Jason_Martin

Bull and shit. As a climber you well know mountain weather can change quickly. There is a difference surviving an extra 24 hours in the summer and during a blizzard. This all depends on the peak. The history of Big Four is full of forced bivys. The bigger the peak, the longer the window is before you should call out the rescue. On Chair Peak, I might wait 12 hours and feel like there's probably something wrong, but on Big Four or on J-Berg or other peaks of that type...climbers attempting those mountains in winter conditions should be able to deal with a blizzard and if they can't, then they shouldn't be up there. Based on the banter here, most people don't know how big Big Four really is. If you look at the notes in the Washington Ice Guide, you'll see that a large percentage of those on first ascents on the mountain were forced to bivy. I think that anyone attempting a route of such size in a day should get at least a 24 hour window before calling out the troops. Jason

I've submitted a bit to climbingredrocks.com...and I have to say that the new format lacks soul. The design of the old page, the way it looked and the rough edges gave it character. The new thing looks very professional and as such lacks that special something that made it an enjoyable site prior to the revamping... Jason

Have you guys heard about this? web page Sketchy! Jason

It is true that people climb routes in the shade throughout the winter. However, Red Rock has extremely varied temperatures throughout the cold season. Three weeks ago, there were three ice climbs on the North facing walls at the back of Oak Creek Canyon. These come in and go out throughout the winter. There is ice and streaks of ice in each of the canyons when it is cold. Obviously climbing a route like Epinephrine which is completely shaded in these conditions is less than ideal. The low winter sun also puts routes that are in the sun in the fall and spring in the sun for a much shorter period of time. The lower half of Cat in the Hat -- and even the upper half for an hour or so -- is in the shade much of the winter day. Geronimo is only in the sun for a couple hours in the morning. Stuff on the lower part of the Solar Slab Wall gets a great deal of shade by ten or eleven in the morning. If it is cloudy or windy, it doesn't matter too much if your in the shade or the sun. You'll be cold. On the other hand, yesterday it was 65 degrees or warmer on Solar Slab. Jason

I don't disagree with anything you said... But just my luck...Two thirds of the time I work with return clients who want to climb 5.7... Jason

Russ, Where did you find that route? I soloed Little Falls last week as it was falling apart...fun for awhile anyway. Jason

I do agree with this, but unfortunately not everyone understands this. But I also agree with the "Redneck Rule" that states that as soon as you put yourself underneath someone you are ultimately responsible for the consequences. In a previous post, you asked if I would climb under someone else. The answer is no, not unless I felt that I could mitigate the danger somehow. The same for if I were to rappel into a position where I would then be underneath someone. Now back to the first part about the etiquette of climbing beneath someone. In some cases it may be unintentionally rude to put this burden on another team. However, there are numerous long routes wherein one may not even be aware that there is another team on the route because they are so high. This brings us back to the idea that whoever is beneath must be aware of the potential consequences. The bottom team -- whether rappelling or climbing -- must be responsible for themselves. Making a comment to a leader who has put his team into a compromising position might be worthwhile. Unfortunately though, very few climbers are willing to listen to constructive criticism from other climbers while on a route. Jason

Ryland, I have mixed feelings about your story. The guy put himself and his less knowledgable partner into harms way by climbing beneath you. I wonder if you guys had a conversation about this when the guy showed up? I also wonder if you could read the inexperience below from above...? I think its clear that you guys were more experienced climbers, yet you made a choice to rappel into a situation where you'd be below the other guys. It is my feeling that though the inexperienced party may have been a danger to themselves, you guys made a choice which made them a danger to you. I understand that it would have sucked to wait for them to top out before rappelling, but perhaps that would have been the better choice. I think your partner's wish to "kick the guy's ass" is a little over the top. Unfortunately, on ice sometimes other parties must be thought of as objective danger...especially inexperienced parties... Jason

Sorry, I'm in Las Vegas rock climbing in the sun. I haven't had my finger on the pulse of what's going on over there recently. Jason

