Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 5/17/12

Northwest:

Putting news from the Canadian Rockies in the northwest section is a bit of a stretch I admit, but this is just too cool to ignore....

Jon Walsh and Josh Wharton ran Mt. Robson's Emperor Face in 18 hours bagging the second ascent of Infinite Patience. Read more here.


Gold Bar Boulders vehicle access revoked.  Climbers may no longer access the Gold Bar boulders by vehicle through the DNR gate on Reiter Road, however the road is still open to foot traffic.  NW Granite reports here on the closure.


Nikolai Popov, of Seattle, was skiing in a remote area near Whistler in British Columbia on Sunday, when he punched into a crevasse on Canada's Decker Mountain.  A local SAR team extracted him uninjured after 2 hours in the hole.  Read more.


Desert Southwest:

Heather Robinson has joined the tribe of women who climb 5.14 with the first female ascent of Mon Pote Assiss (5.14a) outside of Vegas.  More here.


Colorado:

Daniel Woods has added a 5.14d in Clear Creek Canyon.
Climbing has more here.


Alaska:

AAI's Alaska season is in full swing!

Our Denali Team 1 just returned to Talkeetna after what lead guide Alasdair Turner coined, “the coldest expedition I’ve ever been on.”

Mike Pond and Denali Team 2 should be established at the 14,200' camp at this point and planning strategy for their moves on the upper mountain.

Andrew Yasso's Denali Team 3 will be moving to Camp 2 tomorrow.

To read the complete dispatches click here.


Here's a cool report in Alpinist about a French team's experience on Bear Tooth and Moose's Tooth.  



Himalaya:

The oldest American to scale Mount Everest is heading back to the mountain again this season to climb the peak from both sides.  More here.


In a follow-on to last week's report of low snowfall and dangerous conditions on Everest, the 2012 National Geographic/North Face attempt to repeat the 1963 American route up Everest's West Ridge has changed its objective.  Team leader Conrad Anker has decided that the Hornbein Couloir doesn't have enough snow to allow safe climbing.  Read the blog post here.



Notes from All Over:


Facing a steep, blank section on your next wall?  Put away the drill.  Bat-hooking, dowels, and bolts are a thing of the past.  Engineering students at Utah State University have devised the "Personal Vacuum Assisted Climber."  Batteries not included.  See it in action here.



So you want to get paid to climb the Matterhorn?  Here's your chance, plus a trip to Disneyland.  Disney announced this week that real mountain climbers will start scaling the artificial peak again June 15.  The Disney Auditions website recently posted the call for resumes.  Only real mountain climbers need apply.  Read more here.



French free soloist Alain Robert is at it again in Paris.  Here's a video:

Mountain Conditions 5/15/2012

NORTHWEST:


Conditions in the Pacific Northwest couldn't be better. It's been clear, sunny, warm and beautiful. The trip reports have been rolling in. I've linked to a few below. Personally I got out to Mt. Erie and took this great shot of Guide Doug Foust. Doug brought the sun with him from Las Vegas for a touch of stellar climbing overlooking the Puget Sound. 

Mt. Stuart: Ice Cliff Glacier T.R. 


Mt. Baker: North Ridge

Mt. Baker: The American Alpine Institute recently conducted part of its annual new
guides training on the North Side of Mount Baker. While up there we dug
out the pit toilet immediately below Harrison Camp (Mirkwood) and also dug
a water-hole down to the creek in the drainage just west of camp.

As most of you who work on the mountain are aware, the bridge across Grouse
Creek is out. We were able to find an easy snow crossing about a half an
hour up the drainage. On the way out, we opted for the more traditional
snowy log crossing, which we found just a few minutes down-creek of where
the bridge normally stands. One guide elected to ford the creek at a wide
spot just below the snowy log and encountered ankle deep water.

There is still approximately two miles of road-walking to the trailhead.

