This is the time that all of us Weekend Warriors dream about...the incredible 3-day weekend! With a whole extra day of climbing available the realm of weekend objectives opens up. Suddenly those longer climbs on your tick list are possible and now comes the hard part...deciding what to climb. Well, I hope your decision making process goes smoother than mine and you are able to get out and have some serious fun this weekend!! These videos should get you psyched for whatever comes your way. Enjoy!
The first video for you features some serious hang time. Watch as Jaime Pierre hucks himself off a massive cliff on skies in a world record attempt. I don't want to spoil the ending but I'll just say that I'm glad that was a powder day when he did this.
The second video on the line-up will take you on a magical voyage to the beautiful country of Ecuador. There are a number of incredible volcanoes in Ecuador that you can climb and this video in particular documents the 19,348 ft Cotopaxi. It sounds like a very windy trip but one that would be worth climbing if you just happen to be in the neighborhood.
I couldn't do a video blog without including at least one rock climbing video, I guess I'm just a little biased. This one in particular is a semi old-school segment that documents that crazy Dean Potter soloing the Nose on El Capitan. Apparently Dean isn't very frightened by exposure...
Mount Baker By the Numbers
1984Year Mt. Baker Wilderness was created by the Washington Wilderness Act.
1,329,950 acres
Total area of Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
117,500 acres
Total area of Mt. Baker Wilderness Area.
40 Miles
Amount of shared boundary between Mt. Baker Wilderness Area and the North Cascades National Park (east side).
10,781 Feet
Elevation of Mount Baker.
25 Years
Time period when glaciers advance on Mount Baker (1950-1975); since then they have been receding.
13
Number of glaciers on Mount Baker.
291,043,600 Feet
Area of Coleman Glacier (largest glacier on Baker).
50+
Successful AAI Mount Baker Summits in the Summer of 2008.
Climbing News from Here and Abroad -- August 28, 2008
Northwest:
--Last week a large group of skiers and snowboarders got together in Mount Rainier National Park to participate in the sixth annual Turns-All-Year Slush Cup. This event requires wildly costumed participants to ski down a slope and across a body of water. The following photos of the event were provided to us by Andre Nguyen:
--Two Seattle teenagers were pinned under massive blocks of snow and ice for five hours this last Thursday. Alessandro Gelmini and Alec Corbett were exploring snow caves near Snoqualmie Pass when one of the caves collapsed. Both boys sustained serious injuries, but survived.
--Three teenagers were rescued from Three Fingers mountain yesterday. Two seventeen year-olds and one sixteen year old from the Marysville area spent the night at the 5,500 foot level. They were found by a SAR team early in the morning and were hiked out shortly thereafter.
--AAI Guide Alasdair Turner recently launched a website that features his mountain photography.
--Northwest climber Steph Abegg put together a website that compares mountaineering photos from today with those that her parents took nearly thirty years ago. In some cases the glaciers look radically different, in others they don't.
Alps:
--A massive avalanche swept down Mont Blanc on Sunday capturing fifteen climbers. Eight climbers were killed in one of the most serious tragedies to hit the Alps in decades.
--A small team of Italians established a new rock route on the east-southeast face of Punta (10,154'), a granite tower on the east flank of the Dent de Jetoula (10,846') above the Rochefort Glacier. The new line requires climbing up to 5.11b, A0.
Himalaya:
--Slovenian alpinist Pavle Kozjek is missing on the Muztagh Tower (23,897') in Pakistan's Karakoram range. Though the details are scarce, it appears that Kozjek and his partners set-up a tent near a cornice. Kozjek approached the edge and fell.
--On August 1, 2008, Spanish climbers Alberto Inurrategi, Ferran Latorre, Jose Carlos Tamayo, Juan Vallejo and Miguel Zabaleza made the fifth ascent of Gasherbrum IV (26,000'), in the Karakoram of Pakistan.
Notes from All Over:
--Fifty-Nine year old New Zealand climbing guide, Gottlieb Braun-Elwert died while guiding the New Zealand Prime Minister and her husband. The group had just returned to their hut after a day of ski touring when Braun-Elwert collapsed, the apparent victim of a heart-attack. The group performed CPR on the man for two and a half hours to no avail.
--Last week a large group of skiers and snowboarders got together in Mount Rainier National Park to participate in the sixth annual Turns-All-Year Slush Cup. This event requires wildly costumed participants to ski down a slope and across a body of water. The following photos of the event were provided to us by Andre Nguyen:
--Two Seattle teenagers were pinned under massive blocks of snow and ice for five hours this last Thursday. Alessandro Gelmini and Alec Corbett were exploring snow caves near Snoqualmie Pass when one of the caves collapsed. Both boys sustained serious injuries, but survived.
--Three teenagers were rescued from Three Fingers mountain yesterday. Two seventeen year-olds and one sixteen year old from the Marysville area spent the night at the 5,500 foot level. They were found by a SAR team early in the morning and were hiked out shortly thereafter.
--AAI Guide Alasdair Turner recently launched a website that features his mountain photography.
--Northwest climber Steph Abegg put together a website that compares mountaineering photos from today with those that her parents took nearly thirty years ago. In some cases the glaciers look radically different, in others they don't.Alps:
--A massive avalanche swept down Mont Blanc on Sunday capturing fifteen climbers. Eight climbers were killed in one of the most serious tragedies to hit the Alps in decades.
--A small team of Italians established a new rock route on the east-southeast face of Punta (10,154'), a granite tower on the east flank of the Dent de Jetoula (10,846') above the Rochefort Glacier. The new line requires climbing up to 5.11b, A0.
Himalaya:
--Slovenian alpinist Pavle Kozjek is missing on the Muztagh Tower (23,897') in Pakistan's Karakoram range. Though the details are scarce, it appears that Kozjek and his partners set-up a tent near a cornice. Kozjek approached the edge and fell.
--On August 1, 2008, Spanish climbers Alberto Inurrategi, Ferran Latorre, Jose Carlos Tamayo, Juan Vallejo and Miguel Zabaleza made the fifth ascent of Gasherbrum IV (26,000'), in the Karakoram of Pakistan.
Notes from All Over:
--Fifty-Nine year old New Zealand climbing guide, Gottlieb Braun-Elwert died while guiding the New Zealand Prime Minister and her husband. The group had just returned to their hut after a day of ski touring when Braun-Elwert collapsed, the apparent victim of a heart-attack. The group performed CPR on the man for two and a half hours to no avail.
Labor Day Weekend and Beyond...
I swear summer just arrived in the park about a month or so ago and now it already feels like fall. Sure, it isn't fall YET, as the equinox isn't until Sept. 22, but those folks who have spent a day or two up on the mountain recently may argue that fall is in full effect. A quick check of telemetry up at Camp Muir over the past few days shows below average temperatures this week. In fact, the thermometer didn't go above 50 degrees and in addition to the cold, the wind speeds have steadily averaged 30-40 mph, with spikes reaching 63, 66 and 71. Brrr...Average high and low temperatures for the month of August at Paradise are generally 63 and and 43 degrees respectively. These days, however, visitors on Rainier are donning fleece jackets, wool hats and even a scarf or two - one doesn’t need a thermometer to guess that the temperatures have been closer to our average lows than highs. With Labor Day Weekend ahead, let’s hope this trend doesn’t extend much longer. A look at the extended forecast provides some hope, but we'll see... Perhaps next week will be different?
Speaking of next week...The public shelter up at Camp Muir will be closed from Tuesday, September 2 thru September 9th. The closure is to complete historic renovations and repairs to the buildings. Therefore, all climbers should be prepared to camp - all parties will need to bring their own shelter. NO EXCEPTIONS.Some pros and cons to this colder and also wetter weather:
Pros: There is new snow on the mountain, so things are looking beautiful with the fresh coat of snow. The DC is still in great shape (check out the new conditions report), unlike last year (check out our archived 2007 DC fall route reports). Remember that climbers had to veer way out onto the Emmons Shoulder and descend below the Cleaver to climb back to Ingraham Flats.
Cons: Alpine Ascent International (AAI) guides reported that it snowed over a foot on the mountain last Tuesday and Wednesday. The drifts were as high as 3 feet too! Fresh snow on the route meant that climbers will once again have to be cautious of avalanches. AAI kicked off a small slab on their descent through Cathedral Gap BUT it wasn't large enough to wipe out a person... Still, we have concern and want you to know.
So everyone, be prepared for cooler temps, rain at lower elevations and snow on the upper mountain. This shouldn't be a problem for those Pacific Northwest souls accustom to this sort of climate, but those visiting from other places (that actually still enjoy summer temps well into September) should be prepared for the wintry conditions.
Conditions Report -- August 27, 2008
NORTHWEST:
--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.
--Forecast for Mount Rainier.
--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
--Climbers and hikers should be aware that on September 1st the hunting season for grouse and doves opens in Washington. In theory, these hunters are supposed to wear orange.
