Why I've Stopped Tying in with a Bowline

Here's a link to a story about John Long getting injured at a gym when his bowline came untied and he fell.

http://www.rockandice.com/news/2383-john-long-injured-in-groundfall

John says the knot failed because he didn't finish tying it properly.  I used to tie in with a bowline because they are easier to untie.  I no longer do because a friend of mine was 50 feet up a 5.12 trad lead, noticed his bowline had come untied and wouldn't hold a fall, had to re-tie the knot with one hand while barely hanging on with the other, and then lowered to safety.  I know it's a safe knot when done correctly, but that is two people I know of that are much better, harder, and more experienced climbers than I am that have narrowly escaped disaster because of a bowline coming loose.

I've decided to just stick with a figure eight.  It's never come loose on me, and trying to untie one after a hard fall just gives my arms a better workout.  Nothing wrong with that.

Lightweight Hardshells - Rab Stretch Neo Jacket

Rab Stretch Neos, Men's and Women's, in all their colors.

The next hardshell I would like to talk about is the Rab Stretch Neo Jacket.  I have heard so much hype about Neoshell over the last couple years that I was very excited to get my hands on this jacket.  After a little bit of use, I still think the Neoshell softshell application, though heavier, is the more versatile application compared to a hardshell .  But, when a hardshell is desired, Neoshell is up there with the very best of the waterproof/breathable membranes.  In my experience, it is more breathable than the other membranes that I've used, but it is not as warm (I assume because of its air-permeable nature).

Though I have used this jacket a little bit, I haven't used it enough to feel comfortable writing a full review based on my personal experience.  My goal here is to give others an idea of what the jacket has to offer for features and fit.  I will fill in my own personal experience later after I have used the jacket more.

Facts and Features:

• 50 denier stretch face fabric with Polartec Neoshell Membrane
• 2-way adjustable, helmet-compatible hood with wire brim
• Waterproof zippers
• 2 napoleon pockets
• 2 internal mesh zip pockets
• Adjustable cuffs and hem drawcord
• Trim cut with long sleeves (great for use under a climbing harness)
• Weighs 18oz

Pictures:

The Rab Stretch Neo Jacket in the color Spring.  This jacket is a medium.  The body is trim and the sleeves are long.  

There are two drawcords at the hem.  There is also a button at the bottom of the zipper holding the stormflap (behind the zipper) in place.

Velcro-adjustable cuffs.  When the sleeves aren't tight around my wrists, they hang down most of the way over my hand.  I really like the extra length when I'm climbing because there is no restriction when reaching high above my head.  They could be a little shorter, though.  The Rab Latok Alpine jacket has slightly shorter sleeves but also doesn't impede reach at all, even when reaching high

One of the large, napoleon chest pockets.  These pockets are waterproof (against rain, but not watertight, as in submersion).  Or in other words, these pockets are not mesh lined.  Other jackets have mesh-lined pockets that can double as vents.  These do not.  The upside is that items in these pockets are much less likely to get wet.  The downside is that wet items, like gloves, are less likely to dry while in these pockets than they would in a mesh-lined pocket.  There are mesh-lined pockets inside though that work for drying kit.  The other downside that I already mentioned is that they can't be used as vents.

This jacket has two internal mesh pockets.  These work well for drying wet items.  Rab even uses a water-resistant fabric on the side and bottom of these pockets to catch the water dripping off wet items from leaking onto the user.

The jacket has two large, thin fleece chin/face patches.  The green square with "Rab" written on it is a velcro hood strap.  I don't like them, but it's an option.  

The hood rolled up and held down with velcro strap.

The hood has 3 hood adjustments; these two in the front and one drawcord pull in the back.  The hood has these two bungee tubes that keep drawcords from hitting the wearer in the face in high winds.

This bungee pull is at the back of the hood.  It pulls the hood tight around the head.

The wire brim in the hood allows you to shape the hood however you want. 

I'm 6'2", 185 lbs or so.  This jacket is a size Medium.  This jacket is just roomy enough to fit a fleece jacket underneath.  The sleeves are long and the cut is just right that the hem stays put when reaching above the head.

