rocketparrotlet

http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Black-Diamond-Camalot-C4s/BLD0839M.html 20% off Camalots! Not too bad... EDIT: Free shipping! Also, if you have some of these you want to sell, I might be open. -Mark

Remember also, Simpson to this day defends Yates's decision to cut the rope. -Mark

If something doesn't work out, I am looking for a partner for Exfoliation Dome West Buttress this weekend. -Mark

I know this is last minute, but a partner bailed on me for Index tomorrow...anyone interested in heading up there? I can follow 5.9, lead 5.7, I have a rope and a rack, but no car. -Mark

I've placed the #0.5 a few times, it's the only piece of pro that has its own webpage devoted to it! http://www.swarpa.net/~danforth/climb/sinkthepink.html I also placed the #1 and the #2 once each. I've been leading for 3 months now, and I see more use out of the pink one. -Mark

Looking for a partner to climb the West Buttress of Exfoliation Dome next weekend. If interested, let's meet on Sunday at Index. PM me if interested. -Mark

Hey Josh, Saw this thread was bumped up again. Well, Josh is doing better (not perfect yet), but he has become somewhat more responsible from his failures. I am teaching him rock climbing in the hopes that it will be useful to him, which I believe it will. He recently turned around 100 feet from the summit of Sahale because it looked too sketchy, that seems like a responsible decision to me. Anyway, I learned to climb from a Mountaineers course, I have mixed things to say about it, but I will not get into that now. I am teaching Josh almost everything I learned from that course, albeit in a different format, one which would have been more helpful to me. Josh, I've got a book for you to read, it's called "Rock Climbing- Mastering Basic Skills" by Craig Luebben. I learned a lot from that book, and even though I already knew the skills, it really helped me to improve them and learn some new things. Don't post your Rainier trip reports, especially not the first one. I'm not getting into that crap again. -Mark

Sucks when you don't flake out the rope and you have to deal with that crap on belay... I learned that lesson really quick. -Mark

Mark, there is one pitch, I think the 3rd, which is 5.8. The others are easier. If you take the even pitches, you will be fine. The climbing is not run out at all. No water at base of first pitch. Not necessary to camp. Camp at the road if you like, but get an early start and you'll be fine. That sounds beautiful. I might just have to try that out sometime! -Mark

Sweet! I was very worried about you. I thought you got hurt or worse! Good job turning around. The mountain will always be there, we can climb it another time. I'll bring rock pro and lead the last part. You'll have to tell me about it! -Mark

Speaking of Exfoliation Dome... I was thinking about climbing it via the West Buttress route. I can follow 5.9, lead 5.7. It looked like all the even pitches are 5.7 or below! Think I could swing leads on it? What's the runout like? Also, could I camp at the base of the first pitch? -Mark

You probably won't get giardia, chances are very slim. I'll bet you will all be fine. It's just a good thing to know, because there always is a chance. -Mark

Has anyone seen Josh? He was supposed to be back last night... -Mark

Or you could just go to Three O'Clock Rock. Not that I would have known that, either. I just took my first trip to Darrington this weekend, and I had to be convinced out of Green Giant Buttress. -Mark

He's going up the Sahale Arm route, not the Quien Sabe. I lent him my glacier rope yesterday. He's going with one other person, and he says that if it gets too technical or dangerous, he will be fine turning around. -Mark

Really? Nobody is interested in climbing easy to moderate routes at Index? I'll even lead the whole time if you want, I'm fine with that as long as you are fine climbing 5.7! I'd be fine following harder stuff too. I just want to get out. -Mark

Good job! I would also advise Second Ascent for getting gear...I'm on a tight budget, and I've gotten quite a bit of climbing gear from there for low prices...just picked up a Lowe Alpine backpack for $60, it would have cost over $200 new! Also, drinking water straight from a creek is not a good idea...it can give you giardia, which is NOT something you want. Water filters can eliminate this problem, but for a dayhike, it's easier to just pack in the water you will drink. A way to make it taste better is to mix half water and half Gatorade. -Mark

I'm looking for a partner for Index tomorrow if you're still interested. I can lead 5.7 and follow 5.9. -Mark

I'm looking for a partner for Index Sunday if you want to go. -Mark

Poly Pro=polypropylene, it's a stretchy material used for baselayers. Things like Under Armor work alright, the Patagonia Capilene is a nice baselayer. The puff jacket is similar to a normal winter puffy coat, the only difference is it weighs a lot less, you will find that ounces can make a difference (especially when they add up to pounds!) Here you go, you can buy Freedom of the Hills online: http://product.half.ebay.com/Mountaineering_W0QQtgZinfoQQprZ2439034 -Mark

It's not the going up that's scary, it's coming down. If you feel comfortable downclimbing 4th class, do it, but make sure your partner is ready for it. Another option is to take your glacier rope to the summit and rappel down the 4th class section, but don't belay up if you don't have pro. Of course, if you have to question your decision up there, and it worries you, turn around if you don't have the materials. Safety is key. -Mark

This advice is great! I took a course from the Mountaineers to learn climbing skills and glacier travel, and I read Freedom of the Hills (7th Edition) to learn and refine my skills. I am very glad to hear you are out getting after your dreams! I made my first attempt on Rainier this August, but it was turned around. Oh well. If you follow your dreams, you can achieve them! -Mark

I would like to head out to Index on Sunday 9/27 for some cragging, I can follow 5.9 and lead 5.7. I would like to climb G.M. and some stuff at the Inner Wall. I have a rope and a rack, but no car. -Mark

Yeah, I thought you could walk off the back, that's why I suggested it. Index is fine too. But I really just don't want to sit around. -Mark

I have Friday off to climb, how about sometihng in Index or Darrington? I was thinking G.M. at Index and some stuff at the lower wall, and there's some routes I'd like to lead there too (easier stuff). In Darrington, I was thinking maybe Dreamer or Safe Sex, or something on Three O'Clock Rock. I can follow 5.9, lead 5.7. I've got a rope and a rack, but no car. -Mark