Weekend Warrior -- Videos to get you stoked!

Well, I missed last weeks posting so I hope all of you loyal fans (I know there must be a couple of you out there) were able to supply your own stoke for the week. But worry not, I have found a couple gems for you this time around. These two videos take place on the beautiful Grandes Jorasses near Chamonix. I'll let the videos speak for themselves but I can vouch for their awesomeness!

Sunburns in the Mountains

Over the decade that I've been guiding, I've decided that the greatest enemy to the climber is not the rain, it's not the snow and it's not the wind. Instead, it is the sun. There is nothing more relenting and nothing that will have such dire long term effects as the sun.

There was a time in my life when I went from working in the heat of the desert directly to high altitude snow. These are both places where the sun is far more dangerous than in a city. And while I'm not aware of any reports of a higher incidence of skin cancer among climbers, it wouldn't surprise me if this were the case.

The most common places for climbers to get burned are on the tops of the ears, the tip of the nose and on the lips. High altitude climbers on glaciers will also see burns develop on the roof of their mouths and inside their nostrils.

The Author Belaying on Mount Baker
The bandanna covers both his ears and neck.

It might seem obvious, but it is incredibly important to wear sunscreen and cover as much skin as possible when you are in bright sunlight. Over the years I've had a few people on glaciers who decided that they "tan well" and elected not to wear sunscreen. In each of these cases, the climbers contracted serious burns that were so bad, they actually scabbed up.

Whether in the desert or at high altitude one must apply sunscreen and then reapply it often.

Many climbers on big mountains will wear a Buff to cover their faces or will carry multiple bandannas to pin around their faces and necks "Al Qaeda" style. Most will wear sunglasses with a nose beak. And many will apply sunscreen inside the nostrils.

In the desert, some will wear a bandana under their helmets and over their ears and neck. Sunshirts and shirts with collars are also popular. Sunshirts are designed to reflect most of the sunlight away while providing good coverage. Shirts with collars provide a little extra shade for the neck.

Sunshirt
These hiking oriented shirts can be found at most outdoor stores.

Following is a quick breakdown of how to treat a sunburn from the Sunburn Resource:

1. When treating sunburn, it is very important to prevent further damage or irritation. To prevent sunburned skin from getting worse, keep from further direct exposure to the sun, and stay indoors as much as possible.

2. Closely observe the affected areas for blisters. When blisters are present, this means that the skin has been severely damaged, and complications are highly probable. Don’t try to break them, or you’ll increase the risk of infection. If blisters are present on a large area of the skin, get to a hospital’s emergency room immediately. Other instances that warrant medical attention right away are when severe swelling causes breathing difficulty, when pain on the affected area is terrible, and when serious swelling occurs around the limbs such that it threatens to constrict blood flow and cause hands or feet to go numb or turn bluish. Too much sun exposure can also cause other related ailments, such as sun poison or heat stroke. When any of these are suspected or when high fever is detected, consult a doctor immediately.

3. Take pain relievers to help ease the pain and swelling. Aspirin and ibuprofen are examples of oral medications commonly taken to minimize these sunburn symptoms, but do avoid giving aspirin to a child or teenager. Also, consult a doctor before taking any pain killer if you’re also taking prescribed medication.

4. Drink lots of water. This will help you regain lost fluids in your body, as well as aid your system in its recovery from sunburn. Fresh fruit juice, such as watermelon, is also a good alternative. Avoid alcoholic and caffeinated beverages, as these may cause further dehydration.

5. Regularly apply a cool, soothing cream or aloe lotion to the affected area to keep it moist. Aloe extract has powerful healing properties, and is most effective in its pure form. Vitamin enriched lotions and moisturizers may also help speed healing. When treating moderate to severe burns, 1% hydrocortisone cream may also be used. Avoid using butter, oil, and strong ointments on burned skin, as these will only irritate and worsen sunburn symptoms.

On mountains like Denali, climbers must completely cover their skin.

6. Shower with cool water whenever possible. This should help ease the pain and discomfort on your skin until it begins to heal. Use very mild soap, and refrain from using abrasive personal skin products, such as exfoliating skin formulas and body scrubs to avoid irritation.

7. Wear loose-fitting clothes made of natural fibers, such as cotton or silk, as sunburned skin tends to be extremely sensitive, and harsher fabrics will do more harm than good. When heading outdoors, wear long sleeved shirts and long pants that cover the affected areas.

8. Leave peeling skin alone. When your skin starts peeling, try your very best not to scratch, scrub or strip the dry skin off. The layer of skin underneath the peeling is still very sensitive, and will only lead to further skin damage when forcibly exposed. Just continue using moisturizer to help relieve itching and dryness.