The hood fits nicely and comfortably with and without a helmet.  Without a helmet in this photo.

With a helmet, arms down.

Arms up,  the hem moves an inch or so.  Not much compared to most other jackets.  This jacket fits nice and trim, with little bellowing when climbing in a harness.  There are no pit zips on this jacket.  Apparently the Neoshell is so breathable that they're not necessary.  Because of the cut of the arms that allows the hem to stay put with arms up, the material of the jacket hugs the armpit with the arms down. It really doesn't bother me unless I am wearing a bulkier layer underneath the shell.  In that case, the extra layers snug under the armpit can be a bit annoying.  It usually isn't an issue.

The Verdict

Having only used this jacket a few times (drytooling in wet snow and rain), I have limited experience with its performance.  The couple things I can say is that it breathes as well as any other hardshell I have used (including gore-tex proshell), maybe better.  It is also plenty waterproof, so far.  The Neoshell is not as warm as gore-tex, because it is not totally windproof (99.9% windproof).  The little bit of air that is allowed in helps breathability, but as it carries moisture out, it also carries heat out.

I think this is a great active hardshell.  I think it would be ideal as a climbing jacket for nasty conditions and as a great backcountry skiing jacket.  It could be a little chillier sitting on a ski lift in the wind, but dressing a little warmer would fix that.  One thing that I haven't mentioned much is the stretch.  The jacket has a fair amount of stretch and really allows for great movement while climbing, even with a close-fitting jacket.  It is definitely designed for active use.

Weight Loss and Training Tips Part 1

This was me three years ago on the summit of Gannett Peak.  I was 170lbs and was about 6% body fat.

This is me about a week ago.  About 200lbs and about 17% body fat.

My goal is to get back to 170lbs and 6% body fat or less.

Introduction

Almost two years ago I got married to the most wonderful woman in the world.  It was the best decision I have ever made.  But sometimes there are bad side effects of our good decisions.  The one bad side effect that became apparent pretty quickly was 20lbs.  Now, that's not a bad side effect of being married to my wife, that's a bad side effect of how my lifestyle has changed because of marriage and my lack of discipline in controlling my diet.

Throughout my life I have been slender and I have never had to worry about my weight.  I always exercised enough that I could eat whatever I wanted and however much I wanted and wouldn't gain weight.  In fact, about four years ago I decided to count calories for a week to see how much I was eating.  I averaged about 7,000 calories per day to maintain my 170lb body weight.  (At the time I was installing carpet 10 hrs/day, biking almost 200 miles/week, bouldering or sport climbing 3-4 times/wk for about 2-3 hrs each session, and trail running when I found time).

Well, I got married and suddenly didn't have nearly as much time to exercise.  The amount of time I biked or climbed was cut by about 2/3, but my diet wasn't cut by 2/3.  Therefore, over the first year of marriage I gained 20lbs.  When I realized how much I had gained and how quickly, I decided to cut back a little on food and increase exercise a bit.  Unfortunately, the change wasn't enough, and in the next year or so I gained another 10lbs.

So, approximately two weeks ago I was hovering around 200lbs and didn't know it.  I stepped onto a scale and was totally surprised by the result.

I could feel the additional weight whenever I rode my road bike in the mountains.  The average speed at which I climbed was a couple mph slower than average on the uphill and it felt more difficult.  Same thing when I rock climbed.  When I'd be climbing difficult routes, I felt like I didn't have the same strength to make explosive, powerful moves.

I ignored these signs because I was still in good enough shape to hike 25 miles in a day or do marathon climbs (on easy to moderate terrain).  I didn't feel as good while I did them as I used to, but I could still complete these things so I figured I was doing fine.

The 200lb mark scared me, however, and I knew at that point that something needed to change.  I talked to my brother who is a Physician's Assistant and asked his help.  I also read some of the books I have about training and nutrition for endurance athletes.  The information I found (and really already knew) was not groundbreaking.  It is simple and effective and, well, difficult.

So, the following are guidelines that I have been following to lose weight and get back into the shape I used to enjoy.

