How to better your ice climbing?

Photos courtesy of the V. and N.



One of the cool things about having a blog is being able to see where the traffic comes from and what most who read the blog are interested in.



I remember teaching with the now legendary Canadian Guide James Blench, years ago, whenhe ratherpointedly asked me why I didn't "get to it". That while I stood around wide eyed watching him and John Lauchlan whip a bunch of beginning ice climbers through their paces in class. I kept my mouth shut and learned a lot about ice climbingfrom those two guys.



Note worthy side-bar here, giving credit where it is due

"If youwant to goclimbing, anywhere in the world,and really learn the skills more aboutJames in the link below. James is one of the guys who invented free climbing really steep water ice and is still at it. No betteror more experiencedmountain guide working today."



http://www.jamesblench.ca/mountaineering_about.html.





ok,back to thestory ;)

I was afraid to open my mouth. Better be seen as knowing something than speaking up and letting the word (or lack of them) out. So take this FWIW ;)



Rock climbing and ice climbing have a few things in common. I am not so sure that there is as much in common as some profess these days though.



First suggestion is get a pair of comfortable, warm and rigid soled boots.



Second is get a set of the newest, 2 grip, radically curved, leashless tools. Cobra, Viper, Quark, Nomic.



Third is get a set of "typical" 12 point crampons. Sabertooth or G12 style crampon of your choice will do fine.



Yes, I have hear the arguments on mono point crampons and vertical front point crampons. I use them both at times. But I believe the single most important piece of gear for ice climbing is a the combo of rigid soled boot and a equally "rigid" (as in not moving) set of perfectly fit crampons.The front point direction has little to do with the ability to climb well withcrampons on steep ice.



Way more important things to learn about ice climbing than dropping a knee or setting your mono point in your last tool placement. (does any one actually do that?)



This from Will Gadd which I think is spot on:



"Good rock climbers can learn to climb ice a lot faster than good ice climbers can learn to climb rock. I attribute this to the fact that rock climbers already have the fitness, and just require motion training, while most ice climbers are relatively weak. But, while a rock climber can learn to get up about any ice climb in a season or two, just getting up a climb does not mean doing it well. I have seen reasonably competent rock climbers move with glacial speed on what for a good ice climber is 5.5 terrain. I think the real artistry and style of ice climbing is not in just getting up a pitch, but doing so quickly and securely. It's like running--anyone can run a mile, but it's another thing to do it in under five minutes... I would rather see someone climbing well below their max but in total control than someone pushing it on ice, not worth it."



more here:



http://gravsports.blogspot.com//01/new-years-tips-for-ice-ability-gains.html



Most ice climbing is actually a battle to conserve energy. You want to stand and stay on your feet, not hang on your arms. If you use some thought most ice can generally be climbing on your feet. Even very difficult WI6 stuff can be climbed much on your feet.



When you do have to hang off your arms do it quickly, hang on bones not muscleand then get back on your feet asap . Just as you would crack climbing.



Don't kick the ice to death or to build a food hold. Set your crampons on features, weight them and let the crampons..well fit of course..do the work. Better yet look for "steps" on the ice where you can just set your cramponed foot and stand up. Look for the foot holds or "steps" just as you would on a rock climb. Think about and look at what you are climbing.



You should be doing one kick and stand or one placement and stand. Any more and you are wasting energy. Think positive and learn to trust your feet, the first time. PRACTICE.



Tools?...climb leashless. It is easier. Don't over grip. Climb with thin gloves...learn what you need for gloves to stay warm with. Don't over grip. Thin gloves let you to use a lesser grip. Learn to match and climb on one tool at a time. You'll save an enormous amount of energy by doing so. Matchingon your tools and leashless are THE two of the major innovations in ice climbing over the last 3 decades. Follow through on your swing. You are using high clearance, radically curved tools, right? Learn to hook. Hooking saves energy and is much, much faster. You can hook natural features and previous tool or crampon placements. There is no cheating when it comes to ice. My goal is to hook every placement, on every climb.