Following is a short video on sunburn treatment:



--Jason D. Martin

Mount Baker Skills Weekend

Here are some photos from a three day Mt. Baker skills weekend from a month ago. It was a late season trip to Mt. Baker and turned out to have some amazing weather.

A fattened Marmot ready for winter.

White Tailed Ptarmigan starting to change color for the coming snows.

Kate and her cup of coffee.

Setting up the rope for glacier travel.

Kate and the blue sky. It is not this blue very often in Washington.

Smiles all around.

A desperate skier makes for a good photo, but what must have been some pretty crappy turns.

The clearest day I have ever seen on Mt. Baker.

Using our new skills to negotiate the glacier.

More crevasses.

Liz

Kate

Sunset on Mt. Baker.

Ice climbing.

Ice Climbing

--Alasdair Turner, AAI Instructor and Guide

Climbers are Funny!

Mountain Guide Jokes:


What do you call a mountain guide without a girlfriend?

Homeless.


How do you get ten mountain guides into a closet?

Tell them they can live there.

How do you get them back out again?

Tell them that they have to pay rent.


How do you know the mountain guide at the party?

Don't worry, he'll tell you.


Other Funny Climbing Related Things:

You might be a Mountain Climber if...

1. You own a $75 dress suit and a $1000 Gore-Tex suit.
2. You have ever frozen your lips to an ice screw while blowing an ice plug at your partner.
3. You have ever used an ice axe to chop weeds in the garden.
4. You have more summit pictures than wedding pictures.
5. You've ever had icicles hanging from any part of your face.
6. You've ever fallen so far that you've run out of adrenaline before you ran out of rope.
7. You say "Namaste" instead of "Hello."
8. You like the smell of burning yak dung.
9. What you call cold is not on the thermometer scale.
10. When you hear the words "nose," "captain," or "aid," your hands start hurting and swelling.
11. You arrive at a climbing gym with stoppers and cams still in your bag.
12. You hear the name "Hillary" and think about Everest instead of the Secretary of State.
13. And finally, you understood all the previous lines. If you laughed at any of these lame lines, then you should definitely get back to work.

--Most people get to the top of a climb and pose for a photo. This is a great piece on the many many different photogenic and not-so-photogenic poses of climbers after they've summitted.

--Some people write some really dumb comments on the Forest Service Comment cards. To read some of these, click here. My favorite is, "a small deer came into camp and stole a bag of pickles. Is there any way I can get reimbursed?"

--Jason D. Martin

October and November Climbing Events

--October 22-24 -- Golden, CO -- Mountainfilm on Tour

--October 23-25 -- Joshua Tree, CA --Climb Smart 2009

--October 24 -- Seattle, WA --Northwest Snow & Avalanche Summit 2009

--October 24 -- Chapel Hill, NC --2009 Reel Rock Film Tour

--October 24 -- North Conway, NH --New England Annual Fall BBQ

--October 24 -- Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area, NV --Make a Difference Day

--October 24 -- Grand County, Utah --Castleton Tower Stewardship Weekend

--October 24 -- Idyllwild, CA --Suicide Rock Trail Day

--October 24 -- Boulder, CO --Spot Gym Psychedelia Competition

--October 25 -- Indian Cove, Joshua Tree, CA --Climb Smart

--October 26 -- Golden, CO --Celebrate Eldo: Ace And AAC Book Release Party

--October 30 -- Easton, PA --Halloween Hang

--October 31 -- New Haven, CT --Monster Brawl

--October 30 -- Telluride, CO --Telleride Mountain Film on Tour

--October 31 -- Phoenix, AZ --North McDowell Mountain Climbers Path Trail Building

--October 31 -- New Haven, CT --Monster Brawl

--November 4 -- Golden, CO --Sean Swarner, Cancer Climber: Marmot Speaker Series Hosted By The American Alpine Club

--November 7 -- Bishop, CA --AAC Fall Highball, Doug Robinson show

--November 7 -- Bellingham, WA --Alpine Safety Awareness Program Dinner & Fundraiser

--November 7 -- Brooklyn, ME --Caliente! A Night of Salsa Dancing to Benefit Kismet Rock Foundation

--November 8 -- Athens, GA --UGA Boulder Bash '09

--November 12-14 -- Boulder, CO --Fifth Annual Adventure Film Festival

--November 14 -- Fargo, ND --NDSU Fall Crawl

--November 14 -- Obed National Park Wild & Scenic River, TN --Lilly Boulder Competition

--November 14 -- Boulder, CO --Adventure Film Festival

--November 14 -- New York City, New York --Thirtieth Annual New York Section Black Tie Dinner

--November 14 -- Wake Forest, NC --Fifth Annual AAC Eastern NC Get Together

--November 15 -- Seattle, wA --CC.com SausageFest'09 Slide Show

--November 21 -- Nacogdoches, TX --3rd Annual East Texas Climbing Competition

--November 21 -- Seattle, WA --Seattle Bouldering Challenge

--November 22 -- Baltimore, MD --Loyola University Maryland ClimbMax Climbing Competition 2009

Diamox - The Wonder Drug?

