joshs

You're contradicting yourself. Is it a choice, or not? Are you saying homosexuals have a choice, but heterosexuals do not? Doesn't that imply that, given a choice, 100% of people choose to become homosexual? Does that make sense? I think not. Regarding your "99.999%" figure -- I take it you interviewed 100,000 gay people and 99,999 of them told you they made a conscious choice to become gay? Riiiiight. In fact, have you ever talked to a single gay person who told you this?

Because peace is unpatriotic, right?

Anyone have an opinion on this? Seems like it might help address concerns of pick durability and sturdiness re: other axe/pole hybrids like the BD Whippet. Less comfortable to use as a pole, though, due to the lack of a contoured handle...I wonder if you could glue one on to the shaft below the head? http://www.backcountrystore.com/store/PTZ0061.html?AFC=CJDataFeed

"Better to be dead and cool than alive and uncool."

Come on, guys! How about a little optimism? Freezing levels at 2000ft from tonight through Saturday, dropping to 1000ft on Sunday. All we need is a little precipitation! Come on, weather, you can do it! -Josh

Hi all, Given the weather forecast, I'm considering skipping work tomorrow morning to find some freshies. However, I can't go too far due to time considerations, so I'm looking for something near Snoqualmie Pass. Anyone know of some nice heather / grass slopes that don't require too much of a hike? Kendall Peak, maybe? I suppose I could always just ski the lift-served area right off the freeway -- wheee! Thanks! -Josh

You sound like one of those people who says "Coke sucks, drink Pepsi!" when in fact they both taste like cat pee (I imagine ). You guys are supposed to be alpine hardmen, right? You should just use baking soda, or better yet, sand. -Josh

Here's an alternative to consider: instead of the half-bag, get a pair of insulated pants (e.g. GoLite "Full Moon" pants) and a pair of down booties. That makes it easier to get up and move around (prepare breakfast, etc.) in the early morning w/o freezing your ass off. -Josh

ARRRRR...oh wait, wrong thread.

Well, I have to admit I have no idea what's being taught in your kids' school, and perhaps in light of that, my off-the-cuff remark about you being a "wacko" was a little harsh. However, I do think that the tenets of environmental conservation have firm scientific roots. If your position is that teachers should not attempt to instill any morals or ethics in their students, I can't disagree with you. However, if you're picking on environmentalism in particular because you think it's more religion than science, I think you're off base. -Josh

Fejas (and DFA), I don't understand why you think I'm being closed-minded. What I posted was based on my own observation of the words & actions of religious groups and of the scientific community. Is there any one of my points in particular that you think is untrue? -Josh

Science is not a religion. Religion is based on dogma; science is based on reality and the observation thereof. Religion resists change; science is constantly changing as we learn more about reality and adjust our theories to better represent it. Religion depends on faith (i.e., believing something for no good reason); science encourages skepticism, experimentation, and open-mindedness. Religion seeks to impose moral judgements on behavior and beliefs; science seeks to expose useful information about the world we live in. Any questions? -Josh

Uh-oh...you're not one of those "science is a religion" wackos, are you? Next you'll be telling us the Earth is flat. -Josh

I decided to go ahead and get the Schoeller pants. For $50, it was too hard to resist. Thanks for all the input. -Josh

What is it about the Schoeller pants (that nylon wind pants lack) that makes them "awesome"? Is it just the durability, or something more? -Josh

Thanks for the quick reply! What about non-climbing pursuits such as spring skiing and simple hiking/scrambling? Is durability still a serious issue with the wind pants? If the MEC tights are less wind-resistant, are they also less water-resistant? Which do you think would be more comfortable on a hot summer day--the wind pants (which have no insulation) or the MEC tights (which I suspect might breath a little better)? -Josh

I feel like this must have been addressed before, but I did a search for ("schoeller" and "nylon") and didn't find anything. Anyway, I'm torn between buying the cheapest pair of Schoeller Dryskin pants I can find (e.g. MEC Ferrata tights, about $50 US) and a pair of simple nylon windpants (e.g. GoLite Trunk, which I can get for $18). Aside from the price difference, what are the pros & cons of each? Having never used either, I would expect the high-tech fabric to have a higher "cool" factor , greater comfort, maybe more water-resistance (?), and probably greater durability. However, I know it's heavier and, as I mentioned above, quite a bit more expensive. What would you choose? -Josh

Thanks for all the info, guys. That was very helpful. -Josh

AlpineK, how do you make a T- or L-shaped (cross-section) piece with flat sides and straight edges out of pipe and fittings??? -Josh

Snoboy, an L-shaped piece would probably work OK, but the plastic sled material is not very strong and I suspect an L-shaped piece might put more twisting pressure on it than a T-shape in some situations. I'd definitely settle for aluminum. I just mentioned SS because weight is not a huge issue (otherwise I wouldn't be using a sled at all) and I figured it would be stronger. -Josh

Hi all, I got a $15 kiddie sled from Wal-Mart I'm hoping to use for some ski touring trips in the next few months. Anyway, I've looked high and low at the hardware stores for any piece of metal or plastic with a T-shaped cross-section that I could attach to the bottom to keep it from sliding all over the place. I haven't found anything, so I'm thinking of just having someone custom-build them for me. Does anyone here know of a good place to get that done (I'd probably want them made from stainless steel, ideally, but PVC or something would do in a pinch), or perhaps have an idea for a pre-existing piece that could be used for this? Thanks. -Josh

"We made love in my Mitsubishi van and that's all right with me..." doesn't quite have the same ring to it. -Josh

Any AT or regular (alpine) ski boot will work, I think, but not mountaineering boots. If you need a binding that works with mountaineering boots, try a Silveretta model. -Josh

Powdermag sucks (as far as backcountry skiing). Telemarktips and turns-all-year are pretty good, although the latter is relatively inactive. Maybe you could just put a link from the main forum page here to the turns-all-year site. That is, if turns-all-year doesn't mind being overrun by "discussions" about horsecock and politics.

OK, maybe I'll try that. Thanks for the info guys! -Josh