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.
--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest Ice Conditions may be found here.
--Christmas Day morning was the last real day of snow in the Pacific Northwest. Since that time, the snow has melted in the lowlands. The highlands are still covered in the white stuff. People have been getting out. However, most climbers have headed north to climbs in Canada. These guys stayed in Washington and climbed Fugs Falls. This party went up to Hope and climbed Cool Pools. And this party also made the trip up north to climb Family Man.
--The snow in the Northwest is still pretty heavy and a lot of people have been concerned about getting out. While most have stuck to the lifts, a few have gone to the backcountry. This guy skied Roof Peak.
SIERRA:
--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.
--The Alaska season is over until April of 2009, but we are already in the process of gearing up for it. We are now accepting applications for our 2009 Denali expeditions.
Surprisingly, most climbers don't know the names of the different parts of a carabiner. In addition to that, many climbers are unframiliar with the strengths and weaknesses of this tool. This knowledge may be very helpful to an individual in both instructional and real world settings.A -- The Nose
B -- The Gate
C -- The Basket D -- The Spine E -- The Crotch
On the spine of a carabiner there are a series of numbers with a kN next to them. kN stands for kilonewton. A kilonewton is a measure of force, not weight; but for the lay person who is not a physicist, the best way to understand this measurement is to equate it to pounds. In other words, a kilonewton is essentially 224.8 lbs.
Most carabiners show a strength of 18-25 kN (estimated 4046-5620 lbs) along the spine and 6-8 kN (estimated 1348.8-1798.4 lbs) when they are open or crossloaded. The vast majority of climbers are not capable of generating 18-25 kN of force. However, given the right kind of fall, a climber could generate 6-8 kN of force.
Every climber must work to avoid crossloading carabiners. Pay attention to how the carabiner hangs off your harness while belaying or rappelling. Use your belay loop to ensure that the load is on the spine. And watch for situations where the gate to a carbiner might be compromised.
Carabiner gates present the most common problem. In the alpine -- especially in a crevasse rescue situation -- snow may get caught in between the nose and the gate allowing for the carabiner to be open at a nearly imperceptable margin. On rock, a carabiner facing the wall may be pushed open by a protrusion. Each of these problems are solved by careful recognition of the possiblity of a problem. Double check everything and use locking carabiners when possible.
Ski season is in full swing now, and the snow has been dumping in the North Cascades. If you have any plans of skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing or snowmobiling in the backcountry this winter, please make sure you have taken an avalanche education course!
This weekend's Avalanche Level 1 course, Jan 2 - 4, still has a couple spots available, but is filling up fast. The course is $275 and is 3 days long (1 day in the classroom, 2 in the field). If you would like to make a reservation, please call us at (360) 671-1505 or register online.
In today's news, there were 9 avalanche related fatalities in the Northwest this past weekend - read these articles in the Seattle Times for more information:
For a non-climber, climbing is a foreign thing. All of the participants are adrenaline junkies looking for their next fix. This perception in conjunction with a serious lack of knowledge about climbing culture have come together over the years to provide us with some very bad climbing films.
You might think that there is little to no value in a poorly executed climbing film, but you would be horribly wrong. The value in these films is wholly unintentional. Most people can suspend their disbelief under certain circumstances. If there is something unrealistic here or there, we usually choose to ignore it. But in some films, it is utterly impossible to ignore the problems. They get it so wrong, yet play it so straight, that the films actually become quite comic.
The worst offenders take poor plot-lines, poor dialogue and incredibly ludicrous climbing scenarios and successfully -- though unintentionally -- weave them into a cinematic mess that is so unbelievable they seem surreal. Three films stand out as the worst of the worst. And indeed it is because these are the worst offenders that they are so fun to watch.
Cliffhanger (1993)
Synopsis: A high end climber and search and rescue expert -- who lost a friend in a tragic, but totally avoidable, climbing accident -- is forced to assist a group of gun-wielding thieves in their quest to find boxes of money scattered throughout the Rocky Mountains. Oh yeah, as this is a Sylvester Stallone movie, he does this mostly in the snow wearing a t-shirt. And sometimes he's even topless...
Cardboard characters, racial and ethnic stereotypes, and a script that is so unrealistic that there isn't a moment of the film where one doesn't laugh at the stupidity of the characters are all components of the vast majority of the Stallone films. This one certainly does not stand out as being different or of a higher quality.
Cliffhanger does have a few didactic moments for climbers. We learn that it is really not a good idea to shoot a machine gun at the cornice that you're standing beneath. We learn that we should be terrified if the stuffed animal in our backpack falls. And of course we learn that you shouldn't mess around with Rambo.
Suprisingly, the original storyline of this film was based on a true story. Climbing author, John Long, gets story credit for the film. In 1977, a plane filled with marijuana crashed in the Lower Merced Lake in Yosemite National Park. At the time it was winter and the lake was difficult to get to. Long lived in Yosemite when this happened and watched the incident unfold. It is likely that his original story pitch represented this true story, but was warped by Hollywood into a Sly Stallone vehicle which really is too bad.
Vertical Limit (2000)
Synopsis: A high end climber and photographer -- who lost his dad in a tragic, but totally avoidable, climbing accident -- must rescue his sister from a crevasse as well as from a crazed climber. Oh yeah, and he's supposed to do it with bottles of nitroglycerin. On K2.
A great deal has been said about this film in the climbing community. Indeed, it may be possible that this was the most talked about "bad" climbing film of all time. Why? It's just way over the top.
In the opening scene, somehow all kinds of cams and pins rip out of a desert tower leading to an incredibly unrealistic accident. Somehow they mixed up the party scene in Joshua Tree National Park with base camp on K2. And somehow, they thought that a mountain climbing rescue drama needed a few things to spice it up. It needed a villainous character who murders people high on the mountain. It needed characters wandering around on the glacier with full racks of shiny cams with no rock climbing in sight. And clearly to make any climbing movie realistic, you need to have unstable nitroglycerin.
A lot of people like to talk about leading man, Chris O'Donnell, and his radical running leap over a chasm high on K2. My question is, have you ever run in crampons? Have you ever run at altitude? Were that me, I would have probably tripped over my crampons while hyperventilating, thus falling down to the bottom of the bottomless chasm.
I know that I'm not the only one who noticed another problem with O'Donnell's portrayal of a world-class climber. Every time he talks to his sister (Robin Tunney) throughout the film it looks like he's trying to seduce her. It appears that O'Donnell only knows how to play one thing while working with a female counterpart on screen and in light of these two character's relationship, it's a little bit icky.
Vertical Limit was way over the top. Every scene was an excercise in excess. And every beat of the story seemed more unrealistic than the previous. It's likely that this was -- to some extent -- intentional. Film-makers often build action with sequences that are more and more dramatic throughout a movie. In Vertical Limit, this one-upmanship did not lead to an edge of your seat movie experience. Instead, it lead straight to serious unintentional comedy.
Take it to the Limit (2000)
Synopsis: A bad boy from the city -- who was in a tragic, but totally avoidable accident with a stolen car -- hangs out with a bunch of inept climbers who appear to have near-terminal cases of ADHD. Oh yeah, he does this to pick up a girl.
Famous B movie producer Roger Corman was behind this strange adventure. And ironically, even though it is a B movie, this film probably has the best script of the three. The problem is that with little to no knowledge of climbing culture or climbing itself, an okay script turns into an exercise in the ludicrous.
There are a few scenes that stick out as being over the top. There's the time when the hero and his girlfriend get stuck on a cliff approximately a hundred feet up a third class pitch with no way to get down. Then there's the time when they go "climbing" on a water tower; only to leave the hero stuck on top because he doesn't have climbing shoes. And then there's the time that they go toproping, but they give each other so many high fives when it's suggested that you literally wonder what they were smoking.
Perhaps the best part of the entire film is the rap. A rap, you say? Yes, a rap. Every time they go climbing the rap starts. It goes something like this:
Take it to the limit, the limit, the limit
Take it to the limit, the limit, the limit
Take it to the limit, the limit, the limit
By no stretch of the imagination is this a difficult rap. No, it probably took about ten minutes to write. But if one thing is for sure, once you see Take it to the Limit, you won't be able to get the words Take it to the Limit, out of your head...
Ironically, outside the climbing world, these three movies no longer have a life of their own. Clearly, they weren't just bad climbing movies. They were just plain bad. For better or worse, we're responsible for keeping these movies alive. I suppose I can live with that...
Trailers for Cliffhanger and Vertical Limit may be seen below. Follow the link to watch the trailer for Take it to the Limit.
I hope that all of you are enjoying the holiday season thus far. For as long as I can remember I've always wondered what Santa did after he was done making his rounds and now, after years of searching, I've finally found the answer. He hits the slopes!
Watch Santa shred the slopes as he makes a stop in Colorado on his way back up to the North Pole. I've gotta say, despite his initial wipeout, Santa has some serious skills for an overweight old guy.
Apparently when Santa isn't cruisin' the pow in Colorado he stylin' in the terrain park at Heavenly. Is there anything this guy can't do? I mean, besides lay off the cookies and milk.
