-- The late exit and overnight permit number for Red Rock Canyon is 702-515-5050. If there is any chance that you will be inside the park after closing, be sure to call this number so that you don't get a ticket.
--The scenic drive currently opens its gates at 6 in the morning.
You've just completed a
spectacular ice climb. Everything went smoothly the entire way. But
now you're three pitches off the deck and you don't want to leave
anything behind on your descent. There is a way to do this and it is
surprisingly simple.
The V-thread -- also known as the Abalakov
anchor -- is a simple technique wherein one simply links two holes bored
in the ice together and then threads a cord through, the cord is then
tied-off and used as an anchor.
Following is a short video on how
to do this with a single ice screw:
It's
not a bad idea to back-up an ice anchor before rappelling. This
article provides some tips as to how one might back-up a V-thread.
It's
a good idea to practice this on the ground before employing it in a
descent. Though this is conceptually simple, it can be difficult to line
up the bore holes. This is definitely not something that you want to
use for the first time in a raging snowstorm as it's starting to get
dark.
By definition, as an alpinist, I encounter extremely varied terrain and
conditions during my mountain adventures. Having a variety of gear
allows me to match my equipment to the climb I'm attempting, so I can
achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness. Sometimes this means
buying two of something that seemingly perform the same task, however
may have slightly different specifications or purposes.
I'm sure many of you acquire multiple sleeping bags, harnesses, and
other equipment, with the idea that "a friend could borrow it" if need
be. Lately, I have been trying to denounce this idea, and only have
multiples of the same item if they truly serve a specific function that I
find valuable. This led me to think of the perfect quiver of ice axes,
that would serve nearly every climb I would embark on.
Grivel Air Tech
Racing Ice Axe
GENERAL MOUNTAINEERING AXE: This ice axe serves as your "everyday
axe", and should be sized for comfort. I'm 5' 10" and I prefer this
axe to be around 55-60cm, which allows me to chop steps comfortably if
need be. It can or cannot have a slight bend in the head, but should
have an adze and a positive clearance pick - suitable for self arrest.
This axe will serve the purpose of self-arrest tool, anchor,
step-chopper, and balance tool, to name a few. It will be ideal for 3-day Baker Climbs or a
21-day Denali West
Buttress Expedition. This is your workhorse axe, a classic piolet.
Camp Corsa - the
World's lightest ice axe
ULTRA-LIGHTWEIGHT AXE: This ice axe serves as your skiing, "just
in case," and "I'm only going to be on a glacier for 400 feet but still
want something for self-arrest," ice axe. It should be short, no longer
than 50 cm, and is really for those short glacier jaunts or quick
couloir climbs. If you try and chop steps with it for an extended
period of time, you'll probably blow out your shoulder or bend the
adze. It probably isn't that durable, but it doesn't need to be; the
lighter the better is what you are going for here. A great axe for
approaching something like the North Ridge of
Mt. Stuart, or while doing some extreme skiing in the
backcountry.
Black Diamond
Venoms: The adze has a positive clearance pick and the hammer has a
recurve pick.
A PAIR OF HYBRID ICE AXES/TOOLS: Are you going to be approaching
on a glacier, and then climbing a 50-70 degree alpine ridge? Will
there be short sections of steep ice, or will you have to climb moderate
rock with your tools? If so, these are an excellent choice which
bridge the gap between true ice tools and glacier axes. Having the
recurve pick is essential when it comes to feeling secure on steep
terrain, however when you strap one tool on your pack and carry the
other, the positive curve pick provides confidence in the self arrest
position. Sometimes if things get really steep, you can match this tool
with an actual ice tool. A pair of these tools will be extremely
efficient and comfortable during a climb of the North Ridge of Mt.
Baker, or Denali's
West Rib.
Black Diamond
Cobra Ice Tools - One with an adze, the other with a hammer
A PAIR OF WATER ICE/DIFFICULT ALPINE TOOLS: These tools are made
for steep water ice and challenging mixed alpine lines. If climbing
pure water ice, they should have two hammers; if set up for the alpine,
one adze and one hammer works well. Having the tools made out of carbon
fiber is nice because it does not conduct heat as much, however they
are less responsive than aluminum tools. Keep these picks sharp!