We climbed the North Ridge yesterday and found it to be in relatively easy
condition, with minimal crevasses on the approach.

Prusik Peak: West Ridge, Burgner/Stanley and Solid Gold


Mt Rainier: Ingraham Direct


Falcon Closures:


Leavenworth: Midnight and Noontime Rocks closed April 1 - July 31 for raptor nesting.
      
I-90 Corridor: http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Wash-rock-wall-popular-with-climbers-falcons-3504428.php
     
Statewide Updates compiled by Alasdair Turner: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/1064736/gonew/1/2012_Bird_Closures_Updated_Inf#UNREAD (Thanks Alasdair!)

Gold Bar Climbing Access: As of Winter 2012 the Washington Climbers Coalition (WCC) has secured access to the gate on the road which leads up to the Gold Bar boulders and the approach to Zeke’s Wall. Climbers who are members of the WCC are welcome to climb at the Gold Bar Boulders and to park there for access to Zeke’s Wall, as guests of the Manke Timber Company. Please note: all climbers using this road must be members of the WCC and have a WCC sticker as well as a valid Discover Pass.

• Climbing Access and Other Beta:  Washington Climbers Coalition 
• Route and Conditions from Mt. Baker Rangers: Mount Baker Climbing Blog.
• Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center
• Mountain Specific Weather Forecasting.
• Forecast for Mount Rainier.

-- Webcams --

• Camp Muir on Mount Rainier.
• Mount Rainier National Park
• North Cascades National Park
• Leavenworth

ALASKA:

Conditions on Denali were brutal last week but have turned a little nicer these last couple days. Alpine Institute teams are moving upward again.

SIERRA:

Mammoth Lakes Road Clearance Update: http://www.sierrawave.net/11608/mammoth-lakes-area/

• Eastern Sierra Avalanche Bulletin

-- Webcams --

• Mono Lake
• Tioga Pass
• 
  

MOAB:

-- Webcams --

RED ROCK CANYON:

-- Weather --

• Red Rock Canyon

-- Webcam --

• Red Rock Webcam

-- 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 

• Joshua Tree National Park.

--Webcam

• Joshua Tree Webcam

--Camping

• Joshua Tree Campground Details.
• "The Pit."
• Joshua Tree Lake.

ALPS:

-- Webcams --

• Chamonix Valley
• Zermatt and the Matterhorn

In Defense of Soloing

It's a common enough site. A young man pulls on his rock shoes and clips on his chalk bag. The next thing you know he's blasting up the wall without a rope or a harness.

Someone nearby says, "that guy's stupid."

And someone else disagrees.

And then someone yells something at the soloist. "Hey!" the person shouts. "Don't you know that's stupid?"

And so it goes. People argue the value and the dangers of soloing on the ground. Eventually someone irresponsibly tries to get the soloist's attention, which makes his position far more precarious.

When in the field it's common for climbers to ask me what I think about soloing. Most expect me to universally condemn it. But I can't. It's hard for me to dictate to someone else what their climbing should or should not be. This conversation exists throughout the internet. Here is a great thread on the subject.

One of the main points of contention is the question of exactly what soloing is. Is it soloing if you do a highball boulder problem? Is it soloing if you climb a third-class ridge? What about a fourth-class ridge?  What about a 5.0 ridge?

At some point each of us has to decide what soloing is for ourselves. And there's the rub. A person who is a non-climber might see third-class movement as the epitome of danger, whereas a climber might not even think about it. In the mountains, climbers commonly solo "easy" terrain to move fast. The question is what is easy ground? It's going to be different for everybody.

A soloist who falls is likely to die. But if you're riding a motorcycle fast and you fall you're likely to die too. Some might see soloing as akin to riding a motorcycle. Falls are uncommon because the rider/soloist stays in control. But when they happen, they are very serious.

