We have a bit of a tendency to poo poo bouldering around here. Many of our guides boulder regularly, but few look at it as a major form of climbing. A large percentage of the climbing population does not share this view. Indeed, there are many climbers out there who only own a pair of rock shoes, a chalk bag and a bouldering pad.
Today, we are going to celebrate and art and beauty of bouldering. Extremely short climbs, extremely hard moves, no rope, no gear, and no fear! That's what it's all about!
First, we have a bunch of climbers sponsored by DMM in a video where they show off absolutely perfect bouldering technique.
And in this second selection, we have a group of climbers that don't look quite as smooth. This little gang of non-professionals boulders in the dark forests under the Stawamus Chief in Squamish. It's fun to see people work routes occasionally too!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
2009 Denali NP Research Fellowship Programs
AAI just received this email from Denali National Park:
The National Park Service and the Murie Science and Learning Center (MSLC) have extended the application period for two research fellowships that are available to individuals wishing to conduct research in Denali National Park and Preserve and other arctic and subarctic Alaska national parks. The Discover Denali Research Fellowship is for research in or near Denali, and the Murie Science and Learning Center Fellowship is for research taking place in Denali or other arctic or subarctic Alaska national parks.
The deadline for both fellowship applications is now February 20, 2009. The selections are expected to be made soon after March 1, 2009. The fieldwork of fellowship recipients must be arranged before September 1, 2009.
The Discover Denali and the MSLC Fellowship Programs are open to undergraduate and graduate students, college and university faculty, state and federal agency scientists, and private-sector researchers. Proposals for research that will help managers make decisions about critical resource issues are particularly encouraged. A typical fellowship grant is expected to be around $3,000 – $3,500; however, proposals for up to $5,000 will be considered. If an applicant wants to be considered for both funding sources, only one application is needed.
This is the second year that the Murie Science and Learning Center research funds will be available to researcher-applicants whose studies help managers in all of the parks that are partners with the MSLC: Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Denali National Park and Preserve, Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Kobuk Valley National Park, Noatak National Preserve, Wrangell – St. Elias National Park and Preserve, and Yukon – Charley Rivers National Preserve. A total of approximately 3-6 fellowships may be funded in 2009.
This is the fourth year that the Discover Denali Research Fellowship Program has been available for researchers. It is projected that 3-5 projects may be funded in 2009. Any previous fellow may reapply, but is not assured of additional funding.
An information guide about either of the fellowship programs, which includes specifics on how to apply and other information helpful to the application process, may be downloaded from www.nps.gov/dena/naturescience/discodena.htm. For more information contact Denali’s Research Administrator Lucy Tyrrell at (907) 683-6352 or lucy_tyrrell@nps.gov.
The Discover Denali Fellowship Program is made possible through proceeds from Discover Denali, an MSLC program developed in partnership between the Denali Education Center and the National Park Service. The Discover Denali program helps Royal Celebrity participants learn about Denali’s natural and human history. The Murie Science and Learning Center Fellowship Program is made possible through the proceeds of the Center’s many education programs.
The Murie Science and Learning Center provides research, discovery, and learning opportunities within arctic and subarctic Alaska National Parks to promote appreciation and caring for our national and cultural heritage. The Denali Education Center seeks to connect people to Denali through research, education, and communication.
Guidebooks -- How Much Information is Too Much?
There are two kinds of climbers in the world. First, there are the kind that are completely bewildered by a guidebook description. You'll see them wide-eyed and stumbling around at the crags, or even in the mountains looking for a route. Once they're on the route, they often have no idea which way to go. They simply have to follow their noses and their noses are not very good.
Second, there are the kind of climbers that glance at the guidebook and then walk straight to the route. Once they're on the route, they might glance at the route description occasionally, but they always seem to know where they are going.
Certainly, there are climbers who have more experience and better mountain sense. Those climbers barely need a guidebook as it is. But this article isn't about them. Instead, it's about the guidebooks that each kind of stereotypical climber might use. In other words, "the good guidebooks" and the "bad guidebooks."
What is a so-called "good guidebook"?
Most would consider a good guidebook to be one that is very clear. There are photos of everything. There are route topos. Pitch lengths are described. Bivi sites are detailed. And there is excellent approach and descent beta. In other words, nothing is left to the imagination.
Then what is a "bad guidebook"?
Jason on the third ascent of Sunspot Ridge (5.8 IV) in Red Rock Canyon
This was a phenomenal "secret" route with almost no beta.
A bad guidebook has little valuable information. There are few photos and many routes are described so briefly that no one would ever want to attempt them. Climbers often wander around looking for their climb or even their approach. Pitch lengths are incorrect and there is little to inspire one to climb a given route.
There is actually an argument for "bad guidebooks." The argument goes something like this, if you have too much information, it kills the adventure. If you have too much information, the experience is somehow tarnished. If you have too much information, it's just not as fun.
Coley Gentzel climbs an obscure route on Early Morning Spire in the Cascades.
Note the Guide Tennies while wearing crampons.
"It was an adventure...I'll put it that way," Coley said of the route.
I have to admit that occasionally it is kind of fun to climb an obscure, poorly described route. Particularly one that is in the mountains. Such adventures tend to take one away from the crowds and sometimes even introduce a route that is a little bit of a secret, but quite cool. So there is something to be said for the so-called "bad guidebooks."
A few years ago, I guided one of the couloir routes on Whistler Peak. There were approximately two sentences in the guidebook on the route. Essentially there was no beta. We climbed the route and found it to be utterly spectacular. It was a moderate climb with a bit of steep snow and a bit of mixed terrain.
There was also nobody else on the route...
In other words, I think that people should give certain guidebooks, (i.e. the Beckey books) a break. Historically, all that people had were limited descriptions. I think that every climber should try to climb at least one obscure, poorly described route a year. Every now and again, you'll find it to be worth it.
--Jason D. Martin
Certainly, there are climbers who have more experience and better mountain sense. Those climbers barely need a guidebook as it is. But this article isn't about them. Instead, it's about the guidebooks that each kind of stereotypical climber might use. In other words, "the good guidebooks" and the "bad guidebooks."
What is a so-called "good guidebook"?
Most would consider a good guidebook to be one that is very clear. There are photos of everything. There are route topos. Pitch lengths are described. Bivi sites are detailed. And there is excellent approach and descent beta. In other words, nothing is left to the imagination.
Then what is a "bad guidebook"?
Jason on the third ascent of Sunspot Ridge (5.8 IV) in Red Rock CanyonThis was a phenomenal "secret" route with almost no beta.
There is actually an argument for "bad guidebooks." The argument goes something like this, if you have too much information, it kills the adventure. If you have too much information, the experience is somehow tarnished. If you have too much information, it's just not as fun.
Coley Gentzel climbs an obscure route on Early Morning Spire in the Cascades.Note the Guide Tennies while wearing crampons.
"It was an adventure...I'll put it that way," Coley said of the route.
A few years ago, I guided one of the couloir routes on Whistler Peak. There were approximately two sentences in the guidebook on the route. Essentially there was no beta. We climbed the route and found it to be utterly spectacular. It was a moderate climb with a bit of steep snow and a bit of mixed terrain.
There was also nobody else on the route...
In other words, I think that people should give certain guidebooks, (i.e. the Beckey books) a break. Historically, all that people had were limited descriptions. I think that every climber should try to climb at least one obscure, poorly described route a year. Every now and again, you'll find it to be worth it.
--Jason D. Martin
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Climbing News from Here and Abroad -- January 29, 2008
Northwest:
--On Wednesday, January 21, 31-year-old Brooke Colvin and her husband, Thad Stavn, were climbing near the Hog's Back rock formation near the 10,000-foot level on Mount Hood when they were hit by ice-fall. Colvin was struck by the debris and killed. To read more, click here.
--The Stevens Pass Ski Resort has proposed plans to add new ski lifts and to develop new summer lift-accessed mountain biking trails. Most projects like this require large scale environmental impact studies (EIS). But in this particular case, the, the Forest Service wants to examine the master plan for Stevens under an abbreviated environmental assessment of only the first phase of the project. Other steps in the expansion would be examined as phases of the project progresses. Environmental groups are protesting this as an ineffective way to look at the big picture. To read more, click here.
--A recent study in the Olympic Mountains indicates that the extinction of local wolf packs decades ago has had a far reaching impact on the health of the area. Wildlife biologists believe that the disappearance of the predator has caused problems not just with elk numbers, but with everything from degredation of vegetation to the loss of fish habitat. To read more, click here.
Chad Kellogg on moderate ice during the first ascent of
Colonial Peak's Split Shot (IV, WI 4+)
Photo by Dan Aylward
--Over the weekend, Chad Kellogg and Dan Aylward made the first ascent of a new line on Colonial Peak. The have named their route, Split Shot (as in, a coffee beverage with one regular and one decaf espresso shot) and it clocks in at a reasonable IV, WI 4+. This peak is well-known for the difficult and committing Mark Twight route, Watusi Rodeo; but in recent years a number of other winter snow and ice lines have been explored on the face. To see a photo of the face, click here and use the zoom feature. The yellow line on the far right is Split Shot. To read more, click here.
--There are three bills before the Washington legislature that will have an effect on backcountry users below treeline. The first will require hunters under the age of fourteen to be accompanied by an adult. The second would require hunters under the age of sixteen to be accompanied by an adult. Obviously, most outdoor adventure enthusists would like to see the second bill passed. And the third would require all backcountry users to wear bright orange during the hunting season. To read more, click here.
Sierra:
The First Ascent of Eichorn's Pinnacle
Photo by Lewis Clark
Courtesy of Mike Rettie
--Mike Rettie of Alameda, California found two interesting boxes in 1993. It turns out that they were full of photos and negatives from Sierra Club outings in the 1930s. The images are chocked full of Sierra first ascents. Rettie is still developing the negatives and is in the process of creating a website to honor the images. To view the site, click here.
--Winter air service to the Eastern Sierra has been going exceptionally well. There is currently a proposal on the table to expand the air service to include summer flights by 2010. This will make summer trips to the Sierras much easier to manage for climbers from all over the world. To read more, click here.
--After many years of studies and debates, the Forest Service announced today that officials have approved the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area Ski Back Trail with a finding of No Significant Impact. The decision allows for construction of a Ski Back Trail from near the top terminal of Chair 7 to The Village. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--In a terrible turn of events over the weekend, an avalanche slammed into a large group of climbers in Turkey, dragging them more than 1,600 feet into a valley. Ten were killed in the accident. The team, which included 17 members of a skiing and mountaineering club, were taking part in an annual winter sports celebration on the 7,200-foot Mount Zigana. To read more, click here.
--The mortality rate of old-growth forests across the West has more than doubled in recent decades, and those forests are now losing more trees than they gain, according to a new study that identified the most probable cause as warming temperatures. The trend is happening at every elevation, in trees of different sizes and of various species, researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey and universities reported in the peer-reviewed journal Science. To read more, click here.
--On Saturday, NPR ran a story on ice climbing on Iowa grain silos. The man-made ice is fabricated through the use of a garden hose and a shower head. Those Mid-Westerners will do anything to get out and climb! And you got to admire that! To read more, click here.
--The infamous Huber brothers have done it again. Alex and Thomas Huber, along with Stephan Siegrist, just completed an Antarctic trip to Queen Maud Land. The trio successfully completed two massive new rock routes on the North Buttress of Holtanna and the West Buttress of Ulvetanna. To read more, click here and here.
--On Wednesday, January 21, 31-year-old Brooke Colvin and her husband, Thad Stavn, were climbing near the Hog's Back rock formation near the 10,000-foot level on Mount Hood when they were hit by ice-fall. Colvin was struck by the debris and killed. To read more, click here.
--The Stevens Pass Ski Resort has proposed plans to add new ski lifts and to develop new summer lift-accessed mountain biking trails. Most projects like this require large scale environmental impact studies (EIS). But in this particular case, the, the Forest Service wants to examine the master plan for Stevens under an abbreviated environmental assessment of only the first phase of the project. Other steps in the expansion would be examined as phases of the project progresses. Environmental groups are protesting this as an ineffective way to look at the big picture. To read more, click here.
--A recent study in the Olympic Mountains indicates that the extinction of local wolf packs decades ago has had a far reaching impact on the health of the area. Wildlife biologists believe that the disappearance of the predator has caused problems not just with elk numbers, but with everything from degredation of vegetation to the loss of fish habitat. To read more, click here.
Chad Kellogg on moderate ice during the first ascent ofColonial Peak's Split Shot (IV, WI 4+)
Photo by Dan Aylward
--Over the weekend, Chad Kellogg and Dan Aylward made the first ascent of a new line on Colonial Peak. The have named their route, Split Shot (as in, a coffee beverage with one regular and one decaf espresso shot) and it clocks in at a reasonable IV, WI 4+. This peak is well-known for the difficult and committing Mark Twight route, Watusi Rodeo; but in recent years a number of other winter snow and ice lines have been explored on the face. To see a photo of the face, click here and use the zoom feature. The yellow line on the far right is Split Shot. To read more, click here.
--There are three bills before the Washington legislature that will have an effect on backcountry users below treeline. The first will require hunters under the age of fourteen to be accompanied by an adult. The second would require hunters under the age of sixteen to be accompanied by an adult. Obviously, most outdoor adventure enthusists would like to see the second bill passed. And the third would require all backcountry users to wear bright orange during the hunting season. To read more, click here.
Sierra:
The First Ascent of Eichorn's PinnaclePhoto by Lewis Clark
Courtesy of Mike Rettie
--Mike Rettie of Alameda, California found two interesting boxes in 1993. It turns out that they were full of photos and negatives from Sierra Club outings in the 1930s. The images are chocked full of Sierra first ascents. Rettie is still developing the negatives and is in the process of creating a website to honor the images. To view the site, click here.
--Winter air service to the Eastern Sierra has been going exceptionally well. There is currently a proposal on the table to expand the air service to include summer flights by 2010. This will make summer trips to the Sierras much easier to manage for climbers from all over the world. To read more, click here.
--After many years of studies and debates, the Forest Service announced today that officials have approved the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area Ski Back Trail with a finding of No Significant Impact. The decision allows for construction of a Ski Back Trail from near the top terminal of Chair 7 to The Village. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--In a terrible turn of events over the weekend, an avalanche slammed into a large group of climbers in Turkey, dragging them more than 1,600 feet into a valley. Ten were killed in the accident. The team, which included 17 members of a skiing and mountaineering club, were taking part in an annual winter sports celebration on the 7,200-foot Mount Zigana. To read more, click here.
--The mortality rate of old-growth forests across the West has more than doubled in recent decades, and those forests are now losing more trees than they gain, according to a new study that identified the most probable cause as warming temperatures. The trend is happening at every elevation, in trees of different sizes and of various species, researchers with the U.S. Geological Survey and universities reported in the peer-reviewed journal Science. To read more, click here.
--On Saturday, NPR ran a story on ice climbing on Iowa grain silos. The man-made ice is fabricated through the use of a garden hose and a shower head. Those Mid-Westerners will do anything to get out and climb! And you got to admire that! To read more, click here.
--The infamous Huber brothers have done it again. Alex and Thomas Huber, along with Stephan Siegrist, just completed an Antarctic trip to Queen Maud Land. The trio successfully completed two massive new rock routes on the North Buttress of Holtanna and the West Buttress of Ulvetanna. To read more, click here and here.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Conditions Report -- Januray 28, 2009
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.
A Climber on Mr. Z (III, 5.7)
Photo by Jason Martin
--The hours to the scenic drive recently changed. The BLM has begun to open the loop at 7 AM in order to save money. Please call Mark Tenaka-Sanders, the Las Vegas Field Office manager at 702-515-5365 to complain.
JOSHUA TREE:
--Forecast and average temperatures for Joshua Tree National Park.
--Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.
Josh Harding enjoys another beautiful winter day in Joshua Tree.
--The climber's coffee program runs every Saturday morning and will begin to run both Saturday and Sunday mornings beginning in February. This program takes place in the Intersection Rock parking area and allows climbers and rangers to exchange ideas and information. Climbers generally meet at around eight in the morning.
NORTHWEST:
--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.
Kevin Oberholser sends the short ice step on the Northeast Couloir of Argonaut Peak
Photo by David Kiehl
--Forecast for Mount Rainier.
--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
--Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams conditions and recreation report.
Siew Moi Khor on the Zipper on Lane Peak in Mount Rainier National Park
Photo by Joe Dumelin
--Webcams for Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Leavenworth and Highway 2.
--An up-to-date ski and snow report for the Northwest m ay be found here.
--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest Ice Conditions may be found here.
--Icy conditions in the Pacific Northwest lead to a fair number of mountain ascents this weekend. Numerous parties climbed Chair Peak. A party climbed the ice on Bryant Peak. Many parties climbed the Zipper on Lane Peak. This party climbed the North Ridge of Mount Stuart. And this party climbed a steep couloir on Argonaut Peak in the Stuart Range.
--And though the conditions were icy, a lot of parties got out skiing too. This party skied Mount Rainier. This individual skied Mount Shuksan. And this party found decent snow near Blewett Pass.
SIERRA:
--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.
--Webcams for Bishop, June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass, and Yosemite National Park.
