bobinc

1) Unicorn Peak (Tatoosh) -- zillions of dinner plates on upper "slopes"; amazing no one was maimed or killed 2) Johannesburg, NW Buttress (or was it NE? luckily memory is fading). Plenty of near-vertical brush and heather topped off by unprotectable slushy swimming near the top. Only 13 hrs up (and only 13 hrs down via a different route). Truly a test of patience. 3 - ...) Any volcano before I learned to tele.

They are working on getting some aerobic equipment in there, which will be a plus now that the rains seem to be upon us.

I propose allocating Fee Demo funds to the chopping projects.

Right. More like unbelievably dense andesite (at least in some spots).

Does anyone happen to know if the IB FA party is the same entity responsible for the brushing, flagging and installation of unneeded sport-type anchors on the approach and main gullies of the standard Garfield route (which is inside the Wilderness boundary, in case anyone cares). Also would be interested in knowing the party or parties responsible for the flagging of the alternate approach route which ends up at the waterfall area to the west of the main approach. It is annoying to find so much pink tape placed so unnecesarily, not to mention sport anchors (complete with chains) drilled right next to perfectly usable existing anchors.

I have a number of these now. I suppose I believe the hype (box specs) but I try to fall less since they look like they will just snap.

If you like something run out with awful rope drag, near-vertical moss, and plenty of highway noise, you could try the east face. I did it 25 years ago when I was a clueless high school student and really enjoyed it.

Sounds about right. You forgot to mention it's also a popular Mountie destination ("intermediate" climb).

I have a 10 YO Highlander which is in excellent shape that I'd give you a screamin' deal on. I like the layout of the pack and have used it on several trips. Problem is, that's the "old" Osprey, as in loaded with straps and kinda heavy. But it will last forever. I assume you want something newer with lighter fabric but if not, let me know.

It is behind the times but "that's the rules." Seem to recall the guys out in front had found some old-school, slim-line alpine boots from way, way back, thus giving an advantage in terms of lighter weight. But that part of the relay is kinda weird in general: just a straight climb up the hill inside the ski area and then a run down the cat track. Not the "status" leg of the race at all.

If you use them every day, they need to be replaced about every 6 months to be effective. As others have stated, they don't provide cushioning, but the support almost seems more valuable than cushioning. But once you have chronic foot pain like plantar fascitis, you have to go for either the Birkenstock blue insert or the full-on orthotics from the podiatrist (I have both).

I didn't have the turgid sausage problem on a 4 day trip to the Winds last summer, but I didn't use the pack as much more than a hauling device (that is, not technical use where I desperately needed a 2nd tool, etc.). I think it's nominally bigger than 4k cubes when fully extended but this may not matter much. The stripped-down design I find quite refreshing and it's collapsibility is also a big plus.

That IS very good advice to go on your own; this tends to cause more independent exploration and discovery. It's been many years since I went, but we carried our own stuff and went at our own pace. Having a loose schedule makes it easy to take side trips and stay over at noteworthy places. Non-scripted days also helped, as dryad says, with avoiding AMR, as I topped out at nearly 18k despite having a history of altitude problems.

I'll bet you also don't tie in with the lemming knot (aka 2x figure 8)!

My guess is the E Butt of El Cap still has meltwater running on it, for what that's worth. Another good moderate is Commitment, over by Yos Falls area. Interesting and challenging, especially early in the season.

The Canterbury is a great place to catch up on your second-hand smoking.

This looks like a good weekend NOT to go to RR...

Funny how different this thread would appear if it were titled, "Fred Beckey and My Wife".... Jim IS the ultimate anti-salesman. Or perhaps he is a guy's ultimate shopping assistant because he is attuned to how men buy things-- get in, get out, etc etc. BTW, give Jim business -- avoid the temptation to head to the WalMarts of the climbing world...

Yes, in general you must exaggerate the turn (and make sure you finish it, too) and weight both skis evenly. It also helps to go as much toward parallel position as you can...

It sounds like Santa did really deliver these, given the air of mystery... The basics of skiing, as long as your skis have metal edges, are simple, whether you have modern alpine bindings, tele bindings, or duct tape bindings. If you apply weight to the edge of the ski, it carves a turn. Take the weight off, and the ski (and skiier) fall downhill under gravity's influence in the direction of the most gradient. The tele aspect will make things more difficult, as you will have to work harder to transmit your intention through the binding to the ski. However, if you do well on a tele setup, you will tend to be a better skiier overall because you can't cheat as much if you want to get down the hill gracefully. Simple, right? Well..... It may be you would have to throw yourself on the mercy of some benevolent friends to get started. After that, depending on how you feel about your progress and your overall goals, lessons are indeed a good idea.

What kind of skis? Have you skiied before? What is your objective in use of said skis (lift-served only, backcountry, ski mtnrg, etc)?

As recently as last weekend, he was spotted eating a somewhat historic chocolate donut en route to skiing; it had been harvested from a book signing earlier in the weekend...

A hearing aid would last longer...

If you just want a month, it's $67. If you want to sign up for a year and pay every month automatically, it is $49/mo. If you prepay for a year, you get a month free, so it's about $45/mo. I don't think they offer quarterly or 6 mo breaks. The gym I was referring to in Seattle is Vertical World. Unless they have raised rates recently, the cost is $40/mo (+tax) for the annual contract with monthly electronic withdrawal. The gym is bigger and has more amenities than PRG; it doesn't have a dedicated yoga room and the shower area is smaller and unheated.

Also, to clarify, the monthly rate I am using is based on an annual contract where you pay by electronic transfer every month. If you pay up front, you get a month free. If you just walk in and pay by the month, the new rate is $67 vs $59 from before (based on Will's info).