Greetings from... Utah!

It is a gray, gloomy morning with a mix of rain and snow, and fog. Not complaining, just saying. The past 12 days have been absolutely beautiful, filled with blue skies and sunshine. The weather couldn't have been better!

The view as I was leaving Zion National Park this morning.

Earlier last week.

After leaving Chiricahua National Monument on the morning of April 28th I headed north towards Utah. The thought was in the back of my mind that perhaps I could make it to Salt Lake City for at least one or two days of the NGS Conference. In the end, that didn't happen and I missed a great opportunity to renew friendships and meet other geneabloggers. But I am planning on attending the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree in June!

Zion National Park (in southwest Utah) is an incredible place! A big differences between Zion and the Grand Canyon (aside from the obvious one of size) is that at Zion you begin the hikes in the Canyon and go up first. I think I like that better, but coming down isn't always that easy either! Amazing trails. Beautiful weather. Fantastic people. All added up to a great time at Zion!

Riding

I decided to ride Sonny today and Lee took a couple of photos. Wish I felt like riding more often. In this photo we are at the back of our property. Those are the Sandia Mountains behind be.

Mount Erie ..

The original plan was to head to the desert for some climbing. But in a strange twist the weather was forecast to be better west of the mountains. So Sabrina and I changed our plans and headed to Mount Erie. The hope was to clip some bolts and maybe do a little top roping. We left Seattle around 7am and arrived near the top of Mount Erie around 8:45.

We were attempting to access the Powerline Crag and had some minor difficulty determining where to park. (Thankfully we brought two guidebooks with us.) Then we headed out on the trail in an attempt to find the crag. In typically Mount Erie fashion, we hiked too far over some sketchy terrain. We were only about 20' above a trail that looked level and should lead us back to the crag, but could not find a way down. We hiked back and eventually found the crag and our starting point for the day, False Impressions (5.8).

It was a bit chilly and Sabrina and I procrastinated before I decided to do the first lead. By this time, a man and a woman arrived and started on the route immediately to the right of False Impressions. I balked at the high first bolt and committing step out onto the route and handed the lead over to Sabrina. She balked a bit before she got going and she was on her way. She made her way smoothly through the first four bolts and then hung because of the pump of figuring out the next move. After getting back on the wall, she made quick work of the rest of the route. I followed the route, and found it more difficult than I probably would have on lead. I also took a direct start which eliminates the committing step out, but it means you are climbing for 10-12' before reaching the first bolt. Sabrina climbed it again on top rope and found it more difficult to follow as well.

Sabrina cleaning the anchors on False Impressions

A crowd had gathered by this point and there were now six other people in the area besides ourselves. So Sabrina and I headed to the east end of the crag to climb a few more bolted routes. This involved a scramble up to a ledge system which was somewhat precarious. Fortunately there was an anchor bolt that we anchored into as well as secured our backpacks to. One of the other parties also came up to the ledge and we negotiated routes.

I led the 5.8 Finishing Touch which I found easier than False Impressions. (Perhaps why one guidebook lists it as a 5.7+?) It was less steep and had some thin balance moves. Sabrina led it after me and found it more difficult. I followed her lead and we did an ill advised walk off to climber's right to get back. (We were using a natural anchor and the only rap anchor was being used by the other party.)

Sabrina on Finishing Touch

After our walking excursion, we set our sights on No Holds Barred (5.10a). I got the first lead and cruised up the easy section at the bottom to the second bolt. I paused for a long time attempting to unlock the moves above me all while my legs were getting pumped. I finally hung and attempted again. It wasn't working. I lowered off and rested my legs and then had back at it. This time I was successful as I had made a plan from the ground. I then fell repeatedly trying to figure out the next set of moves. Part of my issue was that I had not seen a critical hold for my right hand that was near the fourth bolt. After finding the hold I was able to move up and complete the route. Sabrina led it after me and had a short fall at one point and hung a bit at another point before completing the route. I tried it again on top rope without any issues.

