David_Parker

I guided my Dad up when he was 63. We did two nights...drive from Seattle to trailhead and approach to Schurman. My Dad hit the wall about 750 ft (vertical)from camp and in retrospect that was the hardest part for him. We then spent the next day lounging and doing crevasse rescue and self belay stuff near camp. Up at 2 am and to the summit. He didn't carry a pack. We were also prepared for another night if need be but we went all the way down. He really loved the huge long otter slide down the interglacier! I told him to train but he didn't. He's in pretty good shape though.

The basin you approach for Constance is called Avalanche Canyon (for good reason). Right now (12/26/01) though I'd imagine it pretty safe. There are some really ggod routes on the left side, The Thumb, The Pyramid, The Stasis, C-141 (site of a plane crash), and Inner Constance. I went up and bivied in a snow cave and did a few of these once. Use caution on the terrible traverse if avalanches a possibility. Also, try going over to the east face of Mt Angeles, going up one of the narrow gullies and then traversing the ridge to the true summit. Its lots of fun. Elinor-Washington traverse is also a good one.

Now that it's been clear and cold for a few days, I'm thinking there must be something now or soon! Anyone have an update?

The climbing is at Lover's Beach. I arrived via kayak and as soon as I started examining the rock wall on the right side (as you look at the beach from the water) a mexican hanging out ran over and started pointing out the climbing. I started up about 10 feet and then came back down. I scoped around the right and it looked like a reasonable descent route. Anyway, the mexican then starts up motioning me to follow. I was in bare feet but the holds were fairly positive. The route was pretty much dead vertical and I'd put the hardest move at 5.7. Total legnth about 80 feet. At the top he was waiting and there was a tricky move to cross over past the 2 bolt belay anchors to the descent gulley. He was already over and kept telling me to where to put my hands and feet. It was very distracting and he was pretty obnoxious about it. I kept telling him to be quiet and then he actually reached out and grabbed my hand to show me where to put it. Thats when I got pissed and told him to not *%$ touch me again!!! Then he got pissed and called me a gringo and headed down. He kept acting like I was screwed because I didn't know where to go. Like I hadn't figured it out already! Anyway once back on the beach he asked me for a $10 tip for being my "guide". I gave him a beer which seemed to satisfy him. Anyway, I wish I had had my shoes because I would have done more. The rock is great; very grainy granite. At Andromeda Divers on the main beach Medano, they mentioned they knew a guide, but I didn't persue it. The guy who drives their dive boat speaks english and can give you beta on where the routes are. I'm sure there are great climbs out there. Some may have to be accessed by water taxi. I'm sure there are quite a few accessable from the beach on both sides. Have fun!!!

I didn't hear the story about Tommy's missing finger. What happened?

Did he roll that doobie with the big rolling paper that came in the Cheech and Chong Album (Big Bambou?) from the 70's. Does anyone still have that album and the original rolling paper?

My pocket rocket butane lighter. It works in a hurricane!

I like the sea stacks out on the coast. The barnicles really grip my Teva's and the bird shit looks like chalk. The rock is usually slipperry and crumbles when you pull on it. Needless to say I pay no attention to the grades. Besides many routes are 5.13b at high tide and a 3rd class at low! There's often a forest at the top that requires bushwacking for the true wilderness feeling. The Olympic Pennisula rocks! Someone glued holds all over the new visitors center at Hurricane Ridge. You just can't bolt those routes 'cause your in the Park.

The issue is who gets the money. The problem is both social and economic. There's a big gap between the amount the person sewing makes a year and the person buying it makes a year. There's also a bigger gap in the amount of consumption of the worlds natural resources by the laboror and the consumer. The Rich consume luxery items, the poor try to subsist. The economics dictate that the social situation includes a class system. It's in the garment industry and many more. There will always be rich, moddle and poor and we all try to fit in the best we can. We (as a western nation) have a hard time understanding the true difference between ourselves and lower classes. We want their products, give them employment, teach them democracy, demonstrate capitalism, pay them their market value for labor but don't really know what it's like to be in their shoes...(or lack thereof) while they make ours. The poor will always resent the rich and as long as we all wear Patagucci, Marmot, TNF, Arcteryx, Salomon, REI, LL Bean, whatever, we will be percieved as rich to them. Some of this resentment runs deep, very deep, and people in this world hate that extravagance. So I come to the same place I come to every time when I try to reduce the garment gripe, the gas price gripe, the flying airplanes into buildings gripe, any thing economic or social that causes world strife....and that is all these problems , the nuts and bolts of it all, is caused by one problem. Fix it and many others go away. The base problem is the unequal distribution of wealth. The exacerbator is the different ways different religions view this wealth discrepancy. Theres a bumper sticker I like and wish I were better at: "Live simply so others may simply live." To do that you have to: "Eschew the dominant paradigm." Are you willing to change your life and step out of the box? What can you do to bridge the gap between rich and poor?

