plexus

So of course singing its praises, I broke the strap on one of my BD flintlock poles today. Are those tabs easy to get a hold of? Anybody know? BTW, the powder was incredible at Loveland today. A balmy 8 degrees with winds from 40 mph headwind on Chair 4 to non-existent in the trees.

I was out at Source Lake the day of your trip and I can attest, the snow was flipping horrible. I thought I was going to break my skis a couple of times. The photos are magnificent as always - especially the hoar shots. I have to ask though, do your climbing/skiing partners ever get impatient with your shutterbug-itis?

Flintlock hands down. I got rid of my REI poles because the twist locking gets effed up way too easy. Happened to my last pair after 12 times using it.

I can't believe I was gullible enough to click the link. I've only used the kid sleds around the Cascades and they wear out pretty quickly. I can check with a friend to see what he used on Denali.

Lost a pair of OR shell mitts out of my pack on Thursday up on the slopes leading down to the Source Lake trail at Alpental. Given that I flew back to Denver yesterday, give them a good home. The conditions were horrible for my AT skis and I now must make amends to them by getting them a tune and a wax.

The pack will only throw off your balance and restrict your movements. Stick with what feels comfortable for you. Get some beaters used, spend very little on them and use that as your benchmark for a season of bc. That's what I did and I am glad (and less poor) I chose that path. Plus I think I became a better skier (which isn't saying much) turning on beaters as well.

Demo some skis. If you live in Utah there should be some demo days at some of the resorts coming up soon. I know being here in Colorado there has already been one and not all of the resorts are open. I prefer a shorter ski myself. But my backcountry skis are actually a little longer than my downhill skis just because I like that extra float on the approach but it's not so much I have problems turning them on the way down.

I did just that and my email got bounced back to me. I just find it odd that one can last five years and then I have gone through three in two years; the last one not even lasting four months and not with hard use either.

Got my first one about six years ago. It lasted nearly five years before it was getting rather wrinkled and untrustworthy. Since then I have gone through three of them; my third developing a slow leak from an indiscernable hole near the nozzle. Anybody else having these problems? Did they change the thickness of the plastic on the bladders in the past few years, because I abused my first one?

The month on the calender means less than the conditions that are present. How close can you get? How much slogging are you going to be doing? Do your research, keep tabs on what the weather has been like and what the conditions will be like up there. Keep in mind you are getting less and less daylight as I was reminded a couple of weekends ago.

If I want lift skiing, I can get it here and now in Colorado. Scary considering how dry it's been. Just was bringing the Shuksans for a couple days of touring with a good friend - something we haven't done together for a few years.

Remember to bend your knees, lift with the legs. I have a copy of Joyce's Ulysses as well anybody can have. Tried reading the bloody thing three times. Each time I get about 100 pages in I ask myself, "What have I just read? What's going on?" It's a shame because I really enjoy Dubliners.

Kinda concerned looking at pics and talking with friends. Coming out the first week of December and the dearth of snow is making me apprehensive. Was gonna bring my skis with me to get a couple of days of backcountry crud. Can somebody do a snowdance for me?

You leave your crashpad parked at Rocky Mountain NP even though it's only a 1-mile hike in to your super-secret, totally-stokedom V12 problem that now goes because you chipped a hold. Your friend's 3-year-old climbs better than you.

Therefore it is wise to have Harry Potter to be your climbing partner.

Don't know about the 20th, but I'll be able to tell you how it's like on the 21st. Any preferences? I was thinking Fletcher.

1987 in the Sandia Mountains. I was 11 and my dad taught me. I loved the climbing part, hated the rappelling - some things never change.

Same here Bug. And I usually use a clove hitch on both pieces. Rarely do I oppose the pieces as protection but have done it a number of times building anchors.

I ride on Shukans so everything looks fat to me.

Whoa you were definitely riding the plab boards weren't you? What's the cut on those obese boys?

Oh, don't apologize. You're absolutely right. I've lived here for over four years now after living in Washington and have exactly ONE 14er under my wing. And I did it because I thought it was going to be a fun 4th class scramble. Boy was I wrong. I've done some mixed climbing on Quandry, but once the NE face pettered out to the slogging, we rappelled.

Are you going to use those when you go walrus hunting? ScottyBob's must have come out with a new retro model this year!

Went running yesterday in shorts and a t-shirt and looking out my sliding glass door, I have over two inches of freshies on my balcony. One more storm and I'm finding some backcountry stashes. Funny to be thinking about skiing but knowing I'm climbing in the Flatirons on Tuesday morning. Hell, anything is better than the white strip of death .

I always look forward to your posts and your flora and fauna pics. And I think your friend is stronger than my hometown Bears. (groan)

And so Dru can find your booty gear on the mountain.