Jason_Martin

There are soooo many things that are just plain wrong in "Vertical Limit." Am I the only one to notice that every time Chris O'Donnell talks to his sister he looks like he's about to make out with her? I mean the list of things is endless... There is an urban legend about that movie and Boulder, Colorado. One census indicates that one out of five people there considers themself a climber. Great for bar room companionship, but not so great when your out at the crag. Anyway, the story was that a Hollywood exec that was somehow behind the film heard that the movie was selling out every night in Boulder. He goes out there to see what the deal is, thinking that this outdoorsy town must love the movie. But what he finds is quite different. Instead, he discovers something more along the lines of a "Rocky Horror Picture Show" type audience. They laugh and throw popcorn at the screen through the entire movie. The exec is shocked by how much people are laughing at the dialogue. The story goes that he then has the movie pulled from the theatres in Boulder. I don't think this is true, but it sure makes a good story. Jason

Marylou, I know what you're talking about and I found it funny... Everybody else, Has anybody seen the movie, "Take it to the Limit"? This timeless classic of stupidity may even take the cake over that other "Limit" movie. Perhaps my favorite scene is when a bunch of small town hicks get super psyched to go toproping. In fact they even begin to slap one another with high fives while yelling, "yeah man, toproping!" In another scene, a teenage boy is left on top of a water tower by his friends who brought him climbing. Apparently the water tower had better climbing than the local crag. The kid's uncle shows up a little while later, having climbed up to the top of the tower in a pair of rock shoes and lycra tights. Oh and did I mention the "Take it to the Limit" rap that plays every time they go climbing? With scenes like these, the movie just can't be beat. Jason

Kitty Calhoun used to make a lot of waves in the climbing world. She used to do some pretty hard stuff on big ice routes and took those skills to Nepal. Jason

When resizing photos with something like paint shop pro, what is the minimum KB count for the images to still look good? I'm in the process of putting together a slide show and all of the images are at least 6MB or more. This is way to big for my computer to deal with. How far should this be compressd? Thanks in advance. Jason

On a dry glacier - such as the Coleman in its current condition - there is no need to rope up. That said, the danger right now for beginners travelling in the ice fall is not crevasses, you can walk right around those, but lack of skill in crampon technique. The ice is very inconsistent which makes it difficult for beginners to walk. It would be good to practice technique a bit before getting into any ground that is too difficult for people. The reality is that in that ice fall, one cannot really put in intermediate pro and expect it to help someone who falls three feet because of poor technique and breaks their ankle... This is the real danger right now. Jason

I saw it last spring. It's quite good... But it is not as much of a climbing show as you'd think. They have two focal points. The first is climbers in Kansas and the second is train hopping for a climbing trip. The result is that you see a show that is more about train hopping and trying to climb than a show about climbing. That said, I enjoyed it anyway. Jason

After four years of screwing around, it's finally out! Moutaineers Books Hope you all enjoy it. Jason

I've often thought of putting together some kind of dirtbaggers guide to Red Rock because these ideas (that there is nothing in Vegas except the strip) are somewhat common. There is a lot to do. 1) Libraries Believe it or not, but Clark County has some of the better libraries in North America. The public Library system here is subsidised by gambling. As a result there are quite a few libraries, many of which have art exhibits in them and other things going on. The closest one to Red Rock is the Sahara Library. 2) Movies The way most theatres are set up in Las Vegas is extremely condusive to seeing multiple movies at once. It's really easy to pay for one movie at most of the multi-pexes and then simply walk into other movies after yours is finished. Nobody is ever the wiser... 3) Get Drunk Play nickle video poker in any of the casinos and make sure you tip the cocktail waitresses decently. They will comp you drinks until you fall over and can't even walk. It'll be way cheaper than buying your drinks. Another option is the ever so popular 99 cent margarita, found both on and off the strip and the less popular casinos. 4) Trader Joes and Wild Oats These two popular stores do exist in Vegas, but require a bit of driving from Red Rock to get to. 5) Bookstores Yes there are bookstores near Red Rock. However, most bookstores are big Barnes and Noble type places. 6) Yoga Studios And yes, there is Yoga in Vegas as well. There are studios in every corner of the city. Pick up a phone book, you'll find them. 7) Free and Cheap Shows There are numerous shows at Casinos, at the University, and at local theatres that are relatively cheap or free. Pick up a copy of City Life - the areas alt newspaper - for more info. 8) Buffets Many of the casinos provide cheap buffets which dirtbaggers simply cannot get enough of. In my humble opinon, the best relatively cheap ($14) buffet is at the Rio. Excalibur has a nice one for ten bucks as well. 9) Rock Gyms There are currently two rock gyms in Las Vegas. One out on West Charleston and one near the University. These are good places to find current info on routes. 10) Parks There are tons of extremely green parks in Las Vegas. Probably not such a good thing because of the amount of water required to keep them such, but they are nice places to hang out. 11) Valley of Fire, Lake Mead, and Hoover Dam There are other interesting places within an hours drive of the strip aside from Red Rock Canyon. These places are not necessarily climbing areas, but they provide a change in scenery if you want one for a day off. 12) Hot Springs There are hot springs near Hoover Dam. You can find beta for their approaches on the net. And lastly, I think your friend was referring to Sumerlin. This is the community nearest Red Rock Canyon which has many of the above mentioned places around it. Jason