Sooner or later human beings will go beyond our moon to explore the solar system. And sooner or later, some of those astronauts will be drawn to the high cliffs and peaks of distant worlds. We can do little more than think about such objectives right now. But someday, perhaps AAI will run trips to Mons Huygens, the tallest mountain on the moon or to Olympus Mons, the tallest mountain on Mars and the biggest known volcano in the solar system.
As scientists make plans for a Mars trip, some are already thinking about the mountain climbing prospects on the red planet. Indeed, some even argue that it is a necessary step in the planet's exploration. Read more about it here.
In 2006, the Cassini Spacecraft discovered a gigantic mountain range on Titan, Saturn's largest moon. One scientist compared the range to the Sierras! I wonder how good the rock is... A report on this new range range may be found here.
The mountains of Venus were all named after the goddesses of different cultures. This planet, often called the morning star, might harbor one of the harsher environments for climbers. In the Cascades we worry about getting wet from a rain storm. On Venus, it rains sulfuric acid. If a storm came, getting wet would be the least of your problems. In such an environment, ropes would melt, slings would distigrate and all the cool stickers on your helmet would vanish!
Scientists believe that the tallest mountains in the solar system are on Io, a moon of Jupiter. There are mountains twice the size of Everest scattered about the planet. Although it appears that the geology there is quite active; and unfortunately active geology equals extreme danger to Earth climbers who don't need pressure suits or space ships to move around. I suspect that it means that it's a no go for future climbing expeditions on the small moon. To read more about these massive mountains, click here.
And as long as we're talking about inaccessible climbing, did you know that there is a gigantic mountain range under the sea? The Mid-Ocean Ridge System is the largest single volcanic feature on the planet. This massive range snakes its way around the Earth beneath the ocean. But I suppose that if the ocean were ever to dry up, people wouldn't be that psyched to check out the climbing. They'd probably have other things on their minds...
The Office Staff at AAI Wishing You a Merry Christmas! From left to right: Emily, Ruth, Jason, Dunham and Dana
It's Christmas day and climbers all over the country are digging around under the tree for that gift that is just heavy enough to be climbing gear. Hopefully, Santa was good to you and you got that new cam or that new ice axe or that new avalanche transceiver. Hopefully, tomorrow you'll get to go out and play on the rock, the ice or the snow with your new equipment. And hopefully, the weather will cooperate!
A Climber's Christmas Tree Click on the Photo to see all the Detail Photo by Gerry Kollmuss
Northwest:
--Mike “Gator” Gauthier, a renowned ranger, member of the local climbing community and guidebook author, is leaving Mount Rainier National Park. Gauthier is leaving his position as the head of the park’s climbing program for a two-year fellowship in Washington D.C. The ranger has accepted a post with the U.S. Senate’s National Parks Sub-committee. To read more, click here and here. To see what the climbing community is saying about this, click here.
--Washington State is in the same mess as the rest of the country, there are significant budget shortfalls. Governor Chris Gregoire proposed a state budget last week that slashed nearly $3.5 billion dollars and avoided tax increases. Among the cuts were the budgets for 13 state parks. The closing of these parks is predicted to save the state $5.2 million dollars. To read more, click here. The Seattle Times listed the following parks as slated for closure:
Osoyoos Lake State Veteran's Memorial Park: 47-acre camping park in Okanogan County. Brooks Memorial Park: 700-acre camping park between the hills of the south Yakima Valley and the Simcoe Mountains. Schafer State Park: 119-acre camping park on the Satsop River, between Olympia and Ocean Park. Bogachiel State Park: 123-acre camping park along the Bogachiel River on the Olympic Peninsula. Tolmie State Park: 105-acre marine day-use park on Nisqually Beach, near Olympia. Fay Bainbridge State Park: 17-acre marine camping park on Bainbridge Island. Fort Okanogan State Park: 45-acre day-use park overlooking the Columbia River. Wenberg State Park: 46-acre camping park on Lake Goodwin, Snohomish County. Fort Ward State Park: 137-acre marine park on Rich Passage, Kitsap County. Joemma Beach: 122-acre marine camping park on southeast Key Peninsula, Pierce County. Kopachuck State Park: 109-acre marine and camping park on Henderson Bay, Pierce County.Lake Sylvia State Park: 233-acre camping park in Grays Harbor County. Old Fort Townsend State Park: 367-acre marine camping park on Port Townsend Bay.
--The road salt and deicer used on the state's roadways is having a seriously detrimental effect on mountain birds. These products tend to disorient finches and other small, seed-eating birds that ingest them as they peck for grit. That, in turn, makes them roadkill when they're hit by snowplows and other vehicles. The best thing that people can do to avoid killing these birds is to avoid assumptions. Don't assume that they will just fly away as you get close. Instead, slow down and allow them to fly away. To read more, click here.
Sierra:
--An avalanche caught a ski patroler last weekend at the Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort. The patroler was in the process of cutting the slope, when the avalanche ripped him off his feet. To read more, click here.
Desert Southwest:
--Last week it snowed in Joshua Tree National Park. This is something that almost never happens. Many comments concerning this and the park's subsequent closure made it to the Internet. An individual who calls himself Frosty the Climber, posted the following photo and poem from Joshua Tree:
Frosty the climber was a jolly happy soul, With a BD axe and a mushroom nose And two eyes made out of bolts (hangers). Frosty the climber is a fairy tale, they say, He was made of snow but the children Know how he came to life one day.
There must have been some magic in that Old petzl helmet they found. For when they placed it on his head He began to send some routes.
--There are some great old stories from the yesteryear of Red Rocks on supertopo this week.It is our suspicion that these were developed for Alpinist...but now that the resources is gone, these great stories have been placed on the internet. To read them, click here.
Notes from All Over:
Santa's Expedition Gear
--Rockclimbing.com recently sponsored a photo competition for Sierra Designs sleeping bags. They are now in the process of taking votes on the finalists. Some of the photos are very funny. Others are very naughty. To see them and to vote, click here.
--This is little photo essay has been making its way around the outdoor community. A photographer in Canada got a little careless and allowed a polar bear to get too close. He thought he could duck inside his car, but didn't have time. Instead, the bear chased him around the car repeatedly, trying to catch him. Polar bears are incredibly dangerous animals. This is a young bear. A full grown Polar Bear could peel the door right off a car. It would offer literally no protection. This series of photos is from a hunting website entitled, blackbearheaven.com.
The entirety of our North American program areas were hit by a series of major winter storms last week and then through the weekend. Both Red Rock and Joshua Tree saw enough snow last week to close the parks. While the Cascades and the Sierra finally got the snow they needed to kick-start the ski season.
This is what everybody feels like everywhere in the snow:
--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.
Last Week's Snow on Mount Wilson Photo by Andy Bourne
Last Week's Snow on the Strip Photo by Angela Tripp
--Last week Red Rock Canyon and Las Vegas saw the largest valley-wide snow storm in thirty years. There was snow accumulation on the Las Vegas Strip, something that never happens. Everything has melted away and things are back to normal.
Jacob Sargent on Driving Limitations (5.7) last week. Photo by Ian McEleney
--While there was enough snow to close the park last week for three days, it has mostly melted away and things are back to normal. The park service does not own a snow plow and attempted to plow the roads with a road grater...this didn't work very well.
--A few local climbers from Joshua Tree decided to go climbing while the park was closed. To do so they tried to ski in. A ranger stopped them to inform them that skiing in Joshua Tree National Park is illegal. It would have been funny if they had asked him to pull out his rule book to show them that rule. NORTHWEST:
--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest Ice Conditions may be found here.
Cody Hiatt after a large part of Bridal Veil Falls nearly collapsed on him. Photo by Andrew McDavid
--The Washington ice season has officially begun. Many parties climbed the seldom formed Bridal Veil Falls, a party climbed Skookum Falls, parties have sent CYA, Rainbow Falls is in, Preston and McCrea Falls are in, and numerous other routes have come in over the last week or so. It's a good time to get out to taste the ephemeral Northwest ice.
Pax Fox on the Seldom-Formed Bridal Veil Falls (WI 3+) Photo by Jason Killgore
--In Canada, Squamish is seeing more ice than it has in years. The ice across from Murrin Park is in, Shannon Falls is climbable on the right side, Klahanie Column is in, several first ascents have taken place in the Olesen Slabs area, a line on the Squaw was climbed 5 days ago, and the Smoke Bluffs have more ice than they've seen in decades.
--The Mountain Loop Highway from Silverton to Darrington has been closed for the winter. To read more about this, click here.
--Wildly overstated emergency warnings on the radio forecasted monster avalanche danger throughout the Cascades over the weekend. These reports kept people from going into the mountains and forced many backcountry skiers to cross-country ski in city parks throughout Western Washington and Southwest British Columbia. Even though there was a lot of new snow in the mountains and the avalanche danger was high, both AAI Avalanche Level I and Avalanche Level II courses found surprisingly little evidence of slides.
