sobo

And the winner is....... pindude!!! Only 5 hours after my post. Thanks, all the rest of you, for playing our game. We have some lovely parting gifts waiting for you backtage...

quote: Originally posted by Jarred Jackman: Sobo, sobe, whatever, was it actually Vantage and its anthropomorphic abilities that almost killed you, or a little operator error that almost mamed you for life? I don't think a climbing area has actually ever killed anyone. I actually pulled a rock off of a climb on Lower River, WHEW, I guess Vantage almost killed me. Mr. Jackman,A rope team ahead of us, plus the leader on my rope, passed over the very column that separated from the wall and fell. By all accounts, it appeared as well attached as any other column at the coulee. If anything, it was my "flight skills" which gave me the presence of mind to leap to the side of the column, instead of springing off of it directly into the fall line. Lastly, your pathetic attempt at humor leaves little to be found amusing. And the name is "sobo". Anything else to say, take it to Spray. [ 03-30-2002: Message edited by: sobo ]

About 12 or 13 years ago, in the early days of development at Vantage, I rode a column down from about 30 feet up. The only thing that saved my ass was the Wiley E. Coyote-style tightening of the rope that absorbed my forward and downward advance, slowing me down just far enough above the ground to slap me into the talus at a survivable velocity. Walked away, but contented myself with a very sketchy performance on a 5.7 later that day. I've hated Vantage ever since, despite all the recent furor over the "gardening activities" of others in another yahooGroup about cleaning up the choss. Goddam place almost killed me. And yes, back then when shit was falling everywhere, we wore helmets... [ 03-29-2002: Message edited by: sobo ]

The Bend, 2 miles upriver from RC, is always open, as is Moon Rocks, even further upriver. If that's not hard enough, go even further upriver to the "Rimrock Store" just before the tunnel, and turn north on the forest road that goes past Jubilee YMCA camp (can't remember the #). Keep heading up into the Wildcat Creek drainage. Lots of steep (read: vertical) cloumnar basalt bolted and crack exams that end at the entablature. I think they're in the hard 10, 11, and low 12 range. Too tough for me, they are. No word yet from the OCGS on lifting of the closure.

quote: Originally posted by Dru: Disappointment Cleaver - PDLiberty Ridge - D I think the French "peu" means "more", hence "peu dificile" would mean "more difficult". Ergo, LR would be rated PD and DC would be rated D, don't U C? Actually, DC would be rated "facile", or "easy" by that rating system, but my French may be a little rusty, what with battling all those silly English Knnnnnnnniggits.

I have a bunch of old Coon-yard hexes from my first rack that are/were slung with perlon! They are about 15-16 years old. They're free to the first person who PM's me for 'em. Just pay me for the shipping.

quote: Originally posted by rob2go: But the bottom line is which ever one you get become comfortable with it (practice, Practice, PRACTICE). Amen, Brother... Can't say any more about it.

quote: Originally posted by Stefan: Any ice climbing potential on the east side of Goose Egg mountain? Alex is correct re: east side GE Mtn. Wes is correct, although this year neither one of those came in well enough to climb, IMO. Also, I think the rocks are *west* of the creek. There is also a one-pitch route hidden in a cleft at the bend in the hiway at MP 79.5+/- that comes down right smart vertical, but forms short tiers. Climbed it about 5 years ago and haven't seen/heard of it coming in again since. Really easy approach, belay is on screws set in the frozen creek surface, rap is off a sling threaded thru a hole in the cliff face right of the top-out. WI-3+/4. FA unknown. Wes: Have you led that N-NE line on Goose Egg? What's it like? [ 03-26-2002: Message edited by: sobo ]

quote: Originally posted by Winter: 100 m with the Arva 9000? No way. I've practiced a bit with my Arva and haven't got anywhere near that distance. Yes, it's true. But it was on a course, level ground, with the target buried just under ground level. Could have had something to do with it. I took a class from the NSP at Anthony Lakes ski area a year or so ago and in the field, buried at around four feet, i could pick up (multiple) targets with the closest being about 60-70m downslope. Just my experience... And Bronco... WOW! Thanks for a cool tip with that Overstock.com site! Getting another ARVA for the wife.

trask,Hmmmmmm... lemme see... open this forum, click on this post, get to the end of the thread, get the "Ah ha!", go to Joke 4 post, get to the end of thread, copy the joke, come back to this post, select reply to post, paste the joke, add reply. Naaaahhhh, too much fuckin' work. Rather be drinking beer. I thought the Joke 4 thread was going somewhere. Shows what i know.

