mccallboater

How come my post appeared twice?

Yea right. $100 for an old screw? I just realized that last sentence was enough to kick this site off of many censored locations. Sorry.

the story is correct. Lots of granite in the Salmon canyon, lots of steep limestone on the road up there, and lots of crumbly faces to explore up high. Reeaally purrrdy.

Steve, I can follow up on the Boise leads if you want.

I did the AAI 6 day ice climbing class on Baker back in...1991? I had the privilege of learning lots of cool stuff from Alan Kearney, with just one other customer. Worth the $ for sure. The Spokane Mountaineers climbing school is very good for noobs also. But you have to be a member and it takes a lot of commitment. As it should be.

What's the "usual" route? the aid route or the 5.10 route?

My son is traveling to India for several months, beginning in June. It's part of a class of his at Evergreen. He's asked me to ask you for general tips on travel over there. If you've been there recently, any word of wisdom you can pass on re visas, airlines, cultural etiquette, whatever? How about health insurance? Anything you wish someone had told you about before you left the states/Canada? I did notice the International Student ID card he's getting has a travel insurance piece that specifically excludes "mountain climbing" from covered activities. What's with that? GENERAL EXCLUSIONS These exclusions apply to all benefits. They apply in addition to any exclusions that apply to a particular benefit (called "Additional Exclusions"). The Policy does not cover loss caused by: (a) Intentionally self-inflicted harm, suicide, or attempted suicide while sane or insane; (b) Pregnancy, childbirth, or elective abortion, other than Unforeseen Complications of Pregnancy; © Participation in professional athletic events, semi-professional, or inter-scholastic team sports, motor sport or motor racing including training or practice for the same; (d) Mountain climbing; (e) Acts of war; (f) Military duty or service; (g) Operating or learning to operate, any Aircraft, as a pilot or crew; (h) Air travel on any air-supported device, other than a regularly scheduled airline or air charter company; (i) Loss or damage caused by detention, confiscation or destruction by customs; (j) Any unlawful acts committed by the Insured, a Family Member or Traveling Companion, whether insured or not; (k) Nuclear reaction, radiation, or radioactive contamination; (l) Civil disorder; (m) Mental, psychological or nervous disorders including anxiety, depression, neurosis or psychosis; or (n) Alcohol or substance abuse.

I gained 5 lbs in the past month. Chile partying and food is not good for the waistline, but very good for the soul.

I've very happy with 2 tents, as Jared suggests. 1 BD firstlight. The best protection for two for under 3 lbs for under $500. 2 Moss starlight 2 (not made anymore, but absolutely bomber, roomy, quick setup and relatively lightweight at 8.2 lbs) I would be happy with a Warmlite 3R too, if I had an extra $850 laying around. I've used it and like it.

I've owned, let's see, 7 canoes and at least a dozen ww kayaks and a few sea kayaks. My latest obsession is this 30 year old Easy Rider ES1, still made in Seattle, I think. It's the closest thing to an all-round boat I've ever used. I'd float it down the middle fork of the Salmon or take it up the inland passage to AK. Maybe I ought to do both in one trip!

Here are the best info sources. I'd join you, but I leave for Chile in 4 days! Packing my swimsuit for sure. Idaho ice climbs Alpinist article from last year The best of all Crappy climbers Directions to Jump Creek Falls

Nothing like pulling out the snowblower for the first time this season. 8" in my driveway, but only .14" of water content. It would be great with a 3' base that we don't have yet. Still, the skate skis might come out this afternoon. The predicted arctic temps haven't arrived yet. This was last year:

I spent a week in a Warmlite 3R on a Schweitzer-Kootenay Pass ski traverse. Great tent. Take a little sponge to wipe down the end zones after a cold night. Fire up your tent candle (or stove if you dare) and the reflective coating will warm up the interior right quick. That's when the sponge comes in handy. I know of no other tent with the Warmlite's space/weight ratio. Plus it's pretty bomber in strong winds, if you stake out the ends with something big, like a buried ski pole. Granted, one needs a larger stake out area with this design than with, say, a Bibler. But as long as your journeys do not include camping on chopped out ledges, go for it. I see on the website they've made a shorter version for that specific use now too.

No shit. I just googled you too. Looks like you're one of those 6k before lunch guys. The good news for you is that there are others with that kind of commitment to big vert around here. Last season I skied a day with a recently retired smokejumper, who when asked, in mid March, how many days of climbing for turns he had so far, said "Oh, maybe 80." Guys and gals like that make one a little humble.

