rbw1966

I am 6'3" and I fit in it. I am not much of a paddler though.

What kind you got? I've got an RPM back in MA, and I'd like something more aggresive (preferably with chines) Ideally I'd like a WS Forplay, but I don't feel like dropping the $300-$400 on a used one right now. Its a perception dancer (I think). Its so old the writing on its worn off. Definitely not what you are looking for.

Werd. I'll see ya mine for $100

HOw steep is that face on Mt. Deborah that the canuck skied down a few years ago? I don't know the exact angle but that mofo is steep.

Anyone interested send me a PM and I'll put you on a list. He's making me one now and I'll let you know when I get it so you can take a look at the craftsmanship.

So you could look up it?

I may spend a day climbing at Carver.

Why do we need a cabin?

Why can't you post the cost on the board?

Yes--and a better zipper as well.

I promised this a while ago and finally getting around to posting it. A friend loaned me his Bibler Winter Bivy . For those of you unfamiliar with this new generation of bivy sacks, its made of the ultralightweight Epic fabric which is breathable and water resistant. At a scant 9oz. its super lightweight and compacts down to about the size of a pair of socks. I used it once in a light rain in my back yard, once on gravel in low temps and once on snow. I had to abandon my backyard test after discovering that its too small for my lanky frame and I couldn't zip it shut to keep out the rain. I did note that the only dampness on my sleeping bag was the area that was exposed to the rain--the area protected by the sack was dry. In lower temps I noticed a minimal amount of frost buildup on the outside of the sack with no moisture on my sleeping bag or the inside of the sack. It appears to be highly breathable, as I am a pretty hot sleeper. The Bibler I tried out was pretty confining in girth and compressed the loft of my sleeping bag a bit. I imagine with a larger size this would not have been a problem. Also, I encountered the dreaded slepping pad slide but again, with a larger size I might be able to get the pad inside the sack. I saw no evidence of wear, snags or tearing from being on the gravel. At $100 clams its a decent alternative to the regular, heavy bivy sacks that you can toss in your summit packs or jacket pockets for those epics you know you are planning. Would anyone be interested in a custom-made bivy sack similar to this design, using the same fabric, that would sell for approximately $80? Add a hoop to keep the fabric lifted away from your face for another 20 clams or so. This is not a "home-made" deal but professionally crafted from an experienced designer.

When my partner and I bailed from Yocum we simul-rapped off of a huge rock feature. No viable anchor sources were around so we just rapped off either side simultaneously. Not something I want to make a regular practice of.

But most importantly you are shitting on the company clock--what better way to get back at those bastards for sucking the life out of you then to squeeze the cheez on their dime? Pure satisfaction. Maximize your time there--take billable work.

Just because we need another shot. Nice job Chris! I bet your son is loving this attention.

Its not a total recall of all bionic crampons either. Its a limited recall. Either way, at least they are trying to make it right.

They suck. Wanna buy some? I have the Metolius adjustable aiders and they are great for jugging but suck ass for aiding. Its easier to step up in traditional aiders than to constantly futz with the adjustments on the adjustable aiders. I use adjustable daisies though and love 'em. I also use a regular fifi girthed to my harness for those intimate moments with my piece. I use one adjustable daisy on a biner with a set of aiders, clip in to the top piece with this set-up, give it a few hard yanks then step over and weight it. Ask six climbers the best way to aid and get 10 answers. cheers

My understanding is that you must be licensed or have a concession to operate any commercial activity on public lands. I know this is true for Rainier as well as Hood, Yosemite, Smith, etc.

Accuracy in the media!

3. They will sue the shit out of you if either of the preceeding rules are violated.

Pomeranians are not dogs--they are mutant gerbils on steroids that exploded through their duct-tape cocoons. Guy I knew had one named Monkey that he would die red every summer. Vicious little bastard (Napoleon complex?).

You mean not very accomodating to unlicensed commercial activity. Get a license or concesssion and you're golden. Don't get one, learn to be quiet.

There was no indication that the highway was open to Devils Lake at all. Don't be suckered into thinking you can get there yet.

If you are planning on doing a ski tour of all three mountains though, I recommend heading almost directly towards Middle Sister, keeping the SE spur on your right-hand side so you can navigate to the col between Middle and North without having to lose any elevation. The Spur joins the South Ridge pretty high above the Col and there wasn't much ski-able terrain on the spur, meaning you'll have to carry skis to the juncture with the South ridge. Thats a long slog through scree with your skis on your back.

Patience ladies.

Winter, Termincal Gravity and myself made an attempt at the Sisters Marathon this weekend. We didn't end up making it but fun was had by all. Friday we all meet up at my house after work. We load up, head out and make pit stops to buy a map, sandwhiches and fuel before we're on our way. My truck gets dropped off at the Bachelor Nordic Center and we're heading to the Pole Creek Trailhead. Who's got the alarm clock? Oops. I'm the only one with even a watch and it doesn't have an alarm clock. Call the hotel for a wake up call? The road to the campground is clear and we're laying down for some shut-eye by midnight. Winter seems to be the only one who falls immediately to sleep while Steve and I toss and turn. By 1230 though I am softly snoring with my head buried inside the new bibler bivy I am checking out. I manage to wake every hour, on the hour until its finally 5 minutes to 3:00. We rouse ourselves in the cold night air and hit the trail by 3:30. Route-finding is a bit tricky since we can't see the mountains but eventually we break into more open terrain and find we're right on course. We ascend the SE spur of the South Ridge as the sun comes above the eastern horizon. There's not a cloud in the sky and its a glorious morning. We start postholing so decide it might be time to take the skis off our backs and put them on our feet. TG and Winter stop for a munchy break and I keep moving up the ridge to the scree slope to scope out a convenient place to cache the skis. I wait for them and we decide to move up to where the spur joins the ridge proper to ditch the skis. A raven has joined our party and remains with us. Chris is not feeling well and decides to hang back as TG and I make a bid for the summit. The Bachelor parking area is looking mighty far away from the South Sister. For over an hour Middle Sister is obscured by the Black Fin and what I think is Middle Sister is actually South and I mistakenly believe broken top is South. Moron. TG and I kibbutz trying to decide whether the marathon appears to be do-able. The snow conditions on the East side of the South Ridge are soft and sloppy and spontaneous sluffing occurs the entire time we ascend. We stick with the West side of the ridge until a gendarme below the traverse to the pinnacle forces us to the East. We opt instead to ascent the gendarme rather than risk the sketchy avy conditions--fun, exposed climbing that for me was the highlight. The traverse is mostly shaded so we decide to give it a go. I make it half-way across to a small ridge that bisects the traverse where I see the rest of the route bathed in sunlight. I'm up to my waist in soft sugar snow on what feels to be a very unstable slope. I can't make any elevation gains as the snow pulls down onto me as I try and move up. Avy conditions appear to be pretty extreme. Losing my nerve I yell back to TG that we're done. We bail back to our skis and make our way down to Winter who is waiting for us in saddle. Lessons learned: Wait until the roads open. Start from the West side. Finish at Devils Lake. If I do it in Winter or early Spring conditions, I think I'd rather break it into 2 days so you can get the maximum enjoyment in the ski-able terrain. It was an absolutely gorgeous day spent in the mountains with great partners. We had a great ski back to the car where we performed the mandatory safety debriefing before heading back to Bend for beers and burgers. We did not see another person the entire time we were there.