Conditions Report -- April 30, 2008

RED ROCK CANYON:

--It's definately starting to heat up. Daytime temps now average in the mid-eighties. It's getting difficult to climb in the sun.

--There are open campsites at the 13 Mile Campground.
--The Red Rock Scenic Drive is now open from 6 in the morning until 8 in the evening.
--If you are doing a long route and don’t think that you’ll be back to the car by 8, then be sure to call 702-515-5050 to obtain a late exit permit.
--A new parking lot is currently under construction at the start of the Black Velvet Road. If you wish to climb in Black Velvet Canyon you will need to access it via an alternative route.

--This Red Rock trip report was posted Friday on supertopo.com.

CASCADES:

--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.

--Forecast for the East Slope of the Cascades.

--Forecast for Mount Rainier.

--If all goes as planned, Highway 20 (North Cascades Highway) is set to open tomorrow at 8:00 in the morning!

--Jeff Adamson of WDOT wrote the following in a mass email. AAI was one of the recipients: "I get this question occasionally and you maybe interested in the answer as well. How much does it cost to reopen the North Cascades every spring? The budget for this year is $136,000. The price tag usually runs about $150,000 ­ but we're always optimistic that wecan shave that a little. This year, we may go over a bit since we¹ve hadsome equipment breakdowns and repairs that got a little pricey and it¹staking six weeks to get it open, instead of four or five, like the last couple of openers."

--Climbers and skiers hit it hard in the Cascades this weekend. The following is a series of conditions and trip reports, primarily from the weekend:

--Weekend Leavenworth and Lake Wenatchee snow conditions can be found here and Enchantment snow and ski conditions can be found in this trip report. The party in the TR were caught in an avalanche.

--This trip report indicates similar snow conditions to those found in the Enchantments.
--A party climbed Whitehorse Peak on Saturday. They found some deep snow, but great weather. To read their report, click here.

--A party skied the White Samon Glacier on Mount Shuksan on Saturday. They found good conditions for both their ascent and descent. To read more, click here.

--A party found great conditions on Mount Saint Helens this weekend. To read their trip report, click here.

SIERRA:
--For up to date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.

--On April 24th, the NPS "updated" their backcountry snow report. To read the report, click here.

ALASKA RANGE:

--Forecast for Denali

ALPS:
--Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.
--This website has snow reports for ski resorts throughout the Alps.

--AAI Guide, Dylan Taylor, just completed the Haute Route. In an email he indicated, that "since the trip was 7 or so days, the conditions changed every day. We had splitter days at first, then a big dump, then more powder, then nasty crust going down past the matterhorn into Zermatt." To read his blog, click here.

MOUNT EVEREST:
--Summit conditions on Mount Everest are updated every day here. Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time today. -29 C, winds 56 knots from the west and cloudy to partly cloudy. Also a tropical depression is located in the Bay of Bengal which is south of Mt. Everest. However this should not have a direct impact on Everest outside of bringing a chance of precipitation for later in the week

Spring E-Newsletter Now Available!!!

The Spring E-Newsletter features an article by AAI Guide Andrew Wexler on his stunning ascent of Ama Dablam, new Guides Choice Equipment Winners, and an "Ask a Guide" section covering ice screw directionality and how to climb efficiently with a large group.

Also, check out this month's photo contest and the winners from January, and catch up on the latest Institute news and programs.

To read previous AAI E-Newsletters, check out our archive!

April and May Climbing Events

NORTHWEST:
--April 29 -- Bellingham -- The climbing and skiing film Higher Ground will be shown at Western Washington University tonight at 7:30 in Comm room 125. There is a $2 admission charge. To see the preview, click here.
--April 30 -- Seattle -- Participants of the popular climbing forum cascadeclimbers.com are planning a picnic for climbers at Woodland Park. For more information, click here.
--April 30 -- Seattle -- Author Jennifer Worick reads from her book, Backcountry Betty: Roughing it in Style at REI. For more information, click here.
--May 1 -- Seattle -- Jennifer Lowe-Anker will talk about her new book, Forget Me Not. The event will take place at the Mountaineers building in Seattle at 7 pm. For more information, click here.
--May 1-4 --Seattle -- Hazel Wolf Environmental Film Festival at the University of Washington. For more information, click here.
--May 8 -- Seattle -- Old skool climber Royal Robins will present a film on his ascent of the West Face of the Sentinel in Yosemite at REI. For more info, click here.
--May 25 -- Bellingham -- Ski to Sea relay multi-sport relay race.

RED ROCK CANYON:
--May 21 -- Las Vegas -- The next Las Vegas Climber's Liason Council meeting will be held at Red Rock Climbing Center on West Charleston.

NOTES FROM ALL OVER:

--Former AAI Guide and writer Majka Burhardt will be presenting a slide show on her new book, Vertical Ethiopia in Boulder, Greenwich, Boston, New Paltz, San Francisco, and Telluride. for more info, click here.

--May 8-10 -- Carbondale, CO -- The 5 Point Adventure Film Festival comes to town. For more info, click here.
--May 8-10 -- Oisans-Ecrins, France -- International Guide Festival

--May 9 -- Denver, CO -- HERA Foundation Fundraiser

--May 13 -- Television -- David Breashears film, Storm over Everest, will air on the PBS show Frontline. Check your local listings.

--May 16-18 -- Fayetteville, WV -- New River Rendezvous

--May 23-26 -- Telluride, CO -- Telluride Mountain Film Festival

--May 31-June 1 -- New York, NY -- (Rubin Museum, New York City)Peak Experience III
In the ultimate sleepover, 40 kids, aged 10-12 and roped together alpine-style, confront the challenges of climbing Everest. Along the way they learn the scientific and medical aspects of mountaineering from experienced guides and Sherpas. Parents of potential registrants as well as AAC volunteer guides should contact Phil Earad.

