The End of the Red Rock Season

Well, it has been a great climbing season in Red Rock. Thanks to everyone who has come out here to climb with us! I can speak for all the other guides that have worked here, in saying that it has been a pleasure climbing with you. Lots of excellent routes have been done, and many people have invested a lot of sweat and tears (and yes, some blood) in this winter season.

For all of those who were looking forward to Offwidth Part Two, I will have to apologize and have you wait until next season. Due to a fairly wet winter, most of my personal climbing was in the gym until April. Maybe this summer I’ll have the chance to do some OW’s with a camera around. That said, I was able to find a partner for Chrysler Crack (5.9), a classic old-school romp that begins with a #6 Camalot and gets bigger! If anyone is interested in learning some offwidth technique, I will be more than happy to accommodate that request in the fall. As it is, I’ve had more luck finding partners for scary runout face climbs – something Red Rock has in abundance.

Well, no matter where you are, here are a few pictures from this season to hopefully motivate and inspire you in your upcoming climbing season. I hope to see everyone again, either in Red Rock, the Cascades, or elsewhere.

Cheers!

Scott Massey, Red Rock Lead Guide

Scott on Armatron (III, 5.9) Photo by Chris Zink

Perfect rock on Armatron - Photo by Chris Zink

Scott on Kemosabe (5.10a) Photo by Sendi Kalcic

Don King on Cassondra's Chimney (5.7)

Scott in Cassondra's Chimney (5.7) Photo by Don King

Scott leading Jubilent Song (III, 5.8)

June and July Climbing Events

-- May 30 -- Bellingham, WA - Ski to Sea

-- May 29-30 -- Gunnison, CO -- 24 Hours of Gunnison Glory

--June 2 - 4 -- Italy -- UIAA Safety Commission plenary session

-- June 3-6 -- Vail, CO -- US World Bouldering Cup

--June 3 -- Boulder, CO -- Yosemite Project

--June 5-6 -- Washington State -- National Trail Day Projects

-- June 11-12 -- Colorado -- HERA Climb4Life

-- June 25-27 -- France -- Vibram Natural Games

-- June 25 (Application Deadline) -- WA -- Mountain Stewards Project, Mt. Baker

-- July 7 -- Golden, CO -- Climbing in China

--July 20 (Deadline) -- REEL ROCK Filmmaking Contest

Weekend Warrior - Videos to get you stoked!

What is it about ice climbing? That's a good question.

Yet another thing I have not done. It seems like the more I immerse myself into climbing, there more there is to do. More to try, more place to see, more gear to buy, more things to fall on, more friends to be made. It never gets old. Are we crazy? No.

The first video, sure, I could probably try something like that. (Well, maybe not lead, but I'll toprope anything).

What is it About Ice Climbing? from Eitan Green on Vimeo.

The second video, probably not.

Although, I do like the idea of deep (cold) water solo...ice climbing.



So, when do we leave?

Multiple Climbers Evacuated from Denali this Week

The American Alpine Institute just received the following email from Denali National Park. None of our guides or climbers were involved in any of the incidents reported. This is simply for your information.

A Canadian climber was evacuated from the West Rib route of Mt. McKinley on Thursday afternoon, May 27. Luc Benoit, age 40 of Montreal, reportedly fell 1,000 feet while solo climbing the technically challenging West Rib route the evening of May 26. Unable to safely ascend or descend from his elevation at 14,000 feet due to an injured shoulder and a loss of gear, the following morning Benoit radioed for assistance from Denali National Park mountaineering rangers. At midday, the park’s A-Star B3 helicopter flew to the site with Denali mountaineering ranger Tucker Chenoweth on board. Unable to find a suitable landing zone, helicopter pilot Andy Hermansky performed what is known as a ‘toe-in’ landing maneuver, a stabilized hover technique in which only the tips of the skids touch down on the snow. Benoit was swiftly evacuated to the Kahiltna Basecamp at 7,200 feet where he was examined by an NPS volunteer physician, then flown to Talkeetna in a fixed wing aircraft and released from NPS care.

Three additional air evacuations occurred earlier in the week. On the night of May 20, NPS rangers treated a guided client for high altitude pulmonary edema at the 17,200-foot camp. The following day, rangers assisted the patient down to the 14,200-foot camp, from where he was evacuated on May 22 when his condition did not sufficiently improve. On May 24, a non-ambulatory climber suffering from severe altitude illness was treated and evacuated from the 14,200-foot camp. His symptoms quickly resolved once he reached Talkeetna. Lastly, a climber experiencing acute pain and illness related to a kidney stone was evacuated from the 7,800-foot camp on the West Buttress on Wednesday evening May 26. The park helicopter transported him back to Talkeetna and transferred him to a ground ambulance for further medical care at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center.

Denali mountaineering operations reach their peak this week. As of May 27, 452 mountaineers are climbing Mt. McKinley. So far this season, 165 climbers have completed their expeditions, 39% of which reached the mountain’s summit.

The Ice Bollard

Steep snow or ice can be descended two ways. A climber could downclimb the terrain or he could rappel. Rappelling is always a dangerous option as a lot can go wrong...but in the mountains, sometimes the speed of rappelling is safer than downclimbing.

AAI Guide Kevin Hogan Rappels Off of an Ice Bollard

In hard frozen snow or on ice, one option is to create a bollard. A bollard is essentially a tear-drop shaped pillar that is cut into a frozen surface with an ice axe adze. The rope is then wrapped around the bollard for the rappel. Once the rappel is completed, the climber can simply pull the rope.

Bollards are not the strongest anchors available, but they are quick and effective. If you choose to use a bollard, it is important to do two things. Back them up and reset the rope after each rappel.

