From: Steven Reiser <71064.456@compuserve.com>
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 92 17:24:46 GMT
Organization: WINCO
Subject: K1, Leading, Hilti vs. Bosch, Resoles, AAC, etc.
Distribution: world

This is a response to several posts as evidenced by the title.

First, it's great to see NON-U.S. climbers posting here and hope to see more 
of you in the future. You are welcome and we can learn a lot from you. Thanks 
for being here. (I'm hoping someday that on-line translator software is 
developed which can translate meanings with reliable accuracy based on context
so that languages are less of a barrier.)  I've corresponded with climbers 
from Australia, Finland, Germany, England, and Sweden. We may become a world 
community here.

When to lead? First, develop basic climbing skills, and gain knowledge of 
proper placement of gear from guides such as, "Mountaineering: The Freedom of 
the Hills", 5th Edition.  Knowing proper gear placement techniques is 
essential to safe lead climbing and should be common knowledge even among 
sport climbers who only climb bolted sport routes. A recent development in 
climbing has been complete reliance on bolts, with  the ocassional climber 
finding himself in a situation requiring natural pro, and not knowing how can 
lead to a panic situation. When I first learned to climb bolts were nearly 
non-existent and pitons were still quite common, and even use of Wild Country 
Friends was considered by some of us to border on cheating.  Times have 
definitely changed. Another major factor in leading is one's own level of self
confidence, aggressiveness, and fear threshhold. If you are timid, don't let 
anyone push you into a terrifying experience you aren' ready for.  On the 
other hand push yourself a little and let others know when you are ready to 
lead and at what level you are willing to try, and have an experienced partner
as your second, who is a patient encouraging mentor.  Try not to wait to long 
if your serious about climbing.  Lead climbers are far more successful at 
finding partners as there are less of them than those willing to second.

K1 - In the Karakorum range K1 is the 26th highest peak in the world, known as
Masherbrum.  Nick Clinch and others made an attempton it in the 1950s before 
their succesful ascent of Gasherbrum I (Hidden Peak).  These Peaks are in the 
Baltoro region of the Karakorum. (In the Greater Himalaya, Everest was 
originally known as Peak XV)

Hilti vs. Bosch? - As has been said Hilti lasts longer, and motorcycle 
batteries can give you more drilling power.  A friend has a Bosch which I've 
borrowed and by early this year we were down to 6 holes per charge, before 
finally resorting to motorcycle batteries in a pack.  I don't know how many 
holes it will drill, but it's more than I've bothered to try in one day. We 
soldered a pair of wires to the battery contact plates which run into a small 
daypack containing the motorcycle batteries.  It's definitely heavier, but 
much longer lasting, tolerable on toprope bolting, but I'd hate to bolt on 
lead with all that weight!

Resoling? - I'm to impatient to do my own resoling, so I had Mekan shoes in 
Salt Lake City resole 5 pairs of shoes for me last spring and they are 
possibly BETTER than new with Stealth 2 on all of them both soles and rands. 
They are at 1400 Foothil Drive #258 Phone: (800)657-2884. Gary Mekan does 
EXCELLENT resoling. (Lots cheaper than new shoes!)

AAC - The American Alpine Club has focused on high altitude mountaineering for
most of it's history and heavy emphasis is on the Himalaya. Hence, I've found 
them helpful for interfacing with foreign governments in getting the proper 
paperwork initiated to obtain permits for attempts on the highest peaks in the
world.  Currently, Kitty Calhoun Grisholm is the AAC contact for obtaining 
applications for permits to the high peaks.  She lives in the Seattle area. 
The AAC meets the the first weekend of every December to have presentations, 
awards, board meetings, parties, dinners,etc. It's fun and you can meet many 
interesting people.  The mix is getting more diverse now with old diehard 
mountaineers rubbing shoulders with the modern sport climbers. Though many of 
us do fall into both camps.

On Belay!
Steve Reiser (Home:71064.456@compuserve.com, Work:reiser@pauling.inel.gov)






-- 
Mike Caldwell (mike@pmafire.inel.gov or mike@inel.gov)
Paths: ...uunet!pmafire!mike