--There hasn't been a lot of snow in the Sierra this summer, but parties are still getting out and skiing. Large groups are now visiting Lee Vining Canyon to ice climb every weekend.
ALASKA RANGE:
--Forecast for Denali
--Webcam for Denali National Park.
--The Alaska season will start up in April. We are now accepting applications for our 2009 Denali expeditions and our 2009 Alaska Range Mountaineering Programs.
--Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.
--Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
A Climber on Mr. Z (III, 5.7)Photo by Jason Martin
--The hours to the scenic drive recently changed. The BLM has begun to open the loop at 7 AM in order to save money. Please call Mark Tenaka-Sanders, the Las Vegas Field Office manager at 702-515-5365 to complain.
JOSHUA TREE:
--Forecast and average temperatures for Joshua Tree National Park.
--Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.
Josh Harding enjoys another beautiful winter day in Joshua Tree.Photo by Ian McEleney
--The climber's coffee program runs every Saturday morning and will begin to run both Saturday and Sunday mornings beginning in February. This program takes place in the Intersection Rock parking area and allows climbers and rangers to exchange ideas and information. Climbers generally meet at around eight in the morning.
NORTHWEST:
--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.
Kevin Oberholser sends the short ice step on the Northeast Couloir of Argonaut PeakPhoto by David Kiehl
--Forecast for Mount Rainier.
--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
--Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams conditions and recreation report.
Siew Moi Khor on the Zipper on Lane Peak in Mount Rainier National ParkPhoto by Joe Dumelin
--An up-to-date ski and snow report for the Northwest m ay be found here.
--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest Ice Conditions may be found here.
--Icy conditions in the Pacific Northwest lead to a fair number of mountain ascents this weekend. Numerous parties climbed Chair Peak. A party climbed the ice on Bryant Peak. Many parties climbed the Zipper on Lane Peak. This party climbed the North Ridge of Mount Stuart. And this party climbed a steep couloir on Argonaut Peak in the Stuart Range.
--And though the conditions were icy, a lot of parties got out skiing too. This party skied Mount Rainier. This individual skied Mount Shuksan. And this party found decent snow near Blewett Pass.
--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.
--Webcams for Bishop, June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass, and Yosemite National Park.
ALPS:
--Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.
--Webcams for Chamonix Valley, Zermatt and the Matterhorn.
--Webcams for Chamonix Valley, Zermatt and the Matterhorn.
--Forecast for Denali
--Webcam for Denali National Park.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Self-Arrest Techniques
Self-arrest is perhaps the most important skill that we practice in snow school. The British Mountaineering Council put together a nice video on the self-arrest techniques that one should practice.
Though this video is quite good, there are a couple of things that we teach differently:
Many people like wrist-leashes because they limit the possibility of dropping the axe. Our guides prefer them for steep terrain. There are two downsides to the constant use of a leash. First, it adds time to a turn, because the axe must be on the uphill side of your body. Moving the wrist-leash from one hand to the other many hundreds of times throughout the day adds time to the clock. Second, if you fall and lose control of the axe, it may become a liability. The last thing that you want in a fall is to be punctured by the axe.
Some people like to attach the ice-axe leash to their harness. This is a very bad place to attach a leash. Any loss of control during a fall could lead to a catastrophic torso puncture injury.
People are very adamant about wanting to use a wrist-leash while climbing for fear of dropping the axe. But really, how common is it for a climber to drop an axe? Not common at all. An ice axe is like a mountaineer's weapon. How many soldiers in the heat of battle drop their weapons? While mountain climbing is definitely not as intense as a war, it can be a dangerous pursuit and most climbers are unlikely to drop the most important tool they carry.
In preparing this blog, I watched a number of videos about self-arrest techniques. There were quite a few bad examples and indeed, some that were just flat dangerous. If you practice self-arrest, always wear a helmet and do not attach the leash of the axe to yourself. Always practice in a place where there is a good run-out. And be conservative in your practice of the head-first/stomach technique as this is a very easy one to get hurt practicing.
Jason D. Martin
Though this video is quite good, there are a couple of things that we teach differently:
- It is breezed over in the video, but the best way to self-arrest is to avoid falling. Good snow climbing technique should be practiced on low-angle slopes so that when you are on high-angle slopes it comes as second nature.
- We teach the piolet canne (cane) position as the baseline position. We only hold the piolet in the self-arrest position when it appears that a fall is likely. As the piolet canne position is the most stable walking position and it provides the most security, we like to see people move up the mountain in this position. One should practice self-arrest starting from the piolet canne position.
- There is some debate on whether you should put your feet up or not. The concern -- as the guide in the video points out -- is that if you put your feet down and your crampon points catch, that you might flip head-over-heels. On the other hand, it might stop you more quickly. We teach people to put their toes into the snow to arrest the fall.
Many people like wrist-leashes because they limit the possibility of dropping the axe. Our guides prefer them for steep terrain. There are two downsides to the constant use of a leash. First, it adds time to a turn, because the axe must be on the uphill side of your body. Moving the wrist-leash from one hand to the other many hundreds of times throughout the day adds time to the clock. Second, if you fall and lose control of the axe, it may become a liability. The last thing that you want in a fall is to be punctured by the axe.
Some people like to attach the ice-axe leash to their harness. This is a very bad place to attach a leash. Any loss of control during a fall could lead to a catastrophic torso puncture injury.
People are very adamant about wanting to use a wrist-leash while climbing for fear of dropping the axe. But really, how common is it for a climber to drop an axe? Not common at all. An ice axe is like a mountaineer's weapon. How many soldiers in the heat of battle drop their weapons? While mountain climbing is definitely not as intense as a war, it can be a dangerous pursuit and most climbers are unlikely to drop the most important tool they carry.
In preparing this blog, I watched a number of videos about self-arrest techniques. There were quite a few bad examples and indeed, some that were just flat dangerous. If you practice self-arrest, always wear a helmet and do not attach the leash of the axe to yourself. Always practice in a place where there is a good run-out. And be conservative in your practice of the head-first/stomach technique as this is a very easy one to get hurt practicing.
Jason D. Martin
February and March Climbing Events
--January 30-February 1 -- Munising, MI -- Michigan Ice Fest
--January 30-February 1 -- Jeffersonville, VT -- Smuggler's Notch Ice Bash
--January 31 -- Bishop, CA -- Peter Croft Slideshow
--January 31 -- Mojstrana, Slovenia -- Ice Climbing World Cup Comp
--February 5 -- Portland, OR -- Madrone Wall Fundraiser
--February 5-8 -- Busteni, Romania -- Ice Climbing World Cup Comp
--February 10 -- Golden, CO -- AAC Book Club Meeting
--February 13-16 -- Cody, WY -- South Fork Ice Festival
--February 20-21 -- Dayton, OH -- The Adventure Summit
--February 20-21 -- Vancouver, BC -- Vancouver Mountain Film Festival
--February 21 -- Golden, CO -- AAC Annual Benefit Dinner
--March 20-22 -- Las Vegas, NV -- Red Rock Rendezvous
--January 30-February 1 -- Jeffersonville, VT -- Smuggler's Notch Ice Bash
--January 31 -- Bishop, CA -- Peter Croft Slideshow
--January 31 -- Mojstrana, Slovenia -- Ice Climbing World Cup Comp
--February 5 -- Portland, OR -- Madrone Wall Fundraiser
--February 5-8 -- Busteni, Romania -- Ice Climbing World Cup Comp
--February 10 -- Golden, CO -- AAC Book Club Meeting
--February 13-16 -- Cody, WY -- South Fork Ice Festival
--February 20-21 -- Dayton, OH -- The Adventure Summit
--February 20-21 -- Vancouver, BC -- Vancouver Mountain Film Festival
--February 21 -- Golden, CO -- AAC Annual Benefit Dinner
--March 20-22 -- Las Vegas, NV -- Red Rock Rendezvous
Monday, January 26, 2009
AAI Ski Guide Training 2009 - A Photo Essay
AAI guides and staff, Richard Riquelme, Ben Traxler, Andy Bourne, Nick Webb, Justin Wood, and Forest McBrian, participated in a ski guides training course the second week of January. The group led by AMGA Ski Instructor Peter Leh found excellent weather conditions and challenging snow (note: there is no bad snow!) for the course located near the Mt. Baker ski resort. Guides were able to further develop their skills during the 2-day outing which included many useful ski-oriented workshops. Members practiced rescue drills, ski instruction, and terrain selection among many other topics within a peer critiqued course format.
This type of experience has been used within the profession to help facilitate a format in which guides can freely share ideas to come up with safe and creative ways to deal with a variety of situations one might encounter in the backcountry. All were thoroughly pleased with the outcome and made some great turns while they were at it! Thanks to Peter for such a great learning experience!
AMGA guide trainer Peter Leh explains ski anchors.
Mt. Shuksan shows her true colors at the end of the day.
Guide Justin Wood and Guide/victim Forest McBrian practice rescue sled construction
Guides contemplate hazard management in the Mt. Baker backcountry
Andy Bourne lays the tracks on the descent from the Herman saddle
Nick Webb demonstrates a kick turn on the way up Mt. Herman
-- Ben Traxler, AAI Guide
This type of experience has been used within the profession to help facilitate a format in which guides can freely share ideas to come up with safe and creative ways to deal with a variety of situations one might encounter in the backcountry. All were thoroughly pleased with the outcome and made some great turns while they were at it! Thanks to Peter for such a great learning experience!
AAI Staff Nick Webb demonstrates a jump turn!
AMGA guide trainer Peter Leh explains ski anchors.
Mt. Shuksan shows her true colors at the end of the day.
Guide Justin Wood and Guide/victim Forest McBrian practice rescue sled construction
Guides contemplate hazard management in the Mt. Baker backcountry
Andy Bourne lays the tracks on the descent from the Herman saddle
Nick Webb demonstrates a kick turn on the way up Mt. Herman-- Ben Traxler, AAI Guide
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Winter Recreation Opportunities at Denali National Park
AAI received this email from Denali National Park on Friday:
Denali National Park and Preserve News Release
January 23, 2009
For Immediate Release
Contact: Maureen McLaughlin (907) 733-9103
Ranger Hikes and Other Winter Recreation Opportunities at Denali National Park and Preserve
Park rangers at Denali National Park and Preserve invite the public to join them in exploring the park on weekend hikes this winter. The hikes will be done on snowshoes when snow conditions are favorable, and will take place on Saturdays and Sundays, beginning on Saturday, January 31, 2009. Hikers will meet at 1:00 p.m. at the Murie Science and Learning Center (MSLC), located at Mile 1.3 on the Park Road just west of the traffic circle.
The hikes will take place on trails in the park’s entrance area, providing opportunities to experience and learn about the winter environment of the park and interior Alaska. A limited number of snowshoes are available at the MSLC for use on the hike, and those interested in participating are encouraged to bring their own equipment. The programs will last for 2 to 3 hours. Participants are advised to dress warmly and bring lunch or snacks. The hikes will not take place if temperatures are colder than -10ºF.
Besides the ranger-led weekend hikes, winter visitors have several recreation and learning opportunities in the entrance area of Denali National Park and Preserve. A new winter trails map is available at the MSLC showing ski and snowshoe routes of varying difficulties and lengths. Inside the MSLC, visitors can view exhibits on winter ecology, wildlife and park research, watch documentary videos about Denali, and warm up after a ski or hike. Visitors may plug in vehicles during the day at the MSLC parking lot.
Denali National Park and Preserve collects an entrance fee year-round. The entrance fee of $10 per person or $20 per vehicle is good for seven days. The majority of the money collected remains in the park to be used for projects to improve visitor services and facilities. Interagency Federal Recreation Passes such as the Annual, Senior, and Access Pass, and the Denali Annual Pass are also valid for entry into the park and can be purchased at the MSLC.
Additional information on winter activities is available at the Murie Science and Learning Center from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily, by calling (907) 683-9532, or on the park website at www.nps.gov/dena. Near the park entrance, drivers may listen to visitor information on the radio at 1610 AM.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Weekend Warrior - Videos to Get You Scared!
Yep, you read it right...videos to get you scared. There have been 31 avalanche fatalities this year in North America. That is a lot. And we all need to do whatever we can to bring those numbers down...
If you haven't had any avalanche training and you're headed into the backcountry, it's time to get some. Check out our avalanche courses here.
Today we're going to look at some avalanches. Some of them are pretty scary and there's not a lot of information on the web about how the people caught in these avalanches turned out...which makes them even scarier.
In this first video, you'll see a compilation of avalanches from a snowboarding video.
In this second video, two snowmobilers who are high marking start a massive slab avalanche.
And in this third video, an avalanche that could take out a small city is documented by a variety of means, including by helicopters.
If you haven't had any avalanche training and you're headed into the backcountry, it's time to get some. Check out our avalanche courses here.
Today we're going to look at some avalanches. Some of them are pretty scary and there's not a lot of information on the web about how the people caught in these avalanches turned out...which makes them even scarier.
In this first video, you'll see a compilation of avalanches from a snowboarding video.
In this second video, two snowmobilers who are high marking start a massive slab avalanche.
And in this third video, an avalanche that could take out a small city is documented by a variety of means, including by helicopters.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Breaking News -- Clif Bars and Luna Bars Recalled!
From CNN:
It's not just inside neon orange crackers or slathered on the other side of jelly.
Peanut butter is everywhere.
Products including Trader Joe's celery with peanut butter packs and nutrition bars from Clif Bar, NutriSystem and Luna are among the 125-plus products recalled in a salmonella outbreak.
Cookie dough, candy and even dog treats have been affected as authorities attempt to track down what products contain the contaminated peanut butter and peanut paste.
To read more, click here.
Climbers beware! Clif Bars and Luna Bars both made the list of potentially dangerous peanut products!
--Jason D. Martin
2009 Ouray Ice Festival - History is Made
The 2009 Ouray Ice Festival came to a close on Sunday Jan 11. This is the biggest ice festival held in this country, and it is an amazing event. Officials say that 1000 climbers attended this year’s festival. People of all ages and from all corners of the world attended the fundraising event. There were many activities that filled the evening line up. Slideshows, auctions and dinners are all avenues for funds to be raised. All money raised goes to the operation and maintenance of the free Ouray Ice Park.
The Petzl dance party is always the crazy crescendo of the event. It is the only time a year that the quiet mountain town of Ouray has a DJ dance party. “Beach party” was the theme this year, and people did not hold back on their costumes. A lot of flesh was exposed, and the party raged through the night.
The award ceremony marked the end of the event. Josh Wharton won the men’s division as well as the overall title. In the women’s division, history was made. It is the first time that an Ouray local has taken first place. Dawn Glanc, an AAI Guide and a winter resident of Ouray, won the women’s division.
The event was a success. Many climbers attended the clinics and demoed new gear. Climbers new to the sport and sponsored athletes all came together in one park to enjoy a unique event that celebrates the sport of ice climbing. Crucial money was raised so that this amazing park will be available in the future. I believe everyone is already looking forward to next year’s festival.
-- Dawn Glanc
The Petzl dance party is always the crazy crescendo of the event. It is the only time a year that the quiet mountain town of Ouray has a DJ dance party. “Beach party” was the theme this year, and people did not hold back on their costumes. A lot of flesh was exposed, and the party raged through the night.
Dawn Glanc, an AAI Guide and winner of the women's division in the Ouray Ice Festival
The award ceremony marked the end of the event. Josh Wharton won the men’s division as well as the overall title. In the women’s division, history was made. It is the first time that an Ouray local has taken first place. Dawn Glanc, an AAI Guide and a winter resident of Ouray, won the women’s division.
The event was a success. Many climbers attended the clinics and demoed new gear. Climbers new to the sport and sponsored athletes all came together in one park to enjoy a unique event that celebrates the sport of ice climbing. Crucial money was raised so that this amazing park will be available in the future. I believe everyone is already looking forward to next year’s festival.
-- Dawn Glanc
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Appropriations Pay for Roads, Trails, Facilities
AAI just received this email about storm damage in Washington's National Forests:
Olympic and Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forests repair old storm damage
The Olympic and Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forests can start work this year repairing storm damaged roads, trails and facilities with special funds appropriated by Congress in September 2008. The Pacific Northwest Region approved 10.3 million dollars worth of projects last week, with those two forests obtaining 60 percent of the funds to pay for storm damage, some of it dating back to 2003.
With this money the Forest Service will improve public access and benefit the environment. “Repairing roads and removing other roads will reduce the risk of future road failures, controls road-related sediment production, and restores riparian vegetation, all of which will improve water quality and fish habitat,” said Amy Lieb, soil and sater program manager for the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
“It is crucial to repair and maintain our roads to high quality standards so they provide healthy watersheds and clean water. The Olympic National Forest has been hit hard over the past several years and these dollars are welcome as we make these much-needed improvements,” said Dale Hom, forest supervisor. Funds for that forest total $4,646,163, with $4,104,663 going to repair roads damaged during the 2007 and 2008 floods. The forest will remove 31 miles of road and treat nine miles of road to require minimal maintenance. This money will also upgrade eight culverts and repair one bridge. Engineers expect to finish road repairs in two to three years.
