AlpineK

There are a lot of great outdoor products out there that many people don't know about. [img:center]http://www.coleman.com/coleman/images/products/827B220T_500.jpg[/img] A newly revitalized retailer could spread the word, and make money too. Outdoor specific toilet paper... think about it.

I have to get one today

Well we summited on July 1st, which is at the end of the climbing season on Denali. At least it sure looked like the end of the season judging by the lack of climbers a 14. We figured he'd never find anybody interested in going up the NE fork at that point, so he wouldn't try and solo through the icefall. I guess he thought different.

I heard something on the news saying that scientist could extract the dinosaur part of the DNA stored in chickens. Maybe in 20 years Sarah Palin will be hunting dinosaurs out of the Alaska State helicopter. Don't fuck with chickens Are you chicken?

I moved some boulders to build a retaining wall. I'm not finished, so I guess it's only a partially complete project or ascent.

Cheap climbing gear on Craigslist soon.

In 1988 two friends and I climbed the Cassin Ridge. We had to hunker down for a couple days in extreme winds up high. On our way down from the summit we were resting at the 14000' camp. This fellow came up to us. He ask about conditions on the route, and said he was going to solo the route. We told him what a nightmare we went through on the NE fork of the Kahiltna glacier going through the icefalls at the head. The three of us told him to at least find some folks headed that way to rope up with. That way he could solo the route from the base of the Japanese couloir. I guess he attempted to solo the entire route. A month later a ranger from Denali called me. He ask what we knew about the fellow since we were some of the last people that talked to him. Apparently they found tracks near the base of the icefall. Tracks in the NE fork disapeared into debris from a huge slide. I don't believe they ever recovered a body.

Ick. Broken bones are a pain, but there are injuries that are much much worse. Good to hear you've got a helmet. I skied for 40 years without one. Then I changed my mind about the consequences.

If I lived in Portland I would definitely climb at crags close to Portland. As it is there are a ton of good crags close to my house, so I don't need to travel long distances. They might be cool but they aren't as high a priority. As for TRs the author is writing about themselves. There may be some self promotion, but the reason people usually do it is to share information that others might find interesting. I've read a few TRs based on a desire to find out information about a place I'd like to go to, or current conditions.

I've thought of that. Despite temperatures of baking your statement is not true. Ingesting THC is the only thing you need to do.

No that's not true. Eat a pot brownie.

It was pretty funny back a few years ago when some folks had built platforms with drip irrigation way up in the tops of trees at Seward to grow pot.

[img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/500/medium/view_on_the_way_down.jpg[/img] [img:center]http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/data/500/medium/Line1.jpg[/img]

Your diet should be 80% Gu + 20% alcohol + water (but only if necessary)

Nice underwater video Icegirl

Nice sequence of shots.

In terms of communicating signals with the rope team 1 word > 2 words > 3 words ... Why say, "Off Belay," when you can just say Off

I've owned K2 Shuksans for years. I've had a really good experience with them, and used them on several multi-day ski traverses. I don't have any experience with the MB Super Lites. I think the advice about renting each for demo is really good advice. Everybody has their own experience with different skis.

From experience it only takes an 8 foot fall on your head to seriously mess you up. In my case 6 weeks in the hospital then release to a monitored life. Past that over a year to return to driving and more than that to ski or climb again. Many people don't even get that lucky. Wear your helmet!

If I'd seen you operate chain saws for a few months straight at work I might think about it. I'll let you borrow my crappy hand saw.

That is a really twisted thing to do.

My experience as an Intermediate was to help instruct a small part of a larger basic class in things like use of prusiks, traveling on steep snow, top roping, and some more. On Basic climbs I would lead one rope team. In all cases I was playing a small part in a larger group. Eventually as an Intermediate you need to be in charge of a whole group for a couple climbs, but I lost interest in the Mounties well before I would have completed all the requirements to be a group leader.

Looking back at old photos of Mounty events the group has made some major changes to how they conduct the climbing courses. I was in the Mounties basic class in the 70s then went part way through their Intermediate program. Back then I remember crevasse rescue classes on the Nisqually Glacier that involved 2 large buses of students taking part in the class. The basic experience climbs were often groups of 12. From everything I've seen recently they've made major improvements over my experiences. Yes they need to do more to improve everybody's experience in the mountains/crags, but with a large group with so much history instant changes are unlikely.

That's a real sexy handshake. 8D