Diamox is the trade name for a drug called Acetazolamide. This is a "altitude wonder drug" that many people take to increase the speed of their acclimatization. It is also a drug that some people put a little too much hope into instead of acclimitizing properly.

The reality is that Diamox is not a wonder drug. It is is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor that is commonly used to treat glaucoma, epilepsy, hypertension, cystinuria, dural ectasia and of course, altitude sickness. The drug is designed to help your body make the chemical changes that it needs to make in order to function better at altitude.

We get a lot of questions about this drug from people who are planning on climbing Denali or other high-altitude objectives.  But we also get them from people who are going to go on relatively low-altitude climbs.

Those who are climbing peaks that are less than 14,000 feet tall really shouldn't worry about any type of specialized drug to acclimatize. They should just take their time. Those who are climbing peaks that are between 14,000 and 16,000 feet should only take the drug if they've had problems in the past. And those climbing peaks that are 16,000 feet tall or more, should really see how their body reacts before filling it full of drugs.

The reason that we advise caution with this drug is that it has side-effects that can be difficult to deal with. Diamox is a diuretic. It causes you to urinate frequently. This, of course, can lead to dehydration, which is a contributing factor to altitude sickness. It can also cause a very unusual sensation in the fingers and toes. It feels like they have fallen asleep. This could be confusing or even scary in extremely cold environments.

Diamox - A Prophylactic?Some climbers choose to take Diamox prophylactically, starting a few days before going to altitude. A percentage of climbers respond well to this, especially if they take between 125 milligrams (mg) to 500 mg per day before ascending rapidly to 10,000 feet or more.

What is rapidly? This is generally a fast one to two day ascent from sea level. Examples of rapid ascents might include Mount Rainier or Mount Whitney in two days...

Those who have a history of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) are urged to take Diamox prophylactically especially with plans for a rapid ascent or plans to ascend 2000 feet or more per day after reaching 10,000 feet.

Diamox forces the kidneys to excrete bicarbonate, the conjugate base of carbonic acid. The more bicarbonate excreted, the more acidic the blood gets. The more acidic the blood gets, the more that ventilation is stimulated. This will ultimately result in more oxygen in the blood.

Clearly the changes in the blood take time. It takes time for the body to catch up to your altitude. As such, Diamox cannot be seen as an immediate fix for AMS. If the symptoms are bad, then climbers are urged to immediately descend before the AMS devolves into a life-threatening cerebral or pulmonary edema.

When to Take Diamox

Many guides argue that the best time to take a drug like Diamox is right before bed. As I know that I don't tend to breathe as deeply at night as during the day, I will usually take Diamox before I go to bed when I'm at high camps on high altitude peaks.

On the one hand an evening dose of the drug may help you acclimatize better up high at night. It may also keep you from getting sick at night. But on the other, you are unlikely to sleep well due to the whole, "I have to pee every five minutes" thing.

Others feel that the morning is better because it doesn't interrupt your sleep.

Alternatives

There has been a lot of research over the last few years that indicate that Ginkgo Biloba may work extremely well in acclimatization. As this is easily attainable at health food stores and has few side effects in healthy people, it may be a much better alternative to Diamox.

On the other hand, those taking anticoagulants such as ibuprofen, aspirin, warfarin, or antidepressants should be wary of potentially dangerous side effects.


Altitude Research

Understanding altitude and its effects on the body is an extremely broad topic. This blog has only touched on the bare surface of the subject and indeed, only on the bare surface of the uses of Diamox. Those interested in learning more should check out Going Higher: Oxygen, Man and Mountains by Charles Houston or Altitude Illness: Prevention and Treatment by Stephen Bezruchka.

A Final Note
We are not doctors. We are climbers. And the advice here is just that, advice. All the information here is based on our experiences working at altitude and everyone's body reacts differently under such circumstances.

Diamox is a prescription drug. And it is extremely important that you get proper medical advice before self-medicating with any such drug. If you are on an expedition with a guide, it is also important to tell your guide whenever you take any drugs.

High altitude climbing is an awesome experience. Diamox is merely one tool that will help you to get up high. Another, and perhaps far more important tool, is to use good sense, good judgment and to acclimitize properly.