Sabrina climbing No Holds Barred

At this point we contemplated what to do next. We knew we had to leave the immediate vicinity as there were no climbs left for us to do. Where we started in the morning had become crowded, and that was no longer an option either. So we were going to have to scramble down from the ledge to walk up and out. I decided that we should put our packs on and climb Finishing Touch again so we would be at the trail. Sabrina agreed if I would lead it. So I did. In the mid afternoon after a bit of climbing, the pack really affected my ability to climb. It made the 5.8 feel harder than the .10a we had just climbed. Near the top I avoided the crux of the route by traversing over to the final moves of No Holds Barred. I anchored to a tree and brought Sabrina up.

We debated briefly about going to another location to climb but Sabrina suggested we relax and enjoy the view. Being fairly tired and knowing the difficulties of getting to another crag on Erie, I agreed and we sat a bit on an outcropping enjoying the day before returning to the car to go home.

Glacier, Whitehorse and Three Fingers

Overall this was a great trip. It was nice to get out with Sabrina who I had been missing going out with. While the forecast was for "mostly cloudy" the day went from cold and overcast to sunny and warm. Short sleeves weather in the afternoon was welcomed by all. I felt I climbed well enough, but was hoping to climb better. I enjoyed all the routes we did, and would probably recommend them to others.

Baby Horse

I'm not writing about my trip today. On Saturday my neighbors had a surprise waiting for them when they went to feed their horses. They knew the mare was expecting but didn't think the baby would come this soon. She has some strange markings on her face but is really cute. It was cool and there was a storm coming so we put a jacket on her to help keep her warm as none of the feedstores in our area had regular foal blankets. She and her parents are probably more Mustang than anything else

The Black Hills and Custer State Park

Above: Bison (Buffalo)

Custer State Park is the largest state park in the country and is a wildlife lover's paradise. There is quite a variety of life within the park but the Bison, Antelope, Sheep and Elk (oh yeah, and the Prairie Dogs) steal the show. Custer State Park is where I saw my first Bison in person, in the spring of 2004. We saw quite a lot of them on this trip. The Antelope are pretty creatures, but by far the Prairie Dogs are the most fun to watch. They actually make you laugh as they scurry about, every now and then picking a fight with another Prairie Dog.

Below: Pronghorn Antelope



Below: Bighorn Sheep



Below: Prairie Dog



Below: A small windmill that we found during the day and decided to come back to later in order to shoot the stars and the moonlight.





Below: Roger shooting the sunset with the moon behind him.



Below: Roger took this picture of me taking a picture of this tree.



Below: Here's the picture that I took while Roger was taking my picture :-)



Below: Spearfish Falls



Below: Sunset over the Spearfish River

Into the Ice Cave

Here is one of my favorite ice shots from this weekend. This "ice cave" was actually the hole in Hollow Rock, at Hollow Rock Resort in Grand Portage, MN. The hole was absolutely FULL of icicles, and was fascinating to photograph.

Climbing "cold"?

Here is a retread from last March I find worth repeating.



I spent 12 hrs out yesterday. Not a big deal but recognised a few things I think worth mentioning.



To climb in the most efficient clothing system I think you have to climb what I consider, "cold". You want to run your clothing system at a level of heat that is well short of sweating the majority of time. So you want to be almost a tiny bit chilled a majority of time if you stop moving. And everyone starting off should feel a tiny bit chilled.



Almost the perfect storm for me yesterday. Dehydrated from the day before and little sleep the night before. Too much to get done in real life so I could get away for the day. Sound familiar? Been nursing a bad knee for several a weeks and finally had another MRI done to make sure I wasn't risking bigger injuries and more down time. So I was tired from the chronic knee pain of the last couple of weeks and had been trying to ignore the massive doses of Ibuprofen which is what I needed to get healed up.



At the trail head there was a huge temperature inversion that we didn't recognize in the predawn start. We had gained 5000' and it was cold. Seemed reasonable.



So I bundled up. With all the wrong things happening in the last 48 hrs I didn't want to be cold and uncomfortable. Being tired, dehydrated and edgy from the knee pain I just didn't tolerate the cold well that morning. It should have been an alarm bell.



Couple of hrs later we were well out of the temperature inversion. It was above freezing now and we were in the sun. I was over heated, sweating and stripping clothes as we climbed higher in the glacier basin. 1/2 way into the walk I noticed 3/4 of my day's water bottle was already gone. That was a little shocking as I generally pay careful attention to how I go through my water. That was my first alarm bell to just how out of it I really was.



