Mountains Climbing

Kilimanjaro

2008-07-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

Sierra National Forest

2008-04-18T13:22:00.000-07:00

The Sierra National Forest is a sleeping giant in the Pacific Southwest. The forest, situated on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, shelters a primeval grove of giant sequoias. And it does so quietly without the throngs of tree lovers that gather round poor old "General Sherman" in nearby Sequoia National Park. And if size does matter to you, the Sierra is home to "Bull Buck" — the second-largest tree in the world.
The forest is distinguished by a sheer abundance of rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs, and that's great news for paddlers. The wild and scenic Merced River is one of the fiercest white-water serpents in the region. A 28-mile stretch of this turbulent torrent, from Red Bud to Bagby, boasts nine harrowing rapids ranging from Class III to V. Notorious rapids such as Ned's Gulch and Stark Reality have been known to flip 16-foot rafts. If it's quieter waters that you seek, it's hard to beat Mammoth Pool — 2,000-foot mountains sequester the five-mile-long reservoir.

Caribou National Forest

2008-04-07T07:31:00.000-07:00

There are several climbing areas both in and out of the Caribou National Forest in southeastern Idaho.
Ross Park Area Location: South of Pocatello on the right side of Fourth Street or the left side of Second Street.
Although very short (25 feet), climbs are available in this area. It's an excellent place to sharpen those rusty skills. The Fourth Street side provides climbing for the 5.5 - 5.11 climbers on friction, faces. and cracks. The Second Street side (just past the zoo) is a bit higher (40 feet) and provides some excellent aid and free pitches-up to 5.9 standard. Hard hats are advised in this area. Ross Park is an ideal spot to work on those intricate moves in leading and top roping. The anchor placements are fair to good, except for the occasional bombproof bolt.
Garden Creek GapLocation: South on 1-15 to Jensen Road turnoff. Take a right and follow the road to the obvious notch in the mountain range. Travel time from Pocatello is 45 minutes.
This area has some excellent multipitch climbs (2-6 pitches) on both the north and south faces. Standards range from 5.3 to 5.10 free and A3 in aid. There are several cracks systems as well as ramps, faces, and chimney problems. The Gap is used a lot by University students, so you may meet some folks while you are there. Most of the more frequented climbs are very clean; others may be quite rotten.

Marangu

2008-03-16T06:06:00.000-07:00

The Marangu or main route is by far the most popular way up Kilimanjaro. The forest is very beautiful and Maundi Crater is worth a visit just for the flowers and scenery. There are wonderful views of Kibo and Mawenzi. It generally takes five days for the round trip:
Day 1: Marangu to Mandara HutDay 2: Mandara to Horombo HutDay 3: Horombo Hut to Kibo HutDay 4: Kibo Hut to Summit to Horombo HutDay 5: Horombo Hut to Marangu
The schedule, trails and accommodation are designed to allow visitors to acclimate. An extra day at Horombo, Mawenzi or Kibo Huts is recommended to allow even more time to get used to the altitude.

Mandara Hut - 2700 m. This is a group of comfortable, wooden A-frame huts. The largest cabin has a downstairs dining area and an upstairs dormitory with bunk beds and mattresses; smaller huts sleep 8 each. The total capacity is 60. Water is piped into site from springs above and flush toilets are behind the main cabin.
Horombo Hut - 3720 m. The buildings are similar to Mandara, but total capacity is 120. Water is piped from the stream behind the huts. Do not use this stream or its valley as a waste disposal area. There are platform toilets south-east of main hut, about 80 m down the slope and new flush toilets have been built within the complex of small huts.
Kibo Hut - 4700 m. This stone built block house with a small dining-room and a number of 1dormitory rooms leading off a main corridor has bunk beds and mattresses for 60 people. Water: None, so bring an adequate supply from the 'Last Water' stream above Horombo Hut. Platform toilets are behind the hut (to the southwest).

Learning to climb

2008-03-11T07:26:00.000-07:00

Learning to climb is very much like learning to ride a bike or ski down a snowy slope. You'll never forget the basic moves, but will need years of practise to perfect them.
Climbing styles come in many flavors. The basic games include: bouldering, indoor climbing, free rock climbing, trad rock climbing, solo climbing aid climbing, ice climbing and alpine climbing.
Bouldering addicts climb short jumbles of rock, often only a couple of feet high. The key here is linking the moves: because of their short height bouldering problems tend to be fairly intense and technical. It's hundreds of feet of difficulty compressed into 5-10 moves. Unless you're climbing so-called highball problems you'll climb unroped and close enought to the ground to be safe to jump off from. During the nineties there's been a renewal of interest for this game. Thousands of bouldering areas have cropped up worldwide.
During the late eighties and early nineties climbing on plastic, aka indoor climbing became of fashion. Most competitions are on plastic nowadays. Indoor gyms are excellent places to learn rope handling techniques and to work on the basic moves. However, most of the diehard climbers agree that there's nothing like natural rock.
Free Climbing is the art of climbing a rock without using your equipment for upward motion. You can only use your arms, hands and other essential body parts to climb. The gear is used for protection only. This is where ethics come into play. A climb is said to be onsighted when a climber leads the climb for the first time without having watched other climbers do it and reaching the end without falling or pulling on gear. If you don't meet these criteria, you have to start over from the ground up to complete the climb.

Climbing is about ...

2008-03-10T03:55:00.000-07:00

Climbing is not all about strength anyway. Many a strong man has been humbled by the feminine graciousness and apparent ease of a woman moving over rock. Climbing is all about balance, knowing your body and being able to reposition it in space. It's about creativity, learning to adapt to what the rock has to offer. It's a whole-body exercise and though your upper body gets a fair share of grunt work, your legs and feet are your most important instrument for upward motion. It's about concentration and overcoming your fears for the void.
You don't need to be young or extremely fit to pick up climbing. Many people start later on in their life, and there are excellent climbers of all ages. I personally know some climbers well over fifty that still can compete with the young sharks.
For me personally it's all about discovering the natural world around and within you. Climbing will bring you to lots of lovely places and will definitely give you a unique perspective on the world below you. You'll learn a couple of things about yourself and the people you climb with.
Climbing is both an individualistic and social sport: when you're on the rock you can only count on your skills to get to the top. If you do fall however, you'll have to trust your climbing partner with your life. Beyond question. No mistakes allowed. This often makes for very strong bonds and relationships.

Water

2008-02-25T10:11:00.000-08:00

The most important factor in choosing how to carry water is that it will be available and convenient to encourage you to drink enough while walking. You also need a container that will hold enough water to get you from refilling station to refilling station.
Single Use BottlesWith bottled water widely available, many walkers reuse the bottles. These bottles are more difficult to clean between uses because they don't have the wider mouths that refillable water bottles do. Be sure to wash them with hot soapy water and dry them thoroughly to prevent bacterial and fungal growth.
Refillable Water BottlesThese are available at all sports stores and outdoors stores. Wash these after each use with hot water and soap to kill any germs. Test your bottle to make sure that it is not going to drip or spill when carried, even when going up and down in altitude.
Platypus and CamelbakPlatypus water bottles are flat when empty and fill up like a tick. They may fit better into a pack and are easily stored. Compare Prices.Camelbak water carriers ride on your back, with a flexible tube straw to drink from. Compare Prices
Water CarriersOnce you have selected you bottle, how do you carry it? Carrying it in the hand puts too much strain on wrist and elbow. A hip pack with a bottle holder is a good way to carry it at your center of mass, the best place to add weight to not strain your legs. Many backpacks also have special pockets for carrying water bottles without having to dig to the bottom of the pack to find it when you want it. Look for the carrier that suits you best at a sports or outdoors store..

Gunnison River

2008-02-04T10:01:00.000-08:00

The Gunnison River carved the canyon through hard, igneous rocks on its way to joining the Colorado River at Grand Junction. Over time the Gunnison produced steep canyon walls, which plummet to depths of more than 2,000 feet. The narrow canyon, only 1,500 feet across in some places, is cloaked in gloomy shadow for much of the day. This and the walls of dark gray schist and gneiss give the Black its name.
The Black Canyon is for experienced climbers only. There are no"easy" routes and there is no rescue. Hazards here range from poison ivy to loose scree to rattlesnakes lurking on your belay ledge. The sides of the canyon often jut out in spires and crags, most of the routes are long and complex, and the rock quality is inconsistent from route to route. That said, the Black offers the purity and adventure of climbing in a truly wild setting.
The best rock and most routes are found at the North Chasm View Wall. The moderate Leisure Climb will lead you up some great crack climbing along its six pitches.

Himalayas in Nepal

2008-01-28T09:54:00.000-08:00

If you have been lucky enough to touch the sky from the mountain crests, the passes, or the terraced valleys of Nepal's tectonically uplifted spine, you know that it is the snows that truly rule. Running the full length of the country, the great snow-capped windswept Nepalese Himalaya is an awe-inspiring natural spectacle.
Fully one third of the Himalaya is contained within Nepal's borders, as are the summits of eight of the world's 14 highest mountains (those over 8000 meters). Fortunately, some of the most spectacular countryside in and around this monolithic range is open to determined trekkers. From the deepest clear-blue waters of Rara Lake in the west to the high valleys around Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, and Everest in the center and Kanchenjunga in the east, centuries-old heel-worn furrows crisscross the ceilingless expanse and lead to gorgeous barren landscapes, remote villages, ancient traditions, and much, much more.

Where to go in Arkansas

2008-01-10T00:40:00.000-08:00

Arkansas state has over 250 hiking trails totaling over 1,500 miles. And some of the best ones are in the Ouachita National Forest. More than 600 miles of trails are available. Trails vary in difficulty from primitive in wilderness areas to paved, interpretive trails. The forest has an active trail construction program: New trails are being blazed and old ones upgraded. Typical for national forests, most trails are mixed use, meaning they are shared among mountain bikers, horseback riders, and hikers.
The long and rugged Ouachita National Recreation Trail is the king of the forest trails. Stretching for 236 miles across the length of the Ouachita Mountains, the trail crosses the highest mountains, and wildest landscape, in Middle America. To hike the whole thing takes anywhere from three weeks to a month.
None of the other trails of the Ouachita can compare in length. The other long-distance trails range in the 20- to 30-mile range. At 27 miles, the Eagle Rock Loop Trail is the longest loop trail in Arkansas. Take this route, and over a three-day period you'll cross the Little Missouri River nine times and travel over nine mountains.

Be ready for the night

2008-01-07T07:08:00.000-08:00

It's your first night on your long-awaited camping trip and you're dog tired. It took all the energy you could muster to pop open that can of beans, fire up your stove, and replenish your aching body with much-needed calories. Gratefully, you crawl into your tent and slide blissfully into your sleeping bag. Rest at last. Hiking over the big pass tomorrow doesn't seem quite so impossible. Until you wake up in the wee hours of the morning, teeth chattering ferociously, and the rest of your body feeling as frozen as a side of beef in a meat locker.
Getting cold in the middle of the night, or so hot and sweaty that you can't sleep, doesn't necessarily mean you didn't buy a good sleeping bag. More likely, you just bought the wrong sleeping bag. Since there are literally hundreds of models of sleeping bags available, perhaps even thousands, this happens more often than you would think.
While it is always important to consider how you plan to use equipment, sleeping bags tend to be more of a general-purpose general purchase. However, if you are planning on serious winter camping (in very cold weather) or mountaineering, you may well want to invest in a winter bag that is rated to twenty or thirty degrees below zero, in addition to a lighter bag for three-season use. Alternatively, some bags offer zip-out linings, so you have a double bag for cold weather, and your choice of the lining or outer bag for warmer conditions.
In general, three-season bags are rated to about 20 degrees above zero, which will work for warm conditions and usually be sufficient for brisk spring and fall nights. However, remember that there is no universal standard for bag rating. Also, people sleep at different temperatures, so while a 20-degree bag might keep your companion warm on a cold night, you might freeze in the same bag.