--Jason D. Martin

Flightseeing the Alaska Range

AAI's Director, Dunham Gooding and I, went to Alaska over the weekend to attend meetings with Denali National Park and Wrangle-St. Elias National Park. While we were in Talkeetna, the wonderful people at K2 Aviation offered to bring us up on a flight tour of the Alaska Range. We, of course, greedily accepted the offer!

Following is a photo essay of our flight. Click on the photos if you would like to see a larger version. All of these photos were taken on October 16th.

Mount Hunter
The North Buttress can be seen on the left-hand side of the mountain.
The North Buttress of Hunter is a world-class feature that includes the iconic Moonflower Buttress Route (AK Grade VI, 5.8, A2, M5, AI 6)

Mount Hunter silhouetted by the Sun

Denali
The flat spot just left of center is where the 14,000 foot camp for the West Buttress Route is established every year.

The West Rib of Denali (AK Grade IV, 60-Degree Ice)
The prominent rib in the center of the picture is climbed on the right hand side and then followed until it reaches the upper mountain.

The West Face of Mount Huntington
There are two popular routes on the West Face, the Harvard Route (AK Grade VI, A2, 70-degree ice) and the West Face Couloir (AK Grade V, 85-degree ice)

The French Ridge (AK Grade IV, Ice to 65-Degrees)
This was the site of Mount Huntington's first ascent in 1964 by a party led by the iconic alpinist, Lionel Terray.

The North Face of Mount Huntington
This north wall is seldom climbed due to the extreme avy danger.

Mooses Tooth
Ham and Eggs (AK Grade IV, 5.9, AI 4) can be found at the back of the deep gully on the right.

The West Ridge of Mooses Tooth
(AK Grade V, 80-Degree Ice, Extensive Cornicing)

The East Face of Mooses Tooth
The routes on the East Face are seriously hard. A couple of examples include Dance of the Woo Li Masters (AK Grade VII, A5, 5.10b) and Arctic Rage (AK Grade VI AI6+R, A2).

An avalanche on the Buckskin Glacier.

The Ruth Glacier

These photos of the Ruth show how large valley glaciers imitate rivers.

For information on our Alaska programs, please click here.

--Jason D. Martin

Investigation Concluded at Airplane Crash Site in Denali National Park

AAI just received the following email from Denali National Park:

Personnel from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the National Park Service concluded their on-scene investigation of the crash site above the East Fork of the Toklat River in Denali National Park and Preserve at approximately 3:00 p.m. today. All personnel have been airlifted from the scene. The remains of Gordon Haber, 67, of Denali Park, have been removed from the aircraft wreckage and will be released to the Office of the State Medical Examiner. Working with the owner, park rangers are developing a plan to remove the plane wreckage.

Pilot Dan McGregor, 35, of Denali Park remains at the Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, undergoing treatment for burns. McGregor not only survived the crash, but walked approximately 20 miles from the crash site to the Igloo Creek Campground, where he encountered two campers from New Hampshire late Thursday night. Nicholas Rodrick and Jesse Hoagland walked four miles with McGregor to the Teklanika River Rest Area, where their car was parked, and drove him to his home just outside the park boundary. They returned to the campground today to retrieve their camping equipment.

No additional information about the accident will be available until the NTSB has completed their investigation.

Crevasse Rescue: Part 1 - Arresting a Fall

Arresting a crevasse fall is often overlooked and almost never practiced with real weight. At American Alpine Institute we find it important to allow students to practice a real crevasse fall and rescue a real weight. Catching a real person and rescuing them from a crevasse will almost certainly make people take glacier travel more seriously in the future. AAI practices crevasse rescue on two person teams since this makes it more difficult and creates a much more serious situation for the rescuer.

Note: If you are going to go out and practice this in a real life setting it is VERY important that you set up a second safety line in case the fall is not arrested. It is difficult to stop a fall on a two person rope team. If you do not know how to set up a safe backup system DO NOT DO THIS. In addition don't jump in a crevasse with your crampons on or an ice axe in your hand. Give AAI a call and sign up for a day or two of private guiding and have a guide oversee your practice.

The photos below show a two person rope team in which the second person on the rope falls into a crevasse. In our practice sessions the second sits on the edge of the crevasse and gives the rope team leader some warning by yelling falling. They then slide off the edge of the crevasse simulating a crevasse fall. The rope team leader will then arrest the fall by falling to the ground on their stomach and planting the pick of their ice axe into the snow.

Here you can see the second person on the rope begining to slide into the crevasse, and the leader about to self arrest.

It is very important in glacier travel to not allow excess slack to build up in the rope as the team travels across the glacier. If there is too much slack in the rope between the two climbers then the rope team leader would be shock loaded and have a much harder time stopping the fall into the crevasse.
Here the leader falls toward the ground ready to place their pick in the snow.

