t_rutl

do work!! didn't know the price was still in...especially with all the heat

i like BD's stuff...they all weigh in about the same...whether carbon or not...i use the spire eliptic (1 lb 4oz reg, 1 lb 3oz carbon) they also have their Alpine Carbon Cork model...3 section so collapses down tight...all FlickLocks...full carbon shafts and cork handles...might fit your bill perfect...plus they come in at a pound even per pair http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/mountain/trekking-poles/alpine-carbon-cork

screw that...damn...

the funniest shit comes up in these threads!!

+1

I saw that quote too. But it made me wonder if we tell ourselves those same stories regarding other activities too, not just alpine climbing. How risky does something need to be for someone to cut back on it when they get kids? Or how risky does something need to be for someone to want to convince themselves that they are above an accident? absolutely...we're taught "be a safe driver...dont speed, stop at stop signs and red lights, dont drink and drive...you'll be a safe driver then"...but it is more often not you who get's hit by a speeding drunk driver who just blew through a stop sign...such is life however...we could confine ourselves to padded indestructible houses and never leave only to die of cancer because your family was prone to it...risk is always an inherently subjective choice...i have a friend who's life insurance policy is stricter than a catholic school teacher...he was never a climber but when i invite him for some top roping he cannot...because he is not covered should something happen...how freak it may be...he made this choice for his children...the policy is to ensure his wife and kids have something should anything bad happen to him...that is a personal choice of risk acceptance and sacrifice of certain liberties...on the other spectrum...there is Jon Buchar and Shane McConkey...both fathers...both pushed the absolute limits...both paid the ultimate price for their own assessment and acceptance of risk...not criticizing them at all...just two different perceptions...its a paradigm we all have to shape individually…i don’t know that either be right or wrong

what about if you live in Detroit? but in all seriousness i think OF said it best in the Luebben thread:

got a buddy coming in from MI who wants to give Rainier hell...made our reservations at the beginning of the season for 3 days so he'd have some snow skills practice blah blah blah... with the extra time thinking of lugging up the picks if there was an easily accessable area outside of Muir to do some ice climbing off serac/crevasse walls anybody up there recently who could comment? word, -T

climber's right has the only real feasible accessibility if it's busy be wary of crap kicked down from above!

the gulley to the side of the rap line was the ascent of choice by the parties on the West Ridge...although there weren't many nice things to say about it...that's why we opted for the E-W travesrse look forward to a TR if ya make it out!

took a pair of aluminiums but never pulled them off the pack...when we were out the freezing level hung around 14k...i'd pack'em and when you stop by NPS in Marblemount check the weather and make the final decision there!! but for us it was soft enough at 4am to use just boots. good luck!!

helluva trip...gratz on the FA's!!

brilliant topo

http://www.backcountryoutlet.com/outlet/subcat/34/Climbing-Ropes-and-Bouldering-Pads.html

after this past weekend i shutter at the sound of one...horrid buggers looks like a nice trek!

+1

Forbidden has been bolted...although just rap bolts its a start...

still available?

dang... very sad

thanks man. we had heard mixed reviews of the e. ledges but mostly stating they sucked...ran into a couple CCer's who got off Sharkfin (Calder was one)...he said he did the TFT (with Alpine Monkey) previously and tried the e. ledges...said it was the biggest pain...that was the icing on the cake not to go...that and i had never been on the w. ridge before so a traverse sounded like a unique and fun climb...which it was all that and then some...the climbing on the e. ridge is much more involved that the west and truly a lot of fun! although ya gotta search for good gear placements...a lot of the cracks you'd like to protect are formed by stacked blocks...no bueno...nut placements were few and far between...i think we placed all cams but for 2 nuts as far as the descent goes we got some good beta from a group coming off the day before which turned out to be spot on...the crest between the first two gulleys to the climbers left of the couloir has 5 perfectly placed single rope rap stations going down it...scramble from the notch down to where there is the obvious divide and coming off the nose of that is where you start...when we were up there it was army green slings...stay on that crest...dont be tempted to cross to the gulley though...the raps are money down the rib and your more clear of rock fall from above...the last rap is actually off of bolts if you can believe that...Forbidden has been bolted...

that's wild...they were sure looking thin up there...such a crazy diff for only 5 year!!

$?

that dude conquered big mountain routes and Nazi fascists and still lived to 100

Tabata...ugh

helluva job Leor!!