would make for nice rugs or a very heavy set of knit pants, or maybe a hat. Best to contact me at my yahoo email, prefix dougseitz.

Great read, sounds like an excellent time!!

Awesome stuff! Heard about the trip idea and was super jealous "(Aaron somehow survived 4 days on a diet primarily consisting of cake, gummy worms and candy bars)." Make that 6 days, I can vouch for the 1st 2. Cake? He must be getting fancy.

Now now, that wasn't so bad. Just you wait, little guy. we love you

This is super cool. Congrats!

Hats off!! I did not read one line of disrespect here. They actually made an attempt and wanted to be safe about it - it's right there in the TR, you just have to read between the lines You totally have this one in the bag next time.

Thanks for the inspiration, Hans! Great story and great writing. Gripping.

Wow! So cool to see that there is climbing in the park. I was there almost 10 years ago before I had started climbing and also did lots of waterfall swimming I was told that Jimmy Page has a house in Lençóis!