Rodchester

Marmot-Rockcreek Apparently they are going to work only with this on-line store now. Rumor has it anyway....

I have a Pocket Rocket and I love it. Any canister stove (or any stove for that matter) that has a small burner will suffer from the same problem as the Pocket Rocket, making the flame area/size of the stove small and thus effecting effciency etc. PS I agree that Titanium does not handle/distribute the heat nearly as good as aluminum. But it is lighter and stronger. I use it when I am just heating water on quick trips.

I agree with MattP, and since my icefloss is 37 meters, it is enough (though not perfrect) for two people with slack coiled on each end for each to work with. Using a single 8mm is fine in certain situations, on easy glaciers and on very easy alpine rock routes with a SHORT section of easy 5.0 to 5.6 rock. Say one ptich of low fifth that is 30 feet. A handful of nuts and a 37 meter ice floss is no problem. I know some, maybe many, of you think its crazy, but I feel safe doing it. Maybe I'm wrong. I do use double ropes, double 9mm, on longer alpine routes and almost always on ice routes. Having the second rope to rap is wonderful. The belaying takes a little getting used to, but is not a real problem. Once you get it down you can really avaoid rope drag. A side note: the ice floss' sheath seems to me to be much more slick than other ropes and I agree that one shopuld use a smaller prusik cord. Good luck

Don't go from Marblemount snowpark...there is NO snow!!! I just did it for the annual mother's day thing and while it was fun, I'd go from climber's bivouc (SP?). The snow is melting FAST and given that there just wasn't as much snow as usual, it is not a great time to ski it. Get an early start so you can rip it up before it gets too mushy. The lower part was like wet ecement on Sunday. It sucked ass. No opinion on Rangers citing people without permits. I've never been any time other than preseason. Good luck.

I have the Ascents...happy with them. I'd wait to see if they go "on-sale" now that the season is ending and the line will be changed for next year. I'd bet you'll see some go on sale. Good luck...

A good name for a new gear company: "Snake Oil Mountain Equipment" Think about it, it can make bad gear and lie about with a straight face. The Rep could say: "come on, buy "S.O.M.E." OK..that sucked.

??? Well sure they could file a suit, but as was discussed in the other thread, you sinply note up a summary judgment motion or a CR12(b)(6) motion and it would be dismised. Then you bring a seciond motion under RCW 4.84.185 to get your fees and costs, and CR 11 gets the attorney sanctioned personally. And yes, it does work. Keep in mind this will clear up what most already belived prevented suits against LANDOWNERS that are not charging a fee.

What's worse, pulled over sixteen times without a ticket, or sixteen time with sixteen tickets? Sucks to be pulled over, but I'd take it rather than being pulled over AND ticketed.

I am a fan of Grivel Crampons in general. I always recommend them. They are simple, very durable, and easy to fit. I have used the G12, the G10, the Rambo, and the 2F. The ice axes are all right. The Air Tech is GREAT except for the price and the fact that the new BD Raven and Raven Pro are better and cheaper. It has replaced the Ait Rech Racing as THE lightweight ice axe. I am not a fan of Grivel ice tools. I've used a few and they just don't do it for me. They are all right, but I just don't like them. Good luck with sales.

I'm with Erik (and many others on this one). While I agree that cams (not passive cams, hexes) are easy to place, they are not eaiser for a newbie to evaluate. Learn to place nuts and passive cams (i.e. hexes and Tricams) first, then learn SLCs next. If your passive gear is falling out when you get above it, as Aplinfox stated, you're USUALLY not placing the gear right. When you place it put a draw on it, and try like mad to pull it out (pull in the direction of fall). Watch how the nut moves , or doesn't move. Seeing it is very revealing. Obviously do this on a really easy route, or standing on the deck. For a good starter alpine rack, I would get some nuts: BD, Wild Country, Smileys, etc., and then the large sized hexes. Use 24 inch draws doubled or half-ed and have a handful of 48 inchers also. Have fun and be safe...

How about using an ice screw? The new BD Exprtess screws would provide releif fast!!!

www.mountainmadness.com

I've been using a rope hook by Metoliuos on some climbs and it can really help with managment. It isn't necessary, but it helps to keep me focused on keeping the rope in good order. 2 cents

I've been on two international trips with Mountain Madness and thought they were great...some will say I'm a shill for MM. The onwers are friends of mine. But hey, I think they run a great trip with great guides, and I'll use them again. www.mountainmadness.com One of the owners is from Atlanta too... My 2 cents.

