Dustin_B

I ended up going with the Scarpa Alphas with the new thermofit liners. Got some custom footbeds and the liners heat molded last night. The verdict is still out, but just walking around indoors they felt pretty nice. Tried on the Vasque ICE 9000 at Feathered Friends and I was not at all impressed after all the hype those things have gotten. Certainly not $500 impressed. The liner seemed pretty manky.

I checked out the new BD tents in Feathered Friends the other day. Since they are basically the same as a Bibler tent with Epic instead of Todd-tex, does that imply that they are rated at 4-season tents? I know since they are epic they won't keep out really hard rain, but will they stand up to strong winds?

That's an insulting and offensive analogy.

I love my Mountainsmith bag. It is true to the advertised weight (26 ozs w/ stuff sac for size long) and packs down impressively small. It might be closer to a 35 degree bag instead of a true 30 degree bag. I was pretty cold in it one September night when it was 28-30 degrees and I was close to neked. I always wear at least a long under top when I sleep now! On Rainier last June it got down to ~27-28 degrees and I was fine. Great bag, I highly recommend it. The downside is that its spendy for a 30 degree bag, $270. You might also consider their sub two pound 15-degree version (can't remember what its called, 'vision' maybe). Depends on what you're looking for.

Well, fair enough, but I never said "he doesn't like to climb because he's black". Read my first post again, I said (paraphrased) "there is a connection between the fact that he doesn't climb AND he is black". That was an inference to the fact that most of us don't know any black climbers. I could see how what I said could be interpreted the way you did but I think most people understood what I was hinting at. The author goes on to say why he doesn't feel the need to put himself through suffering unnecessarily which I thought was insightful. For the record, 75% of South Africans are black. Thanks for the link.

Yes, I did mean black when I said not South African. Never been there but it seems like all the folks I've seen from South Africa are white, but whatever. The author's name had nothing to do with my assumption that he was black (it was the other articles he's written that led me to that assumption) so I fail to understand your analogy between my name and me being white. But whatever, again. You really missed my whole point though which was that this supports a long standing debate on cc.com about why black people don't climb. He brings up a point about why he doesn't climb in the article!!! Get it now? PS - although I am flattered, what makes you think I am like W? Cause I'm from Texas? thats pretty profound cowboy.

Scott - don't let REI get away with this shit. This is exactly why I hate that store (yet I still just keep on going there). If all the other suggestions don't work, then just return the shit. They have to take it back. That said, they mounted my Fritschi's just fine a couple months ago. PS - sorry if you happen to read this Toast.

I bet there is a connection between this reviewer's view of climbing (admits he doesn't climb and doesn't know why people do) and his ethnicity (African-American). I'm not racist by or anything but I don't think he is South-African either. We've had this discussion before (climbing versus ethnicity) and this jives with the general consensus. PS - if you click on the link of the author's name at the top of the linked article you will see where I'm getting my assumptions.

BD is very accurate with their advertised weights I have found (have digital scale) so I'd be the Ice Pack is "as advertised". Mountain Hardwear and Marmot on the other hand.... I've done fine with a 30 degree down bag (Mountainsmith Wisp, 1.5 lbs) on Rainier (of course it was all I had at the time so I didn't have a choice). It depends on how warm you sleep normally though. If you are going to buy a multi-use bag, then something in the 20-30 degree is a good choice, IMO.

Maybe I confused myself by reading another related thread. I was under the impression that the new system would be trip reports only posts with no replies allowed. That's why I said to include the link.

I had the same thing happening, and only at work. This week I've had no problems though

Very cool feature Can you put a link in the old trip reports to the thread whence it came?

Yeah, sure, now you tell me.

Me and a buddy were up there too that day. It was our second bc experience (newbies) and we were moving slow both up and down in those conditions. We did not have crampons but would have happily carried them along had we known. We did make it up to the hut. Got in there around 2 PM in 'breaking' clouds. When we left the hut at 2:30 PM (for the record, no, we weren't ) we were in a total whiteout. We skied down about 500 vertical feet of the snowfield with about 10 feet of vis. We followed our tracks very closely. It was freaking cold too until we got out of the clouds. We both lost the feeling in our fingers for a while. The icy descent was, er, interesting for us. Okay, it down right sucked for a while. I have a new found respect for people that rip it up in those kinds of conditions. I felt like it was my second time skiing ever. By the way, my buddy grew up skiing back east and he said this was definitely much worse. Good times though, great weather (except for the whiteout). Windy too; got taken down to my knees by a microburst when I was on a ridge above Pan Point. Note to self - 5k feet of gain in winter is harder than in summer...

Don't know. I know 4 or 5 people with the Alphas and haven't heard any complaints yet. I just need to go try them on and see for myself though.

It appears to me that there are only 4 companies that make plastic climbing boots that are available in the US; Koflach, Scarpa, Asolo, and Lowa, for a total of about 9 different boot models. Any others out there? That seems almost impossible to believe for a (seemingly) large market.

any climbers out there on the Atkins diet? If so, why? That diet is for folks who get no exercise

Yes, I know this topic has been beaten to death many times over. I did a search and didn't find what I needed though. If, after reading my post, you think my questions can be answered by another thread, please post the link. I'm looking for plastic boots for winter (snow, ice, and mixed) climbing in the Cascades. Not interested in the Koflach because they are too bulky/sloppy (tried them on). Also tired on the Lowa Civetta (red ones) and didn't like the fit. The main contender right now is the Scarpa Alpha, although I've yet to try them on. The BD website says this year's boot has a thermo-formable liner. I've got those in my Lasers and they are damn comfy; anyone have the Alphas with these? I'm tired of waiting for the Vasque Ice 9000 so I guess those are off my list. Any others I should consider? I want something carried by a local Seattle area shop so I can try them on first. I have a wide foot so I'm trying to avoid narrow boots. Also definitely want a removable liner cause I hate wearing boots around camp after I've just been in them all day. Just started ice climbing so a 'technical fit' isn't that important. Thanks.

Question to all: say you were bivying at Thumb Rock and you had packed a shovel up there to dig a platform. So someone from another party (who didn't bring a shovel in order to save weight) comes along and wants to borrow yours, would you let them? Part 2, would you ever do this; that is, rely on borrowing gear from some other person, not in your party, at a popular bivy site? (not talking about emergency situations here, thats obviously different).

For the type of terrain you are describing, I like the Yak Trax or something simliar. They are stretchy rubber dealies that are wrapped with metal wire for traction that stretch over yer shoes soles. Very light very compact and you can 'jog' with them on. Only used them a couple of times but they worked pretty good. I think the limitations of these would be icy trails and not short glacier approaches.

Just make sure you fill in the hole when your done so you don't hurt any other skiers...

book = 27 nalgene = 8 tee shirt = 10 ATC = 15 hat = 10 expensive petzl binner = 15 2 ovals = 10 = $95 w/o prussiks or cup Not that bad of a deal. (not saying I would buy it, that shirt is way cheesy)

One of the articles I read quoted his dad as saying something like the guy had skied the area many times and was very familiar with the bc terrain there. Don't know which article though, sorry.

Who was the person they showed on the news last night tele turning down queen anne? anyone know? it was funny to watch. skiers and snowmobilers sharing queen anne hill together, twas a site to see.

What in the hell are you talking about? He is stupid because he wanted to enjoy some solitude? Perhaps he made a mistake by not telling someone where he was going or not carring a map and compass, etc, but I don't think that he was stupid for wanting to enjoy a little solitude. Come on, that is a stupid thing to say.