Dane

I can't believe this didn't get a chuckle. For those that wondered, Colin (aka SummitChaser) is actually a very nice and gracious young man. I apologized for being such a self rightious dick and he said thanks, but he'd learned a good lesson. I invited him to go climbing with me this week..and he said he would. Though it is just as likely I'll dissappear into the white wilderness and never be heard from again. But you'll all know what really happened He'll be back posting again after the break.

Josh did you get your skis mounted?

These two were out getting some today. Colin (yes that Colin and Mark out side getting an ice fix at Exit 38. Good to finally meet you guys! Which is more than I did today

Bit wet later today. Several big dumps that came as a surprise from high on the wall and would have easily killed anyone below them. Likely Colin and Mark got the last climb in late this morning until we get another hard freeze out there. The ice is currently just a few hundred feet below the snow line. If it will get down below freezing the next few days we'll have a great start on the next ice build up. It is still Nov after all

I suspect the gay comments are in jest? If not you need to get a life. If it weren't for lycra much of what we wear climbing these days wouldn't exsist.

As recently as a few weeks ago, and who knows, may be they both post here

I think Coldfinger and I were both being a little tongue in cheek suggesting the Ninja's were worth $5.63 a pair. Worht a try for $5.63, sure. Then you cna make up your own mind. Funny how I relate my choice in gloves to the fact I have never had the screaming barfies while ice climbing...as in never, ever. And a good percentage of that was in Dachsteins.

I've seen them before but my wife never actually believes me While we are thinking about the local ice conditions, the real pros are just out training. On their bikes. In this case it is part of the Garmin-Transitions crew. Soon to be, "the Team Garmin-Transitions and Cervélo SA will join forces for the 2011 season to create a new team that will be known as Garmin-Cervélo." I caught up with them (in my truck) today on Hobart-Issaquah Rd. (have you ever seen how fast these guys ride in training?) Local WA guys. Tom Peterson from N. Bend and Tyler Farrar from Wenatchee. Pretty cool ;-) They thought I was kidding at first...but thanks for stopping and the autographs guys!

Some pretty cool stuff there John Gear is on the way back tomorrow.

FWIW...much of the 1st Ascent stuff has both the ED and Whit logo including our (women's and men's) jacket's, vests, hoodies, Guide Jacket and XV.

If I was rich and didn't mind destroying a Nomic handle I'd pull test the new attachment point under the pommel. I'd suspect it is close to 1000# if not more and stronger than any commercial umbilical.

I think that is exactly what they originally intended and still intend it for now. Everyone used it if you needed an umbilical attachment point but I don't think anyone really liked it. One of the very few things they got wrong on the first Nomic I think. Take a look at page 2 here for their thought process: http://www.petzl.com/files/all/technical-notice/Sport/U21_2_NOMIC_U215000C.pdf

No doubt! But for those looking remember the XV has changed (and not for the better) and old stock XVs will be going fast tomorrow. Happy T-day everyone!

"Biggest over all improvement on the new Nomic? New pommel fits bigger hands and thicker gloves much, much better. But it can be bolted right on no fuss, no muss to the older tools if that is something you want to try. The new Pommel offers a tiny bit more support and more coverage and hand protection on the upward curve towards the ice. Maybe the most important improvement is a metal to metal interface where they mate up on the end of the shaft. You won't get every advantage of the size improvements for big hands using the new pommel on the old tools but a good bit of it. Worth buying that piece of kit and trying it on your old tools. It is an option now." More details on the blog.

Get old enough and almost anything is new.

;-) Daniel check the last picture in the blog again. Happy Thanksiving!!

They both look pretty cool...Scottish Tale would seem to be a new coastal classic. Thanks for the heads up.

I finally got a chance to write up a more detailed comparison and what will work and what won't from the new tool to old tool. Comments here: http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2010/11/old-nomic-and-new-nomic.html