Raynaud's Disease

Every year we have a small selection of climbers on our trips who have Raynaud's Disease. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute defines the disease as follows:

• "Raynaud's disease and Raynaud's phenomenon are rare disorders that affect blood vessels. These disorders are marked by brief episodes of vasospasm (narrowing of the blood vessels). Vasospasm causes decreased blood flow to the fingers and toes, and rarely to the nose, ears, nipples, and lips. The fingers are the most commonly affected area, but the toes also are affected in 40 percent of people with Raynaud's."

In other words, one's hands and feet are more prone to getting cold. This is particularly problematic on cold weather and high altitude trips. People who have this disease are more likely to experience frostbite or other cold injuries.

As this type of disease has little effect on the normal person living and working in a city, there are a number of people out there who are undiagnosed. Most who spend time in the outdoors are aware that they might have "poor circulation" in the cold. And most who feel that they have "poor circulation" take measures in order to ensure that they do not suffer frostbite.

An April 2007 online issue of the the Wilderness Medicine Newsletter addressed Raynaud's. The newsletter prescribes both treatment and rehabilitation to the disorder. If you have circulation issues or a diagnosed case of Raynaud's and have completed this rehabilitiation let us know how it worked out. If it had a positive effect and you found that your hands and feet remained warmer in cold climates we would certainly like to pass that on. And if it didn't work, we'd like to pass that along as well.

--Jason D. Martin

2007 Year in Review

We thought you devoted readers of the Mount Rainier Climbing blog would enjoy reading a 2007 Year in Review. We know, this should have been posted in December, but I was busy. Anyway, better late than never, right?

So, without further ado, my talented assistant Rebecca Agiewich and I present: Mount Rainier 2007: a blogosphere perspective of climbing on Mount Rainier.

January and February

CLOSED! Basically, every major road in the park was wiped out (to some degree) by the epic rainfall (18 inches in 36 hours) and subsequent flooding of November 2006. Fixing that sort of damage completely was too much for a meager NPS budget to handle, which created quite the buzz about how it was all going to get cleaned up. So much so that acclaimed cartoon satirist, David Horsey, poked fun at the park’s desperate financial situation. Despite Horsey’s pointed jab at government priorities and politics, Congressman Norm Dicks came to the rescue by reallocating 36 million dollars for flood repairs from the Department of Transportation and the Department of the Interior. NICE eh?

As for mountain climbing? Very little happened early in the year because of the difficult access.

The Tacoma News Tribune reported extensively on the damage. They even took time to poke a little lighthearted fun at me. The fact, however, remained: little changed in February and climbers weren’t scaling the peak. Therefore, this blog devoted more time to the flood recovery (i.e. a specific “Flood Blog” and photo gallery) than to climbing. Things were so slow around here that I took a trip to South America for an ascent of Aconcagua. Recommendations? Visit Mendoza, it’s wonderful.

March

This month started off sadly. A devoted married couple drowned in Ipsut creek while on a backpacking trip. Frances "Annette" Blakeley slipped while crossing a log over Ipsut Creek. Her husband Robert tried to rescue her by immediately diving in. Tragically, both were swept up in the torrent and caught in a “strainer” (log-jam).

On the lighthearted side of things, former Mount Rainier climbing ranger Mimi Allin was noticed by the Seattle Times for her work as the Poetess of Green Lake. See what sort of career opportunities exist post-climbing-ranger employment?

The Seattle Times judged the National Park Inn in Longmire “one of the most exclusive hotels in the world”. Such distinction!… Well that was the case for a little while, but that was because the inn stayed open even as park roads remained closed. Those visitors were shuttled into Longmire via a back Forest Service road and were allowed to "enjoy indoor plumbing in the park's largely unpeopled wilderness."

April

Road re-construction continued at a feverish pace as preparations commenced for the park to “re-open.” During that time, the Mount Rainier community mourned the loss of former climbing ranger Lara Kellogg. She fell while descending Mt. Wake in Ruth Gorge of the Alaska Range. Her death was a significant loss for the local climbing community as she was a wonderful person and significant social hub.

Meanwhile, outdoor writer extraordinaire Greg Johnston wrote about his experiences climbing Mount Rainier for the Seattle PI, which included witnessing a rescue at Camp Muir. He also wrote an article about changes at the park from due to the flooding.

Most notable of Greg’s articles, however, was the piece about the historic change in the guiding concessions on Mount Rainier. This, perhaps, was some of the biggest mountaineering news on Rainier in the past decade. For the first time in over 30 years, RMI would be sharing their exclusive guiding concession privileges. Into the scene entered Alpine Ascents and International Mountain Guides. Now prospective climbers have three guide services to choose from for mountaineering services. All routinely offer summit climbs and other expedition experiences on the mountain and beyond, truly connecting Mount Rainier to the international mountaineering circuit.

We also posted the 2006 "Mountaineering Report" in April. It includes a variety of interesting statistics such as the overall success rate for 2006 (63%) and the amount of human waste carried down from the mountain (four and a half tons). As an aside, we’re working on the 2007 report, so hang tight!

May

And with great fanfare, the primary road into the park re-opened on May 5th. More interesting for you upper mountain lovers, ski sicko Sky Sjue and partner Christophe Martine made what is probably the first ski descent of the Fuhrer Thumb. Thanks Sky for your continued cool reports from the upper glaciers. Everyone loves them.

Meanwhile, more sad news came out of Alaska when mountain climber Mizuki Takahashi and Brian Massey -- well-known climbers in the Seattle area who both loved to climb Rainier-- died while on Mount McKinley. They fell on the upper reaches of the West Rib route.

