stinkyclimber

Probably longer too once the glaciers melt down. Get on it now to avoid the difficulties still buried.

This theory works well unless in the process of the swimmer being swept back to the side the rope is attached the ropes snags on something in the river...which case the swimmer is now attached to a fixed rope, attached to a point below the surface which will mean that the swimmer will then get forced below the surface. This is the nightmare scenario for raft guides fishing their clients out of a river which is why ropes are used very carefully around moving current. Having said all that, I have had to cross shit like that and you do what you need to do to sort it out. Sometimes it can never be that safe and if you want to stay safe, then don't leave the house. I probably would have just tied a small loop at the end of the rope as a hand hold, rather than tieing myself in...but hey, it worked this time. It sounds like a great trip with great adventure - good on ya.

If you were walking underneath a guy with his tackle and his ass hanging out, would YOU be looking up? Fuck, no....eyes to the ground, eyes to the ground.

We will also rape your dog, so watch out for that security system of yours. Seriously? It is not any more of a worry than anywhere else in North America. Use common sense, etc., but hey, when you leave a car in a desolate spot with no one around for days at a time, full of $$ shit, it is always possible you will get jacked. Of course, same goes for leaving your car virtually anywhere in most cities.

What you did in this video was wrong. You must never trundle unless you can watch that big bad bitch bounce down and destroy stuff every meter it falls, otherwise it is a waste of gravity. I hope you learned your lesson and next time only post videos of the full trundle, not just the launch. I feel so unfulfilled.

A quicker although less aesthetic approach to Isosceles and N. Ridge of Sphinx is to drive up the Brohm Ridge logging road, get past the gate, park in the alpine. From there you can access Isosceles in a long day, and Sphinx in a little less.

Wearing a BASE rig is hardly like having a bolt at your waist and a belayer wearing capris and sipping a Red Bull next to your crag dog down below. He would have to get a decent, planned push off when he fell in order to get into the right flight position. The consequences of a broken foothold or an unplanned slip would be the same as doing it solo without a parachute. And even then, BASE is pretty fucking dangerous. Seems pretty crazy to me.

Yep, check out the MEC Alpinelite 30. It is supposed to be MEC's replacement for the Genie after they closed down Serratus. I haven't used it (I bought a new Genie to replace my dead one just before they ran out) but have seen it in the store and they look as light and compressible as the Genie, but actually more useful - real side compression straps, and more comfortable shoulder straps. I'll buy one when my second Genie dies. At $54, you can't go wrong.

I think most people are downclimbing/rapping Skyladder nowadays for that reason - for most of the past few seasons, AA has been a nightmare. or else, they climb up to the Atha'B glacier descent.

I don't think there are any climable seracs on the Columbia glacier, but you may be able to find something on the glacier below the north face bowl of Andromeda...but I think you will find it is a little more active than you would want! Same with the glacier coming down off the north side of Atha'B - nothing like the benign serac fields of Baker, but I could be wrong. If you are into some easy ice, then try NF of Atha'B or Skyladder on Andromeda.

My vote is the pack and play too, if you are talking about car camping. We borrowed a large 4-person tent, and there was plenty of room in there for all of us (a 12 month old, in our case). He is fine sleeping between us w/o, but the challenge is between the time we put him down (7PM) and when we go down (later!) - I am not sure what he would do...probably wander around the tent for a while then fall asleep in the corner! Probably OK, but not ideal. Pack and play provides much more certainty. Oh, and to add: our guy sleeps way better outside, in the tent. First time was at about 6 weeks. We never worry about it effecting his routine since it always works so well (and he is quite a wacky sleeper!). Next step: longer canoe trips or multi-day hikes. Will wait till next year on that!

I just saw an update on Bivouac on the Meager area logging roads to access the Manatee. You'll have to check over there - I can't remember the details (and there were quite a few in the update!).

Wow, it isn't often you see mogul runs going to ground:

"I squeeze my cunny muscles tightly and he knows zis is when he must pull ze cord or we are a dead fuck."