Never accept a bad placement. Never place a tool at the same height. Skip the Gen X program entirely. Make a real effort to go fast by using fewer tool placements...and keep your heels down.



Feet are easy. Take just oneswing per step...walk your feet as high as possible. Work the tool placements by matching and take advantage of those long reaching placements by walking your feet as high as possible every time. Practice.



Learn to follow in half the time it takes to lead. Yes, follow in half the time or LESS than it takes to lead. Practice andmake it your game.



Don't dick around on climbs...even practice climbs. Think about what you are doing, stay organized and alert. And climb quickly.



Keep you heels down...as in lower than your front points. Not as important as it use to be....because you are less likely to shear your front points in softer ankled boots. But keeping your heels downwill make your calves feel a lot better :)



Helmet head? Use the helmet to deflect dinner places or that bad tool placement you are forced to pull up on once in a while. Turn your head to put your helmet between your face and your tool. Less painful that way when your tool eventually pops. And they will.



Learn to use flat footing or French technique. It is the one technique that will get you through all ice climbing, at any level. Learn to use the entire 12 points of your crampons not just the front two. Using the entire cramponis way more important that having a mono point or vertical front points. Try to remember the great ice faces in the Alps, including the Eiger, were first done with 10 point crampons. Just think what they could have done with the gear we have now. And imagine what you can becomecapable of with it!



Read the ice. Know what solid, junk, new, soft or oldice is. Know where you have to swing and where it is more likely you can just hook good placements.Recognise the colors and textures and what is good or bad for YOUR INTENDED PURPOSE. Do you want to hook it quickly or get a bomber screw? They aren't the same ice. Get off the vertical any time you get a chance. Even on vertical ice there are small corners and grooves. Work them both and stem where it is possible. Even a small stem can turn the suffer-fest90 degree pillarinto a 85 degree romp.





Remember when ice climbing really sucks...and it will at some point....it is just ice climbing, and you chose to be there. Even the hard parts won't last for ever and with even a small amount of thought and precaution you are unlikely to die :) Relax your grip...your hands will stay warmer.



These aren't all the bit and pieces that will make you a better ice climber. But it is a good start I think. "Reading the ice" is equally import in making ice climbing easier. But that takes time on the ice as well as some thought. More on that nexttime.



James would likely still say, "when are you going to get with it". But thisis all I got for the moment.



Remember it really is easy and the basics will generally get you by if you think about it. Stay just warm enough, climb hard and push your own limits even if that means you do it on a top rope!

Wordless Wednesday :: Schooldaze ~ Ninth Grade

Blue Ridge Parkway :: Brinegar Cabin

The grounds were neatly mowed. The garden was lying fallow. The cabin was locked. Peeking into the windows revealed nothing but empty spaces, except for a large object covered with a sheet. It was likely the loom used in demonstrations during the “prime” visitor season, summer.



The Brinegar Cabin, at milepost 238.5 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. A placque at the top of the hill overlooking the cabin proclaims:

The Brinegars were not famous or rich, but they were important to their families and neighbors. In 1876 Martin Brinegar purchased this 125 acre farm from Henderson Crouse, Caroline Joines' uncle, for $200. Two years later Martin and Caroline were married; he was 21 and she was 16. there were many small communities close by where the Brinegars visited their families and friends, traded for supplies, and attended church and school.

Martin and Caroline first lived in a one-room cabin that was already here. Their three children – Alice, Sarah, and John – were born in that cabin. As the family grew Martin built the cabin that stands here now. Their last child, William, was born in this cabin, but died as an infant.

The Brinegars did all the usual work of living on a farm – raising crops and animals, preserving food, and cutting firewood. Martin also made shoes for his neighbors. He was a local justice of the peace and notary public, and for many years he served as clerk for the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. Caroline made clothing for her family and augmented their income by gathering medicinal plants like bloodroot, snakeroot, and black cherry bark and selling them to nearby drug merchants.

