chris

Yep you can. In the photo posted above the ice pitches if formed would be directly below the white streak that is the second couloir. And there you have it!

Wait a tick. My memory may be completely fouled up, but you can't see the ice pitches connecting the first couloir to the second, can you?

Emphasized text by me. If I read this correctly, an altimeter, "electronic signaling device," contour map and compass shall be carried by the guide only if someone under 18 is a guest. So if all of the guests on a given day are over 18, I don't need to carry a thing!

Smegma (SMEG-ma) The secretion, consisting principally of desquamated epithelial cells, found chielfy around the external genitalia and especially under the foreskin of the male. from Principles of Anatomy and Physiology, by Tortora and Grabowski, pg 1056.

All vaccines are not a choice - polio, chicken pox, MMR, tetanus, and others are required by most public schools (including universities). Just wait until you try to enroll your child in school - you'll learn. Edit: Actually, I'll tell you because this means something to me. For Seattle Public Schools, Headstart Preschool and K-12, as of fall 2007. DPT, HIB, HEP B, Polio, MMR, and Varicella.

Kevbone, HPV is the most prevalent and easily transmitted STD in the world. Over a 130 different types have been identified - and only 30 of them are transmitted solely through intercourse (that means the other 100 types are transmitted by contact). Its believed that at least 75% of women will contract at least one type of HPV by adulthood (Baseman and Koutsky, 2005). The second most common form of cancer in women is cervical cancer. Greater than 90% of all cervical cancer cases have been linked to HPV infections. In 2006, cervical cancer was expected to have a 40% mortality rate. The cost of the vaccination - what, $180-360? - is definitely cheaper than the cost of monitoring an HPV infection for abnormal cervical cells in quarterly and bi-annual PAP smears, the cost of coloposcopy biopsies, the cost of a LEEP procedure, and all the follow up visits that attend this. Not to mention the cost of diagnosing and then treating cervical cancer. Not to mention the emotional costs of loosing a loved one.

I was talking to Erich this morning, and he asked me to share - Fairhaven Bike and Mountain Sports is having a close-out sale of all G3 skis and Naxo bindings in stock. 25% off retail!! I can't say enough good things about this shop. If you were thinking of picking up a pair of AT boards or bindings, you should give them a call!

OK, I'm finally getting ready to upgrade my tele-setup, though I'm conflicted about boots. I ski in an old pair of T2s, which have handled well for me BC and in-bounds. But I'm a brand addict, and considering Garmont is causing me to loose my objectivity. Can anyone give me their opinions to the pros vs cons of both models?

If it's not powder you should be CLIMBING not skiing. Bad snow is good practice for better skiing.

If you call Mammut USA with your inseam and waist and which pant(s) you're considering, they'll tell you precisely what size you need. They do seem to have more combinations than typical American manufacturers.

Harness. Dude, this is the last place I'll try to save weight on an alpine climb. Sitting in a skimpy harness on a hanging belay sucks. My personal favorite is the BD Blizzard: It provides enough support and the ice screw clips can be removed (or added to) depending on the route.

Some staples of my alpine system: A Vireo "half" bag from Feathered Friends. At 70 inches long, it doesn't really qualify as a half bag. And even though it's rated to 45 degrees, I've slept in it down to the mid-twenties, albeit with some clothing assistance. And since it packs into the XS compression bag and weighs only a pound, it has become my sleeping insulation of choice. Jetboil Stove. Until the MSR Reactor fits into one unit like the Jetboil, and is easily rigged to hang, this is my light and fast stove of choice. Minimal fuss. Ortovox Gemini Bivy Envelope. This 4-foot by 5-foot, not-seam-sealed sleeve is a great emergency shelter that can fit two people - so you only need one. Black Diamond Jackal pack. I use the Speed for day trips or "cold" overnights (no stoves, no sleeping systems), but the slightly larger Jackal lets me pack everything I need - and nothing more - on trips of one or two nights. In fact, during the hike in and out it's over-filled. But once on route it fits comfortably and climbs great, and can be used for rock and ice. I also found Grivel and Millet packs to be too short in the back, so the comment about BD packs being longer seems to be true.