A close up of the fall.

Once the pick is placed in the snow the rescuer used the weight of their upper body to hold the pick in the snow.

Most of the holding power of a self arrest comes from the legs. The rescuer will not be able to build an anchor if they can not get their hands free. The rescuer must kick the feet into the snow so all of the weight of the fall can be held by the legs.
Here the rescuer has arrested the fall and is ready to build the anchor. This is a good time for the person in the crevasse to practice prusiking up and down the rope while the rescuer sets up the crevasse rescue system.

The rescuer after arresting the fall and kicking his feet into the snow.

This is the first in a three part series on crevasse rescue. Stay tuned for Part two: Building the anchor, and Part 3: Setting up a pulley system.

--Alasdair Turner, AAI Instructor and Guide

October and November Climbing Events

--October 17-18 -- Baraboo, WI -- Mountain Gear's UClimb

--October 17 -- Chicago, IL --Reel Rock Film Tour Chicago

--October 17-18 -- Baraboo, WI --Mountain Gear's UClimb

--October 17 -- Thurman, NY --SRCFC Crane mountain Adopt-a-crag

--October 17 -- Collinsville, AL --Griffin Falls Adopt A Crag 2009

--October 18 -- Estes Park, CO --Lumpy Ridge Trail Day

--October 19 -- Birdsboro, PA --3rd Annual Clean and Climb at Bridsboro Quarry

--October 22 -- Oregon City, OR --Madrone Wall Public Hearing

--October 22-24 -- Golden, CO -- Mountainfilm on Tour

--October 23-25 -- Joshua Tree, CA --Climb Smart 2009

--October 24 -- Seattle, WA --Northwest Snow & Avalanche Summit 2009

--October 24 -- Chapel Hill, NC --2009 Reel Rock Film Tour

--October 24 -- North Conway, NH --New England Annual Fall BBQ

--October 24 -- Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area, NV --Make a Difference Day

--October 24 -- Grand County, Utah --Castleton Tower Stewardship Weekend

--October 24 -- Idyllwild, CA --Suicide Rock Trail Day

--October 24 -- Boulder, CO --Spot Gym Psychedelia Competition

--October 25 -- Indian Cove, Joshua Tree, CA --Climb Smart

--October 26 -- Golden, CO --Celebrate Eldo: Ace And AAC Book Release Party

--October 30 -- Easton, PA --Halloween Hang

--October 31 -- New Haven, CT --Monster Brawl

--October 30 -- Telluride, CO --Telleride Mountain Film on Tour

--October 31 -- Phoenix, AZ --North McDowell Mountain Climbers Path Trail Building

--October 31 -- New Haven, CT --Monster Brawl

--November 4 -- Golden, CO --Sean Swarner, Cancer Climber: Marmot Speaker Series Hosted By The American Alpine Club

--November 7 -- Bishop, CA --AAC Fall Highball, Doug Robinson show

--November 7 -- Bellingham, WA --Alpine Safety Awareness Program Dinner & Fundraiser

--November 7 -- Brooklyn, ME --Caliente! A Night of Salsa Dancing to Benefit Kismet Rock Foundation

--November 8 -- Athens, GA --UGA Boulder Bash '09

--November 12-14 -- Boulder, CO --Fifth Annual Adventure Film Festival

--November 14 -- Fargo, ND --NDSU Fall Crawl

--November 14 -- Obed National Park Wild & Scenic River, TN --Lilly Boulder Competition

--November 14 -- Boulder, CO --Adventure Film Festival

--November 14 -- New York City, New York --Thirtieth Annual New York Section Black Tie Dinner

--November 14 -- Wake Forest, NC --Fifth Annual AAC Eastern NC Get Together

--November 15 -- Seattle, wA --CC.com SausageFest'09 Slide Show

--November 21 -- Nacogdoches, TX --3rd Annual East Texas Climbing Competition

--November 21 -- Seattle, WA --Seattle Bouldering Challenge

--November 22 -- Baltimore, MD --Loyola University Maryland ClimbMax Climbing Competition 2009

Weekend Warrior -- Videos to make you laugh!

We stumbled upon this video series released by Teva and thought that it was worth sharing to all you devoted Weekend Warriors. Please keep in mind that AAI does not endorse any methods or practices used by "The Naturist". I realize this will become incredibly obvious once you watch the videos but I've got to say it anyway. Enjoy!

Part 1 - Honey and Water

Part 2 - Fire

Part 3 - The Hunt

Red Rock Canyon Fee Changes

The BLM and the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area are seriously considering major changes to the fee structure at Red Rock. Entrance to the Scenic Drive and camping will both become more expensive.

