Dr_Crash

No, no, really WTB stands for Willing To Bargain, and it's an offer to sell, a different way to say OBO. drC

World Cup in Bellevue. Or Sturtevant's. I know for sure that the latter shop will replace your skis if they screw up, but any good shop would do that, and World Cup's reputation is stellar too.

Uh, the probe has nothing to do with disposable income. It has to do with accuracy. And it is part of any well rehearsed rescue response. Now, if you want to recover bodies only, it's fine to dig the whole field out . Probes are comparatively cheap too. Now, we can discuss whether it's worth spending an extra $50 to have a useless thermometer on your beacon, but a probe really is a life saver. drC

Get a metal shovel, or risk being handed someone else's shovel in exchange for your plastic one on a trip. I personnally want *you* to have the metal one to dig me up; if you're fine having me dig you up with a plastic shovel, good. I have a pretty big SOS shovel with a snow saw in the handle. Nice idea, but too big for a day trip, and really what I want for a snow saw is an attachement to a probe so I can saw cornices. So my favorite shovel now is the small BCA Ext Traverse: all metal, extensible shaft, one pound. Of course the shovel is smaller than my 800 g SOS. As far as probe, most people will say a 240 cm is long enough, and 3 m is only needed for recovery work. Oh well; the extra ounce won't kill you, and the extra two feet may make a difference. I also have a BCA for that, because they make a 3 m probe with laser etched centimeter markings, great for pit work. I wish they had alternating color sections too. The probe, as snoboy say, is not optional. It is actually essential. Practice digging something buried even just 4 feet down, and see how much work that is. You want the probe to confirm the location of the person before you start digging or you may end up wasting a lot of time digging close, but not at the right spot. drC

FF, I'll borrow the Tech Wings. Or I could just shut up, buy the stupid Quarks already, and eBay them next year when I'll 1/ know what worked and not, and 2/ will suffer from gear envy with whatever else is coming. drC

Yes NOLSe and others should razz me, and I wrote so as the first line of my post drC - $600 bike, engine's ok

Ha! Laugh at me: my never-ending decision about which ice tool to buy is, well, never ending. My favorite climbing partner is trying to convince me not to buy Quarks since we'll climb as much alpine as waterfall at least. I am looking at the Grivel light wing in addition to the Petzl Aztar in the "alpine ice tools" category. Does anyone have experience with them? I haven't been in a shop that would have both next to each other for comparison. Does anybody know which will have the most clearance? And if Grivel's Trigger hand rest can be fitted to the Aztar shaft (Grivel's shafts I think are not the same shape). Here is my perceived list of pluses/minuses. If you have experience with these, can you help me get a better picture? Also, ease of resell is a factor. I know I could sell used Quarks in a few days, I have no idea for these... Aztar: + Can change the pick with another pick, no tools needed + Teeth all the way to the shaft on the pick + Ergonomic, insulated grip (maybe nice on very steep stuff?) - No leashfree climbing - No modular head for hammer/adze (I don't really care) Light wing: + Slightly lighter according to marketing + Has a removable horn for leashless climbing + Can be equipped with Grivel's Trigger for matching while leashless climbing + Modular head for hammer/adze (I don't really care) - Your grandmother's handle: the shaft, no grip (the Alp wing now has a shaped rubber grip, but is heavier than the Aztar) - Teeth do not go all the way to the shaft - Need a wrench to change picks And then there's the Air Tech Evo Slider (standard pick, non changeable, lightly curved shaft): only 458 g, but probably not the right all-arounder for alpine and waterfall. Thanks! drC

All the marketing answers at http://www.schoeller-textiles.com/

Don't complain... I have some 118 waisted skis that really are tough on icy conditions RE: the topic: the Daddys are awesome skis, and ski like they are much lighter than they are. They're going to be a pain on frozen stuff though. Anything else: they rock. I am actually looking at skinnier skis for bc. Am I the only one? Looks like everybody's going for the 100mm waist or beyond. But then I want these skis for ski mountaineering, so different use. drC

Actually, there is a variation on this that is better. I haven't tried it (being in the States I have to sacrifice to the wall to wall carpeting tradition) but it's common in Europe. Get that skin, or just buy narrower skin for less $$$ (whichever is the best deal). Instead of just putting it in the middle of the ski, slit it lengthwise (leaving some attached at both extremities). When you put the skins on, glue each strip next to one edge. Still less carpet and better glide, but you have the skins close to the edges, where you want them on traverses... drC