It's hard for me to universally condemn soloing because for some the reward is worth the risk. Most soloists don't see what they're doing as being that risky because they're on terrain where they feel extremely comfortable. Does that mean I'm going to solo 5.10 or even 5.5, at this point in my life, probably not. Each of us has to make our own decisions about the risks that we take while climbing. And it is not really our jobs to dictate what's right and what's not right to those outside our parties who are unlikely to impact anyone else.

One might argue that if a soloist falls while you are in the mountains, that you will then be impacted by their decision. You will be responsible for administering first aid or calling for help. This is true. But will telling somebody -- especially a young male soloist -- that you think what they're doing is stupid, change the individual's perspective or will it harden it? I suspect that it will harden it.

Climbing is a very personal sport and we all have opinions about how it should be done. But I feel like those opinions, especially where soloing is concerned, are best left to the ground. Soloists have every right to explore the mountains just like everyone else. And indeed, I believe that they should be left alone while doing it as responsibly as they can...

--Jason D. Martin

Sunburns in the Mountains

Over the thirteen years that I've been guiding, I've decided that the greatest enemy to the climber is not the rain, it's not the snow and it's not the wind. Instead, it is the sun. There is nothing more relenting and nothing that will have such dire long term effects as the sun.

There was a time in my life when I went from working in the heat of the desert directly to high altitude snow. These are both places where the sun is far more dangerous than in a city. And while I'm not aware of any reports of a higher incidence of skin cancer among climbers, it wouldn't surprise me if this were the case.

The most common places for climbers to get burned are on the tops of the ears, the tip of the nose and on the lips. High altitude climbers on glaciers will also see burns develop on the roof of their mouths and inside their nostrils.

The Author Belaying on Mount Baker
The bandanna covers both his ears and neck.

It might seem obvious, but it is incredibly important to wear sunscreen and cover as much skin as possible when you are in bright sunlight. Over the years I've had a few people on glaciers who decided that they "tan well" and elected not to wear sunscreen. In each of these cases, the climbers contracted serious burns that were so bad, they actually scabbed up.

Whether in the desert or at high altitude one must apply sunscreen and then reapply it often.

Many climbers on big mountains will wear a Buff to cover their faces or will carry multiple bandannas to pin around their faces and necks "Al Qaeda" style. Most will wear sunglasses with a nose beak. And many will apply sunscreen inside the nostrils.

In the desert, some will wear a bandana under their helmets and over their ears and neck. Sunshirts and shirts with collars are also popular. Sunshirts are designed to reflect most of the sunlight away while providing good coverage. Shirts with collars provide a little extra shade for the neck.

Sunshirt
These hiking oriented shirts can be found at most outdoor stores.

Following is a quick breakdown of how to treat a sunburn from the Sunburn Resource:

1. When treating sunburn, it is very important to prevent further damage or irritation. To prevent sunburned skin from getting worse, keep from further direct exposure to the sun, and stay indoors as much as possible.

2. Closely observe the affected areas for blisters. When blisters are present, this means that the skin has been severely damaged, and complications are highly probable. Don’t try to break them, or you’ll increase the risk of infection. If blisters are present on a large area of the skin, get to a hospital’s emergency room immediately. Other instances that warrant medical attention right away are when severe swelling causes breathing difficulty, when pain on the affected area is terrible, and when serious swelling occurs around the limbs such that it threatens to constrict blood flow and cause hands or feet to go numb or turn bluish. Too much sun exposure can also cause other related ailments, such as sun poison or heat stroke. When any of these are suspected or when high fever is detected, consult a doctor immediately.

3. Take pain relievers to help ease the pain and swelling. Aspirin and ibuprofen are examples of oral medications commonly taken to minimize these sunburn symptoms, but do avoid giving aspirin to a child or teenager. Also, consult a doctor before taking any pain killer if you’re also taking prescribed medication.

4. Drink lots of water. This will help you regain lost fluids in your body, as well as aid your system in its recovery from sunburn. Fresh fruit juice, such as watermelon, is also a good alternative. Avoid alcoholic and caffeinated beverages, as these may cause further dehydration.

