Latest beta about climbing gear and free mountaineering training

YEAR 2007

08.31.07
Subscribers, Participants and Friends:-

Outing:                             Bob’s Navigation Noodle™ in The Badlands, 16 miles east of Bend
Dates and Times:         Saturday, September 8, 2007, from 9AM to about 3PM
Meeting Place:               Near The Badlands WSA, please register for details
Leader:                            Robert Speik
Cost:                                 FREE

We will use the basic skills needed to go off trail in the backcountry. This is a field experience for those who have studied the map, compass and optional GPS skills of the backcountry navigator. It is a good beginning experience for those who may not know that they don't know the first thing about modern traditional land navigation.

I have purchase five USGS Horse Ridge Quad maps of The Badlands for those who need them. You can buy them from me at $7.00, the retail price that I paid. The map is a must for any further explorations of this desert Wilderness. Bring your own maps, compass and optional GPS of course!

We will learn about the practical use of map, compass and GPS together, in this Navigation Noodle™ in the Badlands. This will involve walking as a group, working in pairs or threes to solve practical navigation problems presented by the unique terrain of The Badlands area. We may walk as much as six miles over the course of the day over desert sand and jeep trails.

You will need lug soled hiking shoes or very light boots, light low sand gators if you have them, two quarts of water and a light high carbo lunch. Dress for the forecast weather and carry a day pack with the light and fast Ten Essential Systems. Trekking Poles are not an advantage as we will not be gaining any elevation.

The outing is limited to 10 folks who have reserved in advance. No dogs please. We will practice Leave No Trace Wilderness Ethics® in The Badlands.
Phone calls to me at 541-385-0445 in Bend, if you have questions, or email: info@www.TraditionalMountaineering.org

You can see photos of previous Noodles at www.TraditionalMountaineering.org. Go to our Search Page, type in 'Noodles' or 'Badlands'.

Remember, you will need to "Reserve" to learn the Meeting Place on Highway 20 in Bend!
--Bob Speik

Robert Speik
speik@bendcable.com; 541-385-0445

www.TraditionalMountaineering.org and also
www.AlpineMountaineering.org

"TraditionalMountaineering is founded on the premise that "He who knows naught, knows not that he knows naught", that exploring the hills and summitting peaks have dangers that are hidden to the un-informed and that these inherent risks can be in part identified and mitigated by information, training, interesting gear and knowledge gained through the experiences of others.

The value of TraditionalMountaineering to our Friends and Subscribers is the selectivity of the information we provide, and its relevance to introducing folks to hiking on the trail, exploring off the trail, mountain travel and Leave-no-Trace light-weight bivy and backpacking, technical travel over steep snow, rock and ice, technical glacier travel and a little technical rock climbing on the way to the summit. Whatever your capabilities and interests, there is a place for everyone in traditional mountaineering."

07.05.31
Subscribers, Participants and Friends:

We have posted our candid photos of folks at the three day American Alpine Club 2007 Annual Meeting in Bend,
The recent rafting of the wild and scenic John Day River with Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA),
a Peace March in downtown Bend and a senior hiker rescue at Smith Rock State Park.
http://www.traditionalmountaineering.org/Photomap.htm

Saturday, sometime in June, 2007, FREE Seminar and practice on climbing and descending steep snow slopes, ice axe belay and arrest and crevasse rescue
We will meet near the Mt. Bachelor parking lot at about 9AM. From there we will hike on consolidated snow to certain appropriate slopes for steep snow climbing skills and ice axe belay/arrest practice, skills needed for Aconcagua, Hood, Shasta, Jefferson, Adams, and all the others. Learn about skills and gear for rope protected climbing and rappelling steep snow, rock and ice slopes on major peaks, avalanche risk avoidance, crevasse rescue gear and set-up.
See the photos of Ice Axe Arrest and of Technical Steep Snow Climbing.
Information from Leader Robert Speik at 541-385-0445. No drop-ins please! Reservations only.

