nolanr

I can't believe all the slack the guy has already been given. For all the hoopla about being a great coach, I don't think he really is. He took over Colorado right after they won a national championship and he quickly led them to mediocrity, then ditched them and left them on probation. He took over UW, led them to a Rose Bowl (it was a 3 way tie w/ Oregon and Oregon St., but they won the tie breaker; so don't believe the crap about "Pac-10 Champions" from that season), and has led them to mediocrity since. Plus he 's just such a smug, weasely looking guy. He's got a bit of the Bill Clinton persona to him. He may be charming and charismatic and all, but he can't tell the truth to save his life and if you trust him you're kinda foolish. I think he needs to get canned this time.

I prefer to crap while sitting on small diameter logs, but as I get older, I don't really want to spend as much time looking for that "perfect" place to take a dump, so I just squat, facing up hill (everybody knows shit rolls downhill, LOL) usually while clinging to a tree branch to keep my balance. Sometimes I'll even throw a handfull of snow, moss or a rock over it so nobody has to look at it when I'm done. However, it looks like your question was mainly about how best to wipe though, so I'll address that too. In general, I usually am not very generous with the buttwipe as carying a lot in the pack is quite bulky. Although it's risky, I'll usually take a 4 square section and fold it in half twice, ending up with a quadruple layer of mountain money. I know this isn't as thick as a lot of you saftey geeks like, but, it's an acceptable risk level for me. Anyway, I'll generally wipe front to back folding the TP in half each time until I am uncomfortable with the exposure, no more than 3 folds ever it's just too small and risky for getting stank on your fingers. Using this method, I can usually get the task done using no more than 12 squares total. Leaves are a different story all together, big leaf's are preffered obviously, but I've heard stories of pinecones being used. If you're above tree line, it's my opinion that if you don't have TP or an article of clothing you're willing to sacrifice (make a half shirt, or a long sleeve a short sleeve), you'd better make it a clean shot in the first place. As far as rapping chimneys, it's a bad idea in the first place, too much chance of getting ropes caught, knocking down more rocks or getting yourself hung/beat up (like you did). Dude, nothing works better than a couple of snowballs. Now it's a bit chilly mind you, a little pucker factor there, but I guarantee your ass will never be cleaner than after you get done wiping w/ a couple of snowballs.

Exactly, if it is assumed the guides get their permits without having to enter a lottery draw or whatever, it takes away permits from non-guided parties. Not appropriate in an area w/ already limited access like the Enchantments. They can have at the Stuart Range if they want, as long as they don't monopolize routes a la RMI at Camp Muir and the DC route on Rainier. I ran into several different guiding outfitters a couple years ago teaching basic mountaineering on the south side of Baker before their summit bid, I had no problem w/ them, chatted w/ them some, seemed like nice people. Their being there didn't prevent me from being there, which could become the case in the Enchantments. For some reason the Deforest Service in the Leavenworth area seems to be worse than just about anywhere else in Washington, based on the amount of complaints on this board and Larry the Tool going around harrassing anybody that looks like a climber.

Are you at CWU? I went there...well, a few years ago. I was such a putz I didn't do any hiking or climbing, didn't know anything about the Enchantments, Stuart Range, Icicle Cr., Peshastin, Frenchman Coulee, etc. Damn, what a waste of 4 years. At least I've somewhat made up for it since. Yeah, it's hard to beat the glisade down from the Col. In good snow conditions I did it w/out taking any more than about a dozen steps for the 2500 feet or whatever that is, sliding the whole rest of the way.

Nice TR. Monte Cristo Peak from Glacier Basin is high on my to do list this year, probably in the near future. Did Columbia from Twin Lakes side several years ago. Might have to give Keyes a try too. I think it could be combined w/ Monte Cristo, might be a fairly long outing. I cruised up the Columbia Glacier last year in early October, barely any crevasses, not very steep. Nice little stroll. Agree w/ above, that whole area . The main Wilmons Peak was a good outing, too.

