olyclimber

I'm not a "boot expert", but there are many good boots out there that would serve well for both alpine slogs and technical ice. You can find boots out there that are at the extremes for a specific climbing dicipline, but from trying on boots in the store and common sense evaluation, both the Nuptse and the Alphas are not at the extreme, and would work well for either. If you're really going to get into ice climbing, from what I have heard, you want a snugger fit (i haven't tried it myself yet). For plastics, fit may depend on what liner you go with (stock or third party) as well. I ended up going with the Alphas because they are lighter, felt more precise, and yet they are more flexible than other plastics such as the Invernos, etc. I'm going to fit them with Intiution liners, and I think these will end up keeping my feet warm without the wieght and less precise feel of other plastics. I'm sure that there are some nice leathers/composite material boots out there that are pretty comparable to the setup I'm going with. I've heard people say good things about the Scarpa Freneys. I would go to a shop and try on a bunch of different brands to find the best fit.

Notice the gentle tugging of the rope.

Just kidding around gwhayduke. Those are just cold weather rockclimbing shoes...not a general alpine boot. The Sportiva Nuptse recommendation sounds good, but equally important is the fit. Not matter if it is plastic or leathers, if you don't have good circulation, you're going to suffer. I just got a pair of Scarpa Alphas. They're a more flexible plastic boot and they're comfortable and light for a plastic. I can't recommend them yet, because I haven't wore them on an outhing yet. Goodluck!

OK...which one of you was driving the car with all the GW stickers on it? Make sure you bring the 10 essentials if climbing at Erie.

You know you want them. Do it!

Just compare the amount of protection placed. You can save alot of time if you don't protect your climb.

Infected with a 'what would Twight do' attitude.

I'm debating whether go to with an D70 or stay with my F4 and use a Nikon slide scanner that I will be able to use shortly. The I think the slide scanner will give me better quality...but you have to get the slides developed. Your pics definitely make it temping to just go with a D70!

Chelle, beautiful pic. I was asking because I was just having a conversation with my mom about a friend of the family that climbed all 4 on a single trip. I know there is lots of info out there about these peaks, but I was just wondering if anyone else who posts here has been up there. Sounds pretty cool...one of them is actually the farthest point from the center of the earth. Sounds like an adventure...paying land owners to cross their land and all...did you climb Cayambe?

What lenses are you using? Model #s?

Pike Place...you can blend in with the tourons.

Merry X-mass yall.

Has anyone here climbed these (Ecuador)? Or just one? Cotopaxi, Cayambe, Chimborazo, and Antisana?

That was yesterday. Today she won by 130 votes. Uncertified.

I'm Waldorf and Statler! "This is a very moving moment" "Yeah, I wish they'd move it to Pittsburgh!"

What about the route boasting the most deaths on it per year that pax is featured on! Glad to see he survived.

I heard a rumor down in Okanogan country that Democrats were preventing minorities from voting! it's a joke, ok?

I think the route is actually called "Drawstring" (no "s")...but I have no offical timers backing up this information. It is important to get the plurarity correct, for some people.

Nice!

Her and my little bro 'blue_weasel' . Happy B-day.

Check this out. Wierd, eh? "The Climber's Wall". More here.

This has been posted before, but these people are living the life! I wonder if they're going to sell the bus now that they're returning to work.

I was thinking of wasting away in a cubicle, interspersed with freezing my ass off on glaciers and frozen rock, along with inhaling a few pounds of climbing chalk.

Insult Channel. For when you feel like you need a good talking to. Emergency Broadcast Signal Channel- The Emergency Broadcast Signal Warning...broadcast 24X7X365 Most Annoying Sound in the World Channel - Self explanatory CC.com Channel: Live reading of posts on CC.com in real time a.com Channel: Much like the cc.com channel, but listen to people bitch about cc.com and try to out offend each other in realtime.

The party got wild when Rudolf ate Santa's stash and came out of the closet as a gay bi-species.