sobo

I am in total agreement with all opinions expressed in this post.

That's going to be quite the drive each night, from Banff to Calgary, ya know, eh?

You're right on, specialed. We've done that a few times before, with like 4 to 6 guys. Bring your thermarests and beeping slags and crash out on the floor. Last ones in from drinking get the floor. Or you could arrange it in advance to switch off each night. We ended up donning our crampons one night in the room and buildered up the interior walls. Interestingly, I never heard about the repair bill, altho the Ptarmigan Inn probably wouldn't want us back. Hey Pencil Pusher! If Cascade is on your climb list, don't shrug off the warnings about avy danger on that route! You can get a really good look at the collection bowl above the route on a drive back from Canmore to Banff. SCARY! Don't crowd up the route (if there's others coming up) with your rap, but just slog up the last (diosconnected) pitch and go down Rogan's Gulley for the descent. And if you're going to Banff via Golden, take a coupla hours and do Lady Killer and Pretty Nuts. They're both really close to the road. I'm not sure if the issue with the railroad has been fixed (with respect to access to Pretty Nuts).

sorry, then... I'll remove it.

...

Gas up in Radium, before heading into the Park. Check out Johnston Canyon (just "jump off" the catwalk to access climbs), Canmore, Heart Creek, Grotto, Lady Wilson, Rogan's, Professor Falls and Curtain Call in Lake Louise nearby (both PF and CC will be CROWDED!). Weeping Wall is along the Icefields Parkway north and west of Banff a ways. They have hostels out that way that you can stay at for a small "joining fee" and a charge. Way warmer than car-camping. You need to give them an address in Canada somewhere. Make one up, no one cares (except maybe Dru ) Pick up the Joe Josephson guide either before you go (so you can plan better to maximize your route-grabbing) or pick one up in Banff at Monod's or the other store across the back alley from Monod's (can't remember the name, but I replaced my crampons there the last time in town - bent the front points on a pair of FootFangs at Johnston Canyon - bulletproof ice!! . ) Get your bumper sticker at the border crossing in the gift store - be "protected" from the moment you go in country. Drink your beers in Canmore at either of the two fine drinking establishments there. I think The Drake (as mentioned by Dru earlier) is one of them there. The other one has one of those double names (The *this* and *that*); can't remember it now. Good breakfast grub in Banff at Coyote's. Have fun, and enjoy! I'm green with envy!

JUSTO, I just did another search with a variation of the search subject ("3rd tool") that turned up about another dozen threads. The possibilities are endless!

Gary, There, didn't I tell you that pindude would be helpful? Steve, Hadn't heard that Chilco Falls had been purchased. Nice move on the part of Kootenai P&R.

Do a search for "third tool", search by "entire phrase", select search for "all forums", and select "all posts" for the date range. You'll be surprised at the amount of discussion that *has already occurred* on this topic. Here's one from almost 2 years ago that resulted in some spirited discussion. Class dismissed.

smg: I edited a post of mine further up with other beta. ^^ You really should check with MG &/or send a PM or email to pindude. WSUmtn'r: Sorry about the "big word", but you're a Coug - I should think that you could handle it. I wouldn't be so sure if you were a DAWG! To UWers, my Nomex suit is on.

The Guide, of course, but I think southernmtguidedude was looking for "sentient" sources of beta. smg: Send a PM to pindude of this board. He lives in Mead, and he should know where the local reliable ice is. You can tell him sobo sent ya. He won't mind. Will ya, Steve? Also, there's some climbing further up US 95 past Bonner's Ferry, right near the road. Copper Kettle Canyon, Copper Canyon, Kettle Canyon, something like that. It's marked by the side of the highway by one of those little brown recreational road signs, and I seem to remember that it's pretty near the Canadian border. I think Gibralter Wall is a bit more than what you'd said you'd be willing to drive, but you shouldn't miss out on it this winter. Find Canal Flats on a BC map, and make the trip when you're sure it's in. You won't regret it!

Quiz the guys at Mountain Gear on Division Ave. There are a few of them that ice climb, can't remember their names. There is a short (1-pitch) climb on the east side of US 95 about halfway from CDA to Sandpoint, opposite a lumber yard/sawmill, somewhere near a little hole known as Athole. It's about an hour's drive out I-90 and up US 95.

I was driving back to Yakivegas last night from B-vue and saw nothing to the north between the hours of 5:30 to 7:30 pm. I think we got gyped on this one.

Rob lives in NC.

I've had numerous discussions over the years with my agent as my cache of *stuff* has grown. One of the first things we discussed was replacement of my climbing, backpacking, and caving gear. The way it would work for me thru State Farm is that I've provided a general list of stuff that formed the basis of the premium (gear, clothes, furniture, electronics, etc.) that insures that shit for full replacement value. As I add large chunks of new stuff, the list gets revised every few years and the premium adjusted for new shit, retired old shit, and inflation. It never really changes except by a few $$ this way or that, I don't hafta spend a lot of effort on lists and such, and everything gets replaced with new stuff. Like fer instance, clothing is currently estimated at $10k, recreational gear (all of it) is around $8k, electronics, etc.

I figger that lummox was prolly referring to those poor folks caught in the wildfires in CA when he started this thread, but I'm curious about smaller fires (ones that we ourselves might have some control over). So, how many of you have installed fire extinguishers in your living space? For years, I went about dumb and happy with a smoke alarm on each floor. Even after we got married, that was still the status quo. But immediately after we brought our little boy back from Vietnam, I ran right on down to Costco and bought the First Alert fire extinguisher 2-pack, and installed one in the (attached) garage and the washer/dryer utility rooms. Not feeling like I had done everything I could, I went back and bought another 2-pack and put one in the living room near the fireplace, and one at the top of the stairwell near the bedrooms. STILL not feeling like I had done all I could, I bought another, smaller unit and installed it in the kitchen within easy reach of the oven. My house may look like an advertisement for First Alert and Kidde, but I feel better about being able to snuff a blaze that otherwise would get out of control quickly. Has anybody else gone this far over the edge protecting their loved ones and stuff? Or an I just being paranoid?

I'd be leavin' those in the fire-rated safe downstairs. But for some odd reason I wouldn't trust the passports, birth/adoption certificates, and insurance papers in there. Would just feel better having those things with us.

The wife and child, all the pets (and there's a bazillion of 'em), and passports, adoption/birth certificates and insurance papers. Everything else is replaceable and insured. Let it burn!

Uhhhh, check your math, Necro. If she's more than half our age, that would put all of us at just under 30. Had ryland said "twice", I would agree with you. Not pokin' fun, but just want to get the #s straight. The new math strikes again! Why hasn't this thread died a quiet death yet?

As long as her website/agent/hypester didn't refer to her as the "All Around World Champion Climber", I wouldn't give a !

And that nutty Dru guy is an "autonomous collective" , which apparently explains his large post volume...

what? did i fall asleep for a month again? Naaah, lummox, you just drank too much again. Still got you the same result, tho.

No joy here in Yakivegas, too. I've seen them enough times in the past, tho, so I'm not too bit in the crotch about it.

Try these guys: PMI

Yah, yah, rub it in, TLG. grrrrrr...