American Alpine Institute Used Gear Sale - Today and Tomorrow!

The American Alpine Institute used gear sale is in full swing right now.  Here are a few pictures from the event:

The Ever-Popular Richard Riquelme

The Shop Basement is chocked full of great new and used equipment!

Want crampons or climbing gear cheap? We got it!

Hank and Stephen in front of the shop this morning.

Today, Friday, is day one of the two-day blow-out. Tomorrow will be even more exciting as AAI Guide Kurt Hicks will be doing climbing clinics adjacent to the sale, all day long!


--Jason D. Martin

Somethin' 'bout Nothin': Kelly Cordes on Alpinism

In the following video, climbing writer, former American Alpine Institute Guide and Patagonia product tester Kelly Cordes discusses his training techniques and his style of climbing. Cordes refers to his alpine climbing strategy as "disaster style."

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 9/29/11

Northwest:

--A Eugene man died after a fall on Saturday in Oregon's Sisters Wilderness.  The Lane County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue says 37-year-old Brian Jones of Eugene fell while climbing the North Sister. To read more, click here.

--A plaque in honor of the Cascade legend Dallas Kloke was recently placed in a location overlooking the Pleiades, where Dallas passed away last year.  The plaque was designed by Mark Devoigne and was placed by he, Scott Bingen, Dallas's sons and a few other close friends.  Each of those present took turns pounding the pins to secure the memorial.  To read more, click here.

--In related news, Dallas Kloke long ago related his concept of what the most difficult ten peaks were in the Cascades. Essentially Dallas created a list of routes that were difficult to get up and down and identified the easiest line on each of the peaks.  Tom Sjolseth recently completed, "The Difficult Ten." To read more, click here.

--A plan to add approximately 109,000 acres of the Methow Valley Ranger District to the North Cascades National Park has been dropped, due to opposition from mountain bikers, hunters, dog-owning hikers and heli-ski operations. The American Alps Legacy Project on Friday released its final proposal, which would now add nearly 238,000 acres to the park, instead of the 350,000 acres once envisioned. To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--On Monday, there was a dramatic rescue on El Capitan. A climber took a lead fall while his tumb was hooked in an unusual place behind an aid sling. The thumb was pinched off. The expert YOSAR team picked the climber and his partner off the cliff, and the man's partner was even able to retrieve his thumb! All of this was captured on film by Tom Evans, who runs the El Cap Report.  To see the dramatic rescue photos, click here.

--On September 18th, an Austrian climber was killed when a block fell and cut his rope on the Northwest Face of Half Dome. There is quite a bit of discussion on this accident on supertopo.com.

--There is an interesting conversation taking place on supertopo concerning the ethic of adding bolts to Super Chicken in Tuolumne Meadow. The first ascentionist is thinking about adding bolts to a 5.7x pitch that has kept people off the route for 37 years.  To read the conversation, click here.

--On August 31st, 69-year-old Mark Huddleston was arrested for theft. This arrest concluded a three-year crime spree that primarily focused on campground equipment that was left unattended. Huddleston stole many thousands of dollars worth of campground generators, fishing equipment and other odds and ends from the Convict Lake and Rock Creek areas. To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:

--Parts of Joshua Tree National Park that were closed due to the damage a flash flood caused are slated to be reopened. To read more, click here.


Notes from All Over:

--A staff member is dead after an accident at a church camp in the Madera County foothills near Fresno, CA.  The woman apparently died at the Calvin Crest Camp. The camp says 23-year-old Nadyne Qirreh was putting away a rock climbing materials this week when she fell and died. To read more, click here.

--Two climbers were evacuated safely by helicopter off The Thorn north of Silverthorne in Colorado's Gore Range Monday. Both men were unharmed.  The two climbers, ages 34 and 28, were ascending without technical gear in a couloir when the leader got stuck at about 12,000 feet. The second man was able to get cell phone coverage and call for help. To read more, click here.

The Washington Monument

--NPS Denali Mountaineering Ranger Brandon Latham lead a team to rappel off the Washington Monument. Latham, along with a team of mountaineering rangers and engineers inspected the monument for damage due to the recent earthquake. To read more, click here and here.

--So this is weird. A free-thinking Dutch-man named Thijs Zonneveld would like to build an artificial mountain in the Netherlands. And it looks like he's building solid support for the project.  To read more, click here. To see a video on the project, see below:

Conditions September 28, 2011

NORTHWEST:

-- Mt. Shuksan - Fischer Chimneys are passable and Winnies slide is still firm snow no blue ice reported.

-- Mountain Specific Weather Forecasting.