SIERRA:
--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.
--After the latest round of storms in the Sierra, Tioga Pass through Yosemite was officially closed for the season. To read more about the closure, click here.
--Air service has returned to the Eastern Sierra. One Horizon flight a day will arrive and depart from the Owens Valley between now and April. To read more, click here.
An AAI Team Climbs Cardinal Pinnacle Last Week Photo by Justin Marion
--Here is a cool report that covers a variety of sports form an individual who spent all of his free time in the Sierra for a year.
A Climber on Chouinard Falls on Sunday Photo by Mark Grundon
--Chouinard Falls is in in Lee Vining, but there is little else that is climable yet. It is likely that this will change as the Sierra continues to see cold weather.
ALPS:
--Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.
--The Alaska season is over until April of 2009, but we are already in the process of gearing up for it. We are now accepting applications for our 2009 Denali expeditions.
Fred Beckey is perhaps the most well know first-ascentionist in North America. The 85 year-old climber and author was recently featured in the New York Times and still gets out regularly. Over the years many AAI guides have climbed with the octogenarian, but even more have used his highly detailed three-volume guide to the Cascades, theCascade Alpine Guide: Climbing and High Routes.
The 432 page-third volume of this series -- often affectionately called Red Fred -- has recently been released by Mountaineers Books. Red Fred covers the climbing, mountaineering and high traverses that may be found from Rainy Pass to the Frasier River in Canada. This new addition includes 101 black and white photos with route overlays, 60 route topos, and 29 maps. Most of the driving directions, approaches and route descriptions have been updated.
Though there are dozens and dozens of valuable updates in the book, there are still a few descriptions that could use some clarification. Here is an example from the description of Lady Peak:
Make the probably difficult approach from the end of Jones Lake; the approach will be a classic bush thrash unless the ground is snow-covered.
What throws one off is the use of the word, "probably." It indicates a low level of area first or second-hand knowledge. Writing a guidebook with this much information is a monumental task. And no one can be expected to have perfect information on the thousands of routes and peaks Beckey covers. As a result, I am more-than-willing to forgive the author for an occasional ambiguous direction.
In addition to historical and first ascent information, Beckey's series addresses the geological significance to the mountains and sub-ranges of the Cascades. An unprecedented amount of energy was put into the geologic descriptions and the essays on mountain feature formation. Most guidebooks provide some geological history, but the Cascade Alpine Guides stand alone in the bredth of the information provided.
Fred reads Cosmo on a glacier Photo by Aaron Clifford
Comprehensive guidebooks like this one are the most difficult to research and write. They require a great deal more time, more commitment and more running around than any other form of book. Beckey's books literally cover hundreds of miles of mountains. One might be able to argue that this compilation of routes is the most audacious, the most complete and the most complex description of routes in a mountain range that has ever been written.
Way to go Fred!
Fred Beckey climbing in Leavenworth Courtesy of the Jared VanderGriend Collection
If there's one place in the world that I'm pretty sure AAI won't be offering trips to in the near future, it's Cuba. Not that a lot of Americans don't go to Cuba, because there's a fair amount of US passports that pass through customs and immigration at the Jose Marti airport in Havana. There is no law in Cuba prohibiting Americans to enter and they don't stamp your passport.
As many of you know there's been a US embargo on Cuba since 1963 which prohibits US citizens and residents from spending money in this communist nation under the "Trading with the Enemy Act". According to the US Dept of Treasury "The basic goal of the sanctions is to isolate the Cuban government economically and deprive it of US dollars."
Fortunately I was traveling with a Canadian citizen who paid for the whole trip with Canadian dollars. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Now, for the best part. The climbing.
I can't claim to be an expert in many things, but if there were something that I could write a book about it might have the title of "Limestone Sport Climbing Areas in Communist Countries" or something to that effect. Cuba is my third such area after China and Vietnam, and it is a real gem (if I can manage Laos and North Korea, much to my mother's dismay, I'll have the quintet). There are a couple of hundred established routes in Cuba, mostly bolted with a few traditional climbs throughout the area known as Vinales. The climbing is on large limestone towers and mountains called mogotes that are riddled with caves and overhanging limestone walls.
The climbing history in Cuba is very young, with the first documented routes going up in 1999. On one of the first climbs in '99, the first ascensionists found pitons that are storied to have been placed by a pair of adventurous Spanish women who first climbed there 15 to 20 years previously. Craig Luebben, a renowned American climber responsible for inventing Big Bros (wide crack protection in the form of spring loaded tubes) was one of these first ascensionists, and one of the first people, along with a few Cuban climbers, to discover the area's potential. Since then, climbers from around the world have visited and contributed to the established climbs making Cuba a legitimate climbing destination.
There is a tradition amongst visitiong climbers o bring climbing equipment to Cuban climbing locals. This is because they cannot procure climbing gear in their home country, and probably couldn't afford it even if it was available.
There is a web site created for those interested in climbing in Cuba. This was created by Armando Menocal, one of the Cubans who first explored the limestone with Luebben.
We spent 10 days in Vinales while staying in a Casa Particular, the Cuban version of a bed and breakfast, owned by Oscar Jaime Rodriguez. This is the unofficial basecamp for all climbers visiting the area and for good reason. Oscar is the patriarch of a wonderful casa and has rooms for rent at $20 per night. It's a great place to meet other climbers and you can find all the information that you need to climb in Vinales at his casa. If you go to Cuba, find Oscar.
The downsides of climbing in Cuba are the mosquitoes. So bring your own repellent because it is not available in Cuba, or at least we didn't find any. The only other annoyance is the government, who assert a tremendous amount of control over the daily life for Cubans. They don't really bother tourists, because they are spending money. But they make sure that tourists pay as much as possible for food and services. There is a way around all this, and you can make a relatively cheap trip out of it, but be sure to get lots of good information before going.
Cuba is an amazingly unique place with extremely friendly people and rich culture. It is flush with great music, art, history and beautiful colonial architecture. It makes a great vacation that includes authentic culture and great climbing.
Last week we brought you a compilation of climbing falls which I am sure got your blood pumping. Since we may be getting the first big snow of the season up here in Washington this weekend I'll give you Warriors one guess what type of videos we have for you this time....if you said ski falls then congratulations, you can give yourself a big pat on the back. These videos are sure to make you squirm in your seat but let's face it, deep down there is a little part in all of us that enjoys watching other people eat snow.
The first video showcases Tanner Hall attempting to launch himself over Chad's Gap in the Utah backcountry. Unfortunately for him he didn't quite get enough speed...see if you can guess what he hurt in this crash.
You can't talk about ski crashes without one of those wonderful compilation videos. Those folks at Teton Gravity Research have no shortage of these, this particular one is from "Under the Influence". What is it about death metal that makes it the perfect soundtrack for watching people fall?
AAI is excited to announce a new program offering this winter: the Avalanche Refresher course. This affordable course is designed for those backcountry users who have some avalanche education under their belt, but are in need of a day in the field to practice their skills.
The course is $125 per person, and will run from 8:00am to 5:00pm in the Mt. Baker backcountry. Snowboarders, skiers, and snowshoers are welcome. All material presented in the course will be consistent with AIARE curriculum and the other AAI Avalanche course offerings.
We have four dates schedule for this season:
Jan 3, 2009 Jan 17, 2009 Feb 7, 2009 Feb 21, 2009
If you are interested in signing up for a course, please register online. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to give us a call at (360) 671-1505.
This story has been passed down through generations of guides. Indeed, this is one of those stories that guides sit around the campfire and tell one another. We believe that this incident took place sometime in the late eighties.
Long ago a guide was doing a gear check at our main office in Bellingham before setting out on a six day trip into the backcountry. They finished going through all the clothing and equipment. The guide only had one more thing to check.
"So, do have food for the trip?" the guide asked.
The two climbers, a mother and her adult daughter, looked at one another nervously. Finally the mother responded, "yes. Yes, we have food."
The guide thought it was a little weird that they didn't respond right away. She also caught the little glance that they gave one another. So she decided to take a look at it. "Can I see what you brought?"
The climbers hesitantly unloaded their food bag. Inside, there was a long plastic tube-bag -- the style that bagels come in -- and it was loaded with six days worth of Burger King hamburgers.
Needless to say they stopped at a grocery store before going out into the field.
One of the biggest snowfalls in Las Vegas and Red Rock in almost 30 years produced some beautiful scenery in Red Rock. It won't last long, but here's a few pictures that I took on December 16:
Turtle Head Peak seen while hiking up the Kraft Wash
The Cube in Calico Basin
Barrel Cactus in the Snow
Clouds above Calico Hills
Another view of Turtle Head from Calico Hills
A Snow Clad Mount Wilson
Bridge Mountain
Things looked similar on the World famous Las Vegas Strip:
--AAI's Director, Dunham Gooding, was recently featured in a book entitled, "Leadership Artistry Hope: A Celebration of Values." The coffee table book is a "celebration of what it means to be a leader, why artistry matters, and how hope takes shape." Twenty-three individuals were selected by the publisher. Dunham was selected for a section entitled, "Speaking for the Trees." His profile tells his story and that of the American Alpine Institute. The book is being distributed privately by the publisher.