Here's some new beta Mark Allen sent me. This information should be used in conjunction with the "Washington Ice" guidebook. This is still raw data, so use it as you will. Liberty Ice – WI 4 Length: 80 Feet Avalanche Danger: Moderate to Serious First Ascent: Mark Allen and Brenden, 2004 Approach: This route can be found one hundred feet to the right of the Inspiration Route on Liberty Bell, but it cannot be seen from the road. Approach as for the East Face. There is a large arch on the right wall with a northwest aspect. Under the arch there is a gully that the route is tucked back inside. Go past the a boulder/chalkstone to the base of the route. Route: Climb the beautiful blue Canadian style ice. Beware, this route tends to be an early phenomenon possibly the result of heavy rains. It tends to get covered by mid-season. Descent: Rappel the route using V-Threads. LB 2 – WI 4 The name of this route stands for Liberty Bell 2, the Department of Transportations identification for the avalanche gully coming down from the Liberty Bell Massif. Length: 800 Feet Avalanche Danger: Serious First Ascent: Mark Allen and Brenden, November 2004 Approach: This route can be found in the massive avalanche gully near the hairpin. This is the gully that usually closes the highway. Route: Pitch One: Climb a thin ramble, passing a large boulder. (100 Feet, WI 3) Pitch Two: Ascend easy snow to the next flow. Build an anchor at the fork. (200 Feet) Pitch Three – Left Gully: Ascend a nice variation. This can be continued beyond the obvious end through mixed conditions up loose blocks. Most finish at the top of the easy climbing and lower or rappel back down to the anchor. (WI 3, 80 Feet) Pitch Three – Right Gully: Ascend a short pitch up a curtain. (WI 4) Pitch Four – Right Gully: Continue up the second curtain to a good tree belay. (100 Feet, WI 4) Descent: Go south into the LB 1 Gully. Downscramble LB 1 to the road. Goat Wall Area: Gate Creek needs to be divided into Upper and Lower Gate Creek. Cinnamon Stick – WI 5? Length: ? Avalanche Danger: ? First Ascent: Sean McCabe and Steve House, January 2004 Approach: This route can be found in lower Gate Creek. The entrance gully is climber’s right of the Gate Creek classic, Gate Creek Falls. Rumors of Ice: • There is a second climb in the area of Cinnamon Stick that has yet to be climbed. Indeed there may be up to three or four 100 foot mixed routes in this vicinity that could be put up. • There is a 100 foot unnamed WI 3+ at the top of the lower Gate Creek Area. It is possible to rap this route. It was first climbed by Steve House and Ottis Buzzard in 2003. Descents for Lower Gate Creek – Walk back through forest and rappel down into Gate Creek. Gate Creek Falls has bolt anchors for a rappel descent. Southern Comfort – WI 3+ Length: 100 Feet Avalanche Danger: ? First Ascent: Mark Allen and Gram Zimmerman, 2004 Approach: This route can be found on the opposite side of Gate Creek from the second pitch of Gate Creek Falls. This is the southeast side. Route: Climb a beautiful pitch of amber colored ice. Descent: Traverse 100 feet up creek into a major cleft/chimney system. Rappel off a tree into the creek. In Upper Gate Creek there is a small cirque. This area has a number of mixed climbs that are not bolted but have been climbed by Steve, Larry, and Scott Johnson. Double Tree – WI 4, M4, III+ Consider this an all day route. Length: ? Avalanche Danger: ? First Ascent: Anne Keller and Steve House Approach: This route can be found beyond “The Bear.” To approach, pass the Goat Wall Creek drainage. The route rambles down Goat Wall and the second pitch – a WI 4 curtain – can be seen from the road. Cut straight through the forest from the road. Route: Pitch One: Climb a 120 foot pitch at WI 3+, M4. The pitch is scary to top out on. At approximately 90 feet, begin to drytool on snow-covered rock. Build a belay with cams 30 feet above the ice. Pitch Two: Ascend the WI 4 curtain. The curtain itself is about 50 feet long. After topping out on this feature, trend left up rambles and blocks to an alcove where a belay can be made in a small curtain. Pitch Three: Ascend a short pitch up the curtain and snowy rambles to a snow covered ledge system. (WI 3) Pitch Four: Ascend thin ice and snow covered rock for fifty feet. Beware there is no gear on this M2 pitch. Trend left through a small chimney. Top out on slope on top of the wall. Improvise anchors with shrubs and boulders. Descent: Walk skiers left and rappel off good trees. Make a 200 foot rappel to a nice ledge. Make a second rappel toward the tree that looks like it has a giant afro, “the afro tree.” Rappel off the afro tree. Reportedly there are four rappels on this descent. Between Gate Creek and Double Tree – Climber’s left of Double Tree, there are two mixed lines. First Mixed Line – 5.9+ Length: Two Pitches Avalanche Danger: ? First Ascent: Steve House? Approach: The first mixed line has a small goatee of ice that forms above. Below the Goatee there is a weakness of discontinuous cracks and blocks. Route: Ascend the first 100 foot pitch at 5.9+. This is full mixed climbing with pins and trad gear. Some pins may still be there after the first ascent. Belay at 100 feet at a small ledge and “chalkblock.” Ascend the second pitch of serious mixed climbing. Ascend into ice, then complete a 25 foot mixed traverse across a ramp. Continue up through thin ice and more mixed climbing to an overhang and a nut anchor. Beware the top-out is on a slopey ledge. Descent: A single double rope rappel will bring you to the ground. Second Mixed Line – M4 Length: ? Avalanche Danger: ? First Ascent: Steve House, Mark Allen and Scott Johnson Approach: This second line can be found climbers right of the first mixed line. Walk up the gulley to a landing. This route starts at a flow that comes out of a chimney system. Route: Ascend the chimney system for half of a pitch. This will spit you out onto the face. Ascend mixed ground for fifty more feet. Descent: Walk off to skiers left down a ramp. This will deposit you in the gully you started in. Sword of Damocles – WI 5? This route is considered by many to be the most aesthetic line in the Methow Valley. On the first ascent, the climbers were stemming between the Dagger and the rock, with a great deal of air under their feet. Length: ? Avalanche Danger: ? First Ascent: ? Approach: Approach as for Rapier and belay in the same area as for the first pitch of Rapier. Do not climb the route unless the Dagger has touched down. Route: Ascend a full pitch of WI 2-3 rambles climber’s right of Rapier and build a belay. For the second pitch, ascend the “Dagger of God.” This pitch is WI 5 or harder. It may be possible to continue up for more pitches. Descent: Unknown – it may be possible to ascend via the Standard.