My Guidelines for Attaining a Healthy Weight

• Commit.  I first needed a desire to lose weight and then I needed to commit.  The 200lb mark scared me enough to commit to a healthier lifestyle.
• Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.  Eating fruits and vegetables is important for your body to work efficiently.  They allow your body's digestive system to work properly and provide the nutrients for your body to fight disease and other ailments.  They also provide quality calories.  However, most of the fruits and vegetables found in stores are deficient in these nutrients.  Much of the fruits and vegetables on store shelves are picked before they're ripe and sit on shelves for weeks or months.  Eating one apple or one orange that are picked from a tree offer more value, usually, than three apples or three oranges from the store.  And fresh fruits and vegetables taste SOOO good, and those from the store don't.
• Go to bed early, wake up early.  A lack of sleep has been shown to lead to obesity.  But, I think just as important as getting enough sleep is waking up early.  The same discipline it takes to wake up early and get going with your day will help you say no to unhealthy foods or to overeating.  So, go to sleep early so that you can wake up early and still get enough sleep.
• Don't eat late at night.  I decided that I wouldn't eat food after 7pm.  I know the science behind this is controversial, but I decided not to eat after 7pm because it helps me eat less.  Normally I would start to feel hungry around 9pm after eating dinner at 6pm, so I would have a snack.  That snack usually ranged from about 350-650 calories, depending on how hungry I was.  Because I have decided not to eat after 7pm, it is easier for me to say no to the additional calories that I would normally consume.  Whether or not the time of day that you eat really makes a difference on gaining weight, this guideline simply helps me eat less.  I also notice that when I snack at night I usually don't eat the healthiest foods.  I am much more likely to eat healthy foods before 7pm than at 9pm.
• Drink more water.  It's difficult to drink too much water, and being hydrated helps the body work so much more effectively.  Especially for somebody who is active, staying hydrated with water is critical in your body being able to perform at it's highest level, especially in the heat of summer.  Also, when I start to feel hungry, I drink a glass of water and it helps me deal with the hunger.  I used to drink a lot of milk, but 0-calorie water has replaced the high-calorie milk, further helping me decrease my caloric intake.
• Eat smaller portions.  This is a difficult one for me.  I have trained myself to eat until I feel full instead of stopping when I feel satisfied.  This habit, along with a decrease in activity, has led to my weight gain.  Now I try to take a big portion of fruits and vegetables at a meal and a smaller portion of meat or other calorie-rich foods.  I also don't go back for seconds anymore, unless it is for more fruit or vegetables.
• Exercise more.  My brother said that diet is more than half of the weight loss battle, but exercise is important too.  Because my goal for losing weight is to be a better athlete, I obviously have to keep working my muscles and lungs to keep them in top shape.  The combination of more exercise and less food is difficult for me because I always seem to feel hungry, but the longer I go, the easier it becomes.  The goal for weight loss is burning more calories than I consume, so exercising obviously helps me burn more calories.  As I drop weight, the same rides or climbs that I normally do start to feel easier and my motivation to keep going increases.  My exercise program has increased from about 70 road bike miles and 15 trail miles per week to about 120 road bike miles and 30 trail miles per week (either hiking or running), as well as sport climbing twice a week for a couple hours instead of one moderate marathon climb every two weeks.  The sport climbing is helping me build more muscle in my upper body (and one of the quickest way to burn fat is to build muscle) and the other exercises are helping to strengthen the biggest muscles in my body, the legs, and increase my cardio fitness.  I also know from experience that daily exercise allows your body to adapt more to the exercise and makes the exercise more enjoyable and less painful, compared to a big whopper of a workout every few days that takes three days to recover from.

The Results

I've never really had to lose weight before.  This is a new experience for me.  My goal is to get back down to my 170lb weight.  Before I got married I was about 170lbs and about 6-7% body fat.  It is my goal to get back down to 170lb and 6-7% body fat.  Almost two weeks ago I was at 200lbs and and 16-17% body fat (depending on my hydration).  I have a ways to go.

