IIRC that was the cost after insurance. I was a minor so my parents used a good chunk of their HSA and then set up a payment plan for the rest. Monthly payments weren't awful, but it took them a couple years to pay it off. It was the equivalent of a new car.

Pro tip, if someone is having a seizure do not call an ambulance right away. Time it and if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, or there is evidence of other medical issues, then go ahead and call one.

Edit: https://www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/about/first-aid.htm

Also; https://www.epilepsy.com/living-epilepsy/seizure-first-aid-and-safety/first-aid-seizures-stay-safe-side

In 2011 I had a medical emergency ~30 minutes from the nearest hospital.

The bill for just the ambulance ride was $28,000

"5.9+"

My trip plans have changed

Long approach with no climbing

What have I become

Lockable trunk or tote from a hardware store is a good option. If it's apartment-style housing where you have your own room, just keep everything in there and keep your door locked. I lived with 3 randos for one year and my room and climbing gear were never touched during parties.

Also have a conversation with your roommates and try to set some ground rules for social gatherings.

Swing those nuts around for all to see

Dye from the shoe? I had a pair of Scarpa Helixes that always painted my feet blue and it never went away. I just lived with my Smurf feet.

Dry them out thoroughly. If they have zippers, open those and take off the outer shell so the foam can dry. Point a fan at them to keep air moving. You don't want mold or mildew to show up because that will ruin them.

Out of all the outdoor equipment companies, Patagonia is definitely near the top of the list in terms of ethics.

Plus they've been spouting the same message for the past 60 years.

It can work. I haven't done it, but I know at least two people who have. May require some tomfoolery to get everything situated properly tho

How dare you neglect Neptune Mountaineering

Depends on the route, some are way more committing than others. One thing you absolutely should know before leaving the ground is, "what are my options if we have to bail?"

If there are bolted anchors with chains/rings, then it isn't awful. Move efficiently, don't fuck up, and try to get down before it hits. If it's a more adventurous route, you'll probably have to burn gear in order to bail.

If it's imminent and fast-approaching the best option may be to just ride it out. In my experience, storms that come quick and hard usually don't last very long. And things like miscommunication, wind/rock catching your ropes, rain/hail/lightning, the added stress of trying to bail in a storm, etc, all increase the chances of an accident.

The best option is to evaluate the weather before committing and have the skills to get up the route before anything nasty moves in.

Visit /r/climbharder and pick up a climbing training book if you want to dive deeper into this. I'm not an expert, trainer, or medical professional.

Antagonist muscle training should be part of any climbers training regimen. It will make you a stronger climber, prevent muscle imbalances, and help stave off injury. I'm a fan of big compound movements like bench press, shoulder press, and deadlifts.

To start out, just climbing will do more than any focused training of the climbing muscles. Primarily because you're still learning to move on the rock (hint, good technique will take you a long way). And climbing is the best way to train the muscles you use for climbing. But once you start hitting plateaus, there's no harm in adding some in; pull-ups, rows, that sort of thing. Just start light because it's easy to overdo it.

On the bright side, it's been a good weekly thread.

The libertarian who got stuck and couldn't use his bootstraps to self-rescue was pretty good

So when will you be investing in huge cams, big bros, and high top shoes?

My liver doesn't a vote in the matter.

Glad you're keeping old traditions alive! Warren Harding, the DLFA, and half the climbers I know would be proud

If FPB = fixed point lead belay, then all the time ice climbing, if there's hard climbing/scant pro right off the anchor, or if my climber is heavier than me by a significant amount.

Definitely a handy technique to have in the tool kit.

In an ideal system of two separate masses (where m1 > m2) connected by a perfectly static rope and frictionless pulley, the difference in weight would lead to the larger mass accelerating down and the smaller mass accelerating up.

The real world is not an ideal, frictionless system. Friction exists between the rope and carabiners (which are not pulleys), ropes stretch and absorb force, bodies and harnesses move and absorb force, knots tighten, etc. It takes more than a few pounds of force to overcome all these other forces.

Source: engineer

"The best climbers have the worst memories" - some wise old bastard who can solo my project in tennis shoes

The only triple crown I'm chasing is Apple, Peach, and Black.

First Pfizer dose had me feeling a little under the weather for maybe a day and a half. Sore arm, fatigue, and a slight headache. Second dose knocked me out for a solid 3 days. Major fatigue, headache, chills, feverish, soreness in the arm, joint/muscle aches, and some mild nausea.

Still way better than being dead or in the ICU. 110% worth it.

This short piece by the Access Fund is worth a read. Crampons damage the rock a lot, so familiarize yourself with local ethics.

I prefer rock shoes because they're way more comfortable in hot and humid midwestern summers. And I find that after some early season mixed climbing, I usually feel pretty comfortable on my crampons.

Wait, aren't you the homeless man living under your project? How else do you expect to send it?

The Alfifi is the only one I know of. I've never seen it replicated with an adjustable tethers, but I imagine it would function the same.

I imagine it depends on your setup though. The way I run it, my tethers (Yates adjustable daisies) are connected to my harness, and then connected to my ladders via carabiner. My fifi is attached to my harness and is independent of the rest. This way, when I get high in my ladders and find I need a little more security, I clip my fifi high into my piece, which allows me to get a few more inches of height. Otherwise my only attachment is my daisies, which are down further.

Short answer: I don't think they're completely necessary, depending on how hard the aid is, but it's definitely nice to have one IMO

I use adjustable daisies and I like having a fifi because it can let me clip directly into a piece and get just a little higher in my aiders. This is because you're clipped directly into the piece rather than the carabiner attached to your ladders. Get an adjustable fifi tho, they're a game changer.