Dane

I also have the FF Vireo. Mine is not a half bag. It is a full bag with no hood but will snug up around by neck no problem even at 6'1". Also worth noting that the majority of the fill is @ or below the waist. The upper is made to layer with a hooded parka of some sort. Gives you an option for more or less insulation on top. I generally use mine with a Patagonia Puff Hoody. Gives me two pieces that are about the size of a one liter water bottle stuffed. Yep, the Vario easily stuffs to slightly smaller than a 1L water bottle. It is a tight bag and you need to carry a jacket if you want to sleep warm at freezing or lower. I've used the system in Canada in winter...works short term but just barely. The Vario by itself works for Rainier in summer if you are willing to sleep in your shell gear. The Vario is a 1# bag plus what ever your belay jacket weight is for a total bag weight. When your pack is loaded two small packages are easily stored and ignored. I'd rather sleep more comfortably most of the time but the light weight and small package made the Vario a bag worth having imo.

Depends on how you feel about 4th class rock. By the time you get down the Cascadian and back up the pass I suspect it would be a wash. If the decision is carry bivy gear up the West Ridge and down Cascadian, or no bivy gear and up and down the West Ridge the second choice sounds a lot better and more fun (and faster) to me It might be a little slower but it is a lot more fun and generally just walking and scambling if you are decent at route finding. After going up the West Ridge you should be able to find the easiest route finding on the way down. But I doubt you'd have a problem either way. The walk off from the base of the west ridge is more fun with no elevation gain on the way out which you can't say for Cascadian.

This is FWIW info. I've done the CNRidge in plastic boots in June...we didn't do the Gendarme. Put on the boots at the top of Goat pass, used runners to get to there. I also have done the Upper N Ridge in Brooks trail running shoes and the Gendarme in a pair of Mythos. Been down Cascadian and the West Ridge in runners and in boots. If I were going in July I would take either a really light boot like the Garmont (or something even lighter) or a good set of trailing running shoes. You'll have more fun I suspect going up and down the lighter you go for footware. Although the Cascadian is a loooong bitch with or without snow. No reason in the world to take rock shoes on the West Ridge unless you have a pair that are REALLY comfortable to walk in. You might want to think about going both up and down the West ridge.

Good for you Marc. I know more than one guy who started off doing things like your trip and ended up doing the Eiger, Everest and much more. The key to any climb is just getting out while using the gear you do have. Too many wankers here worry more about their gear and looking cool than actually climbing. Always better to have a rope and not need it than the other way around. Good on ya mate.

I would also doubt the possibility of ice crytals coming though a First Light tent wall.

Thanks Martin...

Anyone have a good photo of the Fault on lower Castle rock? Be cool if there was a climber in it but most anything will work? Thanks!

That is a reach.....

The curved handled tools are overkill for any of the "moderate" alpine ice routes including things like Slipstream. All of them are a compromise for plunging...the Aztarex being one of the better imo as well. Although the Aztarex is a bit too light in the head for me on rock hard alpine ice. You get spoiled with the better "modern" ice tools when the ice gets steep or hard and brittle. One of my favorite tools is the Grivel, Air Tech Evo. http://www.grivelnorthamerica.com/products.php?gid=1&id=7 Bit pricey and picks that will wear out in time. But I have some older axes I still use without the ability to change picks. Old Cobra and new Cobra's are totally different tools. But the older Cobra will get you up most any modern alpine climb and be better suited for the moderate alpine routes you want to do now. If bought at the "right price" they would be a good set of tools to grow with imo. No clue how tall you are but most everything we are discussing here the tools are 50sm. Most alpine "ice" routes, even the most difficult, are going to have lots of plunging and a longer axe makes some sense a majority of the time. I'm 6'1" and use a pair of 50cm tools a majority of time when at least one 60 or 70 would make much more sense on anything but steeper water ice. Helps to remember that a alpine ice route with 70 degree ice will generally have a impressive reputation. Put a pitch or two of something like Grade 3 WI (Cascade for example) in an alpine environment and you have some serious climbing...all easily done with a simple curved pick and a straight shaft.

Leavenworth..Air Roof..ie Flotation

Forgot, the last couple of times we used a Bibler on the West butt we also used every available snow cave on route to cook in. As mentioned previously, how you protect your tent in a storm (snow walls and keeping the tent shoveled out) will make a big difference on how -or if- the tents lives through a storm. The long version (the BD First Light doesn't come in the long version) is decent for two climbers and is pretty tight for 3 for all but the best of friends. Once acclimitized we did a quick trip with three in a long Intergal Designs tent and it was really pretty unpleasant.

