dalius

Alright. Now that there are Montana and Idaho forums, can you give California its own and make an International one as well?

Were those huts that you mention the NPs built before they became NPs? I can't see anyone getting a go ahead to build a hut within the boundaries of washington's NPs. How come those huts are in the red while the Coast Range huts seem to manage? They don't charge $30 a night and they still get by. The European model may be more sustainable, but can you really see a for-profit hut getting built in the cascades? The reason it probably works in Europe is because people have been living in those mountains for thousands of years (versus our measly 100 years) and there were no wilderness areas to speak of. Maybe in a few centuries we'll see it happen here, but I wouldn't expect to see that anytime soon, nor do I want to.

I agree that we shouldn't strive to go as far as the European model - it's too much. The Canadian model is much more desireable. So why can't we get there? The Canadian huts are for the large part built and maintained by volunteer organizations. Why can't we do that? We don't need the government to be in charge of maintaining these things. People say they aren't profitable, but that's not the point. The volunteer organizations aren't there to make money from these things. The money that comes in goes 100% to maintenance/repair and that's it. It seems to me that the Canadians just seem more organized and supportive of these things. For some reason it is a lot easier for their non-profit organizations to get the clearance from the govt. to build the huts. So what would happen if a US NPO proposed to build and maintain a hut on some Nat.Forest land? Would the environmental groups rise up against it? Would there be just too much resistance in the government? I admit I'm far from a bureaucracy buff and I can't begin to understand how the govt. would handle a situation like this. Maybe building in wilderness isn't possible based the wildnerness act, but there must be a lot of desireable hut locations out there that aren't in wilderness areas (but maybe on the edge of wilderness areas, like the new Tantalus hut - 100m from the provincial park). What about stuff just on the border of North Cascades NP, Mt. Rainier NP, alpine lakes wilderness, glacier peak wilderness? If you put them far enough away from a road, then overuse and abuse wouldn't be a problem. Maybe for some reason the time has not come yet for us to be able to erect huts in the cascades, but I definetely think they'd be nice and I know I'd volunteer my time to their construction.

Wow. Very cool.

I'm continually amazed at how we are seriously lacking in the hut department here in the US. They are all over Europe and the Canadians seem to be constantly putting up new ones. There are a bunch in Garibaldi Prov. Park, a bunch more up in the Denny Lakes area, I imagine probably a shitload in the interior, and I just read they are putting up a new super-delux one in the Tanatalus range. These things are great - you don't have to lug in your tent and can enjoy a few more creature comforts when out in the mountains. In the Alps, you don't have to bring anything - you show up, pay the fee, and you've got a hot meal and a bunk! So my question is - why the hell don't we have any? Is it the fact that Canadians have a more socialist government/attitude and are more into communal wealth such as huts? Is the way our government set up simply not allow it? Discuss.

I posted some pics in the California & Everywhere Else forum. Check 'em out! Bolivia Pics

Thought I'd finally post some pics of some Mntns. in the Cordillera Real of Bolivia. I did some climbing there in July/Aug of '04. It's a spectacular area with a lifetime of climbing, is ridiculously cheap, and has a fraction of the people of Peru's Cordillera Blanca. I recommend this area highly to anyone. The first 5 pics are from the Condoriri area. All these peaks are accessible from the same base camp. With such a high concentration of peaks, it's an alpine playground for sure. The highest peak there, Condoriri (or Cabeza de Condor), is called so because combined with the peaks to the right and left (ala Derecha and ala Izquierda) it looks like a Condor about to take flight. Cabeza de Condor - Head of the Condor. Spectacular climb, dotted line goes up a couloir out of view until you top out on the ridge. Ala Izquierda, taken from Condoriri. mneagle did a nice route up the snow/ice face in the shade. Ala Izquierda and Condoriri taken from the SW Piramide Blanca is the closest peak to basecamp and has a spectacular blue-ice glaciated face on the south side that leads to an awesome ridge to the top. This may have been my favorite climb in that area. Super! The mountain %95 of the climbers heading there go to do - Pequeno Alpamayo. It's a nice ridge and a very beautiful peak. The South Face Direct (yellow line) looks like an awesome route. This is the E Face of Huayna Potosi. The regular route goes past here and the French Route goes up the face at the upper right. This was taken from the normal route's high camp. Huayna Potosi - West Face Direct. 3000 feet of vert up to AI4/5, topping out just shy of 20,000'! 5 stars. Huayna Potosi's West Face taken on the hike out from the Condoriri, near the village of Tuni. Bolivia Go there now!

First bike descent of da Tooth?

According to the web link, they'll be up in the gallery until the end of May. Thursday was just the opening night of the show.

that's just plain messed up. who would think that a vent could be such a hazard? who knew there were massive steam vents at californian ski resorts? how very unfortunate.

If I recall, via franceses starts at the same basecamp as the normal dog route and the first several thousand feet are the same, but instead of heading to the right around the peak, you head straight up the south headwall. All I've heard is that since it's south facing, it can be quite a wallow. When I was up there I did the normal route (east face? - I forget the name) and then the west face a week later. The west face is 3000' of stellar steep snow and ice and unlike the normal route, NOBODY goes up it! I highly recommend it! I agree with what Mark said. It'd be a shame to go to the Condoriri and only climb Peq.Alpamayo. While it's a beautiful peak, it's not much of a climb. It's pretty much a glacier walk with 35-45 degree snow up the short summit pyramid. Instead of heading up that summit ridge, it may be worth checking out that face on the climber's right. (shaded face in mneagle's picture) Looks fun! The Condoriri has a phenomenal wealth of climbing all from one basecamp - it'd be a shame to miss out on it. Cabeza de Condor is a much funner climb, with way less people, and is pretty straightforward. Pyramide Blanca (climber's right, on the way up to Peq.Alpamayo) has a really stellar route on the right flank - some steep snow/ice followed by a spectacular ridge - and it's close to camp! I'll see if I have some pics of the routes I mentioned. Do you have Mesilli's guidebook? Nice photo onslaught, Mark.

Article about french sports minister's statement on the insane number of avy deaths this year in France. According to that article, 54.

I agree with Oly and Mattp. you can't rely on a bunch of sprayers keep track of your whereabouts. bad idea.

David Lee Roth!

Damn, that's planning ahead! Can we see your Pub Club schedule for the rest of the year?

More info... French Off-Piste News Sounds like it may have been a slide, but death was the result of going over a 200m cliff? Nonetheless, totally sucks. RIP...

Add another on 4/1 and then Doug Combs today and we're up to 46 for France. Damn, that just seems like an outrageously high number.

Valdez Heli Guide Story

run away! run away!

I admit I have zero legal background, but dirtyharry's argument sounds like a decent one to me. If you were to use that and then say you were out snowmobiling or skiing, you probably won't get to far.

I say contest the thing. Tell them you were out fishing or doing some other summer-like activity.

are these things out of print or something?

Good patagonia pics

Everything in life is a compromise of some sort. This thread could go on ad infinitum...

Of course that's the idea, but shit happens. Just wondering if things like that are temporary.