--Last week the rain made the rivers rise. The following photo of AAI guide Kurt Hicks was taken by Jefferson L. Morriss. This creek -- found on the approach to the north side of Mount Baker -- was so high, that our guides had to rig a tyrolean to get across it.
--Temperatures continue to be warm on the east side of the mountains with cooler temperatures appearing on the west side. Last week we saw heavy rain throughout the range. By the time the weekend rolled around, things got a little better. A party climbed the East Ridge of Forbidden, another party climbed the Dorado Needle, and people are definitely still getting up the North Ridge of Mount Baker.
--Some skiers just never quit! This guy skied the Quien Sabe Glacier on Sahale Peak this weekend. These guys skied the Muir Snowfield. And this party went skiing on Mount Baker.
SIERRA:
--For up to date avalanche and weather reports in the E astern Sierra, click here.
--Here is a picture heavy trip report from a party that climbed Matterhorn Peak. Here is a slightly outdated trip report from the Middle Palisade. And here is a multi-peak trip report to the Sierra that features Bear Creek Spire.
ALASKA RANGE:
--Forecast for Denali
--The Alaska season is over until April of 2009.
RED ROCK CANYON:
-- Temperatures remain high in Red Rock, but people are starting to gear up for the Fall climbing season. Average highs throughout the summer range between 102 and 108. The campground is closed and will re-open next week!
CLIMBING MAGAZINE WEATHER:
Climbing Magazine weather reports for Yosemite, Denali and Rainier may be found here.
--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.
--Forecast for the East Slope of the Cascades.
--Forecast for Mount Rainier.
--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
--Climbers and hikers should be aware that on September 1st the hunting season for grouse and doves opens in Washington. In theory, these hunters are supposed to wear orange.
--Last week the rain made the rivers rise. The following photo of AAI guide Kurt Hicks was taken by Jefferson L. Morriss. This creek -- found on the approach to the north side of Mount Baker -- was so high, that our guides had to rig a tyrolean to get across it.
--Temperatures continue to be warm on the east side of the mountains with cooler temperatures appearing on the west side. Last week we saw heavy rain throughout the range. By the time the weekend rolled around, things got a little better. A party climbed the East Ridge of Forbidden, another party climbed the Dorado Needle, and people are definitely still getting up the North Ridge of Mount Baker.--Some skiers just never quit! This guy skied the Quien Sabe Glacier on Sahale Peak this weekend. These guys skied the Muir Snowfield. And this party went skiing on Mount Baker.
SIERRA:
--For up to date avalanche and weather reports in the E astern Sierra, click here.
--Here is a picture heavy trip report from a party that climbed Matterhorn Peak. Here is a slightly outdated trip report from the Middle Palisade. And here is a multi-peak trip report to the Sierra that features Bear Creek Spire.
ALPS:
--Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.
--AAI guide Dylan Taylor and former AAI program coordinator Natasha Caldwell were at the Victor Emmanual Hut in the Alps when a massive rock avalanche swept down the mountain. There were no injuries, but all of the guests at the hut were evacuated. Dylan took the following photos of the rockfall and the evacuation:
The rock avalanche from the hut.
Natasha on her way to the helicopter.
--AAI guide Dylan Taylor and former AAI program coordinator Natasha Caldwell were at the Victor Emmanual Hut in the Alps when a massive rock avalanche swept down the mountain. There were no injuries, but all of the guests at the hut were evacuated. Dylan took the following photos of the rockfall and the evacuation:
People running from the rockfall.
The rock avalanche from the hut.
Natasha on her way to the helicopter.--Forecast for Denali
--The Alaska season is over until April of 2009.
RED ROCK CANYON:
-- Temperatures remain high in Red Rock, but people are starting to gear up for the Fall climbing season. Average highs throughout the summer range between 102 and 108. The campground is closed and will re-open next week!
CLIMBING MAGAZINE WEATHER:
Climbing Magazine weather reports for Yosemite, Denali and Rainier may be found here.
Get Involved with Denali National Park's Road Vehicle Management Plan
We recently received the following email from Denali National Park:
Denali National Park Needs Your Help
You can make an important contribution to the future of Denali National
Park and Preserve by becoming involved in the Denali Park Road Vehicle
Management Plan.
The National Park Service intends to develop and implement a plan to manage
vehicles and address carrying capacity (the maximum number of vehicles)
that can be accommodated on the Denali Park Road May - September. We are
interested in your ideas on how we can best provide for a high quality
visitor experience while protecting wilderness resource values, scenic
values, wildlife, and other park resources, and maintain the unique
character of the park road.
Please join us at a scheduled public scoping meeting or send us your
comments. Scoping comments help us to identify the issues of the project
and will be most useful if received by September 30, 2008.
The attached newsletter contains project information, contact information,
and a schedule for the upcoming public meetings in September. This
newsletter is also available on our website at:
http://www.nps.gov/dena/parkmgmt/roadvehmgteis.htm
Denali National Park Needs Your Help
You can make an important contribution to the future of Denali National
Park and Preserve by becoming involved in the Denali Park Road Vehicle
Management Plan.
The National Park Service intends to develop and implement a plan to manage
vehicles and address carrying capacity (the maximum number of vehicles)
that can be accommodated on the Denali Park Road May - September. We are
interested in your ideas on how we can best provide for a high quality
visitor experience while protecting wilderness resource values, scenic
values, wildlife, and other park resources, and maintain the unique
character of the park road.
Please join us at a scheduled public scoping meeting or send us your
comments. Scoping comments help us to identify the issues of the project
and will be most useful if received by September 30, 2008.
The attached newsletter contains project information, contact information,
and a schedule for the upcoming public meetings in September. This
newsletter is also available on our website at:
http://www.nps.gov/dena/parkmgmt/roadvehmgteis.htm
August E-Newsletter Released!
AAI's August E-Newsletter has just been released - to read the online version click here. This month's newsletter is filled with program highlights from Red Rocks, Ecuador, and Sierra, as well as trip reports from Bolivia, Peru, and Alaska.Included are expert tips written by long-time guide Jason Martin and a feature article on the St. Elias Range by guide Ben Traxler. This month's report also highlights the new Guides Choice winners, and has a link to the newest photo contest.
If you would like to receive future newsletters, click here and go to our home page.
Read the August E-Newsletter
Read Archived E-Newsletters
"The Burrito" Hypothermia Wrap
Perhaps one of the most common and most dangerous ailments to affect the outdoor traveler is hypothermia. And though many factors may lead to hypothermia it is most commonly the result of wet clothing, a cold environment or improper clothing.
Most climbers encounter the onset of mild hypothermia at one point or another during their careers. Many of us have certainly hung at a belay station, shivering, and wondering why we didn't bring that extra jacket. But for most of us, things never get any worse than that.
The Mayo Clinic has an excellent description online of hypothermia and its treatment. As most of us will never encounter hypothermia in a context where a patient could be warmed in a hospital, some of the information on the site does not pertain to us. However the following description of what to look for is incredibly pertinent to the backcountry traveler.
Thermal Burrito or Hypo-Wrap
A Themal Burrito
From the Wilderness Medicine Institute Website
Hypothermia is a dangerous and often hidden predator in the backcountry. There is no question that the best way to deal with it is to completely avoid it. The best way to completely avoid it is to pay attention to yourself as well as to those around you. Wear appropriate clothing for your environment and try to keep things dry.
--Jason D. Martin
Most climbers encounter the onset of mild hypothermia at one point or another during their careers. Many of us have certainly hung at a belay station, shivering, and wondering why we didn't bring that extra jacket. But for most of us, things never get any worse than that.
The Mayo Clinic has an excellent description online of hypothermia and its treatment. As most of us will never encounter hypothermia in a context where a patient could be warmed in a hospital, some of the information on the site does not pertain to us. However the following description of what to look for is incredibly pertinent to the backcountry traveler.
Hypothermia usually occurs gradually. Often, people aren't aware that they need help, much less medical attention.Severe hypothermia in the field requires immediate attention. Wilderness medicine providers have devised a simple treatment which relies on a variety of materials that most backcountry travelers normally carry. They use these pieces of equipment to create a "themal burrito" or a "hypo-wrap."
Common signs to look for are shivering, which is your body's attempt to generate heat through muscle activity, and the "-umbles":
* Stumbles
* Mumbles
* Fumbles
* Grumbles
These behaviors may be a result of changes in consciousness and motor coordination caused by hypothermia. Other hypothermia symptoms may include:
* Slurred speech
* Abnormally slow rate of breathing
* Cold, pale skin
* Fatigue, lethargy or apathy
The severity of hypothermia can vary, depending on how low your core body temperature goes. Severe hypothermia eventually leads to cardiac and respiratory failure, then death.
Thermal Burrito or Hypo-Wrap
- Lay out a tarp on the ground.
- Place 1 or 2 pads down on top of the tarp. Two pads are always better than one.
- Stack three sleeping bags on top of the pads.