-- 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:

-- 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.

What's Wrong with this Picture?

Most climbers begin their career by toproping.  If you're reading this blog, it's likely that you've toproped before.  So I'd like to try something new with this blog.  I'd like to ask each of you out there in the dark corridors of the internets what you see wrong with each of the set-ups in the following pictures:

Picture #1 -- This first photo was taken at Barney's Rubble in Leavenworth.  What's wrong with this picture?

Picture #2 -- This second picture was taken at the top of a sport route on the Aquifer Wall in Red Rock Canyon. What's wrong with this picture?

Picture #3 -- This last picture was taken at the top of a route at Mount Erie.  What's wrong with this picture?

So there are three pictures of toprope anchors that may or may not be problematic.  Please comment on each of them and tell me what you think is wrong!

Update #1:

Try not to read anybody elses responses until you've posted your ideas.  I'll put a detailed response to the problems with each anchor up tomorrow. 

Update #2 -- The Answers:

Picture #1:

This first anchor is a mess.  Here is a quick breakdown of the problems:

1. Many of you pointed out that the rope was going through a single quickdraw.  This is not what is considered industry standard. There should be redundancy at the power-point. Most often, the redundancy is reached by using two opposite and opposed lockers or three opposite and opposed non-lockers.
2. The entire system is an massive Magic X or Sliding X. If your goal is to build an anchor that  meets the standards of the anchor building acronyms SRENE or ERNEST, then an open Sliding X is the wrong choice. The problem with a large open "self-equalizing" system is twofold. First, there is the potential for a shock-load if one of the pieces fail.  And second, there is no redundancy in the sling. If you need some level of self-equalization, the best thing to do is to add load limiting knots to the system. Load limiters will decrease the shock-load while creating redundancy in the sling.
3. It's not at all clear what the sling on the right is for.
4. Some people have stated that they would put locking carabiners into the bolts.  I don't believe this to be necessary. As there are two bolts, and a carabiner into each bolt, there is redundancy.

 Picture #2:

1. Most of you correctly identified the problem here. One should not directly toprope off of chains. The constant lowering motion of the rope slowly damages the anchor.  It is best to toprope directly off of your own gear and then to rappel with the ropes through the chains.

Picture #3:

1. Yep, that's an American Death Triangle, which means it's bad. There are dangerous vectors between the two bolts, and there is no redundancy in the system.
2. In a toproped setting, the power-point should have at least two opposite and opposed locking carabiners or three opposite and opposed non-locking carabiners.
3. Like Picture #1, some people have stated that they would put locking carabiners into the bolts.  I don't believe this to be necessary. As there are two bolts, and a carabiner into each bolt, there is redundancy.

--Jason D. Martin

Clinics and Gear Sale - Sept. 30-Oct. 1

Click on Image to Enlarge

The Equipment Shop at the American Alpine Institute in Bellingham will be having its huge, in-store new and used equipment sale on September 30th and October 1st.

Save up 60% on new in-store merchandise and up to 75% on used Rental Equipment. Get a raffle ticket for every $25 spent and win course vouchers of up to $750 and lots of other prizes!

In addition to the sale, AAI guides will be presenting free climbing clinics!

Following is the schedule:

Sale, Friday September 30th, 8-6

Sale and Free Clinics: Saturday, October 1st, 9 to 4 (Sale is officially 8 AM - 2PM, but may go longer)

9am - Crevasse Rescue Techniques

10:30am - Avalanche Beacon Search

12:00pm - Rock Rescue Techniques: Passing a Knot/Lowering an injured partner

1:30pm - Rock Rescue Techniques: Escaping the Belay

3:00pm - Crevasse Rescue Techniques

If you would like to attend one of the clinics, please contact us to sign up at either: info@aai.cc or call the Equipment Shop at 360-671-1570.

Additional raffle tickets may be purchased to benefit both the American Safe Climbing Association and the North Cascades Institute.

The Equipment Shop at the American Alpine Institute is located at 1513 12th Street, Bellingham, WA, on the corner of 12th Avenue and Old Fairhaven Parkway.

Thanks for your support and see you there!

--Jason D. Martin

September - October Events

-- Sept 26 -- Seattle, WA -- Former AAI Guide speaking on Coffee

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

-- Sept 30 - Leavenworth, WA -- Mt. Waddington Slide Show

-- Sept 30 - Oct 1 -- Bellingham, WA -- AAI Equipment Shop New and Used Gear Sale!!!

-- 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

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

-- Oct 15 - 16 -- Tucson, AZ -- UClimb Event 

-- Oct 20 - 24 -- Las Vegas, NV -- Chicks Rock Fall Clinic

Weekend Warrior - Videos to get you STOKED!!