What I had brought for water would have just barely been enough if everything went perfectly and we summited in 4 maybe 5 hours. I'd be dehydrated but could easily suck it up till we got back to the car.



Then the final straw was it took a full 6 hrs of trail breaking just to get to our 1500' climb. We knew the game was over 3 hrs into the walk but pressed on anyway to at least see what we in such a hurry to get up. Time to make this one a "teachable moment".



Quick bottom line? I over dressed because I wanted to me more comfortable. Unnoticed, I drank my water quickly because I was dehydrated from the previous 24 hrs. I then over heated because I over dressed, carried more than I should have in gear and clothing and not enough water.



So now as I get even more dehydrated, I get cold feet from wet boots I sweated out from being too warm. Then I am getting cold again because I am dehydrated and physically tired and having to add layers I can't easily technical climb in. Things have gone down hill fast in 6hrs. But it all started 56 or 72 hours beforehand I just didn't recognise it.



Truth is I should have stayed home and gotten some rest and re-hydrated and waited a day or so before going out again.. I would have climbed faster and better if I had done so.



My thought is if you are physically incapable of "climbing cold" do yourself a favor and stay home. I let the weather and my desire to spend time with a buddy sway me. We all do it.



The better we can identify what goes wrong and why the easier it is to have a better trip next time.

Summer OR show SLC 8/3 through 8/7

I'm not posting live from the summer OR show as I have done at the winter shows in the past. But obviously a few things are leaking out. The Blue IceWarthog pack and the Petzl Lynx crampon are two early examples. There is more to come. Old and new technology being show cased. Pictured are some wild ones and some old stand bys from the past and a fewcurrent "game changers" thrown in. Just to get the process going :)

















I am sworn to secrecy for a few more days. But I have to say...some of this stuff I hadn't even dreamed of yet. And that is a long list of gear dreams when you start talking about ice gear and technical boots.



The Summer OR Show gives retailers a chance to see what will be available for Spring delivery and in some rare instances a few things that will be available for Fall 11. But most new Fall items are generally shown at the winter OR show the previousJan. Delivery for the Winter OR show is Fall of that year, a full 9 months later. So Winter OR will show clothing,ski and climbing gear available in the stores the Fall of . Summer OR shows the summer sporting goods and clothing that will be available in the spring of the following year. Hopefully that makes sense.



More to come by the end of the week.

Festive Fun with Flats

One of my plans for the holidays had been to get in some practice changing tires. Problem is, I very rarely get flats. And let's face it: Taking a tire on and off for no reason just isn't the same as the real deal. So naturally I was delighted when, on my way home last night, my front tire went flat for real. It was a dark and stormy night, with heavy traffic and freezing rain, affording the perfect opportunity to practice road-side repairs. Alas, it happened just a block from my house. Weak of character, I opted for the comforts of home.




"Darling, guess what?" I shouted as I rolled the bike into our living-room. "I have a flat tire!"




"Oh my!" said my husband. "And it's a 650B with fenders no less. Are you going to fix it yourself?"




"Of course! This is the moment I've been waiting for."




Nodding eagerly, he opened a bottle of wine and made himself comfortable on our finest kitchen chair, in anticipation of the evening's entertainment.






Now I know you're wondering what wine goes best with this sort of thing. This is really a matter of personal taste. But generally speaking, if the tires are 650B I recommend red. It just so happened that we picked up a lovely Truro Zinfandel during our recent stay on Cape Cod. Not the pink one in the bottle shaped like a lighthouse, but the darker one in a regular bottle. Its smooth deliciousness makes the already relaxing process of fixing flats even sweeter.




Aside from the wine and a keen spectator prepared to critique your every movement, in a tire-changing situation it might also be helpful to have a floor pump and a spare inner tube handy, as well as some tools. If you have a fun bike with a bolt-on front wheel like I do, you will need something to unbolt it. A tire lever may also be useful.






But most importantly, if your bike has fenders, you will need a couch. After removing a wheel, you should not stand the bike on the floor, as this may bend the fender. And if you think bikes enjoy being hoisted up on a workstand, you are mistaken. Most bikes are afraid of heights, and getting them up there for reasons as small as fixing a flat is downright insensitive. Laying your bicycle down on the sofa will make it much more comfortable. It will also delight your spouse by showing them what a free-spirited, outside the box thinker you are.




