Alta Vista Snow Pit

Howdy Everyone!

This week's snow pit is from the east side of Alta Vista and features the massive amount of new snow that we received during last week's storm cycle.

As you can see from the pit graph, there is small sun crust at the surface (that made for bad skiing) and below that is a 105 cm layer of cold, new snow. This layer has settled about 5" and continues to stabilize. Below this layer there are a number of complex ice crust layers that were observed just below the surface in the Feb. 9th snow pit near The Castle in the Tatoosh Range. These layers remain a source of instability and are acting as release surfaces for the deep slab avalanches that have been occurring in Washington.




Stability tests from the Alta Vista snow pit did not indicate deep instability. The compression, extended column, and the Rutschblock tests had failures either near the surface or did not fail. However, as noted by NWAC, even as the snowpack stabilizes there are still persistent weak layers, and localized areas throughout the region are experiencing large, slab releases.

The forecast is showing another series of fronts that are expected to cross the Northwest through the end of the weekend, bringing significant new snow accumulation. Cautious route finding is encouraged if traveling in the backcountry.

Salty Lemonade for Cycling

A few people have asked about the "salty lemonade" I mentioned in the previous post, and it's really very simple: When I fill my water bottles before a long ride, I add a pinch of salt and also some lemon juice to the water. In conjunction with snacks containing potassium, magnesium, calcium and sugar (i.e. bananas and milk), this mixture helps replenish electrolytes lost during cycling, especially in hot weather - which in turn can help prevent leg muscle cramps and lightheadedness that some experience on long and strenuous rides. Several cyclists I know prefer this method to consuming commercial sports drinks and gels, and it works for us.



Some points to consider about the Salty Lemonade:



. Do not overdo it on the salt. What I call a "pinch" I have seen defined as 1/8 of a teaspoon, which seems about right.



. The reason for adding lemon juice is mostly to balance out the salty taste. The sourness of it adds a nice refreshing element as well.



. Some like to fill one bottle with a weaker concentration of the mix than the other, alternating between them depending on how much they are sweating. Having bottles that look different from one another helps if you're going to do this.



. On long trips where you know you'll be able to refill your water bottle, you can also carry single-use salt packets to add to the fresh water.



. If you have been advised against a high-sodium diet, obviously consult with your physician prior to consuming anything like this (including commercially available sports drinks).



. As mentioned earlier, salty water alone is not enough to restore electrolytes, so make sure to supplement with appropriate snack foods. Bananas work best for me in this regard, and they are easy to eat while on the bike.



While many cyclists thrive on commercial sports drinks, others prefer more natural, home-made solutions and this can be one of them. Please feel free to share your own.

Big Lagoon State Park

Located 10 miles southwest of Pensacola, Big Lagoon State Park is named for the lagoon bordering a portion of the northern shore of Perdido Key. Compared to some Florida state parks, Big Lagoon is on the small side but it has several nice trails and admittance to it also gives you access to two other state parks in the area. I loved the campground. Most sites were large enough to accommodate a bus-size RV and there was some degree of privacy with shrubs and trees separating most sites.

My first day there (Wednesday, February 3rd) was beautiful, until late afternoon when the clouds rolled in. It rained that night and for most of the next two days. My neighbors lost the rain-fly of their tent one night, blown off by the wind. They and everything in the tent got soaked. They were not happy campers ;-)

The campsite. The Picnic table and fire ring are hidden behind the van.

Taken on the first day at the park.

The lagoon and marsh area. Also taken on the first day.

Towards sunset on Friday the sky started to clear and I was hopeful that there would be some sunshine the next day, but it was not to be. It remained cloudy and overcast for two more days.

It was still rather cloudy at 5 o'clock on Friday.

But by 5:25 most of the clouds had been blown away by the wind.

Petzl Nomic and Ergo.."danger danger will robinson"

Petzl's answer on 12/21..less than a week after Petzl France got a look at the first pair of damaged tools.



