kurthicks

yep. it's a route that i'd gladly climb once a year, given good conditions...

deep snow at the moment. 18" of fresh snow above 5000' on Tuesday. Expect 4 or so miles of snowed in roads on the approach, meaning you park down by the bridge over the river. Once it forms in Oct/Nov, the Cosley-Houston stays in until May usually. It and anything up there would be a wallow right now. go skiing.

Take 5 minutes and watch these. More info on UIAA website. you can also watch all three in series/spliced together on their site for an easier viewing experience. part 1 xparZFsBS40 part 2 vtq51h6zcvY part 3 H3Cg8homvoU

what's left?

snow over rock from the looks of it. it could get better though with the sunny & warm temps.

where/what are you planning on bolting Jamin?

The Grivel Double Spring came to £28.5 shipped...that's ~$58USD.

lots more freshies up in the hills from yesterday. we bailed on Chair today to climb Das Toof since it was easier approaching up yesterday's ski tracks... had to use a shovel to get up to Pineapple Pass! literally a shoulder/head high trench for the better part of 70M! the SF is snowy and dripping, but pretty fun. warm enough to climb w/o gloves today. many sluffs on S and E aspects. reasonable stability on other aspects, although I did get a CTM15 Q2, just above source lake on a N facing slope. looked like the interface between the last two storm cycles. no whumphing/cracks anywhere. your radio is likely gone loren, sorry.

FYI everyone: The approach today (to the Tooth, but I'd bet Chair is the same) required a shovel! lots of freshiez out there. take skis. lots of sluff activity on south and east facing slopes, but nothing too serious. pray for consolidation if you're into climbing!

the information about insurance is awesome! In reality, insurance is an option (actually a requirement for operation on public lands) for guide services, albeit it is expensive.

from my email with them: The VAT will be deducted when the order is processed for posting. This will not show on your order confirmation. The post will also be an estimate, which is usually too high, just ignore the amount!. We have just sent a Double Spring Leash to New York, it was sent by International Signed For (Small Packet) and it cost £5.50. We usually send items at cost, after we have checked the weight and price at the Post Office. I will keep a look out for your order, we have plenty of leashes in stock.

who drove the new-ish pin on the Beckey Route on Liberty Bell within the last few years? It's on P3, just below the old angle. why?

Use a dremel and grind a small, shallow notch just wide enough for the tail attachment. Epoxy if you hit anything other than just plastic to prevent water infiltration. hucking big in the backcountry with your twin tips, eh? edit: http://www.backcountry.com/store/newsletter/s3/a100/Twin-Tip-Ski-Climbing-Skin-Tips.html

I'll take one...BD isn't coming out with one until Fall 2009 from what I heard.

We have 4 of these in stock as of this morning. US 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11. http://www.guideschoice.com/scripts/prodview.asp?idProduct=950

FYI the iPods that have an air bearing (all of the new ones) don't usually work above 14K. take something with flash memory to be cranking the tunes out on summit day.

sounds good. bridgeport, eh?

I'll give you a sixer for the pick.

1. walk directly between the two. scramble up the west side of the S ridge of North Sister. easy until the "terrible traverse". 2. Go up the N. Ridge from below the Thayer Glacier. walk/scramble the ridge and gullies towards the standard chute used for the S. ridge ascent. don't die on the horrid, loose rock (see below, taken from ~9200' on the north ridge of N. Sis) Edit: Doing this in winter will easily add 12 miles or more of road walking/skiing. you'd better be skiing if you're planning on doing this in the winter. it's the only way it'd be close to feasible during the winter...

white, aerated, and steeper than usual.

make me a reasonable offer...

both were sieged last weekend from what i was told in an email. the NEB waterfall was "spicy". NF crux is getting over the glide crack.

i've got a BD Covert 32L for $105. it's got 2 tool loops, carrys well, and holds skis/boards...

sold.

actually, I've been told it's the same, just colder... supposedly it goes free...