As of yesterday, I am about 190lbs.  I didn't measure my body fat percentage, so I'm not sure how that has changed. 20 more pounds to go.  I have noticed a difference already in my ability to climb hills on the bike.  My wife says she can see a little bit of difference as well in my physique since the diet started.

Part of the reason for writing this post is to give ideas to those that are in the same boat as me.  The major reason, however, for writing this post is to help me be accountable for reaching my weight loss goals.  I'd love to hear from others who have been through this process, are going through this process, or who would like to start this process.

Rainier Trip Report and Pictures

On Monday, May 13, 2012, Seth and I started the 12 hour drive to Mt. Rainier to attempt two routes, the Ingraham Direct and Liberty Ridge.  Unfortunately, I wasn't in good enough shape to handle the Liberty Ridge with as much speed as we needed to climb it so we decided not to attempt it on this trip.  The Ingraham Direct route was blocked by a large crevasse, so the Disappointment Cleaver became our objective.

On Monday night, Seth and I met up with my wife, Kelsey, and my father-in-law, Mark.  Because of other responsibilities, they were not able to drive with us and flew instead.

Left to Right, Kelsey, Seth, and Mark.  We started hiking from the parking lot at about 9am on Tuesday morning.  The weather was already really warm and once we got on the snow, the heat seemed to intensify immensely.

It took us about 6 total hours to get up to Ingraham Flats, 5 hours of total hiking time.  I underestimated the climb up to Ingraham Flats and took too much extra gear and weight.  I probably could've dropped 15-20 pounds of unnecessary weight and made the hike significantly easier.  

On the Muir Snowfield heading up to Camp Muir.  It was super warm on the snowfield.  Kelsey and I didn't do a great job at staying on top of our hydration and nutrition and Kelsey cramped up pretty bad as she was getting close to Camp Muir.  It took Seth and Mark about 20 minutes to hike the last stretch that took Kelsey and I about 60 minutes to hike (because of Kelsey's leg cramp).

Taking a brief break at Camp Muir.  Left to right: Me, Seth, Kelsey.  Kelsey worked her cramp out at Muir and was able to hike the rest of the way to Ingraham Flats pretty quickly.  I, on the other hand, was feeling pretty horrendous heading up and over Cathedral Gap and got way behind the group.  I continued to feel awful throughout the night and didn't sleep much.  Luckily, I started feeling better the next morning and by the top of the Cleaver I was feeling myself again.

Arriving at Ingraham Flats.  IMG guided groups below our camp.

Kelsey hiding in our bathroom hole with her toilet paper and blue bag :)

Kelsey and I.

Seth.

Little Tahoma from our camp at Ingraham Flats.

Mark hanging out at camp.  Mark was nervous that he wouldn't be in good enough shape for this climb, but he ended up doing really well.  He had no problem making it to the top.

Kelsey on the Disappointment Cleaver as the sun was coming up.

Kelsey and I moving up the DC ridge

Sunrise on Rainier.

Part of the Emmons Glacier, I think.  These crevasses are huge!  Last year when we were on Rainier, weather didn't allow us to get higher than Ingraham Flats.  This year really opened my eyes to how big this mountain really is.  In comparison, Rainier has about 3X the prominence that the biggest mountains in Ogden have.  It was an inspiring place.

Mark on the DC.

About half way up Disappointment Cleaver.  To get an idea of the scale, if you click on the picture to enlarge it, you can see two tiny people above me on the cleaver and a long chain of people on the snow just right of the rocks.

More sunrise pics

Above the Cleaver

Looking down at a group that is a few hundred yards above the cleaver

Kelsey fueling up on Poptarts

Seth at a rest stop.  This guy is an animal.  At the speed he hikes, he probably could've summited in two hours from Ingraham Flats.  At our speed, it took about four hours.

Getting closer

Kelsey and I on the summit with our backs to the wind.  The Wind was blowing so hard and the temps were cold enough that our noses would turn white pretty quickly if they weren't covered.

Mark on the summit.  He didn't realize until later that the GEAR:30 sticker was upside down.  Nothing photoshop can't fix, I guess.

