PaulB

I believe that when BD changed their manufacturing process, they sold their old factory to Smiley (now owned by Omega Pacific). Smiley screws were identical to the older BD screws, but were much cheaper, making them excellent value. I'm not sure if they're still using the same production line now though. Omega also sells a "coffee grinder" type attachment that you can retro-fit onto most screws. They don't fold down, but I haven't found that to be a big issue since I only put them on a few screws for "urgent" placements.

After much consideration and consultation, I've ordered a pair of 173cm Havocs (88mm waist). Most everyone I've asked have said "go fat and short". Should have them in a week or so!

How was the river crossing?

I'm keeping the Stinx (yes, they are sweet ).... I just want more toys!

How much should you dial back the length of a ski as the waist width increases? I'm currently on 188cm Super Stinx (70mm), and am considering Crossbows (82mm). Should I be looking at the 179 or the 187cm? I'm planning to use them in the backcountry, and probably some off-piste at the lifts. What are the consequences of choosing too short or too long? I'm 6', 175lbs.

Most people's goggles fog up because they park them on their head until they want to use them. The water vapour coming off their head gets trapped in the goggles, and when they take them off their warm head, and put them on their cold face, the vapour condenses.

There's another map (I don't know who publishes it) which is made from aerial summer photos overlaid with route info and waypoints (actual GPS waypoints for the Spearhead Traverse are provided). It looks a bit fancier than the Baldwin map, but I prefer Baldwin's. As for recommended places to ski, it depends on what kind of terrain you like, and what the snow conditions are. For a relatively easy touring day with access to some short, moderate slopes, the Singing Pass area is good. This is accessed from Whistler, and is usually a safer option when avi conditions aren't great elsewhere. It also doesn't have any glaciers to worry about. For longer runs, head beyond Singing Pass onto the Overlord Glacier, or, if you're feeling good, drop some steep lines down Fissile Peak. On the other other side of the valley, behind Blackcomb, the Spearhead glacier is another great spot for some moderate runs. Get the Baldwin map, it's got all the goods marked on it.

There were a couple good articles about NTN and some early testing on Telemarktips.com, but I can't seem to find them. There was also an article in Couloir or Telemark Skier about it last year. The design concept is that the attachment point will be under the ball of the foot, which gets rid of "tip-toe" feeling that many people struggle with. The general discussion was that it'll probably be a couple more years before its ready, and it'll take even longer for it to significantly penetrate the market. The duckbill will be around for awhile.

The O2 was conceived as the second generation Targa by one of the designers after he left G3. As such, I would expect them to be similar but I've never skied O2's, just T/9's, Riva 2's and Riva Z's. Check out Telemarktips.com and do a search. The binding debates are endless!

Or stay later.....one of the most memorable ice climbing experiences I've had was climbing the first pitch of ICBC by headlamp. We split it into two pitches so we could both take a turn leading in the dark.

No one said you can't toprope, they're just saying to think about how setting up a TR may affect the ice, other climbers and yourself. Especially in popular areas like Marble Canyon. My advice to new ice climbers.... find a partner who leads, and follow them up everything you can. Your technique will improve much faster than it will from endless toproping.

Shouldn't you be promoting CRAGman, or is he not approved for sale by the Kascade Trad Klan??? (I finally got around to reading my CAJ)

I second the minidisc! They're light and run forever on one battery. With compression you can get a lot more than 3 hours onto one disc.

I called the park this afternoon, and they said that the Glacier Creek Road is open, with a rough spot around mile 4 that is passable with careful driving.

So I'm thinking I should get a helmet for this winter. What features should I look for and/or avoid? How warm are they? What makes a $200 helmet better than an $80 helmet if they both meet the same safety standards?

Does anyone know if there has been flood damage on the road up to the Heliotrope Ridge trailhead?

Garmin says their WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) capable units are accurate to within 3 meters, and those without WAAS are accurate to within 15 meters. All external factors being equal, I doubt there would be much difference in accuracy between the different manufacturers.

If you want something new, look at the Garmin Geko 101 or 201. Small, simple and waterproof. If you don't mind some older and bulkier technology, look around for a used Garmin GPS12.

Saw this on the MEC gearswap: like new 404's for $CDN150. The guy has 20 or so pair for sale.

Does anyone know what condition the couloirs on the NE face are in these days?

No thanks, I plan to use it someday.... really, I will!

- Petzl fixed side pulley - Black Diamond Yosemite hammer - Arc'teryx chest harness

This should interest the bouldering crowd: As posted by Zoran Vasic on Bivouac.com: "I would like to inform you about a unique premiere film show the Vancouver Intl Mountain Film Festival is co-producing with the BigUpProductions: "Pilgrimage" featuring the rock climbers Chris Sharma, Katie Brown and Nate Gold on their trip to Hampi, India. All climbers will be present for q&a and autographs. Pilgrimage When: Wednesday, October 1, 7pm Where: Centennial Theatre, 2300 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver Tickets: $12 in advance, $14 at the door. Advanced tix at MEC, The Edge Climbing Centre and at both Cliffhanger gyms. Call (604) 984-4484 for info and tix. Join Chris Sharma on a bouldering pilgrimage to the sacred village of Hampi, in the south of India. Along with friends Katie Brown and Nate Gold, Sharma has come to explore the infinite possibilities of this place, where ancient Hindu temples nestle among thousands of unclimbed granite boulders. Sharma's legendary strength and natural approach to what he calls "the practice of climbing" yield spectacularly difficult and beautiful new boulder problems. In Hampi, where Saddhu holy-men spend years meditating in caves beneath the boulders, Chris pursues his own unbelievable form of meditation on the very same rocks. Katie Brown was one of the world's most famous and accomplished rockclimbers until she burnt out and quit climbing at the age of 19. Two years later, free from superstar expectations, she's begun to find joy in climbing once again. Like the Hindu pilgrims who flock to Hampi's temples, Brown has come to rediscover something sacred. Seen through the eyes of Sharma, Pilgrimage is a breakthrough climbing movie that combines world-class action with a rare and inspiring view into the mind of the greatest climber of our time. "

I would have thought that bulky liners would make for a tighter fit, not more loose... The fit was pretty tight around my foot, but the overlap closure of the liners was too big for the ankle of the shell to wrap around and provide good support. Some people might not mind this, but I didn't like it. In the end, I returned the Alphas and put the liners in my ski boots.

I tried Intuiton Liners in Alphas and found that the liner was too bulky for the shell. Made the ankles much more loose than I liked.