--The New York Times ran a feature length article with a great video on Fred Beckey on Tuesday. The article and video both cover his long climbing career. To read the article and see the video, click here.
Fred and friends in Leavenworth, still getting after it! Photo Courtesy of the Jared VanderGriend Collection
Enjoying the top of a crag in Leavenworth Photo Courtesy of the Jared VanderGriend Collection
--A gondola tower in Whistler collapsed on Tuesday, trapping passengers inside. It appears that the accident happened on the Excaliber Gondola and not the new Peak-to-Peak gondola that opened earlier this month to connect Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. To read more, click here.
--Dan Capellini and Rolf Larson's new route that we reported on in our conditions report last week made the Climbing magazine website. Buckshot was put up on Buck Mountain in early December. This hard new line clocks in at GradeIV WI4+ M4/5 and saw multiple attempts prior to the ascent this month. To read the Climbing magazine report, click here. To read the original trip report, click here.
--Longview Timberlands purchased more than 15,500 acres of forest tree farms in the Deming area for $48 million from Mid-Valley Resources Inc., a subsidiary of Hampton Affiliates, a large Oregon timber company, last week. The sale, filed at the Whatcom County Treasurer's Office, included 71 parcels of property. This area includes the access route from the Middle Fork Nooksack river to the Twin Sisters Mountains. It appears that while Longview Timberlands doesn't allow camping on their property, they do keep it open for public use. To read more, click here.
Sierra:
The forest fires in Los Padres National Forest collectively burned over 62,000 acres.
--Steven Emory Butcher, a homeless man with mental problems, was recently convicted of starting fires in 2002 and 2006 in the Los Padres National Forest. He was sentenced to 45 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $100 million in restitution. To read more, click here. Himalaya:
--An international research team has conducted the first detailed analysis of deaths during expeditions to the summit of Mt. Everest. They found that most deaths occur during descents from the summit and also identified factors that appear to be associated with a greater risk of death, particularly symptoms of high-altitude cerebral edema. "We know that climbing Everest is dangerous, but exactly how and why people have died had not been studied," says Paul Firth, the scientist who led the study. "It had been assumed that avalanches and falling ice – particularly in the Khumbu Icefall on the Nepal route – were the leading causes of death and that high-altitude pulmonary edema would be a common problem at such extreme altitude. But our results do not support either assumption." To read more, click here. Notes from All Over:
--A 27 year-old woman was killed in an avalanche while skiing inbounds at Snowbird, Utah this weekend. Heather Gross, an experienced skier, was buried for more than an hour before being retrieved. She died later at the hospital. To read more and to see a video about this incident, click here.
Senator Ken Salazar Candidate for the Secretary of the Interior
--President Elect Obama has nominated Senator Ken Salazar (D-Colorado) for Secretary of the Interior. If confirmed, Salazar would oversee the nations National Parks and the Bureau of Land Management. In other words, he will be in charge of the vast majority of the resources that we as climbers use. The Senator was not the first choice of many environmental interests, who favored Rep. Raul M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.). One-hundred and forty-one environmental groups and scientists launched an e-mail and letter-writing campaign in support of Grijalva for the position. To read more about both Salazar and Grijalva, click here and here. The New York Times ran a editorial about what Salazar needs to do to fix the Department of the Interior yesterday. To read it, click here. --The American Alpine Club recently launched a new online resource. It is now possible to research climbs and mountains throughout the world via a search engine with access to archived American Alpine Journal material that reaches all the way back to 1929. To visit this resource, click here.
--In related news, the American Alpine Journal is seeking volunteer translators to help prepare stories for the 2009 edition. Although the editors welcome volunteers skilled in any foreign language, translators fluent in Japanese, Italian, and French are particularly needed for 2009. Native English speakers are preferred. To read more, click here. --Sources are reporting that an undisclosed individual or corporation has made a bid on Alpinist magazine. The amount? Thirty-thousand measly dollars...or less than it costs to print a single issue of the magazine. While this may lead some loyal Alpinist readers to hope that the spectacular format of the magazine will return, it's unlikely. The price-tag is so low that the former business plan will likely be scrapped for something completely different. To read more, click here and here.
--A scary thread is currently running on supertopo.com. People have been posting pictures of broken cams, bad bolts and severed ropes. To see the thread, click here.
Mark Mathews on the summit of Patagonia's Gemelo Alto Photo by Dave Turner
--Dave Turner and Mark Mathews recently completed a new rock route in Patagonia's French Valley. Their 350 meter line sends a previously unclimbed peak called Gemelo Alto. The beautiful granite route clocked in at at a moderate 5.10- with many pitches of 5.8 and 5.9. The pair named their route Adios Ayer which is Spanish for "Goodbye Yesterday." To read more about this ascent, click here.
--Six teams summited Patagonia's Cerro Torre in early December via the Upper-West Face. This is the route that was first sent in 1974 by Daniele Chiappa, Mario Conti, Casimiro Ferrari, and Pino Negri. Over recent years, the line fell out of favor due to the supposed ease of the infamous Compressor Route. Many now view the West Face as the more natural line. To read more, click here. --The Access Fund continued its support of grassroots climbing advocacy and conservation projects by awarding over $11,000 during its third Climbing Preservation Grants cycle of 2008. The grants will help fund land acquisitions, trail reconstruction, and the creation of a trailhead kiosk. Presented three times annually, AF’s Climbing Preservation Grants provide financial assistance for local climber activism and protection of the climbing environment in the United States. Grants this cycle were awarded to the Western Colorado Climber's Coalition and to Utah Open Lands. To read more, click here.
--Last week, the Russian Prime minister renamed a major peak in the Caucasus, the Peak of Russian Counterintelligence Agents. The 10, 725 foot high mountain is located in the westernmost area of North Ossetia, close to the border with Georgia. To read more, click here.
The Avalanches in the News information was obtained from the AIARE website.
Northwest Avalanche Profile:
The following is raw information obtained during an AAI Avalanche Course. We are posting this on a weekly basis so that trends may be followed by those that are interested.
Region: North Cascades Date: 2008/12/13-14 Location: Mount Baker Ski Area Activity: AAI’s AIARE Level I Avalanche Course
Observations:
Students used Skis, Snowboards and Snowshoes for flotation.
We found a snowpack of 90cm to 110cm (3-4 ft) found 30cm to 35cm of new snow sitting on top of a 1.5 cm thick pencil-knife hard rain crust. This seemed consistent throughout the Ski Area.
On N to NNW facing slopes with a 28-29 degree incline, all of the compression tests caused failure on top of this crust, under the new snow layer. This varried from CT13 to CT16 Moderate Scores at elevation between 4200 to 5200 ft. On a 29 degree slope a Rutschblock Test score RB5 with Q3 quality shear EB Release Type (Edge of Block = 10-40 %).
At 4300 ft and at 5200 ft on a 38 degree slope, we obtained a score of RB4 with a Q2 quality shear failure. This was characterized by a MB Release Type (Most of the Block = 50-80 %) at Artist point area.
There was plenty of new light-weight snow available for wind transport. This was clearly visible throughout the day with snow being transported to the top of south facing slopes on both Saturday and Sunday.
On steeper terrain (about 40-45 degrees) we observed two loose snow releases. We observed them on the NNE shaded slopes below the Table Mountain Chimney area. Both of the releases were probably due to the fact that they were located in shallow convex/concave terrain.
In places the snow seemed scoured to the rock from much of the snow cover due to wind and the poor anchoring. Temperatures were -14C or about 9F to 10F at midday Sunday the 14th. --Richard Riquelme
RED ROCK CANYON: --Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.
--Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
A Climber rappels down the Panty Wall in Red Rock Canyon This is not a recent photo. There is a little bit of snow on the ground right now.
--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.
--It's been a bit chilly in Red Rock as of late. There is snow on the ground in the shade. This is a remnant of a snowstorm that covered most of the state earlier in the week. In the sun it is still pleasant.
--As with Red Rock, it snowed in Joshua Tree on Monday. The snow will probably stick around in the higher elevations, but has mostly melted out around the crags. NORTHWEST:
--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest Ice Conditions may be found here.
Chris Egge shreds deep pow in Silver Basin Photo by Dan Engel
--Significant snowfall and cold temperatures over the weekend lead to a significant amount of skiing.This party found deep powder on Cowboy Mountain near Stevens Pass. These guys found more deep powder in Silver Basin. And this party made a trip up into the Olympics to ski on Hurricane Ridge.
--Teams have been getting on the ice in Lee Vining this week, but it is still quite thin.
--A large low pressure system moved into the Sierra over the weekend which brought a lot of new snow with it. Intermittent snow showers continued to move through the area throughout the early part of the week. Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort reports two feet of new snow over the last day or so.
Sierra Sunset in the Winter Photo by Jeremy Ellison
--An AAI team attempted to approach Mount Whitney yesterday, but were turned back by deep snow conditions and avalanche danger.