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//12/petzl-issues-recall-for-new-nomic-and.html







"I have always been of the belief that the pommels needed to be as strong as the leashes they replaced since climbers will be betting the farm on them, like they did the leashes."







It should be obvious I am a big fan of the Petzl line of tools. I'm been using Quarks and Nomics from almost day one of production.













One of the few weak points on a Nomic is the lower Delrin pommel and the upper grip support. The upper grip support has been known to break off on occasion and generally a warranty issue at Petzl where they have in the past simply replaced the tool.



If you have read the "Old Nomic, New Nomic" comparison you have seen how the pommel male/female interface differs on the old and new model. I had written about and speculated thatthe sloppyfit on the pommel/shaft interface would likely bean issue. But I had thought the tools would make it through more than a few days of climbing.



The pictures here are from Daniel Harro'snew set of Nomics with less than a dozen water icepitches total on them. As in less than a total of 12 full pitches of climbing and the pommel is stripped on one tool and about to go on the second.



My new Ergos are seeing similar wear issues with the interface and already dinged and showing prematurewear. Petzl says they will warranty them but replacement isn't going to stop it from happening again. It is obvious we will need a better fix asap. The metal inner face between shaft and pommelis 3mm on the pommel with one tooth and 6mm on the aluminum shaft end so it is not full strength and the harder stainless is cutting through the softer aluminum shaft with relative ease. Before anyone criesfoul and that it must be climber abuse, my original Nomic pommels are going on FOUR full winter and alpine seasons, hundreds of pitches by nowand nevera bobble as we start on the 5th season.



If you have the newest tools Nomic or Ergo and have climbed on them...check your gear now.. as you likely already have somewear happening. Only two of us in our small climbingcommunity that are on the newest tools, and we do.



Less teeth, and rounded teeth are making the new pommel much, much weaker in comparison to the older style tools with full width interface and a square cut interface. Add to that the serrated "spike" digging into the ice, loosing the ability to slide around a bit under that kind of force applied with each swing of the toolandfailure seemsassuredon the newest Nomic and Ergo pommels.



The only answer I have at the momentis set the pommel in one position and use some very good steel based epoxy to keep it from moving and hopefully give yourhandles some added life. But I don't know if that will void the warranty at Petzl yet. (12/07/2001update.. Petzl says it will void the warranty..so don't do it)



No easy long term fix, but worth thinking about as well, is pull the new pommels off completely and bolt on the older pommels. (they bolt right on but only in a "BIG" size) The grip will be bigger but at least that way you will strip a plastic part and not your aluminum shaft and need a new tool. That way if Petzl does come up with a quick answer your shaft won't be totally useless when they do.



Update directly from Petzl this morning 12/07/



This is info I gatheredfrom a conversation withRick Vance @ Petzl. For those that wonder Rick is a climber just like the rest of us. You can take him at his word.



These are the first failures Petzl has seen. They are on to the problemnow and working to identify the exact issues that caused the failure and most importantly along term fix. Broken tools will be covered under warranty. So no worries there. Don't start modifying tools or adding epoxy. Give Petzl a chance to solve the problem first. Petzl will give a public update once they know what caused the problem and their proposed solution.

OR Day 3

I'm two days behind on this post already. The Show ended Saturday afternoon.



Day three for me was a marathon of appointments and wild eye wonder (as usual) generally finding something new around every turn.



The OR shows (summer and winter) are the ultimate toy store for grown ups. And thankfully for me...nothing is for sale that you can walk out the door with. Much of it not yet available but a 6 month wait on production.



This year three of us went down. And all of us had differing interests. Makes for some fun discussions.



Even with three of us looking there is no way we see everything let alone get all the details on what we do see.



I simply get over whelmed so I really try to concentrate on the alpine climbing arena and in general vendors I already am aware of. Point is I never see everything and what I do see is generally biased in part from the get go. (Part of that is I so easily get lost in the dang place it really is huge!)



