Laughingman

True I know several dudes who died climbing and climbing is indeed a dangerous pursuit. However I know far more people who have been maimed or killed in auto crashes. I feel climbing makes one confront risk in a more upfront way then driving a nice air conditioned car. This upfront risk and the management of that risk is what makes climbing such a cool sport.

Sorry to be the person to break the bad news... According to Dane Burns blog Cold Thistle A sad day for the alpine climbing world indeed more can be found here... Link and in norwegian Link RIP to both men they will be missed.

A nonprofit in seattle called BOLD mountain school is always looking for gear. They take inner city youth out on backpacking/ climbing trips in Washington. Good group look them up...

Personally I think Americans bitch way to much about taxes. You don't live in Sweden with has an effective tax rate of 50+% of your income.... The question should be how much money Romney has stuffed away in Lichtenstein and Cayman Islands?

I found this documentary very intriguing. Instead of taking the usual approach to talking about terrorism. Phil Rees styled the documentary to ask a central question... "When does a man have the right to fight, without being called a terrorist?" and Comments....

Found a link to a case in which a VHF radio by two climbers to arrange a rescue on Mt. Hood... Use of VHF radios in the backcountry

I know a dude who has a VHF handheld radio programed with his states SAR frequency when winter climbing. Much cheaper then a sat phone by all accounts. Several states allow you to use state SAR channels for "search and rescue operations" Washington state info on SAR channel is found here... SAR authorization

Can anyone else confirm this? I'm tempted to shoot a email to my former school "acquaintance" ( who spends his winters climbing in patagonia) and ask him if the famous "compressor" on the route was chopped as well...

It's embarrassingly easy to crash a car on just plain old wet roads... Result of losing control on wet roads right before the I90 to I405 interchange, going westbound... Put the car into a spin and hit the wall going 55+MPH... No one was hurt...

This thread is going to get very nasty overnight. I knew the compressor route would in time be chopped in the name of good ethics. It might have been a good idea to ask the locals if chopping the route was ok, given the history and controversy behind the route. Anyone know if they cut the 50 year old, 300lb gas-powered compressor drill off the top of the bolt ladder?

They won't be smiling when they spend the next several years in the brig doing hard labor... (edit) Gotta love courts-martials.

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Might be worth taking a course From the mountaineers or so on. I learned crevasse rescue on a NOLS trip I took when I first got into climbing. I feel the program made my more marketable to other climbers as a partner because I had lot of moderate glacier travel experience ( we got to lead rather independently at times). I also had a descent set of outdoor skills that came out of it.

Looked to be 185cm I believe.

They were slightly beat up but not in super horrible shape. They were going for 50 bucks.

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Recently I came across a set of karhu 10th mountain (telemark?) skis without bindings. How much are such skis generally worth. (Note I am a climber not a ski person).

Get what fits... Personally I like Lowa boots and La sportiva boots The are nice and snug in the heel ( I have preteen heels)

If one wants a truly "custom" pack made just for you, go to mchale packs he will be willing to make you whatever you want. Mchale packs will indeed cost you an arm and leg to buy though. $400+- given the pack and extras. I hope he does not get angry for me posting pictures of his beautiful backpacks.

Thank you for your input

Anyone else want to chime in?

Thanks man I am kind of new to water ice (Mostly do moderate alpine stuff). So I figured if I go up in Alaska I might as well become more familiar with "real" ice climbing.

A number of very talented ice/alpine climbers call Fairbanks home and all of them know climbing ice in -29 is stupid which is probably why they all drive to Nabesna or Valdez on the weekends to climb there. Living in AK is no different than living in the Pacific NW; you gotta be willing to drive a little to get the best possible conditions. That said if you are you will likely score when you get there. Check out the AK ice climbing website to see what AK has around the state. Thanks for the advice man. I am fully aware that below -20 ice climbing is indeed stupid. Apparently some dude sets up a man made "ice tower" every other year or so. pretty cool

It only -29 degree fahrenheit at the moment. The trick is finding anyone who wants to go ice climbing in that kind of weather.

Debating about going up to Fairbanks alaska for school ( yes fairbanks of all places) and am wondering if they have a ice climbing scene. Tried to do several internet searches but to no avail. If anybody has any information it would be much appreciated.