The $273,500 for trails on the Olympic National Forest will restore three major trails, including the Bogachiel Rain Forest Trail, which is part of the Pacific Northwest Trail system and popular access to the Olympic National Forest and the National Park. Trail repairs include:
--Quinault National Recreation Trail, repair, reroute and remove heavy blowdown.
--Quinault Rain Forest Interpretive Trail, the most heavily used trail on the Olympic National Forest, will be resurfaced and rerouted, with signs, a handrail and bulletin board repaired.
--Bogachiel Rain Forest Trail, remove blowdown trees, resurface the trail and repair water crossings.
The Olympic National Forest’s $268,000 facilities funding will fix roofs on seven administrative buildings in the Quinault area, repair the Hoodsport workcenter and restore the Hamma Hamma, Willaby and Klahowya campgrounds. The forest plans to finish the trails and facilities projects by 2010.
The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest funding totals $2,711,396. “Our focus will be on sustainable fixes. We are very pleased to have received the funding to start the repair work,” said Forest Supervisor Rob Iwamoto. He added that these repairs are important to ensure public safety. The $2,057,996 for roads will rebuild three bridges; repair one road and remove nine miles of road no longer needed for management or public access purposes, and should be finished by the end of this year. Some of these projects will restore road access to Glacier Peak Wilderness trailheads inaccessible for nearly six years.
Funds totaling $653,400 will repair trail damage on the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. These funds will allow planning to be completed and permanent repairs to be made on several popular trails, including Big Four Ice Caves and Skookum Flats, damaged in 2006 storms. The Forest will complete bridge repairs to the Heliotrope Ridge Trail, on the north side of Mt. Baker, and design a new crossing of the West Fork Foss River. The West Fork Foss River trail leads to popular Trout, Copper and Heart Lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Work on these projects is expected to be complete by the end of 2010. Other trail repairs include:
--Suiattle River Trail, repair washed out tread, remove windfall and heavy brush.
--Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, do maintenance work between Milk Creek and Vista Creek.
--North Fork Sauk Trail, repair puncheon bridges and replace a footlog.
--Baker Lake Trail, move washed-out sections of trail. Repair Blum and Hidden Creek bridges.
--West Cady Ridge/Pass Creek Trails, repair drainage structures.
--Whitechuck Bench Trail, complete planning to relocate washed out sections of trail. Remove brush and remove windfall trees from two miles of trail.
--Iron Goat Trail, replace puncheon bridge near Wellington.
Climbing News from Here and Abroad -- January 22, 2009
Northwest:
Mount Hood in the Winter
--A 45-year-old Mt. Hood climber suffered leg injuries after falling ice caused him to fall about 200 feet on Saturday, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. The experienced climber, who is also a Portland Mountain Rescue member, was ascending with two other climbers at 10:30 a.m. near the Hogsback at about the 10,000-foot elevation when the ice hit, said Jim Strovink, sheriff's office spokesman. To read more, click here and here.
--There have been at least five deaths on Aconcagua in the Argentinian Andes this season. One of those who died was northwest local, Arthur DeLisle of Edmonds, Washington. It appears that DeLisle was killed by rockfall while soloing. It is not clear which route the man was on when the accident took place. To read more, click here and here.
Sierra:
--There is not a lot of snow in the Sierra! Midway through January, the snowpack measurement at Mammoth Pass shows the water content of the snow to be about half of what is normal for this time of year. December ended big for Mammoth. Mammoth Mountain Ski Area shows 174” inches, or 14’ 6”, of snow for the year. The storms that brought 123” of snow to Mammoth Mountain in December were relatively cold leading to light powdery snow. While light fluffy snow is fantastic for skiing, it doesn’t pack as much water content as the famous “sierra cement,” type snow. The DWP website lists only 11.3” inches of water content for Mammoth Pass, 52% of long term mean for that important measuring site. Bishop Creek, Big Pine Creek and other sites all check in at about half the normal amount of snow for this time of year. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--A few weeks ago, an unusual climbing accident rocked the Australian climbing community. Nick Kaczorowski, known locally as Nick Kaz, was killed on Friday, January 2nd in an accident at Pierces Pass in the Blue Mountains. What's unusual about the situation is that the bolt that the victim was clipped to pulled out. What is absolutely terrifying is that local guide Simon Carter was able to pull out a number of other bolts on the route with his fingers! Carter wrote an article about the accident and about the bad bolts. To read the blog, click here.
A massive powder avalanche tears down a slope.
--There have been 31 avalanche fatalites this year in North America. Sixteen took place in the United States and fifteen in Canada. This big year of avalanche fatalities has brought this backcountry danger to the forefront in the mainstream media. The New York Times recently reported on Professor Ed Adams, a snow science researcher at Montana State University. To read the article about this snow scientist, click here.
--On the evening of Friday, January 16th someone broke into the Harvard Mountaineering Club's clubroom in Cambridge, Massachusetts and stole dozens of their rare books. It appears that several early American Alpine Journals were stolen, along with their entire collection of Die Alpen. If you run across someone selling a large collection of rare mountaineering books, please contact the Harvard Mountaineering Club.
Reinhold Messner
--Italy's greatest living mountaineer, Reinhold Messner, came under fire on Monday for allegedly suggesting that climbers should not rope themselves together. Giving a television interview after four Italian climbers fell to their deaths on the French side of Mont Blanc on Saturday, Messner said it was possible to ''learn something from such accidents." To read more, click here.
--Height of Land Publications (HOL), owners of Backcountry and Telemark Skier Magazines, closed on a deal on Friday that lays the groundwork for the resurrection of Alpinist Magazine. Alpinist, a premium quarterly celebrating mountaineering and the climbing life, closed its doors this fall, just prior to the release of Issue 26. The new owners, HOL, plan to release Issue 26 on March 1, and will honor all current subscriptions. To read more, click here and here.
--Ines Papert and Cory Richards climbed a new ice route on the north face of Kwangde (19,721') in Nepal. The team sent the peak in a four and a half-day round trip. To read more, click here.
--Uli Steck doesn't mess around. Just three weeks ago, he soloed the north face of the Grandes Jorasses in 2 hours and 21 minutes. On February 21st, 2008, he raced up the North Face of the Eiger in 2 hours and 47 minutes. Now the alpinist has climbed the North Face of the Matterhorn in 1 hour and 56 minutes. If there is an animal in the modern world of alpinism, then Uli Steck is surly it. To read more, click here.
--Last week, Climbing magazine announced the 2008 Golden Piton awards. This is the award that the magazine bestows for climbing achievement to individuals in a variety of climbing disciplines. A complete write-up on each of the winners will appear in Climbing #272. Following is a list of the winners.
Mount Hood in the Winter--A 45-year-old Mt. Hood climber suffered leg injuries after falling ice caused him to fall about 200 feet on Saturday, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. The experienced climber, who is also a Portland Mountain Rescue member, was ascending with two other climbers at 10:30 a.m. near the Hogsback at about the 10,000-foot elevation when the ice hit, said Jim Strovink, sheriff's office spokesman. To read more, click here and here.
--There have been at least five deaths on Aconcagua in the Argentinian Andes this season. One of those who died was northwest local, Arthur DeLisle of Edmonds, Washington. It appears that DeLisle was killed by rockfall while soloing. It is not clear which route the man was on when the accident took place. To read more, click here and here.
Sierra:
--There is not a lot of snow in the Sierra! Midway through January, the snowpack measurement at Mammoth Pass shows the water content of the snow to be about half of what is normal for this time of year. December ended big for Mammoth. Mammoth Mountain Ski Area shows 174” inches, or 14’ 6”, of snow for the year. The storms that brought 123” of snow to Mammoth Mountain in December were relatively cold leading to light powdery snow. While light fluffy snow is fantastic for skiing, it doesn’t pack as much water content as the famous “sierra cement,” type snow. The DWP website lists only 11.3” inches of water content for Mammoth Pass, 52% of long term mean for that important measuring site. Bishop Creek, Big Pine Creek and other sites all check in at about half the normal amount of snow for this time of year. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--A few weeks ago, an unusual climbing accident rocked the Australian climbing community. Nick Kaczorowski, known locally as Nick Kaz, was killed on Friday, January 2nd in an accident at Pierces Pass in the Blue Mountains. What's unusual about the situation is that the bolt that the victim was clipped to pulled out. What is absolutely terrifying is that local guide Simon Carter was able to pull out a number of other bolts on the route with his fingers! Carter wrote an article about the accident and about the bad bolts. To read the blog, click here.
A massive powder avalanche tears down a slope.--On the evening of Friday, January 16th someone broke into the Harvard Mountaineering Club's clubroom in Cambridge, Massachusetts and stole dozens of their rare books. It appears that several early American Alpine Journals were stolen, along with their entire collection of Die Alpen. If you run across someone selling a large collection of rare mountaineering books, please contact the Harvard Mountaineering Club.
Reinhold Messner--Italy's greatest living mountaineer, Reinhold Messner, came under fire on Monday for allegedly suggesting that climbers should not rope themselves together. Giving a television interview after four Italian climbers fell to their deaths on the French side of Mont Blanc on Saturday, Messner said it was possible to ''learn something from such accidents." To read more, click here.
--Height of Land Publications (HOL), owners of Backcountry and Telemark Skier Magazines, closed on a deal on Friday that lays the groundwork for the resurrection of Alpinist Magazine. Alpinist, a premium quarterly celebrating mountaineering and the climbing life, closed its doors this fall, just prior to the release of Issue 26. The new owners, HOL, plan to release Issue 26 on March 1, and will honor all current subscriptions. To read more, click here and here.
--Ines Papert and Cory Richards climbed a new ice route on the north face of Kwangde (19,721') in Nepal. The team sent the peak in a four and a half-day round trip. To read more, click here.
Uli Steck on his Eiger speed run. Beware, this video is in German,
but it is still well worth watching this world class climber move.
but it is still well worth watching this world class climber move.
--Uli Steck doesn't mess around. Just three weeks ago, he soloed the north face of the Grandes Jorasses in 2 hours and 21 minutes. On February 21st, 2008, he raced up the North Face of the Eiger in 2 hours and 47 minutes. Now the alpinist has climbed the North Face of the Matterhorn in 1 hour and 56 minutes. If there is an animal in the modern world of alpinism, then Uli Steck is surly it. To read more, click here.
--Last week, Climbing magazine announced the 2008 Golden Piton awards. This is the award that the magazine bestows for climbing achievement to individuals in a variety of climbing disciplines. A complete write-up on each of the winners will appear in Climbing #272. Following is a list of the winners.
- --Chris Sharma (sport)
- --Beth Rodden (trad)
- --Fumitaka Ichimura, Yusuke Sato, and Katsutaka Yokoyama (alpine)
- --Tommy Caldwell (big wall)
- --Paul Robinson (bouldering)
- --Alex Honnold (solo)
- --Malcolm Daly (humanitarian)
- --Alex Johnson (breakaway success)
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Conditions Report -- January 21, 2009
RED ROCK CANYON:
--Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.
--Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
A climber on Abbey Road (5.5)
Photo by Jason Martin
--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 hours to the scenic drive recently changed. The BLM has begun to open the loop at 7 AM in order to save money. Please call Mark Tenaka-Sanders, the Las Vegas Field Office manager at 702-515-5365 to complain.
JOSHUA TREE:
--Forecast and average temperatures for Joshua Tree National Par k.
--Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.
Eric Braswell on Sail Away (5.8)
Photo by Paulina Vashavskaya
--The climber's coffee program runs every Saturday morning and will begin to run both Saturday and Sunday mornings beginning in February. This program takes place in the Intersection Rock parking area and allows climbers and rangers to exchange ideas and information. Climbers generally meet at around eight in the morning.
NORTHWEST:
--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.
--Forecast for Mount Rainier.
Sunrise over Gibraltar Rock on the Gibraltar Ledges Route on Mount Rainier on Saturday
Photo by Matt Clifton
--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
--Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams conditions and recreation report.
--Webcams for Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Leavenworth and Highway 2.
John Mauro, Josh Stern and Jim Cronan traverse Eightmile Mountain
Mount Stuart is in the background.
Photo by Matthew Peters
--An up-to-date ski and snow report for the Northwest m ay be found here.
--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest Ice Conditions may be found here.
--After all the crazy weather in the Pacific Northwest, a high pressure inversion made it's way into the area. And though the warm air didn't lead to stellar ice, it still lead to a lot of ascents. Perhaps the most interesting ascent over the weekend took place on Dragontail Peak. This party made the first complete winter ascent of the Backbone Ridge on Dragontail. This party climbed the Gibraltar Ledges route on Mount Rainier. And t his party -- which included former AAI Guide Gene Pires -- climbed the South Face of the Tooth.
--The inversion didn't lead to great ski conditions. Indeed, it was quite icy in the backcountry over the weekend...but nobody stayed inside and a lot of parties got out skiing all over the range. This party skied Mount Snoqualmie and Red Mountain. This party skied Mount Baker's Easton Glacier. And this party skied Eightmile Mountain above Leavenworth.
--So this is weird, the National Park Service is counting skiers who use the chairlifts at the Crystal Mountain Ski resort who access the backcountry. The NPS sees the use of the resort as a means to access the backcountry inside the Mount Rainier National Park as a violation of Crystal's Commercial Use Authorization. Because they consider this to be commercial use on park lands, they have been trying to limit access. To read more, click here and here.
Alice Bremmer on Mount Baker's Easton Glacier
Photo by Stacy Moon
--Speaking of Mount Rainier, it appears the the road to Paradise will only be open on weekends and holidays until the spring. To read more, click here.
--The Forest Service has delayed opening the Mount Index Road (Forest Service Road 6020) until possibly Friday. It is now open temporarily to local residents 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily.
SIERRA:
--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.
--Webcams for Bishop, June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass, and Yosemite National Park.
ALASKA RANGE:
--Forecast for Denali
--Webcam for Denali National Park.
--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.
--Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.
--Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
A climber on Abbey Road (5.5)Photo by Jason Martin
--The hours to the scenic drive recently changed. The BLM has begun to open the loop at 7 AM in order to save money. Please call Mark Tenaka-Sanders, the Las Vegas Field Office manager at 702-515-5365 to complain.
JOSHUA TREE:
--Forecast and average temperatures for Joshua Tree National Par k.
--Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.
Eric Braswell on Sail Away (5.8)Photo by Paulina Vashavskaya
--The climber's coffee program runs every Saturday morning and will begin to run both Saturday and Sunday mornings beginning in February. This program takes place in the Intersection Rock parking area and allows climbers and rangers to exchange ideas and information. Climbers generally meet at around eight in the morning.
NORTHWEST:
--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.
Stacy Moon skiing Mount Baker's Easton Glacier on Saturday
Photo by Toby Tortorelli
Photo by Toby Tortorelli
--Forecast for Mount Rainier.
Sunrise over Gibraltar Rock on the Gibraltar Ledges Route on Mount Rainier on SaturdayPhoto by Matt Clifton
--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
--Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams conditions and recreation report.
--Webcams for Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Leavenworth and Highway 2.
John Mauro, Josh Stern and Jim Cronan traverse Eightmile MountainMount Stuart is in the background.
Photo by Matthew Peters
--An up-to-date ski and snow report for the Northwest m ay be found here.
--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest Ice Conditions may be found here.
John Plotz on the First Complete Winter Ascent of the Backbone (IV, 5.9) on Dragontail Peak.
Photo by Ade Miller -- For more cool shots see Ade's Website
Photo by Ade Miller -- For more cool shots see Ade's Website
--After all the crazy weather in the Pacific Northwest, a high pressure inversion made it's way into the area. And though the warm air didn't lead to stellar ice, it still lead to a lot of ascents. Perhaps the most interesting ascent over the weekend took place on Dragontail Peak. This party made the first complete winter ascent of the Backbone Ridge on Dragontail. This party climbed the Gibraltar Ledges route on Mount Rainier. And t his party -- which included former AAI Guide Gene Pires -- climbed the South Face of the Tooth.
--The inversion didn't lead to great ski conditions. Indeed, it was quite icy in the backcountry over the weekend...but nobody stayed inside and a lot of parties got out skiing all over the range. This party skied Mount Snoqualmie and Red Mountain. This party skied Mount Baker's Easton Glacier. And this party skied Eightmile Mountain above Leavenworth.
--So this is weird, the National Park Service is counting skiers who use the chairlifts at the Crystal Mountain Ski resort who access the backcountry. The NPS sees the use of the resort as a means to access the backcountry inside the Mount Rainier National Park as a violation of Crystal's Commercial Use Authorization. Because they consider this to be commercial use on park lands, they have been trying to limit access. To read more, click here and here.
Alice Bremmer on Mount Baker's Easton GlacierPhoto by Stacy Moon
--The Forest Service has delayed opening the Mount Index Road (Forest Service Road 6020) until possibly Friday. It is now open temporarily to local residents 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily.
--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.
--Webcams for Bishop, June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass, and Yosemite National Park.
A climber sending in Lee Vining a couple of weeks ago.
Photo by Rob Yang
--Though it's still not in prime condition, parties are climbing in Lee Vining. This party made their way in a few weeks ago and found plenty of stuff to do.Photo by Rob Yang
ALPS:
--Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.