Mt. Hood

2007-12-17T10:20:00.000-08:00

Mt. Hood was once a great volcano known to the Northwest Indians as Wy'east, a mountain god who spouted flame and hurled boulders skyward. The first recorded white men saw the mountain in 1792 and named her Hood, after an admiral of the English Royal Navy. Today Mt. Hood rests at 11,235 feet above sea level. Twelve glaciers and five ridges tempt and challenge climbers from all over the world. There is some debate as to when the summit was first reached: either in 1845 or 1857. The first women made the ascent in skirts in 1867. Since those early days, hundreds of thousands have scaled Oregon's highest peak, and today Mt. Hood is the most frequently climbed glaciated peak in North America.
The routes described are technical climbs. There is no hiking trail to the summit. All climbers and backcountry travelers going above the Palmer lift are required to complete a Wildneress Permit at the climbers register at Timberline Lodge and to carry a copy of the permit with them while in the backcountry.

River Gorge National Wild

2007-12-10T07:16:00.000-08:00

River Gorge National Wild
Within the 63,000 acres of New River Gorge National River are over 1,400 established rock climbs. "The New" has become one of the most popular climbing areas in the country. The cliffs at New River Gorge are made up a a very hard sandstone, and range from 30 to 120 feet in height. The rock is very featured, and an abundance of crack and face routes are available.
Most of the routes in the gorge favor the advanced and expert climber. The majority of routes are 5.9 and harder, and most sport routes fall in the 5.10-5.12 range. A guidebook is an essential tool for locating climbs, and local climbing shops can offer information and specific recommendations.
The climbing season at New River extends from April through November. The best months are usually late April to mid-June, and mid-September to late October.
There are many private campgrounds located within easy driving distance from the climbing areas. Primitive camping is allowed on park property. Camping is prohibited within 100 feet of parking areas, water sources, historic sites, or the top rim of the cliffs.

Wyoming

2007-12-04T07:53:00.000-08:00

Wyoming
Twelve snowcapped Teton peaks abruptly rise more than 12,000 feet into the wide Wyoming sky. The tallest peak, 13,770-foot Grand Teton, soars more than a mile above the valley floor, overlooking beautiful Jackson Hole to the south. The Tetons beg to be photographed, hiked, and for the truly adventurous, climbed.
Grand Teton National Park offers the rock climber a bit of everything. You can find some great crag climbing in Cascade Canyon and Death Canyon, less challenging (but no less fun) routes like Owen-Spalding Route on the south side of Grand Teton, and classics like Mount Moran's South Buttress. The beauty of Teewinot Mountain is not to be missed, and, for those of you who like to mix it up, there is no shortage of brilliant alpine climbs throughout the park.
South Buttress Right, a 5.11a route on solid, gray granite, is considered by many the premier Teton climb. There are three options for the first pitch, which is marked by a boulder at its base.

National Park Arches

2007-11-29T09:26:00.000-08:00

At 73,379 acres, Arches is relatively small for a National Park, with very few areas far enough from roads to qualify as backcountry. Still, it's not hard to get away from crowds even at this very popular destination, since the major attractions here are viewable by car and many visitors don't bother to stray further afield than the park's major road.
Arches is a great place to explore, but the climate and landscape can cause major problems for the unprepared. Summer temperatures can exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius). Carry water (one gallon or four liters per person each day is recommended), and wear protective clothing.
Winter daytime temperatures are generally comfortable, but at night, it often drops below freezing. Plan ahead.
Trails are marked with cairns (piles of rocks). Follow these carefully and stay on the trails. Sandstone"slickrock" is fun to climb on, but can crumble and break easily and can be very slippery. It is much easier to climb up some areas than to get back down. Listen to your common sense and turn back before you reach your skill limits.

Pikes Peak

2007-11-05T06:43:00.000-08:00

Couples ready to appreciate some magnificent Western scenery may want to consider a romantic journey to Colorado Springs, home of 14,110-foot Pikes Peak.
There's plenty to do on the mountain: Hike 12 miles up the Barr Trail to the summit, hop aboard the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, or drive the 19-mile scenic highway and enjoy the view from the new Summit House.
Every July 4th, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb attracts top drivers from the motorsports world. Even more breath-taking is the Pikes Peak Marathon (August). Or imagine the excitement of riding down the mountain on a bicycle. You can easily arrange to do it.
In addition to the mythic mountain itself, there's more to see: The Garden of the Gods Park is known for its massive red sandstone formations, and it has a natural history museum that interprets the surroundings.
Love animals? The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo stands at 6,800 feet. Royal Gorge is home to the world's highest suspension bridge. Hold on tight!
Outdoor adventurers have so many choices that they need to make sure there's enough time to enjoy all the activities. The majors: river rafting, hiking, play golf, horseback ride, mountain bike, fish, and ski.

Day hike gear suggestions

2007-11-01T11:51:00.000-07:00

If you’re just going out for the day you may not need much, but you’ll still want a few things in case the weather turns bad or something unexpected happens.
If you’re not going to be far from your car you can leave some of the gear there. Try to anticipate what things you may encounter as you’re putting your gear together.
Day hike gear suggestions:
Day pack or hip pack
Water or drink (at least 16 to 32 oz. depending on your distance and the availability of water along the trail)
Snacks or lunch, such as a sandwich
Good shoes or boots, depending on the terrain
Good socks
Hat
Bandana or handkerchief
Clothing for the season, but prepare for the worst
Map and compass if the area is new to you
Watch
Camera/Film
First aid supplies (for a short hike maybe just a couple of Bandaids)
Insect repellant (the most effective repellant has DEET in it)
Remember to leave water and nonperishable food in your car for your return.

Bouldering

2007-10-30T11:27:00.001-07:00

Bouldering can be done just about anywhere you climb. Most bouldering is done on big rocks that have fallen off of a cliff or were dumped by a glacier thousands of years ago.
Many sport and traditional climbers boulder without even knowing it. Before you can clip the first bolt on a sport route or get in that first piece of protection trad climbing, you are bouldering. So if a partner calls and cancels, you can always climb up the first part of your favorite route or even find a boulder and practice edging, smearing and traversing to perfect your technique.
Bouldering is also a great way to “ease into” the sometimes expensive sport of rock climbing because it only requires climbing shoes, a chalk bag and maybe even a bouldering specific crash pad. The commitment level is relatively low, because as a rule, you should only boulder as high as you don’t mind falling.

Insurance dont forget about it

2007-10-25T08:02:00.000-07:00

The primary reason for insurance is medical. Most policies cover medical evacuation cost as well as the medical bill while your in the hospital. In Peru, this might amount to a free trip on the back of a donkey and a three night stay at a clinic for treatment of amebic dysentery amounting to only $500.00. Though while climbing in Alaska a flight evacuation and a three night stay in hospital that your health care doesn't recognize could add up real quick.
Another reason to get insurance is to cover the untimely manner of airlines for baggage delays as well as cancellation insurance for the services you've contracted in country. Say your bags showed up three days late and you missed the internal flight booked by your mountaineering guide service. Your policy would cover the cost of booking a new flight.
Or say, you've booked a mountaineering trip in Bolivia through a local guide service and when you fly in to La Paz they tell you're trip is cancelled due to political unrest. Your policy would cover that loss.

Top roping

2007-10-17T07:04:00.000-07:00

Without troubling you with a thesis length reply, it goes like this. The safest way to get the rope to the top of the cliff is to hike up the backside and drop it over the face. This is called top roping. This works great if the cliff is only 50-100ft tall. If the cliff is too tall, or the climber wants a greater challenge, the climber needs to lead the rope up there. This is accomplished by scaling the face of the rock using the rope for safety in case he or she should fall. As the person climbs, they clip the rope into metal links called carabineers that are attached to the rock. Once at the top, the climber attaches the rope through a secure point called an anchor and their partner then lowers them back to the ground or climbs up to meet them.
This routine of taking turns climbing is repeated numerous times to climb extremely large rock formations. This is called multi-pitch rock climbing.

Water management

2007-10-08T08:06:00.000-07:00

The best way to keep your hydration system (ie. your Camel Back) from freezing on those cold early morning ascents, is to leave it behind. I know, you want to take it because it helps you stay hydrated. But the truth is, if it's freezing and windy, your tube is going to clog up with ice. Over the years, I've wrapped enough insulation around the tube of my platypus to insulate an aquaduct. I ended up not drinking on those early morning climbs resulting in a greater state of Dehydration. Don't get me wrong, I use my Platypus hydration system all the time and I love it, that is, when its not going to freeze.
For high altitude ascents and winter alpine routes, carry a small water bottle in the inner breast pocket of your jacket. Refill the bottle at break stops from larger water bottles in your pack.
This system has the advantage of enabling the climber to keep track of how much water they are consuming during the day. Also, before you leave camp, chug a liter of water and carry it in your belly.

Avoid over gripping holds with your hands

2007-10-01T05:21:00.000-07:00

Avoid over gripping holds with your hands. You will quickly tire your arms out.
Use your feet like you would your hands.
Trust your feet. You can stand on your legs all day. You don’t hang with your arms all day. Too often people hang on their arms and then fall off, sailing right past a monster ledge they could have had their feet on.
Trust your belayer, and focus on climbing. If you are worried your belayer doesn’t have you, find a new belayer you can trust.
Concentrate on what is within reach. Sometimes you can use an intermediate hold (a smaller hold between secure holds) to get to a better hold.
Climb from the bottom up, not top down. Of course, if you can see the top of the route, look to see if there is a pattern working from the goal down to where you are, but when you start to climb, focus on the climbing at the bottom of the route as you climb up.
Climb in an X shape with your hips being the middle of the X. Hang with your arm straight. Your skeleton can take much more of a load than your muscles can. If the heel of your foot is hanging too far down you may notice your leg start to shake like a “sewing machine”. This is very common occurrence, simply apply more weight to your toes so your calf muscle spasm can stop.
Fear of heights is normal. Climbing is all about conquering those fears. Time will cure the fear of heights. A good trick is to look down no further than your feet to correctly place them on the best part of the hold.
Take your time. Climb like a cat does—quiet, deliberate, and precise. Picture the move, and then execute it. Use all of your limbs, not just two. The lower the angle of the climb, the more time you have, so use it. Make each move as fluid as possible.

2007-09-30T09:24:00.000-07:00

2007-09-17T08:14:00.000-07:00

The technique is a simple enhancement of normal arm swing when walking. The poles remain behind and pointing diagonally backwards at all times. Shoulders are relaxed and down. Poles are held close to the body. • The hands are opened slightly to allow the poles to swing forward - the poles are not gripped but swing from the wrist straps. The leading foot strikes the ground. The opposite arm swings forward to waist height. The opposite pole strikes the ground level with the heel of the opposite foot. The poles remain pointing diagonally backwards, they are never in front of the body. Push the pole as far back as possible, the arm straightening to form a continuous line with the fully extended arm, the hand opening off the grip by the end of the arm swing.
The foot rolls through the step to push off with the toe. This lengthens the stride behind the body, getting the most out of each stride. • The arm motion is loose and relaxed.
Keeping the arms relaxed and keeping the poles behind the body are key elements in the proper technique.

2007-09-15T13:32:00.000-07:00

How can you make walking a better overall workout without feeling like you are exerting any more energy? How can you overcome the slouching, neck and shoulder pain many get from working at desks and computers? Across Europe, millions of people have taken up nordic walking to give them a good workout and loosen their neck and shoulders.
For a better but easier cardio workout, nordic walking increases your heart rate without increasing your perceived rate of exertion. You get a better workout without feeling like you are working any harder.
While you can get a similar heart rate effect by walking faster, there are many people who do not want to walk faster or cannot walk fast.
Upper Body WorkoutNordic walking works the arms, shoulders and upper chest and back muscles through a full range of motion, stretching and lengthening those muscles which are often tight.