June

911 is not a climbing information service. Amid a flurry of climbing activity, a number of climbers dialed those sacred three digits when they probably shouldn't have. Because of it, they received a lecture about when and how to use the “emergency service.” We also used the blog to remind some climbers about the importance of not leaving sick or slow-moving partners behind.

While on the topic of emergencies, an actual tragedy struck off of the mountain yet in the park. Hiker Jeff Graves fell to his death when he became disoriented on Eagle Peak. Clouds and heavy snowpack were contributing factors to his getting off route.

Less dramatic, the door to the outhouse blew away over at Camp Schurman (three times). This made for a cold – yet scenic -- potty experience.

July

Bill Painter strikes again! Washington State’s famed 84-year old climber made yet another successful ascent via the Emmons Glacier route, resetting his own record as the oldest person to climb Mount Rainier.

Speaking of fame, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell visited Camp Muir and chatted up some of the climbing rangers. Imagine a sitting U.S. Senator getting the inside scoop on the park from a group of mountain climbers (I’m glad she didn’t call 911 for such questions!). Anyway, this wasn’t the last of Senator Cantwell, as she reappears in August for a summit climb.

The "no-rescue" streak (for the upper mountain) that began in 2006 ended in July when a climber broke his ankle practicing self-arrest at Camp Muir. Afterward, there were a few other minor incidents later in the summer, but it is worth noting that no significant accidents or injuries occurred in 2007. There were a number of great trip reports in June and July, so check out the archives.

August and September

Park superintendent Dave Uberauga and Deputy Superintendent Randy King made a successful summit attempt. Along the way, they caught up on the progress of hut repairs at Camp Muir and checked up on the new guiding operations. In this busy climbing month, lots of folks went up the Emmons/Winthrop Glacier route.

There was a flurry of helicopter activity around the upper mountain during a mock-rescue operation in late August. KOMO TV and other media types went along for the ride. Senator Maria Cantwell returned to the mountain for a summit climb -- a trip that was reported on by the Puget Sound Business Journal. She would have likely made the summit, but a longer route and team dynamics thwarted the attempt. Perhaps she’ll try again in 2008?

October, November and the end of 2007

There was a touching story about two “old-time” mountain rescuers who revisited the mountain. In September, they were flown around Camp Schurman on a special flight. Back in the early 60’s, they helped to build the Camp Schurman hut (read about it yourself.) Some climber/skiers did a trip on the Kautz Glacier and although they didn't meet their objective they posted a funny trip report with lots of photos.

As a video-game devotee, I was thrilled to discover Mount Rainier featured in the new X-Box 360 version of Halo 3. And then there were those two lost hikers on the Muir Snowfield, whose butts were saved by a Canadian climbing guide Phil Michael. Go Canada! Not so lucky was Pickles, the famed fox of Mount Rainier. Poor Pickles had to be euthanized after being hit by a car. Other November news can be found here.

December kicked the winter off with intense snowfall (198 inches) which then created long periods of exceptionally high avalanche hazard. That hazard caught hiker Kirk Reiser. Kirk and his best friend Troy Metcalf were descending to Paradise from when Kirk was caught and buried in an avalanche in Edith Creek. It was a terribly sad way to close out 2007.

Book Review -- Red Rock Odyssey

This article was originally published in the April 2005 issue of Climbing magazine. It is reprinted here with the permission of the author, a senior AAI guide.
____________________________________________________________

Red Rock Odyssey: Classic Traditional Climbs
By Larry DeAngelo and Bill Thiry
Verex Press; $24.95

Throughout the years, dozens of books have illustrated the history of major climbing destinations like Yosemite Valley, the Alaska Range, and Joshua Tree National Park. Until recently, one area has been conspicuously omitted from North America’s literary climbing scene. Red Rock Odyssey, by Larry DeAngelo and Bill Thiry, stands alone as the first book to explore the history, the characters, and the routes that laid the foundation for the modern climber’s experience in Red Rock Canyon.

DeAngelo and Thiry have put together a book that, at first glance, appears to be a guidebook. With chapter titles that are also route names, it’s quite easy for a climber familiar with Red Rock to come to such a conclusion. However, the route names are merely a means to access the history of the canyon. The authors have compiled a book that includes essays written by first ascentionists, stories penned by modern climbers, a history of the area, and route information, which cumulatively paints a picture of both the past and the present of Red Rock Canyon. Clearly, the work could be used as a guidebook, but the authors intent appears to be more oriented toward literature than simple route guide.

Red Rock Odyssey looks closely at the people who have influenced Red Rock’s history, and their exploratory climbs. Early ascents by Joe Herbst, George and Joanne Uriosite, and the legendary guide Randal Grandstaff, are detailed with interesting anecdotes, comic stories, and sometimes even with bitter tragedy.

There are moments in the book that stand out as humorous. Alex Chiang, one of the book’s essay contributors, wrote an entertaining story about climbing a route the “historical way.” In an attempt to see how the first ascentionists felt, DeAngelo convinced Chang to climb with nothing but old-school tube chocks, hip belays, and nylon swami belts. Chang – a relative newcomer to long trad routes – comically recounts his feelings as DeAngelo hands him one-inch webbing for a swami belt and tells him he can “save weight by leaving the ATC.”

Along with the comedy, there is also tragedy. Though DeAngelo and Thiry chronicle the untimely deaths of Randal Grandstaff and a modern local climber named Lee Stout, the vividly written story of a third climbing-related fatality is the most striking. In 1980, Betsy Herbst was high on a wall when she suffered a stroke. The ensuing epic of descending with her and finding medical care was a nightmare of the worst kind.

Along with a storied history, Red Rock Odyssey provides route information and excellent photos of the climbs, which are chronicled throughout the book. This guidebook element is a welcome addition to the literary work, and greatly adds to the overall flavor.