I had been hoping to check out the North Face, but we didn't get a good enough angle to look back. We didn't traverse to the NW side of Table, so I never saw Death Picnic. From a distance, the North Face looks like its it great condition. So did Pan Falls, so I'm assuming that everything NW-N-NE is in good shape at that elevation. What we did see on the East and South sides of Table were pathetic melted remnants.

Trip: Mt. Baker - Table Mountain tour Date: 1/28/2007 Trip Report: Saturday night my old house-mates Amanda and Greg came up from Seattle for a visit and a tour. I wanted to show them what the Mt Baker Ski Area "front country" could offer, so we took the tour around and over Table Mountain with MontanaPup and Montana the dog. After the typical steel train to the upper lot and the mobs of BC skiers skinning their way up to Austin Pass, the crowds quickly thinned out along the ridge. At the foot of Table Mountain's North Summit, where the tour traverses underneath the East Face, MontanaPup grew tired of mismatched skins-skis and decided head back. Amanda, Greg, Montana and I continued on, had lunch at the South Shoulder, and then decided to take the high route up and over Table into Heather Meadows, a route I hadn't taken before. I was really nervous about the hard crust conditions and steep angles - not for the almost-non-existent avalanche hazard but for the slide-for-life factor. But we were in luck, the crust was just breakable enough to let Montana get good 5cm-deep steps kicked in, and allowed the three skiers to get good edges. The edging was so solid that I started to seek out the steepest lines down the slopes, where I could make solid hop turns all the way down the 1200+ foot run. The slide out to the carpark was completely unremarkable, and we caught up with MontanaPup there. Beers, fries, and fish tacos at Grahams made the day perfect. This was a nice mellow tour with a lot of descent variations - I'm certain to be checking those out some more this season. Gear Notes: Standard ski pack: Shovel Probe Transceiver Ski Crampons would have been helpful, but not required. Approach Notes: There is a well-kicked in track around Table Mountain

I'm looking for a BCA Tracker or a Mammut/Barryvox Opti 3000 to purchase used. This would give someone a little extra cash to justify upgrading. PM if you're interested in selling.

If its not powder its just survival skiing anyways.

Troll.

Sal, even with a synthetic bag you'll still get the freezing vapor inside the bag in the conditions you describe. FF's comment about durability is in the long-term, not a few short nights. I use a -20 bag on three week Denali climbs annually without incidents.

But that wasn't his arguement. He didn't say he had "more respect for the accomplishment of the climber who led the outing in question or who participated in that leadership." He stated that a guided climber should have less pride for their accomplishment because the presence of a guide (or an outdoor ed instructor) diminishes its significance. And I think that's complete nonsense. I tried to not be too harsh. P.S. He's also completely mis-representing Sir Hillary (who has hired a guide before), and taking Sir Hillary's comments about the Nepali government's encouragement of commercial activity at Everest Base Camp completely out of context.

Well, how big a place are we talking about? You said you were getting a guide book ready, implying pages and pages of routes - at least a staple-back. If we're only talking about a one page wall/crag/sector topo, like the Fee Demo Wall, then your OP isn't relevant.

I don't know, Matt. Sounds like he's slamming the OP to me - and every client I've had the privelege to climb with.

A team of three can climb just as efficiently as a team of two. And if you have to carry two ropes anyways (for the descent), it makes just as much sense to climb with three. There are all sorts of tricks that can address leading, rope management, and technique to make it efficient.

I agree with Ultra. If you're spending less than 50% of your time OB, then stick with a regular board. Save your $ for a Pior until you're ready to commit to taking some time OB. I really recommend the Snowboard Conection for the best snowboard advice.

Prior splitboards seem to be the best - and with a splitboard you can keep up with us double-plankers a lot better than with snowshoes. Snowshoes definitely will slow you down, and make you fewer friends.

Bone, I appreciate the star system. On some trips my time is limited, and I want to have a good experience climbing there - the star system helps direct my attention to routes and walls that provide the best quality of the area. Perhaps instead of stars you can make recommendations on what route to climb if you only have one day. Or two days. Or a week - and then leave the rest to time. Guidebooks, like grades, are always subjective, and with time consensus will change opinions and your "must-do" ticklist will inevitably evolve into something else...