iain

After it starts dumping up there for the year that route turns into a ski run (or a long slog with a bergschrund problem). Better as an alpine ice (earlier) climb. Unfortunately we did not get the early coldness and now it is snowy. Of course if you have been skunked on it I can see why you would want to take care of unfinished business.

AT settup? Ttalk to Mike Hattrup I see three categories of AT gear out there. There is the so-called "freeride" crowd that uses the beefiest gear available, maybe skinning just above lifts or huts and burling through stuff, the do-it-all crew that has pretty beefy gear but does a fair amount of touring, and the superlight touring/racing folks who have insanely light gear and dance over anything. The difference in weight between these categories can be enormous. The standard dynafit binding, for example, is over 3 pounds lighter than the fritschi freeride binding. I'd start with something cheap, maybe used, until you put on a bunch of miles in backcountry snow. Otherwise you'll probably thrash your fancy new gear when you are wiping out in breakable crust, wind-hammered junk, rime, rocks, etc. The advice to put most of your money in on boots is spot-on. I'd go new here myself, or get some older boots and buy some thermoform liners. Sierra Trading Post was selling dynafit thermofit liners for dirt cheap just recently. They are light.

burksh@rd9000

I really think meth is the way to go. A lot of the mug shots look like really skinny people. You also will have no money to buy food.

Regardless, I've heard it kicks ass if you are into sport climbing. Super cheap, and the local economy is heavily supported by tourist climbers, so they are very friendly and accomodating. A lot of multipitch bolted sport climbs. Apparently a 70m rope will serve you well there. This is all secondhand info, I apologize, but it sounds like a good time for a winter break. Maybe someone who has spent some time there can chime in.

On a crowded day it's probably faster to skin back up lower heather to do laps than wait for the 2 lift lines. You would probably get mowed down by some boarder though. I wonder if you violate the out of bounds rules if you take Star up, ski down lower Heather, then skin up to just out of bounds on upper heather and work that if it is crowded. I bet you'd get a talking to.

Dying would make me bitchy and on edge too.

yeah timberline has too many large boulders and wind-sheared rime up high to ski early season. plus if there's any winter storm t-line gets it in the face, as the snow moves on to settle in white river. there are those rare magical days there though...

a thead revival of thread nostalgia = lamer than the family ties "remember when" episodes.

HAHAHA yoda you are so awesome lifting x-wings and rm -rf'n up peoples root dirs and shit

I will bet you 1 billion cheese-filled horsecocks she's on a mac

nice...can you type that fast enough before it locks up

It's Odell Lake. Don't be jealous that you can't do the ™ w/o installing some service pack or whatnot.

YER WELCOME!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!™™™™™

option-2™

yes it is the mold for catbirdseat's rack of backup BD nut tools when the calipers lie about appropriate nut size

I bet it was massive head trauma plus a sprained ankle

I wonder if there has ever been an ice climbing accident that did not involve a ankle/tib-fib fx/sprain.

as in Lake Erie?

This one's for rumr. FRESHIEZ Went up to Meadows today. They remain closed for another week, but there's already more snow up there than almost any time last year. Skinned to top of Cascade Express, then cut over to A-Zone. Dropping into A-Zone was a little sketchy with patches of ice, but there was snow where needed. There is also a strange glacial crevasse-like structure in there so be careful. Incredible amount of snow up there, but still pretty bony up around Heather Ridge. Mt. Hood from Twilight Bowl: Top of A-Zone: Looking back up A-Zone: Looking up towards Superbowl: Looking down upper Heather Canyon (Hal Burton in foreground): Most of the skiing was very satisfying, though there were some patches of hard steep ice in places. The snowpack is quite stable at the moment despite the intense snowfall, hence the trip into upper Heather. We ended up doing laps on lower Heather once we skied upper Heather. A nice skin track was set, and a number of fun people joined in the party, making lap after lap. Great start to the season! I was amazed. Enjoy!

That my friend, is the world-famous Hi-Lift all-cast 60" off-road jack. And I have two of them to sell if anyone is interested. Brand-new, never used. http://www.hi-lift.com/products/jacks.htm

UNLEASH THE WEBCAMS

I agree, but if you are going to the time and effort of trimming your skins to fit, you might as well get your money's worth. Ski crampons are for pansies and telemarktips readers!