McCall beta as of today. Note the snow stake: http://www.brundage.com/web-cams.aspx Pics of the skiing I'm thinking about right now: http://picasaweb.google.com/mccallboater/NewDiscoveriesUpLakeForkCreek# [img:left]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_lrPgLKJMME0/R_QXdI8b5oI/AAAAAAAAA6k/Wcr4wrzSDag/s640/IMG_0610.JPG[/img]

Another plug for Nokian Hakkapeliitta's. They are the most popular winter tire in the McCall/Cascade area. Considering how unknown they are elsewhere, that's a pretty ringing endorsement. I've put them on 5 different vehicles so far.

McCall is a bit more than 4 hours from Spokane, but it boasts superb steep skiing and consistently better snow than either Spokane or the Cascades have to offer. Plus a local backcountry crowd that still knows something about farming a slope for turns. Just a thought.

I also have the old Chonaird (spelling?) metal one that works pretty well with my 70cm ice ax. It's practically indestructible and has a nice curve for finishing the insides of ice caves. It's also done double duty as a snow melting platform, producing about a pint of water per scoop over the stove.

Dynafit binders and compatable boots rule the backcountry around here. If you can find a setup on Craigslist or somewhere for a fair price, jump on it.

It depends on what kind of skiing one wants to do. Approach a climb, cross glaciers, kerflump your way down blue-diamond type descents...mountainering boots, Silvretta 500's and an easy-turning ski do just fine. Steep stuff, boilerplate ice, etc., I use my AT setup. ANybody who's skied with me knows I'm not superman on skis.

at risk of repetition: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/798157/Re_Approach_skis_for_the_medio#Post798157 Basically, mountaineering boots work fine if you really know how to ski.

The dude knows his stuff. I just finished listening. What a contrast to listening to Palin spout platitudes about getting government off of business's back. I admire Mr. Buffett's confidence in the US economy, while I'm terrified to hear him equate the current financial crisis to Pearl Harbor. Maybe I need to swallow my bile and write Bill Sali (unfortunately my congressman) to get that bill passed. I'll suggest he listens to the same program.

High, just look around the whole Lake Fork creek, and over the top of the summit, Lick Creek drainages. But I think you may be a little late for this year. The following is snipped from today's NOAA forecast discussion: .LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...FIRST WAVE OF UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT/FRIDAY...WITH THE MAIN LOW AND COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE FORECAST AREA ON SATURDAY. GFS INDICATES A BRIEF BREAK IN THE PRECIPITATION MAY BE POSSIBLE ON FRIDAY BETWEEN THE FIRST WAVE AND MAIN LOW ON SATURDAY...BUT FOR NOW HAVE CONTINUED TO MAINTAIN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF POPS IN THE FORECAST DURING THE DAY ON FRIDAY UNTIL THERE IS BETTER CONFIDENCE. MODELS CONTINUE TO INDICATE A LONG PLUME OF DEEP MOISTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SYSTEM ON SATURDAY...WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES OF 0.75-1.00 INCHES. HAVE CONTINUED TO TREND POPS UPWARD ON SATURDAY AS CONFIDENCE IN THE FORECAST INCREASES. PASSAGE OF SATURDAYS COLD FRONT WILL CREATE GUSTY WINDS...AND MAY TRIGGER CONVECTION IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. HAVE ADDED A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TO THE FORECAST SATURDAY...MAINLY IN THE WEST CENTRAL MOUNTAINS TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS. TEMPERATURES AND SNOW LEVELS WILL FALL BEHIND THE FRONT...WITH SNOW EXPECTED ABOVE 6000 FEET BY SATURDAY NIGHT. UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST OF THE REGION ON SUNDAY...FOR A GRADUAL DECREASE IN POPS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. MODELS CONTINUE TO DIFFER LATE IN THE EXTENDED...BUT OVERALL PATTERN LOOKS TO REMAIN UNSETTLED. HAVE CONTINUED TO TREND FORECAST CLOSER TO CLIMATOLOGY TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS. If you are caught on slick rock in a thunderstorm, good luck. Every crack line, and especially the main route, becomes a gully washer. It's pretty terrifying to see one of those from the road, looking back and thinking what it might have been like if I was still up there.

Now, this weekend, is the time to be there. Any takers?

This weekend, before this beautifu weather shuts down. Just bring your harness and shoes.