--Webcams for Chamonix Valley, Zermatt and the Matterhorn.
--Webcams for Chamonix Valley, Zermatt and the Matterhorn.
--Forecast for Denali
--Webcam for Denali National Park.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Pre-Equalized Anchors
This summer I saw a family climbing on an American Death Triangle in Leavenworth. They were blissfully unaware of the danger of such a set-up and appeared to be even more unaware of pre-equlaized anchors. It's incredibly important to avoid the American Death Triangle. The term "death" isn't in there for nothing.
This entry is about pre-equalized anchors. The Canadian guide, Mike Barter has put together a variety of videos on youtube that are valuable to both the novice and the advanced climber alike. Following are three of his videos on pre-equalization. The first two are for novice anchor builders, and the third is for all those looking for a short-cut.
There is a little bit of controversy over pre-equalized anchors. Some feel that one leg of the anchor will get more force than another, which means that such an anchor could never be fully equalized. While there may be some truth to this concern, the impact on the anchor as a whole is minimal and professional climbing guides throughout the country are generally not concerned about it.
In this first video, Mike describes a sliding-x, followed by the basics of pre-equalization.
The following video takes what Mike just described to the next step. In this video he demonstrates a pre-equalized anchor off three pieces.
The stuff in the preceding video is quite rudimentary when it comes to anchor building and most advanced climbers have this skill dialed. It's important to practice a variety of anchors with legs that are a variety of different lengths. It's also important to practice building anchors with many pieces as well with only a few.
Speaking of building an anchor with only a small number of pieces, more advanced climbers that already have a strong understanding of their anchoring skills may find this next video a bit more valuable.
In this video, the guide provides a quick tip for keeping the power point high.
Practice makes perfect in every one of these techniques. So keep on practicing!
--Jason D. Martin
This entry is about pre-equalized anchors. The Canadian guide, Mike Barter has put together a variety of videos on youtube that are valuable to both the novice and the advanced climber alike. Following are three of his videos on pre-equalization. The first two are for novice anchor builders, and the third is for all those looking for a short-cut.
There is a little bit of controversy over pre-equalized anchors. Some feel that one leg of the anchor will get more force than another, which means that such an anchor could never be fully equalized. While there may be some truth to this concern, the impact on the anchor as a whole is minimal and professional climbing guides throughout the country are generally not concerned about it.
In this first video, Mike describes a sliding-x, followed by the basics of pre-equalization.
The following video takes what Mike just described to the next step. In this video he demonstrates a pre-equalized anchor off three pieces.
The stuff in the preceding video is quite rudimentary when it comes to anchor building and most advanced climbers have this skill dialed. It's important to practice a variety of anchors with legs that are a variety of different lengths. It's also important to practice building anchors with many pieces as well with only a few.
Speaking of building an anchor with only a small number of pieces, more advanced climbers that already have a strong understanding of their anchoring skills may find this next video a bit more valuable.
In this video, the guide provides a quick tip for keeping the power point high.
Practice makes perfect in every one of these techniques. So keep on practicing!
--Jason D. Martin
January and February Climbing Events
--January 21 -- Bellingham, WA -- Backcountry Skiing Pacific Northwest
--January 22-24 -- Saas-Fee, Switzerland -- Ice Climbing World Cup Comp
--January 30-February 1 -- Munising, MI -- Michigan Ice Fest
--January 30-February 1 -- Jeffersonville, VT -- Smuggler's Notch Ice Bash
--January 31 -- Bishop, CA -- Peter Croft Slideshow
--January 31 -- Mojstrana, Slovenia -- Ice Climbing World Cup Comp
--February 5 -- Portland, OR -- Madrone Wall Fundraiser
--February 5-8 -- Busteni, Romania -- Ice Climbing World Cup Comp
--February 10 -- Golden, CO -- AAC Book Club Meeting
--February 13-16 -- Cody, WY -- South Fork Ice Festival
--February 20-21 -- Dayton, OH -- The Adventure Summit
--February 20-21 -- Vancouver, BC -- Vancouver Mountain Film Festival
--February 21 -- Golden, CO -- AAC Annual Benefit Dinner
--January 22-24 -- Saas-Fee, Switzerland -- Ice Climbing World Cup Comp
--January 30-February 1 -- Munising, MI -- Michigan Ice Fest
--January 30-February 1 -- Jeffersonville, VT -- Smuggler's Notch Ice Bash
--January 31 -- Bishop, CA -- Peter Croft Slideshow
--January 31 -- Mojstrana, Slovenia -- Ice Climbing World Cup Comp
--February 5 -- Portland, OR -- Madrone Wall Fundraiser
--February 5-8 -- Busteni, Romania -- Ice Climbing World Cup Comp
--February 10 -- Golden, CO -- AAC Book Club Meeting
--February 13-16 -- Cody, WY -- South Fork Ice Festival
--February 20-21 -- Dayton, OH -- The Adventure Summit
--February 20-21 -- Vancouver, BC -- Vancouver Mountain Film Festival
--February 21 -- Golden, CO -- AAC Annual Benefit Dinner
Monday, January 19, 2009
Sibling Rivalry - Mount Adams vs. Mount Hood
The Klickitat tribe of Washington and Oregon has a fantastic legend about an ancient dispute between two brothers that we now know as the Cascade volcanoes, Mount Adams and Mount Hood.
--Jason D. Martin
Long ago, Tyhee Saghalie, the chief of all the gods traveled down the Columbia river with his two sons in search of a place to settle. The sons, Pahto and Wy'east, had a difficult relationship and so when they finally came to a beautiful area where they wanted to live, the sons quarrelled. Each of them wanted the land for himself.
Mount Adams
To settle this dispute, their father shot two arrows from his bow. He shot the first one to the north and the second to the south and then told the boys that they would have to live in the place where each of the arrows landed. Pahto followed the arrow to the north and settled. Wy'east followed the arrow to the south and did the same.
Saghalie wanted his family to be content, so he built a bridge between the north and the south. This bridge became known as the Bridge of the Gods. And for many years the family used the bridge to meet.
But there was a problem...
Both of the sons fell in love with a beautiful young woman named Loowit. And this young woman was indecisive. She could not choose between the two chiefs.
So Pahto and Wy'east went to war with one another. They threw fire at each other and destroyed the Bridge of the Gods. When the bridge fell the earth was devestated. Villages and forests were destroyed and indeed, the collapse of the bridge created a massive rift between the north and the south which we now know as the Columbia River Gorge.
Mount Hood
The devastation from this war was so great that Saghalie was offended by his sons and their violence. So for punishment he transformed all three of the lovers into great mountains. Wy'east, with his head lifted in pride, became Mount Hood. Pahto, with his head bent in shame, became Mount Adams. And the maiden Loowit, became Mount Saint Helens.
--Jason D. Martin
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Weekend Warrior -- Videos to Get You Stoked!
So what do you think folks? It's the middle of the winter and it's time to ponder something...are you guys getting after it?
Here in the Northwest it's been a bit dreary...but we've finally had a break in the deluge and a few of us have been getting out and skiing. It seems like people are getting after it... And sometimes even animals are getting after it.
Check out this cat!
And speaking of getting after it, a year ago Fred Syversen accidentally made a world record ski jump by turning the wrong way. The well-known free skier dropped 351 feet. Watch this extraordinary jump below:
And speaking of ski jumps...you know who else gets after it? James Bond! Check out this old clip of Roger Moore as James Bond outskiing the bad guys and ski/base jumping off of a massive cliff on Baffin Island.
Crazy!!!
Here in the Northwest it's been a bit dreary...but we've finally had a break in the deluge and a few of us have been getting out and skiing. It seems like people are getting after it... And sometimes even animals are getting after it.
Check out this cat!
And speaking of getting after it, a year ago Fred Syversen accidentally made a world record ski jump by turning the wrong way. The well-known free skier dropped 351 feet. Watch this extraordinary jump below:
And speaking of ski jumps...you know who else gets after it? James Bond! Check out this old clip of Roger Moore as James Bond outskiing the bad guys and ski/base jumping off of a massive cliff on Baffin Island.
Crazy!!!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Search and Rescue Costs
Recent events in the Pacific Northwest revived the debate about who should pay for rescues.
Many non-climbers feel that climbing related rescues should be paid for by those that are rescued. However, many of these same individuals do not feel that hiking related, hunting related, or boating related rescues should be paid for by the individuals that are rescued. Of course, every year there are a lot more yachters and wayward Boy Scouts that are rescued than climbers.
Mountain rescue in the United States is generally managed by the Sheriff's department or the Park Service, depending on the location. The actual rescue though is usually done by mountain rescue volunteers or the military.
Las Vegas Metro Police Department Search and Rescue Practice in Red Rock Canyon
Photo from LVMPD S&R Website
Some cities maintain full-time Search and Rescue police officers. Places like Las Vegas and Los Angeles County send out their Search and Rescue officers nearly every day to deal with everything from boaters to ATV riders to people who took a wrong turn during a flood. Climbers make up a very small percentage of their rescue costs... But tax dollars certainly do support these operations.
Mountain rescue volunteers work for the satisfaction of providing assistance to those in need. They do not cost the government or the tax payers anything. The military operations that are used in rescues often employ individuals who are rescue specialists and would be training to do rescues anyway. As a result, the funds that go into these rescues are not as exhorbinant as many people might believe.
Recently, a new law in New Hampshire has been put into place that would force those who are rescued to pay for their rescues. WMUR Channel 9 New Hampshire reports:
Indeed, who will decide if a given action is negligent or not? An experienced climber might try a hard route in a light-and-fast manner. Somewhere high on the route a hold breaks and he shatters his ankle. Were this brought to court after a rescue, that climber...even though he did everything right...might be charged for negligence. Why? It's a hard route and he didn't have a lot of equipment.
If a climber that is carrying seventy pounds of food and fuel up a glaciated peak decides to glissade with his crampons on and breaks an ankle, he might be seen as playing it safe and the idea of negligence might never come up. This is despite the fact that he was using an innapropriate technique at an innappropriate time.
Rescues take place in the mountains every day and climbers make up a very small percentage of those that are rescued. This issue always comes to a head when something bad happens to a climber, but it never comes up when something bad happens to another wilderness user. We are unfairly targetted by those that have little knowledge of what happens in the wilderness.
Creating laws that require negligent people to pay for rescues is a step in the wrong direction. It is far too difficult for the courts to delve into the idea of what is negligent in this field and what is not. Our main concern is that any type of climbing activity -- regardless of the experience level and training of the participant -- may be seen as negligent.
--Jason D. Martin
Many non-climbers feel that climbing related rescues should be paid for by those that are rescued. However, many of these same individuals do not feel that hiking related, hunting related, or boating related rescues should be paid for by the individuals that are rescued. Of course, every year there are a lot more yachters and wayward Boy Scouts that are rescued than climbers.
Mountain rescue in the United States is generally managed by the Sheriff's department or the Park Service, depending on the location. The actual rescue though is usually done by mountain rescue volunteers or the military.
Las Vegas Metro Police Department Search and Rescue Practice in Red Rock CanyonPhoto from LVMPD S&R Website
Some cities maintain full-time Search and Rescue police officers. Places like Las Vegas and Los Angeles County send out their Search and Rescue officers nearly every day to deal with everything from boaters to ATV riders to people who took a wrong turn during a flood. Climbers make up a very small percentage of their rescue costs... But tax dollars certainly do support these operations.
Mountain rescue volunteers work for the satisfaction of providing assistance to those in need. They do not cost the government or the tax payers anything. The military operations that are used in rescues often employ individuals who are rescue specialists and would be training to do rescues anyway. As a result, the funds that go into these rescues are not as exhorbinant as many people might believe.
Recently, a new law in New Hampshire has been put into place that would force those who are rescued to pay for their rescues. WMUR Channel 9 New Hampshire reports:
A New Hampshire law enacted this year aims to make people think twice before heading into the woods unprepared or under the influence.While many rescues are of those who were negligent, there are a lot of rescues that take place where an individual made an honest mistake. The downside to laws such as this is that mountain activities have the look and feel of danger, even when they aren't terribly dangerous. Other wilderness users -- whether they do something that is negligent or not -- may not look like they are putting themselves in peril. The result is that climbers will likely bear the brunt of such laws.
The state Department of Fish and Game currently fines lost hikers who recklessly venture into the woods to pay for the cost of the rescue, but now the department will have the power to revoke the driver's licenses of those who don't pay. Hikers can also lose licenses with the state Health and Human Services Department, and hunting and fishing licenses.
The law also gives the state more power over who they decide to fine. Previously, the state had to prove someone acted recklessly before charging a hiker for repayment for a rescue. This meant the state had to show the hiker or hikers were aware going into the woods posed a substantial risk but they did it anyway. Now the state only has to prove the person was negligent.
Indeed, who will decide if a given action is negligent or not? An experienced climber might try a hard route in a light-and-fast manner. Somewhere high on the route a hold breaks and he shatters his ankle. Were this brought to court after a rescue, that climber...even though he did everything right...might be charged for negligence. Why? It's a hard route and he didn't have a lot of equipment.
If a climber that is carrying seventy pounds of food and fuel up a glaciated peak decides to glissade with his crampons on and breaks an ankle, he might be seen as playing it safe and the idea of negligence might never come up. This is despite the fact that he was using an innapropriate technique at an innappropriate time.
Rescues take place in the mountains every day and climbers make up a very small percentage of those that are rescued. This issue always comes to a head when something bad happens to a climber, but it never comes up when something bad happens to another wilderness user. We are unfairly targetted by those that have little knowledge of what happens in the wilderness.
Creating laws that require negligent people to pay for rescues is a step in the wrong direction. It is far too difficult for the courts to delve into the idea of what is negligent in this field and what is not. Our main concern is that any type of climbing activity -- regardless of the experience level and training of the participant -- may be seen as negligent.
--Jason D. Martin
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Climbing News from Here and Abroad -- January 15, 2009
Northwest:
--An unnamed American skier was killed in British Columbia by an avalanche over the weekend on Alice Mountain near the town of Terrace. The skier was with a group that was accessing the backcountry via a helicopter. To read more, click here.
--Two more avalanches struck snowmobilers in British Columbia over the weekend, leaving two people dead. This incident comes on the heels of another snowmobile tragedy. A group of eight snowmobilers were killed in a slide on December 29th. To read more, click here.
--Last week, three skiers and a snowboarder were banned for life from North Vancouver's Grouse Mountain after they knowingly ventured out of bounds and entered a dangerous, avalanche-prone spot. Rescue crews were unable to go in after them, so the four men were guided to safety by a helicopter 45 minutes after they entered the area. The group was billed for the full cost of the search, and their names have been circulated to all ski resorts in Western Canada. Thirteen avalanche related fatalities in recent weeks in Southwestern British Columbia are forcing ski resorts to rethink their strategies for keeping people in-bounds during periods of high avalanche danger. To read more, click here.
Mount Index
Lake Serene is in a small bowl just off center to the left of this picture
Photo by Ty Drisden
--A group of conservationists are working to raise money in order to buy property in the Skykomish Valley to preserve old-growth forests, roadless areas and river shores. A large group of parcels totaling 3,000 acres are targeted for logging. These include roadless, high-elevation old-growth forests and lands along the Miller, Beckler and Tye rivers as well as near Lake Serene, Mount Persis and Index Creek. These are areas treasured by climbers and hikers alike. To read more, click here.
--The teenager who shot and killed a hiker on Sauk Mountain after he mistook her for a bear in August is set to stand trial for the death April 20. The hunter, who has turned 15 since the shooting, is charged with first-degree manslaughter, a class A felony for recklessly causing the death of another. To read more, click here.
Sierra:
--Police recently set up a sting operation at Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort to catch snowboard-stealing thieves. After the bait was set, three young men were captured. This led to the recovery of eleven snowboards. Ski blogs with a focus on Mammoth are rife with comments about the criminals like, "they should be whipped with a cane," and "they should be beaten with skis." These are the most pleasant punishments that were devised by skiers and snowboarders. To read more, click here.
--Yosemite National Park is announcing the public scoping period for the Badger Pass Ski Lodge Rehabilitation Environmental Assessment (EA). Public scoping comments will be used to assist the park in developing a range of reasonable and feasible project alternatives that meet the purpose and need, including a no action alternative, and then analyzing the environmental effects of each alternative. A 30-day public scoping period for this EA will open on January 14, 2009 and will extend through February 13, 2009. Written comments should be postmarked no later than February 13, 2009. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--An ice climber was killed in Wyoming on January 2nd. Kieth Spencer was following the fourth pitch of Main Vein (WI 4) when a massive avalanche swept the route. The avalanche started high on the mountain above and slid nearly fifteen-hundred feet before raining down on the climbers. It is believed that the slide was triggered by the collapse of a cornice. To read more, click here.
--Rob Gauntlett and James Atkinson, both 21 and from Sussex, England were killed last week in an apparent ice climbing accident on Mont Blanc. They were on the east Gervasutti route of the 15,700 foot mountain on Saturday. It remains unclear how they died because weather conditions were not extreme, there were no reports of avalanches and both were well equipped. Gauntlett made the news three years ago when he became the youngest Briton to summit Mount Everest. To read more, click here.
