Jason_Martin

The point of having an ice axe is to use it for climbing. Self-arrest is only one of a number of uses for an ice axe. I do believe that you can do more with an axe quickly out of the piolet cane position than from the self-arrest position. Indeed, in some northwest climbing subcultures assumptions of inexperience are made about those who hold their axe in the self-arrest position. Not taking stereotypes into account, I still think that piolet cane is a better position in most circumstances. Unfortunately it takes a lot of practice to develop the muscle memory to automatically self-arrest from piolet cane. This is the main reason that people don't really want to switch...and it's a valid reason. If you screw up because you didn't spend enough time practicing your new technique it could be bad news for you. Jason

Depends on what kind of ropes you're using. If you're using twin ropes and you only clip one in, you're going to go for a very long ride before the rope stretch catches you. That's the fattest I've ever seen Strobach. The Right Stuff has never been more than a smear on my three trips back there. Are there still people saying there's no ice in Washington? Jason

The picture isn's at the best angle. It is really weird looking. I doubt very much that a falling climber could make a hex warp as radically as this thing was warped. Jason

Certainly could be...but a few years ago we had a good size earthquake here. Jason

The other day I was working on an old route in Red Rock. Some buddies and I are trying to replace all the old bolts to make this route a safe and fun climb. While we were up there, we found this: I should have got a better picture, but essentially it appears that an earthquake actually crushed the old Hex and sheered it sideways. Kinda' cool. Anybody else see any old gear that has been dmaged by earthquakes? Jason

An AMGA course is an excellent step toward being considered a "professional" by those you teach and by those who you might teach. As far as liability, you will need an airtight waiver. This will help to protect you. An AMGA course will help to protect you as well because if something were to go to court and the question arose about what the industry standard was, you'd be on the same page. Indeed, the liklihood of needing to go to court will go down as you obtain more training and have less loopholes in your own skillset. As far as the waiver is concerned, you should look at a number of guide service waivers. Most companies have them on the net for their clients. Make one up of your own and then have a lawyer go over it... Good luck! Jason

At least one third of all individuals who rappel Johnny Vegas get their ropes stuck. The gully is actually pretty cruiser. Jason

ivo and renon? nice trip report! it's nice to read about some great adventures. That was Renon. The Resolution Arete doesn't have great rock...as Mike said, it is an adventure climb. I think the dynamic of our group is what made it so fun. My favorite route in RR is currently Birdhunter Buttress. But don't go there if you're not used to RR rock or if you're worried about old bolts. Currently the route has a sold R rating due to bolt quality. But we're hoping to get some new bolts on it in the near future... Jason

No doubt the big pack was a huge mistake...but when all was said and done the Resolution Arete was one of the most fun climbs I've done in RR. Mostly because of the company! Good times! Jason

Intellectually, I know this... I know that we're not better than anyone else. I just get pissy when we're being knocked. I feel like some of these talk shows and forums are trying to corner us. And it pisses me off to no end that bad things are being said about these guys on Mount Hood. And as we all know -- especially around here -- it's easier to call names than to defend. You're totally right Matt, there is no way that we're going to win any battles with anger or emotion. Debate and defense is about logical and well defined arguements like those you suggest. I'll keep my pissyness myself... Jason

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Post deleted by Jason_Martin

As has been stated above, the value in Red Rock is in the long multi-pitch trad lines. Yes there are herds of people on some of the moderate classics and there are herds at the easier sport walls...but there are hundreds of climbs of both types where you will be the only one on the route. I find Red Rock's greatest value in long relatively unexplored traditional climbs. These have an alpine feel to them as they require a bit of an approach, may have some weather issues, and require commitment. There is low elevation limestone all around Las Vegas. I don't think it's that great. Some of it has graffiti and glass beneath it. A lot of it is a short approach from the road so kids will party there and break bottles. The Charleston limestone is better, but it is way too cold up there to screw around with anything but ice this time of year up there. I've heard this "over-rated" comment before. It seems to me that those who say this just don't try very hard to see what's really back there... Jason

Well put Winter. Sitting here with my pack loaded ready to go. Someone please, ring the bell. All you guys who want to go should volunteer when there's not an emergency... Then you can get trained and go next time there's a call. I doubt very much that anybody involved in this rescue has time to go through your climbing resumes and decide who's experienced enough to deal with eighty mile an hour winds, no visibility and extreme avalanche danger. Sounds like the guys on the mountain have the experience to know what to do. As has been repeatedly stated, they're probably all holed up on the peak in two separate snow caves. Hopefully they have the food and the fuel to hold out. On an attempted one day ascent they may have gone very light on these items...Indeed, it would not suprise me if the guy that was left in the snow cave at the top, was left with the vast majority of these supplies while the others tried to find their way down. I think if most of us were to leave somebody behind who was injured we would be apt to leave that person with all the food and fuel... Jason

Didn't mean to put anybody down by saying it had been climbed before. When we do a second edition -- some time from now yet -- we will certainly include the climb. I think everyone appreciates posts on ice climbs no matter where the climbs are. Jason

Bill climbed everything back there at one point or another, but he had a tendancy to only give me beta for the Washington Ice book on things that he thought were significant. Jason

It's certainly been climbed before. There have been a lot of ascents around the icicle buttress but little beta was available when we were working on the book... Jason

Single pitch tends to be bolted on the West Side of Washington: Tool Shed at Mount Baker Ski Area Rap Wall at Snoqualmie Pass Black Ice Crag Drytooling Area Near N. Bend CYA - Same area as last Lots of bolted mixed action happening over near Mazama these days too. To place gear on mixed terrain on the west side, you're going to have to climb mountains. Jason

