Volcano's Out

Climbing rangers have recently been spotted in the park. Check back soon for some updates related to climbing, skiing, and park access. Hope everyone had a good winter!

Ski of Dreams

After spending 36 solid hours stuck in our tent at high camp, we were treated to fresh turns all the way back to Paradise.

Jefferson OH to Celina OH

Last night we had Rene and Mira over for dinner and then we played Mexican Train with them. We have to get this game down before we head to Alaska with the other champion players. We had so much fun with them. It was hard saying goodbye to them, but we at least know we are very likely to see them again unlike many of the people we meet along the way.



Today we left Thousand Trails in Jefferson to head to Kozy Kamper in Celina, Ohio. We had a very short travel day and it was also a smooth one. We are excited to explore a new part of Ohio, and this one is on what was at one time the largest man made lake in America.



Still living the life in Ohio!

The Drawing Board

I find it enormously satisfying to follow the framebuilding process from the drawing board. Maybe it is because as a painter, I have grown accustomed to "needing to know" the process that underlies the finished object.

You can always spot a painter among the crowds in a museum or an art gallery: They are the one trying to get close enough to a painting to see the brush strokes, examining the side of a canvas, looking for cracks in the paint, possibly even sniffing at it.

This habit has followed me as I explore the world of custom bicycles. In the photo above is a drawing board of a local frame builder whose work I greatly admire - the same person responsible for this lovely bottom bracket.

Hot, Hot, Hot

The temps are soaring in Washington, and gaining altitude on Mt Rainier is one way to avoid the heat. The last two weeks of July and the first two weeks of August historically mark the highest success rates and most reliable weather for the peak. If you're climbing, leave early, as the freezing level is hovering around 15,000 feet.

Recent mountain achievements include Jason Edwards personal climbing benchmark. Jason successfully made his 300th summit climb of Mt. Rainier on July 12th. Jason joins an elit clan of guides (there are only 6) who have more than 300 summits. The current summit record is held by George Dunn, who has over 480 successful ascents.

In other news, we've updated the route condition reports for the Kautz, DC, and K Spire to name a few. Please keep the updates coming.

A Wedding Celebration Happy Hour

Buddy is one of our favorite pickleball people. He is pure sunshine and has a permanent smile on his face. He partnered with an equally sweet lady named Diane last year. I didn't really get to know Diane until this year. I could see why he fell for her after I did spend time with her. They are both musical, so they share a common love in that area. She doesn't play pickleball, but she will come down and visit with us when Buddy plays.



They were married during the holidays and we decided to throw them a
celebration party-Pickleball style, meaning with a Happy Hour. Rich and
Donna helped us pull off a great party for them.



Here is the honored couple. Don't they look miserable together?!?



They are so cute together. They walk through the park, hand in hand, with those big grins on their faces. They remind me of what honeymooners look like every time I see them.



Since we have that great shared space, we had tons of room for this party!



Donna got a guest book for people to sign. Vicki and Mira coordinated a huge pot of spaghetti sauce and meatballs and everyone else brought goodies. We had three tables for food for this feast! We were discussing Happy Hour food when going through the line and saying how everything we have ever had at a Happy Hour is great.



We had a great crowd, milling around the fire chatting with each other and giving the couple hugs and happy wishes for their shared life together.



Here is the guest list, copied from Donna's blog:


The Guest List:

Nate and Krystal

Bob and Vicky

Vick and Judy

Rene and Mira

Tom and Karen

Art and Hedy

John and Carla

Earl and Cindy

Garth and Rosemary

Paul and Carla

Woody

Sally

Jim and Patti

Jim and Judy

Nick and Tonya

Rich and Donna


Here is a shot I captured before it was too dark to take pictures and before most of the crowd showed up:





It was a great night. Best wishes Buddy and Diane! We will throw you that baby shower we talked about, if you do end up needing it!





Living the life in friend filled Florida!