In 1925 Martin was caught in a storm on his way home from church and died from pneumonia eight days later. He was 68. The state of North Carolina bought the Brinegar farm in 1935 to become part of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Although Caroline had a lifetime tenure to stay in her home, she went to live with her daughter Sarah when it became too noisy here for her. Caroline died in 1943 when she was 82.

Death Valley :: Ubehebe Crater

Wednesday, March 7th - - After stopping at Zabriske Point and the visitors center I drove the 60 miles or so to the north end of the park. On my last visit the road was under construction with long delays and I didn't have the patience to deal with it. I spent the night at Mesquite Spring Campground, which as rustic as it is, is one of the nicer campgrounds in the park – the campgrounds at Texas Spring, Sunset, and Stovepipe Wells are little more than parking lots with the campers lined up side by side.



Thursday, March 8th - - I was still quite tired from the drive on Tuesday and slowly got myself up and around this morning. Since I had never been in this area of the park before I took a look at the Visitor Guide. I knew Scotty's Castle was only a few miles away but wasn't aware that the Ubehebe Crater was even closer. (Ubehebe is pronounced u-bee hee-bee.)



The crater was formed about 2,000 years ago when hot, molten rock turned groundwater into steam. The intense steam pressure built until the superheated combination of steam and rock exploded. The explosion spewed shattered rock over a six-square-mile area, in some places to depths of 150 feet. Ubehebe is the largest of many explosion craters in the area – it is a half mile across and about 600 feet deep.





Several trails lead into the floor of the crater. I didn't even attempt to go down. You can't see them in the photo above, but there are two people down there.





See, there they are... barely visible at full zoom!

A trail also follows the crater rim, how long it is I don't know. I did follow the path up to another smaller crater, which according to a sign was half a mile distant.





A panoramic view of Ubehebe Crater. The parking lot is down that path on the left side of the crater, about half way into the picture. Be sure to double-click on the photo for a larger version, then click again when it opens – it is an incredible landscape.

Saturday Night Genealogy Fun :: Eli Yarian

Randy Seaver's challenge for this Saturday night is to pick an ancestor or relative with a military record and a gravestone then write about them.



I've chosen Eli Yarian, my 2nd great-grandfather, primarily because I haven't written about him previously!



Eli and his brother Benjamin enlisted in Battery D, 1st Regiment Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery on January 28, 1862 and were mustered out on July 15, 1865. Their brother David enlisted with Battery A, 1st Regiment Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery on August 11, 1862 and was discharged with the regiment in 1865.



Another brother, Jonathan, served with Company A of the 35th Regiment Indiana Infantry in which he enlisted in September 1864 while living in Noble County, Indiana. He and his wife, Jane Hook, had moved there in the summer of 1860. Jonathan joined General Thomas' command in Tennessee, and was with his regiment during the concluding campaign in the western part of the Mississippi Valley. He fought at Spring Hill, Franklin and Nashville. On December 16, 1864, during the second days battle at Nashville, Jonathan was severely wounded and taken to Cumberland Hospital, where his left leg was amputated. He was honorably discharged on May 26, 1865 and returned home to Noble County, eventually moving to Nappanee, Elkhart County, Indiana.



Some of the battles that Eli and Benjamin participated in were:

Munfordville, Kentucky... September 14-16, 1862

Lavergne, Tennessee... December 26, 1862

Siege of Knoxville... November 17 to December 4, 1863

Kingston, Georgia... May 24, 1864

Siege of Atlanta... July 28 to September 2, 1864

Franklin, Tennessee... November 20, 1864

Nashville, Tennessee... December 15-16, 1864

Eli was wounded at the Battle of Nashville, but not seriously. He was transferred to the Eastern Army at Fort Fisher and then to Cleveland where he was discharged in July 1865. In the spring of 1866, Eli and Benjamin moved to Elkhart County, Indiana and made their homes in Locke Township. In the fall of 1866 they both got married. Eli on the 22nd of September to Lovina Berlin and Ben married Eliza Coppes on the 25th of December. Lovina's family had lived in Portage County, Ohio and moved to Elkhart County in 1864 so it is likely that Eli and Lovina knew each other prior to coming to Elkhart County. Purely conjecture on my part, but it's possible that the reason Eli came to Elkhart County after the war was because Lovina was there! Maybe, maybe not.