I put one over on trask's "joke 4". i don't feel like typing it over again, so check it out over there.

Well, the gong has sounded on the 2001/2002 Eastern Washington ice climbing season. Cragg and I went out Saturday and picked two virgin lines in the Little Naches River drainage to end the season. I led what I've named Sniveling Gulley, a full rope in a deep cleft right next to the road about 1 mile from Hiway 410. First half of the climb is an easy WI-2 ramp which puts you below a wall of ice that goes WI3 left, WI3+/4 center, and definite WI4 right. All the ice was chandeliered and had LOTS of air in it. I led the center, as the top-out on the right-side line smelled of loose rock, unfrozen moss, and mud. I was right on all counts, both for the right-side and center line. Oh well, brain was functioning at least. A sporting finish in mud high above the last screw capped my leads for this season. Hustled over to The Drowning Pool area so Cragg could FA the right-side of his Bend Me Over the River line. Running water, air-filled ice, but reassuring thunks made for the WI3+/4 finish to his last lead of the season. As I was seconding, I was barraged by falling ice and took a bullet on the head and shoulder by cantalope-sized chunks. Rattled the teeth a bit, got on up, got the hell out. Cragg raved about his screw placements until I informed him that every one had melted out in the few minutes it took me to follow him up. The Season has left the building... Time to think of other vertical dreams... Spent Sunday ice hunting for next year's leads. Found several that we never saw before in their dying stages. Will have to pick them next year. Jason, you interested in beta on these? [ 03-25-2002: Message edited by: sobo ]

Sounds like a rarin' good time! Give my regards to Wes, for he would have fared about as well if he'd been with Cragg and me in the Little Naches. See related TR in this forum.

3 seconds... i'm out!

Three women are in the waiting room of the OB-Gyn's office: a brunette, a redhead, and a blonde. The Brunette announces quietly to the others, "I'm going to have a girl, because when my husband and I were doin' it, he was on top." They giggle amongst themselves. The Redhead announces to the others, "I'm going to have a boy, because when my husband and I were doin' it, he was on the bottom." They giggle amongst themselves, except the Blonde, who begins to cry. "What's the matter?" ask the Brunette and the Readhead. The Blonde, between tears and sobs, manages to stammer out, "That means we're going to have puppies!" [ 03-22-2002: Message edited by: sobo ]

Not trying to be a butt-biter, but after the hit the Cacades just got this week, figure on August!

quote: I like the M2 because it has one of the longest ranges, plus a digital numerical readout that tags the burial distance to the meter when close. The analog signal 'beep' is great for multiple burials and checking against the digital readout. Also, the transmit rate is slightly faster than most other beacons, making it easier to be found. I've done a bunch of practice with this and a friend's Tracker. If you play and practice with it the M2 rocks. If you only go out every now and then, I recomend the Tracker because it is EASY. I would echo b-rock's comments, but wherever he says "M2", replace it with ARVA 9000. Have done LOTS of practice burial scenarios, both at home and at the ski areas with my ARVA, and i'm almost always the first to find the victim. Great homing in skills, easy to read digital numerical face, easy to hear beep which increases in frequency in victim vicinity, and i get ranges of over 100m with fresh batts. Rmember, no substitute for practice. The one thing I will deduct points for is the battery size. It takes AAA batteries. This is generally not a problem, but all my other climbin' gear (torch, radios, CD player, etc.) take AAs. Makes it kind of a pain because if your batts die while on a long trip or out in the bush for several days, you're SOL because you can't switch them out with the other gear. [ 03-22-2002: Message edited by: sobo ]

Not to sound like a dope or anything, but we are all referring to Jim "The Bird" BRIDwell, aren't we...?

Good TR, Alex. Nice pics, too. Climb on!

Trolling... or for real? Coincidence? You be the judge...

quote: how long does it take to get into these flows? how long does it take to drive there from bellingham? A good three-hour approach from the parking area on skis or snowshoes in average snow conditions (although return to car is faster w/skis). Figure three hours from Seattle to parking area + however long it takes from B'ham to Seattle. This assumes I-5 to Seattle, I-90 to E'burg, I-84 to Yakima, and then SR-12 towards White Pass to the South Tieton River Road and the parking area.

Well said, Alex and Jason. Carolyn: what they said.

There's just sump'in about the Selkirks, north of Sandpoint ID. Nice granite, no crowds, pretty camps.