Finally, you may want to have a copy of an appropriately inspirational poster or publication in sight as you work. This will remind you of why these bicycles are so darn charming, as you gingerly handle the delicate aluminum fenders and deflate your 650Bx42mm tire in order to fit it through the centerpull brake caliper.






Of course the most fascinating part of flat repair is finding its cause. Having never gotten a flat with Grand Bois Hetres previously, I was especially interested. Turned out the cause was a failed inner tube. This one had split right at the seam. It happens, even with the nicest tubes.




"It happens just often enough to remind us that we are never fully in control of our destinies," I sighed wistfully as I tested the front brake after re-connecting it.




My husband nodded, moving the wine away from me gently. "Well, looks like you did it."




"And it only took me a half hour this time!"




"Oh, hardly that!"




And isn't that what working on our bikes is all about? Struggling for self-reliance in a world of chaos and uncertainty. Using it as metaphor for life. Entertaining our loved ones. Look out world, soon I'll be able to fix a flat in 20 minutes!

Man Fashion Friday

Model wears:

3/4 Pant - models own design 100% nylon, gusseted climbing pant,tailored in Shenzhen, China for jjobrienclimbing.

Shirt - models own design,100% silk, with gold thread brocade, reclaimed Idian Sari fabric. Tailored in Shenzhen for jjobrienclimbing.

Glasses - Shanghai Tang HK

Croc knock offs - HK street market

Location Coolum Cave.

















OMG is that international Aussie rock star Lee Cujes?Model looks hot in:





Jeans: by G Star Raw





Inner Jacket: in lime by Boulders and Nuts(models' exclusive clothing sponsor)



Faux leather bomber:unpurchased I suspect,

by the dead stock and sample cult mega-label"Mee and Gee" of Hong Kong





Glasses: unknown









Location: Mee and Gee, Tung Choi Do HK(upstair for man)





Photo: Sam Cujes, on Lee's iPhone presumably

Welcome home to Australia, Lee and Sam.

Summit Trips and Road Access

Winter-like snowfall continues on Mt. Rainier, but you can feel the presence of spring and the coming summer in the air. Many climbers are planning summer trips; reservations are in full swing, and the guide services are working again on the mountain.

The best Mt. Rainier climbing news, of late, is the recent summit by two independent climbers. Tim Ryan (photo credit) and his partner (Erik) hiked in from the Nisqually Entrance (i.e. park boundary) up the Tahoma Creek drainage and to the summit via the Tahoma Glacier. Their trip report is here (almost verbatim).

Of interest to many is the updated list of road openings; there are no major surprises. Along those lines, the Nisqually to Paradise road is nearing completion. Park crews have reconstructed the embankments at Milespost's #5 and #9. In the next few weeks, the road crew hopes to complete the installation of two massive 12-foot culverts at Kautz Creek. They're still calling for a May 1 opening (barring unanticipated delays) and plan a "media day" once the major repairs are completed (just in case there wasn't enough press already).

A quick word on campgrounds... Cougar Rock Campground will be open May 18th, one week earlier, to help offset the loss of Sunshine Point. Otherwise, it's business as usual at the other locations (except for Ipsut Creek).

Paradise to Muir -

December 29th,

I just did a nice check on Camp Muir this morning. I left Paradise at about 9:00 a.m. It was a little chilly. I was really surprised how few skiers were actually out. Kudos to the brave soul who marched up the Nisqually and skied the chute solo. Style.

First things first. Attention everyone. There was a wicked layer of surface hoar that didn't get any sun action today before the clouds started rolling in. It's going to get buried. There are all sorts of facets in the snow in the top 20 cm. What's worrisome is that the surface hoar is growing on a layer of sun crust. Underneath the sun crust is another layer of facets. Check out the snowpit profile.


Click on the image for a better, more readable size.

Expect these faceted layers to remain intact on all aspects for a while.


So the rest of the trip to Muir was outstanding. Skiing was 7 out of 10, for the windswept snowfield, anyway. The new snow that is forecast should make the skiing even better.


One thing I want everyone to be aware of is what we call the "Ant Trap". Remember that sand pit that Luke got thrown into by Jabba? Well, this is kind of like that.