Joanne Urioste’s original 1984 guidebook to climbing in Red Rock is dedicated to “the Paiute Ghosts that haunt the Red Rocks.” DeAngelo and Thiry expertly pay homage to a different set of ghosts that dwell within Red Rock Canyon. These are the ghosts of climbers both alive and dead, who, through their adventures and their love of the place, made Red Rock a world-class climbing destination.

-- Jason D. Martin

Good Crap, Bad Crap

There's a belief among those who breathe in the currents of self-honesty and live within its cruel social ramifications; those who trust will live, those who lie will die, and those who choose will always get what they ask for, so long as the consequences are understood and accepted, good or bad - and we always choose...I have a dirty little secret about Friday that I'll keep to myself, but let's

Get to Know Your Guide: An interview with Justin Wood

Every week, we take the reader into the interesting and ever-changing life of an American Alpine Institute guide. Every AAI guide is very experienced in alpine and rock climbing, and all have received professional training in advanced guiding techniques and rescue. Collectively they have one of the highest levels of wilderness first aid, avalanche, and Leave No Trace training among the world's international guide services. For profiles on all AAI guides, please click here.

This week, we interview Justin David Wood.

Age: 33
Hometown: It’s hard to pin me down. I’m pretty all American, California born, but I’ve also spent many years in Texas, Washington D.C., Chicago, and the past 15 years tooling about western Washington. I now live with my wonderful wife and loyal 95-pound German Sheppard in the lovely hamlet of Bellingham, Washington.

Recent trips and expeditions with AAI: This winter I’ve been ski guiding the steep and deep around the Mt. Baker ski area and instructing avalanche courses. Rock-wise, my last stint of work was at Red Rock instructing basic climbing skills and guiding classic moderate multi-pitch routes; most recently, Lotta Balls II 5.8, and Solar Slab IV 5.6.

Upcoming trips with AAI: I’ll be shipping off to Alaska in a few weeks to work in the Denali National Park for five weeks on Mt. McKinley’s West Buttress, and will also be rock climbing in Alaska in the Little Switzerland area.

A Guide's Life
How were you introduced to mountaineering?
I started backpacking and pulling plastic (gym climbing) when I was 23. Mountaineering adventures soon followed. I worked as a backcountry ranger and later on, as a climbing ranger for five years in the Olympic National Park in Washington. A large part of this work required reconnaissance of the high traverses and climbing routes on the Eastern side of the park. I spent a good amount of time touring about the early season high country in crampons and soloing the rotten rock pinnacles routes along Mt.Cruiser’s Sawtooth Ridge. One thing led to another, and I was soon obsessed with the wild high country of the Cascades Range and climbing the range's most classic routes.

How do you stay in shape and what are your favorite training activities?
Running is a necessary evil in winter, but I much prefer backcountry skiing anytime I can. Skinning is a great low impact workout. Adding and few pounds of weight to every stride for thousand of reps builds incredible endurance and you can't beat the quiet winter wilderness setting.

Who is the most inspiring person in your climbing life?
My friends and climbing partners.

What are your other interests besides climbing?
Art and music were huge in my more formative years; mainly drawing, painting, printmaking, and playing guitar. I’m currently doing the pre-med studies and working towards an eventual Master’s Degree in Nursing, so that occupies most of my free time as of late.

Where is your favorite place to travel?
The ease of access within the French Alps makes those mountains incredibly fun for skiing and alpine climbing. This summer, I’m looking forward to guiding in the Little Switzerland area of Denali National Park and making my first trip to the Bugaboos in the Selkirk Range of Eastern British Columbia.

On the Technical Side
Describe your climbing style.
Balancing free with fast is essential in the mountains. I resist having “rules” beyond surviving. Splitter granite crack climbing is my favorite as far as cragging goes, and I don’t “work” routes. I suppose you could say my emphasis is towards “onsighting,” but even that changes from time to time depending on how obsessed I am with a particular route. My bottom line is not leaving trash behind in the mountains so the next person can enjoy the route as much as I have.

What has been your favorite climb or route?
Hmmm, that’s a tough one. In the past year or so, probably Naija on L’aguille Vert (IV 700m M4 80). It was a perfect day, and the route was in excellent condition. I was climbing with a good friend who never ceases to make me laugh. The walk along the summit ridge to the second highest mountain in the French Alps reveals an incredible expansive view. From Mt. Blanc’s Brenva face, to the Grande Jorasse, the Argentiere Cirque, and the Matterhorn in the distance, it’s all there.

What is your biggest strength as a climber? Biggest weakness?
I’m your typical jack of all trades mountain guide. You’ll never see me climbing 5.13 sport routes in some magazine, that’s just not my interest. But if you want to climb or ski long classic mountain routes, I’m your man.

A Guide on Guiding
Is there anything you know now that you'd wish you'd known when you were just beginning to climb?
I would have hired a professional guide, learned the right way the first time, and progressed soooooo much faster.

When you guide, what piece of advice do you find you give most often to climbers and skiers?
Master your mind. Stop negativity dead in it’s tracks. Don’t get hung up on with the “I’m too…… (fill in the blank)” line of thinking. It’s our worst enemy, so try to focus on the possibilities instead.

What qualities do you think are most important in a guide?
Patience is the one attribute a guide should definitely have. Familiarity with the medium you work within is also very important. I’m primarily an alpine guide, so in my case, “mountain sense” or experience/time in the mountains is really important. Lastly, but certainly not least, is technical proficiency, within the medium a guide works.

Name a few guide"turn-ons" (for example, what makes a good climber on one of your courses?).
Enthusiasm and a sense of adventure are key.

What are your must-haves (e.g. favorite foods, equipment)?
An MP3 player with a radio is pretty high on the list, but fresh ground coffee is probably number one. Puffy jacket = happiness!

