genepires

banff! not even a whole days drive. You could get 5 solid days and a half day on the last before driving home. Xmas can be cold sometimes and the days are short but how much time do you need to get up 3 or 4 pitches anyway?

the key element for wands is that you place them every rope length. If you go down in a white out, the idea is that the last person never goes past a wand without the first climber being at another wand. If the first is not at a wand (and the last person is) then the rope team swivels till the wand is found and you continue onwards. If the wands are farther than a rope length, then you can easily miss the way. It is slow and you need lots of wands, but this practice has worked well for me many times. The only time this didn't work well was when it snowed 4 feet and the wands were buried. Simple compass work, help from the last person (see below) and a dash of luck got us back. If you had some specially marked wands (maybe different tape) that marked change in direction, then a recorded bearing or simply knowing the is a change would be very helpful. some people will record a basic plan for the ascent before the ascent to include rough bearings and altitudes at major features. That way they hove something to climb with or follow back if the weather turns at some point. I would much rather follow a wand track than follow bearings or a gps or a record of bearing and altitudes. Much faster. I have never used a gps unit as I am too old school. So I can't really compare the ancient techniques vs modern tools. Heck, I got a altimeter watch around 6 years ago after a lot of back talk about it. And I really like it now and that has saved me a couple times too. For navigating backwards with compass, it is very hard to follow a bearing conistently for the person up front. Small errors compound for significant error. It is best if both the front and back person use the compass. The back person can use the visual of the straight rope team along with the compass bearing to keep the rope team going the right way. It is annoying for the first person to be told many times to move left or right but it is very important. This has also helped me out a couple times.

mt ass-shot in the butt crack range?

so if it doesn't rain much when the leaves are turning, then the leaves are brighter?

is it by mt temple? super couliour on deltaform?

I was thinking of why the colors have been so noticeable this fall. The only thing I can think of is that we haven't had a string of burly windstorms to knock all the leaves down as they turn. So we get trees that are turning and staying colorful. A very nice fall so far!

in case you didn't check, the side of the device (at least my old one) states the rope size allowed and it goes from 10 to 11mm ropes. Maybe the newer ones go down to 9.7 but I wouldn't bet on it. I would think to use it on only 10mm and above.

I live in monroe and currently are working in the marysville area during the day.

I got one and have never used it. As I have a kid now, I doubt that I will ever will. Maybe you have the time and gusto to put it to good use. I will sell it for $60. If I have to mail it to you, then we can talk about it but I would rather sell it face to face and with cash. PM me. thanks gene

I seem to remember reading something about this previously but am unable to find it in the search. so I ask, is there a outfit that you would use for sewing new slings on cams? I have used metolious for my metolious cams but they don't do other companies cams. I have a mix of cams that need slings and don't want to send it out to 4 different companies. I would like one shipment to get it done. Something like yates? Anything closer like here in washington? thanks gene

when they first came out, I thought the arches were too high and my flattish feet got blisters under the arch after some 8 odd miles. I sold them right away. Maybe it was a fluke. Maybe they changed the design. Maybe you have high arches. This was something I couldn't determine in the store.

If you are talking of the huge boulder at the top of the climb, then you should know (and every newbie reading this) is that it is NOT well anchored. It is sitting on a sloping slab with sand between the boulder and the slab. Got to be the worst boulder to make your anchor on. It should have a "do not use this boulder or die" sign on it. yeah it was a very good day in the icicle. Nice temps and pretty trees.

Got one day off (sunday) and would like to hit up some good craggin at n bend or the icicle. would like to get on 9's and 10's at either. PM me if interested.

a parka that might be ok for the w rib may not be ok for the cassin. Yeah it is the same mtn but the commitment is different and you may be forced to climb in bad weather. Hence a serious down jacket may be a requirement. I don't mean to be an ass, but someone who is even considering going up the cassin should not need gear info from this website. All the needed info should have been learned in the real alpine classroom. Usually by bad judgements. The same could be said for the w rib (somewhat commiting) and the base camp circuits. Never underestimate the alaska range. I've been on 8 different routes in the park and every one of them had a serious section to it at one time or another. even the control tower made me shit my pants once. good luck up there. I am jealous!

the best goretex jacket is the one that stays in the pack or car because the weather is so nice. I am not a big fan of wearing hard shells all day, only when it gets really bad and wet, in which case I am going back to the car. So my preference for hard shells is one that is very light and there is a patagonia anorak type shell is very good. I forget the name or even if they still make it. How about a very thin n light shell for bad weather judgement days with a wind shell (wild things) for day to day use?

I loved the sarkens for alpine snow and ice and mixed ground, but I felt that the front points were too long for winter ice climbing. Was harder to get the secondary points to set in. I used the dartwin (replacement for sarken recall) this last winter and in alaska this spring and I felt it did well for both seasons. It would be nice to have a "one crampon for all seasons" but they don't really exist. The closest I have found is the dratwin. You might be happier if you had two pairs of poons, one for steep waterice ice and one for alpine terrain. When you mentioned mixed routes, do you mean mixed routes like vertical rock (vertical mono point)or mixed like in snow and low angle rock in alpine (dual horizontal point)? Very different crampons for each.

I would not think vanilla wafer and kiwi is durable enough for backcountry use. Seems like you would have crumbs and kiwi juice everywhere. I have liked dried mango with nutella on it.

it was only a matter of time before they went under. It cost alot to produce the magazine and without the excessive ads, they have been losing money from the first issue. It was not a big money making project. I think they would have been happy to break even. It was a wealthy man's sponsored project.

When you ask about "bad ass winter storm", do you mean high winds or many feet of fresh snow? Let us assume you mean winds, in which case the buried in camp is a absolute requirement, regardless of tent type or design. A protected summer tent will fare better than a exposed "4 season" tent.

if you go to the coleman seracs now, it will resemble honest winter ice conditions, brittle and hard. It will be very unlike the usual summer "buttery" conditions. You will need to get up there soon before the snow bury the low angle ice and possibly put a light cover over the smaller crevasses. If you head up there, do so in the next two weeks if the season progresses as normal.

go to both. it is only about 3 or 4 hour drive away. spend 3 or 4 days in j tree. when your tips are trashed, go to RR. If you are still trashed, go to zion for a little canyon sight seeing.

well some guide services get discounts on items used for rentals. While I have not been a part of the office environment for a guide service, it would not surprise me if some services got free gear for their rental department. Mainly services like exum. While not "sponsored", it is a financial factor to push a guide service to go with a product. Besides, the clients,sherpas and guides have to carry the heavy gear anyway. I have a jaded idea on NF but it is mainly the clothes. There ve tents are very good tents. While MH tents are also sturdy, they are heavier than the sort of heavy NF tents due to so many "bells and whistles". IMO, MH would make great tents if they got rid of the extra crap. Old wild country tents (terra nova) was the best tents distributed here but that is gone by the way side like grivel.

just because "the biggest names" use them does not mean anything. Those people could be paid to use them gear. called sponsorship. There are plenty of good climbers using crappy NF gear. If walmart sponsored climbers, there would be some great climbers wearing the walmart apron, sending hard none the less.

Hey Jason, can I be a newbie?? It has been a while since I got out. Maybe you can guide me!

that is the coolest avatar image!