- Place the victim inside the sleeping bag in the middle.
- Wrap the victim in the tarp.
- Provide the victim with hot water bottles. These should be placed under the arms and at the crotch. Additional bottles may be held or placed at the victim's feet.
A Themal BurritoFrom the Wilderness Medicine Institute Website
Hypothermia is a dangerous and often hidden predator in the backcountry. There is no question that the best way to deal with it is to completely avoid it. The best way to completely avoid it is to pay attention to yourself as well as to those around you. Wear appropriate clothing for your environment and try to keep things dry.
--Jason D. Martin
September and October Climbing Events
--September 4 -- Vancouver, BC -- Reel Rock Film Tour
--September 6 -- Rifle, CO -- Rifle Clean-Up Party
--September 5-7 -- Pine Mountain, CA -- Pine Mountain Pulldown
--September 5-7 -- Adirondacks, NY -- Adirondack Southern Rock Festival
--September 6 -- Charlotte, NC -- Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up
--September 13-14 -- Seattle, WA -- Adventures in Travel Expo
--September 18 -- Bozeman, MT -- Alpinist Film Festival Tour
--September 6 -- Rifle, CO -- Rifle Clean-Up Party
--September 5-7 -- Pine Mountain, CA -- Pine Mountain Pulldown
--September 5-7 -- Adirondacks, NY -- Adirondack Southern Rock Festival
--September 6 -- Charlotte, NC -- Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up
--September 13-14 -- Seattle, WA -- Adventures in Travel Expo
--September 18 -- Bozeman, MT -- Alpinist Film Festival Tour
--September 18-21 -- Salt Lake City, UT -- HERA Climb for Life
--September 18-21 -- Ogden, UT -- Utah's High Adventure Mountain Film Fest
--September 24-28 -- Yosemite Valley, CA -- Yosemite Facelift
--September 29 -- Eugene, OR -- Justen Sjong Slideshow
--October 3-9 -- Indian Creek, UT -- Internationalize Indian Creek
--October 10-12 -- Front Range, CO -- AAC's Inaugural Craggin' Classic
--October 16 -- Seattle, WA -- Reel Rock Film Tour
--October 17 -- Las Vegas, NV -- Reel Rock Film Tour
--September-November -- Various Other Locations -- Reel Rock Film Tour
Belaying a Leader with a GriGri
A large percentage of those who use a GriGri to belay a leader use the device improperly. Many climbers have the bad habit of holding down the locking mechanism while feeding out rope to a leader. If the leader falls while the mechanism is disengaged, it is possible that he could deck.
Petzl recently posted the following instructional video on their website. The video identifies two techniques that might be employed to safely and effectively belay a leader.
Petzl recently posted the following instructional video on their website. The video identifies two techniques that might be employed to safely and effectively belay a leader.
Weekend Warrior -- Videos to Get You Stoked!
Hello again Weekend Warriors!
Brrrrrrrr......talk about a cold week in the mountains of the North Cascades. Luckily for you, these videos have been specially selected to help light the fires and get the blood pumping again for this weekend. It is a good thing too, because it looks like Mother Nature's weather plan is going to be back on our side.
This video is going to tug on those heart strings...which is the ideal place to start if you are trying to get your blood pumping for this weekend. If there are any of you out there who have been following the Weekend Warrior video blogs you will remember a few weeks ago a movie trailer for "Blindsight". Unfortunately the link didn't work but the story is incredible nonetheless. This similar video is called "Light in the Himalayas" and documents a group of dedicated climbers giving back to the blind Nepalese community. Truly heartwarming.
So, now that your heart is nice and warm let's switch gears and watch some seriously intense ice climbing. This video, "Ice Axis", will elevate your heart rate and get the blood pumping to your arms and legs as you watch climber Rich Purnell struggle up a crazy mixed line. This video also features some Matrix-esque camera work...pretty impressive for a bunch of climber/filmmakers.
I hope that last video got your blood pumping because this one is going to make you sweat. It is yet another movie trailer from Peter Mortimer, I'm a big fan in case you haven't noticed, called "First Ascent". I heard a lot of hype when this movie came out and haven't yet watched it, but after seeing this video I'm heading straight to the movie store after work to check it out. Enjoy!
Brrrrrrrr......talk about a cold week in the mountains of the North Cascades. Luckily for you, these videos have been specially selected to help light the fires and get the blood pumping again for this weekend. It is a good thing too, because it looks like Mother Nature's weather plan is going to be back on our side.
This video is going to tug on those heart strings...which is the ideal place to start if you are trying to get your blood pumping for this weekend. If there are any of you out there who have been following the Weekend Warrior video blogs you will remember a few weeks ago a movie trailer for "Blindsight". Unfortunately the link didn't work but the story is incredible nonetheless. This similar video is called "Light in the Himalayas" and documents a group of dedicated climbers giving back to the blind Nepalese community. Truly heartwarming.
So, now that your heart is nice and warm let's switch gears and watch some seriously intense ice climbing. This video, "Ice Axis", will elevate your heart rate and get the blood pumping to your arms and legs as you watch climber Rich Purnell struggle up a crazy mixed line. This video also features some Matrix-esque camera work...pretty impressive for a bunch of climber/filmmakers.
I hope that last video got your blood pumping because this one is going to make you sweat. It is yet another movie trailer from Peter Mortimer, I'm a big fan in case you haven't noticed, called "First Ascent". I heard a lot of hype when this movie came out and haven't yet watched it, but after seeing this video I'm heading straight to the movie store after work to check it out. Enjoy!
Colorful Cascades Sunrise
There was a beautiful sunrise in northwest Washington this morning. These shots were taken by an AAI long-time-friend and widely published photographer Keith Gunnar. They were taken from Keith’s home on the southern end of Whidbey island with some small (nearly-coastal) peaks of the northern Cascades in the distance.
Keith, who has been photographing such things for many decades said, “We had one of the most spectacular sunrises I've ever seen today. The whole eastern sky was exploding with color, and there was an unusual pillar of light from the sun. Cascade Mountains nicely silhouetted. Very dramatic!”
Thanks Keith!
Keith, who has been photographing such things for many decades said, “We had one of the most spectacular sunrises I've ever seen today. The whole eastern sky was exploding with color, and there was an unusual pillar of light from the sun. Cascade Mountains nicely silhouetted. Very dramatic!”
Thanks Keith!
Summer Snowfall and Slush Cup
What do you get when you combine an unsatiable hunger for ski and snowboard "turns all year" (TAY), a slushy snow slope, a pond and some folks dressed up to the nines in costumes resembling some of Stan Lee's worst superhero nightmares? Give up?...You get the 6th annual Snow Cup! Last Sunday, skiers and boarders gathered on Pinnacle Peak to enjoy some of the last remainders of the summer snow atop Pinnacle Peak, then skiing or boarding down the slope into the waiting pond below (Brrr...) The TAY enthusiasts will be excited to know that this week's stormy weather (though a disappointment for those climbers stuck on the mountain) brought plenty of fresh snow to the upper mountain, coating the routes and improving conditions for more summer climbing and turns. We heard that it snowed about 6 inches up at Camp Muir, and the wind created snowdrifts almost a foot high in spots! Rangers climbing up Disappointment Cleaver on Friday morning report that climbing the cleaver was much easier than it has been over the past few weeks, and the DC remains in great condition.
Slush Cup was a lively event once again - those folks throw quite a party! Participants almost equaled their spectators, and even the climbers perched atop Castle Peak enjoyed the entertainment, as the costumed skiers and boarders skimmed across the tarn at the base of Pinnacle. Afterwards, the crowd gathered at Reflection Lakes for a tailgate party, feeding skiers and hungry tourists alike. The TAY crew searches out the best that Mount Rainier has to offer, hitting its creamy white slopes every month of the year. The best part of the whole event - they leave nary a trace of being there. They display love and appreciation for the Mountain and respect for the Park...well done! We look forward to the 7th annual event and will keep our eyes open for the invite next time.
Rope Flossing
Flossing is a practice recommended by most dentists, but in the mountains flossing can be bad for you. “Rope Flossing” is a potentially fatal exercise that should be avoided at all costs.
In the mountains, “getting flossed” refers to being plucked off the mountain by the rope of another climbing team. The consequences for such an event are usually tragic, and constitute yet another objective hazard that climbing parties should be aware of. In busy mountain ranges such as the alps, thousands of climbers with a varying array of ability levels attempt hundreds of classic routes daily. Here in Chamonix, accident data is not reported as conveniently as it is in Accidents in North American Mountaineering, but I do know that the PGHM rescue helicopter does upwards of 12 rescue flights daily. You can bet that a team or two has been “flossed” over the years.
