Dane

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

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.

I've had them on one of my cars for a few years now...never had an issue with the plates. No emissions tests after 30 years. Speeding? Different 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"

and it qualifies for collector plates...never buy another set of tags or plates in WA again!

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.