I thought that my photos were blurry until I realized it was the snow falling that was casuing them to look blurry. There was about an inch here but there was more at other places up to about 3 or 4 inches.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Desert in Snow
I thought that my photos were blurry until I realized it was the snow falling that was casuing them to look blurry. There was about an inch here but there was more at other places up to about 3 or 4 inches.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Day's End at Rock Cove
Seems like my focus this summer has been on wildlife, but I have been getting the occasional landscape shot or two. Here's a fairly recent one from the Lake Superior shoreline near my home.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Ice tool umbilicals? *repost*
A repost of myfirst blog entry, from Jan 29
The Joke Slinger, on the BD Spinner leash, Jan. , the Cascades.
With the invention and popularity of leashless climbing, a once condemmed and decades old climbing tool has come back. While they are not mandatory, they are in vogue. It has been over 35 years since I saw the first pair of umbilicals in use.
Author's umbilicals of 9/16" webbing being used on a quick ascent of Polar Circus in the winter of 1979.
Gregg Cronn photo
Back in the late '70s and into the early '80s umbilicals were looked upon as a weak man's crutch. Mostly thought of as something the Canadians used (but never really did much) to aid sections of rotten, cold and really steep ice. We can blame all that on Bugs McKeith inventing the idea of ice aid while putting up some of today's modern classics, like Nemisis and Polar Circus. Just two among his many, many difficult ice climbs. Most visiting American climbers thought they were way ahead of the game by not using umbilicals while running up the first "free" ascents of the Canadian test pieces. Few outside Canada really made the "first free" ascents many claimed. Canadians had already been there on most of them and didn't fight back the cat calls.
No Internet back in the day so info was often sketchy and incomplete or just a fubar rumor. It was hard to keep track. Of course not every one used umbilicals even back then. But a few did. 1st and 2nd ascents of Slipstream did.
Jim Elzinga photo of John Lauchlan on the 1st ascent of Slipstream
They were not used for aid or for hanging to place screws. Although when required you could do either. The real use was to save your ass if you happen to fall. Hopefully an umbilical would keep you on the ice. BITD leads were long and run out. Ice screws could be hard, difficult or just plain impossible to get in, depending on the ice and out side temps. Weighting your umbilicals is a way to save the 2nd's strength while pulling screws if you can deal with that idea ethically today.
No one sane thought the idea of falling with tools and crampons OK. Falling on the old gear generally required a hospital stay or worse.
Once I switched from Chouinard curved tools to a set of Terrodactyls for technical ice I seldom climbed without at least one umbilical attached to my harness or swami. As the tools changed the old umbilicals generally went straight on the new tools. Big jumps from Terros, Clog, Chacal, Pulsar.
Pretty simple change as mine were just a set of tied 9/16" nylon tube webbing.
The first manufactured umbilicals I saw..years later ('05) ... where done up by Grivel. The "Grivel, Double Sping Leash" with a mini wire gate "biner" specifically designed for the task. While leashless tools really hadn't caught up with the possibilities yet, Grivel umbilicals were seen on some pretty amazing climbs often used by climbers sponsored by competing tool companies. The umbilical had finally "arrived". But no one outside a tiny circle of hardcore alpine climbers really knew it yet. A quick Goggle Images search will get you photos of Steve House, Marko Prezelj, Raphael Slawinski and a host of others using both the Grivel and BD umbilicals on hard alpine climbs all through the new millenium.
I worry more about dropping a leashless tool, than I do falling off. But when you can protect yourself from both mistakes it makes sense to ante up and use that protection. More than one really good climber has poked fun at me because of my support of umbilicals. More climbs and climbers I admire used umbilicals and have been suggesting you do as well.
Ueli Steck, Grand Jorasses, record speed solo, Jan '09. Jon Griffin photos
Easiest way to get yourself a pair of umbilicals is by reading Dave's web site and making your own. Good stuff!!
http://www.alpinedave.com/leashless_rig.htm
Alpine Dave photo
The second way is buy a pair of the commercially made ones.
Grivel offers several versions, Blue Ice in Chamonix offers a simple version and Black Diamond offers their "Spinner" unit.
For what it costs to make a "good" pair of umbilicals all three, Blue Ice, Black Diamond and Grivel offer real value imo.
