CascadeClimber

Not Icicle Buttress. And the hint is for Part I, which is here: http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB1&Number=186124&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1 Can you say "Pope on a rope"?

And here's a hint for Part I: -L

My wife saw a bobcat on the fence a couple years ago, and I'm working on the camera... Thanks all for the input. -L

I called them after my first cat went AWOL, about the time the scratches first appeared and we found the scat. They aren't at all interested unless the animal has been seen several times. -L

A little more info: It seems to happen about once every two to three months, always at night. It's been happening for about two years now. If it is a bear, I think it must chimney against the fir to scratch on the cedar, but I've never been able to find any fur on the fir. In the last two years we've had two cats get out of the house, never to be seen again. About a year ago we found a large, tarry dropping in the back yard. I hope it is squirrels, because my daughter refuses to camp out in the back yard anymore for fear of bears. -L

I've been over there before; it ain't a walk. Though my yodeling partner was willing, the Beckey-esque 3rd class gully with the overhanging chimney we climbed to get to Easter Tower was enough for me. Next time... -L

It's a cedar tree. For perpsective, the ladder is eight feet tall, and the marks go 20 feet up the tree. Closeup of a section about 10 feet up. Closeup of what looks to be a claw mark. The lines are about 1.5 inches apart. Methinks it's a bear, but others are arguing for squirrel, racoon, and a bird. ???? -L

Espied recently from afar: No fair guessing if it's you or your belayer! -L

Hey! You aren't supposed to be using anything other than Windows Movie Maker! I'm turning you in. Seriously, though, I just finished up making some short videos from stills, and (free) WMM was a much better tool for the job than ($500) Mediastudio Pro. MS has a pretty decent product for basic editing. -L

Premier kinda sucks, but everything in that range seems to have problems. I've used Ulead Mediastudio Pro, but they can't seem to get all the bugs out and keep issuing patches for patches. If I was spending the money over I think I'd go with Vegas Video, which was just purchased by Sony. Best way to get VHS into the PC is to use the passthrough on a mini-DV cam and run it in on IEEE1394 (firewire). Analog capture tools, like the ATI All in Wonder products are a nightmare for editing, so work in DV type AVI as much as possible, and copy from mini-DV to VHS at the very end. Check out some of the forums at www.dmnforums.com and www.creativecow.net for more info. -L

Some of the Canon cams have audio problems: The mics pic up sounds that the camera makes. Great optics, though. I got a Sony DCR-PC101 last fall. I'm quite happy with it, and it's plenty small. It can be had for well under $1000 now. -L

It is worth knowing that Thesenga's explanation, as posted at camp4.com, was sent out as an attachment to a threatening letter from his attorney. I'll leave it at that. Talk amongst yourselves.

Yeah, I remember that from when I got orthotics. There was also some not quite quiet enough mutterings about degenerative joint disorder, etc. While I'm not saying there is nothing to it, I do think they (orthotics sellers) see things through a narrow lens: I was waiting for him to tell me that my male pattern baldness could be reversed with a special set of orthotics. Caveat Emptor -L

The very top is a terrific choss heap, but the rest is beautiful with great skiing. The view from the top is unreal. You don't really save much by camping at Summerland. If you take two days, maybe try to camp up higher. I just put up a very belated TR here: Little Tahoma TR -Loren

Climbed at We Did and Nevermind Monday and Thursday this week. Some drips and seeps, and a very few soaked climbs, but lots of dry rock. Everything at We Did is dry. Who pulled off the key hold on the second route from the left at We Did?? When did the skull-crusher roof section fall off Blockhead?? -L

I called mountaineers books when I saw that in February. They told me there was no firm date set for release and not to expect anything before August. -L

It's pretty darn easy to armchair quarterback someone else's decisions. Some of us are starting to sound an awful lot like Jon "Blame Everyone Else" Krakauer. You can't judge conditions from below: "What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above." (Daumel) And to continue with quotes, "The worst possible style is to fall." (Serl or McKay) So in my book, kudos to Michelle for retreating safely before someone was hurt and/or a serious epic ensued. -L

Perfect: Just in time for all of us to start jonesing for ice three months before there is any to climb within 500 miles, as usual. ice ice ice ice ice ice ice -L

Nice! Is there a target date for it to be on shelves? -L

I've turned back at that traverse twice now, once because of obscene avy conditions (three feet of slush on the west face, no purchase, starting wet slides with each step), once in perfect conditions, but an unwilling partner. 0-7 on North, headed back soon. How far could you drive up the Pole Creek Road? -L

I have a Fitzroy and an I-Tent, and no regrets. Both are post-BD merger. Quality is excellent, and so is BD support. They replaced the Fitz after Rainy Pass ruined it when they were supposed to be repairing it. I like the Fitz better than the Torre because I don't always want the weight of the vestibule. The I-Tent is great for those light-is-right trips. -L

Just to clear things up... We didn't get an early enough start and the little rivulet of ice was slush by the time we got there. We retreated because of poor ice and threatening snow conditions. Necro and Layton were ahead of us on the route. I'm not aware of anything they knocked down on us, but even if they had, that would have been our issue, not theirs. I'll be back...

I'm trying to work out the logistics of this one. Maybe my math skills are rusty, but I can't figure out how a face can have six established routes and only five ascents. -L

21" of fresh, dry snow at Paradise. Cool. I wonder when the road will open, if it does at all this weekend...

I like it. You might think about a 'low bandwidth' version for the folks marooned on dialup. -Loren