One of the things I find of interest and likely out of date for most climbers trying to go fast and light is amini haul bag. I saw three that really interested me but there might be others I haven't seen or wouldn't recommend.



Grivelhas smaller two modelsI really like. And Metolius has a couple of smalelr bagsand nowsome "cross overs" as well. I'll come back to all of theselater.









The super skinny (7mm +/-) ropes from Petzl, Beal and Edelrid have me really interested. More on that subject shortly.



I learned more again about fitting boots and ice boots in particular as the science and design continues to getter better and better IMO on alpine/ice boots. (8 boot reviews will go up shortly)



Clothes and technical wear? Oh, my! There are so many new pieces of clothingand so many exceptional fabrics and insulations. I started climbingin wool, nylonand Ventile cloth.



What we have easily accessible now, I never imagined when we started climbing.



I still think all the mountain sports fromtrail running, skimo, skiing, and any form of climbing (rock or ice) are getting closer and closer every season. The tools and clothing we use now have morecross over usethan ever before. As they get more specialised with every season and every generation as well. More specialised and still more more cross over applications? One wouldn't think that would be the direction, but IMO it is.



Many of the cutting edge designers are starting to think along those lines as well...just as they continue to design more and more specific garments.



Much of my driving is along theold Oregon trail from Seattle to SLC to attend OR. The major portion of that drive from the Columbia River to just north of SLC in fact.



In totalis a 800+/- miles/1300kmdrive one way. I have a lot of time to think and review what I have seen at OR.



What we have now for hard goodsand software for climbing is as diversein useand application as transportation,infrastructureand the generations of windmills inthe currentAmerican West.



Amazing time to beclimbing. But like the newest windmills...not all good or all bad. It will take some time to digest all the new products and add some context to what I think interesting enough to write about. Cams, passive pro, biners,ropes, boots, packs, haul bags, watches and as always some new clothing and some of the newest TECHNOLOGY (that I think will go much much farther) will all get some coverage..along with those man sized baby wipes :)

Blueberries

the berries that are blue, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

Across the country, farmers' markets are in full swing. These berries were a local market and looked incredibly good. Raspberries at the market were cheap, as well as tomatoes and pretty much all the vegetables. My best find was Fresno chile peppers, which are used in Indonesian cooking - score!

Peak-a-boo-Rose

Wordless Wednesday :: Schooldaze ~ First Grade

Dontcha just love the hairdo? What was my mother thinking?

Bring your shovel, it's still snowing

Here is some cool historical data collected from the Longmire weather station. It was gleaned from the National Weather Services by NPS employee Bret Christoe and graphed by Crystal Raymond.

Bret listed the years when the accumulation (not total snowfall) at Longmire reached at least 60 inches, going back to at least 1932. Although 2007-8 may seem "big" now (particularly as we shovel into our houses and offices) you can see that there is still a ways to go to catch the really big years like 1949. Here's the graph:


Folks, bring your shovels, because according to the National Weather Service, our forecast for LONGMIRE this week is:

Tuesday and Tuesday Night - Snow
Wednesday and Wednesday Night - Snow
Thursday and Thursday Night - Snow
Friday and Friday Night - Snow

The Heat is On...

Saturday, April 2nd - - Since Butler University, located just five miles from downtown Indianapolis, was playing in the Final Four, I splurged and spent the night in a Motel so I could watch the game! Old news now, but Butler won and will be playing (for the second year in a row) in the Championship Game! My first cousin, Ralph V. Reiff, is the play-by-play announcer for WISH-TV in Indy. I was hoping to be able to watch the game on TV and listen to his calling of the game at the same time but no such luck.







Sunday, April 3rd - - Still heading West, I came across this “tribute” to the Texas Longhorn.



I stopped for the night at Copper Breaks State Park (west of Wichita Falls). Though not far, the drive had been tiring - lots of wind with gusts from 35-50 mph and it was hot! Really hot.





