Norm

quote: Originally posted by AlpineK: If any of you want to ski on truely historic Cascade ski gear my father has 2 pairs of Head Standards (215 cm) with Marker toe pieces and alpine cable bindings. He also has some real skins. WoW! from real live clubbed baby seals?

I've noted also that Tele gear is a lot more prone to break too. What chou talkin bout Willis????? Although I've broken every friggin' tele binding out there in one fashion or another, with the two exceptions (splitting a Riva II plate and ripping a rainy out of the skis, both done in area) I've been able to duct tape/ bailiing wire/ spare cable my way into salvaging a good ski day. Partners half my weight have demolished their randonee bindings and had to limp out on one ski or worse. Tele bindings are more simply constructed and are therefore more easily field repaired. If you big and ski hard buy stainless high bail tele bindings, but beware of the old model rainys because the construction is crap. "Perhaps I'm culturally stereotyping, but I'd think that being French you of all people would appreciate doing something solely for it's aesthetic value" -My responce to a Frenchman who was flipping me shit for teleskiing in the Alps

Criminy what a thread! Ok so I can't resist throwing this out. If it take less than a few hours to get to the rock it's a friggin sport climb bolts gear or whatever! But then, I've got a body built by Rugby and Beer, aspire to climb 5.9, and spend way too much time skiing big mountains to get there any time soon. All joking aside, in the whole fixed anchors in the wilderness debate are bolts that much different than a bridge? Also, is some a wad of fushia webbing slung around three separate trees, which are all about to come out by the roots, more environmentally friendly?

quote: Originally posted by Dru: Judging by my chem school knowledge its pH is *exactly* 7.0... ? Yeah, but since it's just water, it's pH can be easily effected by any thing it comes in contact with like the CO2 in the air, hence if you test ddH2O the pH generally winds up below 7.0

quote: Originally posted by Norm: I picked up a 50l Lafuma a couple of years ago. It's light with minimal suspension and carries up to 40 or so pounds well. I tried loading it up for 6 days in the picketts and regretted it, but it's perfect for long weekend trips with bivy gear, rope, rack, etc. It also caries skis better than any other pack I've used. One more plus, as opposed to a lot of the other light weigh crap on the market, I've thoroughly abused this puppy for a good three seasons and it's still intact. But then as a friend once pointed out on a climb "If we quit drinking beer we'd loose more weight and save more money than we shave/spend with/on the lighter gear." "Yeah, and if a frog had wings it wouldn't bump its ass when it hopped"

I picked up a 50l Lafuma a couple of years ago. It's light with minimal suspension and carries up to 40 or so pounds well. I tried loading it up for 6 days in the picketts and regretted it but it's perfect for long weekend trips with bivy gear, rope, rack, etc. It also caries skis better than any other pack I've used. One more plus, as opposed to a lot of the other light weigh crap on the market, I've thoroughly abused this puppy for a good three seasons and it's still intact. But then as a friend once pointed out on a climb "I we quit drinking beer we'd loose more weight and save more money than we shave/spend with/on the lighter gear." "Yeah, and if a frog had wings it wouldn't bump its ass when it hopped"

The West Ridge of Stuart is a spectacular climb, but beware it's a breeding ground for epics.

I've used both Ascention and Montana and found them to be equivalent as far as climbing and snow glop goes. However, Acsention glue rocks and all other glues suck. I barely got one season out of the Montana's before I had to reglue them. I did so with Ascention glue and am still fat and happy. If the new skis are even close to shaped it'll be worth your while to buy them big and then trim them at the waist as opposed to the old school adage about buying your skins a mm or so narrower than the ski's waist

Jim Mates Custom Boot Service 6500 4th Ave. NW Ballard, WA 98117 206-297-9298 by appointment only bidness card beta

What kind of shop does Mates have and whats it called? You think he'd be open to helping with my current boots, trying to make something work? Does he sell footbeds? He just goes by his name. I've got an old bidness card buried on my desk at home. I'll start the excavaton tonight and post a phone#/ address tomorrow. Working with currently owned/used boots is what he does best

Don't know about boot makers, but if you're anywhere near Seattle Jim Mates is one hell of a good boot fitter. He recently moved his shop from the eastside over to Ballard. Other than that: Duct Tape for blisters.

It only took me 6 days of ski touring to trash their new gore-tex pants. Chalk it up to one more has been in the outdoor industry. I've still foud Marmot and Pattagucci to stand behind their gear for those of you who don't want to support REI.

The old gray Koflachs have reached the end of their usefulness. (read: I can't stand to loose a pound of flesh or a roll of duct tape from my feet per climb any longer). I'm also considering tossing some AT bindings on an old pair of Atomic Tour Caps and in order to engage in a little heel bondage on routes where tele boots aren't the most practical for the ascent. So the question is this; are there any randonee boots out there, which are soft enough to make reasonable climbing boots but still stiffer than adding a cuff to a standard plastic mountaineering boot? Durability is another issue. I'd be happy to find a pair of tele boots with buckles which will last for more than 100 days

"Sin is the salvation of the human race, through its intensified assertion of individuality it saves us from the monotony of type" -Oscar Wilde

I'd only reccomend a class to pick up basic skills, beyond that the best way to learn is to get out there with someone whose willing to take you uder there wing and show you what they know. You can pay for more experienced partners, pick them up in bars, or meet them though mutual friends. [This message has been edited by Norm (edited 08-16-2001).]

Hiering a guide is not necessarily a bad thing but can be an expensive way to get to the next level (depending on what that means). My first question is if you're all ready an acomplished trad sport climber why waste money on a guide for climbing at Washington Pass it's more or less a multi pitch sport area. The approaches are like an hour or two. If you don't have much experience on rock at all, I'd seriously consider a course from one of the local climbing clubs. ------------------ pinninngrinnin