DPS

Back then the sat phone would have been $400 and the flight was somewhere in the $600 range - combined too expensive. Ruth Gorge was just $350 plus we didn't need that sat phone, a much cheaper trip.

Actually many of the pilots these days are requiring that you have a sat phone with you -- especially if you are traveling to some spot of the beaten path (i.e. not the Ruth or Kahiltna). That way you can communicate to the pilot what conditions are around you. I've done AK expeditions where the single largest line item expensive was the rental and pre paid minutes for the satellite phone. Now with fuel prices being so high and sat phones being less expensive I'm sure that is not the case. But that cost had us change our objectve from a FA in the Luchania/Mt Steele area to the Ruth Gorge where a sat phone was not required.

Here is a constructive idea: Make your art, take photos of it, and project it on the cliff walls at night with a projector with the blessings of the Park and Dept of Fish and Wildlife so you don't disturb any birds. You get your pictograph idea across without being invasive.

I'm very interested in the radios, like the one mark Webster mentioned. What makes them so complicated to use? Are there classes one can take? As I mentioned, I am bad with technology, I can barely remember how to use my cell phone.

FYI, used Dana Designs ~80 liter pack looks to be in nice shape for sale here (not mine) http://www.summitpost.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=61479

Had problems with a sat phone in AK. Ran into Dr. Bill Straka on his way down Denali and he asked about my phone. I told him it wasn't working well. He explained that the satellites orbiting over the poles 'dropped' the signal as the signal switched from one satellite to the other. He knew this because he designed the satellite system. It was the Iridium system. Maybe they have improved now. Used the Spot once on a week long trip to send 'we're ok' messages to our spouses. Not one message went through. Again, it could be because I'm a Luddite, but they didn't work for me under non emergency situations so I don't trust them to work when I really need them. Not to mention the expense to buy the equipment and the fees for the network are for a just in case type of thing. Seems that a cell phone has just as much chance of working and since I already have that, I may just as well stick with it.

My experience with various comm devices including satelite phones, cellular phones, and Spot devices is they have all failed nearly 100% of the time. Perhaps me and my partners are hopeless Luddites, but the devices seem so hit and miss. If I am going to spend the money and weight I want something that is going to be nearly fail safe. Is there any one device that can make this claim, or should climbers now be expected to carry a cell phone, satelite phone, Spot, flares, mirror, and a Ham radio? Unfortunately, the excellent article in the NWAJ does not answer this basic question. Mark Webster's suggestion for the radio seems to be the best alternative, yet isn't it still bound by line of sight like all radios and cell phones or is it powerfull enough to broadcast out of say the bottom of the Luna Cirque?

I was the one who mentioned vagueness over on SP. The problem I see is the answers to many of these questions are situational. For examples: Basic Information Name (if you wish to be cited in a way other than your username): Dan Smith Age: 43 Weight: 165 Physical Height: 5'9" Name or Elevation of Childhood Town:* Seattle, sea level *Side interest, used to determine if childhood environment impacts ability to adapt to certain levels of height while climbing- My guess is few places in the US are high enough elevation to select for the genetics that lead to improved performance at high altitude, (Leadville, CO perhaps...) and the mobility and cross breading of the US population negates that anyway. In places like Bolivia and Tibet which have the highest permanent settlements and low genetic diversity this certainly may be an important factor. EDIT: Just read your reference. It supports my hypothesis. As a scientist I recommend you follow up on my suggestion below. (Something you many want to look at is existance of childhood respiratory challenges. Lots of annecdotal evidence to suggest that pulmonary disease (Asthma, etc) makes for stronger high altitude climbers: Jim and Lou Whittaker, Galen Rowell, Anatoli Bukarev, etc. Climbing Information all types Typical Carrying Capacity (if known): What does this mean? How much I can carry, or how much I do carry. It varies considerably for each objective. Years of Experience: 20 yrs Highest Recorded Personal Height: 18k Longest Climb (Guesstimate): Longest by what measure? Average Number of Climbing Partners: At a time or the number of people I've cimbed with? Usual/Favorite locale: Which one, favorite venues or usual venues? These are different. Preferred Manufacturer(s): For what? Sleeping bags? Clothing? Tents? Ice climbing gear? Backpacks? Rock climbing gear? Footware? Personal Accounts ???? - How often do you go climbing? 3-5 days a week With partners? Yes? Alone? Yes? Do you stick to areas you are familiar with or are you often in search for new conquests? Yes - What do you consider the bare minimum in safety equipment for your typical heights? Situationally dependent. Depends upon the type of climb, the season, the mountain, and specific route. - On average, what does your climbing loadout consist of? Loadout? Not sure what you mean - Do you find the weight of your gear to be a noticeable encumbrance? Has it ever endangered your safety? Yes and no. - Have you ever sacrificed a piece of necessary (or unnecessary) equipment for speed's sake? What was it? Why? Yes, fewer ice screws to save weight on a long approach to an alpine ice route. Left behind sleeping bag and tent (shiver bivi) to save weight and take a smaller pack for a technical alpine rock route. - What are some of the more notable injuries (if any) you have received while climbing? Where were you? In hindsight, is there anything that could have been done to avoid it? Broken arms, head injury, broken ankle, spinal inury. Girth Pillar, Mount Stuart. Avoidable loose rock. Should have trusted my 'inner voice'. - Do you insist on your climbing partners having matching gear or do you spread out necessities amongst the group? How much “personalization” is involved? Not sure what you mean. Some gear is shared, some is personal. Typically, the rope, rack, tent, stove kit, first aid kit, and sometimes even a sleeping bag or belay jacket are shared between partners. - Has a climbing partner ever endangered themselves or the well-being of others? How? Was it an acceptable risk? Climbing generally exposes climbers and their partners to risk and endangers themselves and others. Not sure how you or even I define what is an acceptable risk. It is again, situationally dependent. - What constitutes an “acceptable risk” for yourself Again, situationally dependant. Soloing 5.7 on solid rock might be an acceptable risk while soloing non technical terrain on a big glacier never is acceptable to me, but might be to others. - Has your safety equipment ever failed during a climb? What was it? What did you do? Yes. An A3 placment (small nut behind a flaring crack) failed when bounce testing. I fell, replaced the piece with a tiny cam and resumed the climb. - Why do you climb? It is fun - Other comments:

