Conditions Report-August 31, 2011

NORTHWEST:

-- Mt. Baker Heliotrope Ridge -- The debris at the start of the Heliotrope Ridge trail is getting thinner and thinner.  It is strongly suggested that you probe the crossing before committing to it both when you travel uphill and down.  

--West Ridge of Forbidden-- The Couloir is reported to be passable but challenging conditions. Two tools might be advisable.

-- Forecast for the East Slope of the Cascades.

-- Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.

-- Webcam for Leavenworth and the Stuart Range.

-- Forecast for Mount Rainier.

-- Route and Conditions Report from Mt. Baker Rangers: Mount Baker Climbing Blog.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

RED ROCK CANYON:

-- Red Rock Canyon Campground Opens Sept. 2nd.

-- Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.

-- Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

-- The late exit and overnight permit number for Red Rock Canyon is 702-515-5050. If there is any chance that you will be inside the park after closing, be sure to call this number so that you don't get a ticket.

-- The entrance to the scenic drive had a parking area for those who wanted to carpool up until approximately April of 2009. That lot has now become employee parking and people who want to carpool are required to park at the lot outside the Scenic Drive exit.

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

JOSHUA TREE:

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

-- Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.

-- As winter use in Joshua Tree is growing, camping can be difficult at times.  It is not a bad idea to come with a back-up plan if the park campgrounds are full.  Here are the NPS Campground Details. Some people like to stay at the rural campground often referred to as "The Pit."  And lastly, there is a campground available at Joshua Tree Lake.

-- The Joshua Tree entrance fee is currently $15 per vehicle.  Your receipt will give you access to the park for seven days after its initial purchase.  Rangers check this receipt at each of the major access points going in and out.  Annual passes are available for $30.

ALPS:

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

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



ALASKA:


-- Conditions in the range are not currently available.  But we are taking reservations for both Alaska Range Ascents and Denali trips for the 2012 season.  To learn more, click here.  We will begin regular conditions reports in the Alaska Range in late April.

The Economic Power of the Outdoors

We spend a lot of time on this blog defending parks and recreation. We spend an incredible amount of time promoting human powered recreation, while defending the areas where we climb, hike and ski. We have a passion for these things. We love the outdoors and we love the wilderness...

But sometimes this passion, this need for preservation, gets in the way. And we forget one of the most vital arguments that we have: the economic argument. We are a business that employs dozens of guides. There are thousands of climbing guides in the United States. But once again, this clouds the reality of the situation...

How many guides are there out there when you add hunting, fishing, rafting, hiking, horseback riding, photo tours, cycling, and nature walks? How many jobs are there when you add all the equipment needed to participate in these activities? How many people do these activities on their own, spending money and traveling the world in pursuit of their passions?

Outdoors people are a force in and unto themselves. When we are fighting for conservation or preservation, this is something that we have to remember. Every time a crag closes or wilderness is lost, there is an impact on recreation and recreation dollars.

Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, recently wrote a piece for the White House blog on this subject that has been reprinted here:

President Obama has made it clear that job creation is, and must remain, front and center for his Administration day in and day out.

With that in mind, I traveled to New England this week to highlight the economic power of outdoor recreation and tourism to create jobs. Hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation contribute an estimated $730 billion to the U.S. economy each year. And one in twenty U.S. jobs are in the recreation economy – more than there are doctors, lawyers or teachers.

More than 12 million Americans hunt; more than 30 million Americans fish; and three out of four Americans engage in some kind of healthy outdoor activity.

A letter I recently received from a Canadian family shows just how big an impact tourism and recreation can have. The family spent 42 days on the road, exploring national parks across the U.S. Over the course of their travels, they stayed in motels and hotels, ate in restaurants and spent money in local businesses from coast to coast:

“Our family spent almost $20,000 on our trip,” the letter reads, “almost all of it at local stores and services as we traveled. Without the National Park Service, our destination would have probably been somewhere in Europe.”

Many small and large businesses in New England are also key drivers of the outdoor economy. A store like LL Bean is a shining example of how a home-grown business can fulfill the American dream. What started almost 100 years ago as one man’s idea to sell a waterproof boot to hunters has grown into a company that today employs 5,000 people and generates 1.4 billion in revenue.

The businesses I visited this week -- including L.L. Bean’s headquarters in Freeport, Maine, Bibens Ace Hardware in Colchester, Vermont, and Eastern Mountain Sports near Portsmouth, New Hampshire -- demonstrate the power of outdoor recreation to create jobs and spur economic growth in communities both in New England and across our country. When we invest in conservation and encourage people to reconnect with nature, we aren’t just investing in the land, water, and wildlife we love, but also in our economic future.

--Jason D. Martin

American Alpine Institute Newsletter

The American Alpine Institute will be launching its monthly newsletter later this week. If you like what you read on our blog, what you find on our twitter account, and what you see on facebook, you'll love this!

To sign up for the newsletter, please click here.

--Jason D. Martin

Mammut 150 Year Anniversary

Mammut is celebrating its anniversary with the biggest peak project in history: 150 teams will be scaling 150 mountains around the world.  The year of mountains started in August with an ascent of the Jungrau in Europe.  Mammut is promoting this as the biggest peak project in history.