Any closing comments on what you're looking forward to in the next year?
I plan on living to be an old man in the mountains, so keeping the big picture in perspective is essential. Know your limits and trust your senses. The world’s best climber is the one having the most fun.

Climbing News from Here and Abroad - April 24, 2008

NORTHWEST:
--Participants of the popular climbing forum cascadeclimbers.com are planning a picnic for climbers at Woodland Park in Seattle on April 30th. For more information, click here.

--Northwest climber, Colin Haley, will give a slideshow on his ridge traverse of the Torres in Patagonia in Kirkland tonight. Haley tagged the summits of Aguja Standhardt, Punta Herron, Torre Egger, and Cerro Torre with Rolando Garibotti in January. For more information, click here.

--On May 1st, Jennifer Lowe-Anker will talk about her new book, Forget Me Not. The event will take place at the Mountaineers building in Seattle at 7 pm. For more information, click here.

SOUTHWEST:

--Podclimber put together a couple of great reports on the Red Rock Rendezvous. Note that for some reason the host kept calling it the "Red Rocks Rendezvous." Highlights may be found here. The full report may be found here.

--There are a few videos on YouTube of this year's Red Rock Rendezvous. They're a bit amatuerish, but they both provide a taste of the Rendezvous. Find the first one here and the second one here.

MOUNT EVEREST:

Suprisingly enough, things are getting a bit hot in one of the coldest and highest places in the world. This week we decided to devote an entire section to the controversy surrounding the Olympic Torch on Mount Everest.

The Chinese announced that they would carry the Olympic Torch to the top of Mount Everest a year ago. To read the original announcement, click here.

--To facilitate the Olympic Torch run, the Chinese upgraded a road to the mountain. They paved the previously dirt road, finishing it last wednesday.

--In March, the Chinese announced that they would close the north side of the mountain to keep protesters away from the Torch.

--NPR's mid-day news show, The World, had a great story about the Olympic Torch on Mount Everest last week. Scroll down to the middle of the page to find the audio clip.

--In the NPR report, they mention a high altitude protest that took place on Mount Everest last year. This protest was captured on video and posted on YouTube.

--Authorities in Nepal are holding climbers at Camp 2 on Everest until May 10th. A deal between Nepal and China was struck to keep climbers away from the Olympic Torch which is slated to summit from the North Side of the mountain during the first ten days of May.

--It appears that there is a partial communication ban on Everest imposed by the Nepali Military. Click here for more.

--An Italian climber plans to protest China's human rights violations on a series of mountaintops throughout Europe in early May. The protest is set to coincide with the ascent of the Olympic Torch on Everest.

--The Group de Haute Montagne (GHM) -- one of the organizations behind the Piolet d'Or --recently came out against the ascent of Mount Everest with the Olympic Torch. To read a translation of their press release, click here.

--And things just keep getting worse up there. Nepal recently gave security people the right to use deadly force on pro-Tibet protesters on south side of Mount Everest. Read the story here.

--On Tuesday the Chinese banned the press from traveling with the torch to Base Camp due to the "weather." Read more here.

--Rock and Ice reported yesterday that an American Climber was kicked off of Mount Everest for having a pro-Tibet banner in his bag. To read more, click here.

--And with all this stuff going on up there, don't forget that we do have people on the South Side of the mountain. You may read the dispaches from our joint expedition with Adventure Consultants here.

NOTES FROM ALL OVER:

--KGNU -- a community run radio station in Boulder, Colorado -- has started a rock climbing radio show. Climbtalk "is the world's first rock climbing radio show and features climbing news, access info, beta, and interviews with members of the local and international climbing community." To learn more or to listen to the show, click here.

--The American Alpine Club recently announced the winners of two major expedition grants. To read more, click here.

--The month-long HERA Climb for Life event in Metro DC raised $59,000. To read more, click here.

--Over the last couple of years, controversy over the plastic used in Nalgene bottles has grown. Research indicated that a toxic ingredient called bisphenol-a (BPA) used in the plastic could leach into the liquid inside. On friday the New York Times reported that Nalgene would stop using BPA as an ingredient in their bottles. If you currently own a Nalgene bottle, it is likely that it has this ingredient. To find out more, click here. There was a lengthy discussion about the original report concerning BPAs and Nalgene on Supertopo.com back in October.

--The battle between autoblocking devices just got more interesting. First there was the Kong Gigi. It worked, but it wasn't a universal device. Then Petzel came out with the Reverso which was a far more rounded belay device. Not to be outdone, Trango developed the B-52 and Black Diamond developed the Guide XP. Arguably both of these were better than the Reverso. And so now Petzl's come back with a new device to compete with BD and Trango, the Reverso 3. Which one is best? Many of our guides will try out the new device this summer and let you know...

--Looks like there's a problem with size 1.5 Camp Tricams. Read more here.

--Need a new trail, a new outhouse or a new parking lot at your local climbing area? The Access Fund recently developed grants for just such high dollar projects. To find out more, click here. The first set of grants were awarded on April 15th. To see who received the grants and to read about the projects that they are going toward, please click here.

--In the summer of 1958, three English housewives drove 8,000 miles to India. All married to mountaineers they decided to have an adventure of their own. Eve Sims, Anne Davies and Antonia Deacock set their sites on Zanskar; a remote Tibetan Buddhist Kingdom in the Northwest Himalaya, the highest inhabited valley on Earth and one of the last unexplored regions on the map. A phenomenal video of their expedition was recently posted here.

--The 5 Point Adventure Film Festival will run in Carbondale, Colorado May 8th -May 10th. For more info, click here.

--The Outdoor Alliance -- a consortium of outdoor recreation advocates -- posted this video about outdated mining policies on Alpinist.com.

