Alex

Just a note on the climb "just North of H202 with no first pitch and no name". This route can be gotten on by traversing and climbing the horribly loose 4th class rock on the left side, in 55m, to a belay on ice. I recommed small nuts, bugaboos, and a #3 camalot, as the pro is there, and you will really need it. Fun excercise though! Alex

I was in on Saturday above Source Lake. Conditions would be similar in Commonwealth Basin. Basically stable av conditions, a light 6 inches was on top of consolidated stable stuff. No recent activity, and its only snowed once since then (last night), so you should be fine (but take a beacon anyway).

radios are particularly handy in situations where you have more than 2 people climbing or skiing in seperate teams that move at different speeds, like on Rainier or skiing St Helens or doing day-long approaches in the backcountry, or climbing two seperate routes on the same massif. They work much better above treeline (duh), but in general are useful for coordination when it comes time to get back to camp. Also useful in alpine situations where you have a "basecamp" and are doing long routes from camp, such as on Dragontail. If you are overdue chances are your buddies can contact you at predetermined times to see how you are doing...

Those mixed reports are right on. Pun intended. Alex

Mike, if you don't drink the Big Rock Traditional and say "washroom" they'll peg you for the Yank you are, and you'll get no respect. The only Yank the Canadians respect is George Lowe, because he's the only Yank who has ever outdone them at their own game

http://steviehaston.com/

hahaha, you are right, jokes on me! Appologies to both Bruce and Lyle!

To expand.. As would be retro-bolting Wyoming Sheep Ranch As would be placing bolts on Online, which despite having one bolt per pitch a la Yosemite and Tuolumne standards, is a very safe climb, for a 5.10 climber. As would be placing bolts on established thin ice testpieces like Drowning, Burning. However, that said there are alot of incindents where placing post-FA bolts have been accepted - Dana's Arch to preserve the rock from further pin damage, Stern Farmer to protect the hideous groundfall HB offset moves 30 feet up, the freeing of established hard aid routes in some areas, when permission by FA party is given.... I think its ultimately a judgement call, err on the side of respecting other's style over your own inadequacy.

I'm sure Lyle (who reads this board) will love being referred to as "some other guy"

so much for "retirement"

http://www.outsidemag.com/peaks/twight/4-9.html

There are currently some short and sometimes top-ropeable flows in the Alpental Valley, as well as larger, meaner routes on the approach from Source Lake to Chair.

Folks, Can we stick to local winter routes? Can you take the idle banter to e-mail? Thanks, Alex

I went there today and found the following items that may interest readers of this board: used XGKs for 35$ an older style X-15 BRS adze overpriced at 95$ with Stinger pick A pair of really nice Mont Bell Goretex pants, lighter weight, sz M, I think around 65$ A Marmot GoreTex Primaloft Parka, yellow/red, with hood, forget price but seemed reasonable. Cheers, Alex

Where is Pinnacle Point?

These are pickets, shortest length 40cm (1.5 feet), to longest length 80cm (just under 3 feet)... Alex

I thought Helmy died in an avalanche, like 50 years ago...? If he is still alive, its a better kept secret than...well... confused, Alex

I dream of Summer too, but for different reasons.

It would help if you furnished your email address....

Dave Reid and Dan, I think it would be helpful to me to see a brief outline of what your regimen consists of. I have known Dan for quite some time and know what his training is like in general, but I am curious what both of you are doing specifically for various things. I am not interested in wieghts and number of reps so much as the excercises themselves. I know Twight goes into in in depth and there is alot of literature, so I am just finshing for ideas and examples. I am a person who 1) HATES training, 2) believes climbing is the best training for climbing and 3) HATES training, so I am trying to break my habitual hatred of training by taking small steps and finding things I like to do. Might be something to post on a seperate thread.

Hi, despite the sarcasm of the previous post, Drury really is just about the only thing that is going to be "in" with the current warm conditions. However, it is not exactly top-ropeable, and has some serious potential avalanche danger that you will not see from below, until you are in the terrain trap. So I would suggest you do not try to go into Drury Falls for a practice session. In a typical winter, Hubba (H)(B)ubba is well-known and a good bet for practicing. I would go rock climbing, this weekend, personally Alex

Frankly, I laugh at the droves of people who carry Lexan shovels. I broke a friends while casually testing it ("hey, thats pretty light! How well does it shovel snow?..".<crack> ) one Winter. So I stuck with the somewhat-tried and and somewhat-true Voile Pro, thinking that it was beefy enough to handle at least non-avalanche-debris-type snow. That fantasy burst the day I arrived in Alaska, while I was digging out basecamp. Bent the thing in half. At least we had 4 (now 3) shovels between us, so we werent completely screwed. These days I still carry a Voile (I like the SOS shovel too), as I believe aluminum blades are a happy medium between durablilty and weight, and it *can* move a bit of snow if it doesnt break first, but I am not kidding myself. The only thing for real digging are the large bucket steel shovels you get at the hardware store. As for the argument that it is too heavy, well, if your partner *lets* you go into the backcountry without an adequate way to dig, thats their issue. Might as well leave the beacons home, too.... Happy climbing! Alex

erik, 35$ for both, or each? As to clipping leashes, I am not sure I would want to with the android, but you dont have to clip the leashes at the belay; you can always clip the spike of the tool.

quite entertaining, really... http://www.lexicomm.com/climbing/messages/28090.html

Ok, you're a freak.