When I mentioned this at the office, we were hard-pressed to come up with many companies that have been in continual existence for 150 years.  Though I have little to back this up, I would suspect that Mammut is the oldest climbing related company operating.

To learn more about Mammut's peak project, click here.

--Jason D. Martin

September and October Climbing Events

-- Sept 2-5 -- Penticton, BC -- Skaha Climbing Festival

-- Sept 9-11 -- Gower Penninsula, UK -- Gower Climbing Festival

--September 10 -- Index, WA -- Craggin Classic


-- Sept 10 -- Hamilton, MT -- Lost Horse Climbing Festival

-- Sept 15-18 -- Salt Lake City -- HERA Climb4Life

-- Sept 17-18 -- Pocatello, ID -- Pocatello Pump

-- Sept 26 - Oct 1 -- Yosemite Valley, CA -- International Climbers' Meet 

--Oct 1 -- Portland, OR -- RBCC Meet and Greet Party 

--Oct 1 - Nov. 5 -- Various Southeast Locations -- Triple Crown Bouldering Comp

--Oct 7 - 8 -- Seattle, WA -- Mountainfilm Tour

--October 7 - 9 -- Red River Gorge, KY -- Rocktoberfest

Weekend Warrior: Videos to Get You Stoked!

A few weeks ago we showed a somewhat extreme BASE-jumping video. We received a handful of emails after that video about basejumping.

We are sorry if we offended anyone by saying things like, "BASE-jumping is a fringe sport." Or "BASE-jumping is googly-eye crazy." Or for saying that BASE-jumpers are "absolutely nutso." We know that people say those things about climbers too, and we know that those comments just not true.

But we also know THAT WE ARE RIGHT ABOUT BASE-JUMPERS!!!!

You guys are nuts!

I mean, I'm sorry if I offended anyone. Especially you, Tom. Tom Dancs is a former AAI guide and an all around great guy. Tom is a major proponent of BASE-jumping and has lobbied to change the rules in order to allow BASE-jumping in national parks. I had the pleasure to work with him once or twice while he was here and know for a fact that he's not crazy. It must just be the rest of those basejumpers. They're the adrenaline freaks...!

Or maybe I'm stereotyping, like others do about climbers.

Naw. That couldn't possibly be it. I'm wayyyy to open-minded to be prejudiced against those crazy, absolutely out-of-their-minds, BASE-jumpers...

Anyway, enough about my thoughts. Tom was recently featured in an excellent film on BASE-jumping entitled, "Right Here, Right Now." Enjoy!

Right Here, Right Now from Crest Pictures on Vimeo.

-Jason D. Martin

Book Review - Alpine Climbing: Techniques to Take You Higher

Alpine Climbing: Techniques to Take You Higher
by Mark Houston and Kathy Cosley
Mountaineers Books; $21.95

Most bookstores and climbing shops have a shelf set aside where one can find a number of “how-to” volumes on alpine climbing and mountaineering. For the aspiring alpinist, picking through such tomes can be a daunting task. Which author has the most experience? Which book is the easiest to read? Which provides the most information? In other words, which of these books is the best? Mountaineers Books has answered each of these questions with their new instructional manual, Alpine Climbing: Techniques to Take You Higher by Mark Houston and Kathy Cosley.

Houston and Cosley have over fifty years of combined experience as instructors, guides, and climbers. They guided for AAI for many years in the Cascades, Alaska Range, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Nepal. This depth of experience in all three capacities is directly reflected in Techniques to Take You Higher. The book is laid out in an easy to read format that addresses everything an alpine climber might need to know. The book starts with the dynamic psychological skill of making informed decisions in the mountains and then works its way through each of the technical skills required for a climber to move safely and effectively in an alpine environment.

One very nice element of the book are anecdotes throughout the text that highlight the value of each chapter’s content. For example, Houston writes about the extraction of a climber from a crevasse who fell in while glissading during a discussion on the dangers of that method of descent; and Cosley writes about dealing with a victim of AMS in a section on altitude illness. These stories scattered throughout the book reemphasize the importance of the skills being discussed while providing entertaining tangents.

Alpine Climbing: Techniques to Take You Higher is an excellent resource for the beginning to intermediate alpinist. Indeed, the collected experiences and instruction of Mark Houston and Kathy Cosley might be well worth a read by even the most seasoned of alpine climbers.

--Jason D. Martin

Outdoor and Climbing News from Here and Abroad - 8/25/11

Northwest:

--The Whatcom County sheriff's office says search and rescue volunteers have recovered the body of a climber who fell to her death last month on Mount Baker. To read more, click here.

--There has been a rash of “one-pot” methamphetamine cookers that have been found in National Forest lands and rural areas across the country. The water bottles and liter cola bottles are being used in a process of making meth in a single container. The items are highly toxic and combustible. The bottles contain hydrochloric acid and other toxins. The bottles contain a white powder and often have a hose coming out of the top. There may be an ammonia scent around the bottles. This means the device is in an extremely dangerous stage. They may look harmless but they are dangerous. There also may be other harmful objects such as use syringes and chemicals in the area. To read more, click here.

--There is currently a call out for people interested in helping to maintain old fire lookouts in the North Cascades. To read more, click here.