Nordic walking

2007-09-09T03:12:00.000-07:00

Nordic walking is a technique used for walking with fitness walking poles. The nordic walking poles have hand straps or half gloves that enable the walker to use the nordic walking technique, releasing the pole at the end of each stroke.
Nordic walking poles have a fitness tip on them to allow then to be used on hard surfaces.

toning the upper body
relieving strain on the knees, hips, and ankles
burning up to 40% more calories per mile while feeling no more exertion than regular walking.

Some varieties of nordic walking poles have adjustable height to make them easier to store or to share between people.
Before you begin walking, adjust your poles to the correct length.
The proper pole length is approx. 70% of your body height. Multiply your height in inches or in centimeters by 0.7 to get your pole length in the same units.

2007-09-08T04:03:00.000-07:00

Multi-pitch rock climbers have the potential to get themselves into many bad situations. Here's a helpful tip for self rescue.
By combining several small items on a carabineer on the back of you're harness you can have the gear needed to reverse several dangerous situations. Here's the items that will clip onto a small locking carabineer.
A small Knife
One 6mm cord to use as a prussik
A small pen light
A small roll of athletic tapeThe knife is for cleaning old sun beaten webbing from rappell stations.
The small pen light is used for inspecting rappell stations at dusk and for finding the descent trail at night. I recommend a full sized headlamp if there is any chance of getting caught in the dark.
The tape is for covering up small cuts and scrapes. It can also be used to close the gate of a non-locking carabineer when rappelling. Use only new carabiners to rappel on.
Remember, multi-pitch rock climbing is an activity with many potential outcomes. To ensure your safety, set yourself up for success. Get the proper instruction, gather the needed information on the route and choose a climb at your ability.

Icefields Parkway

2007-08-27T07:55:00.000-07:00

Icefields Parkway
For mountain driving on a grand scale, head north to Canada's Icefields Parkway. This road takes you through Banff and Jasper National Parks, across the Continental Divide, and right past three massive glaciers. Your first scenic highlight appears at mile 2, where Crowfoot Glacier hangs from a cliff face some 900 feet above. At mile 23, stop to take in the blue-green waters of Bow Lake, flanked by Crowfoot Peak to the left and Bow Glacier to the right. The two-mile round-trip Parker Ridge trail (mile 73) leads you to a lofty ridge overlooking Saskatchewan Glacier and the Columbia Icefield—North America's largest subpolar ice pack.
In addition to the beautiful landscape, look out for big-name wildlife such as grizzlies, black bears, moose, and caribou, especially at dusk and dawn.

Acadia II

2007-08-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

Acadia is located mostly on Mount Desert Island, a curled shrimp of an island off of Maine's mid-coast. The coast is delightfully rugged and rocky. America has too few spots to climb near the sea on the East Coast, but Acadia does its best to make up for the lack of venues. The park's oceanside cliff cragging, especially at Great Head, is some of the best in the world. The occasional foghorn and crashing waves (make sure you have a firm stance on sea-level belay ledges) make great background noise to an abundance of exciting climbs.
There are many single-pitch climbs on Acadia's solid, coarse-grained pink granite. Otter Cliffs, Great Head, Echo Lake, and the Precipice on the south side of Champlain Mountain are the main climbing areas. Climbing here is a mixture of"trad" and sport; there are top-rope routes at places like Otter Cliffs routes to be found. The Story of O, a 250-foot crack climb on Champlain Mountain.

Teton peaks

2007-08-22T03:29:00.000-07:00

Twelve snowcapped Teton peaks abruptly rise more than 12,000 feet into the wide Wyoming sky. The tallest peak, 13,770-foot Grand Teton, soars more than a mile above the valley floor, overlooking beautiful Jackson Hole to the south. The Tetons beg to be photographed, hiked, and for the truly adventurous, climbed.
Grand Teton National Park offers the rock climber a bit of everything. You can find some great crag climbing in Cascade Canyon and Death Canyon, less challenging (but no less fun) routes like Owen-Spalding Route on the south side of Grand Teton, and classics like Mount Moran's South Buttress. The beauty of Teewinot Mountain is not to be missed, and, for those of you who like to mix it up, there is no shortage of brilliant alpine climbs throughout the park.
South Buttress Right, a 5.11a route on solid, gray granite, is considered by many the premier Teton climb. There are three options for the first pitch, which is marked by a boulder at its base.

Mt. Hood

2007-07-19T08:39:00.000-07:00

Mt. Hood was once a great volcano known to the Northwest Indians as Wy'east, a mountain god who spouted flame and hurled boulders skyward. The first recorded white men saw the mountain in 1792 and named her Hood, after an admiral of the English Royal Navy. Today Mt. Hood rests at 11,235 feet above sea level. Twelve glaciers and five ridges tempt and challenge climbers from all over the world. There is some debate as to when the summit was first reached: either in 1845 or 1857. The first women made the ascent in skirts in 1867. Since those early days, hundreds of thousands have scaled Oregon's highest peak, and today Mt. Hood is the most frequently climbed glaciated peak in North America.
All climbers and backcountry travelers going above the Palmer lift are required to complete a Wildneress Permit at the climbers register at Timberline Lodge and to carry a copy of the permit with them while in the backcountry.

Summiting Shasta

2007-07-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

Summiting Shasta
Shasta is a mountain of fire and ice, a place where you can find a challenge and an answer, both mysteries and truths. The challenge is the climb and the answer is that you can likely complete it. The mysteries are of Lemurians, Yaktayvians and Phylos, creatures who are said to inhabit the inner mountain. The truth is only for you to find. At 14,162 feet, Mount Shasta rises like a giant diamond in a field of coal. Located 60 miles north of Redding, it is the jewel of Northern California, and can sometimes be seen for more than a hundred miles in all directions.
Climbing Shasta is one of the west's great adventures, an endurance test that most people in good physical condition have an honest chance of achieving. But Shasta stands apart because of its sheer size with a volume of 80 cubic miles, it's the highest of Northern California's peaks, the largest of the Cascade volcanoes. Much of it is gouged with glacial canyons.

Climbing Joshua TreeNational Park

2007-07-10T09:04:00.000-07:00

Climbing Joshua TreeNational Park
There are over 4,500 climbing routes within the park. Most of them are between one and two pitches in length. It's very easy to become overwhelmed and lost among the endless formations, so my goal here is to focus on four classic spots, each suited to climbers of a specific ability level.
The best months to be in the high desert of Joshua Tree are from October to December and from March through April.
The rock at Joshua Tree is a variety of granite known as quartz monzonite. It varies in quality but is generally solid. Quartz monzonite can be very abrasive and it may take a while for newcomers to the area to develop calluses. Whether you prefer crack, face, or friction climbing, there are literally thousands of wonderful routes available to toughen you up.

Southeast Alaska

2007-07-09T09:44:00.000-07:00

Southeast Alaska is the region nearest the contiguous United States, and its wet, lush environment reflects its proximity to the Pacific Northwest. Most of Alaska's "panhandle," an intricate strip of islands and channels, cannot be reached by road. Southcentral Alaska, on the other hand, is linked by miles of pavement, connecting travelers to both the urban and the wild.
To the north lies the Interior, anchored to the more populous Southcentral by Alaska's few highways. This alternately hot and arid, numbingly cold region basically consists of everything but the coasts and the Arctic.
Everything that cannot be reached by car — the Arctic, Kodiak Island, the west and southwest, the Alaskan Peninsula, and the Aleutians — everything that's more wilderness than civilization is the Bush.

Little Zion

2007-07-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

The Mormons who named the wild canyon country in southwestern Utah"Little Zion" knew a promised land when they saw it. The 150,000 acres that are now Zion National Park are a true desert paradise.
Throughout the park wind-sculpted sandstone arches, sheer, multihued canyon walls, plateaus, canyons, and monoliths invite the child within to come out to this sandstone playground. Because nearly a mile separates the highest and lowest elevations in the park, this otherworldly territory is home to a spectacular multitude and diversity of plant and animal life. Both the living and the inanimate are cause for jaw-dropping amazement in Zion.
The beautiful Virgin River, which carved the park's centerpiece, Zion Canyon, snakes below cliffs as much as 2,200 feet high. Here is where you will find the classic big wall climbs of Zion. Much like Yosemite, these walls require commitment. You will find beauty, serenity, and few other climbers on these difficult multipitch routes.

Capitol Reef National Park

2007-06-25T12:40:00.000-07:00

Capitol Reef National Park does not get nearly as many visitors as its Utah neighbors Bryce and Zion, and that is cause for celebration. This underestimated parkland is filled with vibrant colors — the Navajo referred to it as"the land of the sleeping rainbow" — and bizarre rock formations. Ancestral pueblos left behind thousand-year-old petroglyphs and more recent history has shown the park to be an ample hideout for outlaws of the Wild West.

Capitol Reef protects the Waterpocket Fold, a massive geologic stretch of uplifted, wrinkled earth that extends for more than 100 miles. The Fold reminded the first white explorers, many of whom were seafaring gents before taking the overland route, of an ocean reef. Round stones near the Fold brought to mind D.C.'s Capitol building and gave the park its improbable name.
Almost all of Capitol Reef's rock routes are found near the park's scenic drive. The rock quality varies tremendously from climb to climb, and though there are some solid routes on this entrada sandstone, much of it is loose and soft. Climbers must be aware of sandstone's unpredictable nature. Even along the best routes the rock may flake off.

Arches National Park

2007-06-25T12:09:00.000-07:00

A wonderland of balanced rock, sandstone fingers, fins, plateaus, and canyons in colors ranging from dove-white to sunset-red characterize this land five miles north of Moab, Utah. More than 2,000 arches, the highest concentration of natural arches in the world, give the park its name. Because they are unique and fragile, the national park service has wisely declared these arches off-limits to climbers. The park's sandstone spires, towers, and walls, however, are free game.
The entrada sandstone found in Arches National Park is decent rock for climbing, and Arches offers many engaging options.
The West Face of Dark Angel on Devils Tower, established some 40 years ago, is a classic route. A very popular formation, as well as a relatively easy climb, is the squat 100-foot spire Owl Rock.

Acadia

2007-06-08T10:42:00.000-07:00

Having the distinction of being the only national park in the northeastern United States brings Acadia a lot of visitors. They come to climb 1,532-foot Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the Atlantic north of Rio, to bike along the 45 miles of crisscrossing carriage paths, which were originally commissioned by mogul John D. Rockefeller Jr., and to drive along Park Loop Road. In the summer Acadia can get downright crowded. Luckily there are 170 miles of opportunity for the hiker to hide in this 35,000-acre park.
Acadia is located mostly on Mount Desert Island, a curled shrimp of an island off of Maine's mid-coast. The coast is delightfully rugged and rocky. America has too few spots to climb near the sea on the East Coast, but Acadia does its best to make up for the lack of venues.

Mt. Shasta

2007-05-28T10:37:00.000-07:00

Mt. Shasta is located at the northern extremity of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range located in Siskiyou County in Northern California. Mt. Shasta is the cone of an extinct volcano rising to a height of over 14,380 feet above sea level. It is the largest volcanic peak in the continental United States.
Mt. Shasta is a special place. The mountain is a mystic power source. It is the focus for angels, spirits, spaceships, and the Lemurians. Strange lights, clouds, shadows and sunsets add to the mystical aura of the mountain.
A long tunnel stretches away, far into the interior of majestic Mt. Shasta. The Lemurians lie at the tunnel's far end. Using their mastery over sound and vibrations they hollowed out an underground city. Lemuria was once a great continent connected to parts of California, Oregon, and Washington. Lemuria disappeared into the Pacific Ocean many thousands of years ago in a vast cataclysm. Some Lemurian people migrated to Mt. Shasta when their continent began to sink.
The Saint Germain Foundation is an organization with a worldwide membership of over five thousand people that began when the group's founder, Guy W. Ballard, claimed to have had an encounter with the "Ascended Master" Saint Germain on the slopes of Mt. Shasta in 1930. Ballard stopped one day at a mountain spring for a drink and felt a strange current pass through his body. Then he encountered Saint Germain. Germain gave Ballard some small cakes which gave him a new sense of health and clearness of mind.

