jon

You could do some really killer routes with this thing if you didn't blow up first!

Right on Aidan, school project on climbing! I remember for a high school speech class I showed people how to repell and prusik. I got an A in the class but it never really helped my speaking and definately didn't help my grammer. I'd contact the Access Fund. They must have the latest stats and the demographics. They have an 800 number too so you could call them from school. If you call tell them to return my emails!

That sucks! I busted some skis this year on rocks and it pretty shitty feeling. My guess is that Atomic isn't going to honor many warrantees from this area because of the incredibly bad snow fall earlier in the year. My good friend busted three pairs this season. He went skiing six times (he normally skis around 120 days). I know a lot of skiers that have busted skies this year so the companies have probably seen lots of attempted returns. I’d call Atomic and tell them to replace the skis, and tell them their actions will be posted in a public climbers forum, that should get their attention. I busted the tip off some skis at Bachelor too if that makes you feel better! Jon

I really don’t care if people take it upon themselves to drink or smoke while climbing, that is their choice, and as long as it doesn’t affect me or the people I’m with toke away dude. What really bothers me though is how individuals on the boards glorify drinking and smoking weed, not taking into consideration that there may be people here who are at a young age who are facing some tough decisions and peer pressure. I’m not saying I don’t drink or smoke the kind stuff but it’s really not something to brag about. Putting up a good margarita recipe (and it was good MGT) is one thing, but talking about how fucked up you got at camp is another. What you guys fail to mentions is how drugs and alcohol has ruined some of your friend’s lives (maybe even your own). I know everyone here knows someone. I have friends who are recovering alcoholics or addicts, some who still are, and I’m 25 fucking years old! Two months ago a friend from college was drunk and driving his Tahoe when he lost control and flipped it three times. His best friend was throw from the car and wasn’t able to start walking until last week. This dude SHOULD have died. A coworker of mine’s daughter just lost her license until she is 21 because of a DWI. She is 16. Geez, doesn’t sound too cool now does it. I just hope people have a little more tact when they’re posting and realize not everyone here is a thirty some white male.

My friend is getting married in Leavenworth this summer and I'm looking for a cabin to rent for the weekend for myself and friends that are coming into town. If you live in the Leavenworth area and know of any places or a person who manages multiple properties would you please send me an email at intensity@cascadeclimbers.com with any info. Thanks for your help. Jon

He's a 14 year old you idiot!

Get over it!

I don’t like baseball. It may be because I was never good at it and sat on the bench the whole game, and the one at bat I got per game the coach wouldn’t let me swing hoping I’d get a walk. I hated the standing around, or in my case sitting, because I’ve played soccer my whole life (now that is a real sport) and the lack of action just killed me. I’ve also grown tired of professional sports. Too much money, player with a total lack of responsibility and not being grateful how lucky they are to play. I like watching college sports, especially football and soccer, but even those sports are being tainted by pro sports. That said I’m totally stoked by how well the Mariners are doing. I’ve watched a lot of the games and at the very least check the scores. Why you may ask, especially after what I said above? Because they lack what makes me hate pro sports, big money players. I actually like watching the M’s play because the team doesn’t involve a star like A-fraud with his supporting cast; it’s actually a team of talented players that want to win. The whole stadium thing sucks, I don’t enjoy paying $20 for a ticket to buy a $6 beer especially since we own the stadium. MrGT I’m with you, there is more to life than climbing.

Here is a link to a very good Fee Demo opposition article written by Dave Dittrich. His research is based on reports from the General Accounting Office and tells the real story behind the "success" of the fee demo program. This is a must read. http://eve.speakeasy.org/~dittrich/nwba/end-the-fdp.html

In response to a few user suggestions I've changed one of the active topics scripts that so it doesn't include the "Spray" forum. I will do a similar thing for the script that runs the front page. The Active 25 topic script has been changed to exlude the "Spray" forum but shows everything else. http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/cgi-bin/active25.cgi The Active 40 topic script includes the "Spray" forum for people looking for a good laugh or wanting to rumble in the battle cage. http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/cgi-bin/active40.cgi

I know we have a disclaimer here somewhere .... umm where is it? Ahh... need lawyer... MrGT ... help ...