--Over at the rockclimbergirl.com blog, Sara -- the aforementioned rock climber girl -- wrote a funny and engaging piece on "normal" people and mountain people. The article is entitled, Us and Them: Living Life Unconventionally.
Trango Flex Cams -- Clearly these are not homemade.
--So Trango is running an unusual competition. People are building homemade camming devices. And the best one wins... We wonder if anyone in their right might would test homemade cams in the field. Talk about scary...! To read more, click here.
--On October 31, 2008, Rainer Hertrich marked his 1,825th consecutive day of skiing. He has skied every day for five full years! A few days after this major achievement he hit another milestone: 61 million vertical feet skied. To read more, click here.
--Northwest local and Cascade hardman, Colin Haley recently completed the second solo ascent of the Supercanaleta (a.k.a. Super Couloir) on Fitz Roy in Patagonia. This incredibly difficult and spectacular line required 14 hours on route. To read more, click here.
Speed Climber Uli Steck beneath the North Face of the Eiger
--Speed climber and super-alpinist, Uli Steck soloed the Colton-MacIntyre Route on the north face of the Grandes Jorasses in the Alps in record time. Steck completed the 3,600 foot route in 2 hours and 21 minutes. And the route is no walk in the park...it requires difficult mixed climbing. To read more, click here.
--On Sunday, the United States Senate advanced legislation that would set aside more than 2 million acres in nine states as wilderness. Majority Democrats assembled more than enough votes to overcome GOP stalling tactics in an early showdown for the new Congress. The measure - actually a collection of about 160 bills - would confer the government's highest level of protection on land ranging from California's Sierra Nevada mountain range to Oregon's Mount Hood, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and parts of the Jefferson National Forest in Virginia. Land in Idaho's Owyhee canyons, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan and Zion National Park in Utah also would be designated as wilderness. To read more, click here.
--In related news, on Monday, Congress took the first step towards nearly doubling the amount of designated Wilderness on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands in Utah. After nearly five years of hard work by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, a greatly improved version of wilderness legislation for Washington County was included earlier this week in a package of public lands provisions. The U.S. Senate approved the first key vote on that package, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act (S. 22). Another procedural vote and a vote on final passage, likely to occur next week, are needed before the package moves to the House of Representatives for a vote. It is expected to then proceed to the desk of President-Elect Obama for his signature. Monday's succesful vote marks a momentous step forward for wild lands in Utah. To read more, click here.
Update 1:37: The United States Senate just passed the Omnibus bill. This is the second procedural vote mentioned above. The final vote will take place in the House next week...
--An unnamed American skier was killed in British Columbia by an avalanche over the weekend on Alice Mountain near the town of Terrace. The skier was with a group that was accessing the backcountry via a helicopter. To read more, click here.
--Two more avalanches struck snowmobilers in British Columbia over the weekend, leaving two people dead. This incident comes on the heels of another snowmobile tragedy. A group of eight snowmobilers were killed in a slide on December 29th. To read more, click here.
--Last week, three skiers and a snowboarder were banned for life from North Vancouver's Grouse Mountain after they knowingly ventured out of bounds and entered a dangerous, avalanche-prone spot. Rescue crews were unable to go in after them, so the four men were guided to safety by a helicopter 45 minutes after they entered the area. The group was billed for the full cost of the search, and their names have been circulated to all ski resorts in Western Canada. Thirteen avalanche related fatalities in recent weeks in Southwestern British Columbia are forcing ski resorts to rethink their strategies for keeping people in-bounds during periods of high avalanche danger. To read more, click here.
Mount IndexLake Serene is in a small bowl just off center to the left of this picture
Photo by Ty Drisden
--The teenager who shot and killed a hiker on Sauk Mountain after he mistook her for a bear in August is set to stand trial for the death April 20. The hunter, who has turned 15 since the shooting, is charged with first-degree manslaughter, a class A felony for recklessly causing the death of another. To read more, click here.
Sierra:
--Police recently set up a sting operation at Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort to catch snowboard-stealing thieves. After the bait was set, three young men were captured. This led to the recovery of eleven snowboards. Ski blogs with a focus on Mammoth are rife with comments about the criminals like, "they should be whipped with a cane," and "they should be beaten with skis." These are the most pleasant punishments that were devised by skiers and snowboarders. To read more, click here.
--Yosemite National Park is announcing the public scoping period for the Badger Pass Ski Lodge Rehabilitation Environmental Assessment (EA). Public scoping comments will be used to assist the park in developing a range of reasonable and feasible project alternatives that meet the purpose and need, including a no action alternative, and then analyzing the environmental effects of each alternative. A 30-day public scoping period for this EA will open on January 14, 2009 and will extend through February 13, 2009. Written comments should be postmarked no later than February 13, 2009. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--An ice climber was killed in Wyoming on January 2nd. Kieth Spencer was following the fourth pitch of Main Vein (WI 4) when a massive avalanche swept the route. The avalanche started high on the mountain above and slid nearly fifteen-hundred feet before raining down on the climbers. It is believed that the slide was triggered by the collapse of a cornice. To read more, click here.
--Rob Gauntlett and James Atkinson, both 21 and from Sussex, England were killed last week in an apparent ice climbing accident on Mont Blanc. They were on the east Gervasutti route of the 15,700 foot mountain on Saturday. It remains unclear how they died because weather conditions were not extreme, there were no reports of avalanches and both were well equipped. Gauntlett made the news three years ago when he became the youngest Briton to summit Mount Everest. To read more, click here.
--Over at the rockclimbergirl.com blog, Sara -- the aforementioned rock climber girl -- wrote a funny and engaging piece on "normal" people and mountain people. The article is entitled, Us and Them: Living Life Unconventionally.
Trango Flex Cams -- Clearly these are not homemade.--On October 31, 2008, Rainer Hertrich marked his 1,825th consecutive day of skiing. He has skied every day for five full years! A few days after this major achievement he hit another milestone: 61 million vertical feet skied. To read more, click here.
--Northwest local and Cascade hardman, Colin Haley recently completed the second solo ascent of the Supercanaleta (a.k.a. Super Couloir) on Fitz Roy in Patagonia. This incredibly difficult and spectacular line required 14 hours on route. To read more, click here.
Speed Climber Uli Steck beneath the North Face of the Eiger--On Sunday, the United States Senate advanced legislation that would set aside more than 2 million acres in nine states as wilderness. Majority Democrats assembled more than enough votes to overcome GOP stalling tactics in an early showdown for the new Congress. The measure - actually a collection of about 160 bills - would confer the government's highest level of protection on land ranging from California's Sierra Nevada mountain range to Oregon's Mount Hood, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and parts of the Jefferson National Forest in Virginia. Land in Idaho's Owyhee canyons, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan and Zion National Park in Utah also would be designated as wilderness. To read more, click here.
--In related news, on Monday, Congress took the first step towards nearly doubling the amount of designated Wilderness on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands in Utah. After nearly five years of hard work by the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, a greatly improved version of wilderness legislation for Washington County was included earlier this week in a package of public lands provisions. The U.S. Senate approved the first key vote on that package, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act (S. 22). Another procedural vote and a vote on final passage, likely to occur next week, are needed before the package moves to the House of Representatives for a vote. It is expected to then proceed to the desk of President-Elect Obama for his signature. Monday's succesful vote marks a momentous step forward for wild lands in Utah. To read more, click here.
Update 1:37: The United States Senate just passed the Omnibus bill. This is the second procedural vote mentioned above. The final vote will take place in the House next week...
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Slideshow: Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding in the Northwest
A Slideshow hosted by AAI Guides on January 21, 2009 at 7:00pm
Join the American Alpine Institute for a free slideshow on Backcountry Skiing and Snowboard in the Pacific Northwest! This free show will feature photos and a discussion lead by AAI mountain and ski guides. Presentations include skiing the Spearhead Traverse, the Coleman Pinnacle, and splitboarding on Washington Pass.
Skiing the Baker Backcountry
Photo by Lyle Haugsven
American Alpine Institute – Equipment Shop
1513 12th St, Bellingham
Event Cost: Free
Snacks and Drinks will be provided
Phone: 360-671-1505
www.aai.cc/winter_clinic.asp
Join the American Alpine Institute for a free slideshow on Backcountry Skiing and Snowboard in the Pacific Northwest! This free show will feature photos and a discussion lead by AAI mountain and ski guides. Presentations include skiing the Spearhead Traverse, the Coleman Pinnacle, and splitboarding on Washington Pass.
Skiing the Baker BackcountryPhoto by Lyle Haugsven
1513 12th St, Bellingham
Event Cost: Free
Snacks and Drinks will be provided
Phone: 360-671-1505
www.aai.cc/winter_clinic.asp
Conditions Report -- January 14, 2009
RED ROCK CANYON:
--Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.
--Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
Physical Graffiti (5.7)
Photo by Jason Martin
--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 hours to the scenic drive recently changed. The BLM has begun to open the loop at 7 AM in order to save money. Please call Mark Tenaka-Sanders, the Las Vegas Field Office manager at 702-515-5365 to complain.
JOSHUA TREE:
--Forecast and average temperatures for Joshua Tree National Park.
--Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.
AAI Guide Ian McEleney on Super Roof (5.9)
Photo by Paulina Vashavskaya
--The climber's coffee program runs every Saturday morning and will begin to run both Saturday and Sunday mornings beginning in February. This program takes place in the Intersection Rock parking area and allows climbers and rangers to exchange ideas and information. Climbers generally meet at around eight in the morning.
NORTHWEST:
--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.
--Forecast for Mount Rainier.
--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
--Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams conditions and recreation report.
Mount Hood Over the Weekend
--An up-to-date ski and snow report for the Northwest may be found here.
--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest Ice Conditions may be found here.
The Cascadian Couloir on Mount Stuart over the weekend
Note that it has succumbed to a catastrophic avalanche down to the dirt.
Photo by Jay Wilkinson
SIERRA:
--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.
--Webcams for Bishop, June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass, and Yosemite National Park.
--Many parties are now making their way into Lee Vining to climb. On the downside, it has been quite warm...in the fifties during the day. But on the upside, it is still freezing at night. This could lead to some real growth as the snow above the climbs drips down during the day and freezes up at night. In June Lake both Horsetail Falls and Tatums are now in shape, but wet...
ALASKA RANGE:
--Forecast for Denali
--Webcam for Denali National Park.
--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.
--Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.
--Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
Physical Graffiti (5.7)Photo by Jason Martin
--The hours to the scenic drive recently changed. The BLM has begun to open the loop at 7 AM in order to save money. Please call Mark Tenaka-Sanders, the Las Vegas Field Office manager at 702-515-5365 to complain.
JOSHUA TREE:
--Forecast and average temperatures for Joshua Tree National Park.
--Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.
AAI Guide Ian McEleney on Super Roof (5.9)Photo by Paulina Vashavskaya
NORTHWEST:
--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.
--Forecast for Mount Rainier.
--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
--Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams conditions and recreation report.
Mount Hood Over the WeekendPhoto by Willem Driessen
--Webcams for Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Leavenworth and Highway 2.--An up-to-date ski and snow report for the Northwest may be found here.
--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest Ice Conditions may be found here.
The Cascadian Couloir on Mount Stuart over the weekendNote that it has succumbed to a catastrophic avalanche down to the dirt.
Photo by Jay Wilkinson
--The conditions for climbing this past week have been nearly non-existent. Rain and flooding continued to pound the Pacific Northwest throughout the weekend. A few hearty souls got out and went skiing. Clearly those that did get a few turns in were well-versed in avalanches, as it was a very sketchy weekend. This party got out in the Stuart Range. This party checked out the Crystal backcountry. And this party messed around on Mount Hood.
--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.
--Webcams for Bishop, June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass, and Yosemite National Park.
--Many parties are now making their way into Lee Vining to climb. On the downside, it has been quite warm...in the fifties during the day. But on the upside, it is still freezing at night. This could lead to some real growth as the snow above the climbs drips down during the day and freezes up at night. In June Lake both Horsetail Falls and Tatums are now in shape, but wet...
ALPS:
--Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.
--Webcams for Chamonix Valley, Zermatt and the Matterhorn.
--Webcams for Chamonix Valley, Zermatt and the Matterhorn.
--Forecast for Denali
--Webcam for Denali National Park.
Mugs Stump Award Winners Announced
The Mugs Stump Award is comprised of a series of grants that are presented annually to strong climbers that are in the process of planning alpine climbing objectives that exemplify fast, light and clean tactics. The awards, sponsored by Black Diamond Equipment, Climbing Magazine, Mountain Gear, Patagonia, PrimaLoft, and W.L. Gore, are a tribute to the late Mugs Stump, one of North America's most prolific and visionary climbers. Mugs died in a crevasse fall on Denali in 1992.
The awards amounting to a total of more than $30,000 were presented at the Ouray Ice Festival on Saturday night. This amount will be broken down into grants that range between $1,500 to $9,500.
The following breakdown of the awards was posted on the Climbing magzine website on January 13th:
The awards amounting to a total of more than $30,000 were presented at the Ouray Ice Festival on Saturday night. This amount will be broken down into grants that range between $1,500 to $9,500.
The following breakdown of the awards was posted on the Climbing magzine website on January 13th:
--Jason D. Martin
- Clint Helander, the Revelation Range, Alaska; with Seth Holden. The climbers propose a trip into one of the least-explored (20 parties have visited since 1966) clusters of granite mountains in Alaska, to pursue rock, ice, and ridge-running objectives on three unclimbed massifs.
- Ryan Hokanson, the southeast face of Mount Logan, Alaska; with Samuel Johnson. The two climbers will make an alpine-style bid on the unclimbed southeast face, expecting mixed ground on an exact line TBD tackling a wall two miles high, one of the largest on the planet.
- Sam Magro, north face of Broken Tooth, Alaska; with Aaron Thrasher. The climbers have spotted a diagonalling weakness on the 1,000-meter north face of Broken Tooth, climbed to half-height, with difficulties up to M6, on a previous bid but never completed.
- Jim Martinello, Mount Bute, British Columbia, Canada; with Bruce Kay and Jason Sinnes. The climbers look to pioneer a new free route on Bute’s unclimbed lower buttress (2,500 feet), and then either free the existing route on the upper west face (20 pitches; 3,000 feet) or climb a new line on the upper wall.
- Doug Chabot, Kuk Sar II, Pakistan; with Bruce Miller. The pair will attempt the sheer north face of this unclimbed 6,925-meter Karakoram peak, one that’s never been visited by climbers; the face has locally been rumored to be “impossible,” as well as up to 3,000 meters tall.
- Colin Haley, North Ridge of Latok 1, Pakistan; with Josh Wharton and Dylan Johnson. The climbers propose an attempt on this longstanding, oft-attempted (20 attempts) prize of Himalayan Mountaineering, climbed nearly to the summit in 1978. They propose beginning on snow and ice beside the ridge crest, to make quicker progress down low.
- Josh Beckner, El Lonko, Argentine Patagonia; with Dave Anderson and Jared Spaulding. The east face of the El Cap-sized, unclimbed “El Lonko,” in the back of the remote Pirate Valley, in alpine style; a secondary goal will be a new route on the North Arête of the nearby Mariposa (2,220 vertical feet), in the same style.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Project Proposals Needed for Forest Improvements
The following email just arrived from the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest:
Submission due date extended to April 1
The public is invited to propose projects to improve Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest lands and the rural economies of local counties by April 1. The submitted projects will be considered for 2009 and 2010 project year funding. Funding is made available through Title II funds under the reauthorized Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (Public Law 110-343.) The due date has been extended from a previous announcement to ensure maximum participation. “We encourage project applications from other agencies, local governments, organizations, any individuals,” said Rob Iwamoto, Forest Supervisor.
Projects must be on or benefit National Forest lands, such as enhancing forest ecosystems, restoring land health and water quality, or improving the maintenance of existing facilities within the national forest. Proposals vary from culvert replacement to help fish passage to youth-oriented outdoor recreation and conservation education work, mountain weather data collection, road, trail and watershed restoration and increased cooperative law enforcement patrols.
Resource Advisory Committees that represent Whatcom and Skagit County, Snohomish County, and King and Pierce Counties review project proposals and recommend which should be funded to the Forest Supervisor. Fifty percent of the funds must be spent on roads or watershed restoration.
Originally enacted by Congress in 2000, then re-enacted and modified in 2008, the law provides payments to local counties as compensation for the impact of reduced tax revenue from large federal land acreages within their boundaries. The law guarantees funding for schools and roads while providing monies that can be devoted to natural resource-related improvement projects that benefit lands within the national forest boundaries.
Forms and information are available at http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/projects/rac/ or from the three district rangers who head the three committees.
For project proposals in:
Whatcom & Skagit Counties Contact Jon Vanderheyden 360-856-5700 x201
jvanderheyden@fs.fed.us 810 State Route 20 Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284 Snohomish
County Contact Barbara Busse 360-677-2414 bbusse@fs.fed.us P.O. Box 305
Skykomish, WA 98288 King & Pierce Counties Contact Jim Franzel 425-888-1421 x230 jfranzel@fs.fed.us 42404 SE North Bend Way North Bend, WA 98045
Biggest Climbing & Outdoor Stories of 2008
We are now a little ways into 2009 and have had some time to reflect on the climbing and outdoor news of the year. After some serious consideration we decided that the following stories were the most interesting and intriguing of the year.