I think you have to look at some of the now 30 year old technology through the eyes of those that first used it. John Bouchard..who had more imagination and an idea of where we would be going that almost anyone else in NA at the time. In 1981 John Bouchard and Marie Meunier started Wild Things. But the "light is right" thing was already well entrenched by those climbing hard things in the Alpine. Guys like Bouchard pretty much had it down. Generally back then everyone sewed their own stuff to some extent. Wild Things was one of the first to sew up stuff guys were trying to make on their own. It was a big deal in 1981. Not that well known but Wild Things supported and influenced and entire generation of serious alpine climbers, Bill Belcourt (now at Black Dianmond), Randy Radcliff (now at Cold Cold World) and Mark Twight (where is he these days all got started in the retail/whole sale business to some extent and stayed a while at Wild Things. It was the "tin shed" of alpine climbing on the East Coast with Bouchard instead of Chouinard at the helm. And maybe with even more impact on what we do and see today. Bouchard, Mark Richey, Mug Stump were all big Wild Things gear fans. Most were. Mugs Stump had that same imagination pushed the idea even further by his own climbs. W-Ts gear was a natural progression of what Lowe Alpine Systems, Don Jensen and Sacs Millet started before them. You either got it or you didn't, then and now. The gear was exceptional for a certain use. If you weren't using it for that, it likely sucked for your use. Many of those original designs were the first look at very specialised climbing gear...clothing and packs. Pays to remember that Mugs and Paul went over the 'shrund on Moon Flower with one Wild Things Andinista. It was in part their climbing sac, haul bag, bivy sac and hammock. Today guys do it in day packs. But they wouldn't be able to do that today if a few weren't always pushing the limits on gear and technique before them. And several generations later...Cold Cold World..still sewn one at a time by Randy Radcliff. You are looking at 40+ years of experience and technology here. Colin Haley said it well a few weeks ago, "it's 2000 year old technology...amazing how pack manufactures can still screw it up". That was just before showing us two really basic alpine climbing packs that were prototypes he was using and happy with from Patagonia. Those same packs that could just as easily be copies of the original Wild Things or later CCW packs. Or the Karrimore Brown, Whillians or Haston sacs bitd. See a theme there? Some things don't need to be "improved".

Four of Lowe's Ex Packs on this trip. Jensen just was't versital enough for big climbs. Mine stayed in a base camp duffle on that trip. Heard a similar comment about the Wild Things Alpinista, "carries like a turid sausauge" as DPSmith likes to say. Of course two of them went up the Moon Flower, the East Face of Moose's tooth and Shivling early on. I used them for years all over the world until I decided to stop carring so much shit. But never had complaint how the Lowe or the Wild Things carried even when humping full dbl loads while guiding. Jensen's carried and climbed well for a med sized day pack. But if you had to climb hard and knew there would be an open bivy they were just too much of a hassle to pack and repack. Not really..that is like saying Patagonia is still Chouinard Equipment Sacs Millet...made a reputation by building "Sacs" or in english: bags, sacks, packs. Nomic? I'd bet the original Nomic fares just as well as the bamboo Piolet has for design. To another 30 years!

Ha, Ha....I could't keep my gear more than a season or two at best! Either just had to get something "better" or would wear it out. I owned 4 Jensen packs between '73 and '78...three of those had holes in them from hauling when I sold them. The last I bought well used for $40 and never did take it out. Sold it for $500 on Ebay and bought two new ones in 2007! It isn't ice but it is a Jensen. Giant Jensen on the NW face of Half Dome '74. The original pack pictured was a Millet 340 iirc (how is that for useless trivia) we thought they were the sheeeet in '71 @ $37.00 in REI. Never used it again after '73, even thought it was a truely great alpine sack. My '79 REI catalog says it is a Millet #166 and was $82.50 by then. Ode to a great climbing ruck! It was my first proper climbing sac as well. I have another picture of it some where I find later. Another one with a Wilderness Experience alpine pack and another great pack..late Dec 1980. Some might recognise the location. Likely one of the last intentional over nights on Polar Circus. Base of the Rote Fluh and Hinterstoisser Traverse, Eiger '78. By then we were all using the Lowe Expedition packs that would dominate the market for a few years. Wore a few these out as well. When you look at these pictures think about two things...how much harder it was to haul a proper camera around back then and how hard it is to hang onto ANYTHING for 30 years!

photo chromatic...nice. I'll check them out...thanks! Figures as the Wiley X stuff I can get cheap...

Mike sorry I missed this earlier. Fogging? The Wiley-X stuff was originally developed for tactical ops...as in shooting people. High rush factor but generally in a dry environment these days. Slow moving folks in tight quarters with lots of sweat getting pumped out in worse case scenarios. No fogging issues in either version during the training I was involved in. Haven't used them in the mtns but after you and Colin pointing them out to me I will be taking a pair Chamonix this winter.

After NOON, till closing, it is 30% off everything in store..and that should include all the Canadian stores (3 in Vancouver carrying 1st Ascent gear) but call and ask is my suggestion. As Nitrox says, "In store only."

Ok for you lazy folks who have never bought what you wanted from Eddie Bauer here is your chance! I got an email this morning. Everything in the store (every retail store but not the Outlets) on Friday, 11/26...till NOON...is 40% off. Call and make sure they have what your little heart desires first