I've used Biblers/Intergal Designs a number of times in Alaska including on the West Butt from the air strip up to 17K. One of my tents now is a BD First Light. The First Light is the 2.0 version of the original Bibler...just done in a lighter weight material. Note, I didn't say less strong material. I know a few guys who have used the BD First Light in some pretty shitty conditions up high. And now they won't use the heavier versions. I have watched the seam lines widen by the gust in a good Alaska blow on an old, well worn Bibler @ 17K. But our tent never failed....while others did. If you are planning on a long trip I would take a bigger tent and at least take a bigger tent into the air strip or to 11 on the west butt just for comfort. But for a fit team of two from 11K (or the strip) up I wouldn't bat an eye at taking a BD First Light on McKinley. Just make sure you realise how cramped the small single walled tents really are when you'll have to spend days (and days) in them.

This may not help but worth noting. The Nepal last is a bit more narrow in the toe than the Trango Series. The Batura is closer to the Trango last in fit. (although Sportiva says the Batura uses a Nepal last, it does not in my experience) It may not be enough to fit your foot but the Trango/Batura has more room in the toe than the Nepal last for me.

Hey Graham, I intentioanllly left off the details of our transcaction simply for your benefit. When some one feels the need to start a Pay Pal complaint because of a lack of communication it is obviously a problem. To your credit you did take care of it. I'll give you a call today.

Graham was difficult to get a hold of and slow to respond when he does answer. I would not call it whining if you aren't getting emails and phone calls returned. I was actually getting a bit pissed.

pm sent

Thanks guys. Yes, what I was looking for is a UIAA dbl rated rope but something you'd be willing to use as a single. I have 7.8 twins and not willing to use one of them as a single, too skinny and scary. But in comparison to my Joker they are really light. Thought something in the mid 8mm range would work for what I have in mind and still keep the weight down and some piece of mind. Some good suggestions to check out...thanks!

Sorry, forgot...needs to be a dry rope. If anyone has a lighter rope than a Joker...that is single rated, that would be even better.

I'm looking for the best dbl rope out there. Gotta be lwt weight, stiff flex if it is available. Need a 70m and bi color would be nice but not a deal breaker. For others that might do such a thing I am looking for a 8mm/8.5mm, rope that is dbl rated. The intended use is as a single rope on a ice route with a bit of hard mixed. Not UIAA approved of course but that is where it is going so if you have any experience with dbls or one particular brand/model you like let's hear it. Got a Joker already and want something lighter as the approach for this one is a beeeeeeaaach

try Zappos

Shit! When has anyone on the Internet actually told the truth about how hard they climb or how often they get laid?

Oh shit! Now I see the problem, it is the ho-hos. Most everyone I know who cranks 5.13 and WI6 can crave a ho-ho now and then.

I undertsand it is the internet and all but would think it really hard to suggest a "moderate" until you have actually got up the route Re: Slipstream? No one including the 1st ascent party ever thought Slipstream to be cutting edge or extreme, even in 1979. They took 3 days to get up and off the climb in Dec '79. Couple of NW punters did the second ascent in Jan of '81. With a 8:45 climbing time and way less than 24 hrs car to car while coming down the Athabasca in a white out. Lauchlan called it "classy". Anyone who has seen it will admit to it being a classic. No one who has ever been on the climb would doubt just how dangerious it can be. Moderates? Cascade-Yosemite Rock: Catapault/Winter Soltice Gonzilla/ Sloe Children Nut Cracker Central Pillar of Frenzy Serenty Crack- Sons Rockies waterfalls: Cascade Sniveling Takakakaw Rockies Alpine climbs: NW Ridge of Sir Donald East Ridge of Edith Cavell East Ridge of Temple

Any update on the road and trail?

Really nice thing to say Steve but in reference to Cooper and crew not in the same ball game. Guys like Bill Fix, Ron Niccol, Gordon Thompson, Jack Miller, Joe Hieb, Vin Hoeman, Leon Blumer and others climbed more than most of us ever will. The original East Face line on Chimney is "the" obvious line on the face. Done in 1961 @ 5.8 A1...with wool and cotton clothing, tennis shoes, funky ropes and hardware and a really big set of balls. Dave Hiser and Ed Cooper had those. Another line even harder than the 1961 East Face was Copper's and Don Bergman's climb of the NE Face...in 1959 @ 5.8 A2, which started on what is now the free line "Eye of the Tiger". Bill Fix's comments on his ascent with Jack Miller's of the NE "ridge" also in '59 is a classic. And I would suspect Cooper's original line done the month before. This in 200 vertical feet of Chimney that I have climbed all over and you'd be hard pressed to find a move under 5.8 and most of it much harder! Sandbaging and down grading in 1959? Who've thought Sure there were a few points of aid on all these climbs "back in the day" but I suspect not as much as you might suspect given the ratty gear these guys worked with and their free climbing standards. I know many a modern day "hard guy" who has pulled through all three climbs at A1 in sticky rubber and a big rack of cams Having repeated Boothe's 1935 solo from the lake in modern running shoes in '84 I can tell you it was harder physically/mentally than my solo of Illusions/Free Friends in '87. The NE face done in '59 puts the modern "technical" climbs into perspective for me. Scary? Ya, pretty much Haven't seen the programs but will make a point of it, thanks!