AAI had a phenomenal year. We had people summit major peaks throughout the world, including Mount Everest, Denali and Aconcagua. We also had a very successful year throughout the Cascades, the Sierra, the Alps and the Andes.
Though we had a great year throughout our programming, a few things stuck out above the rest.
AAI Guide Solos New Route in China
AAI Guide Aidan Loehr is currently on his second expedition to Aconcagua this season. 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.
A self-portrait high on an unclimbed peak in China
Photo by Aidan Loehr
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 succeeded in making the first ascent of the mountain via 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.
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 have found me."
To see photos of the trip, click here.
AAI Guide Receives the AMGA President's Award
In October, AAI guide Dawn Glanc received the American Mountain Guide's Association President's Award. This is a great honor. Each year, the President of the AMGA selects someone in recognition of their guiding, their skill, and their love of the mountains.
Dawn climbing in the Alps
From the Dawn Glanc Collection
Dawn, along with three other guides (Matt Farmer, Kevin Mahoney, and Bayard Russell) were received the award for their commitment and contribution to the profession of mountain guiding through their efforts on The Big Expedition for Cancer Research. The Big Expedition was a trip to an unclimbed peak in a little explored region of Alaska. The trip was intended to show that seemingly insurmountable challenges are attainable and that they can lead to successes such as finding a cure for cancer.
And though it didn't take place in 2008, yesterday we reported on another piece of interesting news about Dawn. Over the weekend, she took first place in the women's competition at the Ouray Ice Festival. Way to go Dawn!!!
100 Percent Expedition Success Rate on 2008 Denali Trips!
The year 2008 was one of our most successful years for our Denali programs. Every single expedition got climbers to the summit.
Descending the West Buttress
Photo by Dawn Glanc
We are looking forward to another great year. Denali teams are starting to take shape, and we are well into the process of accepting applications and registrations for the upcoming season.
Three AAI Guides have Babies
AAI Guides Richard Riquelme, Peter Kuhnlein and Jason Martin all had babies this year!
Richard and his son, Sammy
Peter's Christmas Card
Jason's babies
China Summits Everest with the Olympic Torch
Or did they? There are many suspcious circumstances surrounding the "summit" of the Olympic Torch on May 9th. Following is a breakdown of the issues as they were enumerated by the Nepali blog, Blogdai:
Biggest AAI Guide News of 2008
AAI had a phenomenal year. We had people summit major peaks throughout the world, including Mount Everest, Denali and Aconcagua. We also had a very successful year throughout the Cascades, the Sierra, the Alps and the Andes.
Though we had a great year throughout our programming, a few things stuck out above the rest.
AAI Guide Solos New Route in China
AAI Guide Aidan Loehr is currently on his second expedition to Aconcagua this season. 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.
A self-portrait high on an unclimbed peak in ChinaPhoto by Aidan Loehr
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 succeeded in making the first ascent of the mountain via 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.
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 have found me."
To see photos of the trip, click here.
AAI Guide Receives the AMGA President's Award
In October, AAI guide Dawn Glanc received the American Mountain Guide's Association President's Award. This is a great honor. Each year, the President of the AMGA selects someone in recognition of their guiding, their skill, and their love of the mountains.
Dawn climbing in the AlpsFrom the Dawn Glanc Collection
And though it didn't take place in 2008, yesterday we reported on another piece of interesting news about Dawn. Over the weekend, she took first place in the women's competition at the Ouray Ice Festival. Way to go Dawn!!!
100 Percent Expedition Success Rate on 2008 Denali Trips!
The year 2008 was one of our most successful years for our Denali programs. Every single expedition got climbers to the summit.
Descending the West ButtressPhoto by Dawn Glanc
Three AAI Guides have Babies
AAI Guides Richard Riquelme, Peter Kuhnlein and Jason Martin all had babies this year!
Richard and his son, Sammy
Peter's Christmas CardJason's babiesBiggest International Climbing News
China Summits Everest with the Olympic Torch
Or did they? There are many suspcious circumstances surrounding the "summit" of the Olympic Torch on May 9th. Following is a breakdown of the issues as they were enumerated by the Nepali blog, Blogdai:
There is a complete lack of visual reference points - peaks in the background, or immediate surrounds that might give any sense of summit dimension - photographic proof of which has been standard verification for Everest summits since Hillary and Norgay. (Interestingly, one of the few supposedly successful Everest campaigns to have returned without such evidence is the controversial 1960 Chinese summit, which, rather unfortunately, took place in the dead of night). There is also the matter of exhalation vapour apparent in the Chinese footage, which some climbers claim doesn’t readily appear above much lower altitudes (nor does it appear in other summit videos). The voices chattering in the background are implausible ("Ask anyone who’s summited Everest and they’ll tell you it’s not a place for a monologue. Short, clipped sentences are all most can manage at that altitude"), and there are lights glowing down the mountain which would not have been visible from the summit, particularly given the climbing ban.Regardless of whether or not the team actually summitted, the press coverage of this event was unprecedented, and the story was followed all over the world.
It looks like that guy is running up the top of Mount Everest --
which seems rather implausible...
Biggest Environmental and Conservation Climbing News
Activist Stops Oil and Gas Interests from Obtaining Drilling Rights in Utah
The end of 2008 brought unprecidented bad news about the intended sale of the beautiful, untouched desert just outside Arches and Canyonlands National Parks to interests in the oil and gas industry.
Tim DeChristopher
To stop this sale, activist Tim DeChristopher accessed the BLM auction of the parcels as a private bidder. He subsequently ran up the bids on many parcels by as much as $500,000 and secured the prime parcels around the National Parks for himself.
DeChristopher does not have the money to pay for the parcels, but by the time it's all figured out, Barack Obama will be in the White House. The Obama transition team opposes the sale of these parcels.
DeChristopher is facing possible federal charges, but he's happy that he disrupted the process...and so are climbers, hikers, mountain bikers, river-runners and hunters from across the country.
To read more, click here. To donate to DeChristopher's defense fund, click here.
--Jason D. Martin
Tim DeChristopherDeChristopher does not have the money to pay for the parcels, but by the time it's all figured out, Barack Obama will be in the White House. The Obama transition team opposes the sale of these parcels.
DeChristopher is facing possible federal charges, but he's happy that he disrupted the process...and so are climbers, hikers, mountain bikers, river-runners and hunters from across the country.
To read more, click here. To donate to DeChristopher's defense fund, click here.
--Jason D. Martin
January and February Climbing Events
--January 16-18 -- Val Daone, Italy -- Ice Climbing World Cup Comp
--January 21 -- Bellingham, WA -- Backcountry Skiing Pacific Northwest
--January 22-24 -- Saas-Fee, Switzerland -- Ice Climbing World Cup Comp
--January 30-February 1 -- Munising, MI -- Michigan Ice Fest
--January 30-February 1 -- Jeffersonville, VT -- Smuggler's Notch Ice Bash
--January 31 -- Mojstrana, Slovenia -- Ice Climbing World Cup Comp
--February 5 -- Portland, OR -- Madrone Wall Fundraiser
--February 5-8 -- Busteni, Romania -- Ice Climbing World Cup Comp
--February 10 -- Golden, CO -- AAC Book Club Meeting
--February 13-16 -- Cody, WY -- South Fork Ice Festival
--February 20-21 -- Dayton, OH -- The Adventure Summit
--February 20-21 -- Vancouver, BC -- Vancouver Mountain Film Festival
--February 21 -- Golden, CO -- AAC Annual Benefit Dinner
--January 21 -- Bellingham, WA -- Backcountry Skiing Pacific Northwest
--January 22-24 -- Saas-Fee, Switzerland -- Ice Climbing World Cup Comp
--January 30-February 1 -- Munising, MI -- Michigan Ice Fest
--January 30-February 1 -- Jeffersonville, VT -- Smuggler's Notch Ice Bash
--January 31 -- Mojstrana, Slovenia -- Ice Climbing World Cup Comp
--February 5 -- Portland, OR -- Madrone Wall Fundraiser
--February 5-8 -- Busteni, Romania -- Ice Climbing World Cup Comp
--February 10 -- Golden, CO -- AAC Book Club Meeting
--February 13-16 -- Cody, WY -- South Fork Ice Festival
--February 20-21 -- Dayton, OH -- The Adventure Summit
--February 20-21 -- Vancouver, BC -- Vancouver Mountain Film Festival
--February 21 -- Golden, CO -- AAC Annual Benefit Dinner
Monday, January 12, 2009
Breaking News -- Dawn wins in Ouray!!!!
AAI guide Dawn Glanc won first place in the women's competition at the Ouray Ice Festival on January 10th. Dawn has competed in the festival competion three times. And clearly, the third time is a charm!
Dawn Glanc
To see the full results, click here. To see lots of cool pictures of the festival, click here. To sign up to go ice climbing with Dawn in Ouray, click here.
--Jason D. Martin
Dawn Glanc--Jason D. Martin
Mount Index Road Opens to Local Traffic
The American Alpine Institute just received the following message from Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest:
Mount Index Road
Photo by Jim Mitchell
EVERETT, WA—Forest Service crews will open Mount Index Road (Forest Service Road 6020) to local residents 6 p.m. this evening. A landslide into the South Fork Skykomish River undermined the road and closed access to a neighborhood of about 200 people Saturday night. The road is in eastern Snohomish County about a quarter of a mile west of Index, and connects the residents with Highway 2. The temporary access will be open 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily while crews work on the road. No commercial or heavy vehicles will be allowed.
Workers are building a new roadway into the hillside adjacent to the old road, which Project Leader Jim Mitchell estimates will be done Friday. “The site can change instantly, but if all goes well, we expect to finish on time.” Mitchell is the roads manager for the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
Mount Index RoadPhoto by Jim Mitchell
Our guess is that nobody has been climbing in Index lately anyway...
--Jason D. Martin
--Jason D. Martin
Low Impact Climbing in Joshua Tree
Most folks who play outdoors are familiar with the basic Leave No Trace principles. Those principles apply differently to different environments and activities. Here are a handful of refinements of those principles for the rock climber in Joshua Tree National Park. Many of these concepts are also applicable to rock climbing in other desert settings such as Red Rocks, Zion National Park, and the greater Moab area.
Climbers' Trails
Desert plants and alpine plants have a lot in common, both are easily damaged and don't grow back. Ninety percent of the climbers in Joshua Tree are visiting areas with at least an unofficial climbers trail, if not an official maintained trail, leading from the road to the rock. Short-cutting these trails can permanently damage the desert ecosystem. This is probably the biggest impact that climbers are having on the park. The park service is even aware of it and is in the process of gathering information before formally deciding what to do about the problem. Most approaches in Joshua Tree are casual rambles that last for a few minutes. Take the time to find the trail. Just because it doesn't make a beeline from the car to the route you want to climb, doesn't mean it's not the right trail to be on. If, as is often the case, you have multiple options, try to stick with the most hardened path.
Paulina Varshavskay on Tennis Shoe Crack (5.8)
Photo by Ian McEleney
Know When To Bag It
Use the pit toilets at the road. If you have to urinate at the crag, step away from the routes and go on a rock. Plants “breathe” through their leaves, so urinating on them is not the same as watering them. It does, however, make them more appetizing to salt deprived animals. If you have to defecate and can’t make it to the pit toilet you have several options, but know that burying your fecal matter in a cat hole is not very effective in desert soils. In addition, leaving your toilet paper behind is completely unacceptable. The best option is to use a Wag Bag.
Trash
Pack it out, even if you didn’t pack it in. It’s easy to carry a plastic bag (the kind they give you at the store for your donuts and beer) for this purpose. Most climbers wouldn’t knowingly leave trash, but it’s common to have the wind blow your tape or candy bar wrapper into the bushes when you weren’t watching. A quick visual sweep of an area is a good way of ensuring that you’re not forgetting any trash (or #6 Camalots).
Mitzi Harding on Toe Jam (5.7)
Photo by Ian McEleney
Don’t Be Rude
The desert is naturally a quiet place. Many climbers savor this quality. Refrain from unnecessary screaming. Another climber could be at the crux of their route and might not appreciate you and your buddy debating the merits of American energy policy at full volume.
Leave your dog at home. Your canine companion may be a model of good behavior, but a dog's mere presence puts stress on native animals that are already locked in a struggle to survive. Not all climbers like being near dogs, even well behaved, leashed ones. Their fecal matter has all the same disposal problems as human fecal matter. Last but not least, the park has a pretty strict set of rules regarding dogs and tickets have been issued.
Rappel Anchors
Most routes in Joshua Tree do not have bolted anchors at the top. Often even routes that do have bolt anchors do not have hardware for rappelling on those anchors. This means that though there are bolts in the rock and hangers on those bolts, there are no rings, chains, quick links, or other hardware on the hangers to run the rope through for rappelling. If this is the case, the standard descent for that formation is either a walk-off or an established rappel somewhere else on top. There is no need to leave webbing and hardware on those bolts for your rappel. It can sometimes take a little investigation and scrambling to find the best and safest way down. If for some reason you MUST leave webbing behind on an anchor, use the tan colored webbing available at several shops in town.
What’s The Point?
These techniques might be a little inconvenient. They might require some advance planning, or even the carrying of extra stuff. Think about it. If all you cared about was the climbing, you could certainly get more routes done in the gym. You traveled all the way out here to climb awesome routes in an unparalleled setting. One visit probably won’t be enough. Do your part to keep Joshua Tree beautiful for other climbers and for yourself.
--Ian McEleney
Climbers' Trails
Desert plants and alpine plants have a lot in common, both are easily damaged and don't grow back. Ninety percent of the climbers in Joshua Tree are visiting areas with at least an unofficial climbers trail, if not an official maintained trail, leading from the road to the rock. Short-cutting these trails can permanently damage the desert ecosystem. This is probably the biggest impact that climbers are having on the park. The park service is even aware of it and is in the process of gathering information before formally deciding what to do about the problem. Most approaches in Joshua Tree are casual rambles that last for a few minutes. Take the time to find the trail. Just because it doesn't make a beeline from the car to the route you want to climb, doesn't mean it's not the right trail to be on. If, as is often the case, you have multiple options, try to stick with the most hardened path.
Paulina Varshavskay on Tennis Shoe Crack (5.8)Photo by Ian McEleney
Use the pit toilets at the road. If you have to urinate at the crag, step away from the routes and go on a rock. Plants “breathe” through their leaves, so urinating on them is not the same as watering them. It does, however, make them more appetizing to salt deprived animals. If you have to defecate and can’t make it to the pit toilet you have several options, but know that burying your fecal matter in a cat hole is not very effective in desert soils. In addition, leaving your toilet paper behind is completely unacceptable. The best option is to use a Wag Bag.
Trash
Pack it out, even if you didn’t pack it in. It’s easy to carry a plastic bag (the kind they give you at the store for your donuts and beer) for this purpose. Most climbers wouldn’t knowingly leave trash, but it’s common to have the wind blow your tape or candy bar wrapper into the bushes when you weren’t watching. A quick visual sweep of an area is a good way of ensuring that you’re not forgetting any trash (or #6 Camalots).
Mitzi Harding on Toe Jam (5.7)Photo by Ian McEleney
The desert is naturally a quiet place. Many climbers savor this quality. Refrain from unnecessary screaming. Another climber could be at the crux of their route and might not appreciate you and your buddy debating the merits of American energy policy at full volume.
Leave your dog at home. Your canine companion may be a model of good behavior, but a dog's mere presence puts stress on native animals that are already locked in a struggle to survive. Not all climbers like being near dogs, even well behaved, leashed ones. Their fecal matter has all the same disposal problems as human fecal matter. Last but not least, the park has a pretty strict set of rules regarding dogs and tickets have been issued.
Rappel Anchors
Most routes in Joshua Tree do not have bolted anchors at the top. Often even routes that do have bolt anchors do not have hardware for rappelling on those anchors. This means that though there are bolts in the rock and hangers on those bolts, there are no rings, chains, quick links, or other hardware on the hangers to run the rope through for rappelling. If this is the case, the standard descent for that formation is either a walk-off or an established rappel somewhere else on top. There is no need to leave webbing and hardware on those bolts for your rappel. It can sometimes take a little investigation and scrambling to find the best and safest way down. If for some reason you MUST leave webbing behind on an anchor, use the tan colored webbing available at several shops in town.
What’s The Point?
These techniques might be a little inconvenient. They might require some advance planning, or even the carrying of extra stuff. Think about it. If all you cared about was the climbing, you could certainly get more routes done in the gym. You traveled all the way out here to climb awesome routes in an unparalleled setting. One visit probably won’t be enough. Do your part to keep Joshua Tree beautiful for other climbers and for yourself.
--Ian McEleney
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Weekend Warrior -- Videos to Get You Stoked!
Since we've been playing with the cold over the last few weekends, we thought it was time to warm up a bit with some more rock action. Today we have two servings of hard trad.
The first is the trailer for a film called Committed. It came from across the pond where -- at least in the film -- it looks like all the gear is bad.
In this second film, we watch Sonnie Trotter work the super hard Squamish trad line, Cobra Crack.