You'll be using them for the most technical terrain you encounter, like Artesonraju in Peru,
and the Ice Park
in Ouray, CO.
If competition mixed climbing is up your alley then you'll likely need
another pair of tools, however for your average alpinist this quiver
should serve all their needs. All tallied up, four significantly
different types of climbing can be efficiently covered by 6 ice
axes/tools total. You can obviously mix and match if needed, and
personal preference/ability could easily add or subtract tools from this
list.
I would love to hear what your perfect quiver of ice tools looks like,
and what you actually currently have. Please leave us comments!
For this edition of Weekend Warrior, we're looking at some of our favorite activities, skiing, ice climbing and rock climbing, but in some interesting locales and venues - some you might not normally think of at first...
This first clip takes a look at the region of Kashmir, an area usually thought of as home to some major Himalayan peaks, like Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum, and K2. Sure there is tons of snow there, so I guess it was only a matter of time before there was skiing, and if you are going to have skiing, you might as well have Heliskiing, right?
This second video was definitely a surprise for me. When I think of ice climbing, I think of places like Ouray, the Canadian Rockies, Scotland, the Alps, and dozens of other places. But I never would have thought about Iran...
Sure there is lots of climbing in Austria and Switzerland, but you're probably thinking of the Alps or the Dolomites, right? Well this clip starts off in that direction, but makes a sharp turn a few minutes in and features some unusual climbing venues.
Recently, there have been a lot of "what people think" memes placed on social networking sites. These usually involve a series of pictures subtitled with lines like, "what my mom thinks I do" or "what society thinks I do." Usually at the very end there is a final photographic punchline.
We've scoured the internet in order to find a handful of these that apply to our culture. If you find these hard to read, please click on them to enlarge:
It should be no surprise that there are some skiing memes out there:
Unfortunately, we couldn't find any that applied to mountaineering or mountain guides. So our very own Andrew Yasso made the following memes:
--Three people were killed in an avalanche in Washington near Stevens Pass
ski area Sunday afternoon, ESPN.com has confirmed. The three were
skiing in a group of 13 friends that included both local and visiting
skiers, according to ESPN Freeskiing editor Megan Michelson,
who was among the skiers in the group. To read more, click here.
--Karl Milanoski, a 41-year-old Seattle man, was swept off a cliff by an avalanche near
Alpental, one of four resorts at The Summit at Snoqualmie. The Seattle
Times reported
Sunday that Milanoski inadvertently set off the avalanche, which
swept him over a cliff and 500 feet down the mountain. Milanoski was killed in the slide. To read more, click here.
--A 28-year-old Bellingham man and his passenger were safe last Sunday after
crash-landing a small plane Saturday night nearly 8,000 feet high on
the south side of Mount Baker on the Deming Glacier at 7,800'. Both the pilot and passenger, whose
names were not released, were rescued from the snow-covered volcano by
snowmobilers who saw the wreck, according to the Federal Aviation
Administration and the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office. To read more, click here.
--Two skiers who went missing in southeast British Columbia on Monday
night have been found in a good condition near Kootenay Pass. To read more, click here.
--The Bellingham Herald produced an interesting article about misconceptions concerning search and rescue activities on Mount Rainier. To read the article, click here.
Read
more here:
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/02/12/2391206/snowmobilers-rescue-pilot-after.html#storylink=cpy. To read more, click here and here.
Sierra:
--The man known as the Sierra Phantom has died. Friends said JP Glover died
Monday, Jan. 30 at the Bishop Care Center. He was 85. Those who knew Glover did not call him by his birth name – most never
knew it. He was known as Sierra Phantom, a nickname earned after living
50 years in the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada. To read more, click here.
--AAI Guides Ian McEleney and Kristen Looper recently worked with the Montrose Search and Rescue team an ice climbing trip in Lee Vining. A great report about their ice climbing trip was posted at Montrose Patch. To read the article, click here.
--A window of time just opened in Yosemite National Park when nature
photographers wait, as if for an eclipse, until the moment when the sun
and earth align to create a fleeting phenomenon.
