bolt_clipper

squirrels do dynos too, pretty big ones, on a regular basis.

DFA is a snafflehound? Makes sense, though.

Alpine choss? Where, other than the volcanoes? The N. Cascades are bomber compared to the slag-heaps of choss which are the Oregon cascades. Besides, anyone remember that article in Rock and Ice on the N. Cascades? There are few (any?) areas in the US that have the combination of rough terrain, glaciers, and decent rock. Lets get out there and enjoy it.

Have you tried their stuff? Their packs seem durable enough, the fabric they use in the Gust is at least as durable as the stuff used in the Arc'teryx K62.

Dru, I admit I won't buy the golite jackets, they are way too flimsy. However, we was talking about PACKS here.

Yeah, but isn't a foot of webbing slightly excessive?

1. Cruising Zebra Zion, leading the hard pitches. 2. Doing the Maroon Bells Traverse (minor epic) 3. Buying ice tools, and using them for the Ist time. 4. Onsighting a bunch of trad 10a's. 5. Getting stronger. What I wish I had done: Chain Reaction, I'm too scared of the damn thing, I've got plenty strength.

Skis rule!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Check the BD catalog. In the middle they have some prescription glacier glasses. I know some people who have them, only complaint is that they aren't dark enough.

How about Koflach Verticals w/intuition liners?

vicious Fish aint hard nuff. Do To Bold or Not To Be on pins and RPs, no ice tools, but with the other apparel described above.

Weird, I thought the Degres sucked. Do you use the standard liners with them? I thought that the problem was that the liners are too soft.

Degres are WAY too soft for ice tho. I wore them on Baker and the headwall (35 degrees? snow) was taxing. Does anyone have experience w/thermoformable liners? Can you reduce the volume of the liners easily? And how much $$ are custom-made liners?

How about water ice, winter climbs, summer volcanoes, moderate alpine stuff.

Why not get a really durable softshell (patagucci dimension or equivalent) and a really light hard shell? Seems it should work better.

Instead of the Sirrus SL get the SD Peak Bagger. Works just as well, isn't quite as sexy, but gets the job done.

Come on, theres GOTTA be ice somewhere!!! (other than the B4 ice caves). Damn all this warm weather!!

I had a good time anyways. I should change my screen name to mtnman or Doctor Mash aBlazing,and get some more respect from you cascade alpine hardcores.

Don't dismiss the power of sport climbing-I did the Toothe in 6hr roundtrip!

What a light, moderately warm, but well-climbing plastic boot? I am looking for something for general ice climbing and snow routes. I am leaning towards Scarpa Alpha shells with Intuition liners. I have huge feet, so weight is a moderately large factor.

What? You gonna drytool the hella-scary south ridge. What is that? M1? Have fun, don't forget the Bosch.

I'm heading up the Big Four caves tomorrow. What's the likelyhood of dangerous avalanche conditions?

Thanks for the generous info. Are you sure it all fell down? I gotta try my new tools soon!

Limitations? I own a Arc'teryx Khamsin 62. At new it weighed 4lb. Ways to cut weight: cut off some of the daisy-chain webbing on the lid. Cut off the lid hipbelt, and the foam padding in the lid. Moving down: cut off the crampon patch, who needs it? Why not strap crampons on with the points facing out? (I'haven't done this yet). Cut off the excess webbing on the hipbelt and shoulder straps. The hipbelt is almost too large for me, so I have two feet of unused webbing hanging around. In the end, it it probably less durable than the Golite, as the K62's fabric is lighter. I sewed myself a daypack out of 8oz fabric (tuff stuff). It holds about 2500 cubic inches, and weighs about a pound. So most commercial packs, especially daypacks, are overbuilt, IMHO.

What does "fully featured" mean? In my experience, most gizmos are useless. Compression flaps, frames in daypacks, hipbelts for lids, tool tubes, excessive padding, hypalon crampon patches, etc come to mind. Hell, just the the Golite Gust. Many experienced alpinists say it is as durable as most others, but it weighs 19oz!