Jedi

http://www.prolitegear.com/pl_rab_endurancejacket.html Maybe this link will work. Oh yeah, this is a link to the Endurance which has a different (more weather resistant) shell. The Quantum (also on this website) is the one that is 19.5oz. Jedi

Rab Neutrino: Pertex Quantum, 750+ down, 7.8oz fill, total wt 19.5oz. This is with a hood. Patagonia Down Jkt: 8oz fill, 22oz total. Volant w/ hood: 9.6oz fill, 26oz. Nunatuk Kobuk w/hood: 11oz 800+ fill, 26oz in Epic, 24oz in Microlight and 20oz with no external pockets. Marmot Plasma: Pertex, fill (I don't know), 27oz to 29oz. FrontPoint: 13oz of fill, 30oz total. Nunatuk Torre:14oz of fill, 31oz total There are heavier & warmer jackets out there but this should give you an idea of some down hooded jackets. Jedi

There's a couple was to make yor own. Jedi

Thanks hohm. Makes sense why I have never seen one for much less than msrp. MountainMarc, What are they priced at in Canada? Jedi

If any of you guys see one of these bags "on sale" on-line or know of a shop that has one "on sale", please let me know. No hurry, I don't need it until next spring. Lowest price i found so far has been $404. It would be nice to find it cheaper

Hey Joe, Does the Kennedy-Lowe route see much activity?

You are correct Chriznitch. They are wider. I just meant they were similar in design with a vertical frontpoint that has a horizontal section on top.

Not that I've tried Hunter but it has been pretty warm over the past 3 years at lower elevations. In 02 and 04 there were nights in early May, that it did not freeze at night at 8 & 9000'. I would think The West Ridge, with the large amount of snowy terrain at lower elevation, that good snow conditions would be pretty important. It's not what you wanted to hear, eh? Hey, there is always Moonflower or the Kennedy Lowe Route! Jedi

TomTom brought up a good point. One thing I noticed with my outback is the RPM's. At 70mph, I am tach'n 3K. That is a little high and does hurt the gas mileage. My wife's 4Runner is tach's something like 2,500rpm's. Could be wrong but I know it's lower than my Outback. Around 85mph, the tach is humming. In the mountains, pulling two bikes (850lbs) on an open trailer, requires you "to put your foot in it" to get up to bigger hills. Again this is the 4 cyl. Pulled my trailer with 3000lbs on it. Jedi

TomTom brought up a good point. One thing I noticed with my outback is the RPM's. At 70mph, I am tach'n 3K. That is a little high and does hurt the gas mileage. My wife's 4Runner is tach's something like 2,500rpm's. Could be wrong but I know it's lower than my Outback. Around 85mph, the tach is humming. In the mountains, pulling two bikes (850lbs) on an open trailer, requires you "to put your foot in it" to get up to bigger hills. Again this is the 4 cyl. Jedi

Wouldn't it be cheaper just to parachute in? Of course that doesn't help you on the hike out.

I have a 97 Outback Limited. It been a good wagon over the past 7 years. No problems except for some little electrical problems with dash lights. I have the 4 cyl. I would go for the 6 but the gas mileage will be reduced. I have 106K on mine. Going in Monday to get new tranny juice & filter, fix an oil leak and see about a wheel bearing. Then I need to mount some new rotors and pads. The brakes were never as good as my wife's 00 Fouruner. I'm only 5'9 so it sleeps one ok. The 05 is pretty sweet looking! Jedi

http://www.bozemanmountainworks.com/cocoon-pullover.php The Cocoon is pretty lightweight but is expensive. Jedi

Bridgedale's are nice

40' on sport. Missed a clip on Skull Fuk at the NRG. My feet were just above the belayers head. 35' while soloing aid (with a clove hitch) at Looking Glass. Ripped out Rurp & Beak among other things. My rack just touched the ground with rope stretch. Only decked once, from 8', when I missed my 1st clip on a trad route at Seneca. Landed on my back in the talus. Belayer kept my head off the rocks. 15' in a crevasse below the NF of Athabasca. Later that day, I was hit by a "sluff" and took a little ride which I chalk up to my scariest "fall". Shit! looking back on it, I think I'll try to avoid falling from here on out yeah right. Oh yeah, I slipped on some snow hauling loads to the base of Lurking Fear. The haul bag protected my head as I pitched off a boulder, head first, and I punched a hole in my palm. Jedi p.s. Almost forgot the biggest. 70 mph in turn 2 at Carolina Motorsports Park. Backend got away from me and highsided. I remember being WAY TOO high in the air and then I woke up siding down the track with the bike at about 60 mph. My left arm is still 1/2" shorter than it use to be.