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

2007-05-21T06:34:00.000-07:00

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is one of the greatest sights in Yellowstone National Park. It's also a great example of a canyon.
Canyons don't form everywhere, only in places where a river is cutting downward much faster than the rocks it cuts are weathering. That creates a deep valley with steep, rocky sides. Here, the Yellowstone River is strongly erosive because it carries a lot of water at a steep gradient down from the high, uplifted plateau around the huge Yellowstone caldera. As it cuts its way downward, the sides of the canyon fall into it and are carried away.
The famous yellow rocks here are thick deposits of welded volcanic ash, built up as the Yellowstone hot spot has torched its way through the North American crustal plate. The hot spot is not dead, only resting between eruptions.

Red Rocks

2007-05-19T01:33:00.000-07:00

Red Rocks

Description
Over thousands of documented routes
Best climbing during the spring and Fall
Las Vegas has over 120,000 rooms availible if you don't want to camp.

Only minutes outside of Las Vegas, NV., people have flown into Vegas in the morning, climbed all day, and have returned home that evening. Red Rocks National Conservation Area is comprised of numerous deep canyons with towering walls up to three thousand feet tall. During the winter months, snow caps the upper formations lending an alpine feel reminiscent of wetter climates. The area is a true desert complete with numerous types of cactus and even an endangered band of wild burros.

Red Rocks I

2007-05-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

Red Rocks is probably the most accessible winter climbing venue in the United States. It is only a couple hours drive from Joshua Tree, CA. and the Canyon Lands, UT. The climbing is unique with highly textured sandstone characteristic of holds found in a climbing gym. A great destination for boulderers, sport climbers and traditional crack climbers.

Pros
Climbable during the winter
Diverse terrain, bouldering, sport and long multi-pitch climbing
Great sandstone formations

Cons
A little too close to Las Vegas
Camping is available but rather sterile
Very hot during the summer

Climbing shoes

2007-04-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

There are basically two different general types of climbing shoes. These two types are called board-lasted and slip-lasted. The names have to do with how they are manufactured.
Board-lasted shoes are generally stiffer while slip-lasted shoes are generally softer and more sensitive. Because they are usually quite stiff, board-lasted shoes are great for sticking your feet in cracks and also for standing on small edges. Slip-lasted shoes on the other hand are great for smearing on small holds. Slip-lasted shoes are usually more sensitive and better for more technical climbing.
When buying your first pair of climbing shoes, the main thing to do is to make sure they are Comfortable. Later on, you can buy shoes that perform better. It won’t make any difference when you first start climbing to buy shoes that are so small or so technical that they are uncomfortable. What that will do is make you equate pain with climbing and possibly even squelch your desire to climb. You do want your shoes to be tight without socks on but the key balance is tight but comfortable. They shouldn’t fit like regular street shoes.

Climbing shoes I

2007-04-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

Climbing shoes are the first piece of equipment to buy if you want to start climbing. With only climbing shoes and a chalk bag, you can start bouldering. Climbing shoes are also the most difficult thing to borrow from other people if you don’t own your own. It's important to have to shoes that fit your feet. While the guy at the climbing store may make the process of buying your first climbing shoes seem overwhelming, it’s truly not rocket science. You can’t go wrong with any of the shoes out there because they are all good products. The main thing is to find a shoe that is comfortable for your feet.

2007-04-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

What is Top Roping? It's a form of rock climbing where safety for the climber is provided via a rope strung from the top of the cliff. The rope is anchored securely via bolts or passive protection and camming devices. As the climber ascends the cliff, their partner pulls the other end of the rope through a friction device. This action of providing security for the climber is called, "belaying". If the climber should fall, the belayer locks off the friction device and takes their weight with relative ease.

2007-02-05T08:52:00.000-08:00

Route 1*
Trail Begins: 8,400' Elevation. Parking available at beginning of Harvard Trail, Forest Road 138. 4WD may continue 3.5 miles to Wilderness boundary. From there continue 1 mile to Colorado Trail, Forest Trail 1776. Cross the Colorado Trail and continue up the Frenchman Creek drainage 2.5 miles. Head WNW 1.5 miles up the ridge to the summit.
Trail Ends: 14,420' Elevation at summit of Mount Harvard, 3rd highest in the state.
Access: From Leadville travel 24 miles south on US Hwy 24 to Chaffee County Route 396. Travel SW 0.5 miles to Forest Road 138.
Use: Rte 1,
Route 2*
Trail Begins: 9,l00 Elevation. Parking available on Pine Creek Road, Forest Road 123. 4WD may continue 1/2 mile to road closure, From there follow Pine Creek Trail 2.5 miles to the Colorado Trail. Cross the bridge and continue up the valley 2.5 miles to Little John's Cabin. From Little John's Cabin cross the creek to the forge and head SE 1 mile on the South Pine Creek Trail to the top) of the ridge. Follow the 2 miles SW to the summit.
Trail Ends: 14,420' Elevation at summit of Mount Harvard.Access: From Leadville travel south on US Hwy 24 to Granite. Continue 4 miles south to Cold Camp. Turn off highway 0.25 miles past Gold Camp onto Forest Road 123.
Use: Rte 2, High

Mt. Elbert

2007-02-04T09:41:00.000-08:00

Mt. Elbert at 14,433 ft. elevation is the highest point in Colorado. It is the second highest mountain in the adjacent 48 states. Samuel H. Elbert (1833-1899) was an outstanding and widely known civic leader in the Territory and State of Colorado. Mt. Elbert, Elbert County, and the town of Elbert, Colorado were all named in his honor. Elbert served as Colorado's Territorial Secretary, Territorial Governor and State Supreme Court Justice. Active in the formulation of mining legislation and reclamation projects, he promoted concepts of conservation and irrigation which were ahead of his time.
Technical ability or special mountain climbing experience is not required to climb Mt. Elbert. Good physical condition is important; however, the ascent and return requires a good full day of strenuous hiking. At this elevation where the air is thin, you will require extra energy.
Stick to the trail. Don't shortcut trail switchbacks as this causes erosion. Take a few extra minutes to pack out whatever you pack in. Better yet, pack out a few pieces of someone else's litter too.

Mount Marcy

2007-01-26T10:32:00.000-08:00

Mount Marcy is the highest peak in the Adirondacks and in the state, rising 5,344 feet above sea level. It is surrounded by the other high peaks of the MacIntyre Range, which extend in a southwesterly and northeasterly direction through the west central portion of Essex County. The divide between the Hudson and the St. Lawrence Rivers passes over its summit, and to the southwest, at the base of the cone lies Lake Tear-of-the-Clouds, the highest lake source of the Hudson River.
When the first recorded ascent of Mt. Marcy was made in 1837 by Professor Emmons and his party, there were no trails or guide posts. They struggled through virgin forests which, especially in the dense alpine growth of pure scrubby balsam near the top of the mountain, made for tough-going. Today, however, the peak can be approached on well-marked trails from four directions. Many of these trails have interesting variations and side trips.

Rocky Mountain National Park

2007-01-22T12:58:00.000-08:00

Rocky Mountain National Park offers a variety of challenging ascents for the climber throughout the year. Rocky Mountain encompasses 113 named mountain peaks over 10,000 feet and 71 over 12,000 feet. The park contains stretch of legendary high peaks, including Hallett Peak (12,173'), Otis Peak (12,486') McHenry's Peak (13,327'), Chiefs Head Peak (13,579'), Spearhead (12,575'), Half Mountain (11,482'), and the renowned Longs Peak (14,256'). Some climbers claim that the Diamond cliff of Long's Peak is the best alpine wall in the U.S.
Technical climbs do not require registration either at the trailhead or in advance, but registration is always required for overnight bivouacs. It is your responsibility to leave details about your destination with someone who can report your absence if you happen to be overdue. For information about permits and regulations see a park ranger. Minimum impact climbing techniques are essential to the preservation of this proposed wilderness area. Motorized drills are prohibited to avoid damaged rock, disturbance to raptor habitat, and to eliminate noise from undeveloped areas in the park. Climbers are urged to leave no trace by using brown-colored chalk, neutral colored webbing, and traveling on established trails. Pack out what you pack in, so that others may enjoy their climbing experiences.

Hells Canyon National Recreation Area

2007-01-11T08:37:00.000-08:00

In 1975, Congress established the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, which includes sections of both Idaho and Washington. This relatively new pseudo-national park includes most of the Seven Devils Mountains; 190,000 acres (including the entire high peak area of the central range) are designated as the Hells Canyon Wilderness. The southern section of the range is managed by the Payette National Forest, and the eastern foothills are managed by the Ne Perce National Forest.
The range is readily accessible, with the most popular route beginning in Riggins, Idaho, and allowing passenger autos to reach over 8,000 feet in elevation at Windy Gap. While the southern and northern approach routes are more primitive, they do offer quick approaches to most of the Seven Devils' most important summits.
Hiking and climbing opportunities are above average. Due to the large elevation differentials, the Seven Devils have the longest hiking season of any Idaho mountain range, with hiking beginning along the Snake River in early March. While the best known trails are located within the Wilderness boundaries, many excellent trails are located in the southern Seven Devils, west of Council.

The Seven Devils Mountains

2007-01-08T06:23:00.000-08:00

The Seven Devils Mountains extend along the Idaho/Oregon border for roughly 40 miles between the Idaho towns of Whitebird and Council. They are bounded by the Snake River on the west and the Salmon and Little Salmon rivers on the east. The range ranks high among Idaho's mountain chains in terms of ruggedness and scenic quality; it is the state's most precipitous range, with elevations varying from just above 1,000 feet at the Snake River to 9,393 feet on the summit of He Devil.
The range was formed by block faulting of the region's very complicated rock layers, which contain a little of everything, from oceanic sedimentary rocks to intrusive igneous rock and limestone caves, all within short walking distance of each other. In the past, mining activity has taken place in this range; old digs can still be found, mostly at the lower elevations. While the Seven Devils block was uplifting, the Salmon River cut an immense trench on the east side of the range, and the Snake River cut an even deeper canyon along the western side. Between the two river canyons is a high 3-mile-wide bench which forms the Seven Devils high country. This crest runs north to south and is most pronounced on its east side, where all of the major peaks are found. The western slope of the range, while at first more moderate than the eastern side, eventually descends rapidly into the Hells Canyon of the Snake River.

Longs Peak

2007-01-04T08:02:00.000-08:00

Longs Peak is undisputedly the monarch of the northern Front Range and one of the outstanding peaks of the entire North American continent. It has gained prominence in the eyes of explorers, settlers, writers, tourists, mountaineers, and technical climbers. Longs Peak offers something for virtually everyone either in its striking beauty or its climbing possibilities, but first and foremost, Longs is a climber's mountain. Even the easiest routes up Longs are classic climbs, and nothing in the Rocky Mountains quite compares with climbs on Longs's mark of individuality — the magnificent 1,675-foot east face, crowned with the sheerest part of all, the 1,000-foot Diamond.
The history of Longs Peak is so rich that any detailed account deserves an entire book. Two such books are Stephen Trimble's Long's Peak: A Rocky Mountain Chronicle, which was published in 1984 with some fine color photography, and Paul Nesbit's Longs Peak — Its Story and a C1imbing Guide, which was the standard guide to the mountain for many years. Also, Bill Bueler's Roof of the Rockies devotes a chapter to Longs Peak and vicinity.

