Dane

Kool looking packs built locally...nice

OK Mix and match a bit. But I'll scan some new ones in over the holiday weekend if everyone isn't sick of it by then. Here is a "new" Jensen off the original patterns by local Eric Hardy who now owns and sews Rivendell. Same one in the old Chouinard catalog. Galiber Makalu dbls and a Chouinard. This is a copy of Don's personal pack a lwt version in Red. And a original McInnes axe that Jensen liked so much. Although only close as Doug Robinson told me Don's favorite was the hammer version. Galibier Havernals of course. Mt. Temple East Ridge...'72...any body remember Sacs Millet? Just so you know I wasn't always chained to a bench. Late Fall summit on Libery Cap in '74 after doing Ptarmigan in hard black ice conditions. And the first time I totally trashed my feet. Walked down from Muir in socks on that one when my feet unthawed. I still consider that one my best alpine climb. Two Jensen's in this picture, Reg and the Giant.. Libery Cap again in '78 on a guided trip..Jensen in the forground. Kolfachs and SMC rigids, April 80 at a hanging stance low on the North Butt of Hunter. And the ridge we bailed on in '76. And one more of a Jensen...on Deltaform NG in '74 I think. Mixed in Chouinard rigids and Dachsteins Who's next?

Stoke for Skookum! Likely worth the walk Thur morning, thanks for the update!

Couple more from the past...May 1976..after a full day and night on steep, rock hard, Alaskan ice. We broke every wart hog I placed that night. Couldn't get a old Salewa screw in to "save my life". ..Chris getting to the ridge bivy. And a few hrs later brewing up as the sun comes around again the next morning.. Terros and Chouinard Piolets in the back ground. Ray Brooks photos.

Hey CF? It is old technology. We were putting zippers and velcro in Super gaiters back in the '70s. Works fine. No difference here really. Worth the extra hassle for the added warmth. Not that I would mind a velcro cover to beef up the zipper mind you. But the new zippers are water proof and no one wants any more weight than required added to the boots these days.

I'm stoked!

what a nicely told story.

Here is an up date on the project from Jeff over on ST. "Our plan from the beginning was to go over to Switzerland last winter and get helicopter footage of Ueli on the route, then come home and edit a teaser that would help us to raise more money to go back this winter to re-create some key scenes from my climb in the exact spots they occurred. The weather was never good for Ueli to start up last winter, but we worked the Eiger and the surrounding peaks by helicopter and shot scenes with Ueli, Catherine and me that allowed us to cut a good teaser. Back home we also got key interviews with the Latok crew (thanks to Piton Ron!), and Malcolm Daly. We are currently raising money to go back late this coming winter, hopefully to capture Ueli on the second ascent, but definitely to do the re-creations from my climb. We still have a release date of autumn, 2011. We will have a major presence at the OR show in January. The OR folks feel this film, which documents my career from the 50's to the 2000's, also reflects the evolution of the outdoor industry itself, so they are helping to sponsor it. Very soon, the website, jefflowemovie.com, will have major new features and information and will be a good place to find out what's happening with the film. I will also try to do better to keep ST informed. Ueli actually did make a start on Metanoia in October, but loose snow over compact slabs in the First Band below the Hinterstoisser Traverse caused a big fall, so he rightly came down to wait for better conditions. Understandably, Ueli does not want us to make a big deal out of his "second ascent", until he's actually done it. Considering all the elements that have to come together for a climb of Metanoia, together with Ueli's full-packed schedule of other projects more central to his own vision, we sre ready to cut versions of the story with or without a second ascent. Werner, it's actually a bit of a stretch to claim many people have tried to repeat Metanoia, although that is what it says on the trailer. Over the years I've been asked for info on the route by about a dozen different climbers, many of them hard-core eastern European climbers for whom the sort of "suffering" required seems to be more palatable than for more pampered types. None of them reported much progress in even finding the route through the First Band. I've made certain Ueli knows it, though, and that's been proven by the fact that he got through the key pitch which is A4 followed by unprotected free climbing to the next possible belay. This pitch is directly behind where Toni Kurtz was hanging on the rope when he died, and the five pitches through the First Band were my tribute to the spirits of the Eiger Pioneers of the 1930's. My decision to climb without bolts is one of the things that defines the Metanoia experience. It's really analogous to trying to find a bolt-free line up El Cap somewhere in the vicinity of the Nose: it ain't easy! -Jello"

Point well taken...seriously thanks. In Europe a few buddies who climb a lot of ice and granite say the Scarpa's have a well earned reputation for durability compared to the old La Sportiva zipper. But the picture obviously gives one a moment of hesitation. NFW to fix that besides a lot of duct tape. The upside is that failure is not a typical zipper blow out. Bails? Petzl bails on BD 'pons will help. But BD has a new bail that might be available yet this winter. I am hopeing to get a pair before the Bozeman Ice fest...hopeing. I'll let you know on the blog if or when I do.