The American Alpine Institute just received the following letter from the Southern Nevada District Office of the BLM:

Dear Interested Party:

On August 14, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Southern Nevada District Office released the draft Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Business Plan for public comment. This draft document provides the public with the opportunity to review the functional responsibilities, operational standards and financial picture of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The draft business plan addresses proposed changes in the fee schedule and complies with changes in federal authorities that authorize the BLM to collect recreation fees.

As part of the public comment period, two meetings have been scheduled to provide information, address participant questions and offer an opportunity for participants to provide comments to a recorder in regard to the draft business plan.

To accommodate attendee schedules. two meetings will be held on Thursday, October 22 at the BLM office at 4701 North Torrey Pines Drive in Conference Rooms A, B, and C. The first meeting will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. and the second will be held from 6 to 8 p.m.

Copies of the draft Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Business Plan and information on how to comment before the November 16th deadline can be found online at www.nv.blm.gov/vegas, and CD and/or hard copies are available at the BLM Southern Nevada District Office and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Visitor Center.

If you have any questions regarding management of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, please contact Mark Tanaka-Sanders at the above address or by telephone at 702-515-5365.

Sincerely,

Mary Jo Rugwell
Southern Nevada District

The changes that are being proposed are rather radical. Following is an excerpt from a Las Vegas Sun article on the changes:

Red Rock Canyon officials are seeking comments on plans to raise fees at the national conservation area.

The fees for a day pass on the scenic drive would rise from $5 for a car to $7. Motorcycles would see an increase from $2 to $3. Bicyclists and hikers would be asked to pay $3, where they now are admitted for free.

An annual pass would cost $30, up from $20, and tour buses would be charged $5 per person, compared with the current $2.

In addition, the charge for individual campsites would rise from $10 to $15 and from $25 to $40 for group campsites. Group picnics at Red Spring, which are now free, would cost $40.

Comment are being accepted by e-mail (redrockbp@blm.gov), fax (702-515-5023) or mail (BLM Southern Nevada District Office, Attn: Mark Tanaka-Sanders, 4701 N. Torrey Pines, Las Vegas, NV 89130). Comments may also be delivered to the Red Rock Visitor Center or the Red Rock Campground. The deadline for comments is November 16th.

It is important for climbers to band together against these types of things. Ideally, there will be a lot of climbers on hand at the meetings, but most people who visit Red Rock regularly don't live locally. It is extremely important for those people to send comments as well.

--Jason D. Martin

Anchors "In Series"

Many climbers find the transition from top-roped climbing into leading to be daunting. This is especially daunting when the move is tinged with the possibility that you will have to build your own traditional anchor. It's scary because at first it's quite difficult to trust an anchor that you've built. It's scary because maybe there aren't that many pieces in the anchor or maybe the rock is bad.

One way to eliminate some of the fear and to build a more secure anchor is to build anchors "In Series."

In the past we've discussed SRENE and ERNEST anchors. The standard is that these anchors are built off of three or four pieces with a cordellete as in the following picture.

A Standard Pre-Equalized SRENE Anchor
The angles on this particular anchor are a bit wide between each of the outside pieces.

In an ideal three piece anchor all of the pieces are completely solid. In an ideal anchor each of the pieces can hold a tremendous amount of weight by themselves. In an ideal anchor, the powerpoint can easily hold ten times the weight of the two climbers on the route.

But what if it can't?

When the pieces aren't solid, you have to add more. To keep it simple, the best way to add more pieces is to add them in series. This is a method wherein one SRENE anchor is stacked on top of another SRENE Anchor. This system allows a climber to do a couple of things. First it allows one to add more pieces to the anchor. Second, it allows those pieces to be added in a simplistic way that makes sense with a cordellette or an extra sling. And third, it spreads out the weight at the powerpoint into more equalized pieces.

An Anchor In Series with a Magic X on the Left-Hand Leg

While the preceding picture may seem to tell the whole story, there is one thing to consider when building an anchor in series. One element that is terribly important to be aware of is that if a magic x (self-equalizing twist) is used in the system, it may not be as effective as a pre-equalized knot in the system.

In the picture above, the left hand leg of the cordellette terminates in a sling clipped to two pieces and equalized with a magic x. The problem with a magic x in this kind of system is that if one of those left hand pieces blows out, the sling will become limp and the weight will not automatically transfer to the other piece in the magic x. If this happens, then all of the weight will be placed on the two pieces on the right.

It's better to build two pre-equalized anchors on top of each other when working in series. However, occasionally this isn't possible and you're forced to work with a magic x. When that happens, make sure that the pieces that are not a part of the x are extremely strong.

