Here's a great video about someone who truly loves the world of climbing. Someone who calls a camper his home, and his back yard is Indian Creek. To have you own Moab climbing experience, be sure to check out our Guided Climbing Trips in Moab!
With the crazy weather we've had here in the PNW, we've been getting hit with dumptruck loads of snow. Here's a local vid showcasing the great snow we've been getting. As an added bonus, you get some quick and easy cooking tips thrown in there! Bon appétit!
Well, that's two videos of guys living in their trucks. Unfortunately I couldn't find a third of the same caliber, so how about something tasty from the good folks at Salomon and their latest from a trip up to our neighbors in the north.
And lastly, here's a highlight from the UAII Ice Climbing World Cup in Saas Fee, Switzerland. Pretty sweet!
Have a great weekend!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
Avalanche Shoveling Technique
One of the most overlooked techniques in avalanche rescue is how one shovels. This is the most time consuming part of any avalanche rescue.
The following video was put together by Backcountry Access, a company that develops avalanche beacons, shovels, probes and backpacks.
Following is a review of the key points from the video:
Technique for Rescue with One Person
--Jason D. Martin
The following video was put together by Backcountry Access, a company that develops avalanche beacons, shovels, probes and backpacks.
Following is a review of the key points from the video:
Technique for Rescue with One Person
- Start downhill of the probe strike.
- Make the hole approximately a wingspan wide.
- Begin shoveling 1.5 times the burial depth downhill.
- Save energy by shoveling snow to the sides of the pit.
- Once you have dug down to a point where the snow surface is above your waste, begin to shovel the snow downhill.
- Attempt to get at the victim's face as soon as possible.
- When you get to the victim, uncover the head and chest and establish an airway.
- Only leave the scene for help if there is a surplus of manpower or the victim has been excavated.
- In a shallow burial (less than 1 meter) start shoveling just downhill of the probe.
- In deeper burials one rescuer should start just downhill of the probe. The second rescuer should start to dig downhill 1.5 times the burial depth.
- Rescuers should shovel snow to the sides until the hole is waist deep. Once it becomes necessary to lift snow above your waist, then start shoveling the snow downhill.
- If the victim is unconscious when you reach him, the first thing that you should do is to clear the airway and begin CPR.
--Jason D. Martin
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Annual Benefit Dinner - American Alpine Club
The American Alpine Institute just received the following press release from the American Alpine Club:
American Alpine Club Announces One-of-a-Kind Boston Giveaway
Enter by February 6 for a chance to win special AAC Annual Benefit Dinner prizes and access
Golden, CO—Today The American Alpine Club—dedicated to knowledge, inspiration, conservation and advocacy for the climbing community—released a chance to win a prize package so unique that it cannot be bought. The giveaway will offer one winner the following items, redeemable in Boston at the 2012 Annual Benefit Dinner on March 3:
• Two VIP Passes to the Annual Dinner. The VIP reception, overlooking Boston Harbor, is an intimate gathering of North America’s most accomplished climbers and mountaineers. The guest list includes Jack Tackle, Tom Hornbein, Janet Bergman, John Bragg, Jimmy Surette, and more.
• Ice Axe signed in person by the Saser Kangri II team. Freddie Wilkinson, Mark Richey, and Steve Swenson—the evening’s keynote presenters—recently summited the world’s second-highest unclimbed mountain and will sign a special axe to the winner.
• $100 toward the Silent Auction, which includes climbing art, one-of-a-kind trips, and gear packages from The North Face, Mountain Hardwear, and Outdoor Research.
• AAC backpack filled with goodies, including a signed hardback of One Mountain Thousand Summits, the award-winning book by Wilkinson. At the dinner, he will premiere The Old Breed, a video masterpiece about the Saser Kangri II expedition. Watch Trailer
Every person who buys a ticket to the 2012 Annual Benefit Dinner by February 6th automatically will be entered to win this giveaway package!
