Jake_Gano

Take a look at the Scarpa Helix. I just picked up a set for the same purposes you describe and it seems to fit your bill. More on them after I've taken them out a few time times.

FILGO!

Nice. We were there last week. Did you climb the snice on P3? Most parties this year are calling that the crux and have been aiding with a #4. When we arrived, it was rumored that the only person to climb directly up the ice on that pitch was a soloist - obviously she made a heady lead! We got around it with a few dicey drytool moves.

Nice meeting you John. Way to tear it up in just a few days!

You'll piss off your partners if your full size cams are anything but C4s. I have a few big Metolious cams but use them rarely.

Crimson and Birdland are crowded mega-classics... for a reason. Get up early or go when it's too cold for Californians to climb (e.i. 60). Ragged Edges is good for a short day and you don't really need all the giant pro the guidebook asks for.

I picked up a MontBell Permafrost this winter for sub-zero days after the zipper on my much-loved WT Belay Parka blew out. So far it's been more than adequate. It'll be overkill for warmer temps. The Nilas looks pretty nice and can be picked up online cheap this time of year. At full retail it looks like a rip-off. As in it looks nice but at $200 more than the competitors not worth it. I was very impressed with the design and fit of the OR Incandescent Hoody, but was a little worried that the insulation would be a big light for what I wanted. Might be worth a look for certain users, but for maritime climates in that jacket's temperature range synthetic wins, IMO.

I had good luck sending mine in for warranty/replacement.

Did Marmot stop? OR made one a couple years ago that was more or less identical.

+1

I took them back to AMH, who is sending them in for warranty repair. Big props to the local guys for backing up what they sell! They indicated that they have not seen many returns on the Baruntse. The Spantiks, on the other hand, have acquired a reputation as, in their own words, a "one or two expedition" boot. Yikes. In Sportiva's defense, these Baruntses are still usable. And, other than the failed fabric, I really like these boots and have found they climb and hike exceptionally well. But I don't think I'm out of line to expect better durability out of the boot. For comparison, I have a set of Scarpa Freney XTs which are built with a mostly fabric exterior. I was hesitant when I purchased them around five years ago due to concerns over the durability of the exterior. These boots have FAR EXCEEDED my expectations in terms of durability. They have taken their mileage of scree, shwhacking, getting jammed into sharp cracks, etc., and haven't shown anything in excess of normal wear. Maybe I just got spoiled, but I don't want to be preoccupied with caring for my boots in the middle of a big day. When I picked up these Baruntes, I selected them over other models (most specifically the 6000s) because I thought they'd be more dummy-proof - the reliable "beater pick-up" of a boot. Their simplicity and the appearance of durability were big selling points. When I get these back, I'll keep using them for their warmth, fit, etc., but I'll have to be more cautious than I'm used to or than I'd prefer.

Don't know what you mean by "bloused" but the cuffs on my pants weren't tightened down, and I wasn't wearing gators. I was not anticipating and did not encountered snow deeper than an inch or two. The fabric that failed is surprising light, almost felt-like. Compare that to a heavier, cordura-type material on my Scarpa Omegas. Seems like an odd choice to use such a flimsy material on an otherwise pretty bomb-proof boot.

Whatever. As much as I shelled out for these, I am entitled to a reasonable expectation of durability. I've done plenty of climbing (and bushwhacking) in plenty of different boots and I've never had anything fall apart so quickly. I accept and appreciate that you sacrifice durability to some extent with the newest generation of ice boots. But these aren't exceptionally light boots, and I picked them over lighter models (e.i the 6000s), for, among other reasons, the appearance of durability comparable to my old plastics. If I had been beating these things up hard for a season, or even a few months, I would accept seeing the boots fail. But one day that involved a few hours of bushwhacking? No good. The fact that the other boot is showing wear almost to the point of failure tells me that it wasn't some odd sharp rock that I caught.

Bought these things three weeks ago. One of the big reasons I went for it over the Scarpa 6000s is that I thought they'd be more durable. WTF. This was after their second day out. Admittedly, it was a *bit* of a bushwhack, nothing my old Freney XTs couldn't handle. Looks like they're going right back to the shop they came from... You can see in the third photo the fabric on the left boot is starting to wear through, although it didn't reach failure like the right boot. So it's not an isolated issue. [img:left]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8204/8263682866_7946177740_z.jpg[/img] [img:left]http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8224/8262613517_e047f3ae13_z.jpg[/img]

Favorite crag in the "48?" So where else is better?

I'm no trainer, so take this with a grain of salt. Hyperextending the knees during plunge stepping sounds like the result of poor form due to fatigue. Do you incorporate much concentric phase exercises into your training regime? Properly incorporated squat cleans (or there many variations), reverse lunges, etc. may find a good home in your routine.

I like the Eklutna picture Glad you had fun

[img:left]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7276/7082993893_56b2e4e067_b.jpg[/img]

I was surfing the internet while I'm stuck in the flatlands for a week and I found this gem of a climbing video from local AK badass Eddie Phay: It's about 45 minutes long. Skip to about minute 25 to get to the real goods.

Check out the Olympus XZ-1. I like mine.

I've heard there is decent cragging within an hour or so of Fairbanks in the summer months. I come up there to do the equinox marathon in September... beautiful time of year. It's cold, but go for it! You'll either love it, or you won't, but you won't know until you give it try. A lot of people love Fbx for the community and the awesome summers.

In southcentral there are maritime areas and more continental areas within a hour or so of Anchorage. You can select the location base on temperatures in town. 5+ months of reliable water ice is a little different than in the Pac Northwest.

-40 there now. Dress warm.

The copyright date for Extreme Alpinism is 1999. It wasn't too long after 2001 that I picked up a copy. I was a starry-eyed aspiring mountaineer looking for as much vicarious climbing as I could find living in the midwest. Good reviews of the book didn't hurt. I was expecting another how to book that would reaffirm the qualities of my new spendy goretex coat and remind me how to size my ice ax. Boy was I wrong. I didn't even know the kind of climbing he was talking about existed, but that book was a wakeup call to what else was out there. Even though I'm still far from a supreme alpinist, that book has been the most influential and inspirational I've owned.

On a kinda related note I'm looking for a new ice climbing shell jacket. Things I want include a windproof, light, water resistant shell fabric with some type of microfleece or brushed polyester lining and a good helmet compatible hood. I want it to be cut long enough, so I won't ride up over my harness when I'm climbing. Think like a Arcteryx Squamish with fleece lining - or a Marmot Driclime that is actually cut for climbing. Bonuses would be if it had no pockets (or only one chest pocket) and half zip. I tried the Marmot ROM and really liked the concept but the fit sucked and it seemed on the heavy side. Something like this has to exist, but the selection at the local stores sucks and I don't trust anything sold on line.