5. Regularly apply a cool, soothing cream or aloe lotion to the affected area to keep it moist. Aloe extract has powerful healing properties, and is most effective in its pure form. Vitamin enriched lotions and moisturizers may also help speed healing. When treating moderate to severe burns, 1% hydrocortisone cream may also be used. Avoid using butter, oil, and strong ointments on burned skin, as these will only irritate and worsen sunburn symptoms.

On mountains like Denali, climbers must completely cover their skin.

6. Shower with cool water whenever possible. This should help ease the pain and discomfort on your skin until it begins to heal. Use very mild soap, and refrain from using abrasive personal skin products, such as exfoliating skin formulas and body scrubs to avoid irritation.

7. Wear loose-fitting clothes made of natural fibers, such as cotton or silk, as sunburned skin tends to be extremely sensitive, and harsher fabrics will do more harm than good. When heading outdoors, wear long sleeved shirts and long pants that cover the affected areas.

8. Leave peeling skin alone. When your skin starts peeling, try your very best not to scratch, scrub or strip the dry skin off. The layer of skin underneath the peeling is still very sensitive, and will only lead to further skin damage when forcibly exposed. Just continue using moisturizer to help relieve itching and dryness.

Following is a short video on sunburn treatment:



--Jason D. Martin

Climbing Events May and June 2012

5/7 -- West Chester, VA -- Dean Kamazes, Life in Motion: Buy Tickets.

5/12/ - 5/13 -- Mazama, WA -- Highway 20 Ski Party.

5/12 - 5/13 -- New York, NY -- Peak Experience VII, Climb Everest without Leaving Manhattan: Learn More.


5/15 -- Twin Falls, ID -- Clean the Crag Bouldering Competition: idahoclimber1@gmail.com

5/16 -- Anchorage, AK -- Kit DesLauriers, Journey through the Arctic Refuge: Buy Tickets.

5/17 - Seattle, WA -- The Old Breed, Steve Swenson's ascent of Saser Kangri II: Toilet for Vantage Fundraiser

5/24 -- Houston, TX -- Mark Synnott, Life on the Vertical: Buy Tickets.


5/25 - 5/28 -- Telluride, CO -- Mountainfilm Film Festival: http://mountainfilm.org

6/3 -- Idyllwild, CA -- Idyllwild Climbers Festivial

Weekend Warrior - Videos to get you STOKED!!!

For this week's videos, we're featuring the Mont Blanc range, and we've got a couple of awesome videos: the first one is on the Swiss Direct route on the Grand Capucin, a great tower of granite on the Mont Blanc group.



This next video is of a climb of Les Droites North Face of the Mont Blanc massif.



This last video is something a little different - the video is of some speedflying (skiing with a paraglider on) in Chamonix. We don't usually show many speedflying videos, but this video has such great scenery of the area, that I couldn't resist showing it.



Have a great weekend!

The Ethics of Leaving Fixed Ropes, Draws, and Caches

The ethics of leaving gear in the mountains or at the crag is complex. Some might consider anything left behind anywhere, akin to abandoning gear. Indeed, some National Parks and the Bureau of Land Management identify any gear left behind for any reason at all as abandoned.

So under these draconian policies, if you leave a tent up on a mountain, hike down to your car to do a resupply, and then bring your food back up, a ranger could decide that you've abandoned your tent. And while resupplying is not a common tactic, it definitely happens to some extent in every mountain range in the country.

There are three tactics that climbers regularly employ that require them to leave equipment unattended for -- potentially -- extended periods of time. These include fixed ropes, caches, and fixed draws. And unfortunately, not every climber is educated on the ethics of these issues, so sometimes gear is stolen.