A Ride with Irene

And so we have weathered the storm. Here in Boston, the general attitude toward Hurricane/ Tropical Storm Irene has mostly been one of sarcasm. Sure, there was some anxiety - stocking up on water and that sort of thing. But for the most part it's been a collective rolling of the eyes, a general feeling that the whole thing was unnecessarily hyped up by the media. One local establishment posted a handwritten sign stating "Closed tomawrah due to wicked bad hurricane!" Other businesses ranted against the public transit system for shutting down - drafting "Closed for the Day Thanks to MBTA" signs explaining that their employees have no way of getting to work - but that otherwise they would have happily remained open.

My own feeling was that the hurricane/ storm was not so much intentionally overhyped, as unpredictable - and there was a conscious decision to err on the side of caution. I also felt that it was insensitive of some to make light of a potentially destructive phenomenon just because it did not cause havoc in their neighbourhood. We live on the border of Somerville and Cambridge, MA, where the storm felt mild - but it did damage even here. Around mid-day Saturday, a large tree toppled over onto a major road around the corner from us, knocking out power lines and blocking part of the street until the city cleared it away. Had anyone been walking, cycling or driving on that side of the street at that exact moment, they could very well have been killed.

Today we carefully cycled around the neighbourhood and discovered more trees uprooted and large branches strewn across side streets.The strange thing is that the wind did not feel all that strong even during the worst of it, so we were surprised to see some fairly large trees knocked over. Does this mean they had shallow root systems?



Powerlines were downed in quite a few places, too. One local coffee shop that decided to stay open lost power on Sunday afternoon, yet remained operational for as long as some pre-brewed coffee remained. Customers would come in and sit with their drinks and pastries in the dark - quite happily, since this was one of the very few places open.



Surveying the damage in our neighbourhood, I think that the calls for caution were justified, even if the storm did not reach hurricane level. Overwhelmingly, motorists chose to stay off the roads here and the streets have been mostly empty - which I am certain accounts for the lack of injuries and casualties, considering the fallen trees and dangling powerlines. Cap'n Transit wrote a post a couple of days ago about the connection between driving and hurricane deaths that is worth reading.



I hope that all my East Coast readers are doing well, and that the storm has not been too severe for you. Has anyone been cycling?

Hale Brubaker & Crow's Corner School

Maurice Hale Brubaker (known as Hale) was the youngest son of Malissa Joslin and William Brubaker. He taught at least one term at the Crow's Corner school in Smith Township, Whitley County, Indiana when he was 18 years old. This was still at a time when college degrees were not required for teaching.

Hale's life was cut short when just 6 years later he died of pneumonia while attending Law School at Columbia University in New York. His death had a traumatic affect on the family. It was a shock to his parents but particularly his father who died a little over a year later.

The brief "biography" of Hale was written by his mother: "Hale died in N Y Dec 14 1910 aged 24y 6m & 27da he was in Columbia University a Law Student would have finished in May 1911 he was born in Troy TP Whitley Co graduated in common School when 13 & in high School 17 Taught School in Smith TP. was an active member in the First Baptist church & Sunday School after all God took him called him higher where he is at rest Mother"

I'll be posting more about Hale in the future...

The Pupils listed on the Souvenir tag are:

• Grade VII: Chester McNeal, Thomas Griffith, Etta Rowland, Bessie Gordon, Katie Fulk, Dessie Garrison
• Grade V: Ethel Herron, Jennie Gilbert, Rilla Boggs, Edward Gordon, John Fulk, Charles Gilbert, Jesse Rowland, Earnest McNeal, Herbert McNeal, Cyrus Griffith, Joshua Griffith
• Grade III: Lottie Herron, Virgie Griffith, Frank Garrison, Howard Gilbert
• Grade I: Opal Boggs, Millie Garrison, and a few more that were in the damaged portion

Benjamin's Calabash Seafood Buffet

I don't tend to write about the places we eat at that often. We don't eat out tons and when we do it tends to be when we are out on a date so I'm not thinking of taking the camera out then. I really couldn't resist this week though. We saw a bunch of advertising for different seafood buffets and it had me wanting to sample one before we left. We picked Benjamin's Calabash Seafood Buffet as our pick.



The place was very nice, our service was terrific and with over 170 items on the buffet-we ate more than enough seafood before we left. Yummy!