An Ice Bollard loosely Backed-Up by an Ice Screw

To back-up a bollard, create the bollard and then preset the rope. Place a piece of snow protection (e.g. a picket buried as a deadman) and then loosely clip a sling to both the piece and to the rope. Once this is set-up, the heaviest person with the heaviest pack should rappel first. The theory is that if the heaviest person with the heaviest pack doesn't blow out the bollard, then a lighter person should be able to remove the back-up piece and safely rappel.

To reset the rope after each rappel, simply treat the rope like dental floss. Pull on each end of the rope once your down. Resetting the rope like this will ensure that it doesn't freeze into place and get permanately stuck.

An Ice Bollard backed-up by an Ice Screw

Snow and ice bollards are a quick and effective style of anchoring that avoids leaving trash -- or expensive gear -- behind. Practice with this style of rappel anchor will lead to a solid and safe understanding as to how one should employ them effectively...

--Jason D. Martin

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 5/27/10

Northwest:

--The Spring/Summer climbing scene has lifted off in the Northwest. The American Alpine Institute has had numerous trips out in the field with plenty of ascents and attempted ascents of Mount Baker, Mount Shuksan, and a variety of other peaks throughout the Cascades!

Sierra:

--A rock climber fell while scaling El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, sustaining head and chest injuries. The 48-year-old man from France was climbing with a partner Thursday evening when he fell approximately 65 feet from El Cap Spire, part of the climbing route on El Capitan called the Salathe Wall, approximately 1,600 feet above Yosemite Valley. A second party on the route was able to provide basic emergency medical assistance until park rangers arrived. To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has announced the designation of a national recreation trail in Nevada. The River Mountains Loop Trail is a 35-mile, paved trail surrounding the River Mountains. It connects Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Hoover Dam, Boulder City and Henderson to the rest of the Las Vegas area. To read more, click here.

--The Lake Mead Wilderness Management Plan public comment period has been extended until July 2nd , 2010. The National Park Service has released a draft Wilderness Management Plan and Environmental Assessment for 8 previously designated wilderness areas along the Colorado River from Lake Mead to Lake Mohave. On page 46 of the draft plan, bolting for rock climbing purposes is expressly prohibited. You can find the complete document and feedback form at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/. If you have not done so already, please provide a comment in support of climbing. If you have any questions, contact the Las Vegas Climber's Liaison Council at lvclc.admin@gmail.com.

Alaska:

--A 51-year-old French climber has died after falling more than 1,000 feet down Alaska's Mount McKinley into a crevasse, park officials said Monday. The National Park Service said Pascal Frison died Sunday afternoon after trying to keep his sled from sliding off a ridge. He and a climbing partner of 28 years were about 12,000 feet up on the West Buttress route. Frison, of the French town Auxerre, is the 107th person to die since 1932 on the 20,320-foot mountain in Denali National Park. Four people died last year. To read more, click here.

--The American Alpine Institute Denali Season is in full swing. Last week AAI Guide Mike Pond summitted Denali with four climbers. Team 2 and Team 3 are slowly working their ways toward the summit. Team 4 will depart this weekend. To read dispatches from the trips, please click here.

Himalaya:

--For Jordan Romero, the 13-year-old American who became the youngest climber to summit Mount Everest, it all began with the desire to dream big. The eighth grader from California said that he first came up with the idea to climb the highest peaks on all seven continents four years ago. On Saturday, he reached the top of the world's highest mountain — and nearly completed his quest. "The record is one thing, but standing on top of the world is just the best feeling you could ever imagine," he said in an interview Monday by satellite phone from the 21,320-foot (6,500-meter) Advanced Base Camp where his team was resting on its way down. To read more, click here.

--The enduring controversy over who was first to climb Mount Everest could soon be settled after an Australian set off to find evidence that it was a Briton, Andrew Irvine. Duncan Chessell, who began a final assault on the summit on Tuesday, said conditions are the best they have been in decades to search for the remains of Irvine. Irvine is thought to have been carrying a camera that could provide conclusive evidence that the pair reached the top in 1924, 30 years before Sir Edmund Hillary. To read more, click here.

--Climbing.com has published a lot of other Everest facts about the last week or so. Lots of things are going down aside from tween climbing adventures. To read about it, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--This is an older post, but it is somewhat funny. Andrew Burr and friends went to climb the Great White Icicle just outside of Salt Lake City, dressed as business men. Check out the trip by clicking here.

--On May 7, the famous and infamous Giri-Giri Boys Yasushi Okada and Katsutaka "Jumbo" Yokoyama summited Mt. Logan's east peak via its virgin 8,500' southeast face. Alpinist.com referred to this as the "biggest and most significant remaining alpine challenge on the continent." To read more, click here.

--The American Alpine Club is hiring! They have created a new position entitled, Executive Publisher Position. To learn more about the gig, click here.

Conditions Report - May 26 2010

NORTHWEST:

Our party topping out (photo courtesy of zoroastr):

Skiing earlier this season. Photo Credit AAI Guide Justin Wood.

--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.

--Forecast for the East Slope of the Cascades.

--Webcam for Leavenworth and the Stuart Range.

--Sno-Park permits are available for purchase in Washington State. To purchase a permit and/or read more about them click here.

--Forecast for Mount Rainier.

--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

--Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams conditions and recreation report.

--Webcams for Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Leavenworth.

--An up-to-date ski and snow report for the Northwest may be found here.

--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest ice conditions may be found here.

ALASKA RANGE:

--The American Alpine Institute is now accepting applications for the 2010 climbing season. Please call our office at 360-671-1505 for more information.

--Forecast for Denali.

--For the most current updates on Alaska, please see our Dispatch Blog.

