Dane

With ice season coming on never hurts to know a deal if you need one. Sportiva Trango Prime...insulated and a water proof liner-sox...also a wider last, not totally rigid and a non sticky rubber sole. Not impressed for my feet and ended up returning them last winter. Cost $390 Sportiva Ice...insulated, not water proof, light, rigid and warm. They fit narrow feet well. Terrible lace system, imo. On sale many places on the Net from $220 to $270..with no tax or shipping from some of them. $10 at your local cobbler might get you 4 pairs of new hooks on the Ice's cuff. Then you can ditch the funky Sportiva ankle tie/cuff system. This the second pair I have done this mod to. If the last fits your foot, and you are in need of something in this style of boot, the cuff conversion is simple. Sure makes lacing and unlacing your boots a lot easier during the day or if you end up spending the night out in them. The modified lacing seems to work pretty well for hard mixed and "warm weather" ice in the Cascades or on the Parkway. Soft, flexible ankle, so not a huge amount of support but enough to not roll an ankle at the end of the day in a nasty scree/boulder descent. Bit more support than the Prime, a bit less than the Silver colored Trango Evo (another great option, maybe the best of the bunch with Goretex, if found cheaper than $400). Some rocker in the sole so longer approaches won't kill off your feet before you get started. A rigid sole that climbs well with 'pons. A noticably sticky rubber on rock and you still get the nifty little mini gaiter to keep the major chit out of your boots

No right or wrong way as Gene says. Just that one way is a whole lot easier. Kevin, not a big change. They climb like a dumbed down Nomic with a spike. Being able to add the Nomic pick weights will make them even better on water ice than the poorly balanced (in comparison) Quark.

Mountain Hardwear Hooded Compressor Jacket Bought this on sale last summer and used it all winter and spring in the Canadian Rockies and the Cascades. I have a couple of heavier jackets (Wild Things and NF and a similar lwt Patagonia) more akin to what you have posted. The Compressor has become the only climbing/belay jacket I use. As good in cold dry conditions as it has been in the typical wet and sloppy Cascade conditions. Credit given to the outer shell's "dry" finish and the synthetic insulation. It is long enough to keep you warm, short enough to actually climb difficult terrain in. And a hood that works over any helmet. One of the most useful and best pieces of kit I own.

While the BD spinner isn't the only toy in town...imo it is the best yet. Been using it for the last two seasons and have kept a loaner set that my partner's have begun fighting over. I was not a big fan initially. Biners seemed too big, funky swivel added and a bit long in the prototype versions. But the biner's turned out to be hell for stout, easy on and off head or spike on almost any tool we were using and never got in the way. The nylon tape used didn't freeze up even when soaked and the funky little mini swivel kept things untangled for even my klutziest, umbilical hating, partners. The guys already using umbilicals liked the BD prototypes better than their own home made rigs or the Grivel setup with wire gate or locker. By the end of last season even I was convinced as the BD swivel made tight mixed less annoying with umbilicals Glad BD finally made them available commercially so the bitches will stop trying to steal mine. Moke stokage! Our own, immortal, Jr. Flyboy in action sans umbilicals and me on the ice above groveling through a fair size section of overhanging califlower with umbilicals and a TR....

Lower one is the current version. It is easier to clip and unclip being closer to your hand. But why bother with leashes in any form? Climbing leashless is easier. Quark is an awesome leashless tool with the factory grip adaptor. Pull the leashes, add some sticky tape higher up the shaft, maybe a second grip for matching and you are good to go imo. Awesome tool..and with a few mods what I prefer to climb on when not on Nomics.

If you have a piece of cartilage missing from your Femur, totally different problem/answer than a torn meniscus. I had/have the injury your PT guy suggests. The only way to really tell is with an MRI. It took an OATS cartilage transplant to fix mine. Did the surgery in Jan '07 and still doing rehab. But it is better than not having done the surgery...at least I think so most days. Good discussion here: http://www.isakos.com/innovations/oats2.aspx

I wasn't aiming that one at you Steph, not trying to get personal...I saw the guide book reference earlier. Just adding to the dog pile Nice write up and pictures on your TR.

Awesome TR! Great route. But .10a?

We'll see them at the sport shows first...nothing yet so won't be this year but something new "will be" coming in time. Petzl has no reason to come up with anything new when everyone is (still) just trying to just match the performance of a Nomic. Looks to me like Petzl is safe for a season or two yet.

Call Sportiva and ask but I would think it would be bigger.

The Canadians call the Nomic, "cheater stixs". Enough said

Bastard Shows $600+ online at MEC. How much they on sale for?

You got a bug in my search engine Grant? But to answer the question not long if they actually fit Like, about the time Zappos puts them on line. Little lighter than the Spantik by the charts I noticed. And I welcome the retro lacing system. Also nice to have a more rigid sole for the things I am doing, (not long or all that cold) so the crampon clips don't collapse the sole if you over tighten the crampon. But these (Spantik below) with Intuition liners are doing the trick so far. If my Intuition liners will fit the new Baruntse it's already a done deal. The Baruntse looks to be more of a Nepal Top dbl boot to me. Which is really what I have wanted all along. Kinda a new wave white Kolflach from 30 years ago. The Spantik for shorter things in the Alps or Canada in winter is over kill imo. What makes it nice on long modertae ice, the stiff ankle, also makes it suck any other terrain. Hopefully the lacing, sole compression, ankle flexibility, fit, weight and a slightly lower volume will be things Sportiva addressed with the Baruntse while still retaining more warmth than a Nepal Evo and less volume than a Spantik. Be an awesome boot if they even made half those changes. Be nice if they would go back to the originally quoted $500 price though