Afterwards we went to Outdoor World/Bass Pro Shop and I have to tell ya, the guys just crack me up in this store. It is one of the few places that Nathan actually enjoys shopping at and Austin has every camo inspired gadget that he could dream of all in one place.





Living the life in South Carolina!

Climbing packs?

Ken Glover's photo from the Canadian classic, Deltaform.



Colin Haley said it well, "it's 2000 year old technology...amazing how pack manufactures can still screw it up".



That was just before him showing his audience for the evening two really basic alpine climbing packs that were prototypes he was using and happy with from one of his sponsors, Patagonia.



Those same packs that could just as easily be copies of the original Wild Things or later CCW packs. Or the Karrimore Brown, Whillians or Haston sacs bitd. See a theme there?











"Colin Haley photo of Bjørn-Eivind Årtun unroped onthe Cassin, June ."





It doesn't take a large pack toalpine climb in. Most have figured it out thatsomewhere between 18L and 35L is about all they want toclimb seriously inanyway.



Nothing has really changed. Some are going bigger today and mostare climbing faster and lighter because of the new technology.





John Bouchard..who had more imagination and an idea of where we would be going that almost anyone else in NA at the time.



In 1981 John Bouchard and Marie Meunier started Wild Things. New to most Americans,the "light is right" ideawas already well entrenched by those climbing hard things in the Alpine. Guys like Bouchard pretty much had the idea written in stone for themselves. Generally back then everyone sewed their own stuff (swamis, packs and clothing) to some extent. Wild Things was one of the first to sew up stuff guys were trying to make on their own.



It was a big deal in 1981.



Not that well known but Wild Things supported and influenced and entire generation of serious alpine climbers, Bill Belcourt (now at Black Dianmond), Randy Radcliff (now at Cold Cold World) and Mark Twight (where is he these days?)all got started in the retail/whole sale business to some extent and stayed a while at Wild Things. It was the "tin shed" of alpine climbing on the East Coast (most of NA actually) with Bouchard instead of Chouinard at the helm and a good step higher in technical alpine climbing. Bouchard maybe with even more impact on what we do and see today in gear than Chouinard has.Micheal Kennedy, Mark Richey, Mugs Stump were all big Wild Things gear fans. Most were.







Mugs Stump had that same imagination pushed the idea even further by his own climbs.



Wild Thingsgear was a natural progression of what Lowe Alpine Systems, Don Jensen and Sacs Millet started before them.



You either got it or you didn't, then and now. The gear was exceptional for a certain use. If you weren't using it for that, it likely sucked for your use. Many of those original designs were the first look at very specialised climbing gear...clothing and packs.







Pays to remember that Mugs and Paul went over the 'shrund on Moon Flower with one Wild Things Andinista. It was in part their climbing sac, haul bag, bivy sac and hammock. Today guys do it in day packs. But they wouldn't be able to do that today if a few weren't always pushing the limits on gear and technique before them.





And several generations later. And here is a Cold Cold World pack..still sewn one at a time by Randy Rackliff. You are looking at 40+ years of experience and technology here.



Few designers have so much experience in the use and application of their own designs. Chouinard, Todd Bibler, John Bouchard, Don Jensen come to mind. My point is there aren't many in the same category. None making climbing packs. When cutting edge practioniers are directly involved in design and manufacture it makes a difference.



Rackliff's alpine climbing resume is worth a look. Findingout what he has done is a little harder. Among hisclimbs are earlysolo ascents of Slipstream andPolar Circus,a complete ascent ofMoonflower Buttress, and the obvious and unrepeated Reality Bath.



A video and more here:

http://www.marktwight.com/videos.php?id=2



When I wanted to replace my small (30L) climbing pack I looked around, bought a few production packs and one "custom". One of the production packs I have kept but the others I returned in short order including the spiffy "custom". Obvious the makers had no idea what the intended use was to be for a "climbing sac".





A little heavy and too expensive, but one I keptand really like, but now use only as a ski pack, the Arcteryx Khazi 35.



Back to Colin Haley's original comment, ""it's 2000 year old technology...amazing how pack manufactures can still screw it up".





For most every climb I have done that didn't require a sleeping bag I've useda pretty basic but actually very complicated pack.