Make sure to make a "toe cap" so the finished liner is not too tight on your toes. Jedi

That kinda porn really stirs me up.

Check Montbells windshirts. one only weighes 2.6 oz. The other is like the Marmot & Patagonia Dryclime & Zephurs, just 3 oz lighter. https://www2.montbell.com/america/asp/products/Spg_itiran.asp?cat=2101 Jedi

I haven't tried many packs so I don't have much to compare to. Tried a 15 year Lowe pack, I have my 12 year BD cragging pack, 8 or 9 year old Dana Bomb & an 8 year Astraplane (probably need to sell). None of those qualify as "Alpine" packs. Anyway, the Andinista wears like you would think a pack would without stays. One thing that annoys me is the shoulder straps loosen (at the bottom) on a regular basis. This is a 96 model so they might have a different "adjuster" now. I never use the lid because my helmet hits it and my neck sore by the end of the day. No place good to stick a picket that you can get to it with the pack on. If one had the money, I would think a custom pack would be the ticket. It's like having a better fitting shoe making climbing easier (sneakers compared to climbing shoes). Why would you not want a better fitting pack? I think a porter should come with a 60L or larger pack, if you weigh less than 150lbs. Jedi

I had my share of rainy days there. But there are places to climb in the rain with all the overhanging rock. Camping at Rogers was a good deal last time I was there. He keeps an eye on your stuff while your gone all day. He is over by Kaymoor. Endless is the place to hang out if the weather is cool because it gets quite a bit of sun. Dale, what were your 5 most favorite routes? Jedi

I left my pack in the car today. We were 40 minutes "out". I was thinking how nice it was going light. A lot less hassle and i could move more freely. Then my one year old started to grunt. I thought "shit, I committed and I'm gonna be screwed. I shoulda just brought the pack". Luckily, the "storm" passed and I didn't need any "gear". This post made me go over a couple of my "gear lists" for some of the peaks I have been on. I would like to watch some seasoned Pro's pack their packs before a technical multiday route. One day push is one thing, but once you start biving in sub freezing temp's, there is just so much you need. I make the lists before climbing something. Then I look it over when i get down and see if there anything I did not use. The shovel I like is from Backcountry Access. Alum blade and handle weigh in at 16oz (I shortened the blade). takes up little room in my Andinista. With tents weighing in at 2 1/2 lbs, why not take one. They are lighter than most bivy sacks (unless your in a area where it rains. Sleeping bag & synthetic parka take up the most room. Then there are the rarely used goggles and mitts. But if you need them, damn sure need them. Food: geeze, i wish I could get by with less. But unlike Jon, if I lost 10lbs, I would be in a pinch at 9% body fat. I do think I am gonna try taking 32oz of H20 in my Dromedary (sp?) and brewing up halfway through the day, if the route allows it. Seems silly to have the extra 2lbs on your back. I have always just hated the idea of stopping and taking the time to brew or hoping the weather allowed it. Then there is the chance of dropping something. But I would probably move just a little quicker without the 2 pounds and feel fresher when we stopped. Hope to try my next 3 1/2 day AK route with a 29lb pack (not including ropes, rack, pons & one axe. O-yeah, I forget one little thing to shave a couple oz. I use my 3/4 length Z-rest. I replaced my Andinista pad with 2 pieces of a grey RidgeRest. The 2 pieces have velco that match veclo on the Z Rest. This is in the shoulder blade area and hip area (pressure point area's that get colder, more easily, sleeping on snow).

Does the ipod use AAA's or does it use a rechargable battery? How long does it play before it needs new batt's or to be recharged? Jedi

My wife (my girlfriend at the time) and I were at Kitty Hawk Kites on the Outer Banks off NC. They had a 15' climbing wall. "3 tries for $5" the sign said. My girlfriend said "why don't you give it try?" Those six works have haunted her for eleven years. I climbed 2 "routes". He put my on one he couldn't complete and I peeled off it pretty quick. He told me i should try climbing outdoors.........and i did.The rest is history (well history no one cares about ) Jedi

I think sport climbing will take us to the new level. Entire routes (maybe even a whole rope length), will contain a couple faux bolts attached to the rock with bubble gum. The risk will leave these route to only the most daring Really though, climbing has been a evolution with small leaps every once in a while but no real radical aspects of it have evolved. Yeah, I know, mixed climbing has changed a lot from the 30's but it is still the basic concept. The levels of difficulty have increased with the evolution of gear. Has the level of committment changed? Maybe not, considering the equiptment that climbers took into the mountains and up on walls back in the earlier days of climbing. So then, you have to ask yourself what evolution in gear will allow us to climb unclimbed terrain or climb existing routes faster and with more confidence. Just another aspect of the topic. Jedi

The frontpoints are just like the Grivel G14's.