At times, rope-flossing has been a real threat to my safety and the safety of others around me. I have arrived at route bottlenecks in the past only to find groups of four to six climbers all tied together on the same rope, with 10 or 15 meters of slack between them - most of which is being held uselessly in their hands. Their blank expressions and blinking eyes often signify a level of ignorance and maladroitness that I find frightening. The most stated justification for this technique that I have heard stems from the irrational “safety in numbers” heuristics trap, based on the assumption that the chance of something going wrong diminishes as the group size increases. There is often no running belay (protection points) between them, nor do many of these teams have a grasp of using existing terrain (horns, flakes, etc) to their advantage. It begs the question, what will happen if one team member falls? I don't waste time trying to answer the question - my priority is to either pass or bail ASAP. Poor rope-work and dangerously large group sizes have led me to suggest to some rope teams (who peculiarly seem to arrive from the eastern European countries) that they should A), divide their rope team into smaller ones, or B) that they should put the rope away and climb unroped. It may seem crazy, but a poorly-used rope is often more dangerous than none at all. At least that way only one person at a time can fall....
I was told a story by a colleague about a large group of climbers (Seven) he encountered on Mt Blanc who were traversing the Grande Couloir and were making their way up the loose rock on the other side. The slack rope between them was dislodging many stones, and their pace was at a stand-still (at the most dangerous part of the route). Out came my colleagues’ knife, and the seven-person team became two 2-man teams and one 3-man team. There was little argument when the knife began slashing sheath and core.
The most famous example of rope-flossing in recent history was prominently displayed in the 2001 Sony Pictures abomination Vertical Limit. In the beginning of the film, a critical error (one only possibl
e in hollywood-land) causes a rope-team of two to fall simultaneously off of a multi-pitch tower in the Arizona desert. Below them, Royce Garrett belays his son and daughter Peter and Annie Garrett while they follow his pitch. The rope between the two falling victims flosses the father from his belay station (i am not sure how his body is able to withstand the force of the fall-factor 10+ fall from above while his anchor fails, but physics must not work the same way in Hollywood...) In series, Royce pulls off Peter, who pulls off Annie, until five dangling and spinning people are stopped by a #3 and #5 metolius camming unit (gosh I love those sizes). As is customary whenever climbing is portrayed in a Hollywood film, the knife comes out eventually to cut the rope - in this case it’s the father who pays the ultimate sacrifice so that his two children can survive in order to endure an incredibly contrived and totally improbable half-baked climbing epic on K2 later in the film (For more examples of knives and climbing ropes, read or watch Touching the Void, The Eiger Sanction, Cliffhanger, or any James Bond film).
More recently, in May of 2002, there was a high profile rope-flossing incident on Mt Hood. A four-person team fell from near the summit and were not able to arrest their fall. Their rope snagged a team of five during the fall, until two rope-teams (9 people) were tumbling down the slope. The teams slid into a bergschrund at the bottom, and three climbers were killed, while three were critically injured. The accident underscored the limited threshold at which self-arrest is a viable means of stopping a sliding rope team - sometimes the slope is just too steep for self arrest to be appropriate, and more secure techniques should be used, such as the placement of snow pickets, the use of belays and stances, etc. Perhaps in extreme circumstances, no rope at all could be safer. The public’s attention to the accident was unfortunately distracted by the subsequent crash of the Blackhawk rescue helicopte dispatched to the scene.
The rope is a tool that is effective only when used properly. It can provide a great service to the climbers tied to it by keeping them attached to one another, but also hopefully attached to the mountain. Proactive self-education in the form of taking courses and reading how-to books such as Mark Houston and Cathy Cosley’s Alpine Climbing: Techniques to Take You Higher go a long way in providing climbers with the skills to make well-informed decisions on how best to employ the rope as a tool of safety and security, not one of hollywood mayhem.
--Dylan Taylor
In the mountains, “getting flossed” refers to being plucked off the mountain by the rope of another climbing team. The consequences for such an event are usually tragic, and constitute yet another objective hazard that climbing parties should be aware of. In busy mountain ranges such as the alps, thousands of climbers with a varying array of ability levels attempt hundreds of classic routes daily. Here in Chamonix, accident data is not reported as conveniently as it is in Accidents in North American Mountaineering, but I do know that the PGHM rescue helicopter does upwards of 12 rescue flights daily. You can bet that a team or two has been “flossed” over the years.
At times, rope-flossing has been a real threat to my safety and the safety of others around me. I have arrived at route bottlenecks in the past only to find groups of four to six climbers all tied together on the same rope, with 10 or 15 meters of slack between them - most of which is being held uselessly in their hands. Their blank expressions and blinking eyes often signify a level of ignorance and maladroitness that I find frightening. The most stated justification for this technique that I have heard stems from the irrational “safety in numbers” heuristics trap, based on the assumption that the chance of something going wrong diminishes as the group size increases. There is often no running belay (protection points) between them, nor do many of these teams have a grasp of using existing terrain (horns, flakes, etc) to their advantage. It begs the question, what will happen if one team member falls? I don't waste time trying to answer the question - my priority is to either pass or bail ASAP. Poor rope-work and dangerously large group sizes have led me to suggest to some rope teams (who peculiarly seem to arrive from the eastern European countries) that they should A), divide their rope team into smaller ones, or B) that they should put the rope away and climb unroped. It may seem crazy, but a poorly-used rope is often more dangerous than none at all. At least that way only one person at a time can fall....I was told a story by a colleague about a large group of climbers (Seven) he encountered on Mt Blanc who were traversing the Grande Couloir and were making their way up the loose rock on the other side. The slack rope between them was dislodging many stones, and their pace was at a stand-still (at the most dangerous part of the route). Out came my colleagues’ knife, and the seven-person team became two 2-man teams and one 3-man team. There was little argument when the knife began slashing sheath and core.
The most famous example of rope-flossing in recent history was prominently displayed in the 2001 Sony Pictures abomination Vertical Limit. In the beginning of the film, a critical error (one only possibl
e in hollywood-land) causes a rope-team of two to fall simultaneously off of a multi-pitch tower in the Arizona desert. Below them, Royce Garrett belays his son and daughter Peter and Annie Garrett while they follow his pitch. The rope between the two falling victims flosses the father from his belay station (i am not sure how his body is able to withstand the force of the fall-factor 10+ fall from above while his anchor fails, but physics must not work the same way in Hollywood...) In series, Royce pulls off Peter, who pulls off Annie, until five dangling and spinning people are stopped by a #3 and #5 metolius camming unit (gosh I love those sizes). As is customary whenever climbing is portrayed in a Hollywood film, the knife comes out eventually to cut the rope - in this case it’s the father who pays the ultimate sacrifice so that his two children can survive in order to endure an incredibly contrived and totally improbable half-baked climbing epic on K2 later in the film (For more examples of knives and climbing ropes, read or watch Touching the Void, The Eiger Sanction, Cliffhanger, or any James Bond film).More recently, in May of 2002, there was a high profile rope-flossing incident on Mt Hood. A four-person team fell from near the summit and were not able to arrest their fall. Their rope snagged a team of five during the fall, until two rope-teams (9 people) were tumbling down the slope. The teams slid into a bergschrund at the bottom, and three climbers were killed, while three were critically injured. The accident underscored the limited threshold at which self-arrest is a viable means of stopping a sliding rope team - sometimes the slope is just too steep for self arrest to be appropriate, and more secure techniques should be used, such as the placement of snow pickets, the use of belays and stances, etc. Perhaps in extreme circumstances, no rope at all could be safer. The public’s attention to the accident was unfortunately distracted by the subsequent crash of the Blackhawk rescue helicopte dispatched to the scene.
The rope is a tool that is effective only when used properly. It can provide a great service to the climbers tied to it by keeping them attached to one another, but also hopefully attached to the mountain. Proactive self-education in the form of taking courses and reading how-to books such as Mark Houston and Cathy Cosley’s Alpine Climbing: Techniques to Take You Higher go a long way in providing climbers with the skills to make well-informed decisions on how best to employ the rope as a tool of safety and security, not one of hollywood mayhem.
--Dylan Taylor
Climbing News from Here and Abroad -- August 21, 2008
Northwest:
--A massive marijuana growing operation was recently found in the North Cascades National Park Complex. Officials which raided the farm this week indicated that it contained over 16,700 plants. The sophisticated farmers downed trees, terraced hills and diverted creeks for irrigation. As of yet, no arrests have been made. To read more, click here.
--Bellingham climber, Blake Herrington wrote an engaging article on Alpinist.com about his accidental first ascent of a new route on Castle Peak in the North Cascades. To read the article, click here.
--A party did a speed run on the Ptarmigan Traverse this week. It appears that they completed the entire span of the route -- which usually takes five to seven days -- in 18 hours and 10 minutes. A few years ago a couple of our guides were able to do it in 15 hours and 40 minutes. The traverse has been skied in a day on a number of occasions. To read more, click here.
Himalya:
--Nazir Sabir, a Pakistani climber with intimate knowledge of the August 1st K2 disaster which claimed 11 lives, has written an open letter to Alpinist.com about the incident. Sabir notes that several of the climbers who survived are playing a blame game, though mistakes were made by all. To read his letter, click here.