GIVEAWAY DETAILS: http://www.americanalpineclub.org/p/2012-annual-benefit- dinner-giveaway
The Annual Benefit Dinner is the AAC’s signature and largest annual event. In addition to fine dining and entertainment, the Dinner mingles climbers of all generations and abilities to celebrate the vibrant state of this 110-year-old organization. The event will be held in Boston at the Seaport Hotel and will celebrate a year of change and success through the theme of Partnership: Climbing through the Generations.
“In line with our theme, the weekend’s feature presentation will share the inspiring story of men and women from different generations climbing together in one of the world’s last uncharted places,” said Erik Lambert, Information & Marketing Director for the AAC. “The giveaway is an added incentive to bring younger climbers and more seasoned explorers together, celebrating the shared experience of the climbing life.”
Following dinner, Boston native Mark Richey (age 53) and climbing partners Freddie Wilkinson (age 32) and Steve Swenson (age 57) will share inspiration from their August 2011 Saser Kangri II expedition. They reached the 7,518-meter summit of the second-highest unclimbed mountain in the world—one of the last frontiers of Himalayan climbing.
Every ticket sold helps The American Alpine Club raise funds to improve its programs: protecting and preserving the places we climb, bringing climbers together, expanding information resources, grants, lodging, and more. Founded by a Boston native in 1902, the AAC has advocated for climbers throughout the generations, with a progressive implementation of new programs. In 2011 the Club:
• Hired staff around the country to ensure that the AAC is vibrant in your backyard. These Regional Coordinators regularly connect with Members by hosting local events, conservation projects, and more. Sarah Garlick supports the Northeast Region from North Conway, NH.
• Expanded its Member benefits to include rescue insurance, gym and gear discounts, and new and improved places for climbers to stay, such as the rebuilt Snowbird Hut in Alaska and the new AAC Clubhouse in Kathmandu, Nepal.
• Purchased 40 acres of land on the rim of West Virginia’s New River Gorge. The AAC is
working with local conservation and climbing organizations to break ground this year on a Climbers’ Campground with amenities walking distance from popular crags.
• Launched a new website, bringing local communities together in a more
user-friendly and attractive online space.
• And in 2012, the Club will break ground on a new Climbers’ Campground with easy access to climbing in New York’s Shawangunks.
“The AAC is at its best when we can be helpful to climbers where they climb—in their own backyards,” said Executive Director Phil Powers. “Our Members in the Northeast raised their hands to host the Annual Dinner this year. Regional staff and volunteers are working together to make it a truly top-notch event with a great local flavor. This is just one example of how the AAC is changing. We’re listening to our Members and helping them build what they want from the ground up.”
For more information and tickets, visit americanalpineclub.org/2012dinner
To encourage younger climbers to attend this gathering of the generations, those 28 and younger may purchase tickets at half price.
About The American Alpine Club
The American Alpine Club provides knowledge and inspiration, conservation and advocacy, and logistical support for the climbing community. The AAC advocates for American climbers domestically and around the world; provides grants and volunteer opportunities to protect and conserve the places we climb; hosts local and national climbing festivals and events; publishes two of the world’s most sought-after climbing annuals, The American Alpine Journal and Accidents in North American Mountaineering; cares for the world’s leading climbing library and country’s leading mountaineering museum; manages the Grand Teton Climbers’ Ranch as part of a larger lodging network for climbers; and annually gives $80,000+ toward climbing, conservation, and research grants to adventurers who travel the world.
Learn about additional programs and become a member at americanalpineclub.org. Join the AAC’s online community at facebook.com/americanalpineclub.
Social Media Ready
Headed to the AAC’s awesome Annual Dinner in Boston? Now they’re offering a rad prize pack to one lucky winner: http://owl.li/8HaBk
Already got your AAC Annual Dinner tickets? Let us know and Invite your friends via the Facebook Event: http://owl.li/8HaTw
Didn’t really think the @americanalpine Annual Dinner could get cooler. Was wrong: http://owl.li/8HaBk
Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 1/26/12
Northwest:
--Hope is fading for the four individuals that have been lost on Mount Rainier for twelve days. Their was a brief reprieve in the storms on Monday and searchers were out all day. But the storms returned on Tuesday and the search has been limited since then. To read more, click here and here.
