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This exchange, Bill? Swiss dude: You're very good. I have really enjoyed climbing with you. Clint: We'll make it. Swiss dude: I don't think so. But we shall continue with style. It's my favorite quote from the whole movie.

Greedy Gollum, you do not have much motivation. Or not enough time on your hands... From the fifth entry down from the top of the page on LFHCfS's Gallery page 5, I give you... Olga Kubassova! Shite, it's the Friday between Christmas and New Year's...WTF am I even at work today???

minx, I feel I owe it to the rest of us here to try and talk you off the ledge: get a wireless mouse.

greedy Gollum...

She's covering up her tummy. Olga never did that...

Because they keep self-destructing after 5 seconds.

I have to agree with ZONK: I learned about it from NPR on the commute. I was at once surprised and not surprised that this happened. I mean, it was tried once already in October. Whatever you think/feel/believe about her and/or Musharraf's politics and/or corruption practices, assassination is no way for a civilized nation to effect change. The NPR linky

NOT having to go out on a mission on Christmas Day, but instead being able to spend the day with my wife and kids. Compared to that, I didn't get anything that even comes close...

There's also folks who are sufficiently skilled at weaving that make throw rugs outta them.

Might also wanna consider giving the ropes away to climbing instruction organizations and/or the Scouts - although definitely not for use as climbing ropes. Cut them up into 12-15 foot lengths so that the students can practice tying their knots with them. Real ropes work way better than practicing yer knots with small-diameter cords, IMO.

From his AnO profile, he was 41 when he quit the corporate world to work for his dream. The copyright at the bottom of the page is 2003, which (if left un-updated since written) would put him in his mid 40s now. His resume, linked at the bottom of his profile page, shows his last corporate job before Around-n-Over ending in 2002. From this, I reach nearly the same conclusion as above. I'd say he's somewhere between 44 and 47 yoa.

All's well. We (Central Washington Mountain Rescue) got called off before we ever left town. The NPS folks at White Pass, in conjunction with some of the Yakima County SAR Snowmobile Team members, found them and brought them out around midnight Christmas Eve/very early Christmas morning. We weren't supposed to leave until 4 hours later, so it was ultimately a "no go" for CWMR. I was able to spend Christmas with the fam after all. The one kid is much worse off then the papers made him out to be. He was found in/near a creek, without his boots, and very nearly in end-stage hypothermia. I hope he turns out OK. We didn't have to do anything, but thanks for all the well wishes anyway, folks!

Just got the ping about an hour ago. Total of about 7 or 8 folks in 3 separate parties missing up behind White Pass. Initial reports have it looking like adolescents and/or juveniles skiing/boarding OB somewhere in the Hogsback area. NSP is already searching, and has requested additional resources from Yakima County SAR. The CWMR truck departs Yakivegas at 0400 Christmas morn. Merry Christmas, folks!

That's a worthy goal, 'specially since it's a cc.com T-shirt. Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.

D00d, I don't think Sherri and Company worry about the lid being left up or down...

That's it, I'm outta here! Scrooge can dock me for the last hour!

Oh that's classic, Sherri! Sherri: "OK, we're agreed. No presents this year, right?" Friend: "Well, if you're sure about that, OK." Sherri: "Eee-yup, I'm sure. NO presents." Later that same day... Sherri, to herself: "What the hell have I done?? She really didn't believe me, did she? Naaaah, she's gonna get me stuff. Yeah, she will. I'm sure of it. I really didn't mean it anyway. She knows that, right? Sure she does. She should, at least..."

sumpin' like that, yeah...

It's that box that draws you toward it and makes you desire to start new threads. Thank god for the KittyInhibitor to prevent that.

Muffy, Birth certificates come with an expiration date. I'm just letting you know, in case there was something you really wanted to do and you were worried about a time limit...

He's a little under-developed in the arms and a bit thinner than I remember him as a kid... But he's got one helluva third position there with them boots!

Mt. Rainier webcam sez it's cloudy... Check out the Evil Dark Lord Gator's Rainier blog.

Forgot to mention Skagit Mountain Rescue, since you were once a SAR/MR guy. They's good folks. So too with the Everett MR guys. And the Seattle MR folks, and the Tacoma MR peeps. And the... shit, they're all good people!

The road to Muir from Paradise is pretty much a cake walk. That said, it also depends greatly upon what the conditions are like. At times, it is a Zen garden path with flagstones through the wildflowers for the first mile or so (literally!), while at other times it can be a sub-polar exercise in climbing by Braille. The grade is never steep, except for the short push up from Glacier Vista to Panorama Point. The slog from Pebble Creek to Muir averages somewhere between 15 to 20 degrees for the whole way, but it’s a long two miles, in that the foreshortening effect tricks your eyes into thinking your constantly “almost there” for the next hour or so. Best to know that going in. Lastly, remember that conditions are everything. Just this past week a young man (22 yoa) was killed by an avalanche not even one hour’s hike out of the Paradise lot, in the Edith Creek basin. A couple of years ago an uncle/nephew team was killed by exposure/hypothermia on the march to Muir above Pebble Creek. They were seen by many while they were still alive, and appeared by all accounts to be in reasonable shape. When the white-out moved in, they weren’t seen alive again. Things can happen fast. I applaud your determination in this regard, but I still suggest to you to leave your son at home for a few more years yet. Get a lot of experience in all manner of conditions on several peaks under your belt before you decide to subject him to dangers that he knows not of. We would all hate to read about you and your boy in the papers, if things were to go awry...

T-minus 3 hours, 23 minutes...