UKC

I've written a blog with a load of tips for climbing Denali's West Buttress.

I've tried to put in everything that I wish I'd known before I headed out last May.

Take it with a pinch of salt. I've only climbed Denali twice so I am by no means an expert. The blog is just a few observations which I found worked for me. Take from it what you find useful.

Remember there is more than one way to strangle a cat!

http://www.tomripleyclimbing.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/top-tips-for-going-ligh...

Any questions just ask.

Hope this is helpful.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide: useful post. Thanks.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

Thanks,

makes we want to switch off my computer and go!

CB

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

Good blog post. And quality blog generally - funny, varied, lots of well captioned pics, informative, not too much route description, certainly not grade obsessed. I like FOMO - Fear of Missing Out. The fact that you are not operating at the highest grades makes it easy to relate to it all. Keep working on the quality of the writing, reflect on what makes it distinctive and highlight that element.

In reply to ericinbristol:

Thanks for the feedback. It's good to know someone reads it!

I'm thinking about doing semi-regular gear/technique posts. Or maybe an agony aunt sort of thing.

Obviously I'll only write from personal expirence.

For example I might write a post on building a rack of wires.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:
>

Could be good, or not. It's not what you do though that will be the main thing, it is how you do it - as you already know I guess

Typical I write one tounge in cheek comment and I get some american jobsworth calling me a theif.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

Yeh, well, you've been on UKC long enough to know that certain types of humour don't translate easily between all people across all cultures, Tom. When you write a blog purporting to give advice, you probably want to take that into account. It's not a Facebook message to your mates

Anyway, he's right. Taking them would be stealing, unless you need them to survive. I don't see them as left by 'lazy, guided parties' but an act of community generosity by the first, or early, parties up the route. It's hardly littering, and not exactly exorbitantly wasteful (a few krabs?) in the big scheme of things.

'Windshift'? Is that like a windshirt, but it doesn't block the wind, it just moves it around a bit? Spellcheckers are 'supper' good, as you would say, but it seems even they have their limits.

If you want your blog to have any currency or authority for advice - and I'm not saying you should - you need to better blend opinion with objectivity. Saying you didn't think it was as cold as 'everyone made it out to be' is a useless comment beyond a throwaway line in the pub. A few measured temperatures, some context, more info etc is needed for such comments to have any value to a reader.

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

I thought it was a good article but I've got to admit I failed to recognise that your remark about taking the crabs was humerous - I almost posted a cooment on here about it to clarify. Worth a quick edit I'd have thought?

I disagree with the comment from Damo about 'not as cold as everyone says' being a valuless remark, it actually adds to the impression of what it can be like to be out there, I don't think it will lead to people turning up in Bermuda shorts and a vest.

So can we have some similar articles for some of the alpine routes you've done?

In reply to Tom Ripley Mountain Guide:

What are you referring to Tom?

In reply to Damo:

I don't really buy that. Without going into the right and wrongs of the fixed lines and pickets - (I think it would be a much better mountain if neither were there) - It takes no time at all to unclip a krab and take it with you. Besides I bet plenty of biners get taken by mistake. In case anyone is interested my quickdraws aren't made up of West Buttress booty... I mean they wouldn't match

I did read the post through, twice. My problem is I just don't see errors.

Interesting. I'll re-write the bit about how cold it is. The honest answer is I don't know, I didn't take a thermometre. It was cold, but nowhere near as cold as I was expecting it to be.

For example I was worried that my lightweight stitch through Down Jacket wasn't going to be warm enough, when in actual fact I was fine. I'd probably be a bit more careful if I went in early May.

In reply to Damo:

I've updated it: It is cold in Alaska, but I didn’t think it was anywhere near as cold as folk make it out to be. I don't mean turn up in shorts and tee shirt, just take all the hyperbole about it being the coldest mountain on earth with a pinch of salt. Think Scottish winter plus double boots, puffy trousers, a couple of good pairs of mitts and a duvet jacket (but not one so thick that you'll have to commit goose genocide to fil it).