Dustin_B

I have the ArcTeryz Khamsin 52. It is as big a pack as I need for a 4 day glacier climb. If I'm on a long trip or I need to take more, the helmet, crampons, sleep pad go on the outside. If on a shorter trip or need less, than these items can go inside. Picket, axe, shovel always go on outside. This system works pretty well for me.

We took the Squak Glacier because it is a more direct line from the trailhead than going up the railroad grade and then onto the Easton. I don't know about a new trail making it shorter because we lost the trail and just followed a tree-lined ridge up to it. The Squak Glacier also starts higher up so you can rope up later (if you're roping up). It seems like it is less crowded too as we didn't see anybody until we joined up with the Easton around 8500 - 9000 feet, after which we only saw skiers.

Cool, you put your axe inside!! Now that is a versitile pack!!

Found trailhead at 1:00 am Saturday morning after oversleeping for half hour and bushwhacking for half hour . Went up Squak Glacier until it joined the Easton, on summit around 10 am, hang out (take pictures, drink, eat), left summit plateau at 11 am, back at trailhead at 3 pm. 14 hours round trip (about what we assumed). Great views and weather. Snow was perfect for kicking steps going up. Crampons on beneath slope that leads to crater. Pretty windy on summit although not real cold wind. Knee deep post-holing going down for first 1000 feet or more. Saw probably 6 to 8 skiers but no other rope teams. Steam vents in full force (smelly). Really, really, really envious of skiers going down. I'm now 1 for 3 on Washington volcanoes. That was my first (successful) Washington volcano!! (not counting Little Tahoma). Good times.

I'm not even going to touch that one... So many possible answers I'll just stick with this one: Yeah, I'm 6'2" and about 205 lbs. I need to the wider cut.

I need to get another sleeping bag and I have pretty much decided on a Feathered Friends bag. Here is my dilemma, I can't decide between the 0-degree Ibis and the 10-degree Raven. I'll mostly be using it for winter climbs/backcountry trips in the Cascades but I'd like to have the flexibility to take it to Canada, Alaska (non-winter), and maybe some mountains in S. America (non-winter) at some point. I'll have to get a size long so that adds weight. The Ibis weighs 6 ozs more than the Raven (per catalogue). So I ask "Which one should I get," and then you say "Well it depends on how warm you sleep, where you'll be using it, how high, time of year, the weather, what you ate for dinner, alignment of the plants, etc." So I guess my question is this: have you been cold in the 10-degree bag; if so where? Do you have one bag and wish that you had the other? Sounds like a stupid question but I guess I'm trying to get someone to push me in one direction or the other. Any complaints about either bag? Anything you wish you would have ordered differently? (I'd get the 800+ upgrade and Epic fabric). Do I ask too much from one bag? Maybe I'll get the 10-degree with overfill. Thanks in advance for all your thoughtful, helpful opinions....

I'll tell ya what not to get if you have wide feet: La Sportiva Trango S. I have wide feet and it has taken me a while to break them in. They are really light though, probably one of the lightest full shank, crampon compatible boots out there. They are also NOT waterproof. Can't stretch the toe box because the rubber rand just holds the shape. My heavy Nepal Extremes are plenty wide, plenty waterproof, plenty comfortable, and plenty heavy. Good luck!!

Full length guidelite on snow (or car camping ) some sort of foam pad when on dirt. Yep, blow up pads are heavy (2 lbs) but I won't go on snow without it.

I would if I had AT gear and if I felt comfortable skiing on a glacier . That will have to wait until next year

The technical difficulty is not the issue. Climbing it car-to-car in one push is our goal. I heard the area is closed to snow mobiles for the season now. When I was out there last weekend this snowmobile had broken off the only snowbridge going over the river there and was sitting on his snowmobile in the river. We laughed and took pictures and keep going, while his friend helped him out We wondered how the other snowmobilers would get down and how/if the others would make it past somehow.