I'm very fortunate to have a photograph of Eli, which was sent to me in May .. by Kathy Foster who is distantly related to William Walker, the husband of Eli's sister Susanna. I wrote about that “Happy Dance” moment in February ...





Eli's life came to a tragic end at about noon on Monday January 28, 1895 as he was assisting a neighbor in cutting down a tree. It fell in the opposite direction than was expected, striking him in the head. Death was instantaneous.





Eli is buried alongside his wife Lovina and two young daughters in South Union Cemetery, Locke Township, Elkhart County, Indiana. Note that his inscription has the year 1894. His obituary was published in the Nappanee News on January 30, 1895 and his estate entered probate on March 1, 1895. This photo was taken on July 12, ... I've visited the site several times since then, the last time being in the spring of ...



The inscription on the gravemarker reads:YarianLovina 1845 – 1932Eli 1839 – 1894

The inscription on the footstone reads:ELI YARIANCO. D.1ST OHIO L.A.

Eli and Lovina were the parents of seven children:

1. Estella E. Yarian (29 Oct 1867 – 07 Feb 1935) married Theodore B. Irvine and had two children: Harry and Frederick.


2. Willis Oscar Yarian (18 May 1870 – 07 Dec 1948) married Grace Melvin and had two children, Harold and Grace Maxine.


3. Susie Lula Yarian (05 Jan 1872 – 29 Apr 1956) married Henry Phend and had 10 children. See Phend Family Index to Posts. Susie and Henry are my great-grandparents.


4. Edith M. Yarian (19 Feb 1875 - 01 Mar 1875)


5. Lydia Blanche Yarian (17 Sep 1878 – 03 Jul 1889)


6. Mary Winifred Yarian (26 Dec 1881 – 22 Mar 1945) married Earl Glen Rosbrugh, had three children: Pauline, Mildred and Glenwood.


7. James Arthur Yarian (31 May 1884 – 12 Feb 1930)

BlackJack

Solitary sandpiper

He was really far away. Exceedingly far away. He was in the place where we sometimes see Spotted Sandpipers this time of year. He was bobbing, as they do.

Him: "He's not bobbing."

Me: "Yes he is, see there, he just bobbed."

Him: "He's not bobbing enough to be a Spotted."

Me: "Maybe he just got tired of bobbing."

Of course Hubby was right. He went back and got the scope. No surprise, it wasn't a Spotted Sandpiper.

It was a Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria).



I really like the French name for this bird: Chevalier solitaire. Lone knight! Makes him sound very suave and sophisticated. The Spanish name is Chorlito solitario. It's probably just the fact that I haven't eaten yet, but that sounds more like a breakfast sausage.

They nest in the far north of Canada and Alaska, in the abandoned nests of other birds, in trees. (Only one of the other 80+ sandpiper species does that - most nest on the ground.) They don't migrate in flocks like other sandpipers. Their favorite song is most likely "I've Gotta be Me".

Clipless Pedals on a Fixed Gear

For the final phase of my transition to clipless pedals, I've now installed them on my fixed gear roadbike. I knew that clipless would be trickier on fixed gear than on a freewheel bike, since you have to clip in and out while continuing to turn the pedals.I expected to have two specific problems: getting my left foot clipped in once I got going (I start with the right), and unclipping. For obvious reasons, the latter one worried me especially: What if I could not unclipwith the pedals revolving constantly?




