Plinko

you punk, they closed it today (11/12/06) for the season. Way to get out and harvest the goods

Don't you guys sleep with the canister when it's that cold? Seriously, who else is gonna be in your sack with you?

I've got the Mammut Transmission Hybrid pants and they kick ass for touring/skiing Hard shell where you need it most, and soft stretchy goodness where u need it. Kinda spendy here in the states, but damn fine stuff.

If you want lightweight, go with a pair of Northern Lites. I've got the Backcountry model and it's unreal how light it is. For climbing up steep terrain, I use Denali's. TSL Sports makes a nice model with even more impressive grip on steeps called the Grip Escape.

Damn you for abusing the return policy. Thanks to people like you, the only way REI can make money now is by selling outdoor fashionwear instead of gear. I broke the lower section on some BD Expedition poles, and bent the lower section on another pair of BD Enduro CF poles. Replacement pole sections are easy to get (and ship fast)and pretty inexpensive. I've used Komperdell, Life-Link, Leki, BD, and more, and I think all poles have their limits, no matter the manufacturer. Don't treat them like they're indestructible and they'll probably last you a good long time.

Was up there yeterday...Firm snow in the morning, even icy in a few spots, but no snowshoes necessary. On the descent, things had softened up a whole bunch, but you still woulda been fine w/o em. Beyond that, condiions are superb for climbing (atleast in the AM). A foursome (RMI guides) came down Ing. Direct to Muir (around 2PM) from a carry-over of Lib Ridge. They said snow was super soft on the way down and their crampons were balling up big time. There's a trio hangin out at Muir that should have made it up DC this morning, so it should be good to go. Ing Direct has some crevasse obsticles, not sure it would be your best bet...the RMI guys said it was do-able coming down, but probably not so going up.

I parked near a "Winter Recreation Site" yesterday and got a $75 ticket, even though it's not even winter and I wasn't recreating anywhere near their site. Any ideas that might help me out of this rediculously excesive parking ticket?

The public coment period is on for proposed "improvments" to Summit at Snoqualmie. This includes a Gondola to the top of International. What say you? Let your voice be heard. More info HERE.

Leki Makalus?

I've got some CTC's as well. For me, the heel slips more than the Vitesse, but way less than the D7. Feels like they all use different lasts, which it's kinda messed up, since they're all made by the same company. The sole is soft and noticibly more grippy than the Vitesse. For haulin ass on trails, I still prefer the Vitesse, and for rock hopping, I'd prefer a proper boot, so that doesn't leave much room for the CTC's. I hear they're wicked good at grocery shopping, we'll see...

Just a quick follow-up. We ended up doing some stuff around Chiwawa, so it was closest to shower at Lake Wenatchee State Park. 75 cents buys you 2 minutes of hot water; the cold water is free and lasts as long as you can stand it.

I had a Geko 201 for about a year, then switched to the Foretrex 101, which I've had since they first released them. It's nice having it on your wrist and easy to see, but it takes a real beating when you scramble/climb. It has all the same features as the Foretrex 201, but no rechargable battery (which was a selling point for me, since there's not too many places to plug your recharger in when you're backcountry. Simple, lightweight/compact and cheap. lightweight

I've got to be at a wedding on Saturady evening in Leavenworth, but I'm planning to climb Fri-Sat, then come back for the wedding, then climb/camp again Sun-Mon. SO I'm looking for a shower in the area. Is there anything reminiscent of a hostel around there? The only place I can think of off the top of my head is the State campground just off US2 near Peshastin. I would just jump in the river, but that water's COLD and I'm a wuss. Any suggestions are welcome.

http://www.sportshell.com/ the 'Original' weighs 3.2 oz and cost $10.00. There's no hood, so save your plastic grocery bags to put on your head. But for $10, who cares... If you gotta spend more than $10 to feel like a real man, then check out the Patagucci ReadyMix...only 20 times more than the SportShell, but it's got a hood

I'd go for the EVO's. They're heaps lighter than the Glaciers, and the last (foot form) is a little different and fits my foot better. Sierra Trading Post has last year's model (trango s) on closeout for $119 to your door (find 20% discounts and free shipping discounts at FatWallet.com). These ofcourse don't have the GTX liner, so they breathe better in the summer when it's dry, but they get wet when it's wet out. Good luck.

Post deleted by jon

Nothin I like more than standing in lines! I spend a lot of my free time just hanging out at the DMV, they've got some great lines there. I'm starting up an Extreme Line Standing Club and we're gonna have organised tours to stand in such famous lines as Disneyland, DC on Rainier, and more! Sign up early, while there's still room on the bus

I've been using a Princeton Tec Aurora for most stuff, and a PT Tec40 (handheld, 4 AA's, halogen bulb) for when I need to reach out a bit farther. If you can wait two months, check out the Princeton Tec Apex. It's nearly the same combination of light, and similar to the current Yukon HL in that it has 5mm LEDs for close-up work, and it's got a high-power Luxeon LED for the main beam. There are 2 seperate power level adjustment buttons, one that controls the main beam and one that controls the 5mm LEDs, each button having 3 levels of brightness. It's a big step up from the Yukon HL (And pretty much everything else that 's out right now, short of a Silva) in that it has 4 5mm LEDs, instead of the Yukon HL's 3. The main beam is also better is it's a 3 watt Luxeon LED instead of a 1 watt Luxeon LED used in the Yukon HL. Form factor will be similar as well, with a 4 AA battery pack in the rear of the headband. This gives you a blazing hot main beam when you need to see cliffs before you walk over them, and with the flip of a swith, you can read a map without blinding yourself. If you're partial to Pretzels, the Myo XP (out now) is similar, but falls short in several areas (lack of power regulation circuitry, poor overall beam strength, etc.) If you're only hiking on trails, then you probably don't need that much light and could get by just fine with something like the Princeton Tec EOS or the ubiquitous Tikka/Aurora style. The Tikka/Aurora are better for reading at night, since they have no rear-mounted battery pack, so it all comes down to how you plan to use it. Good luck

I bet you wouldn't say that if you were crossing under some sketch wind loaded slope just as the roar of the jet hits! I saw the movie K2, I know how it works

I got the next size up from the Helipro, called the Guide now...when i'm not skiing, it's pimp for carrying a board up, and the snowshoes on the way down. It's not perfection...heavy for the size/volume, but it's overbuilt, so it's super stable and carries a board real well. One of the coolest features is being able to access your stuff through the back panel, so even when your board is lashed to the outside, you don't gotta wrestle with it to get at your isht. If it was a pound or two lighter and waterproof, I'd buy 3 more just like it.

KY?

It's bad enough that I have to drive up to get my Wonderbars and BBQ Chicken potatoe chips...now this?!? I may just have to emmigrate now.

I made some calls, and can't come up with anything at the Costco stores in the states...Bogen, Going to Costco anytime soon?

Cheers Bogen...