Perhaps the better way to do this would be to keep routes in a given area together. That way a person will be able to work on a number of routes in their grade. I actually tried to do the J-Tree workshop for awhile. In theory it brings you up to 5.12 trad. The problem with it is that things are so spread out. You go and do a route on the list and then just hang out where that route was for the rest of the day. Jason

I was refferring to the second picture in Matt's post as an Overhand Flat Knot or an EDK. I tie my cordellettes together with this knot in order to untie them quickly and easily. I untie them a lot. There are a couple of reasons I do this. First, I untie them in order to tie figure-eight knots in the ends. I can then clip the ends into side pieces of an anchor and use the cordellete as a webolette by pulling down the strands in between the pieces and tying it off with an eight. Second, I climb in areas where there are not always a lot of slings left behind. Or I don't trust the webbing that has been left. For example, I climb in Red Rock most of the winter season. When I get here much of the webbing on the classic routes has serious sun damage from the summer heat. I will cut up my cordelletes to replace what needs to be replaced. Third, as a climbing guide I often short rope clients with an open cordellete. Fourth, there are a number of rock rescue techniques wherein I need more cordage than a closed cordellete will allow. Lastly, I primarily use seven millimeter cord for my cordelletes. Nothing seems to move within the knot when I use my double overhand flat knots. I think that covers it... Jason

The flat figure eight is sketch. To eliminate the possiblity of rolling an overhand flat knot (Euro Death Knot), the best thing to do is to tie two of them. Then it simply cannot roll. Instead of tying two flat knots, some people will tie a single overhand into one tail of the rope near the end. The Euro Death Knot is on the inside and cannot roll over this single overhand. I use the double overhand flat knot both in my cordelletes and in my double rope rappels. As of yet I have never seen anything sketchy. I have joined an 8 milimeter rope to a 10 and have not seen a problem. I don't have any research to indicate where one should draw the line. My suggestion is that if you are concerned about the diameters of two ropes the default should be the double-fishermans. Jason

Hard.