--Backcountry trail cameras captured candid photos of new wolves roaming in northeastern Oregon's Umatilla County. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said two of the images, taken this month, are the first photos of members of the new Walla Walla pack that seems to be forming at the Washington-Oregon border. To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--It appears that there was a suicide on Half Dome on August 22nd. At this point there is very little information. To read more, click here and here.

--Yosemite has produced some interesting data on human/bear interactions. To read more, click here.

--The Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue (SAR) Team responded on the night of August 8, 2011, to a request for aid to a family of four, from Glendale, who had called for assistance from Garnet Lake. The group planned a loop hike out of Agnew Meadows to Garnet Lake. The 19-year-old son, however, had become exhausted and the group did not think that attempting to cross either the snowfield below Garnet Lake or the San Joaquin River, both obstacles along their intended route, would be wise. To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--An Arizona man who miraculously survived a 140-foot fall thanks to a grueling and dramatic rescue this week battled to recover after several operations, including one to reattach his pelvis to his spine on Friday. Mike McEntire, 36, nearly died August 13th in a Sedona canyon after losing control of a climbing rope and plummeting down a rocky ledge. To read more, click here.

--Rock-climbing rescue volunteers and sheriff's personnel responded Saturday night to Tahquitz Rock, the 800-foot rock dome that towers above Idyllwild, and helped bring down two people who called for help and said they were lost. The sheriff's department and a Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit coordinator both reported the two individuals were on or near Angel's Fright, a multi-pitch climb above Lunch Rock. To read more, click here.

--Authorities are investigating the deaths of two people found in Joshua Tree National Park, where temperatures have soared above one hundred degrees this week. Authorities believe the man and woman were traveling together when they became stranded, according to a statement from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. To read more, click here.

Himalaya:

--Austrian climber Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner became the first woman to conquer all 14 8,000-meter summits without the use of artificial oxygen Tuesday, when she reached the top of the K2, her team announced. To read more, click here and here.

Notes from All Over:

--In another operation pushing darkness—the second in as many nights—Grand Teton National Park rangers rescued a 25-year-old female who fell about 25 feet while climbing a popular route in Death Canyon called The Snaz. To read more, click here.

--Matt Samet, a Colorado climber, recently published "Climbing Dictionary: Mountaineering Slang, Terms, Neologisms and Lingo." Colorado Daily has a humorous write-up on the book, here.

--In mid-August Denis Urubko and Gennadiy Durov completed a new route on the north face of Peak Pobeda (24,406'). To read more, click here.

Conditions Report - August 24 2011

 NORTHWEST:

-- Fifteen miles of Highway 2 in the Tumwater Canyon were shut down due to a 100 acre wildfire.  Update from AAI Guide Kurt Hicks: I just drove down the Tumwater tonight. The fire is a low-intensity one, burning underbrush and downed materials; smoke is somewhat minimal in the lower canyon and is worst in the mornings. The burn is centered near the Swiftwater Picnic Area and is burning on the north side of Highway 2.  It has not burned close to any crags other than the bouldering on that side of the road.  

-- An approaching frontal system will bring fairly heavy precipitation to Mt Rainier early this week. Precipitation will likely begin late Monday afternoon or early evening, the bulk of it will fall Monday night, with lighter precipitation lingering into Tuesday morning. Storm total precipitation will probably be around 0.50 inch. The snow level will be in the 12000 to 13000 ft range, so expect something like 5 inches of snow above that. 

-- More reports of aggressive mountain goats in the North Cascades. The North Cascades complaints have come from hikers on trails near Long's Pass and Eagle Pass. Click here for more information.  

--Denali Park to Burn Debris Piles near Birch Creek Cabin--

Fire Management staff at Denali National Park and Preserve will burn piles
of debris consisting of trees and brush in the vicinity of the new Birch
Creek Cabin beginning Monday, August 22, continuing through Thursday,
August 25, conditions permitting.

The cabin is located along Birch Creek, approximately 31.5 miles northwest
of Kantishna and 16.5 miles southeast from Minchumina.

Smoke may be visible from the surrounding area and from aircraft.  NPS Fire
Management staff will be monitoring the burn on site, which is expected to
last three to four days.  The material being burned is natural debris
resulting from hazard fuel reduction treatment (fire protection) around
structures, brushing along the park road and from various maintenance
projects around the park.

Additional park information can be obtained by calling (907) 683-9532 from
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. daily or on the web at www.nps.gov/dena. Stay
connected with "DenaliNPS" on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and
iTunes – links to these social media sites are available at
www.nps.gov/dena .

                                 -NPS -

-- Forecast for the East Slope of the Cascades.

-- Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.

-- Webcam for Leavenworth and the Stuart Range.

-- Forecast for Mount Rainier.

-- Route and Conditions Report from Mt. Baker Rangers: Mount Baker Climbing Blog.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

RED ROCK CANYON:

--Weather Forecast Link for Calico Basin area Calico Basin Weather.

-- Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.

-- Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

-- The late exit and overnight permit number for Red Rock Canyon is 702-515-5050. If there is any chance that you will be inside the park after closing, be sure to call this number so that you don't get a ticket.

-- The entrance to the scenic drive had a parking area for those who wanted to carpool up until approximately April of 2009. That lot has now become employee parking and people who want to carpool are required to park at the lot outside the Scenic Drive exit.