My vote is for extreme freestyle walking. It's kind of like skateboarding but without the board, and done usually after consuming large amounts of ethanol containing beverages. They could make a video game from this, where you hop from bar to bar and in between you do stunts, chucking your meat down railings and flagpoling on street signs. You get points for how sick your tricks are and you spend the points on drinks at the bar. Games over when you rupture you lid. You could have a Mardi Gras level where people are trying to kick the crap out of you while trying to do tricks, meanwhile the cops are shooting rubber bullets and tear gas at your ass. On a more serious note I think diversifying you outdoor pursuits might make everything you do more enjoyable. I love to mountain bike, there are some good local trails for after work rides and you can find places in the mountains on the weekend when the weather isn’t good for climbing.

In a rescue there is what they "say" it costs and how much it "actually" costs. SAR groups charge the state something like $50/manhour. The reality is though that in mountain rescue situations most people are volunteers so the actually costs are quite low until you get a helicopter in the air, and then the jet fuel alone outways all other costs.

I second that!

Has anyone been up to Hennegan Pass recently? How much snow is there leading up to it? Would like to bring the skis.

Before people jump all over tomrodgers it should be pointed out that maybe he is offering what the view of a non-climber would be, not necessarily his own opinion.

dude, I checked out your IP address - how ya doin Who Cares, ZDFG, and now Whillanz Ohh sh I blew your cover, sorry bro - I have to say you are a complete *&^%ing coward - yup thats right! part b##$$tchh and part banned. later dude!! Sorry about the swearing. Aiden, you didn't hear that. [This message has been edited by jon (edited 04-16-2001).]

Watch out Dog.. he may like you too....

I just finished mine, going in the mail tomorrow. We desperately need more money to manage our lands, but fee demo is not the answer.

ACTION ALERT -- March 30, 2001 The House Interior Appropriations subcommittee is accepting written testimony, deadline Monday, April 16th, on matters pertaining to America's public lands and their funding. We need lots of letters to this subcommittee, mailed by Thursday, April 12th, to demonstrate the growing controversy over the Recreation Fee Demo program and the fees it authorizes for our use of our own public lands. BACKGROUND This subcommittee has, in a nutshell, created and extended Fee Demo so far - but, due to Republican term limits for subcommittee chairs in the House of Representatives, Rep. Ralph Regula (R-Ohio), the architect of Fee Demo, is no longer its chairman. The new chairman, Rep. Joe Skeen (R-New Mexico), does not have the same public lands agenda as his predecessor Ralph Regula. It's therefore vitally important to let Joe Skeen know how unpopular Fee Demo is with the American people - and to ask for increased recreation funding for the US Forest Service, so National Forest trails and campgrounds can be adequately maintained without user fees. If we demonstrate to Joe Skeen that Fee Demo won't be made permanent without considerable effort, he may well back off from it! THE ALERT PLEASE WRITE NOW TO STOP FOREST FEES! (MAIL BY APRIL 12th) The House Interior Appropriations subcommittee in Washington DC is accepting public comments on topics such as the Recreation Fee Demo program, which authorized National Forest access and user fees. This subcommittee has been the main backer of Fee Demo, but its new chairman, Rep. Joe Skeen (R-NM), needs to hear your views. It's our best chance this Spring, to oppose forest fees. Please respond at once! The instructions below must be followed closely for your letter to be part of the record. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Please write a brief letter on 8.5 x 11 paper, and submit 5 unfolded copies (i.e. in a big envelope) to the address below - and mail them by Thursday, April 12th. SEND THEM TO: Congressman Joe Skeen, House Interior Appropriations subcommittee, B-308, Rayburn, Washington DC 20515. WHAT TO SAY: ** Write your name and address clearly at the top of the page. ** Please state your opposition to forest fees. ** Ask the subcommittee to increase Forest Service recreation budgets by $50 million, to maintain our National Forest trails & campgrounds without visitor fees. ** Ask that your letter or card be part of the record for Public Witness Testimony on April 16th. PLEASE NOTE! The Interior Appropriations subcommittee will only accept letters on 8.5 x 11 paper, unfolded, with 5 copies of each. Please forward this e-mail to others who will write. This is the year to end Fee Demo. We know we still have other letter writing alerts ahead, and we thank you for your assistance, past, present and future, with the campaign against forest fees. Gratefully yours, Alasdair Coyne, Conservation Director, KSWC (805) 921-0618

