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David_Parker

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Posts posted by David_Parker

    The origination of "trad" vs. "sport" climbers

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    Does anyone suspect a correlation between where one starts climbing and the type of climbing (and ethics) they prefer? Some folks start out hiking because they enjoy the outdoors. They like being in the mountains and breathing fresh air. Eventually they begin to aspire to bagging peaks, which begins with scrambling up moderate slopes. Then they realize that more challenges come with the advent of roped climbing so they learn to rock climb. It's only natural that they see the merits of buying gear and learning the art of placing protection. Eventually they become "alpinists" and prefer the "traditional" style of climbing. On the other hand, some climbers prefer to take the fast route and start in climbing gyms. They perceive climbing as more of an athletic or gymnastic endeavor with serious consequences. They aspire to climbing the "numbers ladder" and prefer to climb at the crags and prefer to clip bolts, although are willing to place gear sometimes, but don't really like it. We call them "sport" climbers. So where/how did you start and how do you correlate your origination into climbing to who you've become and what your "ethics" are?

     

    [ 06-15-2002, 12:06 PM: Message edited by: David Parker ]

    WINGS TAKE THE CUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    I rooted for the Avs last year because I really wanted Ray Bourke to get his name on the cup. Too bad it wasn't with Boston, but he definitely deserved to win one Stanley Cup. Guess I sort of felt the same for Dominique Hashik (and Brett Hull, but does he already have a cup with another team?). Congrats to those guys. I missed the game, what was the score? The 'canes will be back again next year anyway.

     

    Being a Boston fan is difficult (hockey, baseball and until this year football) The Celtics had their heyday in the 80's so I'm not so bummed when they lose. I root for the Red Sox because I HATE the Yankees!

    Spine Damage from Chest Harness?

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    I would be inclined to wear the chest harness if the possibility of falling in a crevasse was "higher than average"; whatever that is. Still, I wouldn't clip it in until after I was hanging in a crevasse, hopefully not unconscious. There's risks no matter which way you do it.

    Trying to Get my Dad Out Climbing.

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    I'd recommend staying off the glaciers if he is inexperienced. I support the suggestion af a climb in the Olympics. Beautiful approaches and moderate snow slopes generally. The Brothers is a great 2 day climb and the approach through Valley of the Silent Men is one of the prettiest I've seen.

     

    On the other hand Sahale has a pretty benign glacier and puts you in a spectacular position!

     

    [ 06-10-2002, 09:11 AM: Message edited by: David Parker ]

    Stanley Cup!

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    Yeah, I caught the third overtime period of game three. Glad the winning goal was a great play and not something controversial or a dribble past the goaley. 3rd longest game in Stanley cup playoffs!

    '95 4runner

    in The Yard Sale

    Posted

    5 speed or AT???

     

    I'll vouch for this vehicle as a very reliable and solid car. Also, the 95 is the last year of the series and the post 95 have a feature I personally hate....hatchback. The 95 has a tail gate/rear window which allows you to just put the window down and reach in to grab stuff with out it all falling out on the ground. Even when you do open the tailgate, the stuff stays in and you have a great picknick table or place to sit to change your boots!

    More Rescue Related Stuff

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    Somebody PLEASE accurately show the number of dollars spent looking for lost hikers vs. climbing rescues. The key word in the article is in the first line...."dramatic." Yeah, climbing rescues are dramatic and the press is always all over it like a cheap suit. Maybe a percentage of the revenue they generate from their high drama stories (including all sorts of bad information) should help pay.

     

    Also, maybe they could fire all the Larry the Tools, eliminate enforcement of bullshit fees and put their salary towards the costs.

     

    Aren't most rescues involving helicopters military based operations. I don't have much sympathy for them paying, given their HUGE budget that we pay for! Man, those guys are eager to go out on something like this. It's all training for them.

     

    Realistically, high profile mountains like Rainier and Hood are umpteen times more likely to have an accident/rescue and so part of the permit fee could include insurance! I'd pay a higher fee as long as all the gapers did too. Eliminate the fee based on going above a certain altitude and make it inclusive of leaving the parking lot. Not that I'm for any fees like that, but it's the singling out of climbers I don't particularly care for.