This marvel of celestial configuration happens in a flash at sunset
in mid-February – if the winter weather cooperates. On those days the
setting sun illuminates one of the park's lesser-known waterfalls so
precisely that it resembles molten lava as it flows over the sheer
granite face of the imposing El Capitan. To read more and to see the photos, click here.
--The Forest Service has released its new map of the popular Ansel Adams
Wilderness, managed by the Inyo and Sierra National Forests. This
topographic map replaces the older map which was last published in 1987. To read more, click here.
Desert Southwest:
--Officials Wednesday were advising rock climbers at Joshua Tree National
Park to use helmets after a San Diego man fell 50 feet and injured his
head. The 30-year old climber was scaling
Outer Mongolia Rock formation with friends Monday afternoon when he lost
his footing and fell. To read more, click here.
--An avid skier died early Sunday
afternoon after an accident at New Mexico's Sandia Peak Ski Area.
Two
friends were skiing down Sandia Peak when they crashed into each other
early Sunday afternoon. Benny Abruzzo, general manager of Sandia Peak,
said they were both accomplished skiers. To Read more, click here.
--After performing at the Super Bowl, slackliner and Moab resident, Sketchy Andy, made his way onto Conan O'Brien show. Check it out below:
Colorado:
--Three backcountry skiers we caught in an avalanche near Wolf Creek Pass.
The avalanche released on a west facing slope near treeline. The slide
was 3 feet deep, 600 feet wide, and ran 600 feet vertically. One skier
was uninjured. The second was injured and required evacuation. The third
was killed in the accident. To read more, click here and here.
--A 15-year-old Massachusetts girl was killed when
she skied into a tree at Copper Mountain ski resort on Sunday
afternoon, authorities said. To read more, click here.
--A 49-year-old woman was treated at McKee
Medical Center in Loveland Sunday for injuries she suffered
during an ice-climbing accident in the Big Thompson Canyon. Authorities said the woman was on a ice-climbing trip with her
husband and daughter Sunday afternoon. She was about 20 to 30 feet
above the ground when she rappelled down the highest of three ice falls,
slipped and swung sideways into a protruding ice formation. To read more, click here.
--Avalanche forecasters are saying that the avalanche danger, both in and out-of-bounds, is the worst that it's been in 30 years. To read more, click here.
Alaska:
--The National Park Service wants to improve and lengthen the oldest
established trail in Denali National Park and Preserve. The Park
Service is proposing an upgrade to the Horsehoe Lake Trail, a 1.5-mile
trail that was built in 1940. The trail is located near the entrance to
the 6 million-acre park and leads to Horseshoe Lake, a small oxbow lake
formed when a bend in the nearby Nenana River got cut off. To read more, click here.
--Visitors interested in winter activities in Denali National Park might have increased opportunities in
coming years. The park is considering plowing an additional nine miles
of road into the park, and is seeking public input on the idea. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--A 33-year-old man was killed by an avalanche Monday
afternoon that was triggered by the snowmobiles he and a companion
were riding in the Lost Johnny area west of Montana's Hungry Horse
Reservoir. To read more, click here.
--Avalanches are making national news this year. The New York Times recently ran an in-depth article about risk taking and avalanche conditions in the backcountry in places like Washington, Colorado and Utah. To read the article, click here.
--Johan Friso -- a Dutch Prince -- was in critical condition in hospital after he was buried in
an avalanche while backcountry skiing in the Austrian Alps last Friday,
authorities said. Queen Beatrix's middle son was
pulled unconscious from the snow 20 minutes after the accident and
resuscitated, the mayor of the upscale western resort of Lech told the
Austria Press Agency. To read more, click here.
--Kate Rutherford and Mikey Schaefer climbed a new
route in early January in Patagonia. Their line, Astro Choss, climbs up the east face of Aguja Saint-Exupery (8,392'). To read more, click here.
--Why is it that the biggest ski resorts in North America are that worried about a low snowfall year? I'll give you a hint. It's because their business model isn't built completely on skiing. To read about what it is built on, click here.
--The Petzl Newton Industrial Harness requires an inspection. As a precautionary measure, Petzl is asking all of its
customers to inspect the safety stitching on the loops of the sternal
attachment point on all Newton harnesses. To read more, click here.