Here is some detail on what I use and my observations.
Grivel was my first commercial set. I was lucky enough to get the original Grivel 3KN mini biner version with a girth hitch atatchment. Not a big fan of the mini locking version out now. Or a biner attachment to the harness. Good elastic and webbing that attaches to the harness by a girth hitch (small loop is passed through harness belay loop and tails are feed back through and out the small loop cinching tight on the belay loop) Very simple. Length is shorter than some seem to like but if I sit down on the leashes (6'1 and normal ape index) at full extention for both tools the Grivel leash will allow my tools to be out of reach. Just barely so, but still out of reach. It is durable.
Black Diamond had dozens of Spinner Leash prototypes out the last couple of years for real world testing and feedback. Again I was lucky enough to get a pair of those and used them a lot. Better yet for good feedback, I let all my partners use them.
Only thing I can see that has changed in the Spinner leash is the over all length has been shortened on the current version. I've seen current reviews commenting that the BD Spinner leash set up is now too short. Trust me? The Spinner IS NOT too short for anyone under 6'8" and a huge ape index that I know! The "too short" comment doesn't make sense unless the reviewer is mistakenly writing about a short early prototype? Mine on full extention are a full 2 feet past what I can reach.
If you happen to fall on the Spinner you'll have some work cut out for you getting back to your tools. The Grivel set up is managable but only just. The Spinner will make you work for a living it you weight it unprepared. But if you are using the most modern ice climbing techniques you should be stacking your tools on top of each other which should help. You'll need the extra reach to accomplish that and still have only a short fall for your Spinner to catch. It is a tough balancing act to get the right umbilical length and still get it to do everything required of it.
If you need to weight your tools intentionally, you had better stack them or you'll not be able to reach a tool using either brand name.
While I like simple and wasn't impressed with the swivel of the Spinner originally, everyone else that used mine was. I've come to accept its advantages over time. And no question having a leash set up that avoids all the tangles and twists that will come with umbilicals is an advantage. Grivel no longer offers their 3KN wire gate mini biner version. On the other hand BD took notes and then used them on all the details. BD uses a proprietary hydrophobic webbing, a over built mini swivel and mini wire gate biner that will fit most tools head and spikes. It is a good piece of kit. And would cost a small fortune to duplicate in the same quality.
A reader once again pointed out the Boa Leash from Blue Ice to me today. Thank you! I have not climbed with the Blue Ice version yet but will shortly. It is more akin to what I like generally like in gear, simple, maybe no "biner" required, and easily replaceable if damaged. I'll add more to this blog post once I have had a chance to use a set. $32.00 US seems reasonable though for the effort and materials involved if they attach easily and are the "right size" in actual use.
Blue Ice Boa Leash below:
I try to climb smart and if a technical ice tool goes in my pack so does a umbilical system. See ya out there!
Steve House on the top of the Italian Route, Taulliraju (5830m), first free ascent, three-day roundtrip, with Marko Prezel 2005 (Prezel photo)
The Joke Slinger, on the BD Spinner leash, Jan. , the Cascades.
With the invention and popularity of leashless climbing, a once condemmed and decades old climbing tool has come back. While they are not mandatory, they are in vogue. It has been over 35 years since I saw the first pair of umbilicals in use.
Author's umbilicals of 9/16" webbing being used on a quick ascent of Polar Circus in the winter of 1979.
Gregg Cronn photo
Back in the late '70s and into the early '80s umbilicals were looked upon as a weak man's crutch. Mostly thought of as something the Canadians used (but never really did much) to aid sections of rotten, cold and really steep ice. We can blame all that on Bugs McKeith inventing the idea of ice aid while putting up some of today's modern classics, like Nemisis and Polar Circus. Just two among his many, many difficult ice climbs. Most visiting American climbers thought they were way ahead of the game by not using umbilicals while running up the first "free" ascents of the Canadian test pieces. Few outside Canada really made the "first free" ascents many claimed. Canadians had already been there on most of them and didn't fight back the cat calls.
No Internet back in the day so info was often sketchy and incomplete or just a fubar rumor. It was hard to keep track. Of course not every one used umbilicals even back then. But a few did. 1st and 2nd ascents of Slipstream did.