ALPS:
--Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.
--The Alaska season is over until April of 2009, but we are already in the process of gearing up for it. We are now accepting applications for our 2009 Denali expeditions.
Join us on Wednesday night at 7:00 at the American Alpine Institute to learn more about snow and avalanche safety in the winter backcountry. This free seminar provides an introduction to the hidden danger of avalanches for skiers, snowshoers, and snowboarders.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 360-671-1505. Or log onto our website.
AAI just received the following email from Jeff Adamson at the Washington State Department of Transportation:
Hi all,
We got 14" of new snow (bringing the roadside total between Rainy and Washington passes to 30"), but we didn't get any major slides. Avalanche Control tells me that's due to the -5 degree temperatures which is keeping it stable at the moment. At the same time, Avalanche says the only prudent thing to do is leave it closed. In a nutshell, it would take well into Tuesday to clean up the 37 miles of highway between the east and west closure gates.
Unfortunately, the next front is forecast to begin dropping what could be between 12 and 16 inches of new snow starting between midnight and 4 a.m. Wednesday morning. That snow, coupled with the forecast wind, will form an unstable layer putting the avalanche danger "way too high". The forecast then calls for a break on Friday, followed by another front on Friday night that will bring a lot more snow (described in the forecast as "mammoth"!).
On the bright side - the highway stayed open a week and a half later than last year. On the not so bright side - the avalanche danger is probably going to inhibit a lot of back country recreation between now and Christmas until all the chutes fill and dump and then we get a break in the weather. Check with the Forest Service or Park Service before you go.
WSDOT won't have anyone working beyond the gates and we'll no longer being doing pass reports for a closed pass. The links on the North Cascades Highway web page to the cameras at Newhalem and Winthrop and the backcountry weather station near Washington pass, as well as the weather service forecasts will still be useful as you plan your outings. Unless something unusual happens - don't expect more of these emails until sometime in late February or early March when the Avalanche crew does their spring opening assessment trip. Be safe, Jeff
AAI Guide Aidan Loehr is currently working a trip for us on Aconcagua. He recently returned from China. After guiding one of our China programs, Aidan set out to do some personal climbing.
Initially, he made a solo attempt on China's Minya Konka. This 24,816 foot mountain is the highest peak in eastern Tibet. The first ascent of Minya Konka was made in 1932 by an American team. Since that ascent, only six expeditions have been successful the mountain, with a total of 18 people reaching the summit.
Aidan made a strong showing on the mountain, but got stuck at 17,500 feet. He repeatedly tried to move camp up higher, reclimbing the crux of the route three times, but it was not to be. The weather never really let up and the technical difficulties appeared to be too severe for a soloist.
Aidan descended and returned to the the Reddamaine region, hoping to solo a new route there. This was where the AAI team he lead initally made an attempt on the east ridge of Dogonomba (19,550'). Aidan tried a different strategy and climbed the west ridge.
He found the lower part of the mountain to be quite difficult. He was forced to climb a loose and exposed fourth-class ridge while keeping an eye out for rockfall from above.
Once he was on the snow and ice, the route became more moderate. He worked his way up 30-40 degree snow slopes until he reached the summit ridge. At that point he was required to traverse sixty-degree snow on a corniced ridge. Aidan indicated that the snow was quite bad at "inappropriate times." Snow conditions on the upper mountain made the traverse incredibly cruxy and extremely dangerous.
The summit of the mountain was unbelievably small. Aidan stated that, "I had to kneel on the tippy top of the mountain because it was so tiny. If I stood up and the wind blew, I would have been blown off and they would never find me."
This ascent marked a first ascent of both the route and the mountain.
Following is a photo essay of his ascents:
Aidan at the end of the AAI Expedition
The first views of Minya Konka
The Monastery below Minya Konka
The Ornate Windows of the Monastery
The Monks at the Monastery
A Tibetan Girl and the Monastery below Minya Konka
Aidan at Low Camp
Aidan being Artsy
Minya Konka (24,816')
Aidan at his High Point
Dogonomba's Crux Note the tracks on the sixty degree terrain.
This week we're going to watch people fall. Yep, the scariest thing in all of climbing. It's the thing that makes your hands sweat the most when you think about it. And it's the possibility that creates the most adrenaline.
Following are a few videos that relish in leader falls in a number of different venues. I hope you enjoy your sweaty hands.
First we have a nice compilation of falls from last year's Ouray Ice Fest. Falling on mixed-routes with all kinds of sharp points sticking out everywhere certainly takes more bravery than I have...
This super short video is scary and was completely avoidable. It's lucky this guy didn't get hurt:
And this is my personal favorite. Dean Potter is trying to climb the Tombstone in Indian Creek. The moves are so hard that he can't place any gear. You'll see the crack getting wider toward the end of the video. If he can get one of those jams, he'll make it... But this is a blog about falling. So do you really think he'll make the jam? Check it out!
The naming of routes is a difficult matter, it isn't just one of those holiday games; You may think at first that I'm as mad as a hatter when I tell you a route must have the most perfect of names.
When a climber makes a first ascent he or she secures a great honor. The climber claims the right to name the route. This honor has led to some very interesting names over the years. Following are ten of my favorites:
Unimpeachible Groping (5.10c - Red Rock Canyon - Yes, this was put up in the late 90's.)
Candy Colored Tangerine Flake Streamlined Baby (5.10c - Joshua Tree - Now called Illusion Dweller)
Deck Chairs on the Titanic (5.9+ - Brown Cloud Rocks)
Let them Eat Flake (5.12a - Reimer's Ranch)
Be Sharp or Be Flat (5.10x - Catherdral Ledge)
Smear Campaign (5.8 - Red Rock - Yes, it's slabby.)
There's a lot to the preceding route names. Some are intentionally funny, whereas others are descriptive. Some give you an idea of what was going on in the world when the route was put up and others give you an idea of what was going on in the first ascentionist's head when he did the route. The real art of naming a route exists in those names that are creative, funny and descriptive all at once.
A climber working out the moves on a previously unclimbed route. This route became The Good Boy Scout (5.11a) on the Boy Scout Cliff.
I have had the opportunity to put up a number of routes over the years. Early on, I was primarily interested in giving routes funny names like Stuffed Animals on Prozac, Amish Girls Gone Wild and Don't Touch That in Front of Grandma.
As I got older, I decided that themes on walls were more important than individual names. I authored a new route next to a number of routes with the word "soup" in the name and called it Soup Nazi. There is a popular beginner and intermediate area in Red Rock Canyon called the Panty Wall. Every route on that wall are named after some form of underwear. My first ascents there are respectfully called Granny Panties and Tighty Whities.
Last year I had the opportunity to develop a new crag which we called, the Hamlet. Every route name on the wall is lifted from or is a literary allusion to Shakespeare's Hamlet. Routes on the wall include the likes of Goodnight Sweet Prince, The Play's the Thing, The Rest is Silence, and When the Blood Burns.
Back when I was putting up a lot of new routes I was always looking for name inspiration. That's part of the reason that I picked an easy subject for the development of the Hamlet. Recently I have discovered a new inspiration. I have two babies. One is seventeen-months old and the other is five-months old. I've repeatedly found that the things I say to the babies could make for some very funny route names. Here are a few examples:
Time for a New Diaper (Definately for a scary route.)
Don't Go Crying to Mommy (This route would have to be hard.)
It's Jammy Time (This should be a climb that requires a lot of jamming.)
Big Girls Don't Throw Oatmeal (or soup, or spinach, or pizza, there could be a whole wall.)
No Bubblebath for Bad Babies (Probably a hard sport route that requires days of practice working on the route before it is able to be climbed.)
Anything and everything in life could potentially lead to a good route name. Indeed, perhaps the naming of the route is the easy part. Finding and climbing a new line is the real challenge, as well as the real adventure.
AAI Guide Peter Kuhnlein and his wife Lisa run a photography studio in Anacortes, WA. And though Peter is focused on his photography business, he still makes some time in his busy schedule to do some guiding for us.
We just received this fantastic and creative Christmas greeting card from the Kuhnlein's. As a mountain guide with two small children of my own, I told Peter that I thought this was, "The Best Picture I've Ever Seen!!!" AAI Guide Richard Riquelme, who also has a baby, responded in a very similar way...
--The third edition of Fred Beckey's tome, Cascade Alpine Guide: Climbing and High Routes -- Rainy Pass to Fraser River (often called the red book) has recently made its way onto store shelves. This new book features a variety of routes and photos by AAI guides. Many of the approaches and route descriptions have been updated. To purchase the book, click here.
--The Wenatchee River Ranger District is proposing to build approximately seven miles of new non-motorized recreation trails and a trailhead/parking area near Leavenworth Ski Hill at Leavenworth, Washington. An interdisciplinary team of resource specialists will analyze the environmental effects of this proposal and any alternative actions that may be developed. To learn more, click here.
