skeletor

The road past Mt. Bachelor is closed now, and along with it, any easy access to the South Sister trailheads.

http://blog.biocision.com/4342/cold-cropreserved-bodies Hey, why not use a photo of a dead climber if it helps market your product? This company is just pathetic.

I've flown with my axe a lot, never as a carry on. although my friend tried once--claimed the airline ok'd it on the phone. nearly gave the security folks a coronary. and that was pre 9-11 I usually pack a duffel bag, lay my pack empty on the bottom and put the axes on top of it. I have a rubber guard that slides on the adze and the pick, then I have a leather guard for the spike. Put my trekking poles there too. then I pack other clothes and gear around it. Friend of mine uses a combo of cardboard and plastic film canisters (remember those?) all held together with duct tape. good luck!

thanks, cale and sharp...

can i ask what guide service you used and if you were happy with them?

Welcome to C.O.! You might want to connect with the Cascades Mountaineers (no relation to the mounties up north). There's a lot of people from the club that head up to Smith Rocks regularly, and a lot of people who do more alpine & glacier climbs. they usually have a meeting the second Wednesday of the month at Environmental Center on Kansas street in Bend, This week they're having a gear swap... www.cascadesmountaineers.com

Glacier glasses?

Climber on climber crime sux big time

Seeing that photo of the two kids on his website is heartbreaking. My condolences to family and friends.

Awesome! Great photos too! Thanks for posting!

Nice! Way to get after it! I love February TRs.

How do you fit 10 womens in a plastic boot? Is it like fitting popes into a Volkswagen bug?

Sorry, pindude, I guess I wasn't being clear. I meant my estimate of my wands' length at 2 feet was more a factor of rounding error... I didn't go measure them, I was sitting in the office writing that. I know that being six foot tall I have to lean down to place one of those, and so I was thinking it must be less than three feet in length. The wands I buy at Home Depot are about three feet long. You're spot on.

Rounding error... The other issue with bamboo poles, is they're thick. Those green gardening wants are much thinner. I'd return the bamboo if you still can...

I made the same mistake a few years ago on my first trip to Rainier. I bought 4-5 foot high bamboo poles. It's totally overkill. Better option is to go to the gardening shop at Home Depot and get the thin green gardening wands. they're about 2 feet long and plenty for mountaineering. Another tip I picked up, get some reflective tape, helps to find the wand if you're unlucky enough to be descending in the dark.

It's a nice article, a lot of good work put in. However, i think that Facebook page is ABOUT Messner, not by him...

this is pretty cool! My suggestion would be to add in an equation to calculate the grade easily. Most trailguides will give you distance and elevation gain, so if you just enter those numbers, it would save pulling out the calculator to figure out the grade. Thanks for posting!

If you're worried about durability of the kiddie sleds, buy two and glue one inside the other.

I'm heading down to do the Polish Traverse route on Aconcagua at the start of December, and wondering if anybody going at that time might be willing to let me buy into their logistic support services (i.e. transportation, mules, etc.) I'm going by myself and not looking for climbing partners, but would like to lower the costs involved with getting to base camp. I plan to leave Mendoza for Penitentes on Dec. 3, hitting the Vacas Valley TH the next day.

My condolences to his family. I never met Joe, but I read all his trip reports posted here. I loved the fact that he would post a cutting edge climb on the same board as a south side Hood climb. Seeing this thread hit me pretty hard considering I don't even know him. Nonetheless, you'll be missed, Joe.

Thanks, MJaso Any thoughts on going with one of the smaller solar rolls? I see they come as small as 4.5 inches. what about the Burnton Explorer?

Can anybody provide some recommendations for a good solar charger for an expedition? I'd like to be able to charge sat phone, camera battery and ipod. Looking to balance weight, cost and effectiveness.

I found a camera on Monday hanging of a branch beside Colchuck Lake. A quick look at the pictures suggests a couple who camped by the lake, didn't see any climbing shots. I turned the camera in at the Leavenworth Ranger Station, so if it's yours, check with them. But PM me, I'd like to know...

Wow, those photos are super sharp. Can ask I what camera you use? (plan to read about the epic after I get off work)

I have a Suunto Vector I'm willing to part with. Good condition, works great, except backlight does not work. Has an elastic band strap so you can wear it over your top layer if you want. New battery plus fresh spare. I'll ship in lower 48 for $50. PM me and I can send you a photo tonight.