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

JOSHUA TREE:

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

-- Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.

-- As winter use in Joshua Tree is growing, camping can be difficult at times.  It is not a bad idea to come with a back-up plan if the park campgrounds are full.  Here are the NPS Campground Details. Some people like to stay at the rural campground often referred to as "The Pit."  And lastly, there is a campground available at Joshua Tree Lake.

-- The Joshua Tree entrance fee is currently $15 per vehicle.  Your receipt will give you access to the park for seven days after its initial purchase.  Rangers check this receipt at each of the major access points going in and out.  Annual passes are available for $30.

ALPS:

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

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



ALASKA:


-- Conditions in the range are not currently available.  But we are taking reservations for both Alaska Range Ascents and Denali trips for the 2012 season.  To learn more, click here.  We will begin regular conditions reports in the Alaska Range in late April.

Top Managed Belays

Most leaders will do one of two things at the top of a route. They'll either build an anchor and lower off or they'll bring up a second to clean the route. It makes a lot of sense to bring up a second if you're going to continue up a multi-pitch line or if it isn't possible to rappel off.

In essence the leader who is stationed above the climber is working at a top-managed site. He is belaying the climber from above and is not top-roping. Most people only belay from above after they have lead a climb, but there are a number of situations where it is advantageous to actually top-rope from the top of a climb.

A Climber Belays from the Top
Photo by Jason Martin

Acadia and Ouray are both popular places where many routes require top-managment, climbers literally have little to no choice in many parts of these parks. Acadia is a climbing area situated on a series of sea cliffs. One can only access the crags by lowering down or rappelling down. Ouray is an ice park in Colorado. All of the routes are accessed from the top and most people lower in and then climb back out on a top-rope.

Most places don't require a top-managed set-up like the preceding examples. But there are many advantages to managing a crag from the top.

Value of a Top-Managed Site:

1. There is no chance that rocks or other debris will strike a belayer or another climber below. This is particularly nice in ice climbing. In Ouray, it is common for climbers to lower one another into a canyon to climb back out. There are very few people at the base that might be hit by falling ice.
2. There is fifty percent less rope in the system. Less rope in the system allows for less elongation in a dynamic rope when a climber falls on a top-rope. This is a great advantage if there are a lot of ledges on a climb that someone might twist their ankle on if they take a short dynamic fall.
3. If a climb is over a half of a rope length, it is often easier to manage the route from the top than to deal with two ropes tied together.
4. This provides you with the ability to easily monitor the anchor system.
5. Smaller loads are placed on the anchor than in a traditional top-rope set-up. In a traditional set-up, the physics of the system make it so that both the climber and the belayer's weight are on the anchor whenever a climber falls or is lowered.
6. Occasionally, the bottom of the crag is dangerous. Perhaps you are working on sea cliffs or in another medium that makes the base of the climb hazardous. Numerous crags have parking lots above the routes. In many scenarios the bottom of the climbs are steep and vegetated. In some cases, they are simply hard to access via a trail.
7. If you know any quick hauling systems, it's nice to manage from the top because you can assist a person if they get stuck climbing.
8. If you want to get a lot of top-rope routes in without leading, it may be fastest to top-manage the climbing area.

A Climber Lowers his Partner from a Top-Managed Site
Photo by Jason Martin

Disadvantages to a Top-Managed Site:

1. It is difficult to see and to coach the climber that has been lowered down. Sometimes it is also difficult to hear.
2. The climber's rope is more likely to go over edges when managed from the top.
3. There may be more impact on a fragile cliff-top ecosystem.
4. If there are many climbers waiting to climb, it may be more dangerous to manage the route from the top. There is more exposure and more opportunities to make a mistake near a cliff-edge.
5. People are unused to it and often don't want to try something new.

The most common way to access climbs in a top-managed situation is for the climber to lower down and then climb back up. Occasionally, a climber will rappel to the bottom and then climb back up, but this is not quite as safe as lowering. Lowering is safer because the belayer can check the climber's knot before he leaves.

This blog isn't to say that top-management is better. While it may be better in some situations, this article was actually designed to give you a quick taste of an alternative to regular top-roping. The best way to understand the strengths and weaknesses of such a technique is to experiment. Try top-managing at a crag you are familiar with for a day. It will be a very educational experience and will definately put another tool into your climber's toolbox.

--Jason D. Martin

Glacier Peak: Washington State's Most Remote Volcano

Glacier Peak should be on every Cascade mountaineer’s tick list.  While folks averse to walking might complain about the long approach (about 15 miles each way), it is perhaps the most scenic and ecologically diverse that I’ve ever done in the Cascades.  Our trip began with a seven mile bike ride up the closed USFS 49 road, since it was temporarily closed due to a miniscule washout.  The biking was quite reasonable and went quickly with mountain bikes and pull-behind trailers.

Biking up the road. Unfortunately, I didn't have a trailer.

After we stashed the bikes at the end of the road, the hike begin on a well-maintained trail along the North Fork of the Sauk River, wandering through an incredible old growth forest that houses some of the biggest trees I’ve ever seen. We spent the first night camping near the historic Mackinaw Shelter and prepared for an early start the next day.