Pikes Peak and Mount Evans

2007-01-02T10:01:00.000-08:00

Pikes Peak and Mount Evans
The trailheads described here are places passenger cars can reach. Sometimes these places are well-marked parking lots at the end of a road, and sometimes they are just points on a continuing road where the road becomes too rough for passenger cars. Four-wheel-drive vehicles can shorten many of the ascents in Colorado, but, when you think about it, wouldn't you rather have more mountain, not less?
Colorado's Front Range extends from the Wyoming border southward 175 miles to the Arkansas River valley west of Pueblo. It is Colorado's longest range. When you approach the Rocky Mountains from the east, the Front Range provides an abrupt scenery change. The land is flat, then roars up like crazy. Two of the most well-known and popular peaks for climbing in the Front Range are Pikes Peak and Mount Evans. Both are close to Denver and allow the motivationally challenged the opportunity to drive all the way to the summit. The standard climbing routes to the summits of both peaks can also become quite crowded.

Colorado's Front Range

2007-01-02T09:49:00.000-08:00

The trailheads described here are places passenger cars can reach. Sometimes these places are well-marked parking lots at the end of a road, and sometimes they are just points on a continuing road where the road becomes too rough for passenger cars. Four-wheel-drive vehicles can shorten many of the ascents in Colorado, but, when you think about it, wouldn't you rather have more mountain, not less?
Colorado's Front Range extends from the Wyoming border southward 175 miles to the Arkansas River valley west of Pueblo. It is Colorado's longest range. When you approach the Rocky Mountains from the east, the Front Range provides an abrupt scenery change. The land is flat, then roars up like crazy. Two of the most well-known and popular peaks for climbing in the Front Range are Pikes Peak and Mount Evans. Both are close to Denver and allow the motivationally challenged the opportunity to drive all the way to the summit. The standard climbing routes to the summits of both peaks can also become quite crowded.

Pikes Peak and Mount Evans climbing

2006-12-28T05:49:00.000-08:00

Pikes Peak and Mount Evans
Climbing is dangerous, and each individual should approach these peaks with caution. Conditions can vary tremendously depending on time of day and time of year. The route descriptions here assume good summer conditions.
Environmental, safety, and social concerns have risen sharply in recent years. Tread lightly and carry your trash out. Use established trails when possible and don't cut switchbacks, especially in the tundra zone above timberline. Turn around when conditions or weather are against you. Respect other people and wild animals.
Before charging forth with your city energy and competitive urges, take some time to understand the mountain environment you are about to enter. Carefully study your chosen route and don't be afraid to retreat if your condition or the mountain's is unfavorable. Better yet, do an easier climb nearby and gain knowledge of the area. When both you and the mountain are ready, come back and do your dream climb.

Colorado s peaks

2006-12-26T10:46:00.000-08:00

Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks offer the hiker and mountaineer one of the finest arrays of alpine challenges in the Rocky Mountains. You can be in the heart of Colorado's fourteener country in a few hours from its metropolitan areas, and the peak's proximity to population centers makes them even more precious. There is a lifetime of adventures waiting for you in Colorado's mountains. Climbing fourteeners has become increasingly popular in recent years, and the challenge of climbing all the fourteeners captures many people.
Besides the often-climbed standard routes up Pikes Peak and Mount Evans, there are many alternative routes and several technical routes. Most of the routes on Colorado's fourteeners are walk-ups (Class 1, Class 2, Easy Snow), but there are many wonderful scrambles (Class 3, Moderate Snow) and technical climbs (Class 4, Class 5, Steep Snow) on these peaks. Many of these beautiful routes have never been adequately described before. Most climbers on Colorado's fourteeners climb the standard routes and they are becoming crowded. However, you can still spend days climbing fourteeners and never see another person.

Lovers Leap

2006-12-10T03:32:00.000-08:00

Lovers Leap is a fine granite formation smack dab in the middle of California. Located on highway 50, just outside of the Lake Tahoe Basin, Lovers Leap is only an hour and a half from Sacramento and twenty minutes from South Lake Tahoe.
Lovers Leap is mostly a traditional climbing area. Though full of stellar vertical crack systems, the area is great for beginners due to the horizontal dikes that run sideways across the walls. This creates jug sized hand holds located in the middle of many of the difficult crack climbing sequences. The climbing is comprised mostly of multi-pitch climbs of moderate length, usually between 3-5 pitches.
The best season for Lovers Leap is during the Spring and the Fall. The middle of summer can be quite hot, though usually it is climbable in the shade.

2006-12-04T08:27:00.000-08:00

Glossary of Therms
Aid climbing is the practice of using Active and Passive protection to scale an exposed rock face. This is a time consuming process where the climber places a piece of protection in the rock and applies his or her full body weight. This process is repeated numerous times, with each piece bringing the climber higher up the rock face. Aid is most commonly used on vertical shear cracks and faces where free climbing is not humanly possible. The creation of aid climbing is what made the summits of the largest "Big Walls" in the world a possibility. Aid climbing was created by the pioneers of climbing in the first half of the 19th century.
A bivouac is usually a small and uncomfortable place to sleep mid-way up a climbing route. A bivouac can be planned for, or it can be unplanned and be referred to as an open bivouac. Generally, an open bivouac affords little comforts and can be sloping, dirty, wet, cold and/or all of the above. They can be prone to avalanche, rock fall and extreme winds. To avoid unplanned bivies, bring a mountaineering tent.

2006-11-29T12:02:00.000-08:00

The Incredible Hulk is one of the best alpine rock climbing formations I have ever climbed on. The rock is comprised of clean compact granite that rivals many of the routes found in Yosemite Valley. The Hulk host many challenging routes for the advanced rock climber, including the Red Dihedral and Positive Vibrations which are the two moderate lines on the main face. The Hulk is located in the Sawtooth Range of the Sierra Nevada mountains which is located just outside of the town of Bridgeport, CA. The approach is moderate compared to many backcountry formations in the Sierras taking only about three and a half hours. The formation itself is over 1000 feet in height and offers between 8-12 pitches of climbing. Standing at the base of positive vibrations, I believed the climb would be done in no time.

2006-11-26T12:30:00.000-08:00

Crampons are spikes that are strapped on to the bottom of mountaineering boots for traction on snow and ice. They have 10-16 points protruding downwards about an inch in length. All crampons rely on the rigidity of the boot to maintain their stiffness. Crampons have front points which are kicked into steep ice or snow. There are four categories of crampons. Strap on Crampons use a combination of toe and heel caps to secure the crampon on the boot.
These crampons are great for basic mountaineering and fit on about any boot. A great crampon for using with your hiking boots for that short section of firm snow. Neumatic crampons have a toe cap (usually made of plastic) and a lever that fits into a heel welt to ensure a tight fit. These crampons are perfect for general mountaineering and climb ice moderately well. They fit well with heavy duty hiking boots that have a heel welt with a rounded toe.

2006-11-20T06:27:00.000-08:00

Mont Blanc
How fit do I need to be?
This is a difficult question to answer, but in general you need to be able to sustain steady ascents of five to six hours carrying a pack over often uneven ground. (for the Cosmiques refuge route, the ascent is up to eight hours). An ability to keep going slowly without too many stops is much more effective than trying too hard and tiring yourself out. When training for your ascent at home, try to include as many long, steady jogs (at least an hour) as you can – short intense workouts are less helpful. If you can get outside for some long days in the hills, so much the better.
Does the route involve technical climbing?
Day one of the Gouter route involves a long scramble up a rocky ridge to reach the hut, though this ridge is not particularly vertiginous and you hardly need to use your hands. Day two mainly involves wide snow slopes with a more narrow, but usually well tracked, snow ridge to reach the summit. The Cosmiques route varies more according to the condition of the glaciers, but will always involve a 75m ice slope of about 60 degrees on Mont Maudit. You will be roped up for the majority of both routes for maximum safety.

2006-11-07T08:26:00.000-08:00

By simple definition a double wall tent uses a rainfly over the tent, whereas a single wall tent does not. A tent needs to satisfy two functions: it needs to repel water from rain and dew on the outside, and it needs to breathe in order to eliminate condensation from the inside. A double wall tent repels outside moisture with a waterproof rainfly, and it eliminates inside moisture with breathable tent walls. A single wall tent performs both of these tasks with just the tent wall, which is usually a laminate of waterproof and breathable materials. Both type tents have their place. Double wall tents have more parts, are heavier, and cost less than single wall tents. For these reasons single wall tents are most often used by backpackers, mountain climbers, and bicycle or motorcycle campers. That is not to say that either tent can't be used anywhere.

2006-11-06T11:28:00.000-08:00

The weight of a tent (including ground cloth, rainfly, stakes, and ropes) may not be a concern to car campers, but backpackers, who weigh their gear in ounces, give the weight of their tent serious consideration.

Large capacity (8+ people) canvas tents with accessories could weigh upwards of 60 pounds. Several people could easily erect a canvas tent in less than 15-20 minutes. These tents are bulky, and you'll need a large trunk or a truck bed to haul them.
Large capacity (8+ people) multi-room steel frame nylon tents with accessories can weigh upwards of 45 pounds. Two or more people can easily set these up in less than 15 minutes. These are somewhat bulky tents too, and you'll need trunk space to haul them.
Middle capacity (4-6 people) single or double room aluminum frame nylon tents with accessories weigh in the range of 17 to 35 pounds. One person can probably set these up without too much difficulty in about 10 minutes. These tents pack smaller, and they'll easily fit in the trunk of your car.
To the weight-conscious backpacker, a quality 2-person backpacking tent will weigh around 5-6 pounds, and a quality solo backpacking tent may weigh only 3 pounds. One person can easily set up a backpacking tent in less than 10 minutes, and these tents stow easily anywhere.

2006-10-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

One of the initial shocks Yellowstone delivers to first-time visitors is the presence of so many large critters—all free, wandering around. You just never know what's coming around the next bend of the Grand Loop. But some places in the park are extra special for wildlife watching, and the Lamar Valley is one of them. First of all, this is the range of the park's recently reintroduced gray wolves; there's nary a thrill comparable to seeing a pack of wild wolves socializing in a distant meadow, or perhaps even zeroing in on an elk kill. Your chances of being in the right place at the right time improve with the guidance of a park ranger, a Yellowstone Institute instructor, or a private guide, but either way the Lamar Valley's inhabitants include grizzlies, wolves, bison, pronghorns, bighorn sheep, coyotes, and eagles. Bring along a good spotting scope or pair of binoculars and head for one of several turnouts between the Tower-Roosevelt intersection and the Northeast Entrance.

2006-10-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

Hike Mount Washburn
Picking out just one superlative hike from among Yellowstone's 1,000 miles of trail is no mean feat, but the Mount Washburn Spur Trail is a pretty safe choice. Starting from the Glacial Boulder Trailhead in the Canyon area, this trail follows along the north side of the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone on the Seven-Mile Hole Trail before climbing steeply up the east face of Mount Washburn (Hard-core hikers might consider following the Seven-Mile Hole Trail to its impressive terminus in the depths of the canyon, then powering all the way to Washburn's summit.) This hike offers an amazing breadth of high-country wildlife, midsummer wildflowers, and views. A large herd of bighorn sheep summer near the summit; yellow-bellied marmots and red foxes are also common. On a clear day, the 10,243-foot peak offers views all the way to the Gallatins, Absarokas, and Tetons, along with panoramas closer to hand. Less hardy hikers can reach Washburn via the more heavily trafficked trails that begin at Dunraven Pass and the Old Chittenden Road, both off the Tower-Lake Road.

