DPS

Omega Pacific closed up shop in the Seattle area to open a manufacturing plant in a prison a number of years ago. A newspaper article covered this and the president of OP was quoted as saying how great this was because he had single mothers working for him that would miss work to stay home with their sick children and at the prison this would not happen. He crowed about his captive work force. I have since refused to buy a single piece of Omega Pathetic gear since then.

I would get a set of Black Diamond or Wild Country nuts. I have used both and have not noticed a big difference, except the BD have a few smaller sizes that you will not likely use. Consider getting Wild Country forged Friends in the hand and fist sizes. They are among the most durable and best built units out there, not to mention the lightest and least expensive.

I was climbing in the Tetons 6 weeks later, although it hurt a lot. A British 'True Tales of Survival Show' contacted me about producing the story for a segment, but the logistics of filming on the NF of Stuart scared them off. Go figure.

OK. But were you naked? Bummer dude. That sounds harsh. Yes, I was naked, under my clothes.

Thems are LaSportiva and you'd be surprised how hard he can climb in them things.

40 footer on the approach pitches to Girth Pillar. Hold broke off. Broke both arms, head injury, ankle fuked up, one arm partially severed by the rope, radial head snapped off, bone poking out, the whole nine yards. SUPER strong partner lowered and short roped me to the moraine and we hiked out with a nice couple.

I have the Air Tech Racing and love it. Having only seen the Evolution and swung it in the store, I can only guess its performance. That said, the shaft is thicker and easier to grip while swinging it ice tool style. I think this would be an ideal tool for routes like N Ridge Baker, Liberty Ridge, etc.

I went to school with Jason, and still have a guide he wrote to Bellingham area climbs. Try his Dad, Dick Henry, with the Bellingham Parks Department?

North Ridge of Forbidden from the toe of the ridge.

I was with two friends from work who had never really climbed before. One was an elite mountain bike racer, the other a super high enery guy who runs 10k races in 30 minutes off the couch. They dragged my ass up the mountain. We made the summit from Shurman in 4 hours as well.

Start at White River campground, it is the standard approach and is pretty short. It took me 4 hours from the camp ground the camp Shurman when I did it. It takes maybe an hour to drive to White River camp ground from Enumclaw. Not sure where Roy is.

And the inanimate.

August 2002, Torment-Forbidden Traverse. 1 month old backpack was sleeping, attacked and mauled by snafflehound. Will the madness never end.

Once my backpack was viciously attacked by a snaffle hound. If only I had been packing my backpack might have lived.

Forrest, I know that RMI teaches their clients to always kick the feet in regardless of snow conditions or whether one is wearing crampons or not. I know this because I had an argument with Lou Whittaker over this while trying out for his guide service 10 years ago. (They passed on hiring me). So to answer your question, kicking your feet in is dogma at RMI. I fully agree that one has to make a judgment based on conditions.

I know for a fact that one should use jugdment, I just wondered if RMI was alone in advocating kicking the feet in regardless of snow firmnes or crampon use. I managed to take a real doozy of a slide once (Alex and MattP were witnesses) down a steepish rock hard snow slope with out an axe or crampons. I tried arresting with the tip of my trekking pole but it did not help. In desparation I kicked my un-cramponed toes which resulted in a somersaulting tumble which then left me rocketing downhill, on my back, head first. I was fucked. The picket on my pack snagged the hard snow and spun me around and started the somersaults again until I landed, and stopped in a patch of softer snow. That's why I think the kick your feet dogma regardless is a pile of crap. It only made things worse for me.

Related question: I know some climbing schools advocate keeping cramponed feet out of the snow when arresting to avoid breaking an ankle or starting a tumbling fall in hard snow. RMI specifically says to kick your feet in regardless of snow conditions or if you are wearing cramons or not. Any comments?

From my grandfather: "A man ain't no kind of man with out tools"

After getting stormed off at Washington Pass 5 or 6 years ago, we went to Fun Rock. I walked to the crag in sandals right through a poison ivy patch. I put on my rock shoes and climbed the rest of the day. I broke out in a horrible rash that night and thereafter every time I wore the shoes. I tried washing the shoes but I eventually had to throw them out. Maybe the rope will be easier to clean?

DeWalt used to be an independant company until bought out by Black and Decker. DeWalt tools are, however, very different from Black and Decker. I worked as a carpenter for a number of years and own and use a DeWalt compound miter saw, circular saw, and sander. All excellent tools. The only tool I used that was not good was the impact hammer. It fell apart the first time I used it. It seems that different companies excell at making different tools. Porter Cable makes excellent routers, DeWalt makes excellent saws, Milwaulkee makes excellent reciprocating saws (Sawz-all) and Bosch makes excellent roto hammers.

I was just in the market for new boots and found a lot of models that met some but not all of the criteria. I ended up with a pair of Scarpa Mantas which fit all of your criteria, with the exception of being light. They are lighter than my old LaSportiva K2s though.

Stephan Jay Gould was the best!

12. Carry a smaller pack than your partner, then play the 'my pack is full, can you carry this...' card.

Go out to dinner and take in a movie.

MSR Pocket Rocket is light, hot, simple to operate and reliable. And pretty cheap. Snow Peak Giga stove is also very good but more expensive. If'n you want an expedition stove there is none better than the MSR XKG II.