*1973*



So when I went to replace that pack it quickly became obvious I'd want someone building them that was of a like mind set. The pack I was looking for wasn't full of flash, hype or excuses just the basics done extremely well.











Custom red Ozones in **













I like the option of a removable lid as I seldom use one climbing.













Custom Ozone made from White Widow Spectra Ripstop.





Turns out Randy Rackliff at CCW was already making what I wanted and was willing to make it even better for my own needs with little extra cost. Although I suspect it was more labor than I imagined, he has been more than happy to oblige when I ask. No excuses, no argument, just helpful suggestions and a quick delivery time. With one more even smallerclimbing pack in the worksnowat CCW, my long term climbing pack requirements are covered.



Specs off the Spectra Ripstop Ozone:

Cost $130.

Pack weighs in at less than 1.5 #. Material is Spectra ripstop. Shoulder harness is off a full size CCW pack for the extra padding required on heavier loads. Some where above a 35L in my 21" back size.



custom sizing

custom pattern originally based on the Ozone size

2 liter+ top pocket

2nd zippered pocket in lid with key holder

Zippers reversed for use on hanging belays

pull down shoulder straps

main bag guide book zippered pocket

coveredlid buckle

removable foam pad

oversize shoulder straps

Perlon haul loop

dbl strap patches on lid

dbl rope straps

dbl bottom

10" extension

lid is extendable or removable

bar tacked daisy chain on the bottom of the lid strap



Another project from CCW that I am pleased with is a big sack. Something I don't use often these days but when required a big sack needs every bit of the attention to details as a smaller more sophisticated climbing sac does.







No surprise I suspect that I base my needs on the Wild Things' original Andinista. I used one a lot over the years both guiding and my own trips to the greater ranges.







Wild Things took the large pack idea way beyond anyone before them. The Andinista was a pack you could lug huge loads of gear to base campwith, then zip it downand strip the lid and use it as a summit pack. Wild Things and CCW were also the some of first to use Dyneema® in pack production.More than one pack sewn at CCW that went out with a big name manufactures label sewn on for the brand name, sponsored climber. Saying it, doesn't make it a reality.



From the Wild Things web page:















I went looking for a new larger volume climbing sack. Of course anything I wanted would have to be sewed up to my size and a special order. I have lots of packs but the only company I own several of and continue to use every where, is the CCW stuff.





Built mainly from a black "spider web" Spectra rip stop, Choas in size, leashless tool attach and crampon bag included.



Worth noting CCW retails (and still amazing to me) are less for a totally custom pack than others are for a production pack.



Totally custom pack to my specs, with select materials, harness and accessories with the Chaos' volume. $245 and $10 shipping from the East coast to Issaqauh WA. And amazingly, a week after the order was placed it was shipped out to me. Freak'in stellar customer service!



Not the best know fact...but certainly no surprise if you know their back grounds,Twight, Belcourt, House and dozens of others have used "COLD COLD WORLD" packs off and on for years.



The one shown is a size Large with a 19.5 back.



Postal scale says 2# 4oz stripped (lid and foam off)

Tri folded 9mm Foam 3 or 4 oz (3/4 size and 22"x37")

mongo size lidanother 8 oz



Just under 3# all added up and 4000+ cu in. for a size large. Extension is at least another 1500ci. 4000 in³ = 65.5482 L



Big enough to be used as a half bag if required and strong enough to stand in while hanging on the haul loops. Material is 500 denier nylon with a Spectra carbon fiber ripstop reinforcement woven into the fabric. The pack could be made lighter using lighter weight materials and triple the cost. I was looking for something lwt weight, would look good in photos and tough enough to last a decade or so, all without dropping a gazzillion $.



CCW's even sewn up a few "white" ones you've seen in the Patagonia catalog that another company just loves to take credit for :-) Imagine their customer service with that as a base line.



If you are looking for something really special for your own climbing you should make the effort to discuss your project with Randy @ CCW 603 383 9021 http://www.coldcoldworldpacks.com/



FWIW I have happily paid full retail (which is generally way less than anyone's normal retail ) for every CCW I own. This blog postis about as good as a personalendorsement as I'll evergive a piece of kit or a manufacture. No one even in the same ball gameas CCW for design and customer service building climbingpacks these days. When you are that good no incentive to brag about it.

