Dane

I like simple but very breathable soft shell pants for alpine climbng. I have good goretex versions but haven't used them in several years, even in the worst weather. But I think the soft shell revolution is a NA thing. As I seldom saw Europeans climbing in soft shells this spring. Something to be learned there I think. NWAlpine makes a great salopette which is one of my favorite as is the Gamma LT from Arcteryx. Just hate paying the Arcteryx prices for pants that will eventually get shreaded by crampons.

One has to wonder how much advice is total bs here. Real info on your question or a better answer than the ne fork here: http://colinhaley.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html

That is pretty cool. thanks for sharing!

Here ya go Dave!

Throw in a good pair of good runners as well for most every alpine approach..makes three pair. All the Kaylands in the discussion are pretty stiff soled boots. Great for climbing...tough to walk in.

Great TR, thanks. It is a 1/2 rope and with screamers it would be fine. I would be quite surprized if it is damaged at all. I'd lead on it with no worries.

Summer, horizontals might be perfect. Or if the plan is snow- easy mixed routes like the Cosmic arete. Plan on any ice this time of year (winter) and you will get a new definition of "hard" ice. Have both here now and used both...just sayin, if you have a choice.

"My generation is not going to save the planet; we're not going to do anything about global warming; we're not even going to change our light bulbs. But these kids have had environmental education. They don't fall for advertising. They know the problems of the world and want to do something about it." Yvon Chouinard, 2011 Ya, good luck with that.

Jaylo? Ya, shit happens when you fall off. Hard mixed on umbilicals...not the best idea any time. Broken, not lost btw. Bet it hurt though

"There is some serious logic chaining there....cutting a stump next to a freeway = logging = raping wilderness = no more climbing for our children = bolting. Well done!" Thanks kinda liked where that went myself "Do it for the children" always seems to impress the teenagers. Trees, stumps, boulders, grass, holds, bolts, brush...move 'um, cut 'um, add'um, shit where you want, how you want, makes no matter to me.

Fuckmerunning Gene. Different ways to crap in the mtns. Bags, cans, out houses, crevasses, pit toilets and freakin rocks. I'd prefer my crap under a rock not on top of one in a well used climbing area. Situational awareness goes a long ways...even on the Internet. Most would if you come to someone elses shit. People in glass houses and all. Hypocritical? Look up the definition. "1. a person who pretends to have virtues" What little virtue I developed over time generally came from being educated to the facts. I leave stumps in the ground now and don't crap where it will so easily and grossly effect the climber after me.

I picked up a few extra pairs today that I will bring home. First come first served... They are rated at 550 daN or 1236 lbf. Not amazing but enough I suspect. No one else saying theirs will better that number. BD is 2Kn/450# and Grivel is 200kg/400# all at the UIAA definition of "leash".

Dude I have done all kinds of stupid shuff. Including cutting trees and brush to get to a climb. Logger's Ledge on Castle Rock was named for a reason. There was once grass at the base of Damnation and Angel. Not like this is a new discussion or one dead stump really matters. It is the IDEA that matters. And it needs to start some where. I haven't added bolts to trad lines or out right chipped a hold. But I have wanted to. It is a fine line. And I dry tool now if I am capable of the pull up. Most of that in the alpine if I do leave a mark..few will ever see it. Generally, like 99.9% of the time there is no mark to see. I'm climbing in France right now...easy enough to see the end result of what "out of control" environmentally is here. Be happy to supply the picture. Old school these days. I still burn my TP and bury my shit under a rock. I don't shit on rocks, stir it up and hope that Gawd will magically blow it away before the next climber comes by. I don't generally trundle boulders or knock loose stuff off a route unless it is actually called for. Back to "the stump". Leave it or chop it...just beware of why you decide to do one or the other.

You are going to freeze your ass off this time of year. There is still snow in the valley floor. When the sun is out around noon life is good...hard frost here when it is clear like last night...when it rains or snows ..and it will life will suck. Ice is hard in the gullies..verts. You could store sheet in the bike "lockers". But I would rethink the tent thing and get into a hostel. Save the tent for up high to avoid the cost of huts....but dude the camping there is above 10K and full on winter. It is the middle of ski season here! The storms that roll through up high will make Alaska in May look easy. We were stuck last week on the Midi for two days after a bad forcast (a dozen of us half guides and mtn Police)...if you were out side and unprepared for a full on Alaska blow you would have died. Simple as that. People were pinned down in huts all over the range that week. @ 50 to 100 Euro a night. It is winter climbing here now and will be through April. More so than the Rockies (Canada )this time of year because of the added height of the peaks. Huts and the lift WCs are what makes it possible to climb here in winter. That and being acclimatised, fit and fast. But today it is almost summer in Chamonix. Good luck on your trip!

