Ade

After Kurt's unfortunate death I gather that Gulf Air Taxi are no longer in the ski plane business. Other than Andy Williams is there anyone else flying into this region? Has anybody any actual experience with using other flight services for Elias/Logan and the surround mountains? [ 11-04-2002, 11:15 PM: Message edited by: Ade ]

I climbed the West Rib to 18k this last May in pretty shitty weather. We bailed down the Orient Express back to the 14k camp rather than heading up the final 1000' couloir to the football field in poor visibility and high winds. We didn't approach via the NE fork (we actually descended the W Rib with the intention of climbing something else but conditions forced us to re-ascent the W Rib instead). In the conditions we did it the W Rib was pretty straightforward, it wasn't too icy and we moved together up the whole route. The interesting climbing is the bottom couloir and the rocky section between 15-18k. The lower ice domes could be pretty entertaining if icy. The main consideration is that it's much more exposed than the West Butress. The camps above 15k aren't that great and are really exposed to the wind. If the weather craps out the its going to get unpleasant. It does have the bailout option of the West Rib Cutoff which makes it a lot less serious than all of its neighbours. Some people head straight up the W Rib from KIA. This seems like a lot of work as you'll not be acclimatised. We met a couple of parties doing this, they had a lot of gear and we moving pretty slowly. I really wouldn't recommend fixing the couloir. The heavy loads involved are no fun especially if you have to do multiple carries up the NE Fork and the route doesn't really require this sort of tactic. Acclimatise on the West Butt or something else - if I went back I'd look harder for another way to acclimatise spending less time on the Butt. Then go do the route. I think we were on it five or so days, one day sitting out bad(er) weather. The Upper West Rib is a good choice if you want to avoid the NE fork and do some interesting climbing but it really only gets you away from the West Butress zoo for 1-2 days. Bug is right be in great shape (that's what Tiger Mtn is for). If I did it again I would also try and acclimatise by climbing the Butt to well above the 17k camp, possibly even summiting as part of the process. [ 11-03-2002, 10:04 PM: Message edited by: Ade ]

You miss my point. I agree that the question, and impled answer are full of holes, and that a direct comparison with other countries is at best problematic, although something can surely be learnt from it. My real problem is with the answer as given. It's a dumb answer. The NRA has a stack load of more defensible answers to the same question, most of which don't imply some sort of racist undertone. Heston clearly thought this too. It is however possibly Heston's greatest contribution to entertainment. I'm sure "Bowling for Columbine" would be less of a movie without it. Hence "Nice..."

quote: Ade, well, was he wrong? I don't think so. - traskMr Heston obviously though he didn't get it quite right because when asked to clarify the point he got up and left the interview. Pretty strange given that it was in his house. Given that most people are killed by those they know and/or who are of the same ethnic background it would seem to be a hard point to back up. Is this a troll, or are you having trouble seeing the keyboard through the little eyeholes in that nice big white pointy hat and robe? [ 11-02-2002, 04:54 PM: Message edited by: Ade ]

I was looking at McHale's web site the other night... Insanely expensive!!! Do those that own them really think their worth the 2-3x price tag? Seem to me if you buy the a heavy but super durable McHale you'll probably get your moneys worth out of it but if you get something more light weight then the durability of the fabric, as opposed to the construction, is going to come into play. I guess it also depends if you have a back that fits off the shelf packs (I've always used unframed, unadjustable packs and not really had a problem) Check out Serratus packs too. I don't own one (yet) but have carried one for a bit and was pretty impressed with it. The Aladin 2 compares pretty favourably with the much hyped Arc'teryx Nozone, being both lighter and cheaper. Feedback appreciated... My British built Pod sack is slowly dying after ten years. Awsome sack, light, bomber design and no crappy gizmos. If I want another one I'll have to order it from across the pond without trying it on. [ 11-01-2002, 10:09 PM: Message edited by: Ade ]