Last week someone did both the Spearhead and the Neve in a day. I always thought doing them each as day trips on a single weekend was enough, this guy has upped it a notch. See TR at bivouac. We were descending to Gentian Pass on our way to Sphinx Hut and saw a guy skiing across the lake at 5PM or so and thought, we will see him tomorrow on the Neve, but nary saw a sign. Now I know.

I'd second the generic option, this time the MEC duffles. Probably way cheaper than the name brands and likely all sewn in the same factory in Asia. Geez, people, it is just a big bag...no carbon fibre or logos required.

I am pretty sure this is described in Baldwin's ski guide so probably check that out first. Check Bivouac too. I am sure I have seen at least one TR there.

Well, witness the popularity of all the sub-9 routes on the Apron, and of the Butress (which by pulling on gear can be climbed by almost all by the newest leader, and for parts of it is quite jungle-like). Europa is not a step up or down really from the 9s on the Apron, nor the Buttress. What it may do is help spread everyone around a little more and keep down crowding. Also, one of my favourite routes of all time is the W ridge of Pigeon, and it is "only" 5.4. I love it and it is always on my tick list even though it is well below my abilities. Europa may be the same to many other people. Topping out on the chief or any large formation is usually fun for all but the most jaded uber-climber.

The other access to the Monarch area, although longer, is coming in from the Hunlen Falls trail, across the lakes (Junker, etc.) and then up to the end of the icefield just below Monarch itself. With the sounds of the snowpack this year, this might be safer than the Ape Lake approach in April. I think it took us 3 days from trailhead to the icefield. Not really sled-terrain (not ski-doos...pulks/crazy-carpets) thou so you have to be ready to carry everything for at least part of it. Anyway, you can get to Cereberus in 4 days (with good weather and good trailbreaking conditions), and from there only 1 day to Ape Lake. So you can easily do the traverse without an airdrop, even with bad weather days planned in. But you'll want to spend some time up there - it is great.

Gee i wonder WHY it hasn't had a second ascent. Some routes don't get 2nd ascents because they are too hard. Some routes don't get 2nds because they aren't worth repeating. And some routes get a ski descent before getting a 2nd ascent, no? Or did the Whistler boys ski Beautiful Nightmare on Plinth before you guys climbed it?

You used to be able to mail your holey thermarest to Cascade Designs and they would fix it for $5 flat fee. If they couldn't fix it, and if they would either replace it (if defective) or give you the option to buy a new one for wholesale. Not sure if they still do that, but I found it way easier to mail the bugger back then fuck around trying to find some tiny little bubble in my bathtub. Yes, I am lazy. Of course, my primary strategy was to avoid getting holes, which I am pretty good at.

I have only driven the highway passes into both communities in the summer, and both look to feature easily accessible alpine terrain from anywhere you can find a pull out (of which there are many). I am sure there are specific spots that a local will be able to point you too, but failing that, get in a car, drive, pick a likely looking spot and start skinning. No bush, etc. TTips.com has some AK locals on the board that could likely provide you with specific beta and maybe even local partners.

This is a massive understatement. You will find so much information and discussion on tele bindings on ttips that you will want to bash your head in with one by the end. So, to get more info on your question, go there. We are all amateurs on this board when it comes to tele gear critique.

Doug doesn't look a day older than the last time I saw him 10 years ago (altho is jacket isn't as dirty). Too bad his boots didn't hold up the same way.

I was there in early December last year and was in for a rude surprise. Early December is very early season for the Sierra, unlike the coast. There was skiing, but it was marginal. I skied heavenly. it was ok, but zero vis and shitty snow, plus a distate for resort skiing meant it didn't excite me at all. Driving around I found a HUGE XC-ski area near Donner Pass called Royal Gorges, I think. I rented some classics there and did a quick 60KM and never cross my tracks once. Awesome grooming. Altho the weather was too poor to get into the alpine, their trail network goes way high up. It would be a great place with the kids. You can rent it all there. Google them - their website is pretty full. I can't imagine there would be much ice there this early in the season - it just seemed too warm and too dry. But I wasn't really looking, so who knows. Ask at telemarktips.com. there are plenty of Tahoe locals that could help way more.