An Anchor In Series with a Pre-Equalized Knot on the Right-Hand Leg
This anchor is essentially a three piece anchor that was linked together in series
because the climber only had two double-shoulder length runners to build an anchor.

It is quite possible to build a vast anchor with codellettes and slings in series. And sometimes -- when the rock is very bad -- that is exactly what you have to do.

There are many other ways to add additional pieces to an anchor and to keep it SRENE, but for many who are just dipping their toes into the world of leading, anchors in series make a lot of sense. Most guides recommend that beginning level leaders work with anchors in series for a significant period of time before experimenting with other systems. This will help lay a solid intellectual framework of what an anchor is supposed to look like and what it is supposed to do.

--Jason D. Martin

Placing Cams - SLCDs

The Canadian Guide, Mike Barter, posted the following two videos on youtube about placing cams.

In the first video Mike, his wife and his young daughter talk about cams while hanging out at a swimming pool in Spain. The banter between them about cam placements is quite good...but it sounds like some of his regular viewers gave him a hard time about it and told him that he needed to be in front of a rock wall.

In the second video, Mike talks about cams at a crag.

While watching these videos, it's important to understand that placing cams is an art. And before you trust your life to them, the best thing that you could do is to take a class in order to learn how to place them properly.





--Jason D. Martin

October and November Climbing Events

--October 9-11 -- Salt Lake City, UT --Craggin' Classic 2009


--October 10-11 -- Shelf Road, CO --RMFI's Annual Shelf Road Volunteer Weekend


--October 13-15 -- Durham, NC --Wilderness Risk Management Conference

--October 16 -- Sacramento, CA --Touchstone Bouldering Series 5: Pipeworks

--October 17 -- Albuquerque, NM --Yank-N-Yard On Yale

--October 17 -- Raleight, NC --Raleigh Rampage Bouldering Comp

--October 17 -- Chicago, IL --Reel Rock Film Tour Chicago

--October 17 -- Thurman, NY -- SRCFC Crane mountain Adopt-a-crag

--October 17-18 -- Baraboo, WI -- Mountain Gear's UClimb

--October 18 -- Estes Park, CO --Lumpy Ridge Trail Day

--October 19 -- Birdsboro, PA --3rd Annual Clean and Climb at Bridsboro Quarry

--October 22 -- Oregon City, OR --Madrone Wall Public Hearing

--October 22-24 -- Golden, CO -- Mountainfilm on Tour

--October 23-25 -- Joshua Tree, CA --Climb Smart 2009

--October 24 -- Seattle, WA --Northwest Snow & Avalanche Summit 2009

--October 24 -- Chapel Hill, NC --2009 Reel Rock Film Tour

--October 24 -- North Conway, NH --New England Annual Fall BBQ

--October 24 -- Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area, NV --Make a Difference Day

--October 24 -- Grand County, Utah --Castleton Tower Stewardship Weekend

--October 24 -- Idyllwild, CA --Suicide Rock Trail Day

--October 26 -- Golden, CO --Celebrate Eldo: Ace And AAC Book Release Party

--October 31 -- New Haven, CT --Monster Brawl

--October 31 -- Phoenix, AZ --North McDowell Mountain Climbers Path Trail Building

--November 7 -- Bishop, CA --AAC Fall Highball, Doug Robinson show

--November 7 -- Bellingham, WA --Alpine Safety Awareness Program Dinner & Fundraiser

--November 8 -- Athens, GA --UGA Boulder Bash '09

--November 14 -- Fargo, ND --NDSU Fall Crawl

--November 21 -- Nacogdoches, TX --3rd Annual East Texas Climbing Competition

--November 22 -- Baltimore, MD --Loyola University Maryland ClimbMax Climbing Competition 2009

Weekend Warrior -- Videos to get you stoked!

Hope this gets the stoke boilin' in your blood. Enjoy!

Rock Climbing Holds Defined!

The following video describes and defines a series of different holds for rock climbing. These are somewhat basic terms for what you will find in both a indoor gym environment as well as in an outdoor setting.



The preceding video skips a specific series very important definitions. It completely skips hand jams and crack climbing. As the video was produced in a gym and there aren't very many cracks in gyms, this isn't that strange. The following video addresses this kind of climbing.



--Jason D. Martin

Aconcagua in Popular Culture

As the Aconcagua season ramps up, we decided to take a look at the "Stone Sentinel" and it's impact on popular culture. Most of you are aware that the peak is the world's highest mountain outside of central Asia and, as such, is the tallest mountain in the Americas. It stands at 22,842 feet (6962 meters) in Argentina, just a few miles east of the Chilean border. The mountain is about 225 air miles northeast of Santiago and 600 miles west of Buenos Aires.

