David_Parker

ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SKI THERE (once there is snow) should call me. I live on this side of the water so don't have to take the ferry. It's about 1.5-2 hrs from Bainbridge to the summit. I'll even pick up any east siders at the ferry terminal and drive. Weekdays only!!! It is in the National Park and on Fri, Sat, Sun they man the gate. $10 per car unless you got the Golden Eagle Pass. Fun winter climbing up there too on Mt. Angeles.

At least they won't stick to your tongue when it's really cold out!

I have never summitted the Grand Teton and have tried twice. Still, one of my most "succesful" climbs was in 1987. I was young, felt experienced enough and ready for the Black Ice Couloir in Winter. Dan and I climbed a lot of ice that winter in Utah, even at night, to get ready. The rangers tried to talk us out of it when we registered. We probably looked like an accident waiting to happen. They didn't relish the idea of having to come look for us since we'd be all over the mountain. The forecast was good and we approached on Tele gear. We made it to the Caves the first day. The next day we made base at the foot of a gully leading to the Lower Saddle. It was cold and windy and we had to build a large snow block wall to cut the wind. With plenty of daylite left, we made the Valhalla traverse and fixed one pitch of mixed climbing to help save time time for our start the next day. We retreated all the way back to base. Day 3 began with good weather. Still, as I left the tent with minimal gear, I tried to convince myself I wasn't afraid. But I had no idea how long it would take to make the climb and was nervous about making it back to base. But as we made the traverse again, the butterflys went away as the concentration of climbing took over. I distinctly remember the feeling of commitment once we left the top of the fixed pitch. The ice was the hardest I'd ever felt. I couldn't believe it could be that hard. The fragments accelerated so fast. The ocaisional rocks wizzing by sounded like F-16's. You didn't hear them until they had already passed. I prayed I didn't get hit. Steadily the pitches passed. It was one of the most beautiful places I'd ever been. Then it started to snow. We were at the crux, nothing major, just a choked down spot where the ice got steeper. My lead and I was glad for it. I know I climb better on lead. I also knew we had to hurry. I reached the crux and reached for a screw. As I searched for a placement I noticed a screw already set. It was an old Chouinard. It was solid. I clipped it and moved on. I began to search for a belay. Little "flat" stances became steep nothings. Finally the rope went tight. I made a belay and Dan began to climb. Standing at the belay is still a vivid memory. We were remote, almost to the top and while the temperature was rapidly dropping, I felt warm. Mixed emotions swirlled in my head like the blizzard that was now upon us. We needed to hurry. What was taking Dan so long? Small snow sloughs started to come down at regular intervals. When they came, I couldn't see my feet as they washed over. Finally Dan was in sight. He was obviously tired. He was over-sinking his tools. In frustration he side swiped the tool in an effort to get it out. The pick broke. He grabbed his third tool and continued. Dan climbed past with the gear he had and topped out on the Upper Saddle. When I reached him it was completely dark and a raging blizzard. Winds were 30 mph. Headlamps made things worse like high beams do in fog and snow. As I stuffed one of the ropes into my pack, Dan headed down. I followed when the rope went tight. He was out of sight, but he had been here before and knew the way. 1500 feet down we cliffed out. Wrong gully. We climbed up a bit and made the call. We were not going to wander around in the dark in a blizzard. We found an outcropping of rock and hunkered down. It was the coldest I'd ever been. We yelled at each other so not to fall asleep. At first light it was still snowing hard. We climbed back up and found the right way. Avalanches were a concern, but we had no choice but to continue. We collapsed in the tent. We cooked food, but threw it out because we didn't have an appetite. We packed and headed down. We switched to our Tele gear stashed at the Caves. It wasn't skiing though. It was survival with too heavy packs and bad snow. It was a monumental task to stand up from a crash. It was more agony for me to watch Dan than falling myself. He was falling 3 times more than I. We got seperated. I reached the car as daylight faded. The ranger was waiting. "You're late. Where's your partner?" he asked. I didn't know. 45 minutes later, Dan emerged from the woods. We ate mushrooms and went to the Mangy Moose. We partied in Jackson 'till the bars closed and woke up in a strange house. The drive home was a blur. It is still the climb to which I compare all others. I don't know if we won the Superbowl, but we were certainly in the playoffs. We had heart, and we dug deeper than ever to survive. That's why I remember it as if it happened last week. We didn't summit, but to me, it was a huge success.

Russ, I have my very specific reasons why I choose the chili. It mostly has to do with escaping the ski if I'm in a twisted or upside down position and still conscious after being caught in an avalanche or falling in a tree well. I used pin bindings with voile plates for many years and then I fell in a tree well. It was a really panicky situation and for the life of me I couldn't get my skis off. When the chili came out with NO pins, I wanted it. It is easier to reach your heels than your toes to release a cable than a bail. Once the cable is off, your foot comes out easily with no pins. Maybe it's a remote thing, but that panicky feeling I had sticks with me. Now I'm not totally up on the new stuff, but since I already have a pair of chili's, I wasn't into buying new bindings.