Corvids like to be known as the 'bad boys' of the bird world so they steal cigarettes to smoke behind the high school.

Corvids are considered the smartest birds, at least as smart as cats.

Last time I spent the night in the Muir shelter there were six of us, two were former Mt Rainier climbing rangers. I won't out who it was, but one asked if anybody had any pot.

Why all the hate for the shelter? I prefer it to carrying a tent or sleeping in a cave. To each his own I guess.

Come clean Alex. I introduced you to your wife who was already a kick ass climber.

Not sure about that. Yep, among the mountaineers you see alot of engineers, doctors, etc. But among the doctors you see alot less % of mountaineers. Any mountain guide will tell you doctors make up an unusally large percentage of their guests.

The mullet and spandex undies do make me weep.

Not sure about that.

I don't know any personal trainers who climb, but know a few who are into other time intensive sports like Ironman triathalons and such. Not a bad gig really. Get a job in Bellevuve, Issaquah and train hot soccer moms.

The bugaboo on N Ridge Pinnacle Peak (I erroneously wrote Pyramid) is a beehive shaped gendarme of compact andesite. Well featured for climbing, but hard to get pro. Bring KBs/Bugaboo pitons.

I had read that Hermann Buhl had used some kind of stimulants as well.

That was sort of my thinking too.

I use 7mm perlon cord instead of tublular webbing for rappel anchors. In my mind the round cord weakens less than webbing when ropes are pulled over it. I have no idea if this is true or if any testing has been done, but I figure it can't be any worse. Anybody seen data to support or refute this notion?

Vicodin is far from hardcore pain meds, basically Tylenol and a little codeine. In my kit I carry the following drugs: Sodium Naproxen (Aleve) - the strongest NSAID Asprin Garlic tablets Keflex broad spectrum antibiotic Dilaudid - real pain killer I have had a lot of experience with these drugs and my knowledge outstrips most folks due to my education and personal experience. Obviously, one needs to know when not to take these drugs, (when they are contraindicated) as well as when to take them. These are all for personal use, dispensing them to patients without a medical license is a no no. Other drugs like dexamethazone I don't carry because I generally don't climb higher than 6000 meters. Also don't carry Diamox because I don't have problems at the moderate altitudes I climb at.

Pretty much concur with Water: Bottoms Briefs (boxer-briefs - the best of both worlds) Mid Weight long underwear Mid weight soft shell pants Gaitors Top Mid weight long sleeve zip tee Marmot DriClime windshirt Montbell Versalite shell Patagonia Micropuff hooded parka polypro glove liners Fleece gloves Primaloft insulated gloves Warm hat Ski goggles

Matt meant the North Ridge of Pinnacle. Easy in a day.

There was a place in Squamish that did that kind of work. That was years ago, not sure if they are still in business.