SIERRA:

-- Here's a conditions report for the Northern Palisades from AAI guide Ian McEleney: Expect complete snow cover on the approach past Third Lake. The bergschrund on the U-Notch Couloir is almost completely covered, and easily passed on the right. Most climbers will feel comfortable climbing the U-Notch with one ice axe.

El Capitan - Triple Direct. Photo Credit Darin Berdinka.

-- A recent trip report for Yosemite can be found here - enjoy the pics. Here is another report for Washington Column in the Valley.

-- Have you done Mt Whitney yet? Check out a report for earlier this month, via the Mountaineers Route.

-- A Tioga road plowing report can be found here.

-- Mt. Whitney lottery info can be found here.

--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.
--Webcams for Bishop, June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass.


ALPS:

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

--Webcams for Chamonix Valley, Zermatt and the Matterhorn.


RED ROCK CANYON:

--Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.

--Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.--The late exit and overnight permit number for Red Rock Canyon is 702-515-5050. If there is any chance that you will be inside the park after closing, be sure to call this number so that you don't get a ticket.--The entrance to the scenic drive had a parking area for those who wanted to carpool up until approximately April of 2009. That lot has now become employee parking and people who want to carpool are required to park at the lot outside the Scenic Drive exit.

--The scenic drive currently opens its gates at 6 in the morning.

JOSHUA TREE:

-- Certain areas of J Tree are closed due to Raptor nesting season. Check out Friends of Joshua Tree for more information.

--Forecast and average temperatures for Joshua Tree National Park.

--Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.

Rethinking the Camelbak

Climbers in every venue tend to get dehydrated. It's always too cold or too hot or it takes too long to stop. Most people are able to tell when they become dehydrated. There are some obvious signs like yellow pee or lethargy. But these signs are late symptoms of a dehydrated body.

Camelbaks and other hydration bladders have made it much easier for climbers to take-in fluids while moving. There is one problem with this piece of equipment. It tends to freeze in cold weather.

There are some simple techniques that may be utilized to keep this from happening.

1. Purchase and use a thermal control kit. The tube cover is the most important component of this accessory. You may need to cut off the mouth cover. The mouth cover gets in the way of the hydrolock. Following is a photo of a thermal control kit:
2. Purchase and use a hydrolock. This device keeps the camelbak from leaking. This is especially important at night. In order to keep the bladder from freezing during the coldest hours, you will need to keep it inside of your sleeping bag. If you do not have a lock on the bite valve, you may accidently roll onto the valve and soak your sleeping bag. Following is a photo of a hydrolock:


3. Every time you take a drink, be sure to blow the water out of the tube and back into the bladder. The most likely place for water to freeze is in the tube and in the bite valve. Blowing the water back inside makes this less likely to happen.
   


4. When you are moving in a cold environment, keep the bite valve tucked into the neck of your jacket. This will keep any extra drops of water from freezing.
   


5. In extremely cold environments like on Denali or in South America, you might have to wear the camelbak underneath your jacket. This makes wearing a pack uncomfortable, but keeps your water from freezing.


6. In the most extreme cases, while wearing the bladder on your back, you might even thread the tube so that it goes down your sleeve and comes out at your wrist.

It is extremely important to be vigilant about keeping a bladder from freezing. It is also important to have a normal water bottle just in case you make a mistake. It is very difficult to thaw out a Camelbak after it's frozen in a cold environment.

--Jason D. Martin

Arresting a Crevasse Fall with a Rope

Over the last ten years it has become more and more popular for rope teams on glaciers to tie knots between one another. The idea is that should someone fall into a crevasse, the rope will cut into the lip and one of the knots will get stuck, thus arresting the fall.

We teach a lot of crevasse rescue at the American Alpine Institute and enjoy testing different theories while we're in the field. Most of our guides have done some level of testing on this particular glacier travel theory and amazingly enough, it works...sometimes.

What we have found is that there are two types of knots. There are knots that are flat on one side and knots that go around the rope. Knots that are flat on one side, like an overhand or a figure-eight on a bite, tend to slide over the lip more easily than knots that go around the rope, like a butterfly.

In our testing, what we've found is that early in the season, when there is more snow and the snow is softer, figure-eights and overhands will often bite the lip and hold. But as the season progresses and the lips become icier, the knots just slide right over. Butterfly knots are more likely to bite into the lip both early in the season as well as later.

The following video shows a demonstration of how to tie a butterfly knot:



There are some disadvantages to knots on the rope between climbers. When there are a lot of sastrugi formations or penitentes on the snow's surface, the knots can get caught and will hinder movement. It can be difficult to haul a person out of a crevasse who is being held by a knot as you will have to pass the knots. It can also be difficult for a climber to prusik out and deal with the knot welded in the lip.

I generally don't put knots in the rope on teams of four or more. There is so much weight in the system that it really isn't required. Three person teams are a little more difficult. If they are experienced, I usually don't put knots in the rope, but if they are novices, I'll usually put a couple knots in the rope. On two person teams, I always put butterflys in the center of the rope.

It's better not to put too many knots in the rope. If there really is a crevasse fall, they might arrest a victim, but that doesn't mean that it will be easy for the person to get out. Instead, most guides put one to three knots in the rope between themselves and the other climbers. More than that generally just creates more problems.

Knots in the rope are a nice additional safety measure, but they will not take the place of good technique and a solid set of skills.