Saturday, sometime in June, 2007, 9 to about noon, FREE Rappelling Instruction and Practice Seminar at Meadow Crags with TraditionalMountaineering
Participate in a FREE Seminar on Basic Rappelling at the crags overlooking the Deschutes River at Meadow Trail Head near Bend, Oregon. Read the Prospectus. You must Reserve in advance! Call Bob Speik at 541-385-0445
Saturday, June 9, 2007, noon to about 4PM, Adopt a Crag at Meadow Camp with The Access Fund
Near Meadow Trail Head on the Deschutes River just west of Bend. The Meadow Crags Re-bolting Project is hosted by Traditional Mountaineering.
See our photos of last year's Adopt a Crag Event. For information call Robert Speik, at 541-385-0445

Too many emails? Just let us know! If you get more than one Update, delete the second and please let us know. You may be listed as both a friend and a subscriber.
On Belay! –Bob Speik

07.04.05
Hello Folks:

Thursday, April, 5, 2007, 7PM at COCC, TO THE ROOF OF THE WORLD, a FREE slide presentation by Bend's Dennis Hanson
"A Journey through Ancient Tibet and An Expedition to Everest's North Face" Dennis will show his stunning slides of the people and places surrounding Mt. Everest. He trekked and climbed with Guides and friends, taking wonderful images of the colorful approach and the crystal clear snow, rock and ice on the major peaks of the range. The show is FREE and lasts a couple of hours. Don't miss this opportunity! Boyle Education Center is the first building on the left as you go up the hill. Room 155 holds 89 people. Come early! Print the Flyer!

Check out our page on HB 2509:

http://www.traditionalmountaineering.org/News_HB2509.htm

Watch for our FREE outdoor Seminars, soon!

--Webmeister Speik

07.01.22
Subscribers, Participants and Friends
This is our first TraditionalMountaineering Email-Update since last August.

FREE CLASS
Tuesday, February 6, 2007, 6PM to 9PM at Central Oregon Environmental Center,
16 NW Kansas Street, near McMenamins in downtown Bend, Oregon

"Real Survival Strategies - Four Basic Responsibilities, the Ten Essential Systems" and also
"Staying Found in the Backcountry - with Map, Compass and GPS, Together!"

This Class includes a 13 page handout covering clothing layers and what light gear to carry into the backcountry of Oregon
and how to use your inexpensive GPS to find your exact position with the UTM Grid on free USFS Winter Maps

Sponsored by Oregon State Snowmobile Association (OSSA) and Robert Speik of TraditionalMountaineering.org

This is a free class; Reservations are not required! There are about 60 seats. First come first served! For more information call Bob Speik at 541-385-0445.

Print the Flyer for a friend.

(This is a repeat of the Class given to 89 people at COCC in December, sponsored by Oregon State Snowmobile Association, Workensport and TraditionalMountaineering.org.)

Now for some gear deals:
- MapTech Terrain Navigator software for Oregon $99 from info@traditionalmountaineering.org Includes local tech support!
- Suunto M3D Leader Compasses $30 from info@traditionalmountaineering.org We can correct the declination with you!

- Acme Thunderer Whistle $6 from info@traditionalmountaineering.org Its a blast!
- Backcountry First Aid and Extended Care by Buck Tilton $6 from info@traditionalmountaineering.org. Read More!

Check out our latest web pages:
http://www.traditionalmountaineering.org/News_Lost_Snowmobilers.htm

http://www.traditionalmountaineering.org/News_Lost_HoodClimbers.htm
and many more!

Total pages viewed world-wide during recent seven days: 310,168; server requests (hits) during recent seven days: 2,171,179! Viewed recent seven days from 31,174 hosts in >50 countries around the world with 28.23 gigabytes of data transferred! Listed first in the world by top ranked Google's Search on "alpine mountaineering", "map, compass and gps", "light and fast climbing" and many more!

TraditionalMountaineering.org and Robert Speik have been quoted by CBS, NBC, AP and in "Rock and Ice" and "Backpacker" magazines!

Honored with the 2006 Oregon Section American Alpine Club's "Trad Award" for mentoring mountaineers and climbers!

