Check out these awesome clouds that I photographed over Swamp Lake today.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Summer Storm over Swamp Lake
Check out these awesome clouds that I photographed over Swamp Lake today.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Great weather!
With July moving right along, the mountain is seeing some of the best weather of the season right now and fantastic climbing conditions. Climbers are getting out and making the best of it. There's plenty of fun climbing to still be had all over the mountain. Lately, a lot of climbers have been having success on the Emmons-Winthrop route (see photo). It's in great form right now and a nice option to consider when planning your trip. Come out and see us on the mountain!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Lassen Volcanic National Park
After leaving Sheri's place on Monday (June 28th), I stopped for two nights at Manzanita Lake Campground on the north side of Lassen Volcanic National Park, several hours drive north of Stockton and about 60 miles east of Redding. It was more or less on the way to my Fourth of July destination.
I was aware that the highway through the park was only open about 10 miles on either end so you couldn't drive all the way through. Also, the Lassen Peak Trail was not yet open. (If this trail is one you might want to do this summer, check their website first. It will be closed periodically during the summer for restoration.) There are plenty of other trails, some quite easy, such as the 1.8 mile loop around Lake Manzanita and the half-mile paved trail in the Devastated Area.
Lassen Peak from the west side of Lake Manzanita on the afternoon of my arrival.
A closer view of Lassen Peak from the west side of Lake Manzanita.
On the morning of my second day at Lassen, a prescribed burn was being done by the Park Service on the northwest side of Lake Manzanita. The wind carried the smoke away from the campground area but the acrid smell of the burning brush permeated the air.
I stopped at the visitors center, which was engulfed in smoke as it was in the direct path of the wind though a safe distance from the burn area, to get a park brochure and some information (it was closed when I arrived the night before). Even though the road through the park was not open, if you wanted to do some driving, you could access all four corners of the park. There were campgrounds on the south side so I could have gone that way and spent the night on that end of the park but it was in the opposite direction I was headed and would have added several more hours onto an already long trip. Instead, I relaxed around the campground and took a few short walks.
I was aware that the highway through the park was only open about 10 miles on either end so you couldn't drive all the way through. Also, the Lassen Peak Trail was not yet open. (If this trail is one you might want to do this summer, check their website first. It will be closed periodically during the summer for restoration.) There are plenty of other trails, some quite easy, such as the 1.8 mile loop around Lake Manzanita and the half-mile paved trail in the Devastated Area.
Lassen Peak from the west side of Lake Manzanita on the afternoon of my arrival.A closer view of Lassen Peak from the west side of Lake Manzanita.On the morning of my second day at Lassen, a prescribed burn was being done by the Park Service on the northwest side of Lake Manzanita. The wind carried the smoke away from the campground area but the acrid smell of the burning brush permeated the air.I stopped at the visitors center, which was engulfed in smoke as it was in the direct path of the wind though a safe distance from the burn area, to get a park brochure and some information (it was closed when I arrived the night before). Even though the road through the park was not open, if you wanted to do some driving, you could access all four corners of the park. There were campgrounds on the south side so I could have gone that way and spent the night on that end of the park but it was in the opposite direction I was headed and would have added several more hours onto an already long trip. Instead, I relaxed around the campground and took a few short walks.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Acadia :: Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
Tuesday - September 11th - - The day dawned bright and clear with sunshine and beautiful blue skies. The first stop was at the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse just a short distance down the road from Seawall Campground. This map shows the layout of the Island. Seawall campground and Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse are on the southwest tip of the Island.
From the parking area, there was a short but rather steep trail to traverse. A stairway made the downhill portion of the walk easy, but it was still quite a ways down to the rocky shore.
I climbed over the upper portion of the rocks to get this shot. To get a really nice view of the lighthouse you would have had to have been on a boat in the water!
I ventured down a little ways but the rocks were slippery and I just didn't feel comfortable going further out.
From the parking area, there was a short but rather steep trail to traverse. A stairway made the downhill portion of the walk easy, but it was still quite a ways down to the rocky shore.