How long does it take to get from the Schreibers Meadow trailhead (assuming one can drive all the way to it) to the summit via the Easton glacier? Summit to car? Assume firm(ish) snow and average mountaineer endurance. I know you are going to say things like it depends on this or that and what not, so just tell me how long it took you and what time of year I'm thinking 8-9 hours to the summit and 5 back; does that sound resonable? Thanks Also assume you don't get run over by a snowmobile or one of the armies of people that are bound to be up there.

From above link: "On May 14, 1922, seventy-five members of the Seattle Mountaineers started up the eastern slope of McClellan's Butte" Holy shit!

BOEALPS will be up on the Easton too, although I don't know how many they will have. 2 smaller groups I think.

Given the cattle industry, how many rivers were safe to swim in before? Ya wouldnae catch me swimmin in any Texas river Bush or no. I've swimmined in many Texas rivers and I came out oK.

CBS - where did you hear/read this? Do you have a source?

No, I couldn't.

CBS - sorry we missed you at the NB B&G. We'll catch ya next time. After Tony got through sport-aiding then top-rope-aiding that 5.8 we were ready to go home

Good work TT. What time did you start climbing and what time did you get back to the trailhead? I would have much rather been on the Tooth than with the 100+ people that were at exit 38. Although there were some ladies.... "watch me!". "huh?" "I said watch MEEEEEEE!"

Erik, where is it? We parked by the bulletin board (per the guidebook), walked up a couple hundred yards (per the guidebook), then at a low point in the cliff band bush whacked up to a trail. On the way down we follow the trail until it disappears?? and then we retrace our bushwack?? We were very confused and cussing the guidebook. Where do you park and where does the trail start? Saw one tick crawling on me but we didn't have any 'dig in'.

I was at Der Sportsman Sunday morning, saw 6 or 8 copies, bought one (and used it on Sunday). They have it, tell them to check again. It is $26 bucks and has photos of all the walls not sketches like the 1st Ed. Please don't buy Smoot's book, that thing is garbage.

A friend and I scrambled up Cashmere on Saturday. 12.5 hours, ~5500 ft (with up and down), ~15 miles (I'd guess). I was exhausted when we got back to the trailhead, but it was a great conditioning hike. Left Seattle at 5 AM, left trailhead at 8 AM, hit snow at 6,000 feet just before Lake Caroline, summit at 3 PM, back at trailhead at 8:30 PM. Snow was very consolidated, we took snow shoes and used them but not really necessary. Rock was dry and fun scrambling. Clouds blew in on descent (~100 vis for 1000 ft or so). Saw no one above ~5000 ft which was cool. Great views of Triple Couloirs and Stuart from top. I'll post photos when I get a chance. Sunday climbed a little in Lworth (Mad Meadows and Playground something) and drove home. Good weekend!

I have lived here less then 2 years and have been climbing less than that, so pick a new excuse. (anyway refer to my post above)

Der Sportsman in Leavenworth has it. Haven't seen it over here yet. I agree with Scott'veil about no trail to Mad Meadows. We had to bush whack to it on Sunday. Some fun stuff up in that area. Lworth was definitely less crowded with climbers than I would expect.

Actually no, its the fumes which are flammable... (right?)

I'm considering getting some plastic boots and I think I've decided on these. I have a question regarding the sizing. I normally wear a size 11.5. I tried on my friend's Arctis Expes, which are a size 11.5 and they felt big (I had on thickish socks and laced them up pretty tight). Strange thing is, he bought a half size larger than what he normally wears (size 11) and he says they fit great. What gives? Is there some trick to lacing those things up? And it appears there is no way to cinch your heel into the heel cup very well as they lack eyelets in that area. See photo here: Koflach Arctis Expe So my question is, if you own a pair do you have a size smaller, larger, or your normal size? The 11.5 is the only size I've tired on. Seems not many places have these in those sizes right now. (Something about a problem at the factory???) Have you had a problem with not being able to cinch your heel down tight enough? Thanks.