Descending.  On the way down we had an interesting experience.  Seth decided not to rope up with us so he could move at a more comfortable pace.  He's been up with route three or four other times and felt confident he would be ok.  On the way up the route, we crossed over a crevasse on a snow bridge that was about five feet wide.  On the way back down, the snow bridge had collapsed.  Seth said the bridge was there when he crossed back over (about 10 minutes before we got there), but had collapsed sometime shortly after.  We ended up having to jump over the crevasse which was kind of exciting.

Big crevasses above Disappointment Cleaver.  I didn't get any other pictures of our descent, but it took a little less than two hours for us to get down to Ingraham Flats from the summit.  It took about an 1h 15min for Seth, and that was including him waiting for us a few times.  It took us about 2h 15min to get from Ingraham Flats to the Paradise parking lot.  It took seth about 1h 30min.  That was the theme of the trip.  Seth's comfortable pace was significantly faster than ours.

When we got back to the parking lot, the summit was covered in a big lenticular cloud.  When we were on the summit, wind gusts were probably around 70mph.  According to a climbing ranger, the winds were supposed to intensify on the summit and stay high for a couple days.

It was a very enjoyable trip, except for the sunburns.  I'm excited to get back there and do the Liberty Ridge, hopefully later this summer after I get a bit more training in.

Just Got Home From Rainier

I just got back from a somewhat successful trip to Rainier.  The plan was to climb the Ingraham Direct and Liberty Ridge route.  We weren't able to climb either.  Instead, we climbed the Disappointment Cleaver route and then decided not to try Liberty Ridge.

 The weather was great on Tuesday and early Wednesday, but the wind picked up later in the day and was supposed to continue for the next few days.  On the summit on Wednesday morning, the wind was so strong and cold that exposed noses quickly turned white and it was difficult to stand.  Our guess was probably 70-80mph gusts.  The wind intensified later in the day and a big lenticular cloud formed over Rainier.

Though my friend, Seth, probably could've cruised up Liberty Ridge in a day (he's soloed it in a day once before), I wasn't feeling nearly as strong as him (because I'm not).  I figured that me slowing our pace on Liberty with high winds and bad weather approaching sounded like a recipe for trouble, so we decided to postpone Liberty for a few months so I can get more training in.

Anyway, we got back to the Paradise parking lot yesterday afternoon, grabbed some dinner, and then drove home.  Seth and I drove non-stop through the night and arrived home this morning.  I haven't had a chance to sleep yet, so I'll keep this short so I can get to bed.  Pictures and a full trip report will be coming soon.

Mt. Rainier Gear List

Next week I'll be headed to Mt. Rainier with my wife, father-in-law, and a friend. The goal is to climb the Ingraham Direct route as a group of four, and then my friend, Seth, and I will head over and climb Liberty Ridge or Ptarmigan Ridge, assuming the weather cooperates.

As part of my preparation for this trip, I have been making a list of gear that I plan to carry on the routes.  I thought I would post the list on the blog so that others could either make some suggestions for me or hopefully learn from what I am taking.

Because this trip is a May trip, the gear that I am taking now is not the same gear I would be taking for a July or August trip up Rainier.  Keep in mind, the average daytime temperatures on Rainier have been between 20 and 35 degrees F and nighttime temps have been between 0 and 20 degrees.  So far the temperatures for next week look like they'll be on the higher side of those ranges.

Here's the List:

Ingraham Direct Route:

Clothing

• La Sportiva Batura Evo or Scarpa Phantom Guide (Testing them both out this trip)
• Mountaineering Socks and Liner
• Lightweight Merino Blend Baselayer pant
• NWAlpine Fast/Light Pant
• MHW Compressor Pant
• NWAlpine Black Spider Light Hoody
• Arc'teryx Atom LT Hoody
• Arc'teryx Alpha SV Jacket
• Rab Neutrino Endurance Jacket
• Merino Glove Liners
• BD Torque glove
• Arc'teryx Alpha SV Glove
• Sunglasses