--An Olympic National Park scientist says the park’s glaciers have shrunk by an average of 15 percent since the 1980s, with one completely disappearing. Research found that Ferry Glacier, one of the park’s 60 largest in 1982, disappeared from its rocky niche in the Bailey Range. To read more, click here.
--National Parks Director, Jon Jarvis wrote an excellent editorial eulogizing Margaret Anderson, the ranger killed at Mount Rainier on New Year's Day. To read the editorial, click here.
--A snowmobiler caught in an avalanche on Stampede Pass, Washington, on Sunday was quickly rescued by friends who watched it happen. The entire incident was recorded by a helmet cam, attached to the helmet of the man's friend, Rick Jablinske. To read more and to see the video, click here.
--Wednesday provided an interesting morning at the American Alpine Institute offices. We found that a tree had fallen and landed on both our roof and our neighbor's roof. We spent the day watching arborists and roofers work on our building. On Tuesday night, Bellingham had sustained wind of 44 miles per hour, with gusts of 64 miles per hour.
Sierra:
--A Yosemite National Park employee has died after strong winds uprooted a huge tree that fell on his tent cabin. Park spokesman Scott Gediman says 27-year-old Ryan Hiller, of Chapel Hill, N.C., was killed Saturday by a branch from the tree. To read more, click here.
--Last week a young foreign exchange student from England was killed in a fall while climbing Cascade Falls near Lake Tahoe. To read more, click here.
--A 34-year-old man was killed at Heavenly Mountain Resort near Lake Tahoe last week after suffering chest injuries sustained in a skiing accident, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office. It appears that the man lost control and collided with a sign post. To read more, click here.
Desert Southwest:
--Police say a fall that killed a 21-year-old Las Vegas hiker at the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area west of Las Vegas appears to have been an accident. Las Vegas police Officer Marcus Martin said Friday that investigators don't suspect foul play. To read more, click here.
--A 46-year old man is currently missing and is believed to be somewhere in Red Rock Canyon. To read more, click here.
--A new guidebook entitled, "Utah's West Desert" has recently been released. The guidebook covers Ibex, Masada, Marjum Canyon, Oquirrh Mountains, Stansbury Mountains,
Mineral Mountains, Great Basin and Pequop, Notch Peak and the House
Range. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--Two skiers are dead after a difficult snow weekend in Colorado ski resorts. Authorities say a 13-year-old skier is dead after getting caught in an avalanche on Vail Mountain. A 28-year-old also died in an avalanche at Winter Park Resort. To read more, click here.
--AAI Guides Kurt Hicks and Ian McEleney wrote a short piece on moving fast in multi-pitch terrain with a team of three for Climbing magazine. You can find their excellent article on page 69 the December/January issue #301.
--It appears that Hayden Kennedy and Jason Kruk were responsible for chopping hundreds of bolts off Cerro Tore's Compressor Route during their recent free ascent. Simultaneously, the controversial young climber, Dave Lama, made the first free ascent of the route. To read more, click here and here and here.
--The 2012 UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup in Saas Fee, Switzerland concluded Saturday with a second World Cup victory for Angelika Rainer of Italy this year in the Lead discipline and a dramatic display of skill and strength by Russia's Maxim Tomilov in Men's Lead. To read more, click here.
-- So there are a number of climbers in Europe right now that are pushing themselves, not on the rocks or glaciers, but on human made structures...and they're taking phenomenal photos of themselves doing it. To read more and to see the photos, click here.
--Two energy companies are seeking permits from the National Park Service (NPS) to construct a colossal 200-foot-high, 500-kilovolt power line through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, our country's eighth-most-visited national park. These power lines would also cross the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. To read more, click here.
--Hope is fading for the four individuals that have been lost on Mount Rainier for twelve days. Their was a brief reprieve in the storms on Monday and searchers were out all day. But the storms returned on Tuesday and the search has been limited since then. To read more, click here and here.
--An Olympic National Park scientist says the park’s glaciers have shrunk by an average of 15 percent since the 1980s, with one completely disappearing. Research found that Ferry Glacier, one of the park’s 60 largest in 1982, disappeared from its rocky niche in the Bailey Range. To read more, click here.
