JoeR

Ok, So it seems people feel pretty strongly on this. I hope this post helps some of you to relax. This is a posting of a voluntary closure of two routes at an obscure crag. The closure reflects the ethic of environmental stewardship at this crag and is more of a "Hey guys, some birds are trying to raise a family, so please be aware and leave them be" than some hardass official closure. I agreed with my partner's view on this closure and so posted it up at his request to spread the word. By all means, if anyone makes it out to Moolack earlier or more often than I do, and can check on the nest without disturbing these birds then please do so. I'll be up there again next week at the latest. If the information that Greg and Alastair have posted up is correct, then I'll be posting up that Pool Guy and Guillotine are back open. And really, this is just one of the ways that climber self-management can look. It's just not too hard to close 2 routes at a place with so many. Wildlife is cool.

Thank you for sharing. Informative and relevant.

Good to know Alasdair.

Small birdies and nest. Between seeing the chicks, nest, and parents we know it's not falcons. I'm no ornithologist so I won't venture a guess as to species, but I definitely see a lot of this bird around.

Guillotine has a small bird nest with chicks in it. Please do not climb it until August. Thank you for respecting this voluntary closure. :Edit Please stay off of Pool Guy as well.

Shark leader for wire cut down and press/hammer down a nickel for the swage. mischief managed

Looks like Big Fun with an awesome view. Thanks for posting up.

What a horrifying way to die. Let's hope those killer bees don't make it any further north.

I'm excited to see the years to come. To Bolt is such a classic. To have committed to put in the work needed to nail all 105 or so moves is amazing for anyone, let alone a young dude. I work with young people for a living, and I have to say that I'm impressed with Drew and crew socially as well. In my limited interaction with this group they have been consistently polite and helpful, quieting down when asked and generally self-managing. Young people with these skills are rare, and everyone involved should be proud.

Krakauer isn't content with just making his fame by dragging people through the mud, he has to hold them down and fart on their heads as well. In my dreams someone gives Krakauer a taste of his own medicine. If only he would do something noteworthy we'd have a chance to see it happen.

I just took my WFR over 10 days during Spring break from Wilderness Medical Institute(NOLS) If you just want a cert, then a short non-intensive class might be for you. The longer the class, the more opportunities you'll have to learn and apply your knowledge through scenarios. Much of the curriculum is set up for outdoor professionals working with groups in some fashion, with just a bit on being a solo rescuer. Other options which are super good if you don't need the WFR cert for a job are the Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness Advanced First Aid classes. Much more affordable and less time commitment. Good luck

First Kiss is usually closed for Prairie Falcons, not eagles. Interesting bird, but far from threatened or endangered. There are tons of them around. #1 bird taken by falconers because they are so numerous. I'm still not sure why they close the cliff for them, but please respect the closure. The bird people have a much stronger lobby than climbers do.

Pretty often I find myself wishing that I bought gas instead of gear. Sitting at home staring at gear just ain't as fun for me as climbing and wishing I had more gear. I can understand wanting to have your own shiny rack, but there are so many people out there with tons of gear sitting around. Borrowing is a great way to get a feel for what you want to drop the coin on when you finally do. Without posting what kind of budget you're working with and what kind of routes you're climbing it is really hard to give good recommendations. Though if money isn't an issue then no worries eh?

Hi guys, Anyone got beta on the crack immediately right of Satisfaction. I'm not talking about Crack-a-no-go, which is left of LD afaik. Thanks

I should be there with a group. I'll talk to the others about you. We'll probably be staying in the Bivy and could run into each other there. Don't depend on us, but it might be a possibility. Good luck.

It really depends on what kind of gear you're organizing, if you're wanting to spend money, and what kind of trips you're taking. Plastic bins are great for keeping your rarely used specialty gear fresh. Just make sure to get the bins with the burping seal. They also look like Christmas to thieves looking around the back seat of your car/van. When I used bins to head back and forth to the crag, I found myself taking way more crap than I needed. Then just worrying about it getting stolen while I climbed. I use bags mostly now, with some stuff just perma-packed up since there is no use unpacking if I'm just headed out again in a couple days. I've seen some nice rack systems and pegboard stuff if you're into explaining to houseguests what all the stuff is for. Post pics on Facebook and MP for bonus points in gear whoring. Racks make it really easy to get in there and fondle your equipment. The best organizers seem to figure out a system which best meets their specific needs and the vehicle they find themselves in. Post up a little more specifics and I'm sure you'll get some ideas and pictures of gear closets.

Rope soloing is chewing up my beater rope too fast. Column's first, gym maybe, then who knows. Have your own gear and know how to belay. The grade you climb doesn't matter to me. Just don't get pissy if I do/don't pull down harder than you. I'm cool with belay-slaving if you are. Afternoons are best, but my schedule is flexible. I'm at Skinner's Butte pretty often. Crux sometimes, depending on weather and budget. If you see a redheaded dude, it is probably me. Feel free to introduce yourself. Also, I try to check my pm's on this site every few days or so.

Skinner Butte Columns closed this week for construction - spread the word. The columns will be closed this Thursday, Friday October 11, 12 and Monday - Wednesday October 15-17. Loose rocks will be removed and the screen re-attached.

This thread is just getting weirder by the minute. I like this trend. On topic, I liked the triangle better without the dude in it. I'm guessing you brought this topic up for guidebook related porpoises?

Dave wears a helmet a ton in his movie E11. I'd like to see how a helmet would have protected his foot.

[video:youtube] But really though, it is best to learn how to aid before you head up the pioneer route please. The bolt ladder is the chokepoint for a couple popular routes. It always sucks to head out early to do West face variation and get stuck behind a slow party heading in from the notch.

Thanks for taking that stuff down Drederek. How many french flowers didja find along the way?

Isn't it the 3rd bolt that gives the potential groundfall if you try to clip too far above your head and blow it?

I work with kids, teens, and adults constantly helping them get on harnesses, in both rock climbing and ropes course situations. Why so defensive? It is just a harness for climbing. How does my opinion have anything do to with you exactly? Please don't answer here so this thread isn't destroyed. Climbing gear, the new Apple products.

Good luck lowering a kid in less than vertical/overhanging terrain if you've used that back tie in loop. Lowering is the most awkward and terrifying experience in climbing for most children, why would you want to make it more so by using the back tie in loop? I'd rather leave kids with a rope in their face that they can grab on to then set them up to bash their little faces into the rock on the lower. Looks like very little independent adjustment possible with the Fraggle, chasing slack through the harness to those two buckles might suck and be time consuming. Getting a comfortable fit comes down to proper adjustment, and kids are usually impatient so you need to be able to make your adjustments quickly. Not seeing how that is gonna happen with the Fraggle. For the same price as the tried and true super adjustable and durable Simba, the Fraggle doesn't seem to be bringing anything special to the market except hip new colors.