Massive trees along the Sauk River

The morning found us climbing up a series of switchbacks in the cool morning air before we gained a long traverse out to White Pass.  The wildflowers (Tiger Lily, Columbine, Lupine, Paintbrush, and lots more!) were blooming in the meadows just below the pass and made each turn an exciting proposition. Beyond the pass, the trail was snow-covered and we made our way to Foam Pass and our first real views of Glacier Peak.

Taking in the view.

A couple hours later we settled into a great bivy site near Glacier Gap and prepared for our alpine start.  Clear skies boded well for us and in the morning we found perfect cramponing conditions from the very first step onto the snow.

Crampons on at the Gerdine Glacier

The Gerdine Ridge is a better-than-average moderate volcano route.  Most Cascade volcano routes are loose and chossy, while the Gerdine is primarily compacted pumice and somewhat solid rock.  All of the tedious scrambling sections are easily bypassed to the east on snow, which I highly recommend.  Around 8000′, we left the ridge and traversed northeast on the Gerdine Glacier to an obvious col where it intersects with the Cool Glacier.  Easy travel on a largely uncrevassed glacier then led to a pumice saddle, which we used to gain the final headwall, a nice 35 degree snow climb, and hit the top in just five hours from camp!

The Cool Glacier and the summit

On the final headwall with Gerdine Ridge behind

Mike on the summit

The descent back down the route was uneventful and presented incredible views from Mt. Stuart to Mt. Adams to the Olympics.  Back in camp, we settled in for a fantastic and warm afternoon of napping and eating in preparation for our early start the coming morning.  The hike out was surprisingly fast, even with a couple of detours (I have an inability to walk past granite boulders), and a nice nap at the Mackinaw Shelter.  The last half hour of the trip was perhaps the most leisurely of all–speeding down a gravel road with a full backpack pushing you along!  What an incredible trip!

A little granitic bouldering near Glacier Gap

Ron getting back to White Pass

Back to the car at 30mph!

Glacier Peak climbs are offered from late June to August every year. If you would like to learn more, please contact the American Alpine Institute at 360-671-1505.

--Kurt Hicks, AAI Instructor and Guide

August and September Climbing Events

-- August 19-21 -- Adirondacks, NY -- Chicks Climbing

-- Sept 2-5 -- Penticton, BC -- Skaha Climbing Festival

-- Sept 9-11 -- Gower Penninsula, UK -- Gower Climbing Festival

-- Sept 10 -- Hamilton, MT -- Lost Horse Climbing Festival

-- Sept 15-18 -- Salt Lake City -- HERA Climb4Life

-- Sept 17-18 -- Pocatello, ID -- Pocatello Pump

-- Sept 26 - Oct 1 -- Yosemite Valley, CA -- International Climbers' Meet

Weekend Warrior: Videos to Get You Stoked!

Climbers come up with some crazy things to do with their spare time...

Enough said:


Jumping off Cliffs in Utah from Mason Earle on Vimeo.

--Jason D. Martin

Ratchets for Rescue

As stated in the past, we love Mike Barter's videos. The Canadian guide is currently doing perhaps the best job at creating instructional videos for climbing...and usually they're pretty funny too!

Recently Mike posted a video on ratchets for rescue. One major component of any hauling system in a crevasse or rock rescue scenario is the ratchet. This is essentially the element of the system that allows the rescuer to retain any advantage that he has gained in the rescue.

Mike's video discusses four different types of ratchets:

1) Autoblocking Device:

Examples of autoblocking devices include the Petzel Reverso, the Black Diamond Guide ATC, the Trango GiGi and the B52. Each of these devices allows one to pull rope up through the device, but won't allow the load line to release without a few shenanigans...more on the shenanigans in a different post.

2) Garda Hitch

Also known as the alpine clutch, this quick system is very effective. However, it is extremely important to check that the hitch has been tied properly before using it in a rescue scenario.

3) Self-Minding Prussik

If you have taken a basic course from the American Alpine Institute, you know that we don't usually teach a means to create a self-minding prussik hitch. In the system that we teach, we leave the prussik cord a bit longer so that the rescuer can mind it himself. This is not quite as effective as either having a pulley that is designed to mind the prussik or a tube-style belay device that will operate the same way.

In the video, Mike also quickly demonstrates a way to make this prussik load-releasable by adding a munter-mule into the shelf. A load-releasable system is desirable in all rescue applications.

4) GriGri

The Petzl GriGri and the Trango Cinch are both highly underutilized tools for rescue. In part, it's because they are heavy, so a lot of climbers don't take them on long routes or into the alpine, but they are very effective. They work as both a pulley and a ratchet simultaneously and are -- by their very nature -- load releasable.




It is imperative that anyone going into the mountains has a rudimentary understanding of ratcheting in rescue. If you haven't had the opportunity to take a class, it might be very valuable to watch this video a few times over and to practice each of the skills shown...

--Jason D. Martin

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 8/18/11

Northwest:

--A 16-year-old boy has died after falling 80 feet down the east side of Rocky Butte late Monday night, fire officials say. Portland firefighters say the fall at Rocky Butte Park was reported at 10:15 p.m. Crews responded to the lower area of Rocky Butte around Northeast 92nd Avenue and Skidmore Street. To read more, click here.