The photo above was taken at 5:24 pm at the campground; the van was in the shade! Yep, it was hot. I did manage to go for a very short walk (about 10 minutes) after driving up to an overlook to get this picture(below)of the lake. The “lower” campground where I stayed was on the left side of the lake. Being lower didn't provide any relief from the wind or the heat.







The sun was completely hidden beneath the hills but for a few brief moments it lit up the clouds like they were on fire, appropriate for such a hot day. The setting of the sun provided little relief from the heat. Even with doors and windows open, it was perhaps one of the most uncomfortable nights spent on the road thus far. Relief did arrive, however, when after midnight a front moved through and the temperature dropped dramatically. When I got up the next morning it was a chilly 48 degrees! And still windy.

Avalanches and Prestigious Awards

Before we get to the fun stuff, I need to mention that the temperatures are going to really heat up later this week and possibly into the weekend. If you’re coming to Mount Rainier, be very careful around (or avoid altogether) steep snow slopes and glacial icefalls. As the freezing level climbs above 10K, the avalanche hazard is likely to SOAR. We’ve had over 900 inches of snowfall this winter and spring and you don’t want to be caught under it as summer returns for a few days.

So do you remember Phill Michael? He was the Canadian climber who helped those lost hikers on the Muir Snowfield last fall. Well, his actions earned recognition from the Secretary of the Interior. Here is the press release about his actions, the award and a picture from today’s ceremony. Great job, Phill! You can find more about Phill, this story and his other adventures at secretspot.net! He also discusses the incident in a radio interview.

Skills, Experience and Compassion earn Canadian Citizen the Department of Interior’s Award for Bravery

Mount Rainier is recognized for its inclement and hazardous weather. The Muir Snowfield on Mount Rainier is noted for its hidden crevasses and cliffs; hazards that have claimed the lives of many day hikers, skiers and climbers. A night without shelter while lost on the snowfield often ends tragically.

Preparedness, skills and experience are critical prerequisites for any climber venturing onto the mountain’s often treacherous upper slopes. At any time of the year the weather can change suddenly creating dangerous conditions. It is imperative that climbers begin their climb prepared to wait out the weather if it becomes necessary. Being prepared can mean the difference between life and death on the upper mountain and can help save the lives of others. Phill Michael came prepared to climb the mountain and ended up saving the lives of two backpackers who were not prepared to overnight in the challenging environment typical of the upper mountain.

If not for the skill, preparedness and efforts of Phill Michael, it is likely that the two backpackers would have perished. All too often, the story of lost hikers on Mount Rainier ends sadly. Phill Michael’s actions and preparedness directly resulted in the saving of two visitors on Mount Rainier. For these efforts, the National Park Service awarded Mr. Michael its Citizen’s Award for Bravery.

On September 16th 2007, climber Phill Michael was descending from Camp Muir during a storm when he came upon two visitors who were lost and ill prepared. That couple was also descending from Camp Muir, but found themselves disoriented and without shelter in one of Mount Rainier’s most notoriously dangerous locations. While descending, Mr. Michael heard distressed voices and moved in their direction. The path back to Paradise was completely obscured and it was quite foggy, rainy and windy. After following the voices, Mr. Michael soon located the two backpackers. At that time, the couple was in despair as they had no way to reorient themselves, navigate off the mountain or provide shelter. Mr. Michael used his equipment, skills and abilities as an experienced guide to erect a shelter out of his tarp and care for the two lost backpackers. Over the following 48 hours, Michael attended to the couple while the snow, wind, and rain continually threatened. During a brief respite from the storm on day three, Mr. Michael was able to reorient the team and descend safely back to the Paradise.

Walking shoes or boots?

I've been a little tied up since I got back to the UK, trying to organise everything ahead of my next trip... unfortunately I still haven't booked a flight and am only halfway to determining where to go - there are just so many places to choose from - eek!