--Jason D. Martin

May and June Climbing Events

-- May 30 -- Bellingham, WA - Ski to Sea

-- May 29-30 -- Gunnison, CO -- 24 Hours of Gunnison Glory

-- June 3-6 -- Vail, CO -- US World Bouldering Cup

--June 3 -- Boulder, CO -- Yosemite Project

-- June 11-12 -- Colorado -- HERA Climb4Life

-- June 25-27 -- France -- Vibram Natural Games

-- June 25 (Application Deadline) -- WA -- Mountain Stewards Project, Mt. Baker

Weekend Warrior - Videos to get you STOKED

I've never been to the Sierras before (an abomination, I know). I hope to reform this anathema this summer on my road trip down to Prescott, AZ. Maybe I'll do the Hulk, I don't know.

I do know, however, that there is something romantic and audacious about packing up your truck with nothing but a sleeping bag and climbing gear, and driving down miles and miles of American highways.

The first video is of Peter Croft and Conrad Anker; it won the John Muir Gold Award at the 2009 Yosemite Film Festival. The second video is by Ross Ching, an absolutely amazing still photographer based out of LA. It is part of his "Eclectic" series. I quote, "It’s amazing how many beautiful places you’ll come across when you go exploring without any real direction...".

Great American Climbing Road Trips, I salute you.

The Incredible Hulk - Solar Flare from Granite Films Jim Surette on Vimeo.

Eclectic 3.0: The Roads Less Traveled from Ross Ching on Vimeo.

-Dyan Padagas, Program Coordinator

Check out our Sierra Programs here.

US Senate Honors Search and Rescue Personnel

May 27th-Memorial Day Weekend

Winter still rules at Mt Rainier!!

We hope to see folks on the mountain psyched to climb and camp but please be prepared! GPS, map and compass, cell phone and a completed wilderness permit are all great tools that allow both climbers and rescuers a greater safety margin when the weather turns poor. Pack your Gore-tex and skis and have a good time with great winter conditions this weekend.


On Friday May 14, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed Resolution 526, which honors the men and women who perform Search and Rescue (SAR) throughout the United States. The Resolution specifically acknowledges the role that professionals and volunteers provide to our country, and sets aside the week of May 16 to May 22, 2010 as National Search and Rescue week. Also, it encourages the people of the United States to observe and hold ceremonies and activities that promote awareness and appreciation of the role SAR personnel provide for their communities.

The Mount Rainier climbing community had a hand in making this possible, as our former Mountaineering and SAR Program Manager, Mike Gauthier, was one of the driving forces behind the Resolution. As you may recall, Mike left Mount Rainier to work in the US Senate last year. While at Mount Rainier, he participated in over 200 SAR incidents and had this to say about the Resolution, “This is a very personal story for me as my friends and fellow rangers, Sean Ryan and Phil Otis, died during a mountain rescue high on Mt. Rainier in 1995. Finding them on the glacier that day changed the trajectory of my life and career, and steeled my resolve to change the way we worked as climbing rangers. Being able to help with this resolution is part of my commitment to honor and remember them and their spirit.”

Mike and Central Mountain Rescue Volunteer Marty Lentsch have aspirations to eventually create a National Museum and Memorial for SAR. Said Mike, “some of the hardest, most valuable and rewarding moments of my time as a park ranger have been during search and rescue missions. I worked with many incredible people who gave their time and energy, sometimes risking their lives, in order to help others in emergencies. At Mount Rainier, the volunteers from the Mountain Rescue Association were very notable because they trained and prepared on their own in order to help the climbing, hiking, skiing and outdoor recreation community. So it is very appropriate that the US Senate, through our good friend Senator Maria Cantwell, acknowledge and set aside a week to recognize the work they, and the professionals from local, state and federal agencies, do in order to help people throughout the nation.”

Please pass this good news along and look for more information on how you can help. It will take time to organize and achieve a National Museum and Memorial, but it would be a fitting honor for those who have lost their lives in the line of duty and also for those who unselfishly give so much to help others in need.

More can be found about Sean Ryan and Phil Otis through books, and here is a link to the text of the Senate Resolution. Photo by Mike Gauthier.

~ DG

Ascending Systems

There are a million ascending systems out there. On this blog we have previously discussed jugging with mechanical ascenders, the prusik hitch and climbing the rope with an autoblocking device. These are all excellent techniques for climbing up a rope...but it doesn't mean that they're the only techniques.

Climbers are ultimately artists and part of the art of climbing is picking the right tool at the right time to get up or down something. As a result, the more things that you know, the more tools that you have in your toolbox. And the more things that you know, the more improvisational you can be in any type of climbing situation.

This blog will provide you with another option for climbing up a rope. To set-up this system, you will need a mechanical ascender, a GriGri and a double-shoulder length sling. The following photo shows how each of these components will be used.


Following are the steps that you will need to complete in order to make this system work:

1. Clip the mechanical ascender to the rope.
2. Clip a double-shoulder length sling to the base of the ascender. This will become your be for your foot.
3. Clip a carabiner to the top of the ascender, trapping the rope inside the ascender.
4. Run the rope through your GriGri below the ascender.
5. Redirect the rope from the break-hand of the GriGri up through the clip that is trapping the ascender on the rope.

Once this is set-up you're ready to jug. Put your foot into the foot-sling and then stand up. Once you are standing, pull the backside of the rope through the GriGri. Sit back on the GriGri, kick you knee up to your chest and push the jug up the rope. Repeat until you're at the top.

One important thing to always remember is that you will need to tie back-up "catastrophe knots" in the rope as you climb. This should happen every ten feet or so. One should never forget to do this, as occasionally GriGris slip.

Obviously, the only way to really dial in this system is to practice it. The best way to work through this system is to print this blog out, bring it out into the field and then make it happen!