Though I agree with you guys and have similar frustrations, I don’t think this is the best approach. Ignoring the fine is just not enough, you have to let these A-holes in D.C. know how we feel about this. Use your time for more constructive things like writing letters than pissing off judges and rangers. It does cost money to manage our public lands, don’t think for a second it doesn’t, but user fees will never make up for congressional budget cuts. It doesn’t help the ARC is paying these people to make these decisions either. I’m not saying pay the fee or fine, I absolutely rufuse to pay it, but wasting peoples time like in AlpineK’s account just wastes YOUR tax money and in the end nobody who is important finds out about your disagreement with the user fee.

I don’t refuse to pay the fees because I hate taxes. I don’t refuse to pay the fees because I’m cheap. I refuse to pay the fees because the money doesn’t go to what it should be going for like trail improvements, ranger salaries and such. Instead it goes into the general fund. The fee is in no way able to support the workings of the forest service, let alone hardly support itself. The fee demo is also supported by the ARC, a group that only cares about is getting access to our public land at little to no price for them so they can profit from it. The fees also detract users who are of lower income and minority backgrounds. I’ve done quite a bit of research about this subject, and that is why I am against the forest pass in its CURRENT state. If things were to change where the fees were legitimate than I’d be more than happy to pay it. I based my decision on being educated in the issue. As far as being selfish, I’m incredibly selfish and proud of it. I was a SAR volunteer for 6 years. I was a volunteer youth soccer coach for two years. I was a volunteer high school football coach for two years. Did I mention that I do AIDS related cancer research for a living? Yeah I’m pretty self absorbed. Go find another tree to piss on Craig. Alpine Tom, the guy who you are talking about is a black minister from Seattle. He protests every weekend at the Alpental parking lot during the summer. Here is the article http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis/web/vortex/display?slug=fees&date=19990815&query=fee+demonstration. With the help of Ray, I’m putting together a more encompassing access section for the website that will cover issues like the fee demo and the proposed development outside Rainier.

Last I read they pretty much called the search off with the exception of some snow mobile search volunteers. Hopefully they will find these two this summer to put a little closure on the incident. I guess you can never take a quick day trip for granted......

I just read on f_ckedcompany.com that Dell has laid off 500 people today, which includes all of their hosting division. Unfortunately this is who our hosting is through. Luckily for us we have been planning on changing hosts and are ready to do so to accomadate the route database. So if the site isn't working right or just not here, don't worry, we've planned ahead. Jon [This message has been edited by jon (edited 04-06-2001).]

I have a Tikka and love it, but since I haven't tried the others I can't really compare. As mentioned the Tikka is so small you can pack it anywhere, even in your chalk bag pouch. There is really no excuse not to carry it. I carry mine in my pack when I ride my bike from Bellevue to Seattle for work. There has been a couple times this winter where my bike light crapped out in pouring rain at night. If I hadn't put the Tikka in my pack I would have been a very dark an dangerous ride home. My only complain about the Tikka is that it's a pain to open when you have to change the batteries. I know there was a review in one of the mags around December. Something to look for in the future are based on the Halide ARC lights. These are the same annoying blue lights you see on BMWs and other richie cars. They just came out with them for biking and climbers should see them soon. Here is a link http://www.niterider.com/main.htm.