I think the Mountaineers often get a bad rap because of a few bad apples. Often the bad apples aren't doing anything that is really that disturbing technically, but instead are rude to parties outside their circle. I think this has led to more Mountaineers bashing than anything else. I truly believe that this has been happening less and less over the last few years. Ten years ago it seemed that I encountered rudeness from Mountaineers leaders on a regular basis. Hardly at all these days. The question is, why were they rude? I do think that sometimes people have been put in leadership positions in climbing clubs before they were ready. As such, they may have felt a little more defensive about their techniques. This may have led to rudeness in the past. Are people still being put in leadership positions before they are ready? Maybe. But maybe not as often as before... People on this website have been very down on the skills of Mountaineers leaders. I have to wonder what level of skills they expect these leaders to have... Mountaineers leaders are not professional climbing guides...but neither is the guy who brings out his girlfriend for the first time, or the college student who brings out his buddies. Are these individuals proficient enough to take on this responsibility? It's likely that the Mountaineers leader has a more rounded experience than many of those who are doing this. I have seen some seriously dangerous things going on in the mountains from those who "taught themselves." Things that were not mildly bad, but indeed things that were extremely dangerous in that exact moment. Climbing clubs often provide a nice groundwork for individuals to start from. Teaching techniques and climbing club politics aside, this groundwork -- wherever you get it -- is necessary for a safe introduction into a dangerous sport. Most Mountaineers club leaders are bringing people up easy peaks. Are they doing it in the most proficient and modern way? Maybe not, but neither are a large portion of those complaining about them. Mountaineers become an easy target because they are a visible climbing club in the Northwest. Some arrogant yahoo on the Beckey Route carrying a big wall rack and caterpilliaring 6 people up the climb on different ropes doesn't get nailed. But the guy on his first multi-pitch climb as a Mountaineers Leader does because of his affiliation...even if the Mountaineers Leader was totally cool and allowed faster parties to pass. So here's yet another reason people get upset with beginner level climbers whether they are in a club or not...if the party behind you is faster, let them pass! Don't get pissy about it. In the real world, everyone gets passed sooner or later. When all is said and done, the Mountaineers is a good club that has introduced countless people to the mountains. For the most part these individuals got the groundwork they needed to go out and have a good time. It's hard for me to find fault in that... Jason

Regardless of the recent accident, you should use your harness the way it was designed to be used. When you make modifications, like clipping biners through your tie-in point, you create new risks. The manufacturers suggested use of climbing gear is the way the gear should be used. Old gear is dangerous. I think the point is apt. Had the rope broken because it was old and worn out, nobody would be saying that we shouldn't use ropes. If an old sling broke, nobody would say we shouldn't be using slings. If a old biner broke, nobody would be saying we shouldn't use biners...the point is to pay attention to the life-span of your gear, not to start using things in ways they weren't meant to be used. Jason

The problem with sponsorship is that it doesn't really pay the bills. There are a lot of sponsored climbers...Wayne could probably become one with his resume over the last few years. The problem is that most sponsored climbers don't make much money. Most get some gear here and there and maybe some support on expeditions. We all know the sponsored athletes who make a bit more. Steve House, Tommy Caldwell and Beth Rodden, Ed Viesters...the A list of climbing. Jason

I guided professionally for several years...I never asked for, expected or accepted monetary tips. I considered myself a professional, I wasn't working for minimum wage (although the money wasn't great), and I wouldn't tip my physician, professor or dentist either. The closest I'd come to a tip was accepting invitations to dinner and beers after the work was completed with satisfaction. I've been guiding professionally for seven years and have guided year round since 2002. The cultural norm is that guides do expect tips. This is because they are tipped in every venue where guides exist, whether they are a fishing guide, a hunting guide or a mountain guide...tipping is the norm. I do believe that Raindawg didn't accept tips and that's his perogative. But I also expect that he wasn't trying to pay his mortgage on a guides wage. I don't know any mountain guides who won't accept a tip. Jason

These are pretty good boots. I wore them in Bolivia in July and found them to be a bit on the chilly side, but climbed in them in the Cascades in late August and September and found them to be very comfortable. Jason

The problem with this question is that it neglects the reason most people fall into crevasses in the Cascades. Very few serious crevasse falls (falls where one goes in over his or her head) in the Cascades result from a snow bridge collapsing. Instead, the vast majority of serious falls in the Cascades take place because individuals slip above the crevasse and slide in. Years of "Accidents in North American Mountaineering" support this assertation in the Cascades. Though I don't have dates in front of me to show the months where most of the crevasse falls have taken place, it is still likely that such falls which start as a slip are most common when the glaciers are the most icy. This means that August and September are probably somewhat dangerous months. Jason

In the early morning the "normal" sport climbing areas at the pull-outs will be cool. But they will come into the sun at around ten. There are a number of walls that are in the shade for all or most of the day. Check out Angel Food Wall, Willow Creek Canyon, the south side of Ice Box Canyon, Dark Shadows area, Community Pillar/Magic Triangle Area, Rainbow Wall and Crimson Chrysalis, Lotta Balls area, Black Velvet Canyon, and Global Peak. In the afternoon, you can sport climb in Calico Basin. The season starts in Red Rock in October, so September is usually really not that bad. You may need a couple of days to acclimate to the heat, but most people are able to do it. Jason