The local boy is at it again! Northwest native Colin Haley is back in Chamonix for a triple: Skis on his feet, crampons on his feet and rock shoes on his feet - all in the same day.

Colin Haley in Chamonix from Bjarne Sahlen on Vimeo.

Have a great weekend!
James Pierson - Program Coordinator

Documentary Review: Vertical Frontier

Mount Everest is deeply embedded in the minds of climbers and non-climbers alike all over the world. People think about it constantly.  We hear it all the time: "what do I need to do to climb Everest?"

Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world. But that's not what's made it such a household name. No, instead, it was the countless books and documentaries that have been produced over the years describing the gruesome details of expeditions gone wrong, and the heroic efforts of climbers on successful ascents. Popular culture lore helped to create the Everest that exists in our minds...

And while there are other mountains that the collective climbing psyche is fixated on, there are few that have seen so many popular culture references. And fewer yet that have hundreds of documentary films chronicling the tales on their flanks.  Mount Everest is an international household name.  It was the scene of many heroic alpine struggles...but there are other places that deserve such an honor.  One of those places is Yosemite Valley.

Like Mount Everest, Yosemite holds an important place in the history of climbing. It is where modern rock climbing evolved the furthest, the fastest.  And it is a place where technical skill and big wall proficiency is still at the cutting edge.  One great difference between Mount Everest and Yosemite is the fact that there simply have not been as many popular culture explorations of the place and its history to climbers.

Vertical Frontier, subtitled, "A History of the Art, Sport and Philosophy of Rock Climbing in Yosemite," is a Mount Everest style documentary built for the masses.  But unlike many of the Everest documentaries, Vertical Frontier caters to climbers as well as to non-climbers, making it one of the rare films that is entertaining to both audiences.

Vertical Frontier is a slick PBS-style feature documentary narrated by Tom Brokaw that tells the story of climbing in Yosemite from the first forays onto big features in the 1800s to a battle between climbers and the National Park Service at the turn of the century.  In between these two bookends, the film follows the development of climbing skill and technique by chronicling the important ascents over the last 100 years.

Much of the film is done in a standard documentary format; a format that easily allows the filmmakers to tell the story. And though engaging, climbing history is fraught with emotion and one-upsmanship. This, unfortunately, doesn't always penetrate the documentary style.

The capstone of Yosemite's story in the film is the "coming-together" of climbers after a flood seriously impacted the valley's tourist infrastructure in 1997. The National Park Service proposed a change in Camp 4, the campground used by generations of Yosemite Climbers. They wanted to build a new lodge at the historic site.  The last minutes of the film are quite different from the rest, as they are filled with emotion as decades worth of climbers pull together to save the place that provided them with such inspiration.

This 2002 documentary won the "Best Film on Climbing" at the Banff Mountain Film Festival in 2002 and at the Kendall Mountain Film Festival in 2003. The film won first prize in the Mountaineering Category at the International Mountaineering Film Festival at Teplice nad Metuii in the Czech Republic in 2004.  Additionally, it won the "Viewer's Choice" award at the International Festival of Outdoor Films in 2004 and the "Best Cameraman" at the Tbilisi International Mountain Films Festival in Georgia in 2006. It may be one of the better-awarded documentaries of its type...



Many of the films we see on Youtube or at the Banff Film Festival today are about people pushing standards. They are often slickly produced and are extremely entertaining. But they don't usually give us a glimpse into what came before the climbers on screen demonstrating their acrobatic skills.  Vertical Frontier provides this and is extremely entertaining for it...

--Jason D. Martin

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 9/22/11

Northwest:

--The American Alpine Institute Gear Sale will take place on September 31st and October 1st. Join us in Bellingham for major deals and free climbing clinics!

Sierra:


--AAI Guide Chantel Astorga has really pushed the limits over the last year.  Late last summer she soloed Mescalito on El Capitan and last week she pushed the boundaries even further. Chantel now holds the female speed record on the Nose with a 10 hour, 40 minute time from bottom to top.  To read more, click here.


--On Friday September 9th, the Mono County Sheriff Search and Rescue Team responded to rescue an injured backpacker near Iceberg Lake. The initial report stated that his leg that was “broken from the knee down,” and that he was potentially going into shock. To read more, click here.

--An experienced climber took a lead fall in Owens River Gorge with the rope behind his leg, resulting in multiple injuries. To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:


--Amos Richards, a sixty-four year-old North Carolina man, is lucky to be alive after spending four days and three nights crawling across the Utah desert with a broken leg before being rescued last Monday, National Park Traveler reports. To read more, click here.