There is a huge distinction between guiding for a company and guiding as a company. When you guide for a company you are basically a seasonal employee. Sure many guides shift to different areas, both geographic and type of climbing, with each season. This can help keep you stay fully employed as a guide. But those are usually experienced guides that are strong in many types of climbing and are good with clients. Many guides do it for a few years and burn out. Pay is low, work is usually seasonal, you should be guiding at a level much lower than your abilities, you repeat easy routes over and over, some clients need baby sitting, etc. If you are independently wealthy and can afford to guide when you want and still life a good life (i.e. house, car, no need for food stamps) then go for it. As far as running your own company goes, this is not easy. First it takes years, usually 5-10 before you'll actually get your company's name out there. This of course assumes that you had a name as a guide, or at least as a good climber for many years prior. You need insurance, will have to pay employment taxes, hire employees, advertise, etc. Then comes the hard part. In order to operate on federal land you need to have a permit, or what is often called as concessionaire’s license. Theses are few and far between and are not cheap. You will pay large dollars for every “user day” that you use on the mountain. You also have to use them, or you loose them. Every year your license is reviewed. Because the mountain has a limited number of user days allowed, if they are all being used by present concessionaires, you have to wait until a company goes out of business. Then maybe, maybe, the land manager will get around to doling out those user days to someone. Since it is easier to dole them out to existing companies, they just do that. They justify that based on your company being too new and not having experience on the mountain, and on the fact that the existing companies getting those user days are proven and safe (Whether true or not). So your application just sits there. In fact many land managers require that you resubmit it every year. So if you don’t do it one year, you loose out. Or you might do it forever and never get any user days. The national park are more public in their system, but the competition is so entrenched, good luck. The Forest Service is less public and receives less public scrutiny, so the system just keeps on churning. Good luck

I have a Bibler I-tent and I love it. Sure, it has its limitations, but I cannot get over the weight savings. Also it takes up so little room in th old rucksack. As far as durability goes, it is much like any other tent. Take care of it and it will last. It stands up to weather better than any tent I've ever used. A buddy had one on a peak in a storm and ten feet from it (same orientation to the wind) I was in a Sierra Designs. The SD got schredded while the Bibler stood like a brick wall. Given the weight and space savings, as well as the strength of the Bibler: I love it. But they are expensive. Ouch.....

Winter: I have a feeling that this was done with lobbying from groups like the Access fund. This kind of thing can go a long way toward getting landowners to allow access to thier land. And we all know that is a good thing. It simply makes more clear that land owners do not have liability for climbers use of thier lands, even with bolts and anchors being placed into the rock.

A "per se bar to suit" means that you simply cannot file such a suit. Any such suit would be dismissed.

I guess you didn't read my post very closely. In those cases you get ALL of your feess and costs back. In fact I had two where I got them fees and costs and then on tope of that the oppoisng attroenys were sanctioned $5,000.00. So my client actually made money. Of course this assumes that the case lacks any legal basis. Also keep in mind that this statute, I believe still only a bill, only covers owners and possessors of land not receiving a fee for the use of the land. It does not cover those charging a fee, those climbing with the victim/injured party, manufacturer of any equipment that might have failed, etc. This would not prhobit all suits. But guide companies are generally protected as long as waivers are signed thanks to old Lou Whittaker. Blide v. Rainier Mountaineering, Inc., 30 Wash.App. 571, 636 P.2d 492 (1981) . There is a cogent argument that may be made under Restatement (Second) of Torts § 520 (Abnormally Dangerous Activity ) that a per se bar exists to climbing related suits. A court would look at the followng six factors to decide if something falls under theis section of the restatement. All six are not required to trigger the per se bar to suit. (a) existence of a high degree of risk of some harm to the person, land or chattels of others; (b) likelihood that the harm that results from it will be great; © inability to eliminate the risk by the exercise of reasonable care; (d) extent to which the activity is not a matter of common usage; (e) inappropriateness of the activity to the place where it is carried on; and (f) extent to which its value to the community is outweighed by its dangerous attributes. A great example of an activity that USED to be covered under this section is flying. When it first came out it was not normal to fly. The only difference is that now-a-days flying has a strong social utility. Anyway, just think out loud.

The law has teeth. and it does hold both the party and thier attroney liable. RCW 4.84.185 is an effective tool toward curbing truely frivolous lawsuits. It applies to the parties, not he attorneys. I have collected on it twice now. Before a suit can be filed it must have a legal and factual basis. Often times the courts will allow the factual basis to be devloped through discovery. However, a legal basis must be present at filing. In the case where a statute such as the one proposed, so clearly prohibits such a suit, any defense attorney would simply file a motion for dimissal under CR 12(b)(6). The plaintiff gets to respond and then after 28 days it goes to oral argument before a judge. Take that before a judge and the plaintiff will get smoked. Then the defense counsel follows up with another motion under RCW 4,84.185 within 30 days and the court is likely to grant attroney fees and costs against the individual plaintiff. The plaintiff's attorney is likely to get nailed under CR 11. CR 11 requires that any pleadings before the court be accurate and based on law. With a statute so clearly against the suit, the court is likely to sanction the attorney. However, defense counsel must first give notice to the plaintiff's attorney that the pleading is baseless and allow him an opportunity to withdraw the pleading. I have nailed attorneys three times under CR 11. It works. If anyones knows any landowner having problems, have them contact me. Most plaintiff's attorneys are good guys just trying to do a good job. There are in fact VERY few lawsuits in Washington stemming from climbing accidents.

You know there actually is a Mt. Ballard in the North Cascades, I happened upon it last night while thumbing through the Beckey book. But I've also seen many a climber attempt the Mt. ballard you are refering to.

I think it is a warranty issue, and a great chance to see if BD comes through and stands by their product. Keep us in the loop about what BD does.

Thought this might interst some of you....if you're in DC you may want to check it out. Hillary Exhibit in DC

Update: Monday April 14, 2003 at 11:00 a.m.

I have found that contacts get really dry the higher I go, and as such I stick prescription glacier glasses. I know others that have had the same problems. However, I have never heard that problems are cuased by lack of oxygen getting to the eyes. Could be, but I've never heard that is a problem.