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rocketparrotlet

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Posts posted by rocketparrotlet

    News poll: require climbers to carry beacons?

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    just placed my vote (no)... total still reads ...

     

    12% conservative ... 87% bleeding heart liberal

     

    From Oxford.

     

    liberal

     

    • adjective 1 willing to respect and accept behaviour or opinions different from one’s own. 2 (of a society, law, etc.) favourable to individual rights and freedoms. 3 (in a political context) favouring individual liberty, free trade, and moderate reform.

     

    Don't get liberals confused with uneducated flakes...common mistake.

     

    I'm in the 12% club by the way, hoping to find a cheap beacon. Most people don't know crap about mountain climbing, sad truth, and they think we're all crazy adrenaline junkies wishing to die.

     

    -Mark

    Learn to ice climb?

    in Newbies

    Posted · Edited by rocketparrotlet

    Mark -

     

    I have a sixteen year old son who has been climbing grade IV waterfall ice with me since he was 11. We have a few locals his age that climb with us - you'd certainly be welcome to join us. We live in Leavenworth, and have amassed a selection of tools & crampons for you to try, provided you have appropriate boots & clothing. You can put your parents at ease by letting them know that the adults in question include some old guys who helped to create the guide certification curricula now used by the American Mountain Guides Association, and currently train volunteers for the Chelan County Mountain Rescue Association, or you could simply put them in touch with us. (PM me)

     

    This is an amazing offer! I sent you a PM, I'd love to talk with you about this in greater detail.

     

    Thank you very much!

     

    -Mark

    Learn to ice climb?

    in Newbies

    Posted

    So, I want to learn to ice climb. I have most of the gear (I don't have ice tools or screws, which I know cost a lot), but none of the knowledge. I've read the ice climbing FAQ's on this site multiple times over and learned quite a bit. But they are no substitute for a real person teaching. Anyone know where I can get some instruction on this?

     

    Thanks,

    Mark

    various trad pro

    in The Yard Sale

    Posted

    I might be interested in some of those cams, I'd like to take a look at them sometime. I live in Everett also. How are the slings looking?

     

    I could probably make something work out most nights this week, even tonight or tomorrow if it works for you.

     

    -Mark

    we suck

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    "Everyone can climb 8a in a year?"

     

    Ridiculous. Maybe if you lived on the crags and had personal trainers to push you along, but not everyone can make such a jump under normal circumstances.

     

    -Mark

    we suck

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    funny: when I was running competitively (forty years ago), I was routinely running miles under 5 minutes, and just barely lettered at my high-school. been climbing since that same time, and hardest I've ever pulled was 12a. gotta say I'm not really interested in 5.13 sport climbing. I'm much happier with the capacity to climb 5.10-11 trad in alpine boots and a pack. Too many guys my age have trouble walking even a mile.

     

    correct: my kidneys stopped working - Doctors at two different clinics told me that I had been metabolizing my own muscle tissue for fuel. They and two other MDs who are regular climbing partners suggested this might be less likely to occur if I carried a bit more bodyfat. that was when I cut "squat centuries" from my training regimen. I have yet to meet anyone else, anywhere, any age, who could step into the power cage in a weight room, put a load equal to their bodyweight on their shoulders, and perform a single set of 100 strict form squats, nonstop. At the time of my kidney-failure episode, I weighed about 190 lbs, and was doing my "squat century" with a 235 lb load at age 51. It had taken me six years of targeted training to achieve a "squat century" carrying a load equal to my bodyweight.

     

    re: the "easy test" mentioned above - I routinely used a nearly identical tactic to train for climbing at altitude. In the days before rock gyms existed in the US, I would attempt to repeat routes that had felt near my limit in rock shoes and no pack, while wearing mountaineering boots and carrying a pack. I climbed up to 5.11 in Galibier Superguides, and reached a point where I pretty much couldn't climb anything in rock shoes and no pack that I couldn't also climb in mountaineering boots with up to about a 30 lb pack. I'd heartily agree this is an excellent training practice for alpinists & expedition climbers. In January of 1990, my partners and I strayed off route on the French South Face Route on Aconcagua, and I comfortably led a corner pitch of 5.9 stemming @ 17000' wearing first-generation Kastinger double plastic boots and a pack weighing between thirty and forty lbs. My companions, both 5.11 trad climbers - one fell several times following, while the other followed the pitch on tension. Both routinely trained at a 5-minute-mile pace on runs of up to ten miles. I didn't run with them, because the best pace I have ever been able to carry on a run that long is about 7-minute-mile.

     

    And I agree, fasting on occasion is a great health maintenance tool. And on occasion, I will fast for up to a week. But I confirmed many years ago that I personally am physically incapable of fasting and training hard at the same time for a multi-day period.

     

    That is hardcore.

     

    -Mark

    Pay It Forward?

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    I'll donate 10 books. Let me know the details

     

    That would be awesome! I would pay shipping for some of the books to my house if they look like they will help me or my friend.

     

    Absolutely no takers on the job offer.

     

    I would take it, but Leavenworth is over 2 hours from where I live. If I were spending a few days out in the area I might consider it, but I haven't even been able to head over for a day trip with the recent weather. It's not that I'm afraid to work, just the opposite! Just the other day I stacked some wood for a neighbor for a little extra money. If you lived closer to me I'd take you up on your offer.