--
The late exit and overnight permit number for Red Rock Canyon is
702-515-5050. If there is any chance that you will be inside the park
after closing, be sure to call this number so that you don't get a
ticket.
--The scenic drive currently opens its gates at 6 in the morning.
As the Alaska Program Coordinator, I get calls from people all the time who are wondering what is the best way they can train for an upcoming expedition. It may sound cliche, but the best advice I can give is this:
The best way to train for climbing, is to go climbing.
I know, I know - it is a ridiculous statement. But it's true. The challenge is, many of our climbers don't have the kind of access to climbing that we do, and they need to come up with alternative ways to train. One of the hardest but most important thing to simulate before joining us on an expedition, is the experience of pulling a sled. I've had a lot of people describe their method, but a picture says a thousand words.
This is a picture of a climber who is joining us on Denali this season. He nicknamed his tire "Tiger," and has to train at night because the only thing available to him is a golf course. I'm sure the groundskeeper doesn't look too fondly upon snowshoe crampon marks on their greens. Regardless, we love his dedication, and thank him for sending this photo in!
Do you have any good photos of you training for an expedition or climbing? We would love to see all you dedicated climbers out there! Please email them to andrew@alpineinstitute.com, and I'll post them on a future blog to share with our community.
The American Alpine Institute is currently
seeking an enthusiastic individual to participate in a 6-month paid
internship.
The Administrative Support Intern supports the Program Coordinators by
assisting with sales, registrations, client communication, and office
recordkeeping. In addition, the intern supports the IT Manager by
assisting with development of the company website.
Duties and Hours
This position normally requires between 20 and 30 hours per week.
Principle duties are as follows:
• Assist with routine office work, including processing trip
registrations, answering phones and responding to emails, and keeping
accurate paperwork and database records.
• Gain familiarity with AAI’s program offerings and take growing
responsibility for representing these programs accurately and
attractively in our marketing collateral, client communications, and
phone conversations
• Assist with development of the Institute’s website, including
migration of content from old blogs and web pages to new containers.
Compensation
This position is designed to provide the intern with entrance to the
professional network of the mountain guiding community and the larger
outdoor industry. The principle tangible benefit of this job will be the
opportunity to receive recommendations from our director and senior
staff and to benefit from their connections. However, in addition, there
are three forms of direct compensation:
• An hourly wage commensurate with experience
• Tuition waivers for many of our climbing programs
• Eligibility for pro purchase programs for equipment and clothing
Application
To learn more about this internship, please log onto:
We often get caught up with the "who's hot" right now type of thing in climbing. And sometimes we forget that there are some old bold climbers out there that are not just still kicking, but are actively talking about climbing and climbing politics today.
Reinhold Messner was the first person to complete ascents of all 14 8,000 meter peaks. He is a prolific speaker and writer. And he was able to make some time to come out to the winter Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City last month. In a question and answer session, Messner talks about the infamous Compressor Route on Cerro Torre, mountain preservation, wilderness experience, styles of climbing on 8000 meter peaks and the history of modern climbing. This is an incredibly interesting video that was was produced at the event:
February
and March The Forest Service in Western Washington is offering Snowshoe Hikes and Cross
Country Ski Tours for all ages. Scroll down to find one in your area
and make your arrangements.
SNOWSHOE HIKES - Make reservations the Wednesday prior to the scheduled program by callingGlacier Public Service Center, 360-599-2714 weekends, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. or Mt. Baker Ranger District Office, 360-856-5700 ext. 515 weekdays,
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. To offset the costs of the program a donation of $10
per person is suggested for all programs payable by cash or check made
out to Discover Your Northwest Interpretive Association.
Heather Meadows 90-Minute Walk
Feb. 4, 18, 19, 25, 11 a.m.
Meet at upper Mt. Baker Ski Area parking lot by the Bagley Lakes Trailhead.
Learn about area history, winter ecosystem, wildlife and safety.
Group size 15
Snowshoe Hannegan Road Feb. 11, 11 a.m.
Meet at the Shuksan Picnic Area at the base of the Hannegan Road, milepost 46.5 off the Mt. Baker Highway, SR 542.