--Jason D. Martin

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 5/20/10

Northwest:

--The Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest is asking the public to review and comment on a plan to learn how to best restore old growth and riparian forest characteristics in the Finney Adaptive Management Area. The area is located southeast of Darrington in the Skagit and Stillaguamish watersheds. The Northwest Forest Plan selected the Finney as one of 10 areas in Washington, Oregon and California to pursue experimental forestry. "This project will determine up to five topics for research to evaluate alternative approaches to create old growth and riparian forest conditions in younger stands," said Don Gay, wildlife biologist and project lead. To read more, click here.

--The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest needs volunteers to teach visitors about the natural and historic beauty of the Monte Cristo area this summer. Stewards assist in taking care of cabins, camp areas, information boards, registration boxes and trails. Training is June 5, 8:30am - Noon at the Verlot Public Service Center. Contact Matt Riggen at Darrington Ranger District at 360.436.2333 or email mriggen@fs.fed.us

Desert Southwest:

--Free soloist Alex Honnold completed an amazing feat in Red Rock Canyon recently. In late April, he free-soloed the Rainbow Wall (V, 5.12b), then walked back down to the parking lot. He then went to Black Velvet Canyon and free-soloed Prince of Darkness (IV, 5.10c). And while these two things are amazing, the part of the day that has caused the climbing world's collective jaws to drop was the way that Honnold descended. He downclimbed Dream of Wild Turkeys (IV, 5.10a)! To read more, click here and here.


Alaska:

--Our first Denali expedition of the season has reached the summit! After battling strong winds at high camp, a weather window opened up and most of the team was able to make their way towards to summit. If you would like to read the summit day dispatch, along with other dispatches from our expeditions, click here.

--"A French mountaineer fell to his death while climbing Mt. McKinley on
Sunday, May 16. Pascal Frison, age 51, and his partner were approaching a
feature at the top of Motorcycle Hill known as ‘Lunch Rocks” near 12,000
feet on the West Buttress when Frison lost control of his sled. In an
attempt to stop it from sliding over the ridge, both the climber and his
sled tumbled towards the Peters Glacier. Frison, who was unroped at the
time, was unable to self-arrest and ultimately fell over 1,000 feet to a
steep, crevassed section of the Peters Glacier." - from NPS. To read more, click here.


Himalaya:

Mount Everest
Photo by Guy Cotter

--A team lead by Cory Richards and Conrad Anchor are installing five time-lapse cameras around the Khumbu Ice Fall. These cameras will help document the glacial recession on the world's highest mountain. To read more, click here.

--On May 17th, Edurne Pasaban became the second woman to climb all 14, 8,000 meter peaks with her successful ascent of Shishapangma in Nepal. The Spaniard's accomplishment comes right at the coat tails of Korean Oh Eun-Sun's disputed achievement of the same goal. Regardless, Edurne's fifth attempt of Shishapangma yeilded postive results, and she has achieved her goal. To read more, click here.

--13 year old Jordan Romero is somewhere at or above Everest Base Camp, attempting to become the youngest person to summit the mountain. His quest to become the youngest person to climb all seven summits brings him to Everest as his fifth summit. Romero is attempting to summit from the Tibetan side, seeing as the the Tibetan government has no age minimum on climbing Everest. His age has sparked debate in the climbing world regarding the seemingly common issue of, "how young is too young?" To read about this Everest trip, click here, or to read more about his journey as a whole, click here.

Notes from All Over:

An Outdoorsy Type Proposes to His Girlfriend on top of Red Rock's Geronimo (II, 5.7) in 2007
Photo by Jason Martin

--The Colorado Daily published a great article last week on dating tips for single outdoorsy people. Some of the tips like, "sweat is sexy outside or at the gym, but not for drinks," are tips that we all would do well to remember, To read the article, click here.

--Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that he has taken action on fourteen projects in roadless areas of National Forests. All projects approved today would be allowed under the 2001 Roadless Rule, if it were in effect. "USDA is committed to protecting roadless areas in our National Forests because of the critical importance of these areas to our natural resources, wildlife, and outdoor recreation," said Vilsack. "While the decisions announced today allow for mineral exploration in roadless areas, not only does USDA have limited authority to approve or disapprove these activities, but these actions are consistent with the 2001 Roadless Rule." To read more, click here.

--The details of the Black Diamond Equipment and Gregory Mountain Products are beginning to unfold. So far, they are calling it the birth of Black Diamond 2.0. Peter Metcalf, Black Diamond's CEO, has this to say,

"What is not changing? Our commitment to our mission vision and values, and our efforts to help write the stories of the sports and the communities which inspire us. This shared passion is the universal Esperanto that connects us with fellow climbers & skiers no matter where we are."

To read the full press release, click here.

Conditions Report - May 19 2010

NORTHWEST:

Photo Credit Amar Andalkar. www.skimountaineer.com

--Imagine skiing on a slope of mini-corn kernels... A "corn snow and conga line" trip report for Rainier can be found here with lots of details about the forecast and excellent links to various ski reports earlier in the week. This skier even talks about the solar halos! Awesome!

Exfoliation Dome, Darrington, WA. Photo Credit Bryan Hawkins.

--Finally! A Darrington trip report!Looks like they bailed due to dark approaching rain clouds. See here.

--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.

--Forecast for the East Slope of the Cascades.

--Webcam for Leavenworth and the Stuart Range.

--Sno-Park permits are available for purchase in Washington State. To purchase a permit and/or read more about them click here.

--Forecast for Mount Rainier.

--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

--Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams conditions and recreation report.

--Webcams for Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Leavenworth.

--An up-to-date ski and snow report for the Northwest may be found here.

--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest ice conditions may be found here.

ALASKA RANGE:

--The American Alpine Institute is now accepting applications for the 2010 climbing season. Please call our office at 360-671-1505 for more information.

--Forecast for Denali.