Too many emails? Just let us know! If you get more than one Update, delete the second and please let us know. You may be listed as both a friend and a subscriber.
On Belay! –Bob Speik

YEAR 2006

06.08.15
Participants, Subscribers and Friends

"Staying Found in the Backcountry with Map, Compass and GPS"
Saturday August 19, 2006, 9AM to noon or so at The Environmental Center in downtown Bend Oregon

Students will learn about 1. Topographic and other maps used with the compass and GPS, their topo contours, scales and UTM location grids, 2. About inexpensive modern base plate compass/protractors required with maps and GPS receivers, their important Central Oregon magnetic declination correction, compass and GPS bearings to define desired directions of travel and use them on the ground, and 3. About inexpensive hand held GPS receivers, their usefulness, accuracy, required basic individual setup changes, important features and simplified use in the field. Students will learn how to use the GPS receiver with map and compass, tips and time savers, and how to minimize navigation errors caused by the effects of bad weather, darkness, fatigue, anxiety and stress on the navigator.

Cost per student is a $35.00 donation benefiting the not for profit website www.TraditionalMountaineering.org. Handouts include an eleven page printed summary and a five page workbook. Use your compass and GPS or try ours.

In fairness to all, you must Reserve a place! For more information check the website, or
email info@traditionalmountaineering.org or call Robert Speik at 541-385-0445.

How do you use your Map, Compass and GPS together?

This class filled with 22 great participants! Thanks!

"Adopt a Crag Volunteer Event"
The Access Fund, Adopt a Crag Event at Meadow Crag Climbing Area, Saturday, August 26, 2006, at 9 AM to about noon!

We will be working on the re-bolting of the existing single station anchors and discreetly improving the climber's trails. For information and to sign-up, call the official Access Fund Sponsor, TraditionalMountaineering at 541-385-0445 or email info@traditionalmountaineering.org

Now for those great gear deals:
If you tried to check on these great deals last week it did not work! Sorry, I emailed the wrong email address. Try again!
-Garmin Geko 101 GPS $70 from info@traditionalmountaineering.org
-MapTech Terrain Navigator software for Oregon $99 from info@traditionalmountaineering.org
-Black Diamond Raven Pro light weight ice axe for $75 from info@traditionalmountaineering.org
-Suunto M3D Leader Compasses $30 from info@traditionalmountaineering.org
-Garmin's eTrex Legend with road map capability, an extra information page and a computer data cord is available at Sportsman’s Warehouse, refurbished, for $125.00!

Too many emails? Just let us know! If you get more than one Update, delete the second and please let us know. You may be listed as both a friend and a subscriber.
On Belay! –Bob Speik

06.07.29
Participants, Subscribers and Friends
This is our third TraditionalMountaineering update for 2006!

"Basic Mountaineering Safety Skills"
Saturday, August 5, 2006, 9AM to noon or so . . .
The Central Oregon Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Street in downtown Bend

This class is based on traditional Basic Mountaineering Training provided by major outdoor clubs.

Participants will learn more: 1. About the Basic Responsibilities of the wilderness traveler, traditional backcountry Leadership, the new Essential Systems and clothing, 3. About the identification and possible mitigation of Risks in outdoor high country adventures using traditional rope protection techniques, 3. About planning a reasonable adventure and finding your way with map, compass and optional GPS and 4. About light weight high country camping, food and water management.

Robert Speik, your instructor,
Is an experienced backcountry leader/instructor. He has taught popular Mountaineering, Alpine Rambling, Backpacking and Wilderness Navigation classes and field seminars at Central Oregon Community College Adult Extension.

Group dynamics -
The class includes time for Participants to plan an adventure with new classmates and others. We will be working together with the actual gear recommended in the class.

Cost per participant is $35.00, a donation benefiting the nonprofit website www.TraditionalMountaineering.org. Handouts will include a printed summary of the class information.

In fairness to all you must Reserve a place by August 3, 2006. We may have a wait list!
We plan to accommodate five participants or so for this morning adventure. Call Bob at 541-385-0445 or send an email inquiry to info@TraditionalMountaineering.org.