Equipment

• Cilogear Worksack 60L w/frame and lid
• Stephenson's Warmlite 3R Tent
• Marmot Couloir Sleeping Bag
• Thermarest Neoair Pad
• MSR Reactor Stove
• BD Raven Pro Axe
• Grivel G14 crampon
• MSR Coyote Picket
• BD Ice Screws (2)
• Petzl Myo Headlamp
• Petzl Elios Helmet
• Mammut Infinity 60m Rope
• Arc'teryx I340a Harness
• Prussic Cord (2)
• Cordelette
• Alpine Draws (3)
• Garmin GPS
• Small First-aid Kit
• BD Hiking Poles
• GoPro and Camera
• 1-liter water bottles

Liberty or Ptarmigan Ridge

Clothing

• Sportiva Batura or Phantom Guide
• Mountaineering Sock and Liner
• Merino Base Layer
• NWA Fast/Light Pant
• NWA Black Spider Light Hoody
• Arc'teryx Atom LT Hoody
• OR Helium Jacket
• Rab Neutrino Endurance Jacket
• Merino Glove Liner
• BD Torque Glove
• Alpha SV Glove

Equipment

• Cilogear Worksack 60L no frame or lid
• BD Firstlight Tent
• Marmot Couloir Sleeping Bag
• Thermarest Neoair
• MSR Reactor Stove
• CAMP Awax Tools
• Petzl Dartwin Crampons
• MSR Picket
• BD Ice Screw (3)
• Petzl Myo Headlamp
• Petzl Elios Helmet
• Mammut Infinity Rope 60m
• Arc'teryx I340a Harness
• Prussic Cord (2)
• Cordelette 
• Alpine Draws (3)
• Garmin GPS
• Small First-aid Kit
• GoPro and Camera
• 1-liter Water Bottles (2)

A couple days later:

There is probably some gear that I am missing from this list, but I think it's mostly the odds and ends.  The weather is looking good for next week, though possibly a little snow later in the week while we are hopefully headed up our second climb.  I have a new pair of Scarpa Phantom Guide boots (1/2 size smaller than the previous Phantom Guides that I have used) and a new pair of Sportiva Batura Evo boots to try out.  I will be wearing one pair of these boots and my father-in-law will be wearing the other boots.  We both have the same size feet so we can swap boots out if we want to get a good feel for how both boots work side-by-side.  Both my father-in-law and I have used the Phantom Guides for hiking and ice climbing in the past, but the Baturas will be new to both of us.  I'm excited to see how they do.

Anyway, I won't be posting for about a week because of this trip.  Sorry.  Thanks everybody for reading the blog and I hope to have some good pictures and stories when we get back.

Ben Lomond Trip

In a week, My wife, my father-in-law, Mark, and I will be heading to Washington to climb Mt. Rainier.  Kelsey and Mark have spent a ton of time in the mountains backpacking, but mountaineering on glaciers will be a new experience for them.  Over the weekend we headed up to Ben Lomond to practice self-arresting, climbing on a rope team, and crevasse rescue.

Here are a few pictures from the trip:

Kelsey and Mark.  Ben Lomond is the peak on the far left.

Myself and Kelsey

This is looking up toward the summit from our camp.  A storm came through during the night with really high winds.  We set the tent (Stephenson's Warmlite 3R) up in the open because I wanted to see how it would hold up to the wind.  I had no idea the winds would be so strong.  I would guess that wind gusts during the night were around 70-80mph.  However strong they were, we all agreed that we had never been in winds that strong before. The winds made it impossible to sleep and I spent much of the night waiting for our tent to be ripped apart.  

Here's the tent the next day.  Despite the extremely high winds, the tent is still standing.  In fact, even though I was expecting the tent to be damaged by the winds, it did just fine.  Other than deafening flapping from the tent material, it held up great.  The poles, which are pre-curved, hardly seemed to notice the wind.  They bent slightly under the wind, but not much at all.  I've been in other 4-season tents in winds that weren't nearly this strong and spent much of the night holding the tent up so the winds wouldn't flatten the tent.  I'm definitely super impressed with the wind resistance of the tent.

Nearing the summit

Me and Kelsey on the summit