--Bhrikuti Sail (20,869') saw an ascent this summer by a strong international team. Bhrikuti Sail is in an extremely remote region of the Damodar Himal. This region, which is found north of Annapurna, is one of the most isolated and least-visited ranges in Nepal. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--Last week it was all over the news. A pair in Palo Alto, California claimed to have the body of a bigfoot on ice. Photos were posted all over the internet of something that looked a lot like a costume with some guts thrown on it. To read one of the original articles, click here.
Bigfoot?
--Yesterday, it came out that the whole Bigfoot story was -- yep, you guessed it -- a hoax. The men who claimed to have found a Sasquatch, were called on it when they showed the body to a "Bigfoot expert." It turns out that this elusive monster was nothing more than an ape suit with some rubber tubing thrown on top. To read more, click here. Watch a news video on this below.
--Last Thursday, National Public Radio's Morning Edition ran an interesting story about the quest to create a pill that would prevent the itch caused by poison ivy. For a number of years doctors have worked to develop a pill that would reverse human sensitivity to urushiol -- the sticky resin found in poison oak, ivy and sumac that triggers an allergic reaction in the skin. As it turns out, this is not a very easy thing to do. To listen to the story, click here.
--Anchorage residents are on edge this summer due to higher incidents of bear attacks. After three maulings some residents feel that something needs to be done about the high number of bears in the area. To read more, click here.
--Believe it or not, but the largest rock face in the Lower 48 may be found in Glacier National Park. The 3,500 foot north face of Mount Siyeh (10,014') is loose technical and seldom climbed. Former AAI Guide Kelly Cordes and Justin Woods recently completed a line on the peak in an astonishing 11 hour push. To read more, click here.
--Americans Dave Anderson and Brady Robinson added a number of pitches to the Karma de los Condores in the Ishinca Valley of Peru. The route which climbs up the Hattun Ulloc -- a beautiful feature just above the park entrance -- is considered by many to be the "Astroman of Peru." To read more, click here.
--A massive marijuana growing operation was recently found in the North Cascades National Park Complex. Officials which raided the farm this week indicated that it contained over 16,700 plants. The sophisticated farmers downed trees, terraced hills and diverted creeks for irrigation. As of yet, no arrests have been made. To read more, click here.
--Bellingham climber, Blake Herrington wrote an engaging article on Alpinist.com about his accidental first ascent of a new route on Castle Peak in the North Cascades. To read the article, click here.
--A party did a speed run on the Ptarmigan Traverse this week. It appears that they completed the entire span of the route -- which usually takes five to seven days -- in 18 hours and 10 minutes. A few years ago a couple of our guides were able to do it in 15 hours and 40 minutes. The traverse has been skied in a day on a number of occasions. To read more, click here.
Himalya:
--Nazir Sabir, a Pakistani climber with intimate knowledge of the August 1st K2 disaster which claimed 11 lives, has written an open letter to Alpinist.com about the incident. Sabir notes that several of the climbers who survived are playing a blame game, though mistakes were made by all. To read his letter, click here.
--Bhrikuti Sail (20,869') saw an ascent this summer by a strong international team. Bhrikuti Sail is in an extremely remote region of the Damodar Himal. This region, which is found north of Annapurna, is one of the most isolated and least-visited ranges in Nepal. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--Last week it was all over the news. A pair in Palo Alto, California claimed to have the body of a bigfoot on ice. Photos were posted all over the internet of something that looked a lot like a costume with some guts thrown on it. To read one of the original articles, click here.
Bigfoot?--Yesterday, it came out that the whole Bigfoot story was -- yep, you guessed it -- a hoax. The men who claimed to have found a Sasquatch, were called on it when they showed the body to a "Bigfoot expert." It turns out that this elusive monster was nothing more than an ape suit with some rubber tubing thrown on top. To read more, click here. Watch a news video on this below.
--Last Thursday, National Public Radio's Morning Edition ran an interesting story about the quest to create a pill that would prevent the itch caused by poison ivy. For a number of years doctors have worked to develop a pill that would reverse human sensitivity to urushiol -- the sticky resin found in poison oak, ivy and sumac that triggers an allergic reaction in the skin. As it turns out, this is not a very easy thing to do. To listen to the story, click here.
--Anchorage residents are on edge this summer due to higher incidents of bear attacks. After three maulings some residents feel that something needs to be done about the high number of bears in the area. To read more, click here.
--Believe it or not, but the largest rock face in the Lower 48 may be found in Glacier National Park. The 3,500 foot north face of Mount Siyeh (10,014') is loose technical and seldom climbed. Former AAI Guide Kelly Cordes and Justin Woods recently completed a line on the peak in an astonishing 11 hour push. To read more, click here.
--Americans Dave Anderson and Brady Robinson added a number of pitches to the Karma de los Condores in the Ishinca Valley of Peru. The route which climbs up the Hattun Ulloc -- a beautiful feature just above the park entrance -- is considered by many to be the "Astroman of Peru." To read more, click here.
Conditions Report -- August 20, 2008
NORTHWEST:
--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.
--Forecast for Mount Rainier.
--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
--On Saturday it was quite hot in the Pacific Northwest, temperatures in Leavenworth skyrocketed up to 107 degrees Fahrenheit, while in Bellingham we saw temperatures in the 90s. On Sunday the temperatures dropped a bit and a cycle of thunderstorms made its way through the mountains. Under these conditions many parties got out into the mountains. This party climbed Mount Stuart in a day. This party sent the Northeast Buttress of Mount Goode and were chased out of the mountains by lightning. And another party dealt with a bit of weather as they climbed Mount Thompson near Snoqualmie Pass.
--The dedicated skiers are still getting after it, even though it seems like there's more ice than snow in the mountains now. This party skied the Ptarmigan Ridge on Mount Baker. And this party found decent snow and skiing on the Russell Glacier of Mount Rainier.
SIERRA:
--For up to date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.
--The rock climbing season in the Eastern Sierra is in full swing! The weather is generally good through October. Here is an outdated trip report from the Middle Palisade, but it's enough to get me psyched. We have a trip running on this peak today. This party recently climbed the South Face of Washington Column in Yosemite. And this team wrote a great report about their traverse of the Palisades.
ALASKA RANGE:
--Forecast for Denali
--The Alaska season is over until April of 2009.
RED ROCK CANYON:
-- Temperatures remain high in Red Rock but people are starting to gear up for the Fall climbing season. Average highs throughout the summer range between 102 and 108. The campground is closed and will re-open at the beginning of September. Locals tend to climb at higher altitudes where the temperatures are cooler. Many visit Mount Charleston or Flagstaff throughout the summer season.
CLIMBING MAGAZINE WEATHER:
Climbing Magazine weather reports for Yosemite, Denali and Rainier may be found here.
--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.
--Forecast for the East Slope of the Cascades.
--Forecast for Mount Rainier.
--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
--On Saturday it was quite hot in the Pacific Northwest, temperatures in Leavenworth skyrocketed up to 107 degrees Fahrenheit, while in Bellingham we saw temperatures in the 90s. On Sunday the temperatures dropped a bit and a cycle of thunderstorms made its way through the mountains. Under these conditions many parties got out into the mountains. This party climbed Mount Stuart in a day. This party sent the Northeast Buttress of Mount Goode and were chased out of the mountains by lightning. And another party dealt with a bit of weather as they climbed Mount Thompson near Snoqualmie Pass.
--The dedicated skiers are still getting after it, even though it seems like there's more ice than snow in the mountains now. This party skied the Ptarmigan Ridge on Mount Baker. And this party found decent snow and skiing on the Russell Glacier of Mount Rainier.
SIERRA:
--For up to date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.
--The rock climbing season in the Eastern Sierra is in full swing! The weather is generally good through October. Here is an outdated trip report from the Middle Palisade, but it's enough to get me psyched. We have a trip running on this peak today. This party recently climbed the South Face of Washington Column in Yosemite. And this team wrote a great report about their traverse of the Palisades.
ALPS:
--Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.
ALASKA RANGE:
--Forecast for Denali
--The Alaska season is over until April of 2009.
RED ROCK CANYON:
-- Temperatures remain high in Red Rock but people are starting to gear up for the Fall climbing season. Average highs throughout the summer range between 102 and 108. The campground is closed and will re-open at the beginning of September. Locals tend to climb at higher altitudes where the temperatures are cooler. Many visit Mount Charleston or Flagstaff throughout the summer season.
CLIMBING MAGAZINE WEATHER:
Climbing Magazine weather reports for Yosemite, Denali and Rainier may be found here.
Important Glacial Features
Glaciers are literally rivers of ice. They move and act just as a river filled with water moves and acts. Rivers have rapids, riffles, and pools. Glaciers have the equivalent in icefalls, crevasses and compression zones. Like water, ice moving down the mountain reacts to the underlying topography. When ice runs over steep sections it bends and accelerates, forming icefalls and crevasses. At the base of icefalls and in areas where the gradient decreases, the ice decelerates and forms compression zones or areas where there are no crevasses. And like a river, the ice at the glacier's center tends to move more quickly than that at the edges.
