10,000 Box Jumps

Warm weather or heavy snowfall has continually shut down my alpine dreams this Spring. At last, I needed to break free from local cragging and put some elevation behind me. The freezing levels were high, so we needed to climb higher.



Marcus escaping the sun with the Nisqually Icefall behind. I'm not sure I could have picked a more obscure route for my first trip up Rainier.



The icefall is not without hazards, especially with the sun beating down. We chose to climb fast, and at night. Marcus cruising neve somewhere on the lower icefall. We encountered three ice steps, one rather difficult, but all short or easy enough to merit grade III.



Because the route had only three short ice steps it means, unfortunately, that there is a whole lot of slogging. At least the views were nice.

The Other Creek Crag (with splitters)

The worst part of Memorial Day Weekend is that everyone has it off. I've been spoiled by empty week-day crags, I couldn't handle visiting a crowded area on one of the busiest days of the year. I rolled the dice and headed to Trout Creek, figuring that the heat and grades would keep the crowds at bay. We saw half-a-dozen people and never waited for a climb, temps were managable, perfect...



The main wall at Trout Creek, OR.



David joining the Goldrush.



Awesome twin cracks. Called the Chinese Revolution. Technical stemming with a decent stance just when you absolutely need it.



David fighting the "Monster."



David on the very dificult opening sequence of the "Monster."

Beware. The climbs start at solid 5.10. Also, if you make tape gloves as poorly as me, you'll be resting your hands for a week following (like me). Can barely put my hands in my pockets but already excited for the next trip.

Make It Hurt

If its starting too feel easy think again...

"There was an article on the CNN website about weight loss today. The subject recognized his lack of self-discipline so knew that trying to make radical changes wouldn't last. The only way he could remain consistent would be to make small changes, to do some things that weren't too inconvenient or uncomfortable.

He is quoted as saying, "I was probably drinking 10 Cokes a day." The author concluded that by drinking water instead of soda he saved 1,400 calories a day. Then he cut back on snacking. Before making the small changes he ate a 12-ounce bag of Doritos while watching television. The article makes it sound as though this was a daily occurrence and that by eating only a handful each day he removed 1,350 calories from his daily intake.
Apparently it took the fellow "several years to lose 45 pounds doing the 'small changes approach,' but he said it's been worth the wait, because he's more likely to keep the pounds off than if he'd made big changes."

So, the protagonist cut 2750 calories per day from his diet and it took "several years" to lose 45 pounds, less than 20% of his body weight? Wow, if this is the truth then no wonder people find it so darn difficult to strip away all that hard-earned blubber. And if this is the truth then our experience (and that of others) with remaking and remodeling the human body must be make-believe.

If the penalty and remedy is as comfortable and convenient as the sloth and lack of attention that brought someone to their weight-loss epiphany it will not be effective but articles like this and countless "painless" dietary interventions promise exactly that. For fuck's sake make it hurt, make it painful, make the penalty so heinous that no snack or treat could possibly be worth it and suddenly, dieting - or simply eating and drinking in proportion to expenditure - will be easy. Whether talking about diet or fiscal responsibility, a bailout won't change human behavior."

-From Gym Jones