Himalaya:

--In late August, Mark Richey, Steve Swenson, and Freddie Wilkinson, completed a first of Saser Kangri II (24,665'), the world's second highest unclimbed peak.  To read more, click here.


Notes from All Over:

--AAI Guide Dawn Glanc, was married over the weekend. Congrats, Dawn!

--A 16-person rescue team on Wednesday successfully recovered the body of a climber who died Saturday while descending a rocky slope near Pyramid Peak in the Colorado Rockies. To read more, click here.

--A mountain climber from Calgary miraculously escaped with his life after tumbling 1300 feet from near the summit of Mount Lefroy on the weekend. The 27-year-old man reached the summit of the 11,230-foot peak with his climbing buddy around 1pm Saturday, had unroped and was looking for an alternate way down when he slipped and fell. To read more, click here.

--From October 1st through December 15th, the 2012 Mugs Stump Award will be accepting grant applications from small climbing teams with fast and light alpine objectives.To read more, click here.

--A new management plan is being developed for the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.  To learn more about it, click here.

--The American Alpine Club has created a very cool feature on their site.  They have created a "guidebook finder" for climbing areas in the United States.  Check it out, here.

--The two American hikers, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, who were accused of spying by the Iranian government, were freed yesterday. To read more, click here.

--The Access Fund has recently announced the second round of grant recipients for 2011.  Following is a breakdown from their website:

Red River Gorge Climbers Coalition — Graining Fork Nature Preserve (Roadside) Restoration
A grant was awarded to Red River Gorge Climbers Coalition (RRGCC) to help private land owners restore and address climber impacts at Roadside Crag in the Graining Fork Nature Preserve near Torrent, Kentucky. The owners closed the highly popular climbing area due to climber impacts and disrespect for rules, and this project will help address these impacts before public access is re-considered. Pending a plan for re-opening, the Access Fund and the RRGCC will work together with the landowners, using volunteer labor to implement trail improvements, stabilize base areas to address severe erosion, and install both an informational kiosk at the trailhead and other signage along the trail.

CRAG-Vermont — Bolton Quarry Access Road Repair
CRAG-Vermont was awarded a grant to help cover the cost of repairing the access road on their Bolton Quarry property after an unprecedented flood washed out the road in April and blocked off climbing access to the area. This grant follows an emergency stewardship loan by the Access Fund Land Conservation Campaign to help raise $16,295 to cover the cost of repairs completed in June and re-establish their long-term stewardship funds. CRAG-Vermont has successfully protected climbing access to six different crags in the Bolton area and this road provides access to three of those crags.

Utah Open Lands — Castleton Tower Toilet Installation
Utah Open Lands (UOL) was awarded a grant to help address waste management issues at the Castleton Tower Preserve Area. This favorite climbing destination has seen increased use and thus greater impact in recent years. The Access Fund is pleased to support UOL in conjunction with Friends of Indian Creek and Planet Granite to protect and steward Castle Valley. Together we will help keep this area fee free and protected for future generations.

Friends of Muir Valley — Muir Valley Parking Improvements/Expansion
A grant was awarded to Friends of Muir Valley to improve and expand parking at Muir Valley, which hosts over 20,000 visitor days each year and growing. Lack of parking was beginning to cause serious access issues, with the current lot overflowing and many climbers (some of whom traveled a great distance) having to turn away. This project will help expand and improve the current parking lot and build an auxiliary parking lot for an additional 27 vehicles, accommodating oversized vehicles such as buses and RVs. Much of the design and labor will be donated.

Yosemite Climbing Association — 2011 Yosemite Facelift
A grant was awarded to the Yosemite Climbing Association (YCA) to help fund outreach and volunteer appreciation at the annual Yosemite Facelift. The event will address impacts to trails, roadways, river corridors, campgrounds, lodging areas, and climbing areas. The 2011 Facelift will also feature special projects such as removal of abandoned infrastructure, non-native species removal, old dump site removal, and, new this year, climbing trail restoration.

New Mexico CRAG — Diablo Canyon Restoration and Recreational Enhancement
New Mexico CRAG (NM-CRAG) was awarded a grant to assist the BLM in an effort to enhance the recreational potential of the Buckman Area, including Diablo Canyon, a basalt climbing area outside Santa Fe, New Mexico. The grant money will help restore riparian and other important hydro-ecologic functions of the area, as well as assist the BLM with the development of parking, camping, trail infrastructure, and informative signage about climbing opportunities in Diablo Canyon.