--AAI Guide Forest McBrian reports from Denali on Thursday, May 13:"Yesterday we put a cache up at 15,200 ft. The cache is at top of our fixed lines. The lines up the headwall are on solid blue ice, though. " For the most current updates on Alaska, please see our Dispatch Blog.

SIERRA:

-- A trip report by supertopo's Chris McNamara for Gold Wall in Yosemite can be found here. Looks like a beautiful climb.

--"Awesome snow and bright sun!" For a recent ski ascent for the Eastern Sierra, click here.

-- A Tioga road plowing report can be found here.

-- Mt. Whitney lottery info can be found here.

--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.
--Webcams for Bishop, June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass.


ALPS:

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

--Webcams for Chamonix Valley, Zermatt and the Matterhorn.


RED ROCK CANYON:

--Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.

--Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.--The late exit and overnight permit number for Red Rock Canyon is 702-515-5050. If there is any chance that you will be inside the park after closing, be sure to call this number so that you don't get a ticket.--The entrance to the scenic drive had a parking area for those who wanted to carpool up until approximately April of 2009. That lot has now become employee parking and people who want to carpool are required to park at the lot outside the Scenic Drive exit.

--The scenic drive currently opens its gates at 6 in the morning.

JOSHUA TREE:

-- "Welcome" it whispers......."Welcome to the Desert." A very detailed and interesting report for JTree, earlier this month, can be found here.

-- Certain areas of J Tree are closed due to Raptor nesting season. Check out Friends of Joshua Tree for more information.

--Forecast and average temperatures for Joshua Tree National Park.

--Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.

Mount Saint Helens - May 18, 1980

People often talk about major news events and where they were when something important took place. Most Boomers know exactly where they were when they found out the JFK was shot. Most Gen Xers remember exactly where they were when the Challenger blew up. And everybody remembers where they were when they found out about the World Trade Center on September 11th.

Local events often have the same type of impact. People who lived in Western Washington on May 18th, 1980 remember the day well. That was the day that Mount Saint Helens exploded. That was the day when the skyline of the Pacific Northwest changed forever.

I was only eight-years old, but I lived in Seattle. Seattle is too far from the mountain to actually see it, but on clear days prior to the main event, we could often see ash rising high into the sky on the horizon.

At 8:32 in the morning on May 18th, a small earthquake woke many residents of Western Washington. In Seattle it was just a little tremor. But at the mountain proper, the earthquake measured 5.1. It was a perfectly clear day. Everybody, everywhere could see the massive mushroom cloud of ash and dust rising thousands upon thousands of feet into the sky.

The Mount Saint Helens National Mounument website eloquently reports what happened at the mountain:

• The north face of this tall symmetrical mountain collapsed in a massive rock debris avalanche. In a few moments this slab of rock and ice slammed into Spirit Lake, crossed a ridge 1,300 feet high, and roared 14 miles down the Toutle River.


• The avalanche rapidly released pressurized gases within the volcano. A tremendous lateral explosion ripped through the avalanche and developed into a turbulent, stone-filled wind that swept over ridges and toppled trees. Nearly 150 square miles of forest was blown over or left dead and standing.

Today is the 30th anniversary of the event. It was 30 years ago today that 47 bridges were destroyed, 15 miles of railway was obliterated, 185 miles of road was erased, 250 homes were crushed and most tragically, 57 people lost their lives. Twenty-eight years later Mount Saint Helens still reminds us of the massive forces of nature. And it still reminds us how small we are in comparison to them.

To see the entire mountain come apart, check out the following video:



--Jason D. Martin

DIY Leashless Ice Tool Tether/Umbilical

With more and more climbers going "leashless" these days, companies like Black Diamond have a large enough market to make a product like their Spinner Leash profitable. However, before you go out and drop $49.95 on a manufactured leash, don't forget that people have been making them at home for years. Here is one way to do it...

Materials:

• 12 feet of 1/2 inch webbing
• 1.5 feet of 1/2 inch webbing (different color than above)
• 12 feet 1/8 inch elastic shock cord
• 3/8 inch swivel or bigger
• 2 carabiners or Spring Snaps

Take the 12 feet of webbing, put one end in your hand and stretch it out to full extension. At your farthest reach, pull the middle of the webbing to your waist.

Take double this length (plus a little extra if you need room for error, like me) and cut it.

Cut the elastic shock cord to mimic the length of the webbing. Open up the webbing and insert the shock cord into the webbing until it is all the way in. If your webbing is closed or "melted" at the end, just cut a little behind the tip and it will be easier to open up. Be patient, putting the cord inside the webbing takes time.

After the cord is inside the webbing, feed the swivel onto the cord until it is exactly in the middle and tie an overhand knot.

Stretch the shock cord 6-12 inches out of the webbing so the webbing bunches up, and tie a knot in the shock cord to hold it in place.

Here comes the tricky part; tie an overhand on a bite in the end of the webbing so that when the swivel is attached to your harness and the overhand is clipped to your tool, you can fully stretch without the webbing becoming taught. I do not have a great way to explain how to do this, or how to measure in advance, except to say I messed up two or three times. That is why it is nice to have extra webbing/shock cord, and then just cut off the excess. If you are using spring snaps, make sure to feed them on the webbing and incorporate these into the overhand knot.

The shock cord is running inside of the knot, which is what holds it in place. Repeat this process on the opposite side. With the smaller piece of different colored webbing, tie a sling using a water knot to the opposite side of the swivel. This piece of webbing will not have any shock cord in it.

Attach the umbilical to your harness by girth hitching the small sling to your tie in points.

Attach the two ends by clipping a carabiner that fits into the bottom holes of your ice tools. If you attached spring snaps, use those instead of the carabiners. If you don't have holes at the bottom of your tools, get creative.