--Clif Bar announced an alliance with TerraCycle to promote the recycling of used energy bar wrappers. Used wrappers will be woven into materials used in outdoor adventure. To read more, click here.

A Short Message from Everest

The AAI/AC Everest Team is currently resting at Base Camp, recovering from a trip to Camp 1. Although the Nepalese army has asserted that teams are no longer allowed to send out dispatches directly from camp, we received a new email from an anonymous source today:

"Experiencing the realities of being under military rule (albeit soft) at Base Camp is a first for me. The collusion of factors (Chinese politics, Olympic Torch, Nepalese elections, the legitimizing of the Maoists who were not long ago 'mass murderers', the Nepalese Army now taking orders from the Maoist Government as it now forms) creates a bizarre and compounding set of circumstances. The reactions of other groups in unspoken compliance . . . it's all part of the rich tapestry of life."

For more Everest news relayed from the AC office, please check out our dispatches webpage: http://www.aai.cc/currentnews/

Conditions Report -- April 23, 2008

RED ROCK CANYON:
--It's been a little bit cooler in the canyon this week. Temperatures are in the seventies in the sun and in the upper-fifties in the shade. There were a few wind events, but it didn't seem to keep people from climbing.

--This website shows hourly trends in Red Rock. This is a good place to see just how much the temperatures vary in the desert between day and night.

--There are open campsites at the 13 Mile Campground.

--The Red Rock Scenic Drive is now open from 6 in the morning until 8 in the evening.

--If you are doing a long route and don’t think that you’ll be back to the car by 8, then be sure to call 702-515-5050 to obtain a late exit permit.

--A new parking lot is currently under construction at the start of the Black Velvet Road. If you wish to climb in Black Velvet Canyon you will need to access it via an alternative route.

CASCADES:

--It snowed throughout the Cascades over the last week. Some areas were definately hit harder than others. There were a few areas where the snow made it all the way down below the foothills and even into the cities.

--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.

--Forecast for the East Slope of the Cascades.

--Forecast for Mount Rainier.

--With the new snow there were places in the Cascades where the avalanche danger grew significantly over the weekend. At least one party was involved in an avalanche. Click here to read the story.

--A video was posted on YouTube of some skiers up at Kendall Ridge near Snoqualmie Pass this weekend. It looks like it's the middle of the winter!

--It looks like the crews are slowly making their way through Washington Pass. The following came to the AAI office from the Washington State Department of Transportation. "We only got 2 inches of new snow this weekend, so crews found nothing to hold them up Monday morning. Most of the crew continues to work clearing the 50-foot piles of snow below LibertyBell Mountain using caterpillars, loaders and excavators instead of snowblowers due to the rocks that came down the avalanche chutes, just east ofWashington Pass. However, we were successful in ferrying the snow blowerspast LB4 so they could start clearing the 1/2 mile from there to WashingtonPass and beyond. Avalanche Control Tech Mike Stanford took two photos showing blowers at work clearing to Washington Pass and two more showing a snow cat and ablower working about 2 miles west of Washington Pass (toward Rainy) below Whistler Mountain." To see the photos, click here.

SIERRA:

--For up to date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.

--Rangers in Yosemite National Park recently posted the following winter backcountry conditions on the NPS website.

ALASKA RANGE:

--The Recreational Forecast for Denali will begin in early May. We expect to start to see reports coming out of the Ruth in the near future as well.

ALPS:

--Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.

--This website has snow reports for ski resorts throughout the Alps.

--This report of a ski tour in the alps is dreadfully out-of-date. But the photos are absolutely stunning. Click here to read the report. If this trip report gets you as psyched as I was reading it, you might want to look into our ski tours in the Alps.

MOUNT EVEREST:

--Summit conditions on Mount Everest are updated every day here. Estimated summit conditions today on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -29 C, winds 54 knots from the northwest and partly cloudy.

Denali Pro Award Winners Announced

The National Park Service (NPS) and Pigeon Mountain Industries (PMI) recognize mountaineering guides Heidi Kloos and Robert Durnell of Mountain Trip International as joint recipients of the Denali Pro Award for their selfless assistance to fellow climbers during a May 2007 rescue effort.

Since its inception in 1998, the Denali Pro program has honored members of the climbing community for exhibiting high standards for safety, self-sufficiency, Leave No Trace ethics, and assisting fellow mountaineers. Throughout each climbing season, rangers award worthy individuals with a Denali Pro lapel pin, the design of which changes from year to year. At the end of each season, mountaineering rangers collectively select a Denali Pro Award winner from the list of pin recipients. The winner, or winners in the event a team is selected, receive a specialized trophy, and their name is added to the Denali Pro Award plaque on display at the Talkeetna Ranger Station.

We are proud to say that over 20 American Alpine Institute Denali guides and clients have received the Pro Pin!

Kloos and Durnell were positioned at the 17,200-foot camp on Denali when they witnessed two climbers from another expedition suffer a 2,000 foot fall on May 17, 2007. Upon arrival at the accident site, the hasty team determined that one of the two climbers had died in the fall, while the other was in serious condition with a compromised airway and active bleeding. The two guides were instrumental in assisting the NPS mountaineering staff in emergency medical treatment and preparation of the surviving patient for evacuation back to the 17,200-foot camp.

After the evacuation was underway, Kloos and Durnell remained at the accident site. On their own volition, they also collected and consolidated the various personal effects that were strewn throughout the fall zone. These difficult tasks were crucial to the eventual recovery effort, as the scene was quickly getting covered by drifting snow and 30 mph winds. Once the personal effects were secured and marked, the two returned to the 17,200-foot camp where they initiated the preparation of food and water for all rescue personnel, as well as the preparation of hot water bottles to help warm the surviving patient. Although the injured climber died the following morning without regaining consciousness, the contributions of Kloos and Durnell helped ensure that everything possible was done in the attempt save the patient.