Boulder Climbing Community — Startup and Structuring
A grant was awarded to the Boulder Climbing Community (BCC), which kicked off in 2010 to connect and support the many climbers and local climbing organizations in the Boulder, Colorado area. The grant will assist the BCC in the process of becoming a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization; establish a more formal structure that transcends any one individual and maximizes involvement from community members; and improve BCC’s branding through the development of visible materials such as banners and signs.

Friends of Indian Creek — Superbowl Toilet Installation
Earlier this year, Access Fund awarded an off-cycle grant to Friends of Indian Creek (FOIC) to install a toilet at the popular Superbowl Campground. This toilet installation is part of a larger conservation effort to manage waste and reduce human impacts in the fragile desert landscape of Indian Creek.

 --The Fresh Air Fund, an organization that helps kids get out to have real summer vacations, had another phenomenal year.  To learn more about the organization, please click here.

Conditions Sept. 21, 2011

NORTHWEST:

-- 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:

-- Snow on Boundary Peak and White Mtn Peak and even a little on Mt. Tom today.

-- 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.

Denali Park Road Open to Mile 30 through September

The American Alpine Institute just received the following email from Denali National Park:

The busy summer season has ended at Denali National Park and Preserve, and visitors can now drive private vehicles on the Denali Park Road as far as the Teklanika River Rest Area at Mile 30, weather permitting. Visitors are advised to call ahead for weather and road information, as conditions can change rapidly at this time of the year.

On Tuesday, September 20, a project to replace all culverts under the paved portion of the road, i.e. Mile 1 – 15, will begin. Visitors should expect minor traffic delays due to one lane traffic at several locations along that portion of the road.

Vault toilets will be available at the Mountain Vista Trailhead (Mile 12), Savage River parking area (Mile 15) and the Teklanika River Rest Area through September. Other park facilities west of headquarters, such as campgrounds and restrooms, are closed for the season.

Beginning on Saturday, October 1, the park road will be closed to vehicles beyond Park Headquarters (Mile 3) in order to replace the large culverts between there and the Savage River (Mile 15). Both lanes will need to be excavated due to the large size of the culverts, making sections of the road impassable by vehicle. The road will be available to pedestrians and bicyclists, but they will need to walk around construction sites and stay alert for trucks and other heavy equipment. The culvert replacement project is scheduled to continue until November 23, weather permitting. Work will resume in the spring.

On Wednesday, September 21 the Murie Science and Learning Center (MSLC) will begin functioning as the winter visitor center. The MSLC is open daily from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm to provide park information and backcountry permits.

The Bear Loop of the Riley Creek Campground at Mile 0.2 will remain open for camping, but the water has been turned off for the season. A vault toilet is provided for campers and water can be obtained at the Murie Science and Learning Center. Gas, food service and lodging are available in the communities of Healy and Cantwell.

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. Visitors can pay entrance fees at the Murie Science and Learning Center.

Additional park information is available on the park website at www.nps.gov/dena or by calling (907) 683-9532 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm daily. Stay connected with “DenaliNPS” on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and iTunes – links to these social media sites are available at www.nps.gov/dena.

Rappelling Safety

There is no doubt that rappelling is the most dangerous thing that we regularly do in this sport. There are more climber injuries and fatalities from mistakes rappelling than from any other place in all of climbing. However, there are some things that every climber can do to make rappelling safer.

First, if it is possible to safely walk off from the top of a climb, simply walk off. Limiting the amount of time that you spend rappelling is a surefire way to limit the amount of exposure that you have to potential mistakes.

Second, climbers should always try to tie off the ends of their ropes in order to close the system. This is a simple thing to do that is often overlooked. Some climbers are afraid that their ropes will get stuck after they throw them...which is a legitimate fear. Closing the system should be a default tactic. But if there are extenuating circumstances, then perhaps the system should be intentionally left open.

I have recently started to experiment with tying the ends of the ropes off and clipping them to my harness.  In a multi-pitch rappel setting this decreases the likelihood of ropes getting stuck below the next belay station, as well as providing the security of a closed system.

People seldom think about tying knots in the end of the rope in single pitch terrain, but ironically, that's where most people accidentally rappel off of a single end of the rope. All that it takes is a minor rope offset to ruin your day. Knots in the rope will keep such a thing from being anything more than another minor element to fix.

Rappelling with a Prussik above the Device

And third, climbers should use some kind of rappel backup.