2006-10-16T08:42:00.000-07:00

The Yosemite Decimal System is a system for rating a rock climbs difficulty. It is used in climbing areas in North America and in some areas internationally. It is comprised of 5 classes of difficulty ranging from a flat trail, to the steepest of rock faces. Classes 1-4 are assigned for routes that generally do not need the aid of a rope for protection, while class 5 routes generally require more advanced technique and equipment. Class 5 is divided into a decimal system to be more precise ranging from 5.1-5.15 Class I Flat ground, easy walking on trail
Class II Steep trail that requires occasional use of the hands or cross country travel
Class III Steep slopes that requires scrambling with the use of hands with potential to take a short fall of 5 to 15 feet
Class IV Blocky, low angle rock climbing with the potential to take very long falls.
The question of “to use the rope or not” is usually asked and proper route finding is essential to stay on the path of least resistance. 4th class terrain is usually found in the high mountains and when approaching 5th class rock climbs
Class V 5th class climbing requires the use of rock climbing specific techniques and is further clarified by the Yosemite Decimal system below.
5.1 to 5.5 Entry level rock climbs that are not vertical and generally have large hand and foot holds
5.6 to 5.8 Entry level to moderate in difficulty. More advanced movement techniques are needed but generally most people can succeed on the climb with practice. (Low angle to vertical terrain)
5.9 to 5.10 Still considered moderate in difficulty by advanced climbers but requires precise techniques, physical training and considerable experience to succeed. (Generally vertical terrain to overhanging)
5.11 to 5.12 Advanced climbs that require dedication and many years of experience. Climbers are can only climb at this level with climbing specific training and optimal health. (Vertical terrain to overhanging)
5.13 to 5.15 The extreme end of the sport. A very small percentage of the climbing population can perform at this level.(Vertical terrain to overhanging) Note: 5.10 to 5.15 ratings are sub classified into a,b,c, and d ratings. Example: 5.10d (pronounced "five ten d"). Each letter grade represents a very noticeable increase in difficulty from the previous. A (+ or -) may be given instead of a letter grade. The YDS also rates just the hardest move on a climb. The 5th class decimal system was developed in the 1950's in Yosemite Valley, where bold climbers pushing new standards, were quickly out growing the old grades of class 1-4. In the 1960’s, 5.9 was the top end of the YDS scale and climbers establishing first ascents were responsible for giving their new climb a rating. Engaged in peer competition and limited by the rating system, first ascensionist gave every difficult climb the rating of 5.9, even if it was the equivalent of a modern 5.11. It was not until the 1970's that a consensus was reached and the YDS was deemed an open ended system and the rating of 5.10 was established. Routes that were established in that era are still rated by the original rating of 5.9 and continue to cause many unaware climbers problems.

2006-10-13T06:41:00.000-07:00

Yellowstone National Park
In many ways, Yellowstone is the epicenter of everything that's still wild and untamed in the United States, and everything that's right and wrong about modern-day tourism.
Yellowstone is the oldest park in the U.S. park system and is its flagship. Each year, it draws 3 million visitors; by some estimates, one-third of the U.S. population will visit this place during their lifetime. They come to experience the park's restless geology; to see grizzlies, gray wolves, and herds of buffalo; to fish legendary trout streams like the Madison and the Yellowstone River. Most of all, they come to reconnect in some way with a sense of primordial America, the larger-than-life landscape that existed before railroads, highways, telephones, and a host of other technologies began to cut everything down to size.

2006-10-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

Skinny-Ski Crane Flat
Yosemite's backcountry is one of the world's great cross-country skiing destinations, and Crane Flat — a broad meadow with miles of unbroken snow in all directions — is one of its three winter hubs. At about 6,000 feet, it requires better snow cover than the higher-elevation Tuolumne Meadows and Badger Pass areas, but when the weather's right Crane Pass offers an exceptionally diverse array of backcountry trails for all levels of skiers. Among the highlights: Tuolumne Grove, where the frozen silence of winter lends a deeper dignity to a forest of immense giant sequoias; the Crane Flat Meadow Loop, which gives a gentle roller-coaster ride that novice skiers can handle; and Crane Flat Lookout, a fire-lookout station offering up eye-popping views in every direction. Make sure to check with park rangers before you set out — winter in Yosemite is beautiful, but ruthless; the wise skier prepares accordingly.

2006-10-03T08:43:00.000-07:00

Climb the Rock
ChiefFirst, the facts: Known universally as"El Cap," El Capitan is the largest chunk of exposed granite on earth. Comprised of two intersecting faces, it's a half-mile high and a mile wide. The rock is famously solid. And its sheer 3,000-foot face is the world's finest big-wall climbing surface — and indisputably the number-one totem of the American climbing community. Warren Harding pioneered the first route to the summit, "The Nose," in 1958; there are now some 80 established routes to the top, many of them multi-pitch monsters that demand extreme aid-climbing skills and require nights bivvied on the rock. Springtime is the best time to climb El Cap; the days are long and the weather is often perfect for weeks at a time. By June, the wall can be an inferno due to high temperatures. By September, the days are too short and the nights can be chilly. Old Camp 4 is the traditional climbers' camp, and no reservations are taken there. But as Yosemite is frequently very crowded, you might want to make advance reservations at another nearby site.

2006-10-01T12:36:00.000-07:00

Yosemite is famous for its majestic waterfalls, most notably Bridal Veil, Vernal, and Yosemite Falls. The best time to see them is in late spring, when winter snows melt into surging runoff and a raging plunge of mist and rainbows. Bridal Veil is a quick, 1/2-mile, 20-minute jaunt up from the heart of the Yosemite Valley. It's an easy hike, and from the top there are great views of Cathedral Rock and El Capitan as well. Yosemite Falls is also an easy hike, and about the same distance. At the top, you will be able to see both Lower and Upper Yosemite Falls. Vernal Falls is much more difficult to get to, but the spectacular views — rivaling only those at Cloud's Rest — are well worth it. It's a steep, six-mile hike, but much of it is paved. Make sure to take a poncho, as the spray is tremendous and you will definitely get wet. Once you get to the bridge marking the end of the pavement, you can keep going and loop around Nevada Falls, too, using either the John Muir Trail or the Mist Trail.

2006-09-25T11:34:00.000-07:00

Climbing in Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree is the most popular winter climbing area in the United States. The Park contains beautiful climbing and relaxed rustic camping. Only an hour from Palm Springs, Joshua Tree is climbable during the worst of the winter months. The best season for climbing in JT is October through May.
About the Rock: The rocks in Joshua Tree were designed with climbers in mind. The rock is granitic in origin and part of a huge underground mass of quartz monzonite called a "batholith". The majority of the formations resemble the domes of Toloumne Meadows but smaller in scale. The primary attraction of Joshua Tree is the flat approaches, the accessible summits and the laid back nature of the park.
Camping: There are several campgrounds within the park that cost $5.00 a day for up to six people per site. Each campground has its own feel. Climbers choose to frequent the Hidden Valley and the Ryan campgrounds. While Jumbo Rocks tends to be more of an RV and family site. There are no facilities within the park so be sure to bring lots of water, food and fire wood for your stay.

2006-09-21T12:23:00.000-07:00

There are also some very complicated changes that occur in your fluid balance as you acclimate. One of these is a more concentrated blood level and you will find you urinate more frequently. Other changes also take place to help your body adapt to this change in altitude.
Altitude IllnessThe problem of altitude illness starts when acclimatization does not keep pace with your ascent to high altitude. This often happens when you ascend too quickly or go from sea level to high altitude in a day. Altitude illness symptoms are more extreme and serious than those of acclimatization.
Prevent Altitude IllnessThe best way to prevent altitude illness is by making a slow, gradual ascent to altitude and give yourself time to acclimatize. Rates of acclimation are not the same for everyone, so it is not easy to determine the amount of time you will require. Some general guidelines include the following:
After 10,000 feet do not increase sleeping elevation more than 1000 feet per night.
For every 3000 feet of ascent spend two nights at the same elevation. You should also avoid alcohol and remain well hydrated because dehydration occurs more quickly at high altitude.
Recognize Altitude IllnessIf you have recently ascended to 8000 feet or more, you may notice a headache as the first warning sign of altitude illness. Other symptoms may follow and include:
Loss of appetite, nausea, or vomiting
Fatigue or weakness

2006-09-19T12:32:00.000-07:00

Altitude Illness I
Altitude illness refers to the various symptoms that often develop when you travel to high altitude (over 8000 ft.). Physical conditioning will not necessarily protect you from developing mountain sickness, but proper acclimatization often reduces your risk. Acclimatization is the process by which the body slowly adapts to the decreasing availability of oxygen at altitude. This process is slow and takes several days to weeks to occur.
Acclimatization to AltitudeWhen you travel to high altitude it is common to notice a faster breathing rate, shortness of breath upon exertion, increased urination, broken sleep and even some strange dreams.
These changes are a normal response to the decreased availability of oxygen in the atmosphere. To get all the oxygen you need you will find you have to breathe faster.
Even with a faster breathing rate it is difficult to get adequate oxygen to the working muscles. You will likely find that you fatigue much sooner at altitude.

2006-09-16T11:54:00.000-07:00

The art of Free soloing is often confused with free climbing. Free soloing is one of the most refined forms of climbing. No ropes, no gear, no partners, the climber is on their own relying on their skill and mental edge to keep them glued to the rock. Free soloing was the first form of climbing to be developed by humans. Undoubtedly, countless bold free solos have been sent since the beginning of human history. Though bold and beautiful to watch, free soloing is the most dangerous form of climbing. A single slip, or lapse in focus could send the climber falling to their death. Freesolo climbers scale rock formations of all difficulties ranging from 20 feet high to mountains thousands of feet tall.

2006-08-28T10:01:00.000-07:00

Yosemite National Park
Backpack the High Country
At over 8,600 feet in elevation, Tuolumne Meadows offers a break from the heat and crowds of the more popular areas of the park. We guarantee that anyone who walked every mile of Tuolumne trail would simply start over again given the chance, but assuming you're not able to make this a full-time job you'll want to hit a few highlights. One doozy is the 14-mile path to Cloud's Rest — this is undoubtedly among the most beautiful hikes in the world. The trail starts at Tenaya Lake and ends at the tip-top of a granite precipice, surrounded on three sides by wind and nothingness. The valley is seemingly miles below, and you'll feel as though you could reach out and touch Yosemite's most famous rocks, Half-Dome and El Capitan. Others to try: trips to Soda Springs, Parsons Lodge, or Elizabeth Lake are shorter and less strenuous; Dog Lake and Lembert Dome are short on mileage but long on effort.

2006-08-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

In 1851, a battalion of Indian fighters wandered into Yosemite Valley and were stopped in their tracks, dumbstruck, by the view. They were the first nonnatives to see this landscape, but their descriptions of it ensured they would not be the last. One man later wrote, "None but those who have visited this most wonderful valley can even imagine . . . the awe with which I beheld it. . . . As I looked, a peculiar exalted sensation seemed to fill my whole being, and I found my eyes in tears with emotion."
Yosemite Valley is today the centerpiece of California's Yosemite National Park. Sprayed by thousand-foot waterfalls and framed by monumental granite spires — including Half Dome, which is to the High Sierra what the swoosh is to Nike — it is the most famous glacially carved landscape in the world. And perhaps the most famously overrun as well; stories are legion of peak-season traffic jams bad enough to provoke road rage and campgrounds so rife with noise, litter, and teeming masses of humans as to seem more like Times Square than the Great Outdoors.

2006-08-18T00:04:00.000-07:00

Where is Lovers Leap?: Lovers Leap is a fine granite formation smack dab in the middle of California. Located on highway 50, just outside of the Lake Tahoe Basin, Lovers Leap is only an hour and a half from Sacramento and twenty minutes from South Lake Tahoe.
The Type of Climbing: Lovers Leap is mostly a traditional climbing area. Though full of stellar vertical crack systems, the area is great for beginners due to the horizontal dikes that run sideways across the walls. This creates jug sized hand holds located in the middle of many of the difficult crack climbing sequences. The climbing is comprised mostly of multi-pitch climbs of moderate length, usually between 3-5 pitches.
When To Go: The best season for Lovers Leap is during the Spring and the Fall. The middle of summer can be quite hot, though usually it is climbable in the shade.
Where to Stay: The best feature of Lovers Leap is the camping. Years ago, the Access Fund in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service, built a free walk-in campground at the base of the formation. Please respect the posted rules of the campground for the Forest Service would love to make the site a fee access site. The Strawberry Lodge is also a great option for staying in a warm bed within walking distance to the crag.