Jim Elzinga photo of John Lauchlan on the 1st ascent of Slipstream
They were not used for aid or for hanging to place screws. Although when required you could do either. The real use was to save your ass if you happen to fall. Hopefully an umbilical would keep you on the ice. BITD leads were long and run out. Ice screws could be hard, difficult or just plain impossible to get in, depending on the ice and out side temps. Weighting your umbilicals is a way to save the 2nd's strength while pulling screws if you can deal with that idea ethically today.
No one sane thought the idea of falling with tools and crampons OK. Falling on the old gear generally required a hospital stay or worse.
Once I switched from Chouinard curved tools to a set of Terrodactyls for technical ice I seldom climbed without at least one umbilical attached to my harness or swami. As the tools changed the old umbilicals generally went straight on the new tools. Big jumps from Terros, Clog, Chacal, Pulsar.
Pretty simple change as mine were just a set of tied 9/16" nylon tube webbing.
The first manufactured umbilicals I saw..years later ('05) ... where done up by Grivel. The "Grivel, Double Sping Leash" with a mini wire gate "biner" specifically designed for the task. While leashless tools really hadn't caught up with the possibilities yet, Grivel umbilicals were seen on some pretty amazing climbs often used by climbers sponsored by competing tool companies. The umbilical had finally "arrived". But no one outside a tiny circle of hardcore alpine climbers really knew it yet. A quick Goggle Images search will get you photos of Steve House, Marko Prezelj, Raphael Slawinski and a host of others using both the Grivel and BD umbilicals on hard alpine climbs all through the new millenium.
I worry more about dropping a leashless tool, than I do falling off. But when you can protect yourself from both mistakes it makes sense to ante up and use that protection. More than one really good climber has poked fun at me because of my support of umbilicals. More climbs and climbers I admire used umbilicals and have been suggesting you do as well.
Ueli Steck, Grand Jorasses, record speed solo, Jan '09. Jon Griffin photos
Easiest way to get yourself a pair of umbilicals is by reading Dave's web site and making your own. Good stuff!!
http://www.alpinedave.com/leashless_rig.htm
Alpine Dave photoThe second way is buy a pair of the commercially made ones.
Grivel offers several versions, Blue Ice in Chamonix offers a simple version and Black Diamond offers their "Spinner" unit.
For what it costs to make a "good" pair of umbilicals all three, Blue Ice, Black Diamond and Grivel offer real value imo.
Here is some detail on what I use and my observations.
Grivel was my first commercial set. I was lucky enough to get the original Grivel 3KN mini biner version with a girth hitch atatchment. Not a big fan of the mini locking version out now. Or a biner attachment to the harness. Good elastic and webbing that attaches to the harness by a girth hitch (small loop is passed through harness belay loop and tails are feed back through and out the small loop cinching tight on the belay loop) Very simple. Length is shorter than some seem to like but if I sit down on the leashes (6'1 and normal ape index) at full extention for both tools the Grivel leash will allow my tools to be out of reach. Just barely so, but still out of reach. It is durable.
Black Diamond had dozens of Spinner Leash prototypes out the last couple of years for real world testing and feedback. Again I was lucky enough to get a pair of those and used them a lot. Better yet for good feedback, I let all my partners use them.
Only thing I can see that has changed in the Spinner leash is the over all length has been shortened on the current version. I've seen current reviews commenting that the BD Spinner leash set up is now too short. Trust me? The Spinner IS NOT too short for anyone under 6'8" and a huge ape index that I know! The "too short" comment doesn't make sense unless the reviewer is mistakenly writing about a short early prototype? Mine on full extention are a full 2 feet past what I can reach.
If you happen to fall on the Spinner you'll have some work cut out for you getting back to your tools. The Grivel set up is managable but only just. The Spinner will make you work for a living it you weight it unprepared. But if you are using the most modern ice climbing techniques you should be stacking your tools on top of each other which should help. You'll need the extra reach to accomplish that and still have only a short fall for your Spinner to catch. It is a tough balancing act to get the right umbilical length and still get it to do everything required of it.
If you need to weight your tools intentionally, you had better stack them or you'll not be able to reach a tool using either brand name.
