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Vol. I Issue 28-- August 24 2004
"A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave 5 minutes longer." — Ralph Waldo Emerson
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The Climbers' E-zine brought to you by Rockclimbing.com Vol. I Issue 28-- August 24 2004 "A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave 5 minutes longer." — Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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Fall Outdoor Retailer 2004Twice a year, the Outdoor Retail Industry puts on a HUGE gathering. This Fall, two of our own members were in attendance to smooze, talk about business, and see the new line of stuff ready to hit the store shelves.
Kristin was one of our reps, and did a great write up about the show atmosphere, some of the gear and some cool photos. Check out her report HERE.  News Around UsAbode of the SnowWhen someone mentions the word Himalaya, what comes to mind? Broad peaks, long expeditions, years of planning, plotting, and prioritizing, danger, adventure, and most of all, expense. Not always true. While Everest has become the Sacred Cash Cow of the Nepalese government, there are ample other peaks in the youngest mountain range on earth to add to your ticklist, and now’s the time to begin preparations.Nepal’s Lukla region: Cho Oyu, Makalu, Ama Dablam. The Pokhara region: Annapurna, Dhaulagiri. India’s Nanda Devi. China’s Shisha Pangma. Pakistan’s Gasherbrum I, II & III, K2, Nanga Parbat, and Trango Towers. They all sound unreachable to the amateur mountaineer, but in fact are not. Be comforted in knowing that not all treks cost the Everest average of $65,000USD! Guided expeditions up Cho Oyu, known as the Turquoise Goddess and the Himalayas most accessible 8000m peak, can run as little as $3895USD ground costs, if you’re willing to take on some of the planning and advance camp responsibility yourself. There are lesser-known peaks as well, providing the same kind of personal challenge but without the costs of the more in-demand routes. Find yourself a good topo and let your imagination run wild. Whatever you choose, your planning and training starts today for 2005. It starts with research online – you’d be amazed at the volumes of information available. It starts with bulletin boards and chat rooms, contacting, networking, and interviewing those who have already been up your peak of choice, dissecting the trip into segments and utilizing creative problem solving to cut costs in everything from what hotels you stay in on your way, how much you porter yourself, and with whom you arrange ground transport to Base Camp. Remember the resource of your local mountaineering club – you’d be surprised the number of quietly experienced mountaineers. Is it unpredictable, even a bit scary? You bet. Does it add to the adventure? Absolutely. And aren’t you doing it for the adventure? BTW, to put an end to the debate, the Sanskrit word for abode of snow, Himalaya, is pronounced with the emphasis on the second syllable, as in Himaaalaya. When in Rome, er, India... Notre ami, e_wireWhen I contacted E_wire about the user of the week article he responded with, “!!!! An article about me... and Himalayan climbing.... I'm flattered but unsure that I fit the description!” Although, he has only been to the Himalayas once, he has climbed all over from J-tree to K2 in Pakistan. He makes his home in Montreal Quebec and it is there that he is able to satisfy his need for trad and ice climbing. In Quebec, he is able to trad at Lac Clair and boulder at Les Hommes, before setting off on trips around the world to places like Peru, Pakistan, the Rockies and an assortment of other places. E_wire has helped rockclimbing.com a great deal, by expanding the routes database and posting pictures from his expeditions. On the whole, I think E_wire is a more knowledgeable climber than he gives himself credit for, and I hope he continues to allow the RC.com community a glimpse into his life and his expeditions. Thanks.
 Photo By e_wire
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What's new in the forums?
If it ain't broke, don’t fix it...?
Not the case for Kelty. They took the Red Cloud, which was already a great pack, and recently released a new and improved version. 5600 cu in. gives you enough room for everything you'll need for a long trek and since it’s made of 420 denier packcloth, you can be sure it will hold up in the worst conditions. The Red Cloud is a top loading internal frame pack with parallel aluminum stays which allow for a firm but customizable fit. It still has the excellent Load Hauler™ strapping system, to keep the pack adjusted and the weight ergonomically positioned for extended trips. Plenty of pockets for quick access to things like your headlamp or Nalgene® too. The most noticeable difference between the old one (aside from the visual design) is the improved compression strapping. You will want to take this pack everywhere. Expedition? Sure! open it up to full capacity. Weekend Warrior? cinch it down a bit and its ready to go. Going bouldering? Throw you shoes and chalk bag in the top lid, un clip it and it becomes a hip pack!But the best part about it...it's affordable! Save your money for a plane ticket - go somewhere exciting.
Compare the Red Cloud to other Extended Trip packs in our Gear Guide!
The Goal at the TopMy GF and I just made a trip out to Grand Teton National Park to climb "The Grand". It was an AMAZING journey, and I wanted to share it with you all.. there were plenty of surprises in store for us.. (mostly for my GF Jen, but that will come later... Read the full version of this trip report that Nero has written. The story is sure to lead us on his great path of a "first mountain climb". The article does have great pictures along the way, so those with slow modem speeds beware.
 With contrasting colors like this deep blue sky, BIG white peak and the grey rocks around the chorten, who would not sit at home on their computer and dream that they too could have witnessed this site first hand. Thanx for this photo goes to shamu. Stay tuned next week for more Big Peak Excursions. See Ya Next Week! |
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SPRAY StaffPublisherRuss "Big Kahuna" Harrington
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