A Prussik Hitch on a Rope

There are two friction hitch backup options that are commonly used. Some people like to put a prussik hitch above their rappel device, whereas others prefer to put an autoblock hitch below the device. There are advantages and disadvantages to rappelling both ways. The biggest advantage to either of these options is that you are less likely to die if you make a mistake. The biggest disadvantage is that it takes extra time to put these things together...

Note the autoblock coming off the climber's leg-loop.
Most people will put their hand on the autoblock hitch while rappelling.

You might notice that the backup in this scenario is on a non-locker. Generally, you don't need a locking carabiner for a back-up, but if you want more security, you can certainly use one.

Rappelling with a friction hitch above the device has gone a bit out of fashion. One advantage to rappelling with a prussik hitch above is that it is easy to switch a rappel system into a rope ascending system. The prussik is already attached to the climber's belay loop, so all that he has to do is to add a second friction hitch for his feet below the first friction hitch.

Most climbers now rappel with a friction hitch (usually an autoblock hitch) below the device, attached to a leg loop. This allows both hands to hold the rope below the device which provides for more redundancy in the rappel.

An Autoblock Hitch

A friction hitch works well below the device...most of the time. It is, however, imperative that climbers who employ this technique be extremely careful. If a climber elects to hang from the rope by nothing more than his device and a friction hitch, it is possible that the hitch could be disengaged if it touches the device. Such a thing would result in catastrophic failure. This usually happens when one twists his body away from the friction hitch. If a climber needs to mess around with ropes or something else while hanging from a device and a hitch, he should definitely put a catastrophe knot in below the hitch. This will ensure that should something happen, the climber will not fall to the ground.

Rappelling is the most dangerous thing that we do. So why not create more security by trying to walk off when you can? Or by tying knots in the end of the ropes? Or by putting a friction hitch into the system? Any one of these simple techniques could save your life...

--Jason D. Martin

Denali Park to Burn Debris Piles near Kantishna

The American Alpine Institute just received the following email from Denali National Park:

Fire Management staff at Denali National Park and Preserve will burn piles of debris in Kantishna, at the western end of the Denali Park Road, beginning late evening on Monday, September 19 and continuing through Friday, September 23, conditions permitting. The debris pile is located in a gravel pit near the junction of Eureka Creek and the park road.

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 park maintenance projects.

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 .

Route Finding: Magnetic Declination

Your compass is pointing in the wrong direction. You know it's not north. Indeed, it's nowhere near north.

So what's up? Is it broken? Defective? What?

The problem is that it's not pointing at "true north." Instead, it's pointing at "magnetic north." Most people don't realize that there are two North Poles, the real one and the fake one, the true one and the magnetic one.

The Compass Dude puts it a bit more succinctly:

Why are there two different poles? Good question!

The magnetic north and south poles are the ends of the magnetic field around the earth. The magnetic field is created by magnetic elements in the earth's fluid outer core and this molten rock does not align perfectly with the axis around which the earth spins.

There are actually many different sources of magnetic activity around and in the world. All those influencing factors combine to create the north and south attractions at each spot on the globe. The actual strength and direction of 'north' is slightly different everywhere, but it is generally towards the 'top' of the planet.

The difference between true north and magnetic north is referred to as the declination. If you are not aware of the declination in a given area, then you may not be able to locate true north.

Example of magnetic declination showing a compass needle
with a "positive" (or "easterly") variation from geographic north.
From Wikipedia

Modern compasses are designed in such a way that the declination may be set. If you adjust the compass properly allowing the arrow to line up, then you will get a reading which shows both where true north is as well as magnetic north.

Most compasses require one to set the red compass point a given number of degrees off of true north. Usually there is a screw on the back of the compass that will allow you to set the declination. Two lines, often referred to as "the shed," will shift the appropriate distance off of true north. Once this is set, you will be able to shift the compass to the point where the needle is in the center of the shed. The printed "N" will then point toward true north.

Unfortunately, the declination is not always the same from one area to another. Every place on the planet has its own local irregularities and due to the fact that magnetic north isn't actually at the top of the globe, there are other variables that need to be taken into account before setting the declination. Following is a short explanation from Wikipedia on the variables:

Magnetic declination varies both from place to place, and with the passage of time. As a traveller cruises the east coast of the United States, for example, the declination varies from 20 degrees west (in Maine) to zero (in Florida), to 10 degrees east (in Texas), meaning a compass adjusted at the beginning of the journey would have a true north error of over 30 degrees if not adjusted for the changing declination.

In most areas, the spatial variation reflects the irregularities of the flows deep in the earth; in some areas, deposits of iron ore or magnetite in the Earth's crust may contribute strongly to the declination. Similarly, secular changes to these flows result in slow changes to the field strength and direction at the same point on the Earth.