I climbed over the upper portion of the rocks to get this shot. To get a really nice view of the lighthouse you would have had to have been on a boat in the water!
I ventured down a little ways but the rocks were slippery and I just didn't feel comfortable going further out.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving
Everyone here at the Tumbleweed Crossing wants to wish everyone anywhere a Happy Thanksgiving.Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Black Diamond Heel Lever Concerns?
Editors note:
The following blog entry is by NE climber Joe Palma. Once Joe had warned me of the issue on his crampons I looked at my own. I use Black Diamond heel pieces (bought from BD mail order) on my own hybrid crampon binding systems. I found 3 or the 6 heel pieces deformed from pressure where Joe's failed. *Just to be clear here, this is not a cosmetic issue. If the heel wire slips through the heel piece as Joe's did,you'll loose tension on the binding and likely loose a crampon.*
Black Diamond Heel Lever concernsby Joe Palma
A couple of evenings ago I was inspecting and fitting my Stinger and Sabretooth crampons to a new set of La Sportiva Baturas, when I discovered a problem. Wanted to get the word out for others to inspect their newer style BD crampon rear bails for similar issues.
I was adjusting the length of one of the Stinger crampons, when I noticed that the rear bail wire was no longer sitting in the groove of the retainer in the tension adjuster; it was rattling around free in the plastic track between the retainer and the bottom of the lever. At first I thought it might have been a manufacturing goof, but that didn't make sense as I'd had about 10 days last season on the Stingers, and there's just no way I wouldn't have noticed the wire not sitting in the retainer. The date code on the Stingers is 1334.
Pulled the rear bail apart completely and found that the bottom lip of aluminum retainer, which the tensioning screw runs through, had deformed with the tension of the bail wire. I can only assume the wire deformed the retainer sufficiently, such that the wire was able to pull through.
When I checked the rear bails on the Sabretooths, same design, they didn't show similar patterns of wear
I wear a large boot (size 46) and size/tension my crampons carefully; amongst the things I take into account are making sure the rear points don't extend beyond the back of the heel, that the retaining posts on the rear assemblies clear the heel of the boot, and that there's no rattle nor play in the crampon. That generally means I have a reasonable amount of tension on the heel bail; not so much that I have to struggle to get them on/off, but enough to ensure a secure fit and interface.
Attached a few pictures below that should help clarify:
First is of the aluminum retainer. Note the deformation on the left hand side of it; that was the end that was tensioning up on the wire. There is some deformation on the right side as well; that's from me re-assembling the bail with the retainer reversed and tensioning the rear bail on the boot with a moderate amount of pressure. Wanted to see how easy/difficult it would be to deform the retainer. It doesn't take much.
And the retainer assembled in the levers on the Stinger
Next are a couple of photos of the rear bails of my Sabretooths, have more days on them, but they don't seem to show anywhere near the same pattern of deformation
I've emailed BDEL's warranty group and, of course, they put replacement rear bail assemblies in the mail to me yesterday, and I've shipped back the bails for their inspection. I asked them to have someone from the QA group get back in touch with me once they've had the chance to inspect the assemblies. Whatever I hear back, I'll pass along. Joe Palma
Update from Joe 1/4/13
"Heard back from BD's QA folks and they've not seen a similar situation with the rear bails. There wasn't anything remarkable with the aluminum insert; certainly doesn't appear to be defective materials or design. Only thing that makes sense as a cause is that during fitting the Stingers to the Baturas I hadn't adjusted the frame length and in the process of levering the rear bail, I applied enough force to flex the plastic heel lever and deform the aluminum insert such that the wire slipped through. I was fitting the crampons on a workbench in my basement, not in the field, so I could exert considerably more force on the lever than I would when actually apply when putting them on in the field. Bottom line is inspect your crampons for wear, particularly the rear bail assemblies if you like to reef them down tight and during sizing. Had replacement bails shipped to me by BD's warranty department and the Stingers are back in action. "
The following blog entry is by NE climber Joe Palma. Once Joe had warned me of the issue on his crampons I looked at my own. I use Black Diamond heel pieces (bought from BD mail order) on my own hybrid crampon binding systems. I found 3 or the 6 heel pieces deformed from pressure where Joe's failed. *Just to be clear here, this is not a cosmetic issue. If the heel wire slips through the heel piece as Joe's did,you'll loose tension on the binding and likely loose a crampon.*
Black Diamond Heel Lever concernsby Joe Palma
A couple of evenings ago I was inspecting and fitting my Stinger and Sabretooth crampons to a new set of La Sportiva Baturas, when I discovered a problem. Wanted to get the word out for others to inspect their newer style BD crampon rear bails for similar issues.