The ratings in Red Rock vary wildly. Some of the routes feel very easy for their grades whereas others feel hard. It is my belief that the reason this has happened is because there are very few long term Red Rock locals that have put up routes over the years. In all there are probably only a dozen people who have put up more than a handful of routes. The result is that many of the routes in Red Rock Canyon have been put up by visiting climbers who have brought their ideas of grades with them to the canyon. After completing a first ascent, they then report the route based on their own regional experience with grading. I believe this is why the ratings do not feel consistant. As far as new leaders in Red Rock, it's best to get your feet wet slowly. Many experienced leaders on granite, basalt, and limestone, come to the canyon and get a little freaked out. The sandstone appears fragile, but on the routes which see more traffic there is little to worry about. Most of the poor rock has been pulled off over the years. You may want to start out on some of the sport routes to get used to the rock and then move onto some of the longer trad routes. "Cat in the Hat" is a fantastic route for new multi-pitch leaders. However, if you simply want to work on climbing a multi-pitch route, without committing to a popular route with many parties on it, you might try "Solar Slab Gully." Beginning leaders have a harder time on "Tunnel Vision" because there are a few short run-outs. "Olive Oil" can be sewed up rather easily if you like. Other multi-pitch routes that should be considered by the beginning leader include, "Rising Moons," "Physical Graffiti," and "Cat Walk." Hope this helps! Jason

Bob, The Rumor sections in the guide really don't include that many rumors. For the most part they include things that people have seen or have heard about that we just didn't have enough information on to provide approach, grade, descent and all the other info a guide usually has. The publisher suggested putting these items -- of which there are hundreds -- in a seperate section which is entitled Rumors of Ice. We are going to be putting together a website with new info on these areas as it comes in over the next few seasons. And in a later edition, hopefully there will be less "rumors." Jason

Bob, We got the Pilsner looking line in one of our rumors sections. The book should literally be out any day now. Jason

It's important to qualify this. It is the most difficult bolted mixed route in the state currently reported. There is ice on it, but as with many mixed routes there is a lot more rock. A lot of people may feel that this is splitting hairs, but regardless of how long it is, the route is hard. It is a bit longer than the thirty feet reported here, but still not that incredibly long. I believe that this particular route and the other crags I mentioned in a previous post are nothing more than exploratory in nature. New routes will be developed in the coming years that are far more challenging... It will not be long before Guru is nothing more than a step in future climbers quests to climb harder routes. There are certainly many alpine routes or large thin waterfall routes throughout the state that could easily be considered far more difficult as the mixed nature doesn't provide bolts, but requires traditional gear, short ice screws and pins to protect. Washington State currently does not have that many people with the mixed skills to attack these routes. Short semi-safe bolted mixed climbs may change that. And honestly, I hope it does. Jason

The routes put up in the basin were put up in November of 2002. Some ice does develop on these routes at times. The reality is that it is probably a pretty good place for mixed climbing practice. Nobody should forget that we all define what climbing is to us. A lot of people who are not mixed climbers are attacking the area. I don't particularly like bouldering, but I don't put it down as contrived or stupid. It's just another element of the sport that provides a great deal of fun to those who indulge in it. Likewise, when a boulderer tells me an area is good I believe him. When a boulderer tells me an area is bad, I believe that too. So far those who have climbed in the area have said it's good. I for one belive them. Most climbers do not want to see their routes being scratched up by ice tools and crampons. As a result, chossy wet rock is a great place for these routes to develop. It is HIGHLY unlikely that the develpment of these routes in this location will turn Alpental Valley into Smith Rock. There are currently two other areas being developed for drytooling in Washington State: The first is an area near Deception Crags (the exit 38 climbing area) which has been developed for drytooling and mixed climbing. Though with the exception of one route there, everything is a bit slabby and lame. The second area is near Pan Dome Falls at Mt. Baker Ski area. There are a few M6-M7 type things there. At one point there was a thread on this area. Perhaps you might find it if you type in "Tool Shed." And lastly, I've climbed in Hafner Creek twice. The creek was not frozen either time that I was there. Jason

I think some people hold a little grudge about the grades. That's why I defended the author. On your second point, I couldn't agree more. There is an intent to share. I guess my point is that some first ascentionists get flak about their grades after they have provided something of value to the community. Jason