Now that I've done it, my impressions of the whole process are different from what I'd imagined. Clipping in my left foot is not as tricky as I thought. Yes, the pedal keeps going. But at least I no longer have to fish aroundfor a strapwith my toe as it rotates. Instead I just hang on and keep pressing into it even if the cleat doesn't engage right away; eventually it does. And clipping out is fine. Some cyclists say that they can only unclip when the pedal is in a specific position, but I guess I have been spared that problem. Sure, some positions are more awkward than others, but I can still unclip from them.




So that's the good news. The bad news, is that starting is surprisingly challenging. I guess I didn't think this part through very well ahead of time. On a freewheel bike I clip in my starting foot on the downstroke, then pull the pedal up to start. Within a fairly short amount of time, this process has already become automated. Of course on a fixed gear you can't pull the pedal up without lifting the rear wheel, which I've never managed to learn how to do. So when I try to start I nearly topple over, because I automatically try to pull up on the pedal and all this does is jerk the bike violently. It's kind of funny that I do this every time, even though I knowthat you can't pull up on the pedal in fixed gear. Habits form quickly!




Anyhow. So I am not quite there yet with clipless in fixed gear, but I am enjoying the challenge. I either need tolearn how to quickly lift the rear wheel while pulling up on the pedal, or reprogram my brain to clip in my starting foot on the upstroke, the way I used to do with Power Grips. Suggestions from fixed gear cyclists most welcome. Is there a way to make this easier on myself?

The Winter Carnival has Arrived!

Jasia has posted the 64th Edition of the Carnival of Genealogy, the topic this time around was Winter Photo Essay. Thirty contributors featured a variety of "winter" photographs. A chilly trip back in time to be sure, but heartwarming nevertheless.

The topic for the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy is: "The Happy Dance. The Joy of Genealogy. Almost everyone has experienced it. Tell us about the first time, or the last time, or the best time. What event, what document, what special find has caused you to stand up and cheer, to go crazy with joy? If you haven't ever done the Happy Dance, tell us what you think it would take for you to do so."

This next edition will be hosted by yours truly, right here at kinexxions. The deadline for submissions is February 1st. Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Carnival of Genealogy using the carnival submission form. Please use a descriptive phrase in the title of any articles you plan to submit and/or write a brief description/introduction to your articles in the "comment" box of the blogcarnival submission form. This will give readers an idea of what you've written about and hopefully interest them in clicking on your link.

So that we genea-bloggers can plan ahead (yeah, right!) Jasia has provided a list of topics for future carnivals (in the lower left column at Creative Gene). Several dates are still available for hosting. If you're interested, contact Jasia.

The COG posters are a creation of footnoteMaven.

Comfortable sleeping positions

Cats have funny ideas about comfortable sleeping positions. Trouble is, I always wake them up, trying to take pictures.

I haven't managed to photograph my favorite yet. Sometimes I'll glance over towards the chair, and just see a paw (or two, or four) sticking straight up in the air.

Then I usually wake them up by laughing too loudly, before I can even get the camera.

-----

Submitted to the Friday Ark.

Sophie Prior - "The Ricoh Destruction Test"

Sophie Prior came to visit.






So did Logan Barber.

The jjobrien climbing and relaxation ranch on Australia's Sunshine Coast hinterland has beengraced witha long list of climbing legends and little-knowns.

The staff were excited about the arrival of Logan Barber and gave little thought to his plus-one a Sophie Proir.

Turns out she has talent, grace and presence.




A quick climbing tour of the Sunny Coast starts with the obligatory thrash on Coolum Cave's icons.



How do you like this guy? He puts all the moves together in one session. Sadly, didn't get to go back and send it. No doubt he can and will.





Then for a "rest" day they get stuck into "The Ricoh Destruction Test" 100m 23 (M1)

I have to work that day but I wag a couple of hours and rap in over the fourth pitch.

They ran into some problems on the second pitch and I whipped out the long lens justas they werefeeling the joy of getting established at the second hangingbelay.