While I like simple and wasn't impressed with the swivel of the Spinner originally, everyone else that used mine was. I've come to accept its advantages over time. And no question having a leash set up that avoids all the tangles and twists that will come with umbilicals is an advantage. Grivel no longer offers their 3KN wire gate mini biner version. On the other hand BD took notes and then used them on all the details. BD uses a proprietary hydrophobic webbing, a over built mini swivel and mini wire gate biner that will fit most tools head and spikes. It is a good piece of kit. And would cost a small fortune to duplicate in the same quality.
A reader once again pointed out the Boa Leash from Blue Ice to me today. Thank you! I have not climbed with the Blue Ice version yet but will shortly. It is more akin to what I like generally like in gear, simple, maybe no "biner" required, and easily replaceable if damaged. I'll add more to this blog post once I have had a chance to use a set. $32.00 US seems reasonable though for the effort and materials involved if they attach easily and are the "right size" in actual use.
Blue Ice Boa Leash below:
I try to climb smart and if a technical ice tool goes in my pack so does a umbilical system. See ya out there!
Steve House on the top of the Italian Route, Taulliraju (5830m), first free ascent, three-day roundtrip, with Marko Prezel 2005 (Prezel photo)
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Sunrise in the Frozen Forest
This photo was made at Tettegouche State Park in Northeast Minnesota on the shores of Lake Superior. Parts of the shoreline at Tettegouche are a wonderland of ice right now. Thanks to high winds and waves that hit the shoreline just over a week ago, the trees at Tettegouche are covered in ice. Some of the cliffs at the park angle back as they drop down towards the lake, so when the waves come in just right they literally EXPLODE back out from the cliff and if the wind is strong enough it will catch the spray and fling it up over the cliff and into the trees. This only happens once in a great while, maybe only once or twice every 10 years (or so I'm told). I've shared this ice experience with a few different friends of mine, and no matter how long you've lived along the shores of Lake Superior, this incredible ice makes you stare in amazement. Truly one of the most magnificent things I've ever seen in my life on the lake. This image was made with my Canon EF 24-105mm lens, shutter speed 1/60, aperture f16, ISO 100.
Below: Here is another photo of the same ice formation, taken later in the day after the sun had risen high into the sky.
Lost China Dishes
This is my set of china dishes. We certainly couldn't afford anything like this at any time during the 40 years we have been married. But I was lucky enough to find a set. No, I didn't buy them at a yard sale or anything, I actually found them.We moved into a house in about 1976 and there was what I thought was a dog house in the backyard. It was only about 4 feet tall, but about 6 feet long. We just thought it was what someone had cobbled up for a dog house considering the height of it. There was even a sort of door on it. My dog didn't seem interested in going in it and I didn't want her to until I had a chance to clean it up some. In a few weeks I did deside to clean it so that it could be used. I moved the piece of board acting as a door and crawled in since I couldn't stand up right in it. To my surprise there was a large cardboard box in the back of the short shed. I had hubby crawl in and do a check for spiders, snakes, and dead bodies of any kind and he came back out pulling the box after him. Inside the box was this set of china dishes. There are a couple of the salid plates missing but other wise it is the complete set. It is made my Imperial China and the pattern is called Whitney, but couldn't find out when it was made. I found it on the internet under several sites for older china and it is running about $10 per piece now. I would guess that is about what it sold for new.
Skiing Mount Rainier
There is nothing totally new about skiing Mt. Rainier. Sure, it's not done that often, but people do ski and ride it... However, skiing the Wilson Headwall is something special. The recent snowfall is settling nicely in some areas. Climbers-turned-skiers (or are they skiers-turned-climbers?) are making their moves on Rainier's slopes. Ski, board, and snowpack reports are welcome!As for the internet... this blogger site has its down days... But that's ok, because it's easier to express frustration at an internet site, than say, well... we'll just move on...
A few "climbing instigators" have been sending GREAT route conditions information. I've been trying to dump most of it directly into the blog. But as the amount of information grows, I wonder if it would be easier to have a bullentin board?
Please send me your thoughts? I'm very pleased that you are willing to share their experiences! Everyone REALLY appreciates it!
Image by Sky Sjue, just before he drops down the Wilson Headwall...
Monday, March 25, 2013
Cow Rubbed Tree Knot
This is my favorite knot of those on the trunk of the old juniper tree that I like so much and tell the story of in the following photos, and posts.
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