keenwesh

Viruses are technically not living, as they aren't cellular. We owe our existence to viruses. Around 50% of our genome is viral in origin.

I have TWO new microtraxions! they are super sweet, TR soloing, haul systems, it all becomes easy with the magical devices! (maybe that's a little over the top, but they are super cool)

probably slowly, 1200 feet of pulling to haul a bag just one ropelength. phuck that!

it's like a commercially available 6:1 version of the 2:1 hauling ratchet, with funky music!

I still don't understand what's wrong with the current crampon attachment system, perhaps someone could enlighten me?

Yes, though not my crampons - a climbing partner's. This was a pair of pre-SS Cyborgs about 7 yrs ago. The plastic heel piece was deformed and the wire bail popped out of place inside the mechanism. I assessed it for my own purposes as a fundamental design weakness in that component. I chose to look at other models and brands that seemed to be a more robust design when it came time to replace my own crampons. So 3 total screwed up heel bails? anyone else?

why not forgo the complicated and heavy magnet system and just use a regular bail? Oh wait, that already exists...

Cool idea. what happens when the crampon falls off your foot because it's only "held on" with a magnet?

Mods, feel free to incorporate this into the previous thread once you get through sorting it out. Dane "Burning down the house" and John "Free gear whore" feel free to chime in, as long as you're civil. Both you guys have helped me out in the past, so I think you're rad. please act in a way that would allow me to continue to think that.

I talked to Bill a couple days ago. He told me that the heel piece that I just received used a harder alloy and different plastic design than previous generations. I haven't actually gotten to use them yet (no boots) but on first glance they look much better. the plastic piece is designed to pop onto the heel with more accuracy (there's a secondary raised area that helps place the plastic piece on the correct part of the heel welt). As for the harder alloy, I guess BD has only received 2 complaints, one from Joe, and the second from me. I had no idea that was the case. Talking with bill he estimated a total of 150,000 pairs of BD crampons with heel levers in circulation, and only two complaints received. That really puts it in perspective. This isn't a very big problem, and they are handling it very professionally. I guess he has about 20 blanks of the harder alloy (of which two were put into the heel pieces that I received). I wear size 48 boots and I heard through the grapevine that Joe wears size 46. This leads me to believe that the soft alloy is only really a concern if you have large feet. Has anyone else besides us two noticed deformation in the heel pieces of their BD crampons?

it's california, probably.

I can't ice climb anymore so I'm stoked on using the splitboard that I've neglected for the last few years. Went on my first dawn patrol this morning and will be going again friday. Meet at the church of christ on 19th and kagy at 5 am friday. We'll be running a lap or two at history rock in hyalite. Doing something on saturday too.

damn, I need to eat a lot more doughnuts!

The poles don't need funding to climb.

^20 bucks is a bargin, I think petzl charges like 50 bucks or something equally outrageous for the set.

but what about the arctic blowfish? You must raise awareness!

everyone has to do a trip to raise awareness for some bullshit cause, it sounds selfish, but I climb for myself. I go out and have fun and spray on here with the intention that other people will get stoked and go out and do adventurous things of their own. I have several friends who are planning trips in various different disciplines (not climbing) but they're raising money to promote some charity while doing it! you're going out on this rad adventure, what does that have to do with the endangered pygmy rat in uganda? Also, I'm supposed to donate money for this? Fucking save your cash, plan your trip, go forth! find success of failure but learn during the experience. It's about you, not anyone else. that's my asshole rant. and yes, the west butt douches are idiots. Maybe if they were going to attempt a new route or something, but not the goddamn cattle trail, no one cares about that shit.

I want to see a blog post on how you are getting your hands on all of this footwear! Look like great boots, do they make 'em up to size 48?

Solo!

On all my future ice climbs I'm going to throw at least one figure 4 and not place any gear, so that I can be a WI8 climber.

I managed to send Come and Get it yesterday, I had worked it up in my mind as a really big and hard line that would be really scary on the sharp end. It felt super solid and the gear, while being spaced out in a couple spots, is totally bomber, plus the climbing is so good and positive it's hard to get very gripped. Still, I placed a few extra pieces to make myself feel better. Incredible climbing, wild position, and the final ice hanger adds to the already fantastic route. It'd be damn hard/scary to onsite a couple spots would result in dusted ankles if you screwed up. Get after it!

Come and Get It is in great shape, ran a TR lap after class today and probably will go work it again all day tomorrow (cause I really don't want to fall off it). Incredible climbing, long route, and the final ice hanger is steep and mega exposed. Get on this one! I post holed all the way from the top of Fat One to set up the TR, so it should be casual for any other suitors. I forgot my camera, but here's a shot of Alex on it sometime in the past.

what the fuck? damn CC embedder isn't working fer shit!

[video:vimeo] [video:vimeo] Video from Keenan Waeschle on Vimeo.

upload it to vimeo and then embed it here.