--A climber rescued on Mount Saint Helens last week is in fair condition, officials said Thursday.  The climber has been identified as 15-year-old Braden Crampton of Scappoose, Oregon, officials said. To read more, click here.

--There was a helicopter rescue in the Liberty Bell group over the weekend. It appears that a climber twisted his leg on the descent from the notch between Liberty Bell and Concord Tower.  A helicopter extracted the climber.  To read more and to see photos, click here.

--Jens Holstein states that, ""The Stuart Range in Central Washington is quickly becoming a Yosemite like playground with alpine flair." Alpinist online reported on two of Holstein's new lines on Mount Stuart.  To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--A teenage boy has died of head injuries five days after falling on Yosemite National Park's most popular hiking trail.  This was the fourteenth fatality inside Yosemite National Park this year, which is a record.  To read more, click here.

--The Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team responded on August 12, 2011, to aid a group of three backpackers from the Nevada City area -  a father, son, and the son’s friend.  The three were backpacking near Island Pass, north of Thousand Island Lake when the son’s friend, age 12, slipped on the snow and slid into a rock. To read more, click here.

--Nobody ever said anything good about the geographical skills of politicians. According to the Sacramento Bee, California’s redistricting commission has been moving the lines of 177 districts. In the process they placed Mt. Whitney into Yosemite National Park.  Walters wrote in the Bee that the online political maps devised by the redistricting commission place Mt. Whitney right in the middle of Yosemite Valley, about 125 miles northwest of the tall peak’s real location. To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

A Depiction of the Proposed Project

--Yesterday, there was an important meeting on the future of Red Rock in relation to the adjacent development.  The county commissioners met amidst many protesters to give approval to the conceptual plan. They are limiting the density and the height of the project, and mandating BLM access prior to approval (this may be the death knell for this project- the county won't condone it and the BLM may not approve without county support!) To read more, click here.

--The desecration last year of prehistoric artwork at the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area sparked outrage and focused attention on the spread of graffiti throughout the Las Vegas Valley. This week, the 17-year-old youth charged with defacing the Red Rock area received his punishment behind closed doors in federal court, ending a case that rallied the community to help remove the spray-painted graffiti.  U.S. District Judge Kent Dawson on Wednesday sentenced the unidentified youth to nine months behind bars, which he already has served. The judge also placed him on nine months of supervised release and ordered him to pay $23,775 in restitution to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. To read more, click here.

--A climber suffered serious head and internal injuries and possibly a pelvic fracture in two falls totaling 140 feet on Saturday afternoon in the West Fork region of Oak Creek Canyon in Arizona.  The man, a 36-year-old, is in critical condition at John C. Lincoln North Mountain Hospital in Phoenix.  The climber was on a 350-foot rappel with friends, canyoneering. To read more, click here.

Alaska:

--The Alaskan wilderness is getting a bit crowded. Denali National Park, home to 20,320-foot-tall Mount McKinley, gets about 400,000 visitors a year, mostly between May and early September. The park has more than 6 million acres — but just one road. To read more, click here.

Himalaya:

--Pat Goodman, Matt McCormick and Will Meinen recently finished a month waiting for a weather window in Pakistan. This is the second time that McCormick has gone to Pakistan in with the hope of climbing the Southwest Pillar of K7 and this is the second time he's been skunked.  To read more, click here.

Notes from All Over:

--The American Mountain Guides Association recently awarded FiveTen with their Industry Award. This is due to FiveTen's excellent support of the guiding industry.  They absolutely deserve this award! To watch a video of Betsy Winter, executive director of the AMGA, present the award to FiveTen, click on the video below:





--While we don't usually report on bouldering, we thought it was interesting to note that like other types of climbing, there is great economic value to communities where the sport is practiced. Boulderers have "invaded the sleepy town of Clanwilliam in South Africa's remote Cederberg mountains in their hundreds, bringing an economic shot in the arm to the region 250 km (155 miles) north of Cape Town famous for producing rooibos herbal tea. They carry mattresses on their backs, and in bars they are the ones gesticulating like crazed semaphore operators." To read more, click here.

--The Access Fund is pleased to announce new additions to the Programs Team to further assist the American climbing community with access issues and stewardship projects nationwide. After ten years as Policy Director, Jason Keith is transitioning to half time work for the Access Fund as Senior Policy Advisor and initiating his own LLC, Jason Keith Consulting. With additional support from major donors, the Access Fund is fortunate to retain Jason Keith for the next two years and welcome Robert Dennis (“R.D.”) Pascoe to the team as a full-time Policy Analyst. Two other changes also mark the past month for the Access Fund: Zachary Lesch-Huie starts this fall as Affiliate Director, and Jenny Blackmore, previously Office Manager, is heading up new and ongoing stewardship programs as Stewardship Manager. To read more, click here.

--A skier's run down New Zealand's Coronet Peak on Saturday took a turn for the interesting when she lost the trail and found herself being chased by a herd of Hereford bulls. The fifty-five year-old skier, unnamed in the Otago Daily Times story on the incident, had to hike 6.2 miles over difficult terrain after taking the wrong turn. She finally managed to call the police from a farmhouse after five hours of hiking. To read more, click here.

