Dane

Marc said he wanted to do a TR so I thought the rest best saved for him.

Hispanics...shit...They're real worry is the freak'in traffic cameras. Do a google search on that

The upcoming spray should be entertaining

and a chalk bag... Marc Leclerc on his solo onsight of Outer Space this morning. Done in just under 30 minutes. Which was just about how long it took him to walk down in his slippers Nicely done, Congrads!

BD spare part for F10 (gold colored Neve) (available july 1st) New spare part added: SKU BD0400730000ALLS NEVE REAR RAIL NO HEELTHRW F10 Stripped ST with Neve heel. Heel available as part July 1 from BD customer service.

Yep I was a little surprised just how fragile the set up is. But seems to work as intended if you can get it to the climb. I'm adverse to anything past a 10 min approach FWIW a short comment on the visor. http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2010/02/whats-for-dinner.html

easy in rock shoes..even blindingly tight rock shoes.

Roberts is extremely good and knows what we do.

Petzl gave you the wholesale/dealer price on the replacement Visor kit. As good or better than what most companies normally do. If the visor is installed and attached properly (not all that easy imo) they don't fall off unless you break them. I've been packing one (visor on my Meteor) around most of the winter but inside my pack and inside a (bigger) helmet bag. I expected to break the visor (and maybe the Meteor) every trip. This time of year I don't use the visor and won't again till late Nov. I'm not generally that anal about taking care of my gear but the Petzl visor obviously isn't the most durable piece of gear by design or required funtion. Loose one and I'd call it operator error, no warrenty would apply. Just my 2 cents.

New review and comparison for those interested. Sweet boot btw http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2010/04/scarpa-phantom-guide-vs-la-sportiva.html

Ferratas rock! Climbing looks so/so but Liz looks hot! Unsure on the hat for the moment Retro '80s may be?

Better to ask Colin Haley he seems to have some depth of experience with that kind of nonsense We used to saw some pretty big ones with gold line while one of us was on top and one below which seemed reasonable...well sorta reasonable anyway. We also use to pack around 30 or 40# of dynamite while on skiis and blow shit up in the dark while it was snowing so hard you couldn't see even if it was light...so reasonable is always relative to the moment. Right now sitting here all of it seems pretty stupid for $7. an hour! Way fun though

We did sawing a lot to save caps on Patrol. But sawing doesn't work all that great from below

BTW guys, nice work on Outer Space. Fine effort on a true classic!

More than fair. Leavenworth puritanical...not likely...ever. Simply because the climbing population has been too transient until just recently. Germany, old eastern bloc, but not Leavenworth.

My apologies to the OP for the complete hijack. PP, how is turning an old aid line into a free line...not traditional? Serious question not trying to be pissy. Gotta remember 5.12 was pretty hard anywhere in the mid '80s. Runout 5.11 still is if the B-Y is any example. Been 25 years or more now and I still don't see those face lines on the upper left of the Shield getting done a lot. Seemed pretty heady stuff at the time compared to pushing new trad cracks @ .11+ and easy 12.

Agreed on the quality of the shield section of Iconoclast. Haven't done anything but OS above LL. But my understanding from some old conversations is the bolts were placed at different times and by differing parties while trying to make a free climb out of an old hook and aid line. The usual local Leavenworth suspects in the mid '80s. Wasn't something that interested me so my memory could well be wrong.

No, on the easy aid. If you think a 5.5 chimney blows, 5.10d is going to be rude. Better to get on Easter Overhang and Carnival crack and see what you think. Both are easier to get off of if you want to bail.

I'm no cornice expert. Thoughts? Cornices aren't safe. So you go to the smallest over hanging section to tunnel through. A caution, at the bottom of cornice where the slope and cornice meet can be some really weird and unstable snow. I took a long ride off the bottom of a cornice once when the area just under the cornice collasped as I started to tunnel. Axes work, small, stout shovels are better. Makes the tunnel longer but I like a little less angle for more purchase once inside the tunnel. So I don't dig vertically. Try to get inside the hypothetical fracture line quickly. Just pray it doesn't decide to come off as you are digging.

Psychopath is the obvious pitch to do while you're there as it looks pretty good. I love finger cracks and found it less than spectacular in the grand scheme of finger cracks. Good pro on a less than vertical slab, crux at the end for me. Add RPM in as well. Iconoclast is really just the approach pitches to Hyperspace. The exit on to the Shield and the Iconoclast "connect" to OS is easily to identify when you are there. I thought Hyperspace a good climb and especially liked the stellar hand cracks high up in the corner. Although the thorny under growth was annoying at times. Those hand cracks made the effort worthwhile. The Pressure Chamber? Not so enjoyable but nice line.

Have and use both dbls but lack an opinion What ever you do shop around. Going price for either is $500. on line. The other two boots I have been impressed by lately is the newest Scarpa Phantom Guide (single boot with built in gaiter) available now and the newest Phantom 6000 double boot which should be available mid summer or so.

New Nepal Evo is warmer and fit better anyway. Going to cost you $100 plus at best to fix your boots. I'd suck it for at $380 on sale at: https://www.alpenglowgear.com/gear/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=570gear/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=570&gclid=COPm1PSeoaECFR16gwod51TAxA

Couple of observations...Looks like your boots got really hot somewhere, which is why the rands are cracking and the sole delam I would suspect. The rands need to be replaced as well. I would wonder about the condition of the leather at that point. Best answer I have seen to fix them is from Dave Page in Seattle. He did the Spantiks below and suspect he can do your Nepals as well since he is the authorised La Sportiva repair guy. Good luck! "Dave Paige did the resole. La Sportiva does not import the Spantik sole, hence the Nepal sole on my Spantik boot...

Walking or climbing down is always a smart option under stressful terrain. Think an axe in your hand is bad? Try a broken ski pole and how many ways it can add another hole in your body. The big boys (that stay alive) use a real axe or Whippets as required. Colin again: "He unexpectedly hit a big patch of blue ice, obscured by just a few inches of powder, and started sliding. Almost in disbelief, Nils and I watched as Magnus several times almost gained control on small bits of snow, but then hit more ice and kept sliding, eventually hitting a rock band and tumbling over it. After the rock band Magnus immediately starting tumbling down the 45 to 50 degree face, and in well less than a minute fell 700 vertical meters, to past the bergshrund." Self arresting on blue ice is just about impossible to do no matter what you are using or your skill level. Better pray for a good run out if it happens. Soloing technical ice is fun and secure done with the right gear. Skiing similar terrain or anything that would require a rope for protection in a fall...not so much.

Hey Dan, I noticed this post on self arrest with ski poles in "Colin distilled" some time back. "A link showing how to self arrest with ski poles, basically you put the pole inside of your armpit and put all your weight into it. Will not work on ice, actually works pretty well on somewhat steep snow." On even black diamond runs at a ski area a ski pole self arrest is of minimal use imo. I just didn't want to get into on that thread. While obviously some extreme skiing by Colin and his partners few rely on ski poles in the BC for self arrest. Black Diamond Whippet Colin, "I scrambled to press myself as far against the left side of the gully as possible, and dug my whippets into the slope. The avalanche pulled hard on my backpack and the tails of my skis, and I was only just barely able to keep from being swept off the cliffs to my death. "