"Staying Found in the Backcountry with Map, Compass and GPS"
Saturday August 19, 2006, 9AM to noon or so-
The Environmental Center in downtown Bend Oregon

Cost per student is a $35.00 donation benefiting the not for profit website www.TraditionalMountaineeing.org. Handouts include an eleven page printed summary and a five page workbook. Use your compass and GPS or try ours.

In fairness to all, you must Reserve a place! For more information check the website,
email info@traditionalmountaineering.org or call Robert Speik at 541-385-0445.

We are actually averaging over 500,000 "hits" a week, with more than 50,000 pages read each week, world wide!

Too many emails? Just let us know! If you get more than one Update, delete the second and please let us know. You may be listed as both a friend and a subscriber.
On Belay! –Bob Speik

"Rappelling Practice" Free this Saturday and more
Saturday, June 3, 2006
Learn and discuss skills and gear for belay rope protected rappelling steep snow, rock and ice slopes on major peaks including Shasta, Adams, Jefferson, North Sister and more.

“Sarene” anchors - minimum gear and set-up
Belays, instant and backed up - learn and practice fast set-up and rope handling
Rope setup and knots for rappelling
Harness/gear set up recommended by Petzl
Rappel self belay including the new FB sling friction knot
Rappelling from various types of entry
Climbing the (rappel) rope - minimum gear and set-up
Dulphersitz rappel
Use of ATC, B-52, Reverso, Pirana, older figure 8, etc. and -prussic self belay, Shunt self belay, FB self belay and Jumars, Ascension and Croll, prussics and other gear used to climb the rope.

Group dynamics -
The class includes time for planning adventures together. We will be working together with the actual gear recommended in the class. All rappels must have a separate belay.

Required gear -
- your light harness with rappel and prussic gear, light weight locking biners, etc.
- 6mm prussic loops, sewn nylon runners, tubular nylon runner, -your own rope**
- your climbing helmet

** This is intended to be a basic to advanced hands-on class. If you do not own the items marked with a **, you can use our gear. We suggest that you not buy gear before you attend this class.

We still have a few uncommitted places! We are limiting the group to 10 participants! In fairness to all, you will need to commit by June 1, 2006.

More stuff:
-A mature snake four foot long thick as you wrist with seven rattles was observed near the Wolf Tree Ponderosa Pine on the trail up stream from the bridge at Smith Rock! Another reason for a trekking pole in the high desert?

-Our candid photos of recent Smith Rock Spring Thing work and play, the HERA Climb for Life instruction and party and the Pole Pedal Paddle Finish are on our web. Watch for candid photos of the International Pond Skimming Contest at Mt. Bachelor. See Steve House, Dean Potter, Steph Davis and Rebeckah Berry at work and play.

-The Cascades Lakes Highway is open and there is room to park at the Devil’s Lake Climber’s Trail, Devil’s Lake, Mirror Lakes Trail Head, and more. However, parking for Todd Lake is minimal. See photos to come soon.

-Garmin's eTrex Legend with road map capability, an information page and computer data cord is available at Sportsman’s Warehouse, refurbished, for $125.00!

-Coinet had to move our website to a big server near a hub in Texas. Check out our new stats at the bottom of our Home Page. (607,767 hits last week!)

-Too many emails? Just let us know! If you get more than one Update, delete the second and please let us know. You may be listed as both a friend and a subscriber.
On Belay! –Webmeister Speik

12.26.05
Subscribers, Participants and Friends
This is our last TraditionalMountaineering Email-Update this year. Here is the latest Seminar Flyer reproduced for your convenience ;-)

Reserve a place now for our January 13-14, 2006 FREE Seminar: “Snow Camping from bivy to base camp”!
This Class will be held on Friday at 3PM or so to Saturday at 11AM or so, near a snowpark on the way up to Mt Bachelor. The information is based on traditional Basic Winter Mountaineering Training Classes offered by major outdoor clubs in the North West.