A Proposed Ice Tower in Bozeman

--A team of Montana State University students has won a competition to design an 85-foot ice climbing tower as part of an attempt to lure the 2013 world cup of ice climbing championship to the Gallatin County Fairgrounds in Bozeman.   A team led by Michael Spencer of Willow Creek, a recent graduate of the MSU School of Architecture, with Tymer Tilton of Missoula a current architecture student, and MSU engineering student P.J. Kolnik of Helena, won the MSU-based competition to design the Bozeman Ice Tower.  To read more, click here.

Conditions Report - August 17 2011

 NORTHWEST:

-- Many Cascades trails and peaks are still under snow. Cascade Pass, Shrieber's Meadow, Park Butte and countless other trails: "There's snow on pretty much all of them," said Melanie Graham, information specialist at the Mount Baker Ranger District. Click here for the article.

-- Anyone having unnerving encounters with mountain goats lately? Click here for the thread. 

-- Bugaboos Beta (From the Public Mountain Conditions Report): As previously noted the snow conditions in the Bugaboos are quite good. There were no crevasses and just a small  bergshrund showing at the Bugaboo-Snowpatch col. The glacier travel was fast with a light overnight freeze. The East Creek campsite is still under snow and there was a large rock fall event that changed where the water source is (closer to the Minaret now) . We also found water on the slabs below the Beckey-Chouinard.  The summit of the North Howser Tower is still under snow and there is a large cornice overhanging the rappels. Some photos of the approach to the Beckey-Chouinard, north ridge of N. Howser Tower and west Ridge of NHT.

-- Forecast for the East Slope of the Cascades.

-- Forecast for the West Slope of the Cascades.

-- Webcam for Leavenworth and the Stuart Range.

-- Forecast for Mount Rainier.

-- Route and Conditions Report from Mt. Baker Rangers: Mount Baker Climbing Blog.

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

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

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

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

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

SIERRA:
  
-- Still snow on the approach to Mt. Conness, and it looks like the mosquitos are out in full force. Click here for more info. 


-- Recent beta for Mt. Whitney: "No need at all for axe or crampons for approach or descent at this time. Lower section of trail above first crossing somewhat washed out but easily passable. First two creek crossings still suggest barefoot." Click here for the full report.
 
-- 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.

RED ROCK CANYON:

-- Red Rock Canyon is still being threatened. If you care about the future of Red Rock Canyon, log on to saveredrock.com and educate yourself about the threat. On Aug 17, seven Clark County commisioners will decide the future of development in Red Rock.

map of proposed development
Submitted By: Eric and Lucie

The entire Blue Diamond Hill (the massive hill at the center of the RR cirque, that forms the foreground of the view from anywhere at Red Rocks, and the backdrop to the BLM campground, and is currently completely undeveloped) will become a brand new town of 5,000+ homes and about 15,000 residents, complete with shopping malls, schools, etc. An official plan has recently been submitted to the county by the developers: it effectively puts a brand new mid-size city right in the middle of the conservation area.  Click here for more information.

-- Forecast and average temperatures for Red Rock Canyon.

-- Webcam for Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.

-- The late exit and overnight permit number for Red Rock Canyon is 702-515-5050. If there is any chance that you will be inside the park after closing, be sure to call this number so that you don't get a ticket.

-- The entrance to the scenic drive had a parking area for those who wanted to carpool up until approximately April of 2009. That lot has now become employee parking and people who want to carpool are required to park at the lot outside the Scenic Drive exit.

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

JOSHUA TREE:

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

-- Webcam for Joshua Tree National Park.

-- As winter use in Joshua Tree is growing, camping can be difficult at times.  It is not a bad idea to come with a back-up plan if the park campgrounds are full.  Here are the NPS Campground Details. Some people like to stay at the rural campground often referred to as "The Pit."  And lastly, there is a campground available at Joshua Tree Lake.

-- The Joshua Tree entrance fee is currently $15 per vehicle.  Your receipt will give you access to the park for seven days after its initial purchase.  Rangers check this receipt at each of the major access points going in and out.  Annual passes are available for $30.

ALPS:

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

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



ALASKA:


-- Conditions in the range are not currently available.  But we are taking reservations for both Alaska Range Ascents and Denali trips for the 2012 season.  To learn more, click here.  We will begin regular conditions reports in the Alaska Range in late April.

Climbing Class and Grade

One of the most confusing elements for a new climber is how the climbing class and grade systems work in the United States. Many individuals go to the rock gym and feel like they understand what a 5.7 feels like, but seldom understand where that grade came from. Many wonder why it's not simply a 2 or a 3 instead of a 5.7.

In North America we use the Yosemite Decimal System to define the class of a climb. This system provides a class number and then a specific grade. Following is a breakdown of the classes:

Class 1 - Hiking on a maintained trail.
Class 2 - Easy scrambling. Some may occasionally need their hands.Class 3 - Moderate scrambling. Hands may be employed more often.
Class 4 - Easy climbing. Hands are used all the time. Many will climb at this level without a rope.
Class 5 - Where real rock climbing begins. Technical equipment is employed at this level.