--Anacortes Police Chief Bonnie Bowers says she's disgusted by the most recent case of a deer killed by an arrow in a city neighborhood. In this case the body was left; the buck's antlers sawed off. In recent months, three deer have been killed illegally in the city limits. The first, shot with a gun, was found in late September. The other two were killed with arrows, the most recent found last Friday. To read more, click here.
Desert Southwest:
--There is a very cool photo essay of Joshua Tree from the sky running on supertopo.com. David Weese took these photos by attaching a digital camera attached to a kite. To see the photo essay, click here. To see some other cool climbing photos taken by kite, check this and this out.
Joshua Tree's Intersection Rock Photo (taken by kite) by David Weese
Serra: --Officials with Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park need help finding the owner of a mysterious campsite found in the backcountry November 30th. The campsite seems to have much of the gear and food supplies still in it. No identification from the person who set up the camp has been found. Park Officials don’t know if the owner of the gear abandoned the camp or ran into trouble in the wilderness. To read more, click here.
--The Inyo Supervisors have scheduled a public meeting in Lone Pine to discuss the possibility of additional Wilderness Designations in southern Inyo County. A group called the California Wilderness Coalition has approached Senator Dianne Feinstein’s office with a request for additional Wilderness in southern Inyo County. It appears that most of the newly proposed Wilderness areas are near historic or active mining areas. To read more, click here. Himalayas:
--The Hindu-Kush-Himalayan region in South Asia has remained a nagging gap in the global climate change knowledge bank. In the absence of field studies and adequate data, the impact of global warming in the area stretching from Afghanistan in the west to Burma in the east is largely unknown. In effect, there has been virtually no climate change adaptation plan for the zone, which is ecologically hypersensitive, yet a vital natural service provider. Millions of people in the region, most of them poor ones who would be hardest hit by climate change, rely on these natural systems including river waters and forests. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over: --Noted Skier Bill Briggs recently became the first true ski mountaineer to be inducted into the National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. The former mountain guide made the first ski descent of the Grand Teton in 1971. To read about Briggs' life, click here. To read about his induction into the National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame, click here.
The steep summit ridge of Mount Cook
--In a situation reminiscent of the December 2006 tragedy on Mount Hood, a pair of Japanese climbers were pinned down in a snow cave on New Zealand's Mount Cook for six days last week. Hideaki Nara and his companion, Kiyoshi Ikenouchi were forced to "dig-in" high on the mountain with nothing more than a pen and a small knife. Tragically, after days of being stranded, Ikenouchi died just hours before they were rescued. To read more, click here.
--Through years of testing and product development, backcountry skiing bindings have progressed from simple cable bindings to engineered machines that represent state-of-art materials science and mechanicals. A new online collection of backcountry skiing bindings covers the full historical range of modern bindings, with emphasis on "randonnee" bindings that latch down at the heel for downhill mode, yet allow a free lifting heel for touring and climbing. This very cool online museum may be found here. --For the first time in 25 years, people will be able to carry loaded, concealed weapons in national parks and wildlife refuges under a new rule recently approved by the Federal Government. An Interior Department rule issued Friday allows an individual to carry a loaded weapon in some national parks and wildlife refuges — but only if the person has a permit for a concealed weapon, and if the state where the park or refuge is located also allows loaded firearms in parks. To read more, click here.
Just wait until the Campground Hosts monitor their campers with silenced weapons! There will never again be a problem with large bonfires or loud music after 10 pm.
--In related news there is a conspiracy theory floating around the internet which postulates that the United States is allowing its sovereignty to be undercut by the United Nations in our National Parks. In 1972 the United States ratified a UN treaty to protect World Culture and National Heritage sites. In this treaty, there was a clause concerning the value of these sites to the world. Many of the most valuable sites in the US are in National Parks. As such there are plaques in a number of parks with references to the UN. The conspiricists believe that this is proof of an impending UN takeover of our National Parks that includes occupation by blue helmet soldiers. Of course, those of us who work in the parks know that this is ludicrous. We wonder if the conspiricists really believe that a group of soldiers can hold Windy Corner on Denali or Thumb Rock on Mount Rainier's Liberty Ridge or the top of Joshua Tree's Intersection Rock. We also suspect that the conspiricists are excited about the Federal Government's new rules concerning concealed weapons in the National Parks. Now that people can carry such things, the conspiricists will definitely be able to hold Yosemite's Sickle Ledge...
--Sometime down the road when we need a few good men to protect our National Parks, it will probably look something like this:
--AAI senior guide Dylan Taylor is spending the Austral summer in Antarctica working with the scientists at McMurdo Station. Dylan is a phenomenal photographer and runs a blog that is populated by spectacular photos of the people and the landscape down south. Following are a few of our favorite photos from his last email to the office.
AAI just received the following email from the Washington State Department of Transportation.
WENATCHEE – A weekend forecast for 1-1/2 to 3-feet of snow, high winds and much colder temperatures beginning Friday has prompted the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to temporarily close the North Cascades Highway at 7 p.m. Thursday night, December 11th. Twisp Maintenance Supervisor Don Becker says, “Avalanche chutes can fill and release in as few as 20 minutes under the right conditions which is faster than we can react to keep motorists or our crews safe. We don’t want to risk back country recreationists getting caught in a potentially dangerous storm event either. We’ll go back in on Monday and evaluate conditions for reopening.”
Becker says crews will check all the parking areas between the two closure gates to “make sure everyone is out.” While the storm front isn’t expected to bring the heavy snow until Friday afternoon, “Having the gates closed Thursday night will keep anyone who didn’t get the word from getting up there and caught in the weather event that’s coming.”
Four inches of new snow fell overnight. “Rainy and Washington passes are 1,000 feet higher than Stevens and 2,000 higher than Snoqualmie so typically, they get more snow, sooner and it’s colder,” according to NCRegion Avalanche technician Mike Stanford. The key to reopening is stability of the snow in the chutes and that will depend on how much snow comes down and the temperature. Stanford says, “By Monday, we could be looking at avalanche chutes with firm and stable snow or dangerous layers of unstable snow.” If it can be reopened, it will likely take crews a day or more to clear the roadway for traffic.
SR 20 is gated closed between milepost 134, seven miles east of Diablo Dam on the west side of 4,855’ Rainy Pass and milepost 171, nine miles west of Mazama on the east side of 5,477’ Washington Pass.
The North Cascades Highway usually closes between Thanksgiving week and mid December, re-opening in late April or early May. The highway closed last winter on December 4th and reopened last spring, on May 1st.
RED ROCK CANYON: --Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.
A climber at the top of Mr. Z (III 5.7)
--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.
--Here is an excellent photo-heavy trip report from Red Rock Canyon. These guys really got after it on the sport routes!
Mark Allen leads Coarse and Buggy (5.11a) in Joshua Tree Photo by Ian McEleney
--Joshua Tree National Park is reintroducing the Climbers' Coffee Program. Join in on the opportunity to share your questions, concerns and views about climbing related issues with park staff members this Saturday from 8-10 am in the Intersection Rock Day Use Parking Area. NORTHWEST:
--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest Ice Conditions may be found here.
Scott Coldiron takes a self-portrait on his solo ascent of the
Northeast Couloir of Dragontail Peak
--Though the weather was less-than-stellar this weekend, a number of parties got out and did interesting things. Most notably, this small, strong team completed a steep first ascent on Buck Mountain. This soloist climbed the Coleman Headwall on Mount Baker. And this soloist climbed the Northeast Couloir of Dragontail Peak.
Tracy Lovejoy treks across Mount Rainier's Muir Snowfield on December 6th. Photo by Charles Hagedorn
--The snow level is slowly dropping throughout the Pacific Northwest. It is unlikely that the ski resorts will open this weekend, but people are getting out.This party checked out the Muir Snowfield. This party skied up near Steven's Pass. And this party skied up near Grand Park.
SIERRA:
--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.
--Ice in Lee Vining is still quite thin and perhaps not yet climbable. There is currently thin ice from bottom to top on Chouinard Falls. However, it is thin elsewhere.
ALPS:
--Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.
--The Alaska season is over until April of 2009, but we are already in the process of gearing up for it. We are now accepting applications for our 2009 Denali expeditions. This is what it looks like on top during the height of the season:
In many climbing areas and mountaineering destinations around the country, Wag Bags are required.
What's a Wag Bag?
A Wag Bag is a simple system for human waste disposal in the backcountry. These are essentially sanitary bags for human waste removal. They're not complex and there's no mystery. They're plastic bags that you poop in.
Access to places like Mount Rainier, Mount Whitney and the desert are threatened by an overabundance of human waste. In some of these locations you are required to use a Wag Bag or the equivalent. Of course, part of the pack-it-in pack-it-out philosophy is not just using such a bag, but also bringing it back out with you. These areas are also threatened by an overabundance of used and discarded Wag Bags.
The WAG BAG Toilet in a Bag waste kit is a biodegradable double-bag system made from puncture resistant materials.
Each waste kit includes a zip close disposal/transport bag, a waste collection bag preloaded wiith Poo Powder waste treatment, toilet paper and a hand sanitizer.