The first is the trailer for a film called Committed. It came from across the pond where -- at least in the film -- it looks like all the gear is bad.
In this second film, we watch Sonnie Trotter work the super hard Squamish trad line, Cobra Crack.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Updated Cascade Wilderness Road Report
This slide covered Highway 542 (Mount Baker Highway)approximately 2 miles east of Glacier
From the Washington State Department of Transportation
Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest:
- --Skykomish Ranger District Station is closed due to flooding.
- --I-90, State Route 410 and state highways are closed blocking access to the south end of Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
- --Roads to all ski areas are closed.
- --Scenic Route 542 (Mt. Baker Highway) is closed at Doug Fir Camp Ground, about two miles east of the town of Glacier and snow blocks FS roads at and above Glacier.
- --Scenic Route 20 leading to Baker Lake is closed east of Sedro-Woolley and Baker Lake County Road is closed. State and county roads leading to Baker Lake area have been closed due to landslides, water and debris. Forest Service roads around the lake remain under snow.
- --Scenic Route 542 leading to the Mt Baker ski area is closed two miles east of Glacier due to avalanches.
- --Scenic Route 9 is closed from Wickersham to the intersection of Scenic Route 542 and 9. SR 530 is closed east of Arlington and north of Darrington and all of the surrounding forest service roads remain under snow and inaccessible.
- --Forest Service Road 30 in the Soleduck Valley and Forest Service Road 2160, mile post 1.9, in the Matheny Creek area are washed out.
- --The bridge at 2160 milepost 1.9 north of Quinault is washed out.
- --Salmon La Sac Road is closed at the town of Ronald. This road accesses a heavily used segment of the forest.
- --Deer Creek Road in the Liberty area is closed.
- --Icicle Creek Road is closed at the Snow Lakes Trailhead due to avalanche danger and flooding.
- --Butcher Creek Road #6910 on State Highway 2 just north of Coles Corner is closed.
- --State Highway 2 through Tumwater Canyon is closed from Coles Corner junction to Leavenworth due to avalanches and slides across the road.
- --Crews currently are repairing Forest Road 90 on the south side of Mount St Helens at mile post 0.8 which was closed by a debris slide. The road provides access to the community of Northwoods and rural residences.
- --Cowlitz Valley Ranger Station at Randle along US Highway 12 is closed due to rising waters from the Cowlitz River, and highway closures.
--Gifford Pinchot National Forest: call 360-891-5000 or go to: http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/
--Okanogan and Wenatchee: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/oka/
--Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/
--Olympic: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/olympic/
Sport Climbing Tips
I found the following video with a lot of good little tips for sport climbing on youtube. This film is in no way a complete overview of sport climbing, but definitely gives you a sample of the things that you need to think about when you are starting a pitch of sport climbing.
--Jason D. Martin
--Jason D. Martin
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Bellingham Floods!
The last couple days have been epic at our main office in Bellingham. It has been raining really hard non-stop and much of the city is underwater. This morning, we realized that we too were partly underwater. Our basement is drenched with nearly a foot of flood water covering the floor.
Program coordinator and guide, Coley Gentzel checks out the flood.
Photo by Ruth Hennings
The rest of Whatcom County is not doing much better. Over three inches of rain fell in a six hour period yesterday. A mudslide washed across the Mount Baker Highway, trapping people on either side of the slide with no way to get around it. And obviously our local ski hill, the Mount Baker Ski Area, is not operating today.
The passes across the Cascades are currently closed. Stevens, Snoqualmie and White Pass are alll currently impassable. Road crews are working to manage avalanches and mudslides throughout the state, but specifically in the passes.
To see more pictures of the flooding in Bellingham, check out the Bellingham Herald's gallery, here.
--Jason D. Martin
Update - 1:36 pm:
Here's a photo from the WDOT Flickr account of the mudslide on Mount Baker Highway:
It's like the Day After Tomorrow around here!
--JM
Program coordinator and guide, Coley Gentzel checks out the flood.Photo by Ruth Hennings
The rest of Whatcom County is not doing much better. Over three inches of rain fell in a six hour period yesterday. A mudslide washed across the Mount Baker Highway, trapping people on either side of the slide with no way to get around it. And obviously our local ski hill, the Mount Baker Ski Area, is not operating today.
The passes across the Cascades are currently closed. Stevens, Snoqualmie and White Pass are alll currently impassable. Road crews are working to manage avalanches and mudslides throughout the state, but specifically in the passes.
To see more pictures of the flooding in Bellingham, check out the Bellingham Herald's gallery, here.
--Jason D. Martin
Update - 1:36 pm:
Here's a photo from the WDOT Flickr account of the mudslide on Mount Baker Highway:
It's like the Day After Tomorrow around here!
--JM
Climbing News from Here and Abroad -- January 8, 2009
Northwest:
--Twenty-four year old Megan Kinsalla was killed at the base of Snoquera Falls near Crystal Mountain Ski Resort on January 31st. Kinsalla and her partner, James Susen, had just completed their descent of the route when a large piece of ice sheered off and hit them. Her partner sustained serious head injuries, but was able to walk out. To read more about this, click here and here. This accident is strangely similar to an incident in that same area twenty-five years ago. Two climbers had just finished their descent when one was killed by icefall and the other sustained head injuries. The survivor was also able to walk out and find help.
--A skier and a snowboarder were killed in separate avalanche incidents in the Whistler/Blackcomb mountain resort area. Both individuals were skiing in areas that were marked out-of-bounds. To read more, click here.
Mount Saint Helens from the Air
Photo by Monica Dayton
--The Forest Service has recently banned snowmobiles on a section of the south side of Mount St. Helens most popular with climbers and backcountry skiers. This move was hailed by climbers and skiers who don't like dealing with the noise and pollution generated by the snowmobiles. To read more, click here.
--Though the snow is accumulating across Washington State, it's not deep or wet enough in the mountains, forecasters say. The water content in the mountain snowpack above the Wenatchee, Entiat and Chelan valleys was 57 percent of average as of last Wednesday. To read more, click here.
--Speaking of weather in the mountains... Yesterday, massive avalanches battered the Cascade range. Indeed, one slide ripped through the Hyak Ski area taking out lifts, powerlines and even knocked a house off its foundation. To read about this, click here. To see photos, click here and here.
Sierra:
--Fifty-nine year old Geoffrey Michael Carreiro was found dead last week in the parking lot for Shady Rest Campground near Mammoth Lakes. Though a cause of death has not been determined, it appears that Carreiro was operating a snow machine before his death. To read more, click here.
Alaska:
--The new show on the Discovery channel entitled Bear Feeding Frenzy, has created a frenzy of controversy. The concept behind the series is that a reality TV show star is placed inside a plexi-glass box and a mannequin is placed next to it. The bears are then prodded to attack the dummy. This essentially trains the animals to attack people and many bear experts are up-in-arms over it. To read more, click here.
Himalaya:
--There are currently three winter ascents in progress on 8,000 meter peaks in the Himalaya. The peaks that are currently being climbed include Broad Peak (26,400'), Makalu (27,765') and Manaslu (26,781'). Teams have already experienced extreme temperatures as low as -31 degrees. To read more, click here.
--Jordi Tozas completed two bold solo ascents in Nepal in November. The Spanish climber sent vertical and mixed snow and ice on Amphu Middle (20,465') and found similar terrain on Amphu South (20,164'). Tozas used these ascents to prepare for Nuptse (25,790') and Lhotse (27,939'). To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--Supertopo.com currently has a sad thread running about all the climbers who have died this year. The thread includes those who died in both climbing and non-climbing accidents as well as those who passed on due to old age or health. To read the thread, click here.
--Jetboil has recently posted a press release on a variety of climbing websites. Stoves that were shipped to U.S. retailers between July 7th and September 9th, 2008 have been recalled due to a safety concern. To learn more about this recall, click here.
--Alpinist Magazine was recently sold for 71 thousand dollars after paricipating in an online auction. According to getoutdoors.com, "that's bad news for the debt holders and/or investors given the millions that were pumped in. On the positive side, the new owners evidently plan to keep the magazine." To read more, click here.
Is a crummy day of skiing really better than a great day at the office?
--A skier was caught with his pants down at the Vail Ski Resort in Colorado this week. Apparently the unidentified man sat down on the lift before his seat was lowered. He fell through the gap, only to be saved from injury by his ski and his torn pants. Ski patrol crews quickly rescued the man who was dangling upside down from the lift. To read more, click here.
--Last year, Paradox Sports took a group of amputees and paraplegics to the Ouray Ice Park where group members tried artifical limbs and adaptive climbing techniques on Ouray's ice. The program was a hit and will be repeated in 2009. The Mountain Hardware Gives Back grant was recently awarded to Paradox Sports. The company is devoted to providing equipment and opportunities to the disabled community. The recept of the gran will allow them to run their second Gimps on Ice program later this winter. To read more, click here.
Ricardo Cassin
--The well-respected alpinist, Ricardo Cassin turned 100 years old on January 2nd. Cassin is responsible for first ascents all over the world, but American climbers keep a special place in their hearts for him and his route on Denali. To read more, click here.
--New Hampshire politicians recently signed one of the most stringent search and rescue recuperation measures in the United States into law. The state will have the ability to determine an individual negligent and liable for search and rescue fees following an incident. Should an individual refuse to do so, the state will have the right to take away hunting, fishing and driver's licenses until the fee is covered. To read more, click here.
The Vinson Massif
Photo by Guy Cotter
--A group of climbers on Mount Vinson (16,066') barely made it out alive after being pinned down for four days without food and with dwindling fuel. The team summited the mountain and were on their way down when the storm blew in. The only thing that saved them was a hidden cache that another party left previously high on the mountain. To read more, click here.
--Twenty-four year old Megan Kinsalla was killed at the base of Snoquera Falls near Crystal Mountain Ski Resort on January 31st. Kinsalla and her partner, James Susen, had just completed their descent of the route when a large piece of ice sheered off and hit them. Her partner sustained serious head injuries, but was able to walk out. To read more about this, click here and here. This accident is strangely similar to an incident in that same area twenty-five years ago. Two climbers had just finished their descent when one was killed by icefall and the other sustained head injuries. The survivor was also able to walk out and find help.
--A skier and a snowboarder were killed in separate avalanche incidents in the Whistler/Blackcomb mountain resort area. Both individuals were skiing in areas that were marked out-of-bounds. To read more, click here.
Mount Saint Helens from the AirPhoto by Monica Dayton
--Though the snow is accumulating across Washington State, it's not deep or wet enough in the mountains, forecasters say. The water content in the mountain snowpack above the Wenatchee, Entiat and Chelan valleys was 57 percent of average as of last Wednesday. To read more, click here.
--Speaking of weather in the mountains... Yesterday, massive avalanches battered the Cascade range. Indeed, one slide ripped through the Hyak Ski area taking out lifts, powerlines and even knocked a house off its foundation. To read about this, click here. To see photos, click here and here.
Sierra:
--Fifty-nine year old Geoffrey Michael Carreiro was found dead last week in the parking lot for Shady Rest Campground near Mammoth Lakes. Though a cause of death has not been determined, it appears that Carreiro was operating a snow machine before his death. To read more, click here.
Alaska:
--The new show on the Discovery channel entitled Bear Feeding Frenzy, has created a frenzy of controversy. The concept behind the series is that a reality TV show star is placed inside a plexi-glass box and a mannequin is placed next to it. The bears are then prodded to attack the dummy. This essentially trains the animals to attack people and many bear experts are up-in-arms over it. To read more, click here.
Himalaya:
--There are currently three winter ascents in progress on 8,000 meter peaks in the Himalaya. The peaks that are currently being climbed include Broad Peak (26,400'), Makalu (27,765') and Manaslu (26,781'). Teams have already experienced extreme temperatures as low as -31 degrees. To read more, click here.
--Jordi Tozas completed two bold solo ascents in Nepal in November. The Spanish climber sent vertical and mixed snow and ice on Amphu Middle (20,465') and found similar terrain on Amphu South (20,164'). Tozas used these ascents to prepare for Nuptse (25,790') and Lhotse (27,939'). To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--Supertopo.com currently has a sad thread running about all the climbers who have died this year. The thread includes those who died in both climbing and non-climbing accidents as well as those who passed on due to old age or health. To read the thread, click here.
--Jetboil has recently posted a press release on a variety of climbing websites. Stoves that were shipped to U.S. retailers between July 7th and September 9th, 2008 have been recalled due to a safety concern. To learn more about this recall, click here.
--Alpinist Magazine was recently sold for 71 thousand dollars after paricipating in an online auction. According to getoutdoors.com, "that's bad news for the debt holders and/or investors given the millions that were pumped in. On the positive side, the new owners evidently plan to keep the magazine." To read more, click here.
Is a crummy day of skiing really better than a great day at the office?
--Last year, Paradox Sports took a group of amputees and paraplegics to the Ouray Ice Park where group members tried artifical limbs and adaptive climbing techniques on Ouray's ice. The program was a hit and will be repeated in 2009. The Mountain Hardware Gives Back grant was recently awarded to Paradox Sports. The company is devoted to providing equipment and opportunities to the disabled community. The recept of the gran will allow them to run their second Gimps on Ice program later this winter. To read more, click here.
Ricardo Cassin--New Hampshire politicians recently signed one of the most stringent search and rescue recuperation measures in the United States into law. The state will have the ability to determine an individual negligent and liable for search and rescue fees following an incident. Should an individual refuse to do so, the state will have the right to take away hunting, fishing and driver's licenses until the fee is covered. To read more, click here.
The Vinson MassifPhoto by Guy Cotter
--A group of climbers on Mount Vinson (16,066') barely made it out alive after being pinned down for four days without food and with dwindling fuel. The team summited the mountain and were on their way down when the storm blew in. The only thing that saved them was a hidden cache that another party left previously high on the mountain. To read more, click here.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Breaking News -- Major Avalanches Hit the Cascades
New rain on top of deep light snow has caused massive avalanches throughout the Pacific Northwest today. The following was posted on the Seattle Times webpage:
In related news, we only have five spots left on this weekend's avalanche courses. Check out what you can learn, here.
--Jason D. Martin
At the Summit East ski area at Hyak on Snoqualmie Pass, a massive slide brought down a cascade of dirt, snow and trees that took out power lines and at least one chair lift and slammed debris into houses and cottages below.It wasn't immediately known whether anyone was missing in the slide or if there had been any injuries.
The landslide occurred just before noon, as state transportation workers were busy clearing snow and debris from the pass, which has been closed all day because of the high avalanche danger.
"It happened right outside our front door," Don Whitehouse, a regional administrator with the DOT, said from inside the department's Hyak maintenance facility, on the east side of the summit. "It took out a chair lift, and one home may have been knocked off its foundation."
He estimated the slide was at least 400 to 500 feet across.
"There was snow, but it's mostly dirt that slid down the ski slope," Whitehouse said. "We're not in imminent danger here, but it does look like a few houses were involved."
The roads through all three major passes — Snoqualmie, Stevens and White — were closed this morning due to avalanches and standing water on the road, according to the state Department of Transportation.
The state said Snoqualmie Pass will remain closed through the day until conditions improve.
Meagan McFadden, a DOT spokeswoman, said maintenance employees are being evacuated between mile posts 47 and 53 — from Denny Creek to about a mile west of the summit — as a safety precaution.
"It's really unstable," she said of conditions at the pass, where heavy rain continues to fall.
"Natural avalanches are occurring all over the pass," she said. With the rain, the soil is "becoming more saturated" and more prone to sliding.
In related news, we only have five spots left on this weekend's avalanche courses. Check out what you can learn, here.
--Jason D. Martin
Conditions Report -- January 7, 2009
RED ROCK CANYON:
--Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.
--Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
A climber on All that Jazz (5.8)
Photo by Jason Martin
--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 easy to fall in love with a tree without realizing that you have. And thus climbers from everywhere are mourning the loss of the large pine tree at the base of the Panty Wall in a wind storm last week. The tree has long provided both shade and an excellent landmark to approaching climbers. The tree will be missed...especially by those who try to find the Panty Wall by "hiking up to the only large tree visible from the parking lot."
--Watch out for ghosts at the base of the Rainbow Wall!
JOSHUA TREE:
--Forecast and average temperatures for Joshua Tree National Park.
A climber rappelling Intersection Rock
Photo by John Jimm
--Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.
NORTHWEST:
--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.
--Forecast for Mount Rainier.
--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
--Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams conditions and recreation report.
--Webcams for Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Leavenworth and Highway 2.
Steve Heathers rips it up in the Baker backcountry
Photo by Silas Wild
--An up-to-date ski and snow report for the Northwest may be found here.
--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest Ice Conditions may be found here.
--The avalanche danger was quite severe this past week with a lot of new snow in the mountains. The passes have been closed repeatedly with motorists stuck on either side and avalanche control teams have been at work non-stop. Indeed, a massive avalanche washed down over Highway 2 yesterday evening, stranding motorists for the night. Some people have been getting out though. This party skied the Baker backcountry. This party got out into the Crystal backcountry. And this party skied Hex Mountain.