Every climbing area including Yosemite and Index has a few routes that feel easier than they should or harder than they should. It's simply part of the nature of the sport. I find it difficult to give McClean a hard time on his grades. He has done a tremendous amount of work to put together guidebooks which have provided me with a great deal of enjoyment. Everybody bags on guidebook authors, when without them many people wouldn't even know there was anything there. That said, it is simply impossible to have every climb in every area consistent with Yosemite. Grades are subjective and if McClean feels that something is a 5.8 which you feel is a 5.6, that's too bad. There simply is nothing you can do about it. The only way to make climbs consistent across the entire country would be to have a small group of Yosemite regulars go and climb every route and then grade them accordingly. Of course this is completely unrealistic. So as a result, it is best to take grades for what they really are: opinions. Some people have different opinions than others and so as a result some first ascentionists or guidebook authors give routes grades that you may not agree with. My question is, so what? If someone scrubbed a route clean and did the appropriate work to make the route climbable, should you shoot them down because you don't agree with the grade? If a guidebook author has spent years working on something that you've enjoyed using, should you attack him because he has a different idea of grading? Of course not. Take grades with a grain of salt and you'll have more fun. Jason

Verizon also works well on Baker and it is possible to get reception on Glacier as well. There is a rumor that a cell tower is going to be installed near Mazama which would provide better reception in Washington Pass. Jason

You were probably looking at the Rap Wall, which is -- as Erik said -- for mixed climbing. This wall reportedly sports the most difficult new wave mixed route in the state. Guru is an M9 which, as far as I know, has only been completed by one individual. Jason

I have used neoprene dive gloves for ice climbing on very wet climbs and for skiing in the rain. The biggest problem with the system is that once they get wet it's best to leave them on for the remainder of the day. If you take them off they get cold very quickly and take a bit to warm up again. Jason

I just got back down to the beautiful southwest today. I personally believe that Red Rock -- just outside of Vegas -- has some of the best moderate multi-pitch routes in America. And it can't be beat for winter fun in the sun! Vegas itself is excellent too. Cheap buffetts, show girls, free shows, 99 cent margaritas, free drinks while playing nickle slots, and climbing everywhere! It really can't be beat... Jason

That's Andreas Schmidt on "Flight to Mars" which is in the Alpental vicinity. Jason

The book should be available at your favorite gear shop in just a couple weeks... That is if you're more interested in supporting the shops than Amazon. Jason

I understand the semantics. And I understand that the exact word in question is slightly different than its root. But what you are ignoring is the root. No one in their right mind will use any incarnation of that word if they do not wish to be thought of as a racist. In Seattle, a public school teacher was recently forced to resign when he used the n word as an example of hate language in class. Books -- even those which support the plight of African Americans -- are often banned because the word is in them. College professors and executives alike avoid the word because of its potential repercussions. There is no more controversial word in the english language. I do believe that a dialogue about the word and about its use in the language is a good thing. It's good to understand the history and culture that has defined English. However, the continued malicious use of this word is morally wrong and to include it in a route name or a guidebook, which are essentially fun things open to everyone, takes away from their innocence. It is incredibly ignorant to believe that the vast majority of the populace without a dictionary sitting in front of them will make any distinction between the root word that ends in "er" or "ard" or "ish" or any other series of letters. And if you think differently, I would invite you to use this word in polite company or at work just to see what happens. After you've done this -- if you still have your job -- I have a feeling that you're going to feel a bit dumb when you have to grab the dictionary, look up the word, and show your coworkers that you weren't using hate language... That indeed you were trying to educate them to the proper use of the word so that they too might be able to use the word correctly in polite company. Now back to the subject at hand: Controversy over semantics and history and prejudice are simply not worth it in a climbing guidebook. Jason

Dru -- maybe you should look up the history of the word before you insist that it is not hate language. Smart guy, I believe that you will be the one that is in for a surprise. There is a lot more to words like this than a simple definition. There are entire books written on the use of this particular word and its different incarnations throughout the history of the english language as hate speech. Certainly if you were interested in actually learning something Dru, you might do a little reading: History of the N Word This debate alone is enough to prove that the word is inciniary and should simply be left out of guidebooks. Jason

As Caveman said, those of us who feel some sense of responsibility will not use this kind of language. And those of us who have a reputation to uphold will not use this language either. I truly do find this type of hate language offensive. And the reality is that those people who use this language around the generally liberal climbing community will find themselves ostracized. The result is that a responsible guidebook author will not write this type of language in his or her book and will certainly not put in some sort of appendix with the original names. You just won' t find this in mainstream american guidebooks... And I am thankful for this. Jason

I belive that the issue of censoring names is more complicated that it might seem at first. On the one hand I believe that the vast majority of names should remain. Names with popular explitives that most climbers use on a regular basis are perfectly acceptable. Most climbers will not find a climb with "fucking" or "shit" or any number of other words in it offensive. As a result these types of words should not be censored. On the other hand, there are words and phrases which are truly offensive to the vast majority of climbers. Words and phrases which are clearly biggoted in nature should be avoided by those who are naming routes and WILL be avoided by guidebook authors. Words like the N word in particular say more about the first ascentionists than the quality of the route. Whether or not the word is an allusion to a film doesn't matter. Many will assume that the first ascentionists were racists and biggots. And no reputable publisher will allow this type of language in their literature. As a guidebook author I have no problem publishing language that is acceptable by the vast majority of the climbing community. But I will not include route names in my books which are racially prejudiced or homophobic in nature and I believe that most climbers appreciate this limited censorship. Jason