South District Ranger Daryl Miller said “The efforts of Mountain Trip guides Heidi Kloos and Robert Durnell exemplify the quality of character that the Denali Pro Award seeks to recognize. We thank them for their hard work, and we also thank PMI for helping sustain this important award program.”

Good work Heidi and Robert!

For more information on AAI's Denali Expeditions, please see the Denali program page and the 2008 Denali Team Rosters.

Toproping Sport Climbs

Pulling through the last few moves on “Lude Crude and Misconstrued,” a popular 5.9 located in the Black Corridor of Red Rocks, is not a particularly difficult thing to do. The moves at the top are easy. No instead, the scariest part of the climb is not the climb itself, but the anchors. So many people have put their rope through the chains at the top of the route and then proceeded to toprope or lower off the anchors that the sawing action of hundreds of ropes has nearly eaten them clean through.

This is a chronic problem at sport climbing areas across America. Chain and quicklink anchors are severely damaged due to ignorance or laziness. The problem is most visible however, in places where it is sandy. Once a rope gets sand in the sheath it literally becomes like sandpaper. The repeated sawing action of a moving tensioned rope -- especially one with sand in the sheath -- may severely damage anchor chains in as little as a matter of hours.

The question then must be asked, who is responsible for a newly damaged anchor? Is it the first ascent party's responsibility to replace the anchor? Is it the responsibility of a local guide service? Does it become the problem of local climbing conservation groups? Or are the people who damaged the anchor responsible?


There is no right answer to the preceeding question. I have personally replaced innumerable anchors out of my own pocket. I know a number of others that have the same. We do this because we don't want to see anybody get hurt. But it's not something that we want to do.


Most of us who put up new routes or repair existing climbs simply avoid toproping directly through the chains. Instead, we use a cordelette or a double shoulder-length sling in conjunction with locking carabiners.

To the left is an example of a rope threaded directly through the anchor. Do not do this for anything but a rappel.

On the left-hand side, the anchor is composed of quick links. These are easier to change-out when they are damaged. On the right, the anchor is made up of chain purchased from a hardware store. This is more difficult to replace when damaged.


The photo on the right provides an example of a properly set-up toprope. The anchor is composed of a double shoulder-length sling, tied into a pre-equalized eight. At the bottom, clipped into the power-point (sometimes called the master-point) are two opposite and opposed locking carabiners. This is the best possible system as it meets the requirements for a SRENE or ERNEST anchor and protects the anchor chains from damage.

There are two organizations that are currently replacing bolts and anchors throughout the country. The first is the nonprofit American Safe Climbing Association (ASCA) and the second is the Anchor Replacement Inititive (ARI) sponsored by Climbing magazine, the North Face and Petzl . It is possible to support the ASCA with donations and to support the ARI by purchasing items from their corporate sponsors.

Checking anchors to make sure that they are not damaged, replacing those that are or providing financial support to those who will replace them, and reporting damaged anchors to individuals who will fix them is the responsibility of every climber. But perhaps the greater responsibility is to simply avoid damaging an anchor to begin with.

--Jason D. Martin

Return of the Sunburn...and all is good in the world

I don't have much to say today, except that Sunday at QQ turned into a pretty enjoyable day. I met up with "KITT", "Gecko", and the formerly known as "Asshole", who I have to come up with a new nickname for now that I know his kids look at the pictures. Oops! For the time being, I shall name him "Plymouth".Quincy is a hit or miss place for me. I get bored there easily, mainly because I've done so

Welcome to the Wild West

"It should not be denied... that being footloose has always exhilarated us. It is associated in our minds with escape from history and oppression and law and irksome obligations, with absolute freedom, and the road has always led West." -Wallace StegnerSo I have headed west with a new job and a new set of adventures to go on. Wait, let's back up a minute. For the past eight months I was employed

Book Review -- Alpine Climbing: Techniques to Take You Higher

Alpine Climbing: Techniques to Take You Higher
by Mark Houston and Kathy Cosley
Mountaineers Books; $21.95

Most bookstores and climbing shops have a shelf set aside where one can find a number of “how-to” volumes on alpine climbing and mountaineering. For the aspiring alpinist, picking through such tomes can be a daunting task. Which author has the most experience? Which book is the easiest to read? Which provides the most information? In other words, which of these books is the best? Mountaineers Books has answered each of these questions with their new instructional manual, Alpine Climbing: Techniques to Take You Higher by Mark Houston and Kathy Cosley.

Houston and Cosley have over fifty years of combined experience as instructors, guides, and climbers. They guided for AAI for many years in the Cascades, Alaska Range, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Nepal. This depth of experience in all three capacities is directly reflected in Techniques to Take You Higher. The book is laid out in an easy to read format that addresses everything an alpine climber might need to know. The book starts with the dynamic psychological skill of making informed decisions in the mountains and then works its way through each of the technical skills required for a climber to move safely and effectively in an alpine environment.

One very nice element of the book are anecdotes throughout the text that highlight the value of each chapter’s content. For example, Houston writes about the extraction of a climber from a crevasse who fell in while glissading during a discussion on the dangers of that method of descent; and Cosley writes about dealing with a victim of AMS in a section on altitude illness. These stories scattered throughout the book reemphasize the importance of the skills being discussed while providing entertaining tangents.

Alpine Climbing: Techniques to Take You Higher is an excellent resource for the beginning to intermediate alpinist. Indeed, the collected experiences and instruction of Mark Houston and Kathy Cosley might be well worth a read by even the most seasoned of alpine climbers.