Thanks, I already have Chris H.'s email and have a few partners in Park City. Really I'm returning to my old stomping grounds for 8 years! The link "fatshit trying to get it up in a cave" or whatever his name was is helpful!

So I'm going to Utah to find the ice since it doesn't seem to be happening here. Any reports on BC, LC, Provo, Santaquin and Maple canyons much appreciated.

Is it the one with lots of leather, pretty thick but no liner? If so I have it. Bought it for ice climbing but it's too thick to get a good grip with out massive fatigue. I use it for skiing. I'm hoping it will break down a little. Also, I may have bought too big. I have a large and am thinking a medium might be better for me. If you think you want a large let me know. Maybe I'll sell mine. They are still pretty much new! Really nice and warm though.

None, I just got back from Cabo and there is climbing. I'm slammed, but be patient and I'll post soon with more info!

Yeah, I have some generalizations about Americans. They are shitty drivers and consume way too much of the world's resources! Maybe this should be a new thread!

Isn't it kinda funny how the alpine skiers rip on the tele skiers like they are wussies, but they couldn't actually make a tele turn to save their life. All I can think is most of them must be jealous they can't tele ski very well. On the other hand, the tele skiers don't seem to be interested in ripping on alpine skiiers. Maybe we just let our skiing speak for itself. It must be the alpine skiers who think they are "extreme" skiers who are most vocal against the tele skiers. Tele skiers don't really care what you think. Most of us have done both and have our reasons why we choose tele gear. We don't really have to defend ourselves. AlpineK, you really confuse me. You seem like a pretty decent guy but this subject seems to make you so ANGRY! Why? Who gives a rip how you glide over snow. Just enjoy your way and I'll enjoy mine. Maybe we'll even ski together some day. [ 11-30-2001: Message edited by: David Parker ]

Contact the Access Fund in Boulder and ask them. I'm sure they can give you advice.

I like these better: (.)(.)

One of the best way to break in leather boots is to wear them totally soaking wet (including the inside)for a while. I haven't tried this with these newer higher tech leather boots, but it couldn't hurt. The more they dry out on your feet, the better. This could take hours/days. If you have weird feet, you could exchange their foot bed with a custom one for ski boots. Check with a ski boot shop proficient in custom boot fitting and see if they can work with your footbed.

I'd just like to say I really appreciate Courtenay's posts. She obviously knows what she is talking about and fortunately doesn't get too much spray on this thread. I wonder if she reads the rest of our posts and wonders who we really are! Courtenay, we really aren't as bad as we appear sometimes on the web as evidenced at the Pub Club at the Owl And Thistle last Tuesday. There were no fights except over who was buying the next pitcher. But here's my question....Do you have much of a problem with our 12 oz. curls? I mean there are good carbos in aren't there? Also, I think you should join us sometime at pub club. It would be good to round table this stuff!

Avalanches don't just like skiers! They like boarders, climbers, snowshoers, snowmobilers and especially all of the above with low IQ's. I doubt the north face is in shape or the approach safe right now!

Just for the record, Sean (hikerwa) and I were the first ones there and the last to leave! (spray)

Since that is me in the photo, credit goes to my partner Al Hospers of North Conway, N.H. Al runs a web site on that side... http://www.neclimbs.com and is linked to http://www.neice.com He's got some good photos on that site if you're trying to get pumped for ice this year. The photo was last march. As Arnold says: "i'll be back!" [ 11-28-2001: Message edited by: David Parker ]

Yeah Cavey, you owe me a

What time does every one usually show up?

We all suck at ice climbing. If we were any good, we wouldn't live in western Washington!