Come on, post some pics.

Finished off Edward Abbey "A Fool's Progress," which I take to be largely autobiographical, although it is a fictional novel. Pretty interesting read. I'm most of the way thru "Summit Fever" now, enjoying that. A bumbly's perspective on a expedition to the Karakoram.

Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder are playing some pretty hot bluegrass these days, seen them live a couple times. I like Del McCoury and the boys, too. What about Steve Earle? He's kinda all over the place, some kinda rock, some more folkish story song stuff, some bluegrassy. Some a bit on the commie side of things. He's got one of those gruff, raspy voices that sounds good in spite of itself.

An inch or two of fresh snow accumulating along the road east of Snoqualmie Pass last night. Trees were all white and looking Christmassy, it's like winter all over again.

Another of the newer generation of folk singers I like pretty well is Iris Dement, haven't seen her mentioned yet. Definitely agree w/ Allison Krauss, Gillian Welch, Nanci Griffith, Emmylou Harris. I like to think "folk music" is a fairly all encompassing term. Definitely bluegrass, blues, old school country, that kind of stuff.

me either they were all banned First there was "Banned in the USA." Now we have "Banned in Canuckland." Sure to be a big hit.

Oh yeah, well my avatar could beat up your avatar. Oh crap, I don't even have any avatars.

Bronco said: I'm still working on reading Moby Dick for some reason. Reading that novel is my white whale. I picked that up at a used book store, haven't tried reading it yet, I may be joining you. How about "the Rime of the Ancient Mariner is my albatross?"

that's about spot on, and don't forget Hustler and Soldier of Fortune. You read Hustler for the articles?

That's root beer the icon is drinking of course, I wouldn't encourage a minor to consume an alcoholic beverage. Interesting side note that's not related at all, but I ran across a reference to horsecock in one of Ed Abbey's books (Fool's Progress), some nasty old green baloney that had been sitting around a long time. So...did he steal that phrase from Fred, or vice versa?

Thanks snoboy. All you can eat, is that Jason or Josh? Or both? Emailed Ben, said you guys did NBC on Sunday. Nice job.

Dru, didn't have a trusty GPS. It looked like more than 140 ft. to me. If I'm not mistaken Del Campo is about 400 ft. higher than Gothic, seemed like something more on that scale. Of course those 2 are seperated by less distance than Colchuck/Dragontail, and maybe the horizontal distance between threw me off. Doesn't matter much anyway, just an observation.

Dude, don't you eat? You need some of this and some of this to fatten up a bit.

I'm a techno dunce, don't know how to post a link, but check out cascadeclassics.org for lots of skiing trip reports. Ran into Ben, Jason, and Josh from the site on Saturday. I can make a link for you nolanr. Here it is: cascadeclassics

Went up Dragontail from Colchuck Col on Saturday. Not too much traffic up there, bunch of people heading up to camp at the lake Sat. afternoon for Sunday attempts. Any of you folks? "Sent" my first 9 holes of golf on Sunday...boy do I suck.

I second that.

According to Beckey the difference is just over 100 ft. (8800+ vs aprox. 8700). Saw the same figures in another book. Looking from around Colchuck Lake and further down the trail that doesn't look right, Dragontail seems much higher. I was on Dragontail Saturday and it sure seems to be more than 100 ft. higher than Colchuck from that vantage. What do ya'll think?

Dude, that guy should already be dead. Darwinism isn't working like it used to.

Yeah, sounds like I missed a good time. I'll have to pay more attention and try to make the next bbq event thingy. So, how 'bout Walter Bonatti? Anybody else read him? I haven't picked up any of Buhl's stuff yet, but that's definitely on my list. Nanga Parbat something-or-other.

A lot of times I hardly sleep the night before a climb, whether I'm at home, at the trailhead, whatever, so it doesn't make much difference. Lack of sleep doesn't seem to affect physical performance during the day. I think it would rapidly catch up w/ you somewhere on a 2 day or longer outing.