Icypeak

People without this problem just don't understand. The skin on my feet is soft as a baby's butt, and sweats heavily. No anti-perspirant can touch it (at least it's not smelly, just wet!). I've tried big boots, small boots, wide boots, etc, not much difference. Plastic boots with a more pronounced rocker to the sole do help prevent heel slip when hiking, and prolong the time until blisters form. Very soft/flexible boots also do the same thing, but aren't adequate for steeper ice. The pads really do help, but, to the inconvenience of others I climb with, I also still have to change my socks 2 or 3 times per day, to keep things dry and prevent skin breakdown. We all have our crosses to bear I guess, and, as disabilities go, this is a pretty minor one, so I can't complain too much. I just hang the socks off my pack to dry as I go. A climber who works at Black Diamond and has the same problem let me know about BungaPads. -David

I've suffered with easy blistering for years. My feet sweat heavily, and refuse to form callous, even after extended training hikes and climbs. If I don't change socks every few hours, I may even get 'trench foot' (painful skin breakdown with severe 'prune foot', like standing in bathwater for a few hours)! Thousands of dollars spent in the highest quality boots, insoles, tapes, etc. didn't help. I've now discovered something that's really helped out a lot. I still get squishy feet, but blistering has been rare, and much more superficial than the previous nasty, deep, blood blisters. They're called Bunga Pads (www.bungapads.com, I think), and no, I don't work for them or know them personally. They were invented for hockey, figure, and speed skaters, but work great for climbing and hiking. They are a polymer gelpad, bonded to an elastic sleeve that fits over the problem areas of your feet or toes. They make many different sizes and shapes, and aren't priced too badly. Eventually, the pad will delaminate from the sleeve, but they should last you at least a season or 2. They've really made me enjoy tele skiing a lot more. Last thing I can think of trying is to get Botox (butulinum toxin)injections to the skin of your feet. It will kill off sweat gland activity for 4 to 6 months at a time, but costs a fortune, and not covered by insurance, of course. Think I'll hold off on that one! Good luck. -David

Thanks Jason, Now I understand. I did a lot of playing around in the icefall many years ago, and went out that way. I was under the wrong impression that the above message was to WARN of crevasse danger on the C-D route, rather than as an invitation to them!

Even 'trivial' glaciers can occasionally burn you, as posted above about the interglacier. A few years ago, while glissading down Mt Ruth, unroped, I popped into a hidden hole up to my armpits. There were no visible crevasses on the entire route, and, given the presence of other unroped parties, I had assumed that crevesses were unheard of there. I came back there the following year late in the fall, and saw the glacier bare of all snow, and it was riddled with many narrow crevasses. I see plenty of parties with inadequate gear, not using the gear they are carrying, or carring plenty of gear, with no idea of how to use it. I'm sure you all have similar experiences. I'm going up Baker this weekend as a rope of 3, with 1 novice, and will spend an entire extra day training him in crevasse rescue. Maybe not enough, but hopefully some insurance to save my butt, if another 'surprise' happens. -David

Could you please clarify your description for me? I'm going up the Coleman-Deming next weekend. I've been up that route 4-5 times over the past 20 years, last 3 years ago. I don't know what the 'Mirkwood camp' is, or what 'trails' you're referring to. Are you saying that, instead of taking the climber's trail up Heliotrope ridge, and then up the glacier to Black Buttes camp, to keep going on the main trail 'till you can descend to the Coleman Icefall, and pick a route up from there? Thanks for clearing this up for me. -David