What is laughable is some here are so clueless as to think that what ever fits their current idea of "OK" is anything more than a momentary whim. The original poster recognised the fact. Climbing is selfish...hell we all know that. Taken to the extreme what we get is chipped and drilled holds, denuded bouldering areas and jacked columns of basalt or flakes off an alpine wall....'cuz it was "OK" at Index or Vantage. Lot of good reasons to leave a stump. Common practice in almost every environmentally aware situation in my yard according to King County or on an sub alpine hill side. Only one reason to wack it. The boulder has been done already...no one died. Seems the rest of us could put on our big boy pants and climb it (or not) with out removing the stump. I suspect most argueing for stump removable (like i give a shit about the stump) would also argue adding fixed pro to previous routes is OK. If not for the stump, how about a nice chipped hold so we can avoid ground fall from the lip? Fook it, the boulder is too hard and I might get hurt on the landing...just bolt up an aluminum ladder them most of us will be saved the humiliation and pain of failure. Fook the stump it is in the way of my ladder. Same knuckles that want to chop the stump likely leave TP strung across hither and yond as well cuz some one has to clean your ass for ya. How about climbing sheet and leaving ZERO impact? That ever occur to anyone? That way your kid's kids might get a chance to climb something "new". Beautiful aint it? Oh, sorry come back in 50/100 years. Washington state btw.

"I hate tearing up vegetation for something as selfish as climbing a rock" Seems you answered your own question.

http://www.wildsnow.com/backcountry-ski-museum/silvretta-404-backcountry-skiing/silvretta-404-mount.html First picture in the link shows the 404 in Purple. The small purple lever mid sole of the binding (just above the Silvretta label) unlatches and rotates to unlock the heel piece which in turn can then be adjusted for boot sole length. You can easily do it by hand, no tools required. Small windows below boot soles that tell you if you have too much or too little forward preassure. Easy and quick once you realise how to do it. I did mine the other day (from BD Primes to Spantik) while waiting in the queue for first lift on th GM. DIN? Better find a chart for your boot sole length, skill and age.

>Because of the diameter of the sewn loops, it looks like you can't girth the BOA to both your harness and tools at the same time. Incorrect, it is easy to girth hitch harness and tools. > don't think you'd want to because that means you couldn't easily disconnect from your tools. Correct, but then I never pull my leashes while climbing...never have. YMMV, mine hasn't in several decades. ...and assuming you girth the tools and use a biner for your harness Nope, not the way the Boa is designed. Three girth hitches, 2 tools and 1 harness. >seems a little slower than unclipping Ya think? If you plan on clipping and unclipping, for what ever reason, a Boa leash aint for you. As a "spring loaded" umbilical system I think it is a better mouse trap than the two competitor's models or I wouldn't be using them. I like the simplicity. But they aren't for everyone.

Deal via Pal Pal is open for 24 more hrs from the time of this is post...you snooze you loose. Price includes mailing them to you in CONUS when I get home. Julian, yes, they will girth hitch on most tools including the old Fusions. I used them on a mixed climb this morning and really like them. Never moved my tie in point on umbilicals any way so I like getting rid of the "metal junk" all together. Blue ice web site covers it better but this may help as well: http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/search?q=Boa+leashes I like 'um a LOT! Blue Ice and Cold Thistle...how can you go wrong! Yes, the block on the left is part the concrete foundation on the Midi. Which means a coffee is close by

btt

I've had several ask. If you are interested in a set of Boa leashes I am leaving Chamonix in a few days, back in the US mid April. I'll mail them when I get back to anyone that pays me for them now via Pay Pal. 26 Euro to my Pay Pal address: rdburns@cnw.com

Never thought of that but makes sense. Still doesn't solve the problem of wire gates snapping off the shaft though.

I've used , home made tie ins, then girth hitched umbilicals, the BD Spinner, (in three forms, standand, bent biners as John comments on and the newest stronger gate version) Grivel in two forms ( flat biner and current locking mini) and the Blue Ice version which is a simple girth hitch. Only the BD version snapping off tools that I am aware of. Grivel used then ditched the flat biner wire gate idea 5 years ago. It seems silly to use anything that isn't at least as strong as the webbing in the umbilical or obviously unreliable for the intended purpose. Extra swivels and non full strength or unreliable biners are unwanted on my kit. Easy to over think this. But no real reason to do so imo. Blue Ice version:

Cord is the answer. Even the "new" Spinner with a much stronger gate ("duh") doesn't do it. Blue ice and Grivel figured that out a light year ago.

I'll be back in a couple of weeks. I'll look into it and get back on a PM early in the week.