The South Face of Aconcagua
Photo by Andy Bourne

Aconcagua has become incredibly popular over the last few years. While cold and high, the standard routes are not terribly technical. The result is that climbers from all over the world and of all ability levels come to the mountain in search of a high altitude experience on one of the Seven Summits.

For non-climbers, Aconcagua is a somewhat obscure mountain. Unlike Mount Everest or K2, the tallest mountain in the Americas has not seared itself into the public consciousness. But that doesn't mean that it hasn't poked around in popular culture. Cerro Aconcagua has made appearances in a Disney cartoon, a feature length film and in a video game.

In 1942, Disney produced a short cartoon about a small plane that must face "the terrors of Aconcagua." This cartoon, which was originally designed for a Spanish speaking audience was re-dubbed for English speakers. The premiere of the cartoon in the United States was likely the first time that the tallest mountain in the Western Hemisphere was introduced to North Americans on a large scale.

In the cartoon a small plane with the characteristics of a small child is charged with bringing the mail over the Andes. The plane must pass by a very steep looking and angry anthropomorphic Aconcagua. As is the case with all Disney stories, things turn out well for the little plane.

In 1964, a full-length color Argentine adventure movie called Aconcagua made its way to the silver screen. The film was directed by Leo Fleider and written by Norberto Aroldi. Aconcagua started the popoular Argentinean actor, Tito Alonso. The film was distributed by Gloria Films and premiered in Buenos Aires on June 18, 1964. This is a very difficult film to find. And should one find it, it's highly unlikely that it will be subtitled, much less dubbed.

In the year 2000 a Playstation video game entitled Aconcagua was released in Japan. The premise of the game seems to be a mix of Piers Paul Read's book, Alive and Sylvester Stalone's 1993 film, Cliffhanger. So in other words, plane crash survivors in the Andes meet gun-toting maniacs. To see a preview of the video game, please view the following video.

Aconcagua sees thousands of ascents every year and is slowly building a reputation amongst non-climbers. A combination of the popularity of the seven summits and the sheer number of people who have climbed the mountain makes it likely that Aconcagua will have a future in popular culture.

We will be running two trips to Aconcagua this winter. To read about them, click here.

--Jason D. Martin

AAI Gear Sale -- October 10-11

The American Alpine Institute will run its annual gear sale on October 10th and 11th from 9am to 6pm. Save up to 75% on rental gear! Save 15% on all new store merchandise! Get a free AAI t-shirt with any purchase of $100 or more!

Please Click on Image to Enlarge

The Equipment Shop at the American Alpine Institute may be found at 1513 12th street, Bellingham, Washington, 98225.

For more information, please call 360-671-1570.

--Jason D. Martin

Five Weeks in Red Rock: A Photo Essay

Late last Spring, AAI Guide Alasdair Turner spent five weeks in Red Rock Canyon, climbing and guiding. Aside from working as a guide, Alasdair is a phenomenal photographer. He turned in the following report just after he finished his stint in the Southwest. More of his photos may be found at www.alasdairturner.com.

We are now taking registrations for climbing in both Red Rock Canyon and Joshua Tree National Park. Please call our office at 360-671-1505 for more information.
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I just got back to Seattle after spending five weeks in Red Rocks. One might ask what a person does for five weeks in Red Rocks. Well, I spent last night compiling a list....

It all started with the Red Rocks Rendezvous.

Then moved onto some multipitch stuff like Levitation 29 (5.11c, V).
Photo by Blake Herrington

Cloud Tower (5.12a, IV)
Photo by Blake Herrington

Other routes included the likes of Birdland (5.7+, III), Dark Shadows (5.8, IV),
Unimpeachable Groping (5.10c, IV),

Cat in the Hat (5.6+, III)

Wholesome Fullback (5.10b, II) Frogland (5.8, III), Our Father (5.10d, II), Next Century (5.10d, II+)

Photos from a Storm in Red Rock

I climbed dozens of sport routes. Here are two AAI guides -- Viren Purmal and Mary Harlan -- climbing a sport line.

In addition I spend a day hiking up Mt. Wilson the easy way, which -- I must say -- was one of the most enjoyable days of the trip...that is if I forget about the tick that was snacking on my hip later in the day.

Another day included a hike up one of the canyons with some friends.

And of course at least one obligatory trip to the strip.

And as always the drive to and from Red Rocks is never complete without the experience of driving through Nevada’s Great Basin. This year I was lucky enough to experience it with a foot of fresh snow, and in a rain storm. Both rare occurrences.

If you have not been to the Red Rocks of Southern Nevada, then you're missing out! It's one of the best places to climb in North America.

--Alasdair Turner