The magnetic declination in a given area will change slowly over time, possibly as much as 2-2.5 degrees every hundred years or so, depending upon how far from the magnetic poles it is. This may be insignificant to most travellers, but can be important if using magnetic bearings from old charts or metes (directions) in old deeds for locating places with any precision.

There are many ways to determine the declination. The first and most common way is to simply get it off of a USGS topo map. Unfortunately many maps are out-of-date and the declination may have changed. You may also get your declination from the web at the NOAA website, here.

Following is a short video which reviews many of the key points in this article:



To learn more about compasses and declination, the Compass Dude has a great site with a lot of valuable information.

Knowing how to use your compass well will help to keep you from getting lost... And staying found makes every trip a lot more fun!

--Jason D. Martin

September - October Events

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


--Sept 23 -- Golden, CO -- "Facets of Winter" Film Event


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


-- Sept 30 - Oct 1 -- Bellingham, WA -- AAI Equipment Shop New and Used Gear Sale!!!


-- 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


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

-- Oct 15 - 16 -- Tucson, AZ -- UClimb Event

Weekend Warrior - Videos to get you STOKED!

I was up at Washington Pass last weekend, soaking up the sun before the seasons start to change too much.  One of the routes we did was the South West Buttress of South Early Winters Spire, a really fun 7 pitch 5.8 near the south end of the Liberty Bell Group near North Cascades National Park.  The Liberty Bell Group is composed primarily of 5 pillars - Liberty Bell, Concord Tower, Lexington Tower, North Early Winters Spire and South Early Winters Spire.  There are tons of great lines on the Liberty Bell Group, starting with beginner routes like the South Arete of South Early Winters Spire at 5.5.   Or maybe you are up to the challenge of Liberty Crack on Liberty Bell which was freed at 5.13a?  No matter what class you climb at, there is something for everyone in the Liberty Bell Group.

This area is one of my favorite climbing destinations.  So I though I would dedicate this Weekend Warrior to the Liberty Bell Group.  This first video gives you a great overview of the scenery and views from the area.  It's hard not to take a look around when you are dangling from a rope half-way between two of the peaks!


Tyrolean from Joel Reid on Vimeo.


This second video is from the Smiley's, a husband and wife team who climbed Liberty Crack last year in an attempt to climb all the routes from the book "50 Classic Climbs In North America."  You should definitely check them out.


Liberty Bell Mountain, Liberty Crack from Mark Smiley on Vimeo.

Have a great weekend!
-James Pierson, Program Coordinator

The New Faces of the American Alpine Institute

It is with sad hearts that we say goodbye to AAI Program Coordinators Dana Hickenbottom and Dyan Padagas, as well as Equipment Shop Assistant Manager, Graham Hamby.

Graham was the first to go, a few weeks ago.  Graham left at the end of July to pursue his professional photography career in Los Angeles.  Graham has been working on his urban photography portfolio for several years now and has really built up his portfolio.  To see Graham's work on his website, click here.

Dyan Padagas and Dana Hickenbottom

Dyan was recently recruited by the University of Washington Graduate School and has just begun her studies of geography/GIS.

Dyan began working at the Institute in 2009 and had the opportunity to participate in a number of our courses.  She completed an Alpinism 1 course, a Glacier Skills course, an Avalanche course and an SPI Course.  Additionally, she had the opportunity to climb numerous northwest routes with our guides, including one-day ascents of Mount Baker (Coleman-Deming and Coleman Headwall), an ascent of Dreamer (5.9, III+), multiple trips to Squamish, Red Rocks and Joshua Tree, and best of all, she and I had the opportunity to complete a first ascent in Las Vegas...

Dana is preparing to move to Portland in order to continue working on his degree in Renewable Energy Engineering.

One of the highpoints of Dana's career at AAI was a visit to Las Vegas and Red Rock Canyon during the Red Rock Rendezvous. While guiding he came upon an unusual photo shoot next to the crag he was working at. It didn't take long before he got to pose with the model and the model's "products."

Dana began working for the Institute in 2008.  And since then he has held more positions than perhaps anyone in the company's history.  Dana has been an office administrative assistant, a handyman, the program coordinator for the Cascades, Sierra, Alaska, and Ouray.  Additionally, Dana has worked as a guide in both the Cascades, and in Red Rock Canyon.

Graham, Dyan and Dana -- We are going to miss all three of you.  But don't worry, once in the AAI family, always in the AAI family.



Over the last month we have welcomed three new employees to the AAI Administration and the Equipment Shop.

