Recall on Maxim Ropes

Posted on July 30, 2008 by Jon

New England Ropes Recalls Climbing Lines Due to Fall Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Maxim Apogee and Maxim Pinnacle Dynamic Climbing Lines/Ropes

Units: About 530

Manufacturer: New England Ropes, of Fall River, Mass.

Hazard: The climbing lines can break, posing a serious fall hazard for climbers.

Incidents/Injuries: None.

Description: Two types of climbing ropes have been included in this recall, the Maxim Apogee 9.1mm and Maxim Pinnacle 9.5mm. The Maxim Apogee 9.1mm is a 48 carrier climbing rope. The colors are yellow and black, and red and yellow. The model numbers are 3411-91 and 3415-91, with date codes 060801 thru 080601. The UPC codes are: 75396312299, 75396312298, 75396312301, and 75396312300. The Maxim Pinnacle 9.5mm is a blue 48 carrier climbing rope. The Model number is 3403-95, with date codes 070201 thru 080601. The UPC codes are 75396312292 and 75396312293. The date codes and the UPC codes are on the original packaging.

Sold at: Retailers nationwide from August 2006 through June 2008 for between $180 and $262.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dynamic climbing lines and contact the manufacturer for a free replacement.

Consumer Contact: For more information, consumers can contact New England Ropes toll-free at (866) 617-9038 anytime or visit the firm’s Web site at www.neropes.com/Climbing.aspx

Read my nearly catastrophic run in with New England Maxim ropes. (link)

One Hundred Push Ups

Posted on July 28, 2008 by Jon

The idea of being able to do 100 push ups is kind of cool. While it won’t specifically help your mountaineering ambitions, it certainly won’t hurt them. It is a six week program to go from no push ups to 100 push ups. Check it out.

100 Push Ups

REI Taku Softshell Pants

Posted on July 23, 2008 by Jon

I recently climbed Mt Rainier via the Disappointment Cleaver with a pair of REI Taku softshell pants and I have to say they absolutely rocked. I’ll admit that I was a little nervous about only taking softshell pants on Rainier. The mountain is known for strong winds and fierce weather after all and this was my first trip with this particular pair of softshell pants.

The first day on Rainier is a long slog up to Camp Muir. If you look at some of the pictures in my trip report the weather was absolutely miserable. It was a combination of rain, sleet and mist with a steady wind that was less than pleasant. I was seriously impressed with the performance of the Taku pants. I stayed dry and comfortable and best of all the wind didn’t penetrate the pants.

My climbing partner that day was wearing a pair of Outdoor Research Furio pants over a pair of Patagonia Mixmasters and he was soaked from the outside in and the inside out. The hardshell soaked through as did his ‘Pata-gucci’ pants while my basic REI pants rocked my world.

The clutch aspect of these pants is that they are a combination of hardshell and softshell. The front of the thighs and the back of the calves are softshell which is great for breathing but the seat and the shins/knees are a hardshell material. This combination works out perfectly because the hardshell is only where you need it and the rest of the pant can breath. They also have a thigh vent which is a feature I haven’t seen on any other softshell.

I have to say that these pants are among my all time best buys and I would highly recommend them.

For full disclosure I was wearing a capiline baselayer underneath the REI Taku pants which definately helped these pants rock out. Also, check out my full Rainier gear list if you want to see everything I brought.

A better video fo Fisher Chimney – Mt Shuksan

Posted on July 20, 2008 by Jon

On my last post I felt bad that I couldn’t give a good description of the Fisher Chimney route on Mt Shuksan so I went searching for a bit and found this awesome video. Congrats to them for summitting.

Mt Shuksan – Fisher Chimney

Posted on July 19, 2008 by Jon

I would like to be able to say that I have climbed the Fisher Chimney route on Mt Shuksan. Unfortunately I have not. The mountain said no and I listened.

What I did do though is go all the way to the base of the Fisher Chimney and I’ll tell you a little about that because it was a little epic in and of itself.

We followed Beckey’s instructions to get to the Lake Ann trailhead to the letter. We got off at I-5 exit 255 and followed highway 542 past a lot of markers that he mentions. To get there it should be easy but because his directions are vague at best it took forever to figure it out.

What we figured out in the end is you follow 542 until you get to a rather large loop that circles a lake. It is a one way loop so follow it right until you are on the other side of it. On the other side of the lake you’ll see a turn off for a parking lot and another road that may be gated. If it is, park in the lot and started hiking about a mile up that closed road. The Lake Ann trail head will drop you into a valley so if you go too far and see the valley you are supposed to drop into just turn around.

When I went in mid-July the road was closed and any signage was buried under quite a few feet of snow. Eventually we found the trail head and dropped into the valley. If the trail is melted out follow it. When I was there we were jumping over snow-melt rivers and tip toeing over weak snow bridges. Eventually you’ll enter an old growth forest which is utterly breath taking. After you exit that you’ll head uphill towards a corniced ridge. Lake Ann is on the other side of that.

I can’t really give that many details about the approach because I sort of felt my way to Mt Shuksan but I hope you enjoy the pictures.