Billygoat

Well, maybe REI is going to discontinue carrying the hardware because they don't move fast enough. Shelf space is $. And REI definitley figured out that soft goods move and the profit margin is huge. Face it, aid and true alpine climbers are a small demographic averaging little disposable income when compared to the pile wearing, latte swilling masses... All I know is, she was surprised I was buying pitons and warned me about an internal company memo stating Black Diamond pitons would no longer be available... Maybe this reflects REI transitioning from hardware to software and goes along with an earlier thread about sales clerks there not knowing the difference between static and dynamic ropes.

I can bring firewood or the implements to make some if there is a wood lot nearby, and I will definitely contribute $$ for a portapotty and beer. I will also bring a bunch of local, grillable meats. Is there a grill there or should I come prepared?

AlpineK, I don't think beer will be a problem... I have always wanted to try that Terminal Gravity everyone sprays about.

I know that I like 'em! That's why I started this thread...

I never did the 10th mountain. I mostly made up my own traverses. I would definitely be into doing more hut trips. Jules, have you checked out British Columbia?! Super sweet I see a lot of potential up there. Chris, we're looking at April when hwy 20 opens. Corn Camp... Holey snafflehounds Batman

BTW I would be totally psyched to do some touring lessons for a day. I love turning people on to back country turns...

Pete, Sign me up Matt, I like freezin' my ass off as well anybody, let's go! Alpine k and Dave P, Mazama in the spring, here I come

Well, I had no problems leaving because of the crowds, squids and flatlanders. Plus the cost of living there was getting ridiculous. However, I loved the cool people I met there and the mountain town scene. It was so cold in the Butte that I never used skins because I could climb quite well with kick wax. I didn't own a tent cause it mostly never rained and if it did you just had to wait 15 minutes, I lived above 7000 feet for almost eight years. When I first came out here, I walked up Baker like it was a warmup. Because it is so high and dry there, you could hike in any direction and not have to fear the bushwack, the undergrowth is minimal. The San Juan mountains by Telluride and Silverton are more like here terrain wise, rugged. The snow in colorado especially in the San Juans and just west of Boulder can certainly be crap, but sometimes it is the best in the world. I just appreciated the blast of cool Colorado air from Jules

Couldn't have said it better myself It snows a bit, doesn't stick to anything steep, blows away, and slides and kills people. There are plenty of better places to see than CO. CO is great if you want to look like a good skier and schmooze with rich pricks who brag to everybody about their so called amazing snow. Sour Grapes

is this like paint by the numbers? HWY 20, Mazama, Cabin, Long weekend, Corn skiing and Corn squeezin's

She made it sound like they would not be available any more. Yeah, I agree with you Iain, they will be just like Sears. I could not believe it when they bought ascension and then lately they fucked up those Skye bindings...what's next ? BTW, are the Camp pitons made by the same Italian manufacturer as the BD ones?

I was just buying some pitons at REI and the sales clerk told me that she read in an internal company memo that BD is no longer making any pitons. Can any one else verify this?

Black Schist and Granite.

220s with snowpines!?! That's pushin' it a bit Mouse. You really have to be able to turn on a dime to avoid the out here. You sound like my kind of BC skier BTW Beckey was at the last Pub Club according to the pictures I saw and I just enjoyed Lowell Skoogs presentation of his book material concerning The history of ski mountaineering in Washington. He is a poster here.

What the hell are those guys talkin' about There's a lot of good info here. I just found out earlier today how far I can ski towards J-berg. What a bunch of piker tele geeks. I bet I could beat their asses driving a pair of Asnes Nansen Mountain 210s with voile plate (first version) bindings while wearing Asolo Snowfield IIs!

Solipsism

Did Iain sic you on me?

We should either come up with a better technology and end our dependence on oil or invade that whole fuckin' region and make them all tax payers. Of course, then they would be free to come visit us...

Maybe we should wake them

How about this: Morals and ethics guide your path through the current times. The current time should not determine your ethics. Knowledge is the only fountain both of the love and the principles of human liberty. -- Daniel Webster -- Completion of Bunker Hill Monument What a bunch of baloney

No grrls to play with tonight

Trask is on the warpath

That's why we have an electorial college. Can't allow "Mob Rule"

Can't pull it up you pullin' fool

Holy moley! There's no foolin' you! I did hear it first from Haiku Dave in reference to fate and predeterminism in regards to people actually getting their shit together and making it on a trip.