--Jason D. Martin

Comp Season

Just as the bluest of Saturday skies opened up above me, and just as the temperature gauge touched sixty on someone's outdoor thermometer, I pulled into Carabiner's Rock Gym in New Bedford Mass to judge the first of only two competitions that I'll be involved in during the 2008 competition season. The hour-plus drive down from Boston was easy and flowing, as there was little traffic on the road

Get to Know Your Guide: An interview with Mike Powers

Every week, we take the reader into the interesting and ever-changing life of an American Alpine Institute guide. Every AAI guide is very experienced in alpine and rock climbing, and all have received professional training in advanced guiding techniques and rescue. Collectively they have one of the highest levels of wilderness first aid, avalanche, and Leave No Trace training among the world's international guide services. For profiles on all AAI guides, please click here.

This week, we interview Mike Powers.

Age: 49
Hometown: Bend, Oregon
Recent and upcoming trips and expeditions with AAI: I’ll admit my big expeditions are few and far between these days. I recently worked at the Red Rocks Rendezvous and look forward to leading AAI's annual three-week guide training in the North Cascades this May. I always guide for the Institute in the French and Swiss Alps in the sumer, and I'm looking forward to that too.

A Guide's Life
How were you introduced to mountaineering?
I didn’t get started that early; I was perhaps 24 when I first received some formal instruction to climbing. Then I floundered around in typical Northwest mountaineering style for a few years before I was lucky enough to see some other mountain ranges. I also grew up as a skier, and after living in Verbier, Switzerland for a few years in my mid twenties I was exposed to the Alps. I learned that alpinism is a necessary part of off-piste skiing. I also learned that mountaineering doesn’t have to mean 80-pound packs and slogging up snow slopes for a few days at a time. It really opened my eyes to the alpinist experience, and I’ll never forget the excitement and passion I had during those first few years in the Alps.

How do you stay in shape and what are your favorite training activities?
I’m a big fan of cross training and I am taking a bit more of a disciplined approach towards climbing these days. This plan includes doing intervals and maintaining specific aerobic zones, and keeping track of those targets. When I was younger, I would just climb all the time and that seemed to work. Now, as I’ve lost a bit of my height and redistributed it on my belly, I have to be a bit more careful with what I eat and where it ends up. However, I’ve always liked other sports such as biking, table tennis, skiing, and tennis and never really think of those activities as training. I will admit though, that doing one long day a week (such as a 10-12 hour ski tour) is very helpful in preparing for an Aconcagua or Denali West Buttress trip.

Who were some of your climbing partners that had an impact upon you?
Mark Houston, Ave Kvale, and Steve House probably shaped my outcome as much as most anyone else. I’ve learned so much from them, but still continue to curse them when appropriate.

What are your other interests besides climbing?
I’m equally inept at photography, cinematography, coffee roasting and espresso making, crust cruising, and being a good dad and husband. I know I’ll never be very good at any of those but I don’t mind trying.

How do you keep abreast of the latest developments in climbing and guiding?
I attend international guides conferences and periodically teach and examine other guides in the AMGA certification process. I was chairman of the AMGA Technical committee and have really enjoyed debating and developing guiding standards.

Where is your favorite place to travel? Where do you hope to travel to in the future?
I don’t really have a favorite place to travel, but since I’m guilty of spending, oh, twenty seasons in the Alps versus one in Patagonia, I guess that says something. I do like new places but going somewhere is always at the expense of someplace else. I did go to Bhutan for the month of December (with my family) but I’ll admit that that trip, followed by Nepal in January, was a bit long. This was only because my foot was acting up and I couldn’t do as much hiking and exploring as I wanted.

Some other places on my list are: Dolomites, Norway, Cody, Banks Lake, Little Switzerland, Trout Creek, Adirondacks, Hawaii, and especially those places that I never heard of but people tell me that I should go.

Describe your climbing style.
Comfortable. Usually that means having a small pack and being in reasonable shape, but that doesn’t happen nearly enough.

Is there anything you know now that you'd wish you'd known when you were just beginning to climb?
I really wish I wasn’t such a cheapskate when I started to climb. I learned from my friends who didn’t know what they were doing either. If I had a professional guide for a few days at the start, I would have learned some good habits right away and would have progressed much faster and more safely. But I don’t know if it would have been as fun…

There are a few concepts that I think are important when learning to alpine climb:

I like to think that everything comes at a cost. That means that even though small, seemingly minor motions like tying a safety back up knot on my figure eight could seem like a good idea, there are downsides like less rope available for the lead, it is slower to tie in, and slower to change the length of the rope. Also, I think it’s important to determine the likelihood and consequence of a fall and to use that to determine how to move (whether it’s putting on crampons, building anchors, etc.)

I also like the idea of managing only the risk and hazards you are exposed to and can effectively manage at a certain time. It’s easy to turn back for some perceived risk up above that may or may not come true.

To get a better sense of this please come do guides training with me this May!

When you guide, what piece of advice do you find you give most often to climbers?
Stop fussing with your gear and keep moving. In a nice way.

Tell us about some of your favorite AAI trips.
Certainly. Waddington, my first Moose’s Tooth trip, and my first Alps trilogy were great trips, although they all happened a few years ago (mid nineties). I know it’s funny to look back and say those were the good old days, since they certainly continue today (as I’ll look back 15 years from now). But all those trips I just mentioned were done with great climbers and working aside another AAI guide; we felt like we were doing what we really loved in life and also making it our profession.

Of course, none of those trips compares to a certain Red Rocks climbing trip I did in 1997. However, I don’t think the director of AAI (Dunham Gooding) will allow me to divulge the details. [Editor’s note: since more than ten years have passed, the AAI statute of limitations is in effect. There was romance with a client which evolved to a marriage. In truth, the transgression was forgiven and the marriage was greatly celebrated.]

What are your must-haves (e.g. favorite foods, equipment)?
Absolutely none. Should I have some?

Immediate family:
Wife Carla, six year-old son Sameer, and five year-old dog Shuksan