Learn about area history, winter ecosystem, wildlife and safety.
Learn about the history of the area, the winter ecosystem and wildlife on this beginning walk.
Group size: 20
SNOQUALMIE PASS
CROSS-COUNTRY SKI
No
reservations are necessary. Participants must have intermediate ski
skills. Meet at Grand Junction on the Nordic ski trail out of Summit
East Ski area at 10:30 a.m. The program is free, but participants will
need a ski area trail pass to access Grand Junction. For more
information call 425-434-6111 or 425-434-7669.
Interpretive Tour
Sun. 10:30 a.m.
Learn about the history of the area, the winter ecosystem and wildlife.
SNOWSHOE HIKES
The
90-minute walk and extended snowshoe trips run Jan. 8-March 31, the
winter photography and ecology outings Jan. 21-March 31 and the “Kids in
the Snow” program Feb. 4-March 31. Make reservations at 425-434-6111.
Trips for special events and school groups can also be scheduled. Meet
15 minutes early at the visitor’s center off I-90, exit 52 on Snoqualmie
Pass.
Interpretive 90-Minute Walk
Sat. Sun. 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m.
Learn about winter ecosystem, wildlife and safety.
Group size 20
Extended Half-Day Hikes
Fri. Sat. Sun. 9:30 a.m.
Experience Commonwealth Basin in the winter surrounded by the Cascade crest peaks.
Ice screws are expensive and they get damaged easily. Petzl has put together this absolutely great video on how to sharpen your screws. Beware though, these techniques take some minor skills with tools...
--"Three people were killed when the small plane they were in crashed
early Wednesday near North Bend. Sheriff's Sgt. Cindi West said the single-engine Cessna 172 crashed
just after 2 a.m. on the Little Si section of Mount Si. The plane hit a shear face on the lower peak at about the 2,000 foot
level, killing the woman and two men who were on board." Little Si is a popular sport climbing area, west of Snoqualmie Pass. To read more, click here.
--A skier injured in the backcountry near Alpental ski area was hoisted to
safety Sunday with a helicopter. The skier suffered an incapacitating leg injury around 2 p.m. Sunday
while skiing northwest of Alpental in the Slot Couloir. According to the King County
Sheriff’s Office, searchers were able to spot the man after a layer of
fog lifted. To read more, click here. To see a video of the rescue, click on the screen below:
--Long-time AAI guide Alan Kearney recently made a winter ascent of Mt. Sefrit. He wrote a great blog on the subject, starting it with the line, "So close to home and yet so hard to get to; that describes Mt. Sefrit, a
craggy peak just over 7,000 feet high and just north of Mt. Shuksan." To read more, click here.
--Olympic National Park’s mountain goat population has hit a 20-year peak, according to new research findings out this week. To read more, click here.
Sierra:
--The Bureau of Land Management’s Bishop Field Office is increasing its
efforts to educate climbers and campers on how to enjoy, but not abuse,
the natural resources as the number of visitors grows. Officials will
hold coffees with climbers at Pleasant Valley Pit Campground Friday,
February 17, from 8:30am to 11am. Over the past decade, the Bishop Field Office has experienced an
increase in climbing and car camping activity in the Volcanic Tableland
north of Bishop. Damage to cultural and natural resources also has
increased as more climbers and other public land users visit the
tableland and camp in the area. To read more, click here.
Desert Southwest:
--A proposal to designate the community of Joshua
Tree as a national conservation and historic reserve was met with
approval at an exploratory meeting last week. This model has been put into use by a handful of unique
communities in the
United States to control their development while protecting natural
and cultural resources. The community of Joshua Tree is right outside the gates of Joshua Tree National Park. To read more, click here.
--Amendment looms on transportation bill to reverse mining ban in iconic
national park: The Wilderness Society urged the U.S. House of Representatives
to reject Amendment 133 to the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act of 1012
(H.R. 7) on Valentines Day. The proposed amendment would overturn the Department of
the Interior’s decision to ban uranium mining on over 1 million acres of
federal public lands and National Forests in northern Arizona for the
next 20 years. To read more, click here.