Crevasses form as a means of relieving tensile stress in the more brittle upper layers of the glacier. As a result, they tend to form in areas where the ice is accelerating such as at the top of an icefall or at the crest of a steep slope. They may also form due to some inconsistency in the underlying topography such as a bump or a dome in the bedrock. Brittle surface ice is not as plastic as that found in the deeper layers of the glacier and crevasses will form as a means of relieving the stress created by the bending of the ice as it flows around an obstacle.
Seracs are the ice towers often seen on glaciers. They form as the ice flows over a dome. Multiple stresses appear creating intersecting crevasse patterns. The resulting towers may be unstable and can be difficult to climb through.
An icefall appears when the gradient of the underlying rock is steep enough that the ice on top accelerates rapidly. Seracs and crevasse walls become tremendously unstable, falling catastrophically down the icefall. Some might be familiar with the Khumbu Icefall on Mount Everest where many climbers have died over the years. That particular icefall moves at almost three to four feet a day causing constant unexpected and catastrophic serac collapses.
Khumbu Icefall on Mount Everest
When the gradient of a glacier decreases, the ice decelerates. As it does, crevasses close leaving a more level and crevasse free area. Compression zones make for excellent places to camp.
Every climber should have a good understanding of these different characteristics. A complete knowledge of glacial features provides climbers with the ability to choose an appropriate and safe route up a mountain. And this may be one of the most important skills that a climber needs to develop.
--Jason D. Martin
Crevasses form as a means of relieving tensile stress in the more brittle upper layers of the glacier. As a result, they tend to form in areas where the ice is accelerating such as at the top of an icefall or at the crest of a steep slope. They may also form due to some inconsistency in the underlying topography such as a bump or a dome in the bedrock. Brittle surface ice is not as plastic as that found in the deeper layers of the glacier and crevasses will form as a means of relieving the stress created by the bending of the ice as it flows around an obstacle.Seracs are the ice towers often seen on glaciers. They form as the ice flows over a dome. Multiple stresses appear creating intersecting crevasse patterns. The resulting towers may be unstable and can be difficult to climb through.
An icefall appears when the gradient of the underlying rock is steep enough that the ice on top accelerates rapidly. Seracs and crevasse walls become tremendously unstable, falling catastrophically down the icefall. Some might be familiar with the Khumbu Icefall on Mount Everest where many climbers have died over the years. That particular icefall moves at almost three to four feet a day causing constant unexpected and catastrophic serac collapses.
Khumbu Icefall on Mount EverestEvery climber should have a good understanding of these different characteristics. A complete knowledge of glacial features provides climbers with the ability to choose an appropriate and safe route up a mountain. And this may be one of the most important skills that a climber needs to develop.
--Jason D. Martin
August and September Climbing Events
--August 16 -- Mt. Baker Ski Area, WA -- Avalanche Awareness
--August 16-17 -- Bear Valley, CA -- Bear Valley Adventure Sports Festival
--August 16-23 -- Bicz Gorges National Park, Romania -- International Youth Climbing Camp
--September 5-7 -- Pine Mountain, CA -- Pine Mountain Pulldown
--September 5-7 -- Adirondacks, NY -- Adirondack Southern Rock Festival
--September 6 -- Charlotte, NC -- Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up
--September 13-14 -- Seattle, WA -- Adventures in Travel Expo
--September 18 -- Bozeman, MT -- Alpinist Film Festival Tour
--September 18-21 -- Ogden, UT -- Utah's High Adventure Mountain Film Fest
--September 24-28 -- Yosemite Valley, CA -- Yosemite Facelift
--September-November -- Reel Rock Film Tour
National Weather Service Red Flag Warning for Washington
RED FLAG WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
759 AM PDT MON AUG 18 2008
WAZ654>659-190000-
/O.EXT.KSEW.FW.W.0002.000000T0000Z-080819T0600Z/
CENTRAL AND SOUTH PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS-
BLACK HILLS AND SOUTHWEST INTERIOR LOWLANDS-
WEST SLOPES OF THE NORTH CASCADES-
WEST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES-NORTH CASCADES-
CENTRAL CASCADES-
759 AM PDT MON AUG 18 2008
...RED FLAG WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT THIS EVENING..
THE RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 11 PM PDT THIS
EVENING.
A LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER WESTERN OREGON THIS MORNING ARE
MOVING NORTHWARD AND MOVE ACROSS WESTERN WASHINGTON THROUGH THE
DAY. ALSO...THE AIR MASS OVER PORTIONS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON WILL
REMAIN UNSTABLE INTO THE EVENING HOURS...KEEPING THE THREAT OF
THUNDERSTORMS GOING INTO THE EVENING. DUE TO A MORE MOIST AND
COOLER AIR MASS...THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE WETTER THAN THEY WERE
OVER THE WEEKEND...HOWEVER FUELS REMAIN AT CRITICAL DRYNESS LEVELS
EAST OF THE COAST.
A RED FLAG WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SCATTERED LIGHTNING IS
OCCURRING OR FORECAST TO OCCUR IN THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS...IN
COMBINATION WITH SUFFICIENTLY DRY FUELS.
PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE
FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.
The Dangers of Glissading
Yep, you can find them in just about every issue of Accidents in North American Mountaineering. They have unwieldy headlines like:
Most injuries take place because an individual breaks one of the cardinal rules. To stay safe, the best thing to do is to take these rules seriously.
- "Climber injured in Glissade Accident"
- "Out of Control Glissade Leads to Fatality"
- "Inexperience, Lack of Proper Clothing and Glissade with Crampons On"
Most injuries take place because an individual breaks one of the cardinal rules. To stay safe, the best thing to do is to take these rules seriously.
The Cardinal Rules of Glissading
--Jason D. Martin
- Never glissade with crampons on. If you're wearing crampons it means that you're probably on hard snow or ice. This means that should you glissade, you will slide really fast. If you slide really fast and you catch a crampon spike, your leg will snap like a dry twig. As such one should never glissade with crampons on.
- Never glissade on a rope team. If one person loses control on a rope team, then others may do so as well.
- Never glissade on a glacier. It's likely that you'll be roped up if you're on a glacier so if you do glissade, you will be breaking two rules at once. We don't glissade on glaciers because of the possibility of hidden crevasses.
- Always make sure that you can see where you're going. This should make sense. If you can't see, then you could end up sliding into a talus field or off a cliff.
- Make sure that there is a good run-out. A good run-out is imperative. One should certainly avoid glissading above dangerous edges, boulders or trees.
--Jason D. Martin
Snakes, Rain, Thunder, Lightening, Delays, and 10 Pitches...huh?
We were supposed to have gone to the Adirondacks this weekend. We had two campgrounds booked for two nights each for a trip that was supposed to take us to Poke-O-Moonshine, Pitchoff, and somewhere in Keene Valley (Washbowl? Beer Walls? Chapel Pond?). It didn't matter where we climbed, all that mattered was that we were getting away for a long weekend to enjoy a few classics in areas that see
Climbing - a good start to finding the meaning of life
A Reuters study has recently shown that people who climb are not necessarily irrational and reckless, but that climbers are people who may be looking for perspective in their lives. Many climbers use their experiences as a vantage to see what's really important in their lives, and in the world.Do you feel the same way?
Click here to read the full article on Reuter's online.
Weekend Warrior -- Videos to Get You Stoked!
Alright Weekend Warriors, prepare to get your stoke on! Grab your sunscreen, fill up your water bottles, and get ready for a hot weekend full of climbing and mountaineering...hopefully. I don't know what the weather is going to be like where you live but I hope it is as nice as it is going to be here in the North Cascades.
I don't know if you have noticed but I am a big fan of movie trailers. The first video we have for you is no exception. The movie is “To the Limit" and it features those two crazy Huber brothers trying to break the speed record on "The Nose". These guys can Jumar like madmen.
I chose the next video in case you wanted to temporarily escape the heat this weekend. Watch some cool, refreshing ice climbing in beautiful British Columbia, our friendly neighbors to the north.
The final video we have for you is actually made by one of our own gear shop employees, Jeff Voigt. Watch as he and a partner ski up to Washington Pass to make a winter ascent of the South Early Winter Spire. This is one way to escape the summer crowds who flock to Washington Pass in the summer.
I don't know if you have noticed but I am a big fan of movie trailers. The first video we have for you is no exception. The movie is “To the Limit" and it features those two crazy Huber brothers trying to break the speed record on "The Nose". These guys can Jumar like madmen.
I chose the next video in case you wanted to temporarily escape the heat this weekend. Watch some cool, refreshing ice climbing in beautiful British Columbia, our friendly neighbors to the north.