I bought a CCW Chaos for Denali this year and was very pleased with it, although it has started to change color a bit due to UV. But for a pack of it's size it's one of the lightest things around. I put some big loads in it no problem. It doesn't have a frame (hence the weight saving) but seemed pretty comfortable. [ 11-03-2002, 10:08 PM: Message edited by: Ade ]

Aren't there a whole bunch of lines next to and around Pandome falls? I thought someone mentioned these last year. I was up doing Pandome last year and there seemed to be some drips off to the right. See Baker Ice topic from last year. If it's been bolted for mixed climbing it'll be pretty obvious. The real issue with mixed climbing in the PNW is getting it cold enough. Warm, thin, delam'ed ice is not a happy place to be.

Don't worry the NRA has all the answers... When Michael Moore asked Charlton Heston why other countries with high levels of gun ownership, like Canada and Switzerland, didn't have the same high rates of gun related deaths Heston replied that those countries didn't have the same "mixed ethnicity" problems as the US. Nice...

Oooh go on... twist my arm... make me come out for beer

And what about all that off vertical yet very thin ice that's so fun to play on? Real mixed climbing (not drytooling for hundreds of feet). If you have a problem with Mitch what about this... quote: "But if Grade 6 ice is physically easy (and, let's quit kidding ourselves: for any fit climber with modern equipment, it most certainly is)..." - Will Gadd Time to get back in my garage for more pullups.

Russki82... No good climbing it this weekend, you should have been climbing it last weekend! The thin man beat you to it. Don't fall off on the mixed traverse getting to the ice runnel, your belayer will get a face full of crampon if you do. It's gonna be veeery thin, hope your upto the job! [ 10-31-2002, 06:16 PM: Message edited by: Ade ]

Doh. My spies in NE point out that this (bottom picture) is not the Dyke but Pinnacle Gully.

Yawn!!! It's called a "glacier". We have them in the PNW. It means there's snow on the mountains all year round.

This year's AAJ turns out to be an excellent read. Not a single (poorly written) account of teenage bouldering trips to be seen.

Moscow has the same layout for the same reason. Lots of radial roads for shooting down.

Looked at route from base of N Ridge on Sat PM after approaching and ditching our bivvi gear at the base of the E Ridge. Could see the bottom third, which looked mostly like neve with some rock steps. Sunday night the weather bailed, warm, windy with some snow. Didn't look like getting any better do we headed down. Made it to the trailhead before the rain started for real. I'm guessing the upper section of the route had more ice in it and so it would go. By the looks of the base of the route nobody has actually been down there to have a look see recently (no tracks). If I can't find anything better to do I just might have to go back and try again but I doubt the ice will be as fat as the picture in Nelson 2, for which a big warm rainstorm followed by a hard freeze seems to be required. Unless you guys could see a whole lot more from higher on the N Ridge?

Yeah, until you climb it you can't beat us with it. When you are done climbing it then let us know. We might invite you out hear to put all that practice to good use in the mountains.

Positive Thinking at Poke '0 in really good conditions, it was garbage most of last year then a big ice storm brought it in good for a few weeks.

The Dyke looks FAT! Probably running laps on it already!

Oooh... Tempting. This w/e maybe if the weather holds.

Out of my tiny mind. If I don't get out soon I'm gonna lose it.

Right you only really need one tool you can plunge most of the time and that can double as a third tool when on the steep stuff. quote: Broken picks = bad technique Like snoboy said we're talking a lot of picks here and in this case those doing the breaking (not my good self) actually have technique. Most people I know swear by the Aermet picks that BD no longer make and are less than impressed with the newer replacements.

Oooh... I can hardly wait.

Fixed

Factor in another $30 for a hacksaw to "modify" them with and they might even make an alpine tool. Saw off the pinkie widget and the top of the pick so it doesn't dig into your hand when holding it in the cane position. Beware Cobra picks... they seem to snap a lot, I've not used them but can account for ten breakages between three people who have. For alpine use I have a set of Shrikes and really like the Alaska picks which work fine in the Rages, based on some brief testing at Baker last weekend.