--This is not the way to get your kids interested in being outdoors: "A federal trial has begun in Phoenix for an Indiana man accused of
forcing his grandsons to hike in the Grand Canyon without food or water
in brutal August heat. Christopher Alan Carlson of Indianapolis has pleaded not guilty to
six counts of child abuse. A jury was selected Wednesday morning and
opening statements were set for the afternoon." To read more, click here.
Colorado:
--A coroner says a 72-year-old man who was taken to a hospital
after being found face down on an expert trail at a Colorado resort has
died. The man suffered a broken neck. To read more, click here.
--Nathanael Soules was snowboarding alone on Monday when a slide buried
him in the Telluride sidecountry. Two skiers found Soules buried under four feet of avalanche debris
without a pulse and with massive head injuries, according to the San
Miguel County Sheriff’s Office. To read more, click here.
A climber following a pitch in Ouray Ice Park.
--The Ouray City Council has purchased land from the USFS to expand the city's ice park. To read more, click here.
--AAI Guide Dawn Glanc came in first place in the Women's Mixed Ice Climbing Competition at the Teva Winter Games. To read more, click here.
Notes from All Over:
--Lawrence County Coroner
Gary Gould confirmed Sunday night that 24-year-old Tina Heilman of
Sioux Falls died after a Saturday afternoon collision at South Dakota's Terry Peak
Ski Area. To read more, click here.
--We generally don't report on avalanches outside of North America. However, this particular story caught our eye. "Rescuers have pulled a 5-year-old girl
alive from the rubble of a house flattened by a massive avalanche that
killed both her parents and at least seven of her relatives in a remote
mountain village in southern Kosovo. Col. Shemsi Syla, a spokesman
for the Kosovo Security Force, said Sunday officers discovered the girl
when they heard her voice and cell phone. Her home was buried under 33 feet of snow." To read more, click here. To see raw footage of this amazing rescue, click on the screen below:
--The nominations for the twentieth annual Piolets d'Or awards have been announced. To see the full list of ascents nominated, click here.
--The Utah Legislature wants to make skiing and snowboarding official state sports. To read about their proposal, click here.
--So it appears that an ice climber in South Dakota got in a bit of hot water for solo climbing--while naked. To read more, click here.
--Three people were taken to the hospital
after falling 30 feet from a chairlift at a Minnesota ski resort, after the chair came loose. Authorities says the accident
happened around 12:50 p.m. Saturday at Coffee Mill Ski and Snowboard
Resort. To read more, click here.
--Ice climbing has made it to tabloid magazines. Check it out, here.
--An incident where a skier intentionally started an avalanche a few weeks ago has created an avalanche of criticism. Molly Absolon wrote an interesting article about responsibility in the backcountry with an emphasis on the idea that we're all responsible for each other. To read more, click here.
--The days when a ski resort could fib about a powder dump are coming to
an end.
A study out of Dartmouth College found that ski resorts with
good iPhone reception were less likely to exaggerate their snowfall. To read more, click here.
--We report a fair number of ski area fatalities on this blog. It's good to put it into perspective: "The National Ski Area Association reports the rate of fatalities is .78
per million skier/snowboarder visits. In the 2010-11 season, there were
60.5 million skier visits, and 47 ski related deaths, less than 1 in per
million. On our roads, 160 people die per million drivers, according to
the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (there are an
average of 92 fatalities on U.S. roads daily). Compared to the sport of
skydiving, skiing is ten times safer, there are approximately 30 deaths
from skydiving per 3 million jumps annually (10 per million)." To read more, click here.
An image from last year's Men of Routesetting calendar.
Climbing, skiing and mountaineering are dangerous sports. When you undertake an outdoor, backcountry, or an alpine adventure without a guide, you assume total responsibility for your decisions and wellbeing. Conditions in the mountains are constantly changing, and no guidebook or computer web blog can take the place of solid training and experience. Though this site features descriptions of roads, trails, climbing routes, and other natural features, you cannot assume that because something is described here that it has not changed since last observed or that it will be safe for you or your party.
AAI assumes no responsibility or liability for your use of the information presented in this blog. With regard to all backcountry travel and climbing, you must make your own assessments and decisions, and you assume all risks in applying them.