The final video we have for you is actually made by one of our own gear shop employees, Jeff Voigt. Watch as he and a partner ski up to Washington Pass to make a winter ascent of the South Early Winter Spire. This is one way to escape the summer crowds who flock to Washington Pass in the summer.
Guide's Choice at Outdoor Retailer
American Alpine Institute Director Dunham Gooding, AAI Shop Manager Richard Riquelme, and AAI Guide Mary Harlan attended that annual Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City last week to present the AAI Guide's Choice Award. Following is a short photo essay of the trip and the presentation of the awards.
The Summer Outdoor Retailer Show
Salt Lake City
There's a lot going on at this trade show! It is the biggest event of the year for the outdoor industry.
The Patagonia booth. Most exhibitors build fairly elaborate booths for the show, truck them to Salt Lake City in pieces, and assemble them there.
Not everyone at the show was of the same species. These two handsome dogs were fully credentialed. It was a busy show with many hundreds of exhibitors and between ten and twenty-thousand credentialed buyers (including about forty dogs).
Activites and demos abound. Show participants got to try on Five Ten shoes and boulder up and around these freestanding walls.
There were bouldering contests in which the contestants wore a crash-pad on their back to make balance more tricky and the lap around the wall harder to complete. In addition to this open competition, Mammut sponsored a massive bouldering competition at the trade show.
There were also insects on the floor. Exofficio was promoting their use of fabrics with FDA approved insect repellent qualities built in. Buff is doing the same thing, but without the direct help of bugs.
Mary and Richard model a couple of new Buff designs with Shirley Choi Brunetti (Buff Director of Sales and Marketing). Buff is a Spanish company, and all of the manufacturing is done there.
Mont Bell: Yuji Kikuchi (Director of Sales and Scott Guenther (Director of Operations) accept the Guides Choice award for the Thermo Wrap Parka from AAI Director Dunham Gooding.
AAI Guide Mary Harlan shows off the Black Diamond Quantum pack with Richard Riquelme, Nathan Kuder (BD Softgoods Category Manager), and Roger Strong (BD Regional Sales Rep).
Black Diamond award: BD President Peter Metcalf accepts Guides Choice awards for the Quantum and the Anarchist packs from AAI’s Dunham Gooding. Looking on AAI’s Mary Harlan and Richard Riquelme and BD’s Roger Strong (Regional Sales Rep.) and Chris Grover (BD National Sales Manager).
The formal pose for the two Patagonia awards: Left to right: Richard Riquelme (AAI Equipment Division Manager), Tim Rhone of Patagonia , Dunham Gooding (AAI President), Rob Bon Durant of Patagonia, and Mary Harlan (AAI Guide).
The Summer Outdoor Retailer ShowSalt Lake City
There's a lot going on at this trade show! It is the biggest event of the year for the outdoor industry.
The Patagonia booth. Most exhibitors build fairly elaborate booths for the show, truck them to Salt Lake City in pieces, and assemble them there.
Not everyone at the show was of the same species. These two handsome dogs were fully credentialed. It was a busy show with many hundreds of exhibitors and between ten and twenty-thousand credentialed buyers (including about forty dogs).
Activites and demos abound. Show participants got to try on Five Ten shoes and boulder up and around these freestanding walls.
There were bouldering contests in which the contestants wore a crash-pad on their back to make balance more tricky and the lap around the wall harder to complete. In addition to this open competition, Mammut sponsored a massive bouldering competition at the trade show.
There were also insects on the floor. Exofficio was promoting their use of fabrics with FDA approved insect repellent qualities built in. Buff is doing the same thing, but without the direct help of bugs.
Mary and Richard model a couple of new Buff designs with Shirley Choi Brunetti (Buff Director of Sales and Marketing). Buff is a Spanish company, and all of the manufacturing is done there.
Mont Bell: Yuji Kikuchi (Director of Sales and Scott Guenther (Director of Operations) accept the Guides Choice award for the Thermo Wrap Parka from AAI Director Dunham Gooding.
AAI Guide Mary Harlan shows off the Black Diamond Quantum pack with Richard Riquelme, Nathan Kuder (BD Softgoods Category Manager), and Roger Strong (BD Regional Sales Rep).
Black Diamond award: BD President Peter Metcalf accepts Guides Choice awards for the Quantum and the Anarchist packs from AAI’s Dunham Gooding. Looking on AAI’s Mary Harlan and Richard Riquelme and BD’s Roger Strong (Regional Sales Rep.) and Chris Grover (BD National Sales Manager).
The formal pose for the two Patagonia awards: Left to right: Richard Riquelme (AAI Equipment Division Manager), Tim Rhone of Patagonia , Dunham Gooding (AAI President), Rob Bon Durant of Patagonia, and Mary Harlan (AAI Guide).
The Voo and Bolted Canyon
Where would you go if you had a few days to kill? Would you go to your favorite local spot to work your project? Maybe head somewhere far off and new to see what the world has to offer? If you live in the Colorado area you might head to Vedauwoo. Home of the meatgrinding, toe torqueing, cheese grater, offwidths from hell.So after a boulder session and a few beers me and a few colleagues noticed a
Speed climbing and the Super Sherpa
This summer has seen a flurry of interest in climbing Mount Rainier FAST... Justin Merle set the pace by breaking Chad Kellogg's record (4 hours 59 minutes) by 10 minutes on July 11th. His friend and colleague, Liam O'Sullivan, raised the bar a few weeks later by sprinting up and down the mountain (Paradise to summit and back) in 4 hours 46 minutes, besting Merle by 3 minutes... 
Last week, Lhaka Gelu Sherpa threw the gauntlet down in hopes of smashing that record. With 13 Everest summits under his belt and a previous Everest speed record (the current record is held by Pemba Dorje Sherpa), Lhakpa certainly had the credentials to do it. But his well-publicized attempt was thwarted by nasty leg cramps on the descent (something that Liam also met with on a prior and unsuccessful ascent) and so our "Super Sherpa" will have to try again another day. I suppose that we'll see him again, and other speed climbers too... But any takers better move fast, as the route is beginning to change in ways that make rapid movement harder and more challenging (but it's still great for the masses that take 2-5 days, so don't worry).
We've also been getting questions about timed ascents to Camp Muir. So for your information, here are a few facts. In 1994, Climbing Ranger Scott Wanek ran from Paradise to the high camp in 51 minutes! Not bad, eh? Most people can't even ski DOWN that fast. But don't feel bad if your normal one way time is something like 4-6 hours, because Scott also had run a personal best 4:11 mile. Of course, Wanek's record had to be broken too, and it was done last year by Climbing Ranger Andy Anderson. Andy quietly posted a 46 minute one way ascent to Camp Muir! Yup, 4,500 feet of gain in 4.5 miles. So what did you do in the last 46 minutes? Michael Phelps might be smashing Olympic records, but it seems the Rainier records are meeting a similar fate this summer too.
Post by Monica and Mike
Last week, Lhaka Gelu Sherpa threw the gauntlet down in hopes of smashing that record. With 13 Everest summits under his belt and a previous Everest speed record (the current record is held by Pemba Dorje Sherpa), Lhakpa certainly had the credentials to do it. But his well-publicized attempt was thwarted by nasty leg cramps on the descent (something that Liam also met with on a prior and unsuccessful ascent) and so our "Super Sherpa" will have to try again another day. I suppose that we'll see him again, and other speed climbers too... But any takers better move fast, as the route is beginning to change in ways that make rapid movement harder and more challenging (but it's still great for the masses that take 2-5 days, so don't worry).We've also been getting questions about timed ascents to Camp Muir. So for your information, here are a few facts. In 1994, Climbing Ranger Scott Wanek ran from Paradise to the high camp in 51 minutes! Not bad, eh? Most people can't even ski DOWN that fast. But don't feel bad if your normal one way time is something like 4-6 hours, because Scott also had run a personal best 4:11 mile. Of course, Wanek's record had to be broken too, and it was done last year by Climbing Ranger Andy Anderson. Andy quietly posted a 46 minute one way ascent to Camp Muir! Yup, 4,500 feet of gain in 4.5 miles. So what did you do in the last 46 minutes? Michael Phelps might be smashing Olympic records, but it seems the Rainier records are meeting a similar fate this summer too.
Post by Monica and Mike
AAI Guide's Choice Award Winners
This year the American Alpine Institute presented six awards at the annual Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City last week. The equipment and clothing awarded the AAI Guides Choice designation have proven to be of the highest quality in their product category. The awards are determined on the basis of excellence in design, performance, and durability demonstrated in rigorous international field tests conducted by professional guides of AAI. Evaluations are made throughout the year in desert, cold weather, rain, snow, high wind, and high altitude environments. The American Alpine Institute has no financial ties or financial interest in any manufacturer or distributor. All testers and their expenses are paid by AAI.