2006-08-16T12:25:00.000-07:00

The Incredible Hulk is one of the best alpine rock climbing formations. I have ever climbed on. The rock is comprised of clean compact granite that rivals many of the routes found in Yosemite Valley. The Hulk host many challenging routes for the advanced rock climber, including the Red Dihedral and Positive Vibrations which are the two moderate lines on the main face. The Hulk is located in the Sawtooth Range of the Sierra Nevada mountains which is located just outside of the town of Bridgeport, CA. The approach is moderate compared to many backcountry formations in the Sierras taking only about three and a half hours. The formation itself is over 1000 feet in height and offers between 8-12 pitches of climbing. Standing at the base of positive vibrations, I believed the climb would be done in no time.

2006-08-10T10:52:00.000-07:00

Rock Climb the Diamond
Some climbers claim that the 900-foot Diamond cliff is the best alpine wall in the United States. The diamond-shape granite wall sits atop the east face of Longs Peak — every inch of the sheer face is above 13,000 feet. With more than 35 climbing routes, the left side of the wall lures free climbers that scale Ariana D7 and Yellow Wall . The nailing routes of the overhanging right side include Diamond Star Halo , Steep Is Flat , and the Dunn-Westbay .

Drive along the Highest Highway in the World
Trail Ridge Road snakes its way through alpine tundra for 50 miles between glacier-sculpted peaks. It crosses the park from east to west and then drops into the Kawuneeche Valley, where the north fork of the Colorado River flows. The road travels for 11 miles above 11,000 feet and for 4 miles above 12,000 feet. The road's highest point — 12,183 feet above sea level — occurs between Lava Cliffs and Gore Range. As you drive through the heavens, you absolutely must stop at Rainbow Curve, Many Parks Curve, and at Forest Canyon Overlook.

2006-08-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

Rocky Mountain National Park
Ever noticed that most hikes start with a brutal uphill slog? Here's one that turns the tables. The Old Ute Trail begins at an elevation of 11,250 feet and descends to 8,250 feet. You'll find the trailhead just off Trail Ridge Road below the Forest Canyon Overlook. The trail served as a highway for Ute Indians who traveled from village to village along the Continental Divide. As you walk across the barren windswept slope of Tombstone Ridge, you will have a view of Longs Peak towering above the tundra to the south. And keep in mind, every effortless step you take down will be an arduous step back up — unless you plan on hiking the six miles down to Upper Beaver Meadows.

2006-08-01T09:10:00.000-07:00

Rocky Mountain National Park is a national icon — its rugged mountains carve out a skyline that captures the American imagination and serves as both protector and passageway to the west. One-third of the park is above timberline, the 14,255-foot flat-topped summit of Longs Peak included; there are 71 peaks here that top out above 12,000 feet. All in all, enough snowcapped rock, wind-whipped tundra, and thin air to make a marmot giddy.
Problem is, the siren song of all this alpine scenery is so strong that at times the park can seem overrun by pilgrims. Trail Ridge Road, in particular, is one of the few spots in the world where you can sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic at an altitude of 10,000 feet. Three million people visit Rocky Mountain National Park each year; old-timers among the surging population along Colorado's Front Range tend to opt for the much less visited national forests around RMNP when they're looking for solitude.

2006-07-28T05:51:00.000-07:00

Accident

The leader, Al (in his 30s), was climbing and was below the crux at the niche on the route. He had just placed a cam and was yanking on it to test the placement when it pulled. He lost his balance and fell farther than he should have, striking the wall and injuring his leg. He did not fall to the ground, but was hanging just above a belay ledge of a climb to the right called Youth Challenge. A nearby climber rappelled to him and gave assistance and comfort until MRS members arrived. Three local guides lowered the leader to the ledge, splinted his leg and evacuated him in a litter.
The lesson learned
Retaliation is a climb that is deceivingly difficult. It is a right-leaning dihedral rated 5.9, but is really more like 5.10. To succeed, the leader must be comfortable laybacking the dihedral and placing gear down by his knees. This time, the leader fell just below the crux and swung into the wall. Significantly, the belayer's hands were burned, which may indicate that she was not belaying properly. They were also using a lead rope less than 10mm in diameter. This rope size requires significantly more attention from the belayer than "fat" ropes, as it can slip much more easily through some belay devices.
We have seen or heard of several accidents over the past year where the belayer let the leader fall farther than desired because of the use of a "skinny" lead rope. If you are using a skinny rope, be sure to pay close attention, be familiar with your belay device's limitations, and if you are belaying, wear gloves and be prepared to quickly arrest any fall.

2006-07-23T07:53:00.000-07:00

Kilimanjaro II
The rainiest period is March to June. The fact that most months of the year have so few rainy days makes it possible to climb in relatively good conditions year round. During the rainy period of March to May, clouds tend to pile up and over the summit, dropping snow on top and rain at the base. Visibility can be limited by cloud cover even when no rain falls. The temperature at this time of year is relatively warm. The dry season, beginning in late June and through July can be very cold at night, but usually is clear of clouds. August and September are also cool and can have completely clear days, but usually a dripping cloud belt girdles the mountain above the forest and moorland. The summit can be totally clear and the successful climber looks down on a vast sea of clouds with distant mountain peaks poking through like islands.
The shorter rainy period of October to December often has thunderstorms that pass over the mountain, dropping rain as they go. Typically the clouds disappear in the evening, leaving nights and mornings clear with excellent visibility. January and February are usually dry, warm and clear with brief rain showers which make for good climbing conditions.
Kilimanjaro towers above the Great Rift Valley, possible birthplace of humankind and the site of the Leakey's research in the Olduvai Gorge. This gives Kilimanjaro an awesome mystique. One can imagine the mountain towering above our ancestors, making an early, continual impression on the species. When you walk the mountain, you'll probably encounter some odd, purposeful arrangements of stone. Your guides will claim to not know what they mean. Perhaps they don't.

2006-07-19T02:04:00.000-07:00

Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro rises majestically from a rolling plain close to the Indian Ocean from hot savanna to a barren and frigid 3-1/2 mile high peak. It's the highest mountain in Africa and one of the largest free standing mountains in the world. Climbing Kilimanjaro is a must-do challenge for almost every trekker and mountaineer in the world.
Kilimanjaro National Park takes in the area above the 8,850 feet, or 2,700 meters, on the mountain. It includes the moorland and highland zones, Shira Plateau, Kibo and Mawenzi peaks. In addition, the Park has six corridors or rights of way through the Kilimanjaro Forest Reserve. The Forest Reserve, which is also a Game Reserve, was established in 1921; the Park was established in 1973 and officially opened in 1977.
Kilimanjaro stands a scant 205 miles south of the equator, on the northern boundary of Tanzania. Its location on an open plain close to the Indian Ocean, and its great size and height strongly influence the climate, vegetation, animal life and the climbing conditions. It is made up of three extinct volcanoes: Kibo 19,340 feet (5,895 meters), Mawenzi 16,896 feet (5,149 meters); and Shira 13,000 feet (3,962 meters).
Even though you can climb throughout the year, January, February and September are the best months, with July, August, November and December also being good.
Equatorial to arctic conditions are present on Kilimanjaro. The range begins with the warm, dry plains with average temperatures of 85°F, ascends through a wide belt of wet tropical forest, through zones with generally decreasing temperatures and rainfall, to the summit where there is permanent ice and below freezing temperatures.

2006-07-14T08:10:00.000-07:00

Although most of Iran is fairly flat and desolate, its average elevation is an impressive 4,000 ft/1,200 m, thanks to a scattering of towering mountain ranges, including the majestic Elburz Mountains (with 18,386-ft/5,600-m Mt. Demavend) in the north, the Zagros Mountains (with Zardeh Kuh, 14,921 ft/4,550 m) in the southwest and the Central Mountains in the east. Damavand Mount, also called Mount Demavend, extinct volcano in northern Iran, near Tehran (Teheran). It rises 5604 m (18,386 ft) above sea level and is the loftiest peak of the Elburz Mountains. The summit is conical and the crater still intact. At the base are many hot springs, giving evidence of volcanic heat comparatively near the surface of the earth. Mount Damavand was first ascended by a European, W. Taylor Thomson, in 1837. The nearby town of Damavand is a popular summer resort.

2006-07-02T14:22:00.000-07:00

Mt. Kazbek region is situated in Eastern part of Central Caucasus, on Georgia territory, near to Georgian Military highway, Kazbegi village (1700 m ). This mountain region is almost independent from other mountain chain. Kazbek is volcano 5033 m high. First climbed in 1868 under the leadership of D. Freshfild.
From meteostation there are two possible routes on the top. More difficult is just up by the wide south-east slope-couloir (snow-ice) (3B difficulty). This route comes to the top. Early summer it's possible to go this slope by snow. It is about 30-35 dergree. The route comes near to rocks, to be sure of avalanche secure. In august here ice is opening and becomes more difficult to follow this way.
Second route is more classical - like screw from the left to right, turning the cone of Kazbek on 180 around. From meteostation route comes by left side on the moraine. After 1 hour turns to right to glacier. Here is easier to go near to slope of Kazbek as long as possible, but from the slopes it is possible rock falls, but in second part of summer, there are a lot of crevasses on glacier. Rope and crampons are necessary. Then rout comes to the pass between Kazbek and Spartak peak (4677 m), turn to right again and by the wide snow slope way comes to the top. This way is very easy, but a lot of crevasses, especially in August are through the way. It takes about 8-10 hour to the top and back.

2006-07-01T07:34:00.000-07:00

Bezengi region
North of the Central Range and east of the immense Bezengi glacier, is the no less impressive mountain system of the Lateral Range, with several peaks over 5,000 meters high: the Koshtan massif (5,151 m), the towers of Mt. Dykhtau (5,204 m), Mt. Pushkin (5,100 m) and Mt. Mizhirghi (5,Q25 m). From Mineral'nye Vody, via the city of Nalchik and the Cherek Bezengiskiy river valley, a practicable road leads to the Bezengi refuge at the beginning of the Bezengi glacier. From here, alpinists who want to tackle the Bezengi Wall should head south towards the so-called Austrians' Bivouac, which is a six or seven hours' walk over the glacier. The mountains in the Lateral Range, on the other hand, can be reached from two different camps. The Mizhirghi camp is on the orographic left of the Mizhirghi glacier and can be reached in two or three hours from the Bezengi camp; the "3,900 Meters" bivouac is a ten to thirteen hours' walk from the Mizhirghi camp. Though it is relatively near as the crow flies, in order to get there you must cross over the Mizhirghi and Kundyurn-Mizhirghi glaciers, which call for a roped-party climb, with all the necessary ice gear and rucksacks with bivouac material. The two sides of the Bezengi mountain barrier are quite different: to the south the faces, which are mostly rocky, are often in the form of impressive vertical walls 2.000 meters high; the northern faces consist of steep ice and snow inclines thousands of meters long with overhanging rock bastions and large icefalls that literally thunder because of the snowslides that occur day and night. The ascents of both sides are long and extremely laborious due to the high altitude, the difficulty of getting over the rock and ice, and the very variable weather conditions.
All mountain faces have two stractures strictly divided on their orientation. North routes are basically comes by snow and ice slopes with steep rock bastions inside. There are a lot of danger ice-falls and snow cornices, which time by time are falling down all day long with a terrible din and crash, adding sorrounded mountains with dramatically majestic dinamic action of "bewitched" 1000 meters slope high lighting up in white and blue, because of avalanch' friction over it in thunder storm time, specially in the night together with "St. Elm" fire (corona discharge) over your tent, ski stick and even fingers and hairs.
South faces are basically composed of steep rock. The most amazing are Dikhtau, Pushkin and Mizhirgi ones 1500 high rising up over Bezengi glacier near to "Austrian bivouac", which is a six or seven hours walk over the spectacular Bezengi glacier - a huge river of ice, the longest in the Caucasus, extends for 12 km.