I was adjusting the length of one of the Stinger crampons, when I noticed that the rear bail wire was no longer sitting in the groove of the retainer in the tension adjuster; it was rattling around free in the plastic track between the retainer and the bottom of the lever. At first I thought it might have been a manufacturing goof, but that didn't make sense as I'd had about 10 days last season on the Stingers, and there's just no way I wouldn't have noticed the wire not sitting in the retainer. The date code on the Stingers is 1334.
Pulled the rear bail apart completely and found that the bottom lip of aluminum retainer, which the tensioning screw runs through, had deformed with the tension of the bail wire. I can only assume the wire deformed the retainer sufficiently, such that the wire was able to pull through.
When I checked the rear bails on the Sabretooths, same design, they didn't show similar patterns of wear
I wear a large boot (size 46) and size/tension my crampons carefully; amongst the things I take into account are making sure the rear points don't extend beyond the back of the heel, that the retaining posts on the rear assemblies clear the heel of the boot, and that there's no rattle nor play in the crampon. That generally means I have a reasonable amount of tension on the heel bail; not so much that I have to struggle to get them on/off, but enough to ensure a secure fit and interface.
Attached a few pictures below that should help clarify:
First is of the aluminum retainer. Note the deformation on the left hand side of it; that was the end that was tensioning up on the wire. There is some deformation on the right side as well; that's from me re-assembling the bail with the retainer reversed and tensioning the rear bail on the boot with a moderate amount of pressure. Wanted to see how easy/difficult it would be to deform the retainer. It doesn't take much.
 | Retainer Submitted By: Joe Palma on Dec 19, |
And the retainer assembled in the levers on the Stinger
 | Rear bail 1 Submitted By: Joe Palma on Dec 19, |
 | Rear bail 2 Submitted By: Joe Palma on Dec 19, |
 | Rear bail 3 Submitted By: Joe Palma on Dec 19, |
Next are a couple of photos of the rear bails of my Sabretooths, have more days on them, but they don't seem to show anywhere near the same pattern of deformation
 | Sabretooth 1 Submitted By: Joe Palma on Dec 19, |
 | Sabretooth 2 Submitted By: Joe Palma on Dec 19, |
I've emailed BDEL's warranty group and, of course, they put replacement rear bail assemblies in the mail to me yesterday, and I've shipped back the bails for their inspection. I asked them to have someone from the QA group get back in touch with me once they've had the chance to inspect the assemblies. Whatever I hear back, I'll pass along. Joe Palma
Update from Joe 1/4/13
"Heard back from BD's QA folks and they've not seen a similar situation with the rear bails. There wasn't anything remarkable with the aluminum insert; certainly doesn't appear to be defective materials or design. Only thing that makes sense as a cause is that during fitting the Stingers to the Baturas I hadn't adjusted the frame length and in the process of levering the rear bail, I applied enough force to flex the plastic heel lever and deform the aluminum insert such that the wire slipped through. I was fitting the crampons on a workbench in my basement, not in the field, so I could exert considerably more force on the lever than I would when actually apply when putting them on in the field. Bottom line is inspect your crampons for wear, particularly the rear bail assemblies if you like to reef them down tight and during sizing. Had replacement bails shipped to me by BD's warranty department and the Stingers are back in action. "
Sunday, September 25, 2011
More Florida Keys
I'm so grateful for our time here. It was a wonderfully relaxing time together as a family.
Living the life in the leisurely Florida Keys!
Living the life in the leisurely Florida Keys!
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