A core group of AAI professional guides conduct Guides Choice field tests year round, throughout the world. Tests may be completed in a single long season (for example five summer months of intensive climbing in South America), or over several seasons (for example McKinley expeditions in the spring and Himalayan expeditions autumn). Because of the intensity and constancy of use, the wear and stress that gear receives during these tests corresponds to many years of use by a recreational climber.
The following pro
ducts won this year's Guide's Choice Award:
Patagonia Guide Pant
The guide pant is comprised of a tough, weather-resistant nylon/polyester/spandex blend that both breathes well and retains its shape. The guide pant is a lighter alternative to many of the other options on the market, but not too light. Patagonia found a great compromise in the epic balancing act between weight and warmth. This product is just about the right for everybody.
Many of our female guides found that these pants fit better than any of the alternatives. The cut of the women's guide pants is both feminine and comfortable. AAI Guide Mary Harlan felt that they were the best option on the market for female climbers.
Patagonia CSS Technology
Like all new products, two to three years ago the stitch-free composite seam system technology (CSS) had a few problems. Patagonia worked to eliminate these problems and this year after extreme testing in a variety of environments, our guides found absolutely no problems with the CSS technology.
Patagonia's CSS technology provides for jackets that are streamlined without extra bulk, weight or material. Sewn seams are far more vulnerable to abrasion, wear and leakage than the durable non-stitched seams found in Patagonia's modern jackets.
Buff for
Buff Original Headwear
The Buff is a multifunctional article of clothing that may be used as a scarf, a neck cover, a face cover or a hat. Many guides find a variety of other purposes for the product. Over the last couple of seasons our guides have begun to wear these on a regular basis. Indeed, it has become almost a part of the AAI guide's uniform. "When it's too warm for a balaclava, but too cool to go without, the buff is the perfect piece of clothing," Senior AAI guide Justin Wood said. Such a sentiment is common among the guide staff.
MontBell Ultralight Thermawrap Parka
The MontBell Thermawrap Parka is an incredibly well designed and functional mid-weight layer. The Exceloft synthetic insulation stays warm even when wet. The combinations of fabric and insulation are designed to dry extremely fast. This makes the jacket a valuable piece in warm and wet environments like the one that we have in the Pacific Northwest.
As part of a layering system, our guides found that the jacket performs extremely well. Some of these light to mid-weight jackets are too warm to be used as a part of a layering system. This particular model doesn't have that problem. On Denali our guides found this to be a good top layer low on the mountain and a phenomenal mid-layer as the temperatures dropped higher up.
Black Diamond Quantum Pack
Our guides found the 55 liter Quantum Pack to be an exceptionally well-designed backpack. This stream-lined pack feels bigger than other packs of the same volume. This has to do with its longer/taller profile. It's built with ultralight, durable and water-shedding VX 21 Polyant laminated fabric and lined with lightweight 30d SillNylon. In other words, the pack is tough, light and carrys loads well. There are no extra bells and whistles. It is a good pack.
Black Diamond Anarchist Ski Pack
The 42 liter Black Diamond Anarchist Ski Pack is a durable well designed pack with the multi-day backcountry skier in mind. There is enough volume in the Anarchist to cover the minimalist skier for up to four days in the field. The pack's expandable top-loading design features a side-access panel for easy admission. Its sleek design allows it to compliment the skier's movements.
Like the Quantum Pack, the Anarchist is tough. The 420d nylon fabric and 1300d Ballistic reinforcements offer water-shedding, long-wearing performance. Our ski guides put this pack to the test, working it through day after day of deep powder in the Sierra and the San Juans and brushy wet approaches in the Cascades.
Mountaineers Books Outdoor Experts Series
A few years ago Mountaineers Books introduced a new series of "how-to" texts. The books took off in a way that went far beyond anyone's expectations. This series of books now includes some of the most well-known outdoor education writers and climbers in the field. Kathy Cosely, Mark Houston, Craig Luebben, Jared Ogden, Molly Loomis, Martin Volken, Margaret Wheeler, Scott Schell, Andy Tyson, and Will Gadd are just a handful of the well-known mountain guides and climbers that have contributed to the series.
Voilé Telepro T6 Shovel
One might think that a shovel is a shovel. But when our guides are up on Denali in -30 degree temperatures, trying to dig out a tent platform during a storm, a good shovel may make the difference between frostbite and comfort. The T6 Shovel was the only model not to break or become damaged during our eight expeditions to the tallest mountain in North America this year. Our guides highly recommend that this shovel accompany every expedition. If that isn't enough reason to give this product the Guide's Choice Award, then we don't know what is...
A core group of AAI professional guides conduct Guides Choice field tests year round, throughout the world. Tests may be completed in a single long season (for example five summer months of intensive climbing in South America), or over several seasons (for example McKinley expeditions in the spring and Himalayan expeditions autumn). Because of the intensity and constancy of use, the wear and stress that gear receives during these tests corresponds to many years of use by a recreational climber.
The following pro
ducts won this year's Guide's Choice Award:Patagonia Guide Pant
The guide pant is comprised of a tough, weather-resistant nylon/polyester/spandex blend that both breathes well and retains its shape. The guide pant is a lighter alternative to many of the other options on the market, but not too light. Patagonia found a great compromise in the epic balancing act between weight and warmth. This product is just about the right for everybody.
Many of our female guides found that these pants fit better than any of the alternatives. The cut of the women's guide pants is both feminine and comfortable. AAI Guide Mary Harlan felt that they were the best option on the market for female climbers.
Patagonia CSS Technology
Like all new products, two to three years ago the stitch-free composite seam system technology (CSS) had a few problems. Patagonia worked to eliminate these problems and this year after extreme testing in a variety of environments, our guides found absolutely no problems with the CSS technology.
Patagonia's CSS technology provides for jackets that are streamlined without extra bulk, weight or material. Sewn seams are far more vulnerable to abrasion, wear and leakage than the durable non-stitched seams found in Patagonia's modern jackets.
Buff for
Buff Original HeadwearThe Buff is a multifunctional article of clothing that may be used as a scarf, a neck cover, a face cover or a hat. Many guides find a variety of other purposes for the product. Over the last couple of seasons our guides have begun to wear these on a regular basis. Indeed, it has become almost a part of the AAI guide's uniform. "When it's too warm for a balaclava, but too cool to go without, the buff is the perfect piece of clothing," Senior AAI guide Justin Wood said. Such a sentiment is common among the guide staff.
MontBell Ultralight Thermawrap Parka
The MontBell Thermawrap Parka is an incredibly well designed and functional mid-weight layer. The Exceloft synthetic insulation stays warm even when wet. The combinations of fabric and insulation are designed to dry extremely fast. This makes the jacket a valuable piece in warm and wet environments like the one that we have in the Pacific Northwest.
As part of a layering system, our guides found that the jacket performs extremely well. Some of these light to mid-weight jackets are too warm to be used as a part of a layering system. This particular model doesn't have that problem. On Denali our guides found this to be a good top layer low on the mountain and a phenomenal mid-layer as the temperatures dropped higher up.Black Diamond Quantum Pack
Our guides found the 55 liter Quantum Pack to be an exceptionally well-designed backpack. This stream-lined pack feels bigger than other packs of the same volume. This has to do with its longer/taller profile. It's built with ultralight, durable and water-shedding VX 21 Polyant laminated fabric and lined with lightweight 30d SillNylon. In other words, the pack is tough, light and carrys loads well. There are no extra bells and whistles. It is a good pack.
Black Diamond Anarchist Ski Pack
The 42 liter Black Diamond Anarchist Ski Pack is a durable well designed pack with the multi-day backcountry skier in mind. There is enough volume in the Anarchist to cover the minimalist skier for up to four days in the field. The pack's expandable top-loading design features a side-access panel for easy admission. Its sleek design allows it to compliment the skier's movements.
Like the Quantum Pack, the Anarchist is tough. The 420d nylon fabric and 1300d Ballistic reinforcements offer water-shedding, long-wearing performance. Our ski guides put this pack to the test, working it through day after day of deep powder in the Sierra and the San Juans and brushy wet approaches in the Cascades.
Mountaineers Books Outdoor Experts Series
A few years ago Mountaineers Books introduced a new series of "how-to" texts. The books took off in a way that went far beyond anyone's expectations. This series of books now includes some of the most well-known outdoor education writers and climbers in the field. Kathy Cosely, Mark Houston, Craig Luebben, Jared Ogden, Molly Loomis, Martin Volken, Margaret Wheeler, Scott Schell, Andy Tyson, and Will Gadd are just a handful of the well-known mountain guides and climbers that have contributed to the series.
Voilé Telepro T6 Shovel
One might think that a shovel is a shovel. But when our guides are up on Denali in -30 degree temperatures, trying to dig out a tent platform during a storm, a good shovel may make the difference between frostbite and comfort. The T6 Shovel was the only model not to break or become damaged during our eight expeditions to the tallest mountain in North America this year. Our guides highly recommend that this shovel accompany every expedition. If that isn't enough reason to give this product the Guide's Choice Award, then we don't know what is...
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