It's located right next to McClure Rock. Click that picture to the right and note the coordinates on the bottom of the photo: -121.724123 46.808050 (WGS84). Plug that into your GPS and avoid it like the plague.

Many people have been eaten by the Ant Trap and more than a few have broken bones because of it.

Things are looking good at Camp Muir, albeit there is a lot of snow. Remember you'll have to dig your way into the upper half of the middle toilet. So plan on a little shoveling before you are moved to use it!



Also, remember if you're coming up to climb, to stop at the Paradise Old Station (the A-frame in the upper parking lot) and self-register. You can also pay the 30 dollar climbing fee to the 'iron ranger' there as well.

A storm was quickly moving in, so I had to ski-dattle. Down at Paradise, the parking lot is completely full! Hundreds of cars and sledders.








December 23rd, - Sweet Turns at Paradise!

This is it. Finally our snowpack at Paradise is back to normal at 78 inches. The rain from the last warm spell has stopped and we have up to 18 inches of new snow that has consolidated and another 5 inches of pretty light snow on top of it.


I started up the road this morning after we opened it at around 08:00 am. The light on the mountain was absolutely spectacular. It was clear and there was a little bit of surface hoar when I went to the weather station this morning. Here was the weather obs:

High: 22 Low: 16 Current: 22 Precip: .02 New: Tr Total Snow: 78" Winds: N @ 3-4.

We had our morning chores to do, cones in the parking lot, bumping sign andbamboo in the snowplay area, then folks started coming in droves.
The snowplay area is open and the runs are fast. However, because there's relatively little snow, we can only put one run in. The lines are a little long. Remember to get out of the run when you've come to a stop!

About noon we headed up towards Pan Point. What's this? It's noon at Paradise on a sunny day and there's no tracks? Where are all the skiers? Gary Voigt was up making turns in upper Edith Creek below McClure.


We've been telling people for years that the right way up Pan Point is in the trees on the nose. However, sometimes I think you're better off just going up the gully. We should've. The south facing part of the nose of the ridge was a little wet and heavy. It was starting to crack as we got onto steeper ground >40 degrees.

Always evaluate your own avalanche conditions!


We crested the ridge and decided to head for the top of Pan Point at around 7200 feet.

I was still surprised to see no tracks up above us since we had such a late start and the Paradise parking lot was FULL.

Whatever, the more powder for us.


Well, the way down was fabulous. My favorite run is to cut underneath McClure Rock. It's a little less exposed to the cliff bands around Pan Point. I rarely find avalanche conditions out this far. However, I did notice a crown feature on those cliff bands back down towards Pan Point. East facing, steep, ridge top... no surprise.

However, out where we were, the snow was outstanding.

Once we hit the flats to the east of Pan point, we traversed down the top of Mazama Ridge until we got to a slope locally known as Bundy's Blunder. It's just upridge of Sluiskin Falls. There was some slide deposition on it from the sun action today. It was only 4-5", but wet and heavy. It was enough to carry us, so we traversed out a hundred yards to the right and merrily made sweet turns all the way to the Paradise Valley Road.

Here's the latest weather history comparison:

Date 12/23

Max Recorded Snowdepth at Paradise 166 inches

Year of Max Recorded Snowdepth at Paradise 1916

Historic Average Snowpack at Paradise 77.9 inches

Current Snowdepth at Paradise 78 inches

Percent of Normal 100.13%

Percent of Historic Max 46.99%

Average Hi Temp: 32

Today's Hi Temp 22

Average Lo Temp: 21

Today's Lo Temp 16


Come on up! It's good!

Selle AnAtomica: My Impressions

[Edited to add: This review is of the older generation Selle Anatomica Titanico; the review of the current model can be found here.]




Some time ago I bought a red Selle Anatomica Titanico saddle, initially to go with a vintage bicycle I had at the time. But when I was loaned a Seven roadbike earlier this summer, the Selle Anatomica migrated onto it instead: It promised to be more comfortable than the bike's native racing saddle and was a perfect match for its red decals. This is how I had the saddle set up on the bike, and I put about 700 miles on it.