And there you have it, pretty awesome, homemade leashless tool umbilicals! Homemade gear always tastes... err.. works better right!?

A few notes regarding design:

• Two colored webbing is not necessary, it's just nice to be able to distinguish between the separate pieces of the umbilical quickly.
• If you are using spring snaps, make sure these fit in the bottom of your tool.
• You can really use anything to connect these to your tools, from small plastic carabiners to key chain rings.
  
• This took me about an hour to do, including an initial failed attempt.
  
• Buying "12" feet of webbing is not necessary, you could measure the amount you need in store and purchase only that amount. I estimated 12 feet because I figured only a giant would need more than that.
• You can use a lighter to melt the ends of the webbing back together so they don't fray. Kids ask your parents for help.
  

A few notes regarding safety:

• These umbilicals are not meant to be used as a personal anchor system or as a "back-up" while placing a screw. They are not load bearing.
• I used two small, C.A.M.P Nano 23 carabiners to attach to my tools. If you use any kind of attachment method that isn't "full-strength" make sure they don't accidentally get used on your rack. While they may be heavier, I opted for full-strength carabiners to avoid any mistake.
• Notice where I girth hitched the blue piece of webbing, to my two tie-in points. If you girth hitch anything to your harness, be it a sling, daisy chain, or umbilical, do it to your tie-in points. Girth hitching to your belay loop limits its ability to rotate, which is important for reducing wear on one specific part of the loop. A good rood of thumb is that all soft goods should be attached to the tie-in points, and hard goods clipped to the belay loop.
• Over time, I found that I prefer to actually clip these to my belay loop, instead of girth hitching.  Clipping allows me to remove it quickly with gloves, and is worth the little extra weight in my opinion.

Let me know if you try to make your own and have any improvements to my directions or materials. I would love to hear your feedback! I'm pretty excited that I did this at the end of the season, right when they are no longer necessary.... Wait, our ice season isn't over in the North Cascades! If I went out and climbed the North Ridge of Mount Baker I could get a ton of ice climbing in during the summer season! It's a good thing our Alpine Ice courses take people to the North side and climb that route. Make yourself a pair of these and come climb with us!

-Andrew Yasso, Program Coordinator

May and June Climbing Events

-- May 15 -- Joshua Tree, CA - J Tree Trailwork

--May 20 -- Boulder, CO - Remembering Jonny, Micah, and Wade

-- May 30 -- Bellingham, WA - Ski to Sea

-- May 29-30 -- Gunnison, CO -- 24 Hours of Gunnison Glory

-- June 3-6 -- Vail, CO -- US World Bouldering Cup

--June 3 -- Boulder, CO -- Yosemite Project

-- June 11-12 -- Colorado -- HERA Climb4Life

-- June 25-27 -- France -- Vibram Natural Games

-- June 25 (Application Deadline) -- WA -- Mountain Stewards Project, Mt. Baker

Weekend Warrior - Videos to get you stoked!

There are times when people do things that are so new, so inspirational, so out of this world, that you just can't believe it. It makes you wonder how they even thought up such a ridiculous idea, and what gave them the courage to try it. These next guys are pioneering something they like to call, "liquid mountaineering." Get out and try it.



While the following video's legitimacy may be somewhat debatable, the following sport is the real day. I feel like it is a cross between volleyball, Thailand's Takraw, and Slam Ball. I know neither of these videos have much to do with climbing or skiing, but they are people who are trying new things and keeping it interesting! At the very least, they remind us to lighten up, and I think we all need that from time to time.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Mountain Stewards Protect Mt. Baker ecosystems

The American Alpine Institute just received the following email:

Volunteers are needed to teach day hikers, backpackers and climbers on the three busiest Mt. Baker area trail systems: Heliotrope Ridge, Park Butte/Railroad Grade and Heather Meadows. As a Mountain Steward volunteer you will train in low-impact recreational skills, natural history and back country management. Volunteers work in the lower segments of the trails with fellow Mountain Stewards interacting with the public for three daytime shifts.

Qualifications: Volunteers must be 18 years or older with hiking and outdoor recreation skills.

Timeline: Volunteers attend training July 10 & 17 and commit to volunteer a total of three weekend days between July 24 – Sept. 12. An optional training for Heather Meadows volunteers is July 24.

Apply: Return the application by June 25. Applications are at www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/volunteerin/mtn_steward and can be emailed to brichey@fs.fed.us. Mail to Mt. Baker Ranger District, Mountain Stewards, 810 State Route 20, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284, or fax to 360-856-1934. Call 360-854-2615 for more information.

Crevasse Rescue Review

It's that time of year and people are starting to climb glaciers all over the Northwest and in Alaska. As such, we thought it would be a good time to review all the skills required for crevasse rescue systems.

The following crevasse rescue description is based on the course work provided by American Alpine Institute field guides. This systematic description will make the most sense to those students who have worked with AAI in the field on crevasse rescue systems.

This two person crevasse rescue description is broken into three parts. The first part is entitled Anchor; the second, Z-Pulley and the third, C on Z. Most students obtain the best results when they think of this as a dynamic three part system. Students have problems and get lost when they lose sight of their objective. Any time one gets lost while working through the system they should step back and think clearly about what they are trying to do in that part of the rescue.