Logan knocks off the tricky third pitch, blocky overlaps and lack of feet.







Sophie follows and picks her way through the overlaps.



Funny story. I moved to Tinbeerwah in 2000. There were just a couple of routes there but rarely any climbers. I hatched a plan to create a climbing scene close to my home.

So I spent weeks bolting the longest, hardest route I could conceive ofthinking it would drawclimbers from everywhere.

Nothing.

The route has probablyhad about three repeats in over ten years.

A year later I bolted some 14s. That got 'em in.







Gareth Llewellyn and Adam Donoghue did the route on their epic "Tinny in a day"

There's been a couple of hundred metres of hard climbing added since then.







Sophie gets the stand-out pitch 4.

Slabby, columns, run outs, big air below, carrots, it's got it all.











The Ricoh in question failed the 100M drop test by the way. It's mangled body could be seen at the base of the route.

My old Nokia phone got dropped from here at 80M. Recovered the following day.

"You have 3 messages"!!!






















Best shot of the roll.

Perfect position and poise. You can just make out Logan at the vanishing point.







Nice work team. Logan ticked a swag of tough routes around SEQ in a punishing nine days on.






Logan inspects Queensland's hardest high ball boulder sector never to have been touched.







Late winter is luxurious on the Sunny Coast, beautiful days and wild flowers.

Sophie's home is in the Blue Mountains, a favourite of Aussie climbers but so harsh in winter.












Thanks Sophie.

I've been trying to sell this route for a decade.

Local crag feature "Irishtown" past and present

Well the start of the winter season /11 is underway and slowly I'm getting back into the groove of using tools and crampons on rock and ice again. Like with most previous local seasons, our first few days are spent scratching around on dismal ice, but mostly rock. Yes the cold has hit the Laurel Highlands and the ice is building fast, but the mixed climbing is our best option right now and getting even better. We really haven't seen many climbers out yet, but I'm sure this weekend will have ice climbers out at the easy access crags. With the early season mixed climbing in such good shape, I've decided to try to increase the amount of opportunity for ice climbers to try their hand at the abundance of mixed options we have in the area. I decided to revisit a climb that I top roped last season at a local crag named Irishtown. I've dubbed the route Dynamite.It's located on the lower wall at Irishtown.

equipping the route "Dynamite" at Irishtown

You can see footage of the climb at the end of this short Irishtown video by Ray Burnsworth of Wildfilm productions. Its the last climb of the clip. Now all you young whippersnappers don't be laughing too hard at the vintage '90s climbing attire. This clip shows some of the ice at Irishtown and theaboveroute is located on the lower cliff (the first of the two walls.)

This crag is an old abandoned Limestone mine that seeps water out over the front forming several nice lines. There is a lower and upper wall. The lower wall is obvious, but the upper wall is reached by going right of the lower wall andfollowing the trail to the upper wall. Its about a 5min. walk. The center of the Lower Wall is highlighted by an old mine opening, withmanymean lookingdaggers hanging off the lip. Use Caution - The warm air seeping out of the mine prevents thesolid attachment of the sickles hanging over the mouth. THEY FORM AND FALL CONTINUALLY all season long, so be careful!Since it's an old quarry/mine and some of the rock isn't the best quality, it makes for a fun mixed and drytooling crag whenother ice isn't fully formed. There are several pure ice lines which have been the main attraction of this crag in past years. Just to the right of the quarry opening is the ice route Mouth of Madness WI4-5.One of the earlier climbs of the cliff which was first climbed via top rope in the mid '80's. Not until recent years have the mixed options become so apparent. This season I hope to establish some new bolted mixed climbs to expand the options at this fun roadside crag. Another quality line at the main cliff is called The ProwWI3+,M4. Its located to the right of Mouth Of Madness. It ascends several shorter vertical sections before pulling through the rock. Finishes at the trees. You can also traverse left and finish that way if the overhanging rock intimidates you. I highly recommend this line.