Seminar Description:
Learn and employ skills and gear for safe bivy to base camp fun in deep snow near parked cars and privies. Meet new people! Traditional and current instruction on this subject by The Mazamas, The Mountaineers, and the Angeles Chapter Sierra Club, for thousands of students over 30 years, begins with hands-on practice like this FREE Seminar.

On Saturday, we can discuss, demonstrate and practice the following skills:
“Sarene” snow anchors - minimum gear and set-up
-picket, -deadman, -ice axe deadman, -snow bollard, -ice screws
Snow belays, instant and backed up - learn and practice set-up and rope handling
sitting hip belay, -ice axe boot belay, -standing ice axe/carabineer belay, -dynamic snow leader belays Roped travel on snow, rock, ice and our Cascades glaciers - rope setup and knots
-portioning the rope for 3 person roped team, -tying in the front, back and middle person, -position of prussics, Texas prussic and pack tie off, -climbing with fixed ropes on steep hard snow.
Rappelling, self belay, climbing the (rappel) rope - minimum gear and set-up
-dulphersitz, ATC, figure 8, etc., -prussic self belay, -prussics and other gear used to climb the rope.
Crevasse rescue -Z pulley crevasse rescue systems, -gear, -set up and build various systems

Group dynamics -
The Seminar includes time for planning adventures. We will camp and cook together as a group. We will be working together with the actual gear used for adventures in the Three Sisters Wilderness.

Required gear -
-your Ten Essential Systems including extra clothing for possible stormy weather
-your backpack, with shelter, insulation and ability to melt snow for drinking water and food
-your four season backpacking tent or bivy sack
-two inches of waterproof insulation and a 20 degree sleeping bag (or two 40 degree bags, etc.)
-snow shovel (including big shovels for those who wish to try a snow cave or two)

Optional gear -
- your light harness with rappel and prussic gear, light weight locking biners, etc.
- your ice axe, complete with it's gear, - anchors: - snow stakes, dead-persons, and ice screws,
- 3/18" diameter 6mm prussic loops, - 3/48" diameter, sewn 9/16 nylon runners, - 1/22' length of 1" tubular nylon runner,
-your crevasse rescue pulleys, prussics and runners, - your own rope
Note: This is intended to be a basic to advanced hands-on class. If you do not own the items listed ask us, you can use our gear. We suggest that you not buy gear before you attend this class.

This basic to advanced training - Can be completed in this interesting FREE overnight
Handouts will include a printed summary of the class information. This is a free outdoor, hands-on, interactive skills Seminar lead by Robert Speik and perhaps, mystery guest experts.

Reserve your places! We are limiting this class to 11 participants! *** In fairness to all, you will need to commit by January 11, 2006.
For more information and to join this free Seminar: email info@traditionalmountaineering.org or call Robert Speik at 541-385-0445. There is more information on the website. Search for snowcaves, hypothermia, space blankets, etc. using the internal Search Page, powered by Google.

Gear Tips:
Check out Sunnyside Sports annual up to 30% off Christmas Sale! Last year I picked up the new SportHill 3SPF pants cut to a straight leg.

All the stores have great gear on sale, so use those Christmas dollars!

11.25.05
Subscribers, Participants and Friends

This is our first TraditionalMountaineering Email-Update in several months. I think I have had writer's cramp! Jim Witty tells me I must attach my seat to the seat until it is written. Lets try the following for good content and immediate interest.

Reserve a place now for my December 3, 2005 Class: “Backcountry Adventures in the Winter”!
This Class will be held on Saturday, at 9AM to about 3PM at the Environmental Center. The information is based on traditional Basic Winter Mountaineering Training Classes offered by major outdoor clubs in the North West.

Subjects include traditional backcountry group leadership techniques, the new Ten Essential Systems including light weight winter clothing and gear options (including snow shoes and crampons) and the identification and possible mitigation of Risks in outdoor winter adventures. While finding our way with map, compass and optional GPS, we will plan some reasonable winter adventures, show and tell about light weight winter camping techniques, gear, food and water management.