--National Parks Director, Jon Jarvis wrote an excellent editorial eulogizing Margaret Anderson, the ranger killed at Mount Rainier on New Year's Day. To read the editorial, click here.
--A snowmobiler caught in an avalanche on Stampede Pass, Washington, on Sunday was quickly rescued by friends who watched it happen. The entire incident was recorded by a helmet cam, attached to the helmet of the man's friend, Rick Jablinske. To read more and to see the video, click here.
The tree that came down on the AAI Office and the neighbor next door.
--Wednesday provided an interesting morning at the American Alpine Institute offices. We found that a tree had fallen and landed on both our roof and our neighbor's roof. We spent the day watching arborists and roofers work on our building. On Tuesday night, Bellingham had sustained wind of 44 miles per hour, with gusts of 64 miles per hour.
Sierra:
--A Yosemite National Park employee has died after strong winds uprooted a huge tree that fell on his tent cabin. Park spokesman Scott Gediman says 27-year-old Ryan Hiller, of Chapel Hill, N.C., was killed Saturday by a branch from the tree. To read more, click here.
--Last week a young foreign exchange student from England was killed in a fall while climbing Cascade Falls near Lake Tahoe. To read more, click here.
--A 34-year-old man was killed at Heavenly Mountain Resort near Lake Tahoe last week after suffering chest injuries sustained in a skiing accident, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office. It appears that the man lost control and collided with a sign post. To read more, click here.
Desert Southwest:
--Police say a fall that killed a 21-year-old Las Vegas hiker at the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area west of Las Vegas appears to have been an accident. Las Vegas police Officer Marcus Martin said Friday that investigators don't suspect foul play. To read more, click here.
--A 46-year old man is currently missing and is believed to be somewhere in Red Rock Canyon. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--Two skiers are dead after a difficult snow weekend in Colorado ski resorts. Authorities say a 13-year-old skier is dead after getting caught in an avalanche on Vail Mountain. A 28-year-old also died in an avalanche at Winter Park Resort. To read more, click here.
--AAI Guides Kurt Hicks and Ian McEleney wrote a short piece on moving fast in multi-pitch terrain with a team of three for Climbing magazine. You can find their excellent article on page 69 the December/January issue #301.
--It appears that Hayden Kennedy and Jason Kruk were responsible for chopping hundreds of bolts off Cerro Tore's Compressor Route during their recent free ascent. Simultaneously, the controversial young climber, Dave Lama, made the first free ascent of the route. To read more, click here and here and here.
--The 2012 UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup in Saas Fee, Switzerland concluded Saturday with a second World Cup victory for Angelika Rainer of Italy this year in the Lead discipline and a dramatic display of skill and strength by Russia's Maxim Tomilov in Men's Lead. To read more, click here.
-- So there are a number of climbers in Europe right now that are pushing themselves, not on the rocks or glaciers, but on human made structures...and they're taking phenomenal photos of themselves doing it. To read more and to see the photos, click here.
--Two energy companies are seeking permits from the National Park Service (NPS) to construct a colossal 200-foot-high, 500-kilovolt power line through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, our country's eighth-most-visited national park. These power lines would also cross the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. To read more, click here.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Mountain Conditions January 25th
NORTHWEST:
-- Roads, Routes, Trails --
-- Roads, Routes, Trails --
--Banks lake, Devils Punchbowl conditions.
- Ice Conditions Thread on Cascade Climbers
- Forest Service Road and Trail Conditions Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
- Statewide Ski and Snow Report.
- Route and Conditions from Mt. Baker Rangers: Mount Baker Climbing Blog.
--Weather and Avalanche--
Avalanche conditions are high after massive accumulation in the past 10 days, definitely take appropriate precautions in the backcountry and stay on moderate terrain.
- Mountain Specific Weather Forecasting.
- Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center
- Forecast for Mount Rainier.
-- Webcams --
SIERRA:
-- Roads, Routes, Trails --
--Weather and Avalanche --
 |
| Damage to Yosemite's Big Oak Flat rd. from rock fall January 22nd. Read More: http://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm |
--Weather and Avalanche --
-- Webcams --
RED ROCK CANYON:
-- 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 scenic drive currently opens its gates at 6 in the morning.