     

    -Mark

    Pay It Forward?

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    Will it work out climbing with you, or are you too far away?

     

    -Mark

     

    If im ever going to Leavenworth or Index I will let you know... likely in the spring at the earliest. My girlfriend and I want to climb Outer Space, wich sounds like it could be up your alley :)

     

    I've been drooling over that route this summer! If you're ever headed down south to Leavenworth, send me a PM...that would be awesome!

     

    -Mark

    Pay It Forward?

    in Climber's Board

    Posted · Edited by rocketparrotlet

    I already have stoppers 3-13, hexes 7-11, and tricams 0.5-2.0. I learned to lead on passive, and I'm best at nuts by the way, moving on to cams. Splitters (and Index in general) can be hard to protect in places otherwise.

     

    I originally thought it would be wiser to just go entirely passive, but almost everybody I have talked to (and experience as well) tells me cams definitely have their place.

     

    -Mark

     

    I bought a full Rock Empire set of cams for like 400 bucks a couple years ago.. 8 cams total i think. Not as good as BD but i still plug them in on hard routes and fall on them....

     

    I've considered those, but never used them myself. The BD cams I just bought were 20% off with free shipping, I figured I couldn't pass them up! So far all I have are Tech Friends 1.0-2.5 (4 cams) and Camalots 1-3 (3 cams). Not quite a full rack yet, I still need a couple larger cams to protect hand to fist cracks.

     

    Will it work out climbing with you, or are you too far away?

     

     

    Don't let any of us fool you. Cams do have their place. Some crack climbs (although few in comparison) wouldn't be protectable without them.

     

    Drew's and my point was you can climb a lot and climb hard...with less financial outlay with nuts and hexs.

     

    But cams are mandatory at some point and can offer solid protection where almost nothing else will.

     

     

    Certainly! Nuts are almost always the first thing off my rack. They are my favorite kind of protection, and much cheaper than cams. I am trying to learn to use all forms of protection well, even when I'm scared and pumped, and I am still working on my cam-skills. Nuts are easier for me to tell if they are solid or not. However, cams (and tricams, but they take a while when you only have one free hand) are the safest way to protect parallel cracks, which are quite fun to climb, but I think they're scary to lead, and safety is very important.

     

    -Mark

    Pay It Forward?

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    I already have stoppers 3-13, hexes 7-11, and tricams 0.5-2.0. I learned to lead on passive, and I'm best at nuts by the way, moving on to cams. Splitters (and Index in general) can be hard to protect in places otherwise.

     

    I originally thought it would be wiser to just go entirely passive, but almost everybody I have talked to (and experience as well) tells me cams definitely have their place.

     

    -Mark

    Pay It Forward?

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    Dane, I would encourage you and all others not to let the "small thinkers" of the world dampen the spirt and add more negatively to the world.

     

    You think encouraging youth to work for their money instead of waiting for free handouts is negatively adding to the world?

     

    Its cause of that that every kid out there refuses to work for their money.

     

    You want cams go get a fucking job like every other person out there, its called reality.

     

    I just spent $200 for 3 cams after hours of comparison shopping and a month and a half of paper route money. Don't make blanket statements like "every kid out there refuses to work for their money".

     

    If there's anyone who is generous to pass on their knowledge and maybe a little gear, I'll work for it.

     

    I'm only a year older than you.. but I would go climbing with you.. and might be able to teach you some stuff. Whats your experience like?

     

    Awesome! I'm in Everett, are we close enough to make it work? (I don't have a car, but I might be able to meet at a park and ride half an hour away at most...)

     

    I would love to learn some stuff and go climbing. I know my basic skills like belaying, rappelling, following, cleaning, ice axe arrest, glacier travel, and I can lead to 5.7. I don't know ice/2-tool climbing, but I'd love to learn! I have crampons, boots, and an axe, but no ice tools. Scrambling's fun too!

     

    -Mark

    Pay It Forward?

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    This is a wonderful idea. I really appreciate seeing people with such a charitable attitude! I am 16, and a program like this helped me a lot last year to get a scholarship to the Mountaineers. My friend, the same age, has just gotten another scholarship only a few days ago.

     

    If you guys ever set up a box of this stuff, Josh could use some gear. Money is hard to come by for him, almost every piece of gear he owns was given to him by someone. I might be in need of a little gear too, but not as much as Josh is.

     

    As an earlier poster said though, the thing I am looking for most right now is some advice. There are some things a formal class can't teach you, and I'm trying to figure them out still, but I'm coming along! When this year started, I had only climbed outdoors twice on toprope and I had no idea what I was doing. Now, I am able to confidently climb many basic routes, and every person I climb with teaches me something new and useful. If there's anyone who is generous to pass on their knowledge and maybe a little gear, I'll work for it.

     

    -Mark

    Wet rock at Index?

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    Thanks guys for all your suggestions! I have talked to my friend, and we talked about all the possibilities of these three locations. We will probably make it an overnight, and it's good to know there is trad wherever I'm going.

     

    I don't have a good guidebook for Leavenworth. Anyone know where I can find one online? We'd probably just head out to Icicle Creek Canyon for some easy stuff, then maybe move up to R&D if he does well. I've never climbed it, so I don't know what to expect. I'll have to wait and see.

     

    -Mark

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