I was at Snoqualmie Pass this weekend, there was snow on Guye Peak (which I had plan to re-climb Sunday after we bailed ten days ago after a fall) and at Alpental. Live report from Snoqualmie Pass this morning at 8:03, from the offices of the ski school: Sweet. Who is skiing this weekend? I'll be at Chinook Pass on Saturday. drC

Doing the real thing is so over rated I'd love to go, though my excuse is to (hopefully) ski my ass off at Chinook Pass this Saturday. drC

WT also has the Ricesac, which is a smaller Icesac (45 liters instead of 52). I have it and like it. It is somewhat heavy (as in 3 lbs something when one can find 2 lbs something bags of similar capacity nowadays) and the velcro'ed lid is a PITA, but it's very sturdy, carry very well, can be hauled... I expect it to last. drC

I do have my v-thread tool. And I was told that v-threads in very slim ice hold surprisingly well. So good point you all. Just for my education, what'd be a situation where a screw versus a v-thread would be required? I haven't climbed enough ice and am too lazy to think this morning (late night...). drC

I'm looking for one or two Ti screws I could carry just for bailing off. Is one brand better (less sketchy?) than others, in the sub-$20 price range? drC

Would you bail off one of these super sketchy screws? I'm looking for a couple ti screws for just that purpose. is any less worse than others in that sub-$20 price range? drC Nevermind, I'll ask in the Gear Critic forum.

I think the assumption is that while they are dead (no way around that), people think that they were living fully until that instant. Of course, this would work well if death was instantaneous. Like for me as a sailor too, I'm fine dying during an intense race, but please hit me with the boom first so I don't have to deal with that drowning crap: I've heard it sucks. From what I've read and seen, more often than not, mountaineers who fall have *ample* time to think about their coming death, and that sucks. Now, my uncle died climbing the north face of the Matterhorn. Yes, he did die doing what he loved. Yes, he probably had an awful long time to realize he and his friend were going to die after the fall started... I'll take a quick death, and then a death doing what I love It all gets very complicated when you include family and friends in the equation, and whether or not you have the "right" to die "prematurely" or not. On that topic, personnally I think I may as well die driving my car, so my "dying ethics" here are that as long as I am trained and not reckless, it's okay. If I die, I die. drC

So can we now say Muffy free, as in French free?

I'd learn spelling drC

Wow, dude, you forgot to compensate for parallax errors as you look towards the bottom of the crack. And still no doubled sling... That is the one thing I wish my C4s had. drC

Asking $50 (retail is $80 with tax) OBO. Check it out on Petzl's Adjama page. Awesome harness, lightweight (13 oz), fully adjustable. Comfortable to wear all day, yet light enough to bring on any alpine trip. The plastic loops have one hole to hold a biner perpendicular to the harness (to rack screws for example) and another to attach something (nut tool, knife). The back loops are nice because they're low profile. The harness also has placements for Petzl's Caritool racking plasting thingie (which is very nice with its flat top). Like all Petzl harnesses, the buckles are secure without a need to double back them. I love it. I just managed to go from 36" to <32" of waist (and hopefully some more) in the past few months. Divorce is good for something after all! While this still fits me, a medium may soon be required (and it will be another Adjama), and I'd rather sell the harness while it's only a few months old. No big fall on this, just the typical toprope stuff. (I took one leader fall, but hit a ledge while the rope was slack, in an effort to ensure the harness would not be stressed ). drC

It is a great idea.

Since I've moved here, meeting the Skoog family someday has been something I've been looking forward to. Their stories and images have made me dream. My condolences to Carl's family and his friends. drC

When the mountain is "closed," you're supposed to get a permit from the local police. Also, weather may be an issue: Fuji gets very windy, and can thus be pretty icy. I was there last November and wanted to climb it, but frigid temperatures, a fresh foot of snow, and 80 kmh winds dissuaded me to go solo. You'll also need to plan for being able to take a cab and arrange for a pickup since buses will probably not run up to where you want to start from. I got a couple topos of Mt Fuji in a climbing shop in Tokyo, and you're welcome to take a peek. If conditions are good, the climb should be uneventful. It's like Adams in a way. There is no difficulty (winter may change that a little), and that is one of the reasons why there's a Japanese saying that says that only fools climb Fujiyama twice. Still, I wouldn't mind doing it once, and not surrounded by 5,000 tourists Have a fun trip. drC

Actually, good answer by selkirk. Oh, and in that spirit, the Alpental backcountry sucks: you guys should all go to Stevens. drc