Laura Hahn seconding The Prow WI4- M4 Feb

The Prow's conditions today

Myself on the Prow '09-'10 season

One of the most common email questions I receive is: I'm a newer ice climber, where do you recommend I go? Irishtown is a great choice. The Upper tier is home to several nice, (but short 15'-30') WI 3 to 3+ routes that areusually easy to top rope or great for a newer leader to get their feet wet. Here's a few photos of their condition as of today.

The main central flow of the upper Irishtown wall

Some short mixed options exist on the upper wall as well

The rightmost flow of the upper Irishtown wall

There you have it a brief introduction to Irishtown. By this weekend most lines should be in reasonable shape for this time of year. So come out to Southwestern PA and enjoy cragging at Irishtown.

Cell Phones, Survival, Halo 3 and Parking

Cell phones remain a useful tool for backcountry travelers. Many upper mountain rescues, and a few false alarms, have been phoned in via the devices. And as the NY Times points out, new technology can sometimes let Big Brother (or your parents, spouse, or significant-other) get a fix on your location too... But climbers and backcountry users should not rely on such devices around Mount Rainier, as triangulation and pin-pointing is challenging in remote places, and often there is no cell service.

Not everyone carries a cell phone, or more importantly, other key components of the 10 essentials. Case in point: a 20-something couple took off for Camp Muir during good weather last September. They packed light and enjoyed a night in the public shelter. The plan was to descend to Paradise the next day but the weather intervened and turned for the worse. Complicating the heavy fog and light rain was the fact that the boot track they had followed the day before was gone amidst the sea of hard, dirty ice that we call the Muir Snowfield. The result: the pair ended up lost and hypothermic near the chutes that descend to the Nisqually Glacier...

Thankfully, Canada came to the rescue in the person of Canadian climber Phill Michael. Phill was also descending from Camp Muir that day. He had separated from his climbing buddies near Moon Rocks and while making his way through the fog, heard distressed voices and wandered in their direction. Good thing too, because he found our lost couple cold, wet, and very confused as to what they should do to survive. What ensued were 2 nights and 3 days of Muir Snowfield camping and survival: camping for Phill, survival for the couple. Why? The couple didn't bring shelter and didn't have the navigation skills to get themselves out of the predicament. Thankfully Phill entered their soggy cold world with the equipment and abilities to pull them through the storm. You can learn more about this incident (and his summit climb) through Phill's podcast EPISODE 4: Mount Rainier (sounds like another edition to the Star Wars series).

And while we're geeking out on tech devices and Star Wars connections, maybe you'll decide to get lost in the video game universe of Halo 3. While there myself, I stumbled upon Mount Rainier! If you're a gamer (of the X-Box 360 persuasion) you may notice some familiar NW landmarks as you pummel, destroy, and generally kick alien butt around the galaxy. May the force be with you.

Of course no amount of "The Force," shield regenerators and futuristic space weapons will help against the ensuing parking lot pressures at Paradise this winter. With the ongoing construction project, there will be a pinch in the overnight parking situation. The current plan calls for a limit of 20 vehicles per night at Paradise. Between Sunday night and Saturday morning of most weeks, this limit won't be too big of a deal. However, on 3 day weekends or when the weather forecast is good, everyone should plan to carpool and STILL risk not getting a spot! This is a hot issue so stay tuned as the information evolves.

Trave & Storm

Our two ponies Traveler and Stormy

How Big?

This photo give a perspective on just how big Teakettle Rock is compared to a man and his dog. Actually Lee and Tuffee.

Cape Blanco

Monday, September 27, .. - - Cape Blanco State Park, eight miles northwest of Port Orford, Oregon.

Looking South from the top of the bluff.
This is why it is called Cape Blanco. As I drove up to the park, the sky changed from a beautiful blue to white and the temperature dropped eight degrees.

Within two hours the fog completely blanketed the area...