Frozen Paradise

Don't you just love winter! I know I sure do :-) It is my absolute favorite time to photograph Lake Superior! The ice, snow and cold air add atmosphere to an image that simply cannot be matched other times of the year. Yeah, it can be difficult to head out in these conditions, but the results are almost always worth it!

Hey. You Look Good.

Looking straight at her, he said it with nonchalant sincerity, nodding in approval for emphasis.



"Hey. You look good."



In response she gave him a startled, almost bewildered look. As if caught off guard by his directness. As if to say "Hey buddy, this is a cycling club, not a night club. And don't you know any subtler flirting tactics besides?"



Witnessing the exchange I had to suppress a laugh. When this phrase was first said to me on a ride, I did not know what to make of it either.



Of course the guy was telling her she looked good on the bike. That her position was good, that the bike fit her well, that she had good form. It's all in the tone and in the look. Once you get used to this pronouncement in a cycling context, it's hard to mistake for flirtation. But the first time it does catch you off guard. "You look good." Just like that, huh?



I don't tell other cyclists they look good on the bike when we ride together. I don't feel ready. What do I know good form from bad? Yes I see things, and I think it to myself. But it wouldn't be right to say it. The compliment must have significance.



But when I have my camera the dynamic changes. I tell riders they look good then, and it takes on a different meaning: happy, radiant, picturesque. Maybe they have a contagious smile. Or an intriguing frown. Or the light through the trees is falling on their face just so. Or the colour of their bike interacts perfectly with the colours of the bench they are standing beside. It feels natural to say it then, looking through the lens of my camera. "You look wonderful." Or "That's beautiful - thank you."



And there are times when I know not to say it. Just like sometimes I know not to point my camera. Even though the scene looks perfect, I just don't.



The human gaze is such a complicated thing. It communicates interest, care, the acknowledgement of the other, but also scrutiny. We want to be gazed upon to some extent, but there is always a line beyond which we don't. In cycling, the gaze is ever present - focused on each other's bodies, movements. Sometimes it is silent judgment. And sometimes it culminates in "Hey. You look good." In response to which I simply say "Thanks" and continue to pedal.

Dragon

The dragon that the firefighter is standing on represents the forest fire that the firefighters fought.

Bjørn-Eivind Årtun and Stein-Ivar Gravdal RIP

The info below, sad as it is, was graciously sent to me from climbers in Norway and Sweden yesterday.



"Bjørn-Eivind Årtun (45) and Stein-Ivar Gravdal (37) were found dead attempting a new route at Kjerag in Lysefjorden, Norway yesterday.



They went out on Tuesday expecting to get back Thursday, when they weren't a Sea King was called on Friday and found them hanging from a rope 100m above the scree slope. Local mountain rescue will start a recovery operation today."



When they didn't return, a helicopter search was initiated, and on the morning of February 10 the two climbers were spotted hanging upside down on the face, motionless. There are indications that a large rockfall was the cause of the accident writes the Norwegian Climbing Federation on their website.



http://nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/rogaland/ryfylke/1.7994611





Another really sad day this winter. Bjørn-Eivind Årtun was certainly one of my climbing heros. Both were easily twoof the world's very best ice climbers. Bjørn-Eivindwasgracious enough to help with the Cold Thistle tool projects early on.. My heart goes out to family and friends. Both he and Stein-Ivar will be dearlymissed.



More on about Stein-Ivar Gravdalhere:

http://www.climbing.com/news/hotflashes/norwegians_repeat_historic_trango_route/



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8PxMYiUtwU



http://www.climbing.com/news/hotflashes/awesome_big-wall_ice_in_norway/








"Bjørn-Eivind Årtun on his and Colin's new route, Dracula, Mt Foraker, June ."
More here on Bjørn-Eivind



http://www.aartun.no/



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//01/bjrn-eivind-artun-interview-with.html



http://www.colinhaley.blogspot.com//06/alaska--dracula-and-cassin-simul.html






Bjørn-Eivind Årtun soloing onthe Cassin










Stein-Ivar Gravdal avec Bjarte Bø, Sigurd Felde et Rolf Bae (†)

Great Trango Tower, 6285 m, Norwegian Buttress, Pakistan,













Stein Ivar Gravdal



photos courtesy of: Bjørn-Eivind Aartun/Annelin Henriksen/Colin Haley




Hopefully a better translation from theprevious news feed:



"Two climbers died on Kjerag. Both SeaKing and personnel at sea abort mission to collect the bodies of

the climbers." This according Victor Jensen at the Rogaland Police.