Hey Dave, Jug haul? Tsunami's real value is leaving it to stand as it was first done. The last face climbing pitch of Tsunami is a exceptional and stunning finish to the other 3 pitches. IOM that pitch really defines and underlines the quality of the other 3 pitches of that line. Nice to have a climb or two out there that can still be an adventure, even 20+ years after the 1st ascent. Free Friends is also an awesome line and 4 good (and easier) pitches just feet away from Tsunami. Route finding on both lines is unique. For all the obvious reasons I've rethought adding anything to that last pitch. Dumbing down the exceptional granite climbs at Chimney would be sad imo. We did three trad lines on Steamboat Rocks on the Cd'A river Dave. One up the most obvious line on the main prow (2 or 3 pitches, don't remember) and two shorter lines of face climbing on the much steeper face on the left (facing the rock) off the bench/ledge.

Couple of pictures of my new Cold Cold World. Pack weighs in at less than 1.5 #. Material is Spectra ripstop. Shoulder harness is off a full size CCW pack for the extra padding required on heavier loads. Some where above a 35L in my 21" back size. Old school Chouinard Fish pack bottom (weather beaten orange) and a custom Ozone (new bright red). New pack's bottom panel. And the pack showing the obvious S shaped back panel. More... Loaded with 37# of climbing rope and 2 one liter bottles in the lid. Featured: custom sizing custom pattern originally based on the Ozone size 2 liter+ top pocket 2nd zippered pocket in lid with key holder Zippers reversed for use on hanging belays pull down shoulder straps main bag guide book zippered pocket covered lid buckle removeable back foam oversize shoulder straps Perlon haul loop dbl strap patches on lid dbl rop straps dbl bottom 10" extension Lid is extendable or removeable bar tacked daisy chain on the bottom of the lid strap

Hey Off Scanning?....these are just digital pics of the prints, flash and all....I have no clue on scanning. I should sit down and get them all scanned into a digital format at some point. Like most of us I have lots of old prints and slides.

Thanks Andy. Fun place...although I scared myself last time I was there. East face can still be pretty intimidating. Tsunami? Sounds about right. You just follow the obvious FF crack past the big ledge on the right and climb into the little bowl where the crack ends and the face climbing and obvious mantel magically appear. Always thought it was kinda GOD's joke on us. Used to be a couple of pins up there from Roskelly and Spearman aiding it at A3 I suspect. Hard climbing and terrible pro on dirty rock but the "obvious" line. Too bad it is so damn hard and the pro bad. Just never fit with the climbing on FFs. Had to be the finish for Tsunami. Last pitch of FFs start with a stand up to reach the hand crack through a small roof at the far right end of that big ledge. Much more fun and real pro. We always climbed to that ledge and then just moved the belay over to finish up so no rope drag. Love hanging out at the belay on the smaller ledge below after climbing the roof! Makes you feel like a GAWD doing the short third pitch and finding that big ledge and some flat ground Joe started the thread on Sancho. Over the years I have seen some big whippers on that crack's crux. Thankfully none of them mine. But the real jewel on that corner is Sancho Direct. Bit dirty still I suspect but a awesome finger crack with good pro (wires and TCUs) just to the right of the off width. Little done (aren't they all) but one of the best cracks on the west face. Match it up with a some version of "Westside Girls" and you have a nice line. And no question...Lord Greystoke is a "bitch" of nasty and steep 1.5" ring locks. Thankfully it is short, good job! Couple more pics..and my apologies for the '80s lycra....or the even earlier '70s painter's pants! FF roof FF/Illusions start Gwain on Fun Roof Gwian again just below the splitter of Sticky Fingers Max starting the crux of Yahoody

Nice to see Chimney can still be an adventure. Couple of pics for fun. Roof on FF. Lower part of Tsumani

Over the last year I have had CCW make 4 different totally custom packs for me. Timely delivery, no problem with the custom features I wanted and a better than expected price every time. http://coldcoldworldpacks.com/intro.htm Randy @ CCW also offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee and no question refund policy.....Marmot had a few in stock last I checked. Mine aren't big enough for what you want but you are welcome to look at any of them.

The Flash 30 @ $60 plus tax is going to be hard to beat for a pack that will get little use. Plus the fact that if you have a problem you can return it used for a full refund would make a difference to me. Only caveat I would have is make sure it actually fits your back......

Sounds like a nightmare! Hopefully you are good to go now. Rehab in retrospect will have flown by!

Try Randy @ http://coldcoldworldpacks.com/intro.htm Each pack is made by the company's owner to your specific needs. The Ozone is a simple 30L pack that you'll be hard pressed to EVER wear out. Seriously! Prices are great, workmanship stellar, waits typically short and customer service hard to beat. If you need something a little different (or a lot) than what he shows on his web page, you just have to ask. Do a search here or on SuperTopo.com for CCW pack feed back. Randy built a one off for me from the basic Ozone design with two rope straps and lots of other added details. All for an amazing $124. delivered. Now four of my buddies are using similar packs. My latest Spectra cloth option weighs in at 1 lb. 8 oz. Dropping 12 oz from the 2 lb 4oz Ballistics nylon versions pictured. Two versions of a custom Ozone in red ballistics nylon shown below, with and without a extendable lid.

Hard to believe anyone that lives around here and alpine climbs hasn't done all three.... and something on Willis as well. 10 seems silly. I know may who have done at least two, few that have done 2 and Curtis, fewer yet to have done something on Willis and all three. Sheesh, I lived in Coeur d'Alene when I did them between '75 and '78.

Mine has a check book.....