Colin

"for use by multiple groups; i.e., hikers, stock and mountain bikers" Excuse my ignorance, but what are stock bikers?

All the regulars are busy. Anyone (in the Seattle area) want to head out to Index tommorrow afternoon? I get out of school at 11am. If so, e-mail me, or call me SOON: 206-232-1798.

So, the route looked like it had enough ice, but you backed off because you thought the avalanche danger was too high? Just want to get a better picture of what sort of shape the route is in.

Two parties climbed Triple Couloirs today, and Wayne and I climbed the August 1971 route (direct north face). It went at about AI3, 5.7 I would estimate, and was in good shape. Hopefully the two Triple Couloirs parties are OK, as the wind was starting to blow quite hard while they were still up there.

The pillar to the right of where you climbed is WI4. Where you were climbing is WI3. I think most people agree with these ratings.

Anyone out there know of any TRULY light carabiners? I imagine something like the Neutrino, but with "thinner walls" so as to save weight, but not lose size. The result would be something of similar size/shape, less weight, and less strength. I'm thinking that if the "walls" were made about %20 thinner, a Neutrino would be rated to about 18 kN rather than 24 kN, and would weigh about 30 g instead of 36 g. Not something to take cragging or on bigwalls, but adequate for a lot of alpine stuff. Faders makes a 12 kN carabiner, but I think that would be a bit too weak, and it looks like it is small as well. Is there anything made like I am describing?

Drive to almost 7,000 ft. David Parker? You must have one good off-road vehicle, because I usually only make it to Paradise, which is at about 5,500 ft.

Skied up to Colchuck Lake Saturday, and soloed Triple Couloirs today. I did the direct up the runnels to the second couloir, which was about AI3. The Hidden, Second, and Third couloirs were soft, but not wallowing. The direct runnels are definitely in good shape to be climbed, with most of it on hero-swinging alpine ice. It was nice to have already done the descent twice before, as the visibility went completely to shit as I topped out. In general, the route is in fine shape, and will probably get better in the next couple weeks.

Also, HAZARDOUS ENIGMA ascents are only considered pure if you wear jean shorts.

Mt. Garfield = THE HAZARDOUS ENIGMA You cannot consider yourself an alpinist until you have ascended the HAZARDOUS ENIGMA and gone to a Slayer show! [ 03-21-2002: Message edited by: Colin ]

quote: Originally posted by Retrosaurus: To hold nuts in opposition.To shorten a runner.I am sure there are other uses, but these come to mind quickly. I knew Freeclimb was an academician. Hopefully he will post his climbing schedule with the mountaineers on their website so that we can avoid being involved in the rescue/recovery/clusterfuck. I agree with Dru - there is no reason to girth hitch to a carabiner. It greatly increases the chances of the sling getting unclipped. For the two uses you mention, Retrosaurus, I think a clove hitch is a much better choice.

I have heard that the whole wire-cutting-the-sling-thing is somewhat urban legend. Of course, it won't be as strong as clipping with a biner, but it's not exactly a knife. I think that the main argument against it is the time lost from girth-hitching and un-girth-hitching all the time. I never do it in cragging situations, but I sometimes do it on alpine climbs. I try to keep it to the slung peices (tri-cams, cams), but do it on nuts and pins sometimes as well. Also, I try to use a spectra sling while doing this, because I have heard they have a higher cut-resistance than normal webbing. The safety freaks will tell you that you should never do it, but I think it has it's place (not in Virginia though).

Anyone out there have a digitized topo of Snow Creek Wall? If so, would you mind e-mailing it to me or posting it here?

Slothrop, what's your e-mail?

It is absolutely ridiculous that the Forest service plans to spend an entire year replacing two bridges. Like Jens, I sense that there is some reason other than the bridges that they want to close the road for a year. If the Forest Service cannot be convinced against this year-long closure through civil means, I might resort to illegal acts. This only reinforces my opinion that RANGER = TRAIL NAZI.

The traverse (1.5 pitches) at the start is good mixed climbing with neve and occasional bits of ice. The next pitch (crux) is mostly rock, with frozen-moss sticks and some dry-tooling. The pitch afterwards affords the most ice on the route, with about 7 ft. of real sticks! In general, conditions are better than they ever got last year, but still not nearly as good as the pictures in Jim's book. This is as of March 3.

Posted by Dru: "ive never met anyone who actually met "little bobby onsight" and i was wondering if he comes across as weird in person as in his writing?** like in the article he wrote for High magazine about an early ascent of Sea of Vapors and calling it WI6+ M6+ (it was M5 WI 5 at the time and he seconded all the hard pitches)" He called NY Gully on Snoqualmie Mountain 5.8, AI4, A2. After climbing it last winter, my partner and I thought it closer to 5.8, AI3 (although we, or atleast I, still pulled gear). Despite this difference, it was still a well-spyed route, and I'd reccomend it.

Ha! Any "easy" rock route! The Hazardous Enigma will bring you to your knees! Remember, any ascent of Garfield is a strenuous, masochistic undertaking!

W Hey Dubya. This is Colin. Send me an e-mail: colinhaley@attbi.com

I know that it hasn't "been in" in the last few weeks, but I was optimistically thinking that this cold snap had fattened 'er up. Anyone have any info on Synchronicity from the last few days? P.S. I saw Dru's comments on the B.C. Ice Climbing Report (that the bottom was non-existent), but they looked to be from the weekend.

While considering how impressive Bill Pilling and Steve Mascioli's winter ascent of Goode was, remember that the pair had made the first winter ascent of the NE Rib of Johannesburg earlier the same month!

It seems that every winter I'm able to get by with a glove that's a tad bit thinner, and my hands stay a tad bit warmer. For some time now, I've theorized that repeatedly exposing my hands to cold causes me to grow more/larger capillaries in my fingers, or perhaps improve their warmth capabilities some other way. During the winter, I predominantly wear sandals around town so that I might do the same for my feet. I've also heard of people (or rather, a person), standing outside in the cold with little or no clothes on, with his hands submerged in hot water. The idea is that he was training his body to keep his extremities warm even though his core was cold. Does anyone know the truth about this stuff, or atleast have ideas?

Did Don Serl ever come out with that Coast Range guidebook that I heard he was writing?

Bronco- Did you climb the E face proper, or the NE slab? Al- How did the NY Gully look?

Maurice, I've been to the Smith Butte snow park many times for cross-country skiing with the family. It is the same one that I referred to as "Bird Creek Meadows Snow Park." If you insist on heading in to the South side in winter, I think that Smith Butte is the obvious starting place.