So typically I mount my pins 1 cm ahead of chord length. Anyone have a different opinion. I'm going to put some chilis on a pair of Atomic TM-22's and crank 'em with the new Garmont Energy.

Dan, the talus field can be confusing in daylight. We were fortunate to descend in daylite, but I remember thinking, "I wouldn't want to do this in the dark!" I'm glad I've done it once for the next time if it does get dark! Ahhh, climbing in November!

It's not available to me unless I'm missing something. LOOK AT ME! I'm DAMIEN!!!!! Eric, "avatar????" Yeah, maybe I should try being ME! [ 11-05-2002, 02:00 PM: Message edited by: David Parker ]

How do you get to the Gallery?

Anyway, back to MOUNTING tips, not gear selection.

quote: Originally posted by danielpatricksmith: I do find it very funny that we ran into a couple of fellows who flatly said 'the route is not in shape' as if it were an fact as indisputable as the sky being blue. They had not even been there. I wonder how people feel like they can spew beta for routes they have not even seen? Dan, This was the same bullshit that Wayne and I got from TWO parties when we went to do it. Unfortunately it kept us from even attempting it. I hope my post after was helpful in your decision to go. I'm jealous, but good job! [ 11-05-2002, 11:43 AM: Message edited by: David Parker ]

There is great BC skiing off Hurricane ridge! Stuff on east and west side of Mt. Angeles, and also out on Hurricane hill. Hell, you get to drive your car to 5,000 ft. Call me any time and I'll go!

Bill, you should be able to afford the $18,000 Rolex so who cares! Really though, the suunto is ugly and way too bulky. Amazingly enough, my Casio (still working after 10 years)is extremely accurate and works as a depth gauge when diving too. The only limitation is it only goes up to 12,000 ft. That's fine with me though cause it works on all but 2 Cascade peaks and if I ever go somewhere else I figure my partner will have one.

So I was reading the ingredients of a mayonaise package and most of the stuff is actually natural and good energy stuff. I call it the "Poor man's GU"! Very cheap!

IIB, you might want to put this in the "climbing partners" section!

quote: Originally posted by Retrosaurus:

quote: Originally posted by mattp: quote:Originally posted by Retrosaurus: Water ice ain't water ice until it's vertical. ???? Ditto: ??????

On Drury Falls, the 70 meter rope went taut just as I crested the ice bulge at the top. There was still 25 feet of powdery snow to the big belay tree. Either I down climbed back over the exit bulge to find ice, or keep going. I gave the rope 5 tugs to my partner to "climb" and just bent way forward with the rope between my legs and crawled through the deep snow until I reached the tree. I would not have done this rock climbing, but justified it since we were ice climbing. On the way down, we rapped of a single (prototype)snarg with no teeth on the shaft and my first ever built v-thread. That was the first time I ever climbed with Erik!

Is thre Access Fund involved? My friend Jason works there (attorney). Jason@accessfund.org or 1-888-863-6237. Maybe they can help!

One "advantage"I noticed last year in Banff was that you can switch tools from one hand to the other easily. You can grab one tool with both hands and then end up moving one tool to a new placement and grabbing it with the other hand. Also, when clipping pro, I noticed one guy just rested the tool over his shoulder, completely freeing up his hand to deal with the pro or clipping a bolt. No dangling and trying to re-grab problems. For you "ice climbing is aid" freaks, I'll argue leashless is just as much aid because it makes it easier than using leashes in many ways!

They pretty much all offer the same stuff: free rotation, fix flat, etc except it isn't realy free. You pay up front when you buy the tires; it;s either a line item or built into the cost. Discount Tire works for me. Check consumer reports.

quote: Originally posted by ehmmic: Crazyjz -Just because he likes to push the limit, why does that make him crazy or irresponsible? Climbing is dangerous. Particularly the stuff he does. If he accepts the risks, what's wrong with it. Michelle, until you have a child of your own, you'll never know. Easy to sympathize, impossible to empathize.

How about a little more info. Did you make it all the way to the base of the climb? What made you turn back? Inquiring minds want to know!

I think they'll be climbing before us!

quote: Originally posted by mattp: Hey Dave - How's come you're ready to drive 6 hours to Mazama, but 5 hours to Pemberton is too far? You got something against Canada? I'm not usually willing to do the Mazama thing in winter (6 hrs), but if you make it to Pemberton in 5, you must have some kind of sports car and guaranteed clear roads! Canada ROCKS for skiing and ice climbing and beer and chicks and sea kayaking and smoking the kind and..... [ 10-23-2002, 05:08 PM: Message edited by: David Parker ]

quote: Originally posted by Dave Schuldt: Name the date, D. P. and we will be there. Maybe Presidents day weekend? Mazama is a 6 hour drive when HWY 20 is closed and the roads are good. I don't mind camping in the snow. When the road opens in the spring, unless we get a couple snowmobiles to drag our asses up the road from that side. Then I'd consider mid-winter.