So whilst I'm still taking a short commercial break from my travels I thought I'd share with you my most recently acquired travel essential item...



Yes, I finally gave in and settled on a pair of walking shoes, after relying on my beloved walking bootsfor so long.



Having torn the ligaments in my right ankle a few years ago, this was not an easy decision to make, and hence the period of mulling.








So, my shoes arrived, with a variety of labels which I slowly read and discarded one by one, just in case there was anything important that I should absorb. Oddly, one of these indicated that Merrell will provide regular updates about 'what has happened' in the outside world, so perhaps this brand of footwear is as good as everyone suggests?




After almost a couple of months of wearing in, on a variety of terrains, and periods of walking, I think it is safe to say that I am now well positioned to give a balanced review.



Pros:

• Gore-tex - guaranteed to keep you dry, assuming you don't get water in the top of the shoes? Seemed to deal pretty well with snow falling over the top too.


• Antimicrobial technology - against odour, staining and deterioration. No sign of any issue here after a couple of months wear in hot and colder climates.


• Comfortable - they moulded to my feet and seemed to help with walking properly (particularly given my weaker ankle).

According to the instructions (?), women move differently to men, but not in the way that immediately springs to mind, rather in relation to a Q-angle (or Quadriceps' angle), which is the angle between the hip and the knee due to wider hips and a lower centre of gravity which in a nut shell, seems to mean we walk on the outside of our feet (!). I can vouch that they did appear to help with this by stabilising and cushioning my feet. However, this all seems a little hi tech to me...



Cons:

• Grip - I found the tread was fine whilst hiking on rougher terrain and pretty good at dealing with recent bouts of snow and ice. However, when it was wet, I did feel a little uneasy underfoot and therefore put this down to slippery soles in wet conditions rather than my clumsiness.


• Sizing - It does seem that all the Merrell footwear that I tried on required a size bigger than I would normally wear. This isn't really an issue as I always try before I buy, however the sizes only seem to go up to 8 for women, so think this may be a little restrictive for others?


• Wear and tear - I am just a little uncomfortable about the reviews I've read regarding these shoes and that although they have been purchased to replace the exact same shoes, the previous pair only lasted 2/3 years - I'm not planning continuous wear but I perhaps have set the bar a little high by becoming attached to my 7+ years old hiking boots which are still going! We will see... I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has owned a pair of Siren Sport Goretex shoes by Merrell?

At the end of the day, my new shoes are fit for the purpose for which I have acquired them. Lightweight and suitable for a variety of terrains, they should be reasonably hard wearing over the next few months... wherever I end up!

Holiday company

We had visitors over the long Thanksgiving weekend.



They weren't very sociable though.



They kept to themselves a lot.



And were a bit stand-offish at times.



They had a little tussle right in front of us.



A handsome family, though.



It was hard to pick a favorite portrait.

-------

River otter, Lontra canadensis or Lutra canadensis.

Roe-Dee-Oh :: Mutton Busting and Barrell Racing

Sunday, August 21st - - One of the events for kids (ages 4-7) was called Mutton Busting, which was basically setting a kid on the back of sheep and letting them run. It was quite funny. Some of them barely got out of the gate before falling off but the one below managed to hold on for quite a while and was a real crowd-pleaser.







The Barrel Racing event allowed the women to show off their riding ability as well as the speed and agility of their beautiful horses.

Desert in Snow

I thought that my photos were blurry until I realized it was the snow falling that was casuing them to look blurry. There was about an inch here but there was more at other places up to about 3 or 4 inches.

How good is Yangshuo?

Hairy Beastie

Time to brush the horses. First I did the bay mare, Nita, then on to the old paint, Sunny. But Nita really likes to be brushed and tells me she wants more by shoving her nose in against Sunny. But Sunny is the worst of my Hairy Beasties so he gets the most. The hair comes off in swirls that almost look like big hairy worms. then it is all in a pile at his feet. Hate to say it but I know I will have to do it all over in a day or so.