There is some stuff that's down there that's longer, but it is incredibly dirty. A guy I know top-roped down there and the dirt that got into his rope actually made a groove in the carabiners he was using in his anchor. That said, you don't really need a super long route to stop in the middle and build a belay. Go halfway up the wall, build a belay and then continue. The wall could be thirty feet long, it doesn't matter if your goal is to learn how to multi-pitch on ice. Jason

Check out "Take it to the Limit." There's something to be said for a movie that is so bad its good. Jason

Ryland, You should be aware that in the United States there are three types of guiding, each with its own skill level requirements. Indeed, there are also subsets to these three guide environments. Following is a quick breakdown as to what is required to work in each of the environments in the United States. Be aware that special conditions in different environments may cause some guide services to hire people who are not at the "industry standard" level. Two other items should also be noted. First, nearly all guides have their Wilderness First Responder or its equivalent. And second, rescue skills are often taught in guide training courses which are either done in house or through the AMGA. Rock Guiding: The general requirement is that a person is able to lead 5.10c trad routes with style. But here's the rub, most of the guiding that one does will be between 5.5 and 5.9. It is seldom that one will actually guide at a 10c level or beyond. In addition to this, there is also a tremendous amount of top-roped guiding that one does. Alpine Guiding: A perspective guide should be able to lead 5.10a in the mountains wearing rock shoes. He or she should be able to lead 5.8 in boots. And he or she should be able to lead WI4. The irony in these requirements is that there is very little call for this skillset. The vast majority of the alpine clients out there want to walk up a glacier. As such, many companies will employ guides who are very good at this. A guide who has some avy skills, good map and compass skills, good winter camping skills, and good crevasse rescue skills will do fine for a company looking for guides to work this terrain. Ski Guiding: Ski guides should have excellent avy skills (usually Avalanche Level III training) and should be able to ski fifty degree slopes in variable conditions with a pack on. Each of the preceding skill sets are a guideline. In other words, it's what the AMGA expects to see in a certification exam. An individual company will often employ people who exceed the standard. That same individual company may employ people who are not at the standard, they will just assign them easier gigs. Perhaps the part of guiding that is not often mentioned is personality. A guide must be a good teacher, a friendly person, and should have interests that they can discuss beyond climbing. Ego and arrogance should be left at the door. They're what give guides a bad name. Jason

There's a new guidebook out from the Mountaineers on Thailand climbing. Sam Lightner Jr. has put together a very nice compilation of routes and info on getting to them, staying there, and everything else you need to know. Jason

Working as a guide is a hard but rewarding gig. Difficult clients are not very common, but slow ones are. Rain is common and being away from home is common too. Memorable trips with cool people you would have never met otherwise are common. And a closeness to the mountains that you might not experience in any other job is common as well. The idea that a guide is a babysitter is essentially a perspective from the outside. A guide is first and foremost a safety manager and this might sometimes be perceived as babysitting. If a guide is a good teacher, what's perceived as babysitting goes away with most clients. Somebody indicated earlier that it appeared that guides were trying to inflate themselves by talking about Denali. Among northwest guides this is a common mountain to have worked, so I don't believe that the guides quoted were trying to make themselves out as something more than they are. The guiding lifestyle is a great lifestyle for those who consider themselves to be patient teachers. If you are not patient and you are not a teacher then you probably won't be a very good guide. If you are guiding for ego reasons, then you probably won't be a very good guide. If you truly love climbing AND imparting knowledge, then things might work out...for awhile. I guide over 200 days a year. The wages are not high and there are no benefits. Most guides only last about five years as guides...I'm in my sixth. Though it is a hard way to make a living, guiding has become such an integral part of my life that I don't believe I will ever truly give it up. There may be a point when I only guide part of the year, but I currently don't see myself ever leaving it completely. Though there are a lot of problems with the lifestyle, (note that I say lifestyle and not career)I do think that for the person with the right attitude it is worth pursuing... ...and of course Gene's famous...! Jason