Our non-toxic Poo Powder waste treatment treats up to 32 ounces of liquid and solid waste allowing for multiple use. It turns liquid waste to a solid for hygenic and spillproof transport. The Poo Powder waste treatment controls odors and contains a decay catalyst that breaks down solid waste.
The WAG BAG Toilet in a Bag waste kits are biodegradable and approved for landfill disposal.
Timmy O'Neil is often considered the "funniest man in climbing." A few years ago, Timmy put together the following video about wag bags in the Utah desert.
It should be noted that Wag Bag is a specific brand name that has become somewhat synonymous with backcountry sanitation. The main competitor to Wag Bags are the Restop sanitation kits. These work equally well.
This Wednesday, December 10, the Banff Mountain Film Festival will be shown at Western Washington University. AAI will be there with some freebies, and a big raffle prize - one spot on a 6-day Alpinism 1 course!
The show begins at 7:00pm sharp at the PAC mainstage. Tickets are $6 for students, and $9 for general admission. Click for more information on Wednesday's show. And click here for information on the Banff Film Festival.
Mount Shuksan from the Northwest. Photo by Coley Gentzel
If I had to pick one peak that would most completely and accurately represent alpine climbing in the Cascades, Mount Shuksan would be the one. Shuksan takes a striking form from any angle and every route on the peak can be considered a classic.
The most popular route on the peak is the Sulphide Glacier. The Fisher Chimneys and the North Face are also both popular routes that are among the best of their type in the range.
The Price Glacier route is listed in the 50 Classic Climbs book (Steck and Roper), but has fallen out of favor in recent years due to a dramatic change in the nature of the glaciers on the route. Once a classic ice face, the Price is now a jumbled mess with little aesthetic value to the climbing.
Shuksan's Price Glacier from the air. Photo by Dunham Gooding
Mountaineering routes on Shuksan are unique in that all require a variety of skills to complete. Every route requires glacier travel, snow climbing, ice climbing and rock climbing to reach the top. All routes end at the dramatic summit pyramid, which by its easiest route requires primarily fourth class with a few 5th class moves.
The view from the summit of Shuksan is one of the best in the range. Sitting at the heart of the North Cascades, views of Mount Baker, the Pickett Range, and north to the Canadian Border peaks are completely unobstructed.
Mount Shuksan's Sulphide Glacier and summit pyramid.
The Sulphide glacier route starts at the Shannon Creek trailhead and follows an overgrown road bed for a few miles before winding through old growth forest eventually climbing into the craggy alpine forest and then finally talus fields.
Although the route is doable in one very long day for experienced and fit parties, most opt to go for a 2-3 day climb so that they might enjoy the setting on the way to and from the climb. There are great camping spots at the toe of the Sulphide glacier and at several spots along the route to the summit pyramid. The Sulphide is a gentle glacier, but not without crevasses. There have been numerous solo climber crevasse falls in the area.
An AAI team reaching the summit of Shuksan. Photo by Alasdair Turner
The crux of the route is ascending and descending the summit pyramid which, by the standard route, involves about 500 feet of scrambling up a gully. Depending on the time of year, the gully can be nearly all snow, mixed, or completely rock. An alternate route to the summit and a good choice if the main gully is busy, is the southeast ridge of the summit pyramid which requires a bit more mid-fifth class climbing. There is some loose rock on both routes so you must choose your holds carefully!
It is said that Mount Shuksan is the most photographed mountain in the United States, and that is not hard to believe. The Mount Baker ski area provides a perfect view of and easy access to the north side of Shuksan. Indeed, it is not uncommon to see a line of tripods pointed at the peak on clear days. Whether you are looking for an easier ramble in a spectacular setting, or a challenging long rock or ice route, Shuksan has something to offer for every mountaineer.
Shuksan's Summit Pyramid above the Sulphide Glacier
Yep, it's getting to be about that time. Time for people to start getting ready for the winter ice climbing competitions. So today, we're going to get you stoked on the ice comps in Europe and in Ouray alike.
Our first video is from last year's UIAA World Cup ice climbing competition in Switzerland. These guys are really really good...
Of course in the United States we have our own massive ice competition. Ours is in Ouray, Colorado at the Ouray Ice Park. Check it out! These guys are really really good too!
A handful of AAI climbers submitted photographs that were used in the book. These included photos by Loren Larsen, Ronald Lee, Frank Mouawad, and Toni Sturtevant.
Numerous AAI climbers are featured in photos throughout the book. These include photos of Ryan Cooper, Gina Lee Decarie, Francois Fasquelle, Joseph Gsell, Kevin Hamilton, Howard Helbein, Jack Hibbard, Mike Larabee, Ronald Lee, Tom McCauliffe, Melissa McGeehan, Katherine Monte, Frank Mouawad, Katrina Newman, Karen Rasmussen, Winston Roberts, and Steve Santell.
The book has a moderate focus and is designed for those who wish to toprope, climb easier routes, or who wish to develop their multi-pitch technique. The book features thirty-one cragging and toproping sites and twelve multi-pitch routes. Photos are included for every area as well as route topos for the multi-pitch lines.
--A 33-year-old New York woman has died while making her first climb of Mount Shasta in Northern California. The woman was climbing the Avalanche Gulch route on Friday and were at approximately 11,300 feet when one person slipped and pulled the rest of the team down. The group fell approximately 600 feet before coming to a rest. Team members administered CPR to the woman and engaged a personal locator unit. To read more, click here.
A hiker inspects the remains of the burned-out shelter in Monte Cristo.
--A small shelter for hikers in Monte Cristo has been burned to the ground. Though it is possible that the fire was an accident, arson and vandalism is strongly suspected. Hikers visiting the area must now bring tents. If you have any information about the fire, please contact the Darrington Ranger District office at 360-436-1155 or email the relevant fact to them at: rhuffman@fs.fed.us.To hear what people are saying about this, click here. To read about Monte Cristo, click here. Sierra:
--Due to rockfall danger a portion of Curry Village in Yosemite has been closed.Park officials said 233 cabins will close permanently, or about one-third of the lodging units available in the area to park visitors. About half of the 618 cabins have been off-limits since a rockfall on the historic complex in early October. To read more, click here.
--A brand new backcountry ski guidebook is set to arrive in the Sierra. To pre-order a copy, click here.
Alps:
Michel Vaucher in the Alps in the late 50's Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia
--Michel Vaucher, arguably the most famous and most active mountaineer in Switzerland during the late 1950s and 1960s, died on November 17th. He was 71. Vaucher is well-known for early fast forays into the mountains. In 1957 he made a four and a half hour ropeless solo ascent of the South Ridge of the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey (Mt Blanc) and then the following year he made the first ascent of the now classic East Face of the Petit Clocher de Portalet (with Italo Gamboni, who has also just died). To read more, click here.
--The UIAA is pursuing disciplinary proceedings against French Ski Mountaineering athlete Patrick Blanc, who tested positive after the 2008 Patrouille des Glaciers, the long distance teams’ world championship. The Patrouille des Glaciers is a grueling race from Zermatt to Verbier. The race is characterized by its length, its high average altitude and the profile of its itinerary. Participating demands mountaineering expertise and exceptional physical stamina. To read more, click here.
--Linda McMillan, the new president of the UIAA Mountain Protection Commission, brings with her broad experience from representation of climbers in environmental projects. McMillan, who comes from the United States, was elected at the UIAA General Assembly in Iran in October. She is the UIAA delegate from the American Alpine Club (AAC) and has held various positions in the AAC including Vice President from 2000-2003. She has been a member of the UIAA Access and Conservation Commission in addition to the Mountain Protection Commission. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--In a new study, a Mountain Guide working on his masters in kinesiology at the University of Calgary found that young, well-educated males who make approximately $10,000 more a year than their less well-educated counterparts tend to be involved in more avalanches. This flies in the face of the idea that hot-doggers and ski bums bear the brunt of the avalanche fatalities. To read more, click here.
--Another new study indicates that hikers may be having a detrimental impact on carnivorous animals. The report indicates that even a quiet stroll in the park can dramatically change natural ecosystems. These findings could have important implications for land management policies throughout the United States. To read more, click here.
Heidi Wirtz
--The North Face athlete and professional climber Heidi Wirtz, co-founder of the nonprofit Girls Education International (Girls Ed), was notified in October that she was one of five semifinalists for the Inspiring Soles Award. Created by Crocs Inc. and Outside Magazine, the Inspiring Soles Award celebrates athletes who have dedicated their lives to shattering boundaries and raising awareness for meaningful causes. Wirtz has worked tirelessly for the past two years on fundraising and implementing projects for Girls Ed, and over the years she has regularly volunteered for HERA Climb4Life events, the Khumbu Climbing School and the dZi Foundation. To read more, click here.
AAI recently received the following in a letter. This came a short time ago, but the newspapers of record, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the Wenatchee World have made this information public. Those who are interested in commenting on this proposal only have a short time left to do so.
Dear interested Citizen or Agency:
Enclosed for your review are the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and the Record of Decision (ROD) for The Summit-at-Snoqualmie Master Development Plan proposal.
