Karabiner Mountaineering Club

April 2000 Stories and Articles

An E-Mail from America - Ian D. Pomfret

Hi - I was browsing through the BMC site and came across a link to the KMC where to my surprise I found the good old - oft dreaded (if you happened to be one of the subjects) meet reports!. Where I was even more surprised to see that some of my old friends are still active in the club – considering that I was a member back in the late 60's early 70's.

I'm not sure how appropriate or if indeed possible this is, but I'd like to try and contact those friends. I'm still active on the climbing scene though every year see's the grades get a little harder, and it takes a little longer to get my fitness back. Though quite possibly I'm climbing as well as ever, with perhaps a little 'shrinkage' having taken place (not just in the waist ) - in fact my last lead fall was taken with a KMC member – Virginia (Whipp) Castick, on Kipling Groove back in the early 70's.

I'm delighted to see how well the 'Powder House' turned out, when it was first purchased I was concerned that the KMC was becoming a hut building club and as is my wont said so probably!, and went climbing.

This years high point was doing the 'John Muir' trail - an 18 day, 230 mile backpacking trip in the 'High Sierra', starting in Yosemite valley and finishing on the summit of Mt Whitney at 14,496ft. I'm sure some of the members who remember me as a dedicated crag - rat will be suprised !.This was without doubt the best thing I've done for my body and soul in the past 20 years so this year I am planning a longer 510 mile hike of the Washington section (the Northern Cascades) of the 2600 mile Pacific Crest Trail this summer, of which the John Muir trail is part.

For anyone interested I live in Rosendale, N.Y., about 90 miles north of the Big Apple and about 10 miles from one of the best cliffs ( the Gunk's ) on the East coast of the USA., with some 1,200 routes between 200 and 300 ft high. We (I and Bev) have lots of floor space (by English standards!) and acres of tent space, perhaps I could even act as a guest meet leader for a KMC visit to the Shwangunks or the Muir trail perhaps? I actually met a group from the Rucksack Club a few months back.

And, what do I do (am I doing) here, well, after being made redundant in the early 80's, I went off on a transatlantic race to the Caribbean were I stayed, running charter boats in the Virgin Islands, marrying, un-marrying, and eventually moving to the mainland where in 1996, whilst in the process of trying to take up rockclimbing again after some 12 years of the ravages of the 3 basic US foodgroups - pizza, burgers and beer, I met a most wonderful lady beneath the cliffs here and hope to live happily ever after. I now have a small workshop in the basement and repair antique clocks, and occasionally the larger 'tower' or 'church' clocks, that is when I'm not climbing, skiing, biking, hiking, sailing etc. If I'm not careful, I could even find myself with an unheard of thing in England - discretionary income!

Members mentioned in the meet reports that I remember include: John and Virginia Castick ( I was best man at their wedding ), Alan Jones Liverpool and Hyde), Tony Gaske, Peter Walker, Ken Beeetham, Chris Thickett, Jim and Sandy Gregson, Derek Sedden. I'm sure there are some I've forgotten.

UNCLE B*STARD'S PROBLEM PAGE

All your personal, mountaineering and climbing problems answered by the KMC Newsletter's very own caring and sensitive correspondent. All names, of potentially fictitious individuals - who may not even be members of the club, have been changed to protect the guilty.

Dear Uncle B,

I was horrified to read your recommendations on protecting wide cracks. These do not comply with UIAA standards. The practice of putting babies in plastic bags is not recommended as this reduces friction against the rock. The specified UIAA method of tying off this type of protection is a clove hitch around the neck, this also solves the problem of noisy placements.

Best regards, Neville Crumbly

Dear Neville Crumbly,

Very many thanks for your most useful advice on protecting off-widths. However, I would like to point out that the use of protection at an earlier stage (CE0120) and purchase of a number 6 camelot would be a much cheaper option.

Earnest felicitations,

Uncle B.

Dear Uncle B,

I was recently so inspired by a superb slide show (by yours truly and most wonderfully) that I felt compelled to pen an ode that I would like to share with you.

‘Thailand is in Asia’ (*)

(*) patronising comment - for those of you who didn’t know.

Arnold-Lang Greekbody

Dear Arnold,

I’m not impressed by climbing, steep rock or big muscles.
By the way your footwork is crap.

Glad we cleared that one up.

Yours, Uncle B.

Dear Uncle B,

As a lover of the wide open spaces, I am worried that too many people are cluttering up the countryside. I’ve tried to reduce their numbers by taking a few gullible souls climbing - but to no avail. I recently tried to ‘loose’ two punters on ‘Kamikaze Death-trap’ (Grade XVI, Ben Dover) but, despite using fishing line as a rope and only belaying to the tail-feather of a sleeping ptarmigan, they managed to survive. What am I to do?

The man with no shoes.

Dear man with no shoes,

I think you need to find a safer pastime. Go into a small room with a revolver and a single bullet, spin the chamber and play that game from ‘The Deer hunter’. This will still give you an adrenaline rush whilst improving the chances of you and your victims reaching your next birthdays.

Uncle B.

P.S. Do not try this with an automatic pistol. True, it would be more exciting but it would lead to a much shorter game.

Uncle B’s bring and buy:

Book wanted:

For Sale:

For Hire:

Exchange:

Name change:

Please note that Dave Garland aka Malcolm would, in preference, like to be known as ‘Scumbag’!

Publication of the answers to Uncle B*’s Millennium quiz appear to have suffered from Year 2000 bugs. Particularly, there has been confusion over the answer involving Michelle Harvie, a large vat of hot custard and a small flock of penguins. We hope to have this cleared up in time for the next issue.

April Newsletter Index.

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