Jeremy Wilson, James Pierson, and Tim Page

Jeremy Wilson is our new retail manager.  He came to us from Seattle via Borneo.  He has spent the last handful of years teaching abroad. Jeremy previously worked for both REI and The North Face. Jeremy oversees retail and rental operations, and advises clients on appropriate gear selection, route and travel information. His journeys have led him to climbs in the Alaska Range, Europe, Borneo, Canadian Rockies, Cascades, Sierras, Thailand and Malaysia. He lived in Poland and Indonesia for several years as a teacher and introduced children to the sport of rock climbing. He is a Pacific Crest Trail thru-hiker. Jeremy enjoys every facet of climbing, and other outdoor activities, including: cycling, mountain biking, skiing, sea kayaking, running and photography. He is an AMGA certified Single Pitch Instructor. He speaks some Polish and Bahasa Indonesia and studied urban planning.

James has taken over Northwest Program Coordination and works with climbers on trip selection and preparation for trips in the Cascades and Canada.  Although he was born in Kansas, he was bit by the Mountain Bug when he went to high school just south of Jackson Hole, WY.  After college and working in Colorado as a snowboarding instructor, he moved to the Olympia area, joined the Mountaineers and started climbing.  Since then he has climbed throughout Washington and Oregon, as well as ice climbing trips to Colorado, Montana and British Colombia.  James also enjoys telemark skiing in the winter, stand-up paddling and fishing in the summer and speaks a little German on the side.

Tim has taken over for Dyan, coordinating the Southwest and International Programs.  Additionally, he is part of the website, marketing and program operations team. Tim has been working in the outdoor industry for over 18 years as an instructor and a guide.  He has worked both as a rock climbing instructor, as well as a mountain biking guide and worked at a mountain bike and climbing guide service in Guatamala.

So we are all happy about the new faces around here, but sad about losing the old ones.  But that's life...

--Jason D. Martin

Climbing and Outdoor News from Here and Abroad - 9/15/11

Northwest:

--The American Alpine Institute is currently seeking an event planning intern. To read more, click here.

--Olympic National Park rangers shot and killed a mountain goat that threatened campers by following them to their campsite and refusing to leave. It was the second aggressive goat that rangers have killed since a goat fatally gored a hiker last October. To read more, click here.

--There is a movement afoot to save the Kelly Butte lookout. To read more, click here.

--Hikers probably don't think they're doing anything wrong, but the rogue trails they've been carving in the Columbia River Gorge are illegal.  Officials with the Gorge National Scenic Area and the state Department of Natural Resources are taking steps to block off some trails that threaten sensitive areas, especially on the Washington side of the river. To read more, click here.

--Friends of the Northwest Avalanche Center is sponsoring a photo contest. To read more, click here.

Sierra:

--The John Fire, which began burning Tuesday afternoon at approximately 1:30 PM, has now burned 2,000 acres and is 15 percent contained. Crews worked throughout the night to contain the fire burning in the Crater Mountain area south of Big Pine. To read more, click here.

Desert Southwest:


--Flash flooding in Joshua Tree National Park tore up roadways and flooded parts of campgrounds this week, forcing rangers to close areas of the park. To read more, click here.


Alaska:


--Denali National Park has officially raised climber fees. The cost will now be $350 for adults over 24.  If one is 24 or younger, then the fees will now be $250 per climber. To read more, click here.



Notes from All Over:

Walter Bonatti

--Legendary Italian mountaineer Walter Bonatti, who completed some of the most technically difficult climbs in history, has died in Rome at the age of 81, media reports said.  Bonatti, who was also a journalist and a writer, died late on Tuesday and will be buried in the northern Italian town of Lecco this weekend, the reports added. To read more, click here.

--A man fell to his death Saturday climbing Pyramid Peak near Aspen.  David Morano 41, plunged over 200 feet off the eastern edge of a ridge south of 14,018-foot Pyramid Peak, near Thunder Pyramid, according to the Pitkin County Sheriff's Office. To read more, click here.

--Spanish climbers Cati Llado and Tomeu Rubi added to the long list of first ascents in Kyrgyzstan this year by climbing two new peaks, Rakhmat (16,876') and Tueshuenboeduem (16,669').To read more, click here.

Conditions September 14th, 2011

NORTHWEST:

-- Fisher Chimneys Snow to approach pitch thinning dramatically and undercut 10 - 12ft. under boot tracks. Cross middle right to far right. The upper end of the snow bridge at 7500' is down to a meter wide.

-- 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:

-- Snow on Boundary Peak and White Mtn Peak and even a little on Mt. Tom today.

-- 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.