max

On a related note... I've found some online guides, but is there a paper published guide for Cheakamus Canyon?

The thread seems to be a solicitation for opinions. therefore... Cutting stuff up so the bouldering (or climbing...) is more safe? nah, I'm not into it. I think the comment about "check with the land manager" seems to be the most reasonable. I think if you asked, the FS would likely say "no, that stump is part of the ecosystem/our management plan, and without review, shouldn't be yanked..." Is it a big deal to me? Nope. Just my opinion.

sorry. I WAS just spraying. nothing too serious.

oh, I'm on a one man crusade! HWY 542 is terrible too. I agree that part of it is people getting jacked up about getting first chair and huckin' the gnar. You're absolutely right about rolling into Goldbar and being 20 over. Oops! Reckless driving ticket. Damn it! I "commuted" to Entiat for seven summers, and I would disagree with you about the recklessness of HWY2 drivers. I think the problem is that the road itself is loaded with driveways, turns, towns (slow zones), scenery, and gapers. This means the conditions mandate people slow down. And that's where the disconnect is. Ya'z got to slow down when things get nutty! The other part is the road just gets packed on weekends and people get impatient with the motorhome doing 5 under, and start to drive aggressively. oh, and I'm not talkin' smack about your people... I'm talkin' smack at you!

Easy solution: drive the speed limit. HWY2 could use a few more people driving less like maniacs and more like conscientious people. Sorry to sound like a grandma, but that roads already is unsafe enough. no need for speed, reckless driving, or driving under the influence. Flame on!

Check this out.... opening records for HWY20 OK, I just wasted an hour making this chart (ok, there was some "professional development" in there...)

May I? I ran this post through the cc.com Anti-Flame Translator: "I want to climb Baker via Easton Glacier or Shuksan via Sulfide Glacier. I'm an expereinced, moderate paced, conservative climber looking for a similar partner with similar goals" Did I get it right?

Can you make two organized lists of the stuff you still have and what you want. I've got an extra jetboil and pocket rocket I'd consider swapping for... ?

I thought they were talking about the alien movie filmed in Oregon. My bad.

First summer with more than a week off in 11 years: oh yea! I'm having a hard time keeping things in control and organized! Specifics: 1. Backpacking trip w/ wife in the pasayten 2. "Cyclocross tour" tour over John Wayne trail, over Colockum to Whiskey Dick, across vantage, and into Tri cities area ? 3. N Face of buckner, maude, or Shuksan 4. Glacier or Olympus, or both 5. Cathedral Pk (revenge!) 6. Park Creek Headwall 7. Three fingers with the wife (she doesn't know this yet...) 8. Pyramid/Paul bunyan's stump/ and (?..that other one) 9. Ptarmigan Traverse 10. Adam's Glacier 11. Jack Mt. via Nohokimeen (sp?) glacier/N ridge Let's check back in October and see what we've actually done!

What do you know!?! :[] Tyson: I thought this looked like the crack down by the tracks in larabee. Sounds like you had a good adventure. Spent Saturday with the wife skiing at Baker. It was great. Spent Sunday nursing a cold and getting ready for today.

"zip2.jpg"... show us the rest! Is this near a set of train tracks?

pm sent about packs...

I thought I'd throw this out and see what came back.... Anybody know what happened to the outfit up Eagle Creek, Rescue Specialists? I took a WFR course from them, their lead instructor.... (I can't remember his name).. died in a helicopter crash five or so years ago, and now I can't find them online. I thought they had continued with the existing staff. Anybody know if they're actually still around? Thanks, Dave

Dan: The following is put forward as my experience, not necessarily what you should do. Regarding sewing machines: 1. Most commercially available machines at a reasonable price are oriented towards "crafts". They have lots of fancy stitch patterns, and programs, but aren't that "heavy duty". They just can't sew the thickness you'll likely want (my "home" machine can sew two layers of courdura and a single web strap ok, but any thicker, or heavier material (e.g. ballistic nylon, that urethane material haul bags are made of. etc...) get iffy. you'll put serious wear on your machine, foul up the tension adjustments, and end up with fouled up stitches. ( 2. You can buy used industrial machines at reasonable prices (at least compared to MSRP = thousands) that can handle heavier thicknesses. They're very specific (to stitch type and material) and require an experienced hand. Machines usually only straight stitch; binding, bar tacks, and "zig-zag" stitches are from completely different machines. They also run at a WAY fast stitch, meaning you can run a line up your nail (or worse, f*** up your project!) pretty quick. 3. In my opinion, if you could find an "industrial" machine that will straight and zigzag at a price you can stomach, you're in. Otherwise, a "home" machine will do ok for lighter projects. Consider making prototypes on your own machine with lighter material, then bringing cut pieces with alignment marks to a tailor/gear repair place. I've limped my way through 4 different backpacks, innumerable courdura pouches/csacks (he said sack...), w/ velcro and webbing.... but it's not pretty and I know it's been hard on my machines. 4. New "home" machines often have plastic gears. If you go back far enough you'll find "home" machines w/ metal gears, bushings, and bearings and more robust oiling systems. Supposedly the metal components are less prone to wear and jamming under high loads. 5. Oh, about service: get you machine serviced regularly, keep it well oiled, and keep you needles clean with some emery paper. Regrading DIY gear: 1. There's a reason huge factories are the typical mode of gear production. Designing and constructing good gear requires a fair bit of thought, trail, error, and revision. I think for us grown up worker types, we can buy something much quicker and cheaper than we can make it. 2. Your knickers look great, but I'd challenge you to make a pair of pants (or better yet, a jacket) that has the level of "fit" commercially available stuff has. Store bought patterns work ok, but I've never ended up with gear that "fit" like the stuff you buy at the store. Modifying an existing garment.. a different story. 3. All that said, my experiences with DIY outdoor gear have been very rewarding. It's creative and WAS cost effective when I didn't have a job. But now I only do projects that involve creative designs or the desire to "waste" some time thinking and building. Layout patterns can get super spatially challenging. If you end up making things, keep posting them up. It's cool to see what people do... Dave PS: I started looking at that summit pack you sent me trying to figure out if it was possible/worth it to replace the main compartment with wear/holes.... maybe I'll send it back to you when you get a machine going!

Boots, stuff sack, and belay jacket. PM sent. Dave

before I owned AT boots, I skiied in my (heavy duty) leather mountaineering boots. Not ideal (by a long shot).

Noted... and dismissed. Carry along. JK. seriously, I think you can browse the forums and find lots of "I was at REI/FF/ the gym bla blah blah... " stories. Usually, the offended is rehashing how rude the clerk was.. nothing we haven't all experienced. Unless you've got something interesting ("the guy behind the counter reached over and punched me in the face" is a story I want to hear), I think most people here have heard it before and don't care. Just my 2 cents. dave

Dude...you just won The Weakest Analogy of 2011 Award (thus far.) And you're not winning an argument on the internet But he's been putting up a damn good fight for a while! Fight the good fight, RD!

hey andrew! Damn fine pics!

with as much slack as that belay betty's got out, i bet he'd still hit the ground!

My standard is a pair of St. Johns Bay Classic khakiis. Loose enough fit, $40, and moderately durable. Of course, they get wet when it rains.... My buddy picked up a pair of wool slacks at VV and seems to do alright. The Carharts are too tight in the crotch for me.

size?

... or "sick"?