2006-06-27T02:52:00.000-07:00

Central Caucasus is like the heart of all Caucasus system, the highest, most fascinating part of the entire mountain system and the one with the most difficult access. Closed off to the west by Mt. Elbrus and to the east by Mt. Kazbek, the divide is quite articulate and complex and branches off to the north and south into a series of buttresses. Here lie the most famous rock faces in the Caucasus system scattered over the regions of Mt. Elbrus ("Prielbrusie," or area around Mt. Elbrus), Mt. Bezengi, Svanetia and, in the eastern most part of the central Caucasus, of Digoria, Karaugorn and Tsey.

Elbrus region
This is the most frequented area in the Central Caucasus. Many lateral valleys converge in the main valley, where the Baksan river flows, and lead to the most famous and beautiful mountains in the Caucasus range, such as the ice shield of Mt. Donguz-Orun (4,468 m), the vertiginous pinnacles of Mt. Shkhelda (4,320 m), the perfect pyramid of Mt. Shchurovskogo (4,239 m), Mt. Chatin (4,368 m) with its celebrated "Rhombus," the peaks that crown the Adil-Su and Adir-Su valleys, legendary Mt. Ushba (4,710 m), and, naturally, Mt. Elbrus itself (3,642 m), the highest peak in Europe. Development in the tourist sector has led to the construction of several hotels along the Baksan river valley, and the dachas that once belonged to the most important Soviet politicians have been transformed into tourist lodgings. The Prielbrusie area is easily reached from Mineral'nye Vody by means of a practicable road that crosses the Kabardinno-Balkaria region and the city of Tyrnyau, goes up the Baksan valley, touching the villages of Elbrus and Terksol, and finally arrives at Azau, the departure point for the Mt. Elbrus telpherage.

2006-06-23T01:40:00.000-07:00

The Western Caucasus includes that part of the Greater Caucasus that extends from the Marukhskiy pass to the west to Mt. Elbrus to the east. This is the favorite region of hikers and rock climbers. Only the peak of Mt. Dombay-Ulgen is over 4,000 meters high, and there are no large glaciers to speak of. The mountains have splendid rock faces in a very beautiful setting. The mild climate due to the nearness of the Black Sea, which is only fifty kilometers away, and the easy access, have favoured the rise of tourist facilities, which are concentrated in Dombay and Uzuncol.

Dombay region - is a part of Western Caucasus. One jf the most popular region for climbing and Alpin ski.Dombay plateau is situated in a place where rivers Alibek, Amanauz and Dombay comes together forming Teberda stream. To the south towering a rock sculpture of "The slain Bison" - Dombay Ulgen group (4046 m) with the grandiose vertical rock face falling down over 1000 meters. Then further a rocky crest of Dzhuguturlyuchat group (3921 m) flying up over the flowering meadows and green forests reminding walls of the ancient Castle with towers. Mt. Ptysh (3520 m) which eastern crest looks like elephant's head and trunk. Bu-Ulgen (3910 m), Aksaut (3910 m), Kara-Kaya (3896 m) - all these groups present a lot of steep stone routs to climb. But obviously the most fascinating mountain of this region, dominating over Dombay plateau, is Mt. Belalakaya ("Mottled rock") which name related with a few 50 meters each belts of white quartz cut through West (700 m) and most popular north-east (1000 m) rock faces. From the north side its shape looks completely like Mt. Matterhorn in Alps.
Dombay region - is a part of Western Caucasus. One of the most popular region for climbing and Alpin ski.

2006-06-19T05:46:00.000-07:00

The Caucasus Mountains extend approximately 1,200 km (750 mi) along the bor der between Russia in the north and Georgia and Azerbaijan in the south, from the Black Sea in the west to the Caspian Sea in the east . Forming a natural boundary between Europe and Asia, they cover 440,000 sq km (170,000 sq mi) and rise to a maximum elevation of 5,64 2 m (18,510 ft) in Mount Elbrus.
The mountain system was formed near the edge of the Alpine Geosyncline, abo ut 25 million years ago. Its more than 2,000 glaciers cover a total area of 2,000 sq km (772 sq mi). The Greater Caucasus, the ma in range, separates temperate and subtropical climate zones. The cold slopes facing the Black Sea may receive 2,540 mm (100 in) of precipitation annually; the Kura-Araks Lowland on the Caspian Sea is semidesert and receives only 200 to 400 mm (8 to 16 in). The Kura, Sulak, Terek, and Kuma rivers rise in the Caucasus Mountains and flow into the Caspian Sea; the Rioni and Inguri rivers rise i n the Caucasus and flow into the Black Sea; and the Kuban River rises in the Caucasus and flows into the Sea of Azov.
Mineral resources include petroleum, natural gas, manganese, copper, tungst en, and molybdenum. Livestock is raised on the heavily forested slopes. Wheat is grown in the northern piedmont and citrus fruits, cotton, and tea in the warmer valleys.

2006-06-14T00:32:00.000-07:00

Lakpa Sherpa going for 5th and 6th Summit of Everest in the same season. Lakpa will attempt to be the first woman to summit Everest twice in the same year in Spring 2005! Her husband George Dijmarescu summited for his 6th time last year and has plans for his 7th in 2005.
Lakpa Sherpa grew up in Makalu, Nepal. In her village there was no school so she worked. In 2000, she was the leader of the Sherpa woman's expedition sponsored by Asian trekking. She became the first Nepali woman to Summit Mount Everest and return alive on May 18th, 2000. In 2001, she returned to the mountain. Alleged that she was sexually harassed, a story that has never been told publicly, she looked for help. She found George Dijmarescu on the mountain and she joined with him and summited the mountain a second time in 2001. In 2002 she married George and they had a baby girl, Sunny. Her Everest career, took a year off in 2002 for having the baby. But she returned in 2003 with her 15 year old sister and summited for the third time. George Dijmarescu oxygen failed on summit day, so he summited later in the season that year for his 5th summit of Everest. In 2004, they returned to Everest with "The Connecticut Everest Expedition 2004". George and Lakpa summited, for his 6th time (one without oxygen) and her 4th time.

2006-06-12T06:28:00.000-07:00

Renata Chlumska, born and raised in Sweden by parents who had emigrated from former Czechoslovakia, has done sports most of here life. In 1995 she stumbled across climbing and liked the versatility and the possibilities it gave here to combine the mental and physical challenge with being out doors and travel all year around. In 1997 she joined a expedition to Shishapangma where she reached the Central Summit. Encouraged by here ability at high altitude she decided to go for Everest and as a member of the Swedish Cleaning Expedition 1999 she reached the summit as the first Swedish woman ever. Unofficial, due to having both Swedish and Czech citizenship, she also became the first Czech woman. Renata likes to combine climbing with other adventures as bicycling from Nepal to Sweden, which she did in 1996 or riding a motorcycle from India to Europe in 1997. Renata nowadays lives in the US where she is preparing on a one and a half year long expedition of kayaking. Besides her adventures she is a appreciated motivational speaker and guide.

2006-05-30T09:10:00.000-07:00

Red Rock Canyon National Monument is unique in North American climbing. No other area offers such extensive climbing in a beautiful desert environment while at the same time enjoying the ease of access and amenities of a nearby metropolitan area. Only 20 miles from downtown Las Vegas, Red Rock rises in a 3000-foot wall of red, pink, and cream colored Aztec sandstone. The cliffs form a north-south trending barrier over ten miles long and are cut perpendicularly with many major canyons and innumerable smaller ones. When you are climbing, the only sign of human impact is an occasional glimpse of the narrow access road, so while you are close to civilization, it feels like you are deep in a desert wilderness area.

2006-05-24T23:36:00.000-07:00

The Cordillera Blanca is a magical range of mountains rising between the Pacific Ocean and the Amazon Jungle. They host deep forested valleys and steep fluted faces of snow, ice and rock. The peak climbing season is between the months of June and August when climbers from around the world come to test themselves on the high altitude alpine peaks. A mountaineers dream...

El Potrero Chico

2006-05-17T07:46:00.000-07:00

El Potrero Chico
El Potrero Chico is the premier sport climbing location in Mexico. Just outside of Monterey , in the state of Nuevo Leon near the East coast of Mexico, El Potrero is the most reliable winter climbing area in the North American Continent. The climbing consist of single pitch cragging to 25 pitch bolted sport climbing odysseys on perfect lime stone. The Potrero is a sleepy, laid back climbing location with rustic accommodations and camping. More information on El Potrero can be found at the websites of two of the local restrurant/camping facilities. Homeros is one of the first families to offer camping and Posadas is one of the newer families to offer camping and services.

More about Carpathians

2006-05-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

The Carpathians are rich in minerals and timber. The region's cold winters and hot summers make it a year-round resort. Although the Carpathians are a barrier to the southward movement of cold air masses, numerous low passes facilitate overland travel between the densely populated areas that flank the system. The Carpathians themselves are sparsely populated, with the greatest number of people found in the larger agricultural valleys to the south.

Carpathians or Carpathian Mountains

2006-05-02T07:59:00.000-07:00

Carpathians or Carpathian Mountains, (Czech, Pol., and Ukr. Karpaty, Rom. Carpatii, major mountain system of central and E Europe, extending c.930 mi (1,500 KM) Along the north and east sides of the Danubian plain. The geologically young mountains, which are part of the main European hain, link the Alps with the Balkans.
The Carpathians begin in SW Slovakia and extend northeasterly along the Czech-Slovak border to Poland. There the Northern Carpathians, comprising the Beskids and the Tatra, run east along the Polish border, then SE through W Ukraine; in Romania they are continued by the Transylvanian Alps (or Southern Carpathians), which extend SW to the Danube River. The highest peaks are Gerlachovský (8,737 ft/2,663 m) in the Tatra and Moldoveanu in the Transylvanian Alps.

2006-04-28T14:53:00.000-07:00

The Central Alps (between the Great St. Bernard and Brenner passes) include, in the south, the Pennine, Lepontine, Phaetian, and Ötztal alps; and, in the north, the Bernina, Glarus, Allgäu, and Bavarian alps. The principal peaks of the Central Alps are Monte Rosa, the Matterhorn, the Finsteraarhorn, the Jungfrau, and the Wildspitze; the chief routes are the Simplon Tunnel and the St. Gotthard, Grimsel, Furka, Splügen, Bernina, and Brenner passes.

2006-04-26T13:48:00.000-07:00

The Alps are divided by rivers and other topographic features into more than 40 subunits for which local names are commonly used. Well-known groups in the W Alps (from the Riviera to the Great St. Bernard Pass) include the Maritime, Ligurian, Cottian, and Graian alps, the Mont Blanc group, and Valle d'Aosta. The highest western peaks are Mont Blanc, Mont Pelvoux, Monte Viso, and the Gran Paradiso; the chief routes across this section are via the Mont Cénis Tunnel and the Great and Little St. Bernard passes.

Alps

2006-04-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

Alps , great mountain system of S central Europe, c.500 mi (800 km) long and c.100 mi (160 km) wide, curving in a great arc from the Riviera coast on the Mediterranean Sea, along the borders of N Italy and adjacent regions of SE France, Switzerland, SW Germany, and Austria, and into Slovenia. Crystalline rocks, which are exposed in the higher central regions, are the rocks forming Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn, and high peaks in the Pennine Alps and Hohe Tauern; limestone and other sedimentary rocks are predominant (but not continuously present) in the generally lower ranges to the north and south. Mont Blanc (15,771 ft/4,807 m) is the highest peak.