Yep...entire thing is photo shopped...might be bears on the crest but this aint one of them Knuckle head who sent me a year old photo "taken yesterday"

Of all the shit you sling John and you just now finally come up with the obvious answer and then unload it in spray Drop the vino and step away amigo.

Hey for those that have wondered what else is running around on the crest? I've seen grizz scat on my recent trips up there. Never saw any when i was looking 20 years ago. Spray seems an appropriate accessory up there these days. This was taken just a few days ago in the area. Fat Grizz on an elk kill. I thought the claws were photo shopped but he photgrapher swears they are not. His comments: "This picture was taken north of Spokane about 50+ miles. Flowery Trail runs over the mountain from Cusick to Chewelah. Was photographing elk during that cold snap last week and happened onto this spike elk carcass. There wasn't much left .... but based on what there were for tracks, a bear had just left it Didn't see the bear so we put a remote trail cam up to see what exactly was feeding on it. 50 minutes later this is what showed up.. Look at the claws on this Can't say I've seen too many with that much claw in the fall. Wow! For those of you that don't know Flowery Trail is the road the goes to the Ski Resort 49 degrees North He's definetly a Grizzly!!! For those of you that do know the area, you might want to be careful! ;-)"

Both La Sportiva and Scarpa changed the zippers on the Phantom line and the Batura to a new and much more durable...and easily fixable/field maintainable zipper. It is called the TIZIP. But having a zipper on a mtn boot at all is still a questionable design feature imo. The extra warmth provided by a "super gater" is worth the risk I think. But no question they are prone to typical zipper failures or operator error and take some extra care and effort to be reliable.

Same basic glove. Get a lot of raps out of those do you? Not that it would matter at $5.50 a pair I guess. http://www.ninjagloves.com/docs/ninja_icehtp.htm

http://www.gloves-online.com/proddetail.php?prod=WK-CN9690 NEW - #WK-CN9690 - MCR™ Ninja "ICE" - Coated Thermal Gloves. Dual Shell Thermal Glove - 2 gloves in 1 07 Gauge Soft Acrylic Micro-Terry Liner for warmth and comfort(enlarge image on the left) 15 Gauge Durable Nylon Shell Coated with HPT on Palm & Fingertips HPT (Hydropellent Technology) - Repels liquids while still providing a firm wet or dry grip. Coating remains soft and flexible in temperatures as low as -50 C/-58 F Treated in Actifresh to kill bacteria and promote freshness. Good for Cold Storage, Agriculture, Commercial Fishing, Construction/Utilities and outdoor winter use. . Sizes: M-XL. Only $7.50/Pair 1 Dozen - $67.50 (Only $5.63/Pair) . -----------------------------------------------------------------

This will be a film not to miss. http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2010/11/jeff-lowes-metanoia.html

I have several EB down pieces...not noticed any down leaks. I bought my EB First Ascent down hoody for $89 on sale. Retails for $189. The compariable Patagonia hoody is $250 and likely 1/2 the loft. Try finding a Patagonia Hoody on sale this winter. I was looking at the Patagonia version yesterday. Feathers come through any material in a down insulated garment. You keep the down anyway. Enough feathers at the Patagonia down racks in Seatle to cover up a baby bird. They both claim 800 fill down. FWIW.. The Mtn Hardware Compressor Hoody and the Patagonia Micro Puff are very similar in weight/insulation. The Nano puff gear is much lighter than either. Worth noting at well that the Patagonia gear is Primaloft One...while Mtn Hardware has gone to the less expensive and less effective Primaloft Eco.