Aid climbers commonly fix lines on big walls. They will climb as high as they can, fix ropes and then rappel to the ground and return to camp. Their ropes will remain fixed in position. The following day, they will climb up the rope with mechanical ascenders to reattain their high point. These lines are regularly unattended at night and sometimes during the day.  Obviously, these climbers are trusting that the equipment will not only be there when they return, but also that nobody will have messed with it creating a dangerous situation.

Mountaineers fix lines on steep and exposed snow or ice slopes. These types of ropes tend to be set-up by guides or by large expeditions that need to get a lot of people through a dangerous section quickly. Fixed ropes in a mountaineering setting are almost always left on popular trade routes that require them.  However, occasionally a person will leave a fixed line on a less popular route to help facilitate quick movement early in the morning.

A Fixed Hand-Line Employed by Guides to Assist Beginners on Exposed Terrain

Photo by Jason Martin

There are numerous places throughout the country where fixed lines have been left permanently to help facilitate safe movement. Most of the areas where such ropes have been left don't provide many other alternatives.  Some of these are employed on sketchy rock sections, but others are used to bypass steep mud

Occasionally, large groups will set short fixed lines at cragging areas to help beginners safely move up and down a sketchy section. Unlike the other examples, these lines are unlikely to ever be left unattended for more than a couple of hours.

Obviously in every example, the loss of a fixed line could result in a dangerous situation. It's pretty unlikely that somebody straight-out abandoned a rope in decent shape that is clearly tied off for a reason...

In many mountaineering and expeditionary settings, a food or gear cache is an important part of a team's strategy. Commonly these cache's are buried in the snow and marked with wands or an avalanche probe. If such a cache were to disappear, it could mean the end of an expedition...it could also be very dangerous for those who were expecting it to be in place.

It is the responsibility of those who employ the use of fixed lines and caches to clean them up when they are done. If they don't, this creates a negative impression about climbers with land managers and the public. If land managers know who abandoned a cache (in a place like Denali National Park), they will impose a fine.  Additionally, climbers who permanently leave these types of things behind provide a better argument for the ethically challenged to steal your cache or your fixed line.

A Climber Confronts the Thief Responsible for Stealing Draws Off His Route in Smith Rock State Park
Photo by Ian Caldwell

Many high-end climbers (5.11-5.15 climbers) regularly employ the use of fixed draws on their projects.  In other words, they leave draws fixed on hard bolted sport climbs so that they can easily come back in order to continue working on the ascent of their routes.  Many sport climbers will come back to the same climb over and over again, sometimes logging weeks or even months, working to successfully complete their climbs.

This technique of "working" a climb used to be looked-down upon, but has become the norm for people trying to climb very difficult routes. The technically hardest rock climbs in the world are now regularly being climbed this way.

The issue with this technique is that it is now common for climbing draws to be almost permanently left on hard climbs. There are two problems with this. First, some land managers don't like the nearly permanent installation of these draws. And second, the fact that these draws have been left behind provides a major temptation to individuals who don't know any better and for thieves.

In the Winter of 2010, three climbers confronted an individual who was systematically stripping draws off of hard climbs at Smith Rock State Park. Instead of physically attacking the individual for stealing draws, the climbers kept level heads and educated the individual about what he was doing and how it affected them. Luckily for the climbing community, these climbers elected to film the confrontation for educational purposes. A video of the incident can be seen below:


Picnic Lunch Wall Draw Thief from Ian Caldwell on Vimeo.

There are many climbers out there who don't like the fact that there are bolts in the rock. And there are many climbers out there who really don't like the fact the bolts have draws permanently affixed to them.  But when all is said and done, regardless of your beliefs about this issue, if you know that the draws have been set to assist in a climber's ascent, then taking them is stealing.

There is controversy around each of these three topics.  But fixed lines, caches and fixed draws are an important part of many climbers experiences and it is important to respect those who choose to employ such tactics as long as they do it in a way that is in line with a local climbing area's ethics.

--Jason D. Martin