"Unfortunately the SeaKing helicopter has to return from Kjerag at 1.30pm. The rescue boat with crew has also returned from the place" says Jensen. "Low cloud and poor visibility has made the mission difficult.Thecrews will make a new attempt tomorrow."



The police are attempting to place guards at the scene of the accident untilSaturday night.One of theclimbers is from Stavanger and the other from Oslo. Both are well known in the climbing community. They travelled out on Tuesday to climb the Kjerag wall and were due back on Thursday evening. When they didn't return their families tried to reach them on their mobile phones without success. Search and rescue were alerted at 12.30pm on Friday that the two climbers were missing. A SeaKing helicopter sent out andfound two people on the mountainside at around 2pm. A little later the climberswere found to be dead.



World class



Ture Bjørgen is a spokesperson for Rogaland mountain rescue, where one of the climbers was a member.

"These were climbers at an elite level. They were extremely experienced, talented and had a long resume of climbs" says a sad Bjørgen, who knew the climbers personally. One of the climbers had climbed the Kjerag wall multiple times previously and completed many new routes according to Bjørgen



Found at the bottom of the wall



The two climbers were found low down on the mountain side and Bjørgen speculates as to what might have happened "As they were found at the very bottom of the mountain side it might mean that they were killed at the very start. They may also have climbed to the top, abseiled down and have been killed at the bottom" says Bjørgen. Considering that the two are at the bottom of the wall, Bjørgen doesn't think it will be too difficult to get them down again during the day.



More details here:



http://www.rogalandsavis.no/nyheter/politilogg/article5923660.ece





Coilin Haley, Alpinist 32"Scared"





"I might die climbing. You might, too. We can make efforts to minimize the risks, but ultimately we either accept the possibility of dying on a mountain, fool ourselves that the possibility doesn't exist—or we quit."

French Inspirations: Beautiful Oddities

As a change from the Cape Cod theme, I would like to share these photos of some early French bicycles from the collection of Nick March. These pre-war bicycles are not quite mixtes, but they are not classic step-throughs either. Whatever their construction, they have an overall grace and elegance that I find inspiring.

This beauty is a very rare bicycle by Caminade (see here for additional details).

What makes it truly exceptional, is that the frame is alloy, with hexagonal(!) tubing and elaborate lugs. I have never seen a bicycle with hexagonal tubes before, so these photos blew my mind. I wonder what it feels like to ride this creation.

In the close-up photos, it appears as if the lugs might be bolted to the tubing, but I am out of my depth here. Any further details regarding the construction of this bicycle are welcome. This is definitely one of the most exceptional ladies' bicycles out there, and the condition in which it has been preserved is amazing.

This sage green bicycle is an Alcyon from the late 1930s. The mixte-like construction has twin stays that curve sharply at the seat tube, then connect to the lower part of the rear stays. One of the elements of early French ladies and mixte bicycles that appeals to me, is the colour scheme: The combination of pastel blue-green paint and chrome accesories takes my breath away - even when the bicycle is old and rusty and the paint is faded.

This ancient Helium is another example of the faded pastel green paint I love. Notice the curved stays again, which I have also documented on many bicycles in Vienna. The twin stays extend all the way to the rear drop-outs, but is the bicycle technically considered a mixte if the stays are curved in this manner? I assume the purpose of this design was to lower the step-over height, but what effect does it have on the bicycle's structural integrity?

Largely dilapidated, the Helium in the photo is in her owner's "destined for the trash" pile. I wish I could wisk it away to a bicycle history museum. My thanks again to Mr. March for permission to use these images; they are a treat to see.