Founded in 2007 by the now deceased avid cyclist Tom Milton,Selle Anatomica is a small American manufacturer of leather saddles. The company is now run by the founder's sister, Meredith Milton Evans. Notably different from the other leather saddles on the market, Selle Anatomica offers several potentially attractive selling points. One is the long "anatomic" cut-out, which they claim allows the two sides of the saddle to move independently, thus relieving pressure on soft tissue. The other is the "watershed leather," which refers to the saddle's treatment with a waterproof top layer. The saddles are available in a variety of colours, and there are separate versions rated for heavier and lighter riders. You can read more about the design and specs here.





I purchased my saddle in Spring and since then a couple of changes have been made that I find somewhat confusing but will try to summarise. Selle Anatomica now advertises being made with cro-moly rails, so I am not sure what the rails on my saddle are made of. They also changed the weight criteria, so that what were formerly called the "Clydesdale" saddles and recommended for persons weighting over 180 lb have now become their regular saddles and are recommended for persons over 140 lb. If I understand these changes correctly, then what is now called the "Titanico" model is a slightly different product from the saddle I own, and the version I own is more comparableto what is now called the "Titanico Legacy." However, based on my conversations with the manufacturer I am not entirely certain of this, and I hope that she might clarify in the comments.





My impressions of the Selle Anatomicaunderwent several stages. Initially, the saddle felt so comfortable that I could hardly believe it. The tension of the leather was just right, there was no pressure anywhere, and the cut-out slot worked as advertised. The leather was softer, more pliable and more "hammock-like" than other leather saddles I'd tried and I could feel it moving with me, as opposed to my body moving against it. There was no chafing or soreness what so ever, and there was no breaking in period. It was almost too good to be true.




Then, after about 100 miles, I began to feel a sharp pinching pain in my "soft tissue." The pain would come and go, seemingly at random, and felt as if someone took a pair of pliers to a fold of skin along my crotch. Eventually I realised that the slot somehow began to close in at its narrowest part, pinching my skin right through the padded bicycle shorts. Soon after that I also noticed that (after only 150 miles), the saddle had sagged dramatically. At the time we were unable to determine whether it was the actual leather that sagged, or whether the bolt controlling the tension had unscrewed. But in retrospect it seems to have been the latter, because once we increased the tension and screwed the bolt in tightly, it did not sag again nearly as much.




We assumed that tensioning the saddle would also solve the pinching problem, but the occasional pinching persisted. We tried bending the leather inward in the part of the slot where it pinched, but that did not help. After some investigation, it turned out that a few others reported this same problem with Selle Anatomica saddles, and the recommended solution was to use a knife to enlarge the slot in the spot where it pinched. Just as we were debating whether to do this, the pinching suddenly stopped on its own around mile 400. I kept waiting for it to return, knife at the ready, but it did not. With no explanation, the saddle suddenly felt as good again as on the day I got it. For the remaining 300 miles I rode on the saddle, there has been a gradual and slight loss of tension, but no further problems.




Having ridden with this saddle in the rain multiple times on a bike with no fenders, I can confirm Selle Anatomica's claim that the saddle is absolutely waterproof. The rain just rolled right off without getting absorbed into the leather. However, the "watershed" layer eventually began to wear off - not from the rain, but from my contact with the saddle. You can see this in this picture, which was taken after 400 miles. On the manufacturer's website, it is suggested that the top layer could wear off over time as part of everyday use, and that eventually the owner may need to send the saddle back for re-waterproofing (which is done for an extra fee, as far as I understand). It is not specifed for how many miles the "watershed" leather is designed to last before the top layer needs to be reapplied.



Overall, my impression of Selle Anatomica is a positive, but somewhat frustrated one. If the tension remains as it should and the slot does not pinch, it is the most comfortable saddle I have ridden on. If the watershed layer remains intact, it is the most maintenance-free leather saddle I have experienced. However, neither of these factors has been stable for me, and so I would describe the saddle as high maintenance and rather unpredictable. With its price on par with mid-range Brooks and less than Berthoud, personally I would buy Selle Anatomica again and would be willing to fuss with it just to achieve the level of comfort I know it is capable of giving me. But be aware that this is an unusual saddle, and that user experiences tend to be varied - even more so than with the other leather saddle manufacturers. I hope that Selle Anatomica remains in business and continues to streamline its product. With its unique design, it is a welcome alternative to the other saddles currently on the market.