You really need to Reserve your places for the Class before next Wednesday, November 30. We are limiting the group this year to ten or so.

Watch our “Central Oregon Calendar of Interesting Events” for our FREE outdoor Seminars including a December or early January “Denali Snow Camp”, and Climbing Steep Hard-Snow Slopes, and Ice Axe Arrest and Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue Seminars, all not to far from the cars near Mt. Bachelor this year!

We are slowly revising our FAQs on clothing, packs, essentials, hydration, endurance training, and more. The clothing and gear are improving so fast it is getting expensive to keep up with the best!

The new REI store is open in the brick Old Mill buildings at the foot of the three smoke stacks. Of course they have lots of stuff at fair prices and Members get a bit back in dividends at the end of each year. Also, REI rents outdoor gear.

Wandering the isles at REI we found a light snow scoop for $15 (in lieu of a shovel on some short trips), a good stock of the new style Black Diamond Alpine Bod harnesses for about $30.00, BD and other name brand 22kn 18 inch runners for $3.00 and $4.00, and the latest models of BD snowshoes that will side-hill. I also noted three-section locking BD snow/trekking poles for about $68.00!

I snapped up an Editors Choice REI “Half Dome 2” backpacking tent to fill a niche in my collection. It was priced at $99.00, down from about $160.00. The store is sold out, but you may still order the tent on line at $99 and have it shipped free to the Bend store, just for you. This tent is about $20.00 per pound vs. my BD “Firstlight” single wall tent at $100.00 per pound!

Patagonia, at Pandoras Backpack in downtown Bend has a complete line of this great clothing. I am still wearing Patagonia stuff I bought in the 1970s! This is only the second privately owned “company store”. Check Rod Bien’s nice new Patagonia website, too.

Mountain Supply has tons of great clothing and gear; Pine Mountain Sports has great gear and high end skis selected by Dan and new store manager, Lawrence Fisher. Both stores have good rentals.

TraditionalMountaineering folks who have “Subscribed”, taken any of our Classes or Seminars and are on the Updates List are now Members of both the Pine Mountain Sports and Mountain Supply discount clubs, eligible for 10% off on most items and more on special items. These stores sell these discount memberships to customers for from ten to twenty dollars. How about that! Email or call us for more information about these Memberships.

The Badlands east of Bend is now closed to all motorized travel. We hiked there today: it was sunny and dry, while it was raining in Bend and snowing in the Cascades. Watch for our FREE "Navigation Noodle in The Badlands" after the first of the year.

For more information on The Badlands, go to www.TraditionalMountaineering.org/Search.htm, then type-in The Badlands and select from 10 pages of links within our website as listed by Google. See photos of classic Geocaches, maps of the WSA, maps of the huge adjoining ATV exclusive play area, photos of the fresh stumps of stolen 1,500-year-old Junipers, information about the Deschutes Management Plan, etc.

Too many emails? Just let us know! If you get more than one Update, delete the second and please let us know. You may be listed as both a friend and a subscriber.
On Belay! –Webmeister Speik

04.07.02
Friends-
This message announces the uploading of www.TraditionalMountaineering.org to the new World Wide Web for "Traditional Mountaineering", a virtual club devoted to providing Free Basic to Advanced Mountain Climbing Instruction and Adventures. Click on the link to check it out now, and be sure to bookmark the site for future reference.

Some free Clinics and Seminars are planned to carry on a mountaineering tradition of helping folks learn more about Wilderness Travel and Alpine Mountaineering. Free subscriptions are available now to the planned Subscribers Only Section that will make available on the web, a Basic to Advanced Mountaineering Training Course. Watch our progress!

Plan now to attend the Banff Mountain Film Festival on Monday or Tuesday, April 22 or 23, 2002, at 6 or 9PM. This rich and entertaining collection of award winning films by international film makers has had sell out audiences at the Pilot Butte Cinemas for the benefit of MBSEF in past years.
On Belay! --Bob Speik

WARNING - *DISCLAIMER!*
Mountain climbing has inherent dangers that can in part, be mitigated