Ah, the Rockies 1973 -40C in the shade, after being in the sun all day. I wasn't totally sure we wouldn't die just walking back down. Seems dramatic now in the telling but a real possibility then if you did something wrong and ended up spending the night out without kit. Head lamps? No battery would last more than a few minutes back then in the cold. At -40C? It was just seconds. Obvious wool hat, wool shirt, wool T neck, wool union suit, wool knickers, knicker sox, Trappeur single boots, Carmen Super gaiter (also wool and nylon), Dachstein mitts and a down vest. Wool, the first soft shell! Salewas tubes, Charlet wires, Chouinard 55cm Piolet, alpine hammer, and rigid crampons. Whillians harness and a frozen 150' Eldrid rope. WI3 seemed enough challenge. Things changed quickly in the next couple of years for all of us as the gear got better and better. And WI3 still seems a good challenge. Another shot from '75. My buddy Ray Brooks on Cascade as well. The obvious Chouinard influence on a Yank. Piolet, 'pons and alpine hammer. More Chouinard with the original Jensen pack and the Foam back cagoule. The then, high speed Joe Brown helmet, French wool knickers and Galiber Hivernal dbl boots. Check out the umbilical on Ray's alpine hammer.

They are my heros I had to be reminded this morning. John was 61 when he and Jesse did Slipstream. http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=876333 These guys still....

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2010/11/carlos-buhler.html

Ninja Ice? Or any similar knit glove available at your local mini mart? Sticky rubber palms and short cuffs. Ropes run poorly on the rubber imo. I've used them, too sticky for me and I generally climb were it is colder than they are comfortable in. But for the price if you can get over the down sides, decent glove. Sure is sticky on the tools. Every one should try them. Perfect glove if you do a lot of short sport stuff close to the road and you can place a screw quickly with the sticky palms. Sport dry tooling climbing bolts? Awesome choice. I like Mike's B/E better. But the B/E is still not warm enough for me generally. May be on those sunny one stick days when you wonder wtf will be falling off on you MH Torsion is warmer and will last a LOT longer in my experience. I have a pair that has 60+ full pitches of ice and rapping on them and look like new. Never thought they would last that long. Great deal at $30 and good deal at $50 full retail imo. Still when it is cold none of them will do for me and I bump up to the MH Hydra...which is $100 retail and generally can be had for $80 on sale.

Couple of quick points. RE: Drus' comments on guides being involved? The Alpine clubs build a majority of the huts I think..but could easily be wrong...just going from old and not very precise memory. Anyone have something more to add on that idea? Professional guides are generally well represented in the Alpine club memberships. And they should be as both are good stewards of the environment but with differing agendas at times. As an example...as a guide I want huts...as a private climber I don't want huts or commercial guided parties in the huts. John's comments on Stuart? Most everyone would love a good trail or reflectors when you are wandering around in the dark or in a nasty storm. Would a set of reflectors lower the experince walking in and out of mtneer creek in August in day light? Don't know...may be, may be not. Since I am likely to go in and out in the dark...sure I'd like 'um. But right answer? Is there one? Good/better trails are a awesome idea as are bridges were needed. Easy decent routes via chained raps? Have you walked down Asgard with a foot of snow over the scree in the dark? I'm all for a fixed rap route to avoid that again. If you limit visitation, you limit the number of folks that need to be educated. Limit the numbers of people and you limit the over use. Not that I'd want to do that but I think our society has to take on the responsibilty. I don't think anyone here argues that point (that something needs to be done to lower our impact)....but how should we impliment controls and what controls are required to do so?

All plans vitually put into effect by the Alpine Guides Associations of every country mentioned. All with long ties and traditions founded by the mtn guides in France, Swizerland and Italy before WWI to develope tourism and put bread on their tables in a environment it was tough to do so by farming. Nepal is an other good example of human impact on the environment and what people are willing to do when they are hungry. We have many more options available than just repeating what the alpine countries of Europe have done. I have long thought the Canadian Park Service was a good example. But they too are being stressed by the economical and ecological concerns of wanting to bring more people into the wilderness. There is one reason there are huts at Muir...and it isn't the park service or to save lives. I am not saying huts are a bad thing just to realise what they bring to the party besides the comforts of bed and breakfast.

Agreed Daniel. Even though both would be immediate results. But you have to recognise the impact a hut makes on an area as well. Hut at Colchuck? Would mean certain year around use at Colchuck far out pacing what is done there today. Do you really think a couple of chained rap lines off Dragontail would be far behind? (I might be the first in line with a drill) Good discussion. And I agree on the waste issues a hut would solve...IF you can manage the extra use/waste it will generate.

What was required for humans to use and live off the land is no longer required today. We have the physical ability to treat our environment differently. It takes very little effort to recognise true wilderness, even if the mine tailings, old logging roads and physical debris litters the landscape today of most every "wilderness" in CONUS. The concept of development comes from a couple of sources....those in a hurry to use the resource now and those with physical and time limitations that slow their use of the same resources. Same results long term...the "wilderness" resource is not easily renewable once signifigantly changed and over populated.