Bronco

So, just for giggles, I copied and pasted the link in Bigtree's post from May 21, 2013 and it takes you to the exact same page. http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/mbs/news-events/?cid=STELPRDB5420737 It must just be cached somewhere on the inter webs.

Strange, it showed up on a news feed and looked legit. If you click the "roads and trail" link it doesn't show up on that page. Must be bogus.

Skip ahead a couple of posts.

Hard pass for me: Please read this section carefully, as it is not simply a liability disclaimer. Like any form of training, altitude training has some inherent risks associated with it. It's a good idea to talk to your physician before starting any new form of training. If you have any concerns or possible medical issues, you should discuss altitude training with your relevant medical professional. I have not found a clear, approved list of contraindications, but the following symptoms are listed as reasons why you should not perform altitude training without explicit medical approval. Acute infections. Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Epilepsy. High blood pressure, such as over 145 systolic or over 90 diastolic. Low blood pressure, such as under 80 systolic or under 50 diastolic. Heart disease, pacemakers or irregular heartbeat. Blood disorders, such as sickle cell anemia. Anemia. I have seen no research on the effect of altitude training on pregnancy, but it would seem prudent to avoid altitude training if you are pregnant or believe that you maybe. If you are using altitude training to treat a specific medical condition such as asthma, sleep apnea, heart disease, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, etc., then consulting your medical specialist is especially vital. It's unclear what the optimum SpO2 level should be, but generally SpO2 levels below 75% are not recommended and should be avoided. Never use the altitude training system without monitoring your SpO2. While there are symptoms of low SpO2, such as lightheadedness or tunnel vision, these are not reliable predictors of a particular SpO2. The soda lime used to absorb the carbon dioxide is corrosive, and inhaling any soda lime is extremely harmful and will cause lung damage. Therefore, never use the hypoxicator without the antiviral filter in place and check the filter is intact. Never attach the mouthpiece to your face. If you should lose consciousness, it's vital that you'll drop the mouthpiece and breathe normal room air. Having your blood tested to ensure you are not anemic is highly recommended. The standard anemia test is often considered inadequate and instead you should get your serum ferritin levels checked. The range of values considered 'normal' varies between different authorities, but a representative example is 12-300 ng/mL for men and 12-150 ng/mL for women. However, it is recommended that for altitude training serum ferritin levels are above 60 ng/mL. (Remember that iron is toxic, so you need just the right amount. Do not take supplementary iron without knowing for sure that you need it.) The antiviral filter should be replaced periodically, and you should make sure it dries out fully between uses. I typically have 2 to 3 filters that I rotate through to make sure they are completely dry. The mouthpiece should plug directly into the antiviral filter so that there is very little unfiltered air in the system. All tubing and equipment should be cleaned periodically. You really don't want to breathe in any mold or bacteria. The CO2 scrubber can produce Carbon Monoxide, but this appears to only occur if the CO2 scrubber becomes desiccated (dried out) and comes into contact with anesthetic gasses[1]. As altitude training does not involve anesthesia (the primary use of CO2 scrubber), this should not apply. However, if you're concerned, you can use a latest generation scrubber such as Amsorb Plus which does not produce carbon monoxide.

Mr. Roper!

Looks a little colder next week so things should firm up. My guess is it's probably still sloppy below 6,000' this weekend.

Sounds like a burly trip. What approach are you planning to use?

Funny, I thought of Cliffhanger!

I wonder if we can get ahold of the flight path? Unfortunately it snowed a bunch since the flight so everything is buried until summer. https://methowvalleynews.com/2019/11/26/federal-agents-pursue-plane-fleeing-from-state-airport/ Federal agents pursue plane fleeing from state airport NOVEMBER 26, 2019 BY MARCY STAMPER The Methow Valley State Airport is generally a sedate place, handling just a few flights a day. But last Wednesday (Nov. 20), federal agents in helicopters pursued an airplane that entered the U.S. from Canada and made an unauthorized landing at the state airport in Winthrop. Agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations (AMO) in Bellingham first detected the airplane and tracked it to Winthrop. When agents approached the pilot to question him, he jumped into his airplane and flew away, according to a press release from Customs and Border Protection. As the AMO agents pursued the airplane in helicopters, they saw the pilot toss several bags out of the plane into the wilderness, according to the press release. AMO received permission to continue the pursuit across the border. The helicopters followed the plane to the airport in Langley, British Columbia, where the pilot landed and was arrested by a Royal Canadian Mounted Police border-enforcement team and provincial and local officials. The AMO helicopters hovered overhead to keep watch while the Canadian agents seized the plane. In 2019, AMO seized or disrupted almost 285,000 pounds of cocaine, 102,000 pounds of marijuana, 51,000 pounds of methamphetamine, 935 weapons, and $34.1 million. They made 1,575 arrests and apprehended more than 52,000 people without legal documentation to be in the U.S., according to the press release. The Methow Valley airport is the largest of the 16 airports operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation. The Winthrop airport accommodates mainly small private aircraft and commercial flights for skiers. It serves as an important base for smokejumpers, helicopters and other aircraft during wildfire season, State Airports Manager Paul Wolf said.

I agree with this and will often carry an extra base layer shirt in case I get sweaty or wet from rain/brush on the approach. I might wear a windshirt over it if it's cold but I try to keep my good shell and puffy in my pack until the pace slows down or terrain becomes technical.

I don't think anything is forming up yet but you can call Goat's Beard in Mazama and ask for conditions.

Benzo, why not try to return the gear to the climbers who dropped it? Seems like "not booty" if the climbers were in plain sight and possible to return the gear.

Muir on Saturday?

Looks like the first posts were October of 2000 so 19 years of some questionable contributions to culture. I think I was still on dial up AOL account that we shared in the office with 3 people.

Happy Birthday mofo's!

Good trail to the top of Easy Peak. Getting to and up Whatcom is quite a bit more vigorous and challenging.

Is this supposed to be an endorsement?

Seems credible.

Good reminder that when I think things are sucky in the mountains, they sure could be (a lot) worse.

Sounds terrible, nice work you guys! How about a photo of Jason's pack?

Nice work on this tough peak. Many of us appreciate you not posting summit nudes.

30 could be a little high but we were at the approach ledge at 9:30 and there were already multiple groups on the face that probably summited by 11:00. I assume a bunch of folks camped out at the lake Friday night and were climbing shortly after dawn. We counted approximately a dozen different parties, some with 3 climbers. Certainly not the place to be if you're looking for solace. I do agree with Jason, there are a lot more folks out climbing these days.

Climbed this yesterday, what a fun route! There were probably 30 climbers sharing the stoke on Ragged Edge and True Grit with a gaggle of international tourists at the top applauding as we summited.

If you're a desk jockey with too much time to "research" the latest and greatest, they can be appealing. I have a the 40l HMG Icepack I found on Craigslist a few months ago and paid about 50% of the new price. I generally leave the brain off my other packs anyway in favor of stuff sacks inside the pack and a hip pocket for readily accessed small items. The HMG pack does carry better than my other packs in the 40-60l size but, as the OP suspects, it's pretty sweaty and warm on your back. It is pretty much waterproof, which has been nice for SAR missions in the rain.

I agree with Jason, you won't be front pointing anything in approach shoes so the nanotech's are probably a waste of $ for that purpose. These work pretty well with stiffer approach shoes and fold up nicely for the 99% of the time you're carrying them in your pack for route's you've mentioned: https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Sport/Crampons/LEOPARD-FL