Climbers on Fuggs Falls on Sunday
Photo by Dan Hess
--While much of the Pacific Northwest ice is now under avalanche threat, some of the desert ice is still seeing ascents. It appears that many parties made their way out to Fuggs Falls in Frenchman Coulee. We can only assume that many other parties have been doing similar climbs in the desert.
SIERRA:
--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.
--Webcams for Bishop, June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass, and Yosemite National Park.
--Many parties are now making their way into Lee Vining to climb. Though not all the routes are in yet, parties are finding more than enough ice to swing tools and have a great time.
ALASKA RANGE:
--Forecast for Denali
--Webcam for Denali National Park.
--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.
--Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.
--Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
A climber on All that Jazz (5.8)Photo by Jason Martin
--It's easy to fall in love with a tree without realizing that you have. And thus climbers from everywhere are mourning the loss of the large pine tree at the base of the Panty Wall in a wind storm last week. The tree has long provided both shade and an excellent landmark to approaching climbers. The tree will be missed...especially by those who try to find the Panty Wall by "hiking up to the only large tree visible from the parking lot."
--Watch out for ghosts at the base of the Rainbow Wall!
JOSHUA TREE:
--Forecast and average temperatures for Joshua Tree National Park.
A climber rappelling Intersection RockPhoto by John Jimm
NORTHWEST:
--Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.
--Forecast for Mount Rainier.
--Forest Service Road Report for Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
--Mount Saint Helens, Mount Adams conditions and recreation report.
--Webcams for Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Leavenworth and Highway 2.
Steve Heathers rips it up in the Baker backcountryPhoto by Silas Wild
--An up-to-date ski and snow report for the Northwest may be found here.
--Up-to-date Pacific Northwest Ice Conditions may be found here.
--The avalanche danger was quite severe this past week with a lot of new snow in the mountains. The passes have been closed repeatedly with motorists stuck on either side and avalanche control teams have been at work non-stop. Indeed, a massive avalanche washed down over Highway 2 yesterday evening, stranding motorists for the night. Some people have been getting out though. This party skied the Baker backcountry. This party got out into the Crystal backcountry. And this party skied Hex Mountain.
Climbers on Fuggs Falls on SundayPhoto by Dan Hess
SIERRA:
--For up-to-date avalanche and weather reports in the Eastern Sierra, click here.
--Webcams for Bishop, June Lake, Mammoth Mountain, Mono Lake, Tioga Pass, and Yosemite National Park.
--Many parties are now making their way into Lee Vining to climb. Though not all the routes are in yet, parties are finding more than enough ice to swing tools and have a great time.
ALPS:
--Chamonix and Mont Blanc Regional Forecasts may be found here.
--Webcams for Chamonix Valley, Zermatt and the Matterhorn.
--Webcams for Chamonix Valley, Zermatt and the Matterhorn.
--Forecast for Denali
--Webcam for Denali National Park.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Frostbite Symptoms and Treatment
When you start to get cold, it's not uncommon for it to feel like your face, your ears, your hands and your feet are affected first. This is a reaction that everybody is predisposed too. As you get cold, your blood vessels constrict in order to avoid heat loss and the possibility of hypothermia. This allows areas of your body which are already cold to get colder. Ultimately, frostbite will occur in these extremeties.
Frostbite is the result of frozen skin and/or other tissue under the skin that becomes frozen. Naturally, this causes cell damage.
Three types of frostbite have been identified by severity. Like burns, they are listed as first degree, second degree and third degree. The following breakdown is from outdoorplaces.com
Unfortunately, treating second and third degree frostbite in the field is extremely difficult. Such cold injuries will require medical attention.
Second and third degree cold injuries are the types of injuries that people read about in the climbing literature. These are the injuries that result in blistered skin and blackened digits upon rewarming. The rule is never to walk on frozen feet unless you absolutely have to. Such use will increase the level of injury. But if you are in a situation where you will die of hypothermia if you don't walk on frozen feet, then you're going to have to walk on frozen feet. If they thaw and you are unable to walk on them, or you thaw them and they refreeze later, the situation could become significantly worse.
The reality of frostbite is that in most cases it's avoidable. Dressing right and paying attention to your body are two simple ways to avoid this debilitating and dangerous injury.
--Jason D. Martin
Frostbite is the result of frozen skin and/or other tissue under the skin that becomes frozen. Naturally, this causes cell damage.
Three types of frostbite have been identified by severity. Like burns, they are listed as first degree, second degree and third degree. The following breakdown is from outdoorplaces.com
As first degree frostbite is common on expeditions or ice climbing trips, it is also common that it needs to be treated in the field. The most important thing with this mild frostbite is to rewarm the area. Rewarm the injured areas slowly and start working from the outside in. In other words, go toes to feet and fingers to hands. Extremities may be warmed under inside clothing or sleeping bags, arm pits or in the groin. Never rub or massage a frozen area. This merely rubs the ice crystals around on the delicate cell walls which causes additional injury and pain. Once it is rewarmed and thawed, it is very important that the area is not re-frozen. If the injury is re-frozen theseverity of the injury will increase.
First degree, also called frost nip: Most people who live in very cold climates or do a lot of outdoor activity in the winter have had first degree frostbite (just as most people have had a first degree burn when they get sunburn). Frost nip presents itself as numbed skin that has turned white in color. The skin may feel stiff to the touch, but the tissue under is still warm and soft. There is very little chance of blistering, infection or permanent scarring as long as it is treated properly.
Second degree, superficial frostbite: Superficial frostbite is a serious medical condition that needs to be treated by a trained medical professional. The skin will be white or blue and will feel hard and frozen. The tissue underneath is still undamaged. Blistering is likely which is why medical treatment should be sought out. Proper treatment is critical to prevent severe or permanent injuries.
Third degree, deep frostbite: The skin is white, blotchy and/or blue. The tissue underneath is hard and cold to the touch. This is a life threatening injury. Deep frostbite needs to be treated by a trained medical professional. The tissue underneath has been damaged, in severe cases amputation may be the final recourse to prevent severe infection. Blistering will happen. Proper medical treatment in a medical facility with personnel trained to deal with severe frostbite injuries is required to aid in the prevention of severe or permanent injury.
Unfortunately, treating second and third degree frostbite in the field is extremely difficult. Such cold injuries will require medical attention.
Second and third degree cold injuries are the types of injuries that people read about in the climbing literature. These are the injuries that result in blistered skin and blackened digits upon rewarming. The rule is never to walk on frozen feet unless you absolutely have to. Such use will increase the level of injury. But if you are in a situation where you will die of hypothermia if you don't walk on frozen feet, then you're going to have to walk on frozen feet. If they thaw and you are unable to walk on them, or you thaw them and they refreeze later, the situation could become significantly worse.
The reality of frostbite is that in most cases it's avoidable. Dressing right and paying attention to your body are two simple ways to avoid this debilitating and dangerous injury.
--Jason D. Martin
January and February Climbing Events
--January 8-11 -- Ouray, CO -- Ouray Ice Festival
--January 11 -- Bethlehem, NH -- White Mountain HERA Event
--January 21 -- Bellingham, WA -- Backcountry Skiing Pacific Northwest
--January 30-February 1 -- Munising, MI -- Michigan Ice Fest
--January 30-February 1 -- Jeffersonville, VT -- Smuggler's Notch Ice Bash
--February 5 -- Portland, OR -- Madrone Wall Fundraiser
--February 13-16 -- Cody, WY -- South Fork Ice Festival
--February 20-21 -- Dayton, OH -- The Adventure Summit
--February 20-21 -- Vancouver, BC -- Vancouver Mountain Film Festival
--February 21 -- Golden, CO -- AAC Annual Benefit Dinner
--January 11 -- Bethlehem, NH -- White Mountain HERA Event
--January 21 -- Bellingham, WA -- Backcountry Skiing Pacific Northwest
--January 30-February 1 -- Munising, MI -- Michigan Ice Fest
--January 30-February 1 -- Jeffersonville, VT -- Smuggler's Notch Ice Bash
--February 5 -- Portland, OR -- Madrone Wall Fundraiser
--February 13-16 -- Cody, WY -- South Fork Ice Festival
--February 20-21 -- Dayton, OH -- The Adventure Summit
--February 20-21 -- Vancouver, BC -- Vancouver Mountain Film Festival
--February 21 -- Golden, CO -- AAC Annual Benefit Dinner
Monday, January 5, 2009
Climbing Scenes in Non-Climbing Movies
High budget narrative climbing movies are a genre in and of themselves. There are not very many of them out there and those that do exist tend to be filled with plot holes and ludicrous situations. But what about non-climbing movies that include elements of climbing?
Mountaineering, rock climbing and ice climbing are generally seen as extreme or eccentric things by filmmakers. The result of this is that they only use climbing for three things.
First and foremost, they use climbing to emphasize a character's bravery or uniqueness. You can see this in the following two clips.
In Mission Impossible II, Tom Cruise does things on desert towers that are completely impossible. This is a perfect example of climbing used for character development to show how "extreme" someone might be. There's a moment in this clip that is supposed to result in a laugh. They make a comment about Tom Cruise being on holiday. The joke of course is the question, who would ever go rock climbing for a vacation?
In Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Captain James T. Kirk free solos the Nose on El Cap, badly. By the time this film came out we didn't need a lot of character development for Captain Kirk. Instead, this is -- perhaps unintentionally -- designed to reinforce the character's cocky arrogance.
The second use of climbing by filmmakers is simply to show something that is "different." They'll use it more for its novelty than for any other reason. Movies that do this include Axe, The Descent, and Wrong Turn. It's weird that most films that come up on a quick search are horror films...
Here is the opening climbing scene from the very bad horror movie, Wrong Turn:
The third use is when a character is forced to climb. This is an incredibly common thing in film. Movies that have scenes like this include North by Northwest, The Princess Bride, The Good Son, and Deliverance.
Here is the scene from the award winning film Deliverance:
Though they're not all available, there are tons of movies with climbing scenes in them. Check out the female mountain guide hero of Alien vs. Predator or Keanu Reeves as a Himalayan climber in The Day the Earth Stood Still. I'm sure there are dozens and dozens more out there that I haven't thought of. I'd be curious to know what they are.
What other non-climbing movies with climbing scenes can you think of?
--Jason D. Martin
Mountaineering, rock climbing and ice climbing are generally seen as extreme or eccentric things by filmmakers. The result of this is that they only use climbing for three things.
First and foremost, they use climbing to emphasize a character's bravery or uniqueness. You can see this in the following two clips.
In Mission Impossible II, Tom Cruise does things on desert towers that are completely impossible. This is a perfect example of climbing used for character development to show how "extreme" someone might be. There's a moment in this clip that is supposed to result in a laugh. They make a comment about Tom Cruise being on holiday. The joke of course is the question, who would ever go rock climbing for a vacation?
In Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Captain James T. Kirk free solos the Nose on El Cap, badly. By the time this film came out we didn't need a lot of character development for Captain Kirk. Instead, this is -- perhaps unintentionally -- designed to reinforce the character's cocky arrogance.
The second use of climbing by filmmakers is simply to show something that is "different." They'll use it more for its novelty than for any other reason. Movies that do this include Axe, The Descent, and Wrong Turn. It's weird that most films that come up on a quick search are horror films...
Here is the opening climbing scene from the very bad horror movie, Wrong Turn:
The third use is when a character is forced to climb. This is an incredibly common thing in film. Movies that have scenes like this include North by Northwest, The Princess Bride, The Good Son, and Deliverance.
Here is the scene from the award winning film Deliverance:
Though they're not all available, there are tons of movies with climbing scenes in them. Check out the female mountain guide hero of Alien vs. Predator or Keanu Reeves as a Himalayan climber in The Day the Earth Stood Still. I'm sure there are dozens and dozens more out there that I haven't thought of. I'd be curious to know what they are.
What other non-climbing movies with climbing scenes can you think of?
--Jason D. Martin
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Weekend Warrior -- Videos to Get You Stoked!
A few weeks ago, one of our bloggers got called out for knocking snowboarders. It was innocent. He didn't really intend on making fun of them, it just happened...and he says he's sorry.
We decided that the best way to make the snowboarders feel loved is to focus our weekend warrior segment this week on the art and beauty of snowboarding. Enjoy!
For your viewing pleasure, this first flick was made with a helmet cam. Gotta' love that backcountry pow!
This second video was produced by Burton. The film is flush with cool snowboard tricks. My favorite is when they ride over trees that are bowed over and tied to the ground.
And lastly, we posted this last video awhile back. We're posting it again because there is no doubt that this is our favorite snowboard video ever. In this film a snowboarder descends something in Alaska that many people would be nervous about climbing. The guy starts on sixty-plus degree terrain on his descent. It is absolutely sick!
We decided that the best way to make the snowboarders feel loved is to focus our weekend warrior segment this week on the art and beauty of snowboarding. Enjoy!
For your viewing pleasure, this first flick was made with a helmet cam. Gotta' love that backcountry pow!
This second video was produced by Burton. The film is flush with cool snowboard tricks. My favorite is when they ride over trees that are bowed over and tied to the ground.
And lastly, we posted this last video awhile back. We're posting it again because there is no doubt that this is our favorite snowboard video ever. In this film a snowboarder descends something in Alaska that many people would be nervous about climbing. The guy starts on sixty-plus degree terrain on his descent. It is absolutely sick!
Friday, January 2, 2009
Rethinking the Camelbak
Climbers in every venue tend to get dehydrated. It's always too cold or too hot or it takes too long to stop. Most people are able to tell when they become dehydrated. There are some obvious signs like yellow pee or lethargy. But these signs are late symptoms of a dehydrated body.
Camelbaks and other hydration bladders have made it much easier for climbers to take-in fluids while moving. There is one problem with this piece of equipment. It tends to freeze in cold weather.
Camelbaks and other hydration bladders have made it much easier for climbers to take-in fluids while moving. There is one problem with this piece of equipment. It tends to freeze in cold weather.There are some simple techniques that may be utilized to keep this from happening.
- Purchase and use a thermal control kit. The tube cover is the most important component of this accessory. You may need to cut off the mouth cover. The mouth cover gets in the way of the hydrolock. Following is a photo of a thermal control kit:
- Purchase and use a hydrolock. This device keeps the camelbak from leaking. This is especially important at night. In order to keep the bladder from freezing during the coldest hours, you will need to keep it inside of your sleeping bag. If you do not have a lock on the bite valve, you may accidently roll onto the valve and soak your sleeping bag. Following is a photo of a hydrolock:
- Every time you take a drink, be sure to blow the water out of the tube and back into the bladder. The most likely place for water to freeze is in the tube and in the bite valve. Blowing the water back inside makes this less likely to happen.
- When you are moving in a cold environment, keep the bite valve tucked into the neck of your jacket. This will keep any extra drops of water from freezing.
- In extremely cold environments like on Denali or in South America, you might have to wear the camelbak underneath your jacket. This makes wearing a pack uncomfortable, but keeps your water from freezing.
- In the most extreme cases, while wearing the bladder on your back, you might even thread the tube so that it goes down your sleeve and comes out at your wrist.
--Jason D. Martin
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Climbing News from Here and Abroad -- January 1, 2009
It's New Year's Day and many outdoor enthusiasts are currently swinging their ice tools, cutting fresh tracks or pulling down on desert rock. The holidays are a good time to be a climber!Northwest:
--Tom Mix of Sequim, Washington, was recently selected as the state winner of the American Trails' National Trail Worker Award for 2008. He was
selected out of more than 200 nominees. The award is presented every two years to volunteers, professionals and other people who have worked to create a national system of trails. One award is given per state. Mix works with North Olympic Peninsula agencies to construct and maintain trails, plan trail work and recommend trail use and policy changes. To read more, click here and here.
--The Backcountry Horsement of Washington recently won more than $75,000 worth of grants for tools and safety equipment to help maintain 1,500 miles of trails in seven of Washington’s national forests. The grant was awarded by the state’s Recreation and Conservation Funding Board with monies from the National Recreation Trails Program, a source of federal funding for public trails in all 50 states. To read more, click here.
Sierra:
Sierra:
--A 21 year-old skier was killed in an avalanche on Christmas Day at the Squaw Valley Ski Resort near Lake Tahoe. This was the second in-bounds ski fatality of the season. Two weeks ago a young woman was killed in-bounds at Snowbird in Utah. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--The last few weeks have brought unprecidented bad news about the intended sale of the beautiful untouched desert just outside Arches and Canyonlands National Parks to interests in the oil and gas industry. And now we have a New Year's gift and a new hero to thank for it. Tim DeChristopher accessed the BLM auction of the parcels as a private bidder. He subsequently ran up the bids on many parcels by as much as $500,000 and secured the prime parcels around the National Parks for himself. DeChristopher does not have the money to pay for the parcels, but by the time it's all figured out, Barack Obama will be in the White House. The Obama transition team opposes the sale of these parcels. DeChristopher is facing possible federal charges, but he's happy that he disrupted the process...and so are climbers, hikers, mountain bikers, river-runners and hikers from across the country. To read more, click here. To donate to DeChristopher's defense fund, click here.
--The 27th of December was a very bad day for avalanches. Two snowmobilers were killed in Grand County, Colorado. And in a third in-bounds ski incident, a man was killed at Jackson Hole Resort in Wyoming.
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