dberdinka

The only remotely interesting thing that could happen in a POV cragging video is a huge whipper. Glad I'm not part of the video-camera-always-glued-to-my-head generation.

In bellingham pickup only. One of Mount Hood One of Royal Robbins on El Cap - signed A bit dusty but otherwise in great shape. PM or text 441.5404

OMG! Somebody added two bolts to a cliff at Index?! Isn't that sort of like right underneath Angora Grotto? We should all be very incessed as climbers have been such an amazing steward of the rocks there.

Do you mind me asking what company you used? My question exactly

More Xanax for your camera! Sounds like your buddy is having a much fuller recovery than anticipated. Nice to here some positive climbing related news.

Taking a gaggle of kids to Lopez Island to camp for the weekend. Seems like there would be some reasonable top roping to be had along the water on the central/southern part of the island. Just looking for a 30-or-so foot cliff with low-5th to 5.7 options and a reasonably safe base area for the kids to hang out. Couple posts in the past but never any specifics. PM or e-mail at dberdinka AT gmail DOT com if you feel like sharing. Thanks.

A pretty fascinating follow up to my last trip to the desert over a year ago. Needle in a Haystack

Rip to climbers and condolences to family and friends. Sounds like equipment was spotted at the base of the Thermogenesis Couloir. I seem to recall park rangers having recovered victims of a similar accident from this location in the not to distant past. Based on TRs this spring Liberty Ridge has been unusually icy. A fall that entangled multiple ropes is certainly a possibility. Again there was an accident just like that on the hogs back of Hood 10ish years ago that resulted in a spectacle of crashing helicopters. Ultimately all speculation as to what occurred.

I didn't know the man but was always impressed by the style of his TRs here. My sympathies to his family and friends.

Sold

I've got a size large Petzl Sirocco helmet that's still too small for my big noggin. Used two days. No falls or impacts of any sorts. $70 + shipping ($110 retail) PM or e-mail dberdinka AT gmail DOT com

Silvretta 404s mounted on 177cm Hagan TX titanium skis. Skis are ultralight, 177cm in length with dimension of 92-69-80 and weight 1.1 kg each (w/o bindings). Considering their size and weight they ski very well. Bindings are size N (normal) and supposedly fit sole lengths of 11.375" - 13.375". Gear is very lightly used and in excellent condition. Ski bases are pristine. No skins. $140. Located in Bellingham. Would prefer pick-up. Buyer pays shipping and packaging costs. PM or e-mail dberdinkaATgmailDOTcom.

Great photos! Having dealt with the Hawaiian parks department on Kauai I'd say they are the type of institution that gives government bureaucracies a bad name. Incredible shame how poor they are maintaining and protecting some beautiful beautiful areas. Certainly quite good at fleecing travelers for cash.

Guide services, at least those that have jumped through all the hoops, have been able to reserve trips in advance for as long as I can remember in permit-limited areas of the NCNP. It's curious how very park handles guiding issues differently. In Zion guiding of any sort is prohibited.

There will still be snow at least along the base of the climbs and it can get surprisingly steep. For many a sharp stick will suffice. If you're not sure of your sketching-in-approach-shoes-in-snow skills (light) crampons may be advised.

Great TR and pics Sol. Looks like a perfectly executed day. You need to update your blog more than once every two years as well. Give us desk-jockeys something to look at during the day.

Bob Kandiko's been a busy man. I know this got posted once before but I didn't realize he had self-published something like separate books. They all look spectacular. If there's a image you can imagine from the North Cascades it's in there. Check it out. Cascade Panoramas

You should definitely tie your rope off at the anchor!! A single figure 8 is entirely adequate! Top rope soloing is not at all similar to regular top roping other than the fact you are not leading. Your option of threading the rope is both dangerous and nonsensical. Sorry to be harsh. I would recommend finding an experienced climber to demonstrate top rope soloing.

Bump. OBO maybe

SerIously I don't. My only pair of crampons are Aluminum and my only ice axe weighs 12 oz. I'm back to my mountaineer roots...

Size large, worn for a single day of ski touring. Great pant/layer. I just decided since I don't actually do any winter/alpine climbing anymore I'd be better off with a more ski specific pair of pants. I'm 5' 11" and 170-175lbs and they fit fine. $180 + shipping. ($300 retail) PM or email dberdinka AT gmail DOT com. NWAlpinist Salophette

For climbers of modest abilities and limited risk threshhold the Twin Sisters Range is great. Solid, grippy rock with big exposure on easy terrain. The linkup described below was the most enjoyable day of traveling alone that I've ever had. Green Creek Glacier Area

I think the Adjama is the best do everything harness I've had. Of course it seemed to fit ME much better than the other brands I tried on. I say try on 4-6 different brands and go with whatever fits best. Same thing with helmets.

Single mini-traxion. Though I think about getting a second one.... What the other guy calls a catastrophe knot is always a good idea.

Jeff Jackson at Rock & Ice wrote up an article that seems fairly balanced and relies heavily on this thread. Article Who would have thought CC.com would be a bastion of "restrained rhetoric"?