sobo

Hardly a trip report...

That sounds similar to an accident on Orchard Rock at Peshastin Pinnacles about May 1999, in which my group of climbers (one of whom is an MD) was first on scene. That guy got a basal skull fracture out of it, and his belayer got broken legs and pelvis. Thing is, he remained on rope at the top of the crag, but was incoherent and combative when reached. He did not fall to the ground, but his belayer did on an unbraked "air rappel". I believe they were b/f and g/f, or maybe even married. Can't remember the names...

If the slot is too long or too wide to mess with, go left and up at the hogback to the West Crater Rim route. I think it may have several different names. Someone from PDX will no doubt correct me. Mazama's Route, Old Chute, something like that.

Yes, dryad, you win the geek award of the day, and extra credit for the correct proper noun plural.

I can speak from experience on that. So, another one crashed? There's a reason I don't climb at Vantage anymore...

Hood, and especially the south side, sees ascents all year long. Go for it!

Precisely, but I wouldn't call it "stealing". I "borrowed" it and gave them full credit. You see, I was in a big PF haze back then, and before each trip up to this area, I would jam to my MLOR tape (yes, sad, a tape), especially Learning to Fly. So in a way, they got credit. Agreed?

Momentary Lapse of Reason but then again, I'm biased, since I put it up.

If you haven't already, you've now earned yourself a place in heaven... even for a lawyer! Great job!

Something else you might want to consider is supplementary disability insurance. For those employers that offer paid disability insurance to their employees, they typically do not provide for 100% income replacement (why would they? folks would claim disability and collect a full check for not showing up to work). Most pay disability at 2/3 to ¾ of your full pay once disability is established (short-term or long-term). I bought a policy over 10 years ago from NW Mutual Life that makes up the difference in my employer’s disability insurance program in the event I become disabled, irrespective of the cause of the disability, which was important to me. I told the agent up front I was a climber and scuba diver, so there would be no questions. I was assured that it didn’t matter how I became disabled (didn’t ask about botched suicide attempts ). It costs me less than $20 a month, and is cash-convertible. My employer-paid health insurance picks up any injuries I may receive while climbing and stuff, so life insurance is the thing now. I looked around a bit 18 months ago (shit! have I been a daddy that long already? ), but haven’t knuckled under to actually getting a policy. I should get back on that. Good on you TM, for doing something about it now before Bundle-o’-Joy gets here. You won’t have much time to yourself afterwards…

TM, This has been discussed here before. A search of the board reveals: this one, and this one, and this one, and this one. I think the best discussions came out of Terminal Gravity's and Jens's threads. And listen to what rbw1966 sez in these discussions. He's in the legal biz and what he sez sure sounds like it makes sense. HTH, and congratulations on Fatherhood!

Send a PM to 007, I hear he's looking for partners for a DIY trip to Cho Oye (sic).

True dat. Makes you feel good for giving something that others would have to pay for somewhere else. And did you know that being a member of Mountain Rescue gets you into the volcano parks free? Join up and try it, and offer your skillz to folks in need at the same time. Haven't paid since I've joined up. Flash my card at the park entrance, waved on in. Flash my card at climber registration, waved on by. How cool is that? It does require you (on occasion) to haul your ass out of bed/leave the party/change plans to go find someone, though. But it works for me. YMMV.

...or symbiots.

From the Lost and Found forum: Lost Trekking Poles Jeezus, E, it's been an expensive weekend for you, eh?

OK, I'll admit it, I'm cornfoozed... I thought that this past March/April, the Access Fund, along with other supporters, won the "repeal" of the NW Forest Pass on FS lands (only?) thru Congressional petitioning. Is that not correct? Beginning in October, the NWFP is kaput on FS lands? I know that doesn't help those now being ticketed, but isn't this crock of shit circling the drain? My own personal view: I bought a pass the very first year it came out, thinking the logic of what was being said about the pass was true. I later tuned in to various websites and heard conservationist lectures that caused me to change my opinion. I never bought another one after the first year. And I drive around with that original pass still in the window, just to piss 'em off/make a statement. I've never been ticketed, but have gotten warnings on at least two occasions, maybe three. I wrote letters, based largely in part on material culled from Scott Silver's site, to the FS and flatly stated I refused to pay, citing the myriad of reasons provided on Scott's site. I have never heard from the FS since, and this was at least two or three years ago. Granted I didn't usually go to oft-trammelled THs, and even less so now that I'm a daddy to a two-year-old. But from what I've seen at the THs where I do go, my money hasn't ended up there. PS: I do pay the $5/day parking fee at State Parks (like at Peshastin Pinnacles, say), because I can actually see what my money has bought (working toilet complete with TP, irrigated lawn, picnic tables, gravel parking lot, etc.).

Those ant mounds are quite prevalent in the woods over here on the drier side of the state. Although I must admit I've never seen one that big. Pretty industrious little buggers...

Nice save, Dad!

Tom, Check your PMs.

Interesting... That has not been our experience. Perhaps things have changed for the better. Thanks for the update, gslater.

Not unless you're American Indian. Driving access thru the res is out if you're not native. They won't even let Mountain Rescue into the res that way on missions. However, if you were to go stealth...

Although I was gallavanting about on Old Snowy this past weekend, I learned upon my return that there was a mission on the south side of Adams this past weekend. Two male climbers, 68 and 70 years old, were listed as overdue. Upon discovery in an area west of the Lunch Counter, one was found alive and well. The other was dead from what has been attributed as "natural causes". Body was retrieved and brought down via litter to trailhead. My condolences to his family. ...sobo

From the summit of OS, I could see that the only snow from Snowgrass Flats is a short patch on the PCT before you reach the summit trail. Inconsequential. Headed out to Ives, but looked again at the watch, thought about family and shit, and bailed off the east side into another drainage basin which was two basins south of my approach. Long story short, I got back to the tent in less time than it took to summit from it, but got way mored scared-ass shitless as I downclimbed two steeeeep trundle gullies with nasty run-outs while trying to avoid waterfalls. Following water courses is not always the best method to lose elevation. Eventually I chose wisely at my contour point, and held elevation on an elk trail around the east flank of a large unnamed peak, and eventually came out in the basin south of McCall Basin. Easy stumble down the peak and up over the ridge into McCall. Found my beer in the stream, enjoyed it, and headed out. Knees and quads hurt right now. Great views of Adams, Helens, Rainier, and the Big Horn group. Clear day, coolish in the breeze, and flowers were abundant and awesome. Skeeters weren't bad at all at night, but watch out for biting black flies during the hotter parts of the afternoon. A guy came up from Yakima (50 years old or so) and said he left the NF Tieton River trailhead at 8:45 Sunday morning. He arrived at the summit just after me at 12:15. Said he ran a lot of the way up to McCall Basin. Three and one half hours to cover about 7 miles of trail, then 2 miles of boulder tripping and shwackin', and almost 5,000 feet of vert! Didn't have nothin' on but his Merrell's (sort of - a hydration pack was all he carried from what I could tell). He came back through McCall at 4:00 pm. At his rate he was probably out of the parking lot by 6:00. I only hope that I'm in that good of shape when I turn 50!

This thread hath lain three years in its grave, wherefore surely, it stinketh.

Thats what I was shooting for Aw right, 1 point for cleverness. But I didn't ask any questions... (although some would call me clueless...)