Hairyboys

If I am posting this to the wrong section of the board, please forgive and advise otherwise. Bill is a Cascade Climber who live and trains in Richland, Washington (on the east side for those who don't know). On Monday November 18th 2003, Bill Painter, 80 years young, climbed Badger Mt. for his 1000th time. Badger is a steep mountain, with about nine different routes. This marks 900,000 ft of elevation gain on Bill's way to his goal of 1,000,000' on Badger. Bill began climbing Badger Mt. (Benton County, Washington) for training and fitness in March of 1998 at the age of 76. Since then he has also summitted: Mt. St. Helens 2x Mt. Adams 2x Mt. Stuart Mt. Rainier 2x Enchantment Peak Little Anapurna (Washington Enchantments) Matterhorn Peak (Oregon Eagle Cap Wilderness) Mt. Kala Patar (18,200' Nepal) and others. He has also ascended to 21,000' altitude at Camp Indepencia on Cerro Aconcagua, Argentina. Not too bad for starting a little late I have had the pleasure of knowing Bill for the past year. He is remarkable...I also train on Badger and have recently began training with Bill. Holy Crap, this guy is in shape. Badger is a 900' steep climb that is excellent for training. Bill regularly carries about 35 lbs and I carry 55...you'd think the 40 year age difference would more than even out, but Bill's pace regularly leaves me panting in his tracks. Bill is a real hero to me. He served in WWII in Europe as an infantryman in the foxholes. Landed in France six days after D-Day and fought all the way to Germany. His unit misseld the Battle of the Bulge only because they were sent to man the line at the siege of Brest during the German counteroffensive (Brest held out till the end of the war, with the US maintaining a siege which they beefed up during the Bulge for fear the Germans would also attack from there). Bill is determined to be the oldest man to climb Rainier. Anyway, 1000 times up Badger at any age is a major achievement and I wanted to honor Bill by posting it here. If you can catch Bill, congratulate him!

Try Julbo S-Capes. Wrap around glacier glasses that darken or lighten from 5% to 15 % visible light reduction depending on light levels. Cost around $125, but can be found on sale. They Don't screw around with your eyes. Spend the cash.

Timo I too am a hard-to-fit kind of guy. I have a McHale S-Sarc...bomber pack. It is made out of standard materials, is about 5200 cu in, and wieghs 4 lbs 12 oz with the floating lid/fanny pack and the snow shovel pocket. If I remove the shovel pocket and use the summit flap, it weighs 4 lbs. If you can afford Spectra fabric, and are anal about ultralight no matter the cost, you can get a version that weighs about a pound less but it will jack the price waaay up. I have four packs and have used several others over the years. McHale's S-Sarc is my favorite and the most comfortable loaded. The pack fits me perfectly, and has the most comfortable harness I've ever worn. However, all this comfort, fit, light weight, and bombproofness comes at a hefty price....$540 with Seattle tax. Have to ask yourself if it is worth it, when you can get two packs from other manufacturer's for that much. I really like Dan's packs, and like I said I am hard to fit (big in the chest, short torso, small waist...I have trouble with a lot of off-the-shelf harnesses and belts no matter what I try) so for me it was worth it. Others may disagree, but to each his own.

I need to buy an open-cell/closed cell combo for a 12 day climbing trip in the North Cascades. I was leaning toward a Thermarest Guide-Lite (long) with a Ridgerest (long). I have an Ultralight 3/4 and hate it, so I want long pads from now on. I do have one of those standard blue foam pads that you can pick up from any backpacking store for $10...nice and wide at 25". Anyone use one of these as their closed cell foam on glacier ice in combo with a Thermarest?? Also, I was looking at the Mountain Hardwear pads...an open cell surrounded by a closed cell shell so that you only need the one pad. Am considering a model called the High Mountain 72. Weight is about 13 oz less with the single MH pad versus the Guide-Lite/Ridgerest combo. Anyone use the Mountain Hardwear pads and whaddidya think of 'em? Thanks