JOSHUA TREE:
--Weather
--Webcam
ALPS:
-- Roads, Routes, Trails --
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Miley Cyrus Rock Climbing Parody
When we found this online, Andrew had to put his headphones in. He couldn't even stand the parody version of this song.
But it is kind of funny.
Enjoy:
--Jason D. Martin
But it is kind of funny.
Enjoy:
--Jason D. Martin
Monday, January 23, 2012
Climbing in the Ouray Ice Park
A Note from the Administrative Staff at AAI:
The following is a short article from Mike Pond about the absolutely awesome ice climbing found in the Ouray Ice Park. But before you read it, we wanted to let you know that we have a SALE running on all courses and private trips in Ouray this season.
Now onto Mike's article:
Dear Ice Climbers,
The stats: Ouray, Colorado. Elevation 7800 ft. Population 800. A charming small mountain town with (developed) hot springs and a disproportionate amount of ice and mixed climbers given its small stature.
The following is a short article from Mike Pond about the absolutely awesome ice climbing found in the Ouray Ice Park. But before you read it, we wanted to let you know that we have a SALE running on all courses and private trips in Ouray this season.
Climb Ouray with us in January or
February
and get a 20% discount.
Now onto Mike's article:
Dear Ice Climbers,
I am the AAI instructor/guide for Ouray, Colorado. I’ve
climbed in a lot of places, and have never seen anything that quite matches up
to the Ouray Ice Park. While there is a lot
of great ice and mixed routes in the Ouray backcountry, the ice park is where
it’s at for honing your winter climbing skills. The park’s history is
interesting in itself, which I’ll leave for another day. It’s great to be back
for another winter of ice and mixed climbing here in Colorado!
The Ouray Ice Park from the entrance.
Just one piece of the mile-long ice playground.
The Ouray Ice Park is right on the edge of town. Literally,
I walk ten minutes from my house and I am in the park. The park itself is a slot canyon
that has about one mile of ice
climbing in it.
How, you may ask, would ice form for a continuous mile?
Well, the good people here in Ouray have a sort of mad scientist approach to ice climbing and have installed a piping system on the canyon rim, from which hoses spray water every night. This water flows over terrain of various angles to create a mega playground for ice climbers.
How, you may ask, would ice form for a continuous mile?
Well, the good people here in Ouray have a sort of mad scientist approach to ice climbing and have installed a piping system on the canyon rim, from which hoses spray water every night. This water flows over terrain of various angles to create a mega playground for ice climbers.
It is truly incredible. There are hundreds of ice climbs and
dozens of mixed climbs. There is literally something for everyone here, with
low-angle practice walls, fat flows, moderate-angle flows, steep flows,
pillars, daggers, bolted mixed climbs from M6 (similar to 5.7) to M 10 (like
5.12), and even a few trad mixed climbs. Oh yeah. It is one of the best places in the world to learn how to climb ice and mixed. And, with an extensive backcountry at your doorstep, there is heaps of alpine climbing and longer ice routes to apply the skills learned in the park.
Climbing a fat, blue ice flow. Oh, Colorado.
Despite some wacky unseasonably warm weather that’s been
hitting the country, the ice is happening here, full force. Even when it’s warm
weather in the medium-high country, the ice park itself never seems to get much
above freezing. Literally, yesterday I was in the backcountry in a protected,
sun-drenched area in a t-shirt for most of the day. Talking with other
climbers, it was perfectly chilly down in the park. While this may seem intimidating,
it’s not bad down there. It’s well protected from high winds and inclement
weather (it’s a slot canyon) and hey, freezing
is good for ice! And ice, after all, is what we’re here for.
The ice park is a great place to learn how to mixed climb, combining rock and ice in the same pitch.
The author getting psyched for the next lead.
As the season progresses, I'll plan on adding more photos, videos, and stories from one of the country's best ice climbing areas in its prime season. Happy winter!
--Mike Pond, Instructor and Guide
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