    D-DAY

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    On this date, 58 years ago, the "greatest" battle ever fought for freedom took place on the beaches of Normandy. I have been reding quite a bit about war recently and specifically WWII. To me these soldiers exemplified the true meaning of heros. While todays war is more like a video game and we are almost shocked if someone on our side actually dies, I wonder if, as time passes and especially the veterans of D-Day pass away, we will ever have real heros any more. (I grant the firefighters similar status, but they don't really "expect" to die). Also, while "D-Day" has been specifically asigned to June 6, 1944, the actuall term was assigned to any similar type attack and that the battle for Iwo Jima should not be overlooked. It took less than 24 hours to secure the beaches in France. It took 36 days to take over that small Island in the South Pacific with far more casulties. I bring this up because of recent deaths in the mountains and the fact we all know as climbers we may be actually closer to death at times than we think. But how would you feel if you were one of these guys and your chances were far greater? For me, when the shit hits the fan and I think things can't get much worse, it helps to think of these guys. I thank my lucky stars I was never forced into battle. I often wonder what I would have done if I had. It makes me feel wimpy sometimes. No real "question" here, just interested in your thoughts... and asking you to take a few moments to remember our real heros, the ones that died "today" so that we may live "tomorrow."

    Climbing And Sense of Accomplishment (Heavy Duty Filosofikl Rambling, Help!)

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    Really, I don't play the #%&$(& sport, but I did a long time ago. But in GOLF, you don't remember every shot (especially when you suck and most are bad). But it's that sweet 7 iron on the 16th that landed 4 feet from the cup that makes you think it was a great round even though you shot 109! The comparison is, we are PASSIONATE about climbing and that's all that matters and we DO think about our next climb because it is mysterious until it's over. Life is about persuit of your passions and the MYSTERY makes it attractive....so we continue to climb, have sex, drive fast, party down and feel ALIVE! It's not that complicated really.

    Climbing And Sense of Accomplishment (Heavy Duty Filosofikl Rambling, Help!)

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    I suppose one way to figure out what you get out of climbing is to think about how you feel about a climb you did last year. It's been long enuff now to have it reduced to the simple things while the details may now be more obscure. So what is the OVERALL feeling you have now? What details come to mind first? For example, I did N. Face of Buckner last year which I remember as an awesome 2 days. I remember how tired I was climbing the last 1500 feet out of Horseshoe basin to get onto the Sahale glacier again. I remember the cool move to downclimb around a serac. I remember negotiating the schrund to gain the upper slopes. I remember the place where the couloir petered out to rock and the climbing turned mixed. I remember just how awesome the whole view from Johanesburg to Spider was. I remember digging around in the old mine we came across. I remember hanging my head upside down in a pocket hole in the meadow on Sahale arm with a stream running thru it to cool off. To me, these images are much more lasting than even the step across move on Canary I did only last week. So I guess for me the longer the trip and the longer the time spent in the climbing environment in a more remote place, the more "feeling" I get out of the deal. That's why I prefer an alpine climb to a crag climb (ice or rock) any day. Yeah, for me the journey is the deal. But I fully admit the summit IS important and I feel LESS if it isn't part of the climb. Maybe the summit is the measuring cup, but it isn't worth shit if there's nothing in it!

     

    [ 06-05-2002, 02:16 PM: Message edited by: David Parker ]

    Crampons for tele boots

    in The Gear Critic

    Posted

    I have Merrill super comps (leather) and use my old smc strap ons. The 75 mm toe fits between the two forward posts (metal thingies) perfectly. Probably not much good for extended front pointing, but just fine for frenchie stuff.

     

    Some older crampons have adjustable width bars between the 2 front posts. Search second hand stores like the one in Ballard.

     

    The key to combining steep icy slopes with tele skiing is tricky. It helps to have good french technique down. Too many climbers start front pointing way before they need too!

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