At Class 5 we add a decimal and a number to the system. Periodically a plus or a minus will be used in conjunction with the class identification (i.e. 5.6+ or 5.8-). Once the system hits 5.10, a letter grade is added. There are four letter grades before the number grade changes. (i.e. 5.10a, 5.10b, 5.10c, 5.10d, 5.11a, 511b...). Following is a breakdown of this system;

5.0-5.6 - Beginner level climber
5.7-5.9 - Intermediate level climber
5.10a-5.11c - Advanced level climber
5.11d-5.13d - Professional climber
5.14a-5.15b - World class climber

Currently 5.15b is the hardest grade climbed in the world. However, the system is open-ended and one day somebody will climb something that is 5.15c.

Though climbers strive for consistency in grades, this breakdown is often quite subjective. In other words, a 5.10a in Red Rock Canyon might be the equivalent of a 5.8 in Joshua Tree National Park. It's important for climbers to get a feel for how the grades work in every new area they visit before pushing themselves too hard.

Many long rock and alpine climbs also employ a Roman Numeral commitment grade. This grade gives the "average climber" an overview of how long the route will take, how many pitches are technical, how difficult the routefinding on the route might be, and in some cases it will also take into account the remoteness of the climb. The commitment grades are as follows:

Grade I - A very short route requiring one to two hours.
Grade II - A route that takes two to four hours.
Grade III - A route that takes the better part of a day. For slower parties a Grade III will be an all day endeavor.
Grade IV - A route that takes all day. Generally a day that requires in excess of 12 hours. The technical difficulties are more pronounced.
Grade V - Generally takes more that a day. There are clear technical difficulties to be overcome.
Grade VI - A multi-day climb that requires solid technical skills and often requires both aid and free climbing techniques.

As with the Yosemite Decimal System, the commitment grade system is not without problems. It is incredibly subjective. The Nose on El Capitan in Yosemite is a Grade VI. When it was first climbed in 1958, it took 45 days. The speed record is currently under three hours and many parties complete the route in a day. So the question must then be asked, what is an "average" climber? How should these grades be set? Most guidebook authors will look for some kind of consensus. The real average party on the Nose still takes about four days. As such, the Grade VI will remain for the time being.

--Jason D. Martin

The Piton

We don't really use pitons very much anymore. Some climbers will use them on mixed mountain routes and other will use them for high end aid climbing, but even in these venues pins are certainly less used than in the past.

Why?

There are two reasons. First, modern clean climbing equipment like nuts and cams have replaced the widespread need for pins. And second, modern pitons tend to damage the rock. Every pin placement subtly changes things until you have very well-defined pin scars.

The Canadian guide Mike Barter has put together a very nice video on pitons and piton placement. Check it out below:



There are two notes that I'd like to make about Mike's cleaning method.

First, some climbers will use a "cleaner carabiner" that they clip to the pin while pounding on it. This is then attached to the climber. This is so that the pin is not dropped while taking it out. The cleaner carabiner is commonly a very old and very beat-up carabiner. It's important that it is not a carabiner that you will be climbing on, as it will likely be struck by the hammer when the pin is being cleaned.

And second, Mike clips two quick draws together to pull the pin out. While this is fine for an occasional pin, climbers on big walls that require a lot of hammering will use a funkness device to pull out pitons. This is essentially a metal cable that has been designed specifically for this purpose. To see a funkness device, please click here.

Practicing with pitons is a tricky thing. The fact that they damage the rock makes them heavily frowned upon. I would strongly suggest that ground-school with this kind of hardware should take place primarily in areas where there is little to no climbing, otherwise someone may get very upset at you...

--Jason D. Martin

August and September Climbing Events

-- August 19-21 -- Adirondacks, NY -- Chicks Climbing

-- Sept 2-5 -- Penticton, BC -- Skaha Climbing Festival

-- Sept 9-11 -- Gower Penninsula, UK -- Gower Climbing Festival

-- Sept 10 -- Hamilton, MT -- Lost Horse Climbing Festival

-- Sept 15-18 -- Salt Lake City -- HERA Climb4Life

-- Sept 17-18 -- Pocatello, ID -- Pocatello Pump

-- Sept 26 - Oct 1 -- Yosemite Valley, CA -- International Climbers' Meet

Weekend Warrior: Videos to Get You Stoked!

It is that time again. Time t0 throw off the suits and ties (or whatever you wear to work) and dawn our respected suits of outdoor armor. Whether it be shorts and t-shirt for some classic cragging or the full-on gore-tex tux for some hardcore alpine endeavors...whatever you wear the important thing is getting out there and playing outside. To help you get psyched we've got a few great videos for you.

The first is the trailer for the seldom seen classic climbing movie "Take it to the Limit". I watched this last night and was simply amazed at the filmmaking and acting quality. If you haven't seen it yet, watch it and be prepared to laugh...a lot!

The second video is from another classic piece of climbing cinema, "Cliffhanger". Whenever I see footage from this movie I was wonder what type of impact Sylvester would have had on the climbing world if he hadn't went the Hollywood route. I mean, you can't fake this footage...right?

And last but certainly not least...Vertical Limit! This film is quite possibly Chris O'Donnell's finest work...which I realize isn't saying much (I apologize ahead of time to all three of his fans). After all, only the best of the best could pull off the high flying chasm jump at the end of this trailer, talk about shoulder and grip strength!