I tried this trick about three years ago after completing a first ascent in Red Rock Canyon. I was climbing with a beginner level climber at the time. During the descent we came to a spot where there really was no way to rappel without leaving a cam. There was a ten foot overhung drop. It was impossible to downclimb. I subsequently lowered my partner off of a complete anchor and then rigged a single TCU with the rope and a prusik cord. The rappel went smoothly and I was able to retrieve the cam. I don't think that I'd be psyched to use this technique in any other circumstances. The whole situation concerned me from beginning to end. If the cam didn't pull correctly, I would have to reascend the rope to retrieve it. This "double jeporady" element of the technique scared me. At the time I decided that the potential fall was short and that the consequences would be low enough for me to risk it. I would most likely still get hurt, but at the time I felt that it was worth the risk. Now three years later I still haven't reused the trick...this is a testament to how sketchy I thought it was when I did it. Jason

No.

The "Hidden" camp is called Harrison Camp by the rangers and Mirkwood by local guides. Most of the summer there are toilets at the camp, but they are flown out for the winter. As of two weeks ago there was flagging on the trail from Mirkwood down to the glacier. This may or may not still be there. Try to use the trail and NOT the steep gully to the right of the trail. From the steep gully, facing the glacier, the trail can be found to the left. Jason

Many gyms use static ropes because they don't wear out as fast. However, if you're going to buy a rope, buy a dynamic rope. Jason

You may use your normal axe if you pound the picket properly. If you pound the picket in with the adze or with the side of the head, over time you will damage the axe. This is especially true for axes with a "B" engraved somewhere on the head or on the shaft. The "B" stands for "basic" and means that the axe is not as strong as one that has a "T" for "technical" engraved on the side. To properly place a picket so that it doesn't damage your axe, grab the center of the shaft and turn the axe so that the spike is pointing toward the sky. Then pound the picket in using the top of the head of your axe... Jason Jason

There are two schools of thought on climbing and selfishness... First, climbing is a useless and selfish pursuit. It forces you to take time away from your family and those you love for a singular goal. The inherent danger involved in attaining that goal could ultimately bring about one's death. And thus deprive those who love you -- spouse and kids -- of your presence permanently...according to those who abide by this, your death would be a selfish and meaningless death. Perhaps someone might say at your funeral, "he died doing what he loved." Indeed, such a remark is terrible. Because it indicates that such a pursuit was more important than family and friends. On the other hand... Climbing has been called "moral war." In other words, climbing a mountain and enduring the strategy and stress of such a thing creates close companionship that might only be found on a battlefield. It is moral because one is not forced to kill anybody intentionally in order to attain this level of companionship. Your partner is guarding your life. You are guarding his. Close partnerships create close friendships, friendships that might not be created on a golf course or in a bowling league. Climbing puts meaning into my life and has provided me with all of my closest friends. It has sent me to places in the third world that I might not have otherwise experienced. In the course of a climbing adventure I became godfather to a small child who lives in a mud house. I have helped to financially support that child. Going to beautiful places and extending myeslf to my physical and emotional limits has tremendously improved who I am. It has improved my relationships and my attitude about life in general. I know that like many here, I am defined by my climbing. Climbing is meaningless to those who don't participate in it. Just as football and basketball are meaningless to me. There are millions who watch these sports on t.v. and orchestrate their lives and friendships around them...are we different than that? Yes. Definately. Saving your buddy from getting tackled during a pick-up football game is tremendously different from arresting a crevasse fall...and this is why climbing has meaning...