Anchor

1. Self-arrest and place your foot over the rope. Be sure to kick your feet in firmly to hold the weight.
2. Place a piece of snow or ice protection and attach it to a locking carabiner. This locking carabiner will thus be designated the "master carabiner." This first piece of snow protection must be extremely good. If it is not, both the victim and the rescuer will be in serious danger.
3. Attach your foot prussiks to the master carabiner. Lock the carabiner and NEVER OPEN THE MASTER CARABINER AGAIN!
4. Keeping your ice-axe handy, slowly allow the victim's body to weight the anchor. Be sure to keep your ice-axe within reach until the anchor is complete. If that first piece of protection blows out, you will need to arrest again.
5. Take the rescue coils off of your shoulder and slowly unwrap them. Be sure not to panic as the mountaineers coil is easily tangled.
6. Estimate the distance up to the master carabiner, then estimate the distance from the carabiner to the crevasse. Add these two figures together and then tie a figure-eight knot in the rope at this length. If there is a large amount of crevasse danger in the area, you may have to tie this knot significantly closer to yourself in order to protect yourself.
7. Clear one of the two locking carabiners that you are tied into the rope with of all items. Clip the new figure-eight knot into this carabiner. Clear the second carabiner of everything. Leave your waist prussik on the rope.
8. Work your way up to the master carabiner. Tie a figure-eight knot into the rope that is being held by your foot prussik. Using a locking carabiner, clip this into the master carabiner and lock it. This will back-up the prussik which is currently holding the victim's weight.
9. Step nine is where you will back-up the first piece of protection. It is important not to disturb this piece of protection while placing the second piece or all will be lost. Measure the distance from the master carabiner to your second placement. Be sure that when you place the second piece, you consider the length of the sling or cordellete with the carabiners on them. You want this second piece to be as equalized as possible. Beginner level students will stretch a sling as tightly as possible from the master carabiner to the second piece, where advanced students may use the block and tackle with a cordellete. Once you complete this, the Anchor is finished.
   

Z-Pully

1. Take your pack-prussik or a shoulder-length sling and girth-hitch it to your waist prussik which is still on the tensioned rope. If you are wearing crampons, be very careful not to step on the rope. Clip this extension to the unused locking carabiner at the tie-in point on your harness.
2. Work your way toward the crevasse while probing for additional crevasses with your ice-axe. You may have to re-tie your safety knot to reach the crevasse. Re-tie this knot whenever it is necessary.
3. Once you reach the lip, confirm that your partner is conscious and needs to be pulled out of the crevasse. If he or she does not answer, you will have to rappel down into the crevasse to see what is wrong. To climb back out of the crevasse it is possible to use your partner's prussik cords. Pad and clear the lip before rappelling.
4. If your partner answers and says that he or she needs to be pulled out, clear the lip of all snow. Warn your partner before you start to kick snow down on top of them. The entire rope should be visible at the lip of the crevasse before you are finished.
5. Slide your ice-axe under the rope at the lip in order to pad it. Place the pick into the snow in order to secure it. Clip the axe to the rope so that it does not fall down into the hole.
6. Unclip the extension attached to your harness. Take the pack prussik off of your waist prussik. You should still be relatively close to the lip of the crevasse when this takes place.
7. Clip a pulley to the waist prussik. Run the rope coming from the master carabiner through this pulley. The waist prussik may also be reffered to as the "tractor."
8. Walk back up to the master carabiner. Clip a second pulley into the master carabiner and run the rope that is clipped to the locking carabiner on the master carabiner through the pulley. It doesn't matter which side of the knot you attach the pulley too.
9. Untie the knot next to the pulley, but leave the locking carabiner attached to the master carabiner.
10. Pull on the line that you are tied too. Haul the vicitm up approximately a foot.
11. Untie the knot between the pulley attached to the master carabiner and the foot prussik. The foot prussik may be reffered to as the "ratchet."
12. You may now haul the victim on a 3:1 system. Remeber to mind the foot prussik (ratchet) while hauling, and be aware that for every three feet you pull, the victim will only rise one foot. You have now completed the Z-Pulley.
    

C-Z Pulley System

1. "To add the C, I must tie the end of the rope into the anchor!" This is usually chanted during some guides trainings for a reason. If you remember this, the rest will make more sense. Tie a figure-eight knot into the end of the rope and clip it into the locking carabiner that is still attached to the master carabiner.
2. Tie a knot next to the pulley nearest the crevasse lip and clip a carabiner into it. This knot may be a clove-hitch or a figure-eight. Advanced students may place the pack prussik on the haul line here with a non-locker clipped to it. This carabiner may also have an additional pulley on it if you have one.
3. Clip the line that you just clipped into the locking carabiner into the new carabiner down by the pulley nearest the lip. This is your new haul line.
4. You now have a 6:1 hauling system. It is important to realize that you must haul six feet for every foot that the victim rises. You have completed the C-Z Pulley system.

The photo to the left shows a completed anchor. The red carabiner is the master carabiner. Note that there are two pieces of gear. The first piece placed was a snow fluke. The back-up piece was a picket buried in a t-slot. The blue carabiner is the backup line.




This photo shows a completed Z-Pulley anchor. There will be one more step for the rescuer in this picture. He will have to release the figure-eight knot from the blue locking carabiner before the rescue can continue. The blue locking carabiner should stay in place for later use.




This photo shows a completed Z-Pulley system. The rescuer need only to pull on the "haul line" in order to get his partner out of the crevasse.







This photo shows a climber hauling her partner out of a crevasse with a completed 6:1 pulley system. We often refer to this as a C-Z Pulley system.






Other Considerations

1. Always pull away from the crevasse.
2. If the victim suddenly becomes more difficult to pull-out check the victim. Do not crush the victim in the lip of the crevasse.
3. Make sure the victim keeps his hands from behind the rope as it cuts through the lip.
4. Lock all carabiners. You only need two locking carabiners aside from the two on your harness to complete this rescue.
5. If you can haul the person out on a 3:1, then do it. It will be faster.
6. Once you understand the system, experiment with short-cuts. Do not experiment until you have a concrete understanding of the whole system.

--Jason D. Martin