Ski area operator Ski Lifts, Inc. is seeking approval of a new Master Development Plan and authorization of site-specific implementation of the Plan. The environmental analysis for the FEIS was conducted by the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie and Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests through a third party contractor, SE Group.
The Selected Alternative includes the realignment or replacement of 11 chairlifts and construction of nine new chairlifts. It also includes night lighting on 25 new trails, 9.8 acres of added parking, a mountain-top restaurant at Summit East, and a SUP adjustment of 17.01 acres to incorporate Hyak Creek and the cross-country hut at Grand Junction into the special use permit (SUP) area.
The public comments received during the DEIS comment period were used in combination with additional research and anylisis to update and finalize the FEIS and assist the Forest Service in refining and selecting the appropriate alternative for this decision. Based on public comments received, additional analysis of several key issues was conducted, which resulted in modifications to the DEIS Preferred Alternative and clarification of some componenets and effects of alternatives in the FEIS.
The FEIS and ROD are available electronically for viewing or downloading on the Forest's website at http://www.fs.fed.us/r6mbs/projects/summit-at-snoqualmie. If you had specifically requested the FEIS and ROD as a CD or hard copy, the documents are enclosed in your preferred format. Copies of the FEIS and ROD are avaliable as a CD or hard copy upon request.
The Notice of Availability is expected to be published in the Federal Register on November 21, 2008. The ROD is subject to appeal only by individuals or organizations who submitted comments during the comment period pursuant to Forest Service regulations at 36 CFR 215.6. The notice of appeal must be postmarked, hand-delivered, or faxed to the Regional Forester, or sent electronically to appeals-pacificnorthwest-regional-office@fs.fed.us and within 45 days of the date of publication of notice in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the Wenatchee World (the newspapers of record). Specific filing information is on pp. 50-51 of the ROD.
For further information regarding this proposal, you may contact winter sports specialist Sean Wetterberg at the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest by phone (425)783-6022, fax:(425)783-0214 or email: swetterberg@fs.fed.us. I appreciate your interest in this project.
RED ROCK CANYON: --Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.
--Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
Two climbers make their way up the Solar Slab Gully(II 5.4)
--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.
There is no waterfall ice to speak of in the Cascades yet. This picture of Pan Dome Falls was taken on November 30th.Note the running water in the center of the picture.
----A small shelter for hikers in the Monte Cristo area has been burned to the ground. Though it is possible that the fire was an accident, arson and vandalism is strongly suspected. Hikers visiting the area must now bring tents.
--The Whistler-Blackcomb Ski Resort is about to open a new gondola which will allow access between the two sides of the resort without making skiers and boarder drop down into the valley below. To read more, click here.
Stephen Bobick negotiates dry conditions on Red Mountain Photo by Cole Caplan
--The long warm weekend provided mixed weather for climbers and skiers. The latter part of the weekend was quite nice and a lot of people got out. This party trekked up to the Hidden Lake Saddle.This party found absolutely desolate conditions on Red Mountain. And these guys got after it, but got soaked.
--Though none of the ski resorts are open, there is certainly more snow than there was a month ago. The skiers who go high can find something worth writing home about. This party toured Rainy Pass. This party got out near Black Peak. And of course, as usual, parties got out to the Muir Snowfield.
SIERRA:
--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.
--The Alaska season is over until April of 2009, but we are already in the process of gearing up for it. We are now accepting applications for our 2009 Denali expeditions.
AAI just received this email from the Washington DOT:
Dustin and I have been getting calls and e mails asking about the status of the North Cascades – It’s still open.
Before Thanksgiving, the tall (6 to 8,000 foot starting zone) avalanche chutes were about halfway to where they'd need to be to cause a threat and we haven't gotten much more snow (6 to 10,000 feet) over the last week. The forecast doesn't call for much more for the rest of the week, so until we get some "winter" it's going to continue as it has - crews plowing, etc. as needed. Our forecaster says Washington Pass ought to get another 2-3 inches between now and Thursday, which isn't real "threatening”. Here’s the most recent forecast from mid morning:
“Weather as of 1030 Tue was not looking too bad, with Washington pass area flurries and light snow showers. However, some concerns exist. New info suggesting a broken up array of scattered light and short term shower threats sweeping N to S through the area later today into early evening followed by N to S area clearing. A breezy N wind picks up overnight, but a light freeze will occur too. Basically, anything still damp by 9 p.m. is a black ice threat. Basically, if we get the evening showers, then the freeze will follow by midnight. Wed through Fri is dry, with cooler overnight temps and increasing frost.”
Remember that the traditional closure dates are between Thanksgiving week and the 2nd week of December. One substantial storm is really all that is needed to fill those chutes and cause the avalanches that will close it for the season - and it's very likely to happen over the next two or three weeks, but who knows? We have around 14" to 16" of snow on the ground at the summit. A General rule for avalanche danger that closes the highway is 24” to 36” of snow coupled with some additional trigger, i.e. rain or more snow or a big temperature change.
When the season closure comes, it usually happens fast, so if you’re planning a trip, check the pass report and the web page (www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/northcascades/) before you leave or call 5-1-1. Washington and Rainy are a thousand feet higher than Stevens and two thousand higher than Snoqualmie, so they often get snow when the others are getting rain.
I’ll send out one of these e mails when the closure comes or if there’s something going on up there that prompts one sooner than that.
A man stands three feet from a sign which says, "do not feed the squirrels" on the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon. Inevitably, he is feeding the squirrels. A hiker stops and chastises him for feeding the wildlife. The man ignores the hiker and continues to feed the squirrels.
Sample #2:
There is a near traffic-jam on the Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive. Someone is feeding the wild burros. Nobody can get by. The burros are congregating on the road. When confronted, the individual snorts and continues to feed the animals.
Sample #3:
As the snowboarders clip their boards to the top of the car, a group of gray jays begin to dive bomb them. The birds stop doing this once they feed them. Suddenly, the birds are more than willing to sit on a person's finger for food. A skier tells them that this is bad for the birds, but they ignore him and continue to feed them.
Respect Wildlife
The concept of Leave No Trace includes seven principals for wilderness users. These have been designed so that visitors leave as little impact as possible on wilderness recreation areas. The sixth principal of Leave No Trace is "Respect Wildlife."
Many people interperet this to mean, don't throw rocks at the birds or harass the animals. But there is a lot more to it. Following is a breakdown of this principal from the LNT website:
Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.
Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.
Feeding the wildlife is very bad. It's bad for the animals. It's bad for the wilderness. And it's bad for the people feeding the animals.
There are two types of activities that lead to animal consumption of human food. The first is unintentional and the second is intentional.
We often feed the wildlife in an unintentional way. This primarily happens when one is camping or climbing and accidentally leaves micro-trash. This is primarily in the form of crumbs or other food scraps. It is very important that wilderness users do a thorough check of any area where they eat in order to avoid this.
A far more disturbing and disruptive practice is the intentional feeding of wildlife. This is significantly more destructive because the volume of food tends to be higher and in heavily used areas, so is the frequency of the feeding.
Most climbers and backcountry users understand this. The difficulty is not with them. Instead, it's with educating a general public that doesn't see a difference between feeding a wild animal and feeding a pet that's begging for food.
It's strange that even when a person has been told they're hurting an animal, they're still not willing to change their own behavior. It's likely that they simply don't believe or understand that they're actually hurting the animal. They see a hungry creature and feel entitled to feed it. This is an incredibly hard trend to curb.
The best way that we as climbers can help to change these perspectives is to model good behavior. It's best not to lecture people when they're engaged in this harmful activity, but instead to educate. The more you act like a know-it-all, the more likely it is that they will continue their activity. The more that you act like a knowledgeable wilderness user that is trying to impart information in a non-confrontational way, the more people will be receptive to it.
Sometimes it feels like we're losing the LNT battle with those that feed the wildlife. But we cannot give up. Education is the best way to bring about change.
The following instructional and informational articles have been published on the American Alpine Institute's blog. We strive to provide the best and most up to date information about climbing techniques in our courses as well as in our articles. On the first Monday of every month we post an up to date version of this list.
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Climbing, skiing and mountaineering are dangerous sports. When you undertake an outdoor, backcountry, or an alpine adventure without a guide, you assume total responsibility for your decisions and wellbeing. Conditions in the mountains are constantly changing, and no guidebook or computer web blog can take the place of solid training and experience. Though this site features descriptions of roads, trails, climbing routes, and other natural features, you cannot assume that because something is described here that it has not changed since last observed or that it will be safe for you or your party.
AAI assumes no responsibility or liability for your use of the information presented in this blog. With regard to all backcountry travel and climbing, you must make your own assessments and decisions, and you assume all risks in applying them.
A -- The Nose
As scientists make plans for a Mars trip, some are already thinking about the mountain climbing prospects on the red planet. Indeed, some even argue that it is a necessary step in the planet's exploration. Read more about it 
waste treatment, toilet paper and a hand sanitizer.
AAI climb's Mount Shuksan as part of their 
