Jonathan_S

About ten minutes of walking to reach the snow from the parking lot, which is trivial, yet of course depressing for this time of year. So speaking of depressing beta, anyone have recent experience or even just baseless speculation on the condition of the Eliot Glacier crossing to ski Snowdome? In this picture (from July 2 of 2012), would be heading kind of straight up the lower section then angling to the right: (And no, we're not interested in trying to cross lower through all the really nasty kitty litter via those various informal routes that now substitute for the fairly decent use trail that went through there prior to the November 2006 storm.)

Update: pickets and newer BD Boundary poles now sold; older BD poles are still available. Another update: old BD poles are now under agreement.

All that's left now are the Marmot Helium sleeping bag and the Sierra Designs down booties (probably just two of the three pairs). Monday Sep 22 update: all gone now except for the two Granite Gear “Round Rock Solid” compression sacks.

Selling everything but my very lightest overnight gear. All the details (including prices) are at: https://plus.google.com/photos/+JonathanShefftz/albums/6060447988724090033 … plus actual USPS priority mail shipping costs from 01002. Quick list of what’s available: Rab Summit Extreme tent (sale pending) BD Firstlight tent (original yellow Epic fabric version) Silnylon tarp (just a tarp, not a tarp tent) Marmot Helium 15F down sleeping bag Mountain Laurel Designs eVENT bivy Sierra Designs down booties, three pairs (sale pending on one pair) Granite Gear “Round Rock Solid” compression sacks, two Eddie Bauer -40F down sleeping bag (but probably lost some of that by now) EMS camping pillow

Posting these together only b/c of potential shipping cost savings from combining similarly sized items – add actual USPS priority mail cost from 01002 to the prices listed below. MSR Snow Pickets, brand new (never even been outside!), the shorter 60cm/2’ and the longer 90cm/3’, $29 for both combined. Compared to the current version: http://www.cascadedesigns.com/msr/snow-tools/anchors/snow-picket/product … mine lack the (plastic?) reinforced hammer-end and the red circle for the center hole (though if you lack a red Sharpie, our four-year-old daughter can mark it up appropriately for you). BD Traverse two-part adjustable poles, purchased new in 2013, seem to be identical to the current version but just different graphics: http://blackdiamondequipment.com/en/ski-poles/boundary-ski-pole-BD11150400001401.html#start=10 Current retail is $100. Mine have only the usual scratches & scrapes (still perfectly straight), so yours for $39. Currently retrofitted with the older-style ¾-style baskets, but can also include the wider baskets as shown, or another set of ¾-style baskets, or the disc-style baskets (not BD, but seem to be compatible). $19 BD two-part adjustable poles. Grips are newly new (or maybe even entirely new?) very nice Scott alpine downhill model. Shafts are very old BD Traverse, but same diameter as the current Boundary. Flicklock adjustment clamp is the older plastic style, but replaced relatively recently, so fairly new. One lower shaft is a fairly new BD Boundary replacement, but the other is a very old BD Traverse (same diameter as Boundary, although a bit longer), with a very worn ice tip. The ¾-style baskets have relatively little use, I can include an extra set too. $19 Grivel Condor pole (just one pole, not a pair, and just the pole, not the self-arrest grip), absolutely brand new, self-arrest grip replaced with a nearly new Smith grip, effective adjustment range of 109-141cm via a vertically aligned Flicklock-style external clamp, innovative pivoting basket, almost exactly the same diameter as the BD poles.

I've enjoyed viewing this webcam previously: http://mtadams.tv/ ... and now the owner is seeking donations for a replacement camera. The big bonus is that for a donation of $25 or more you receive a 2015 calendar with pictures of -- Mt Adams of course!

Here's the list we maintain: http://www.ussma.org/resort-uphill-policies Additions and corrections are always welcome!

Essentially the latter. We've revised the older text here in light of the additional recent interest: http://beaconreviews.com/transceivers/Interference.asp ... but let me know if anything is still unclear (although updates are usually on only an annual basis).

Compared to all the other speed records/runs/whatevers on Rainier, the Dorais brothers were not solo, brought avy gear, brought crevasse rescue gear, roped up, did not stash gear for the ascent, and did not cache gear on the descent. Even if such speed attempts inevitably provide incentives to cut corners, compared to other similar attempts on Rainier in recent years, this one sets a new standard for safety and fair play.

I would have assumed that too, but turns out at these cat ops, although everyone has a beacon, that is not the case for probe and shovel. He's actually an adult with a family (although otherwise I agree with all your comments).

Dynafit was originally saying November availability in the U.S., and I even wrote up a draft review for WildSnow.com pending the actual on-the-snow assessment. But now my emails are no longer being returned, and I see that even the ever-optimistic MGear.com is listing mid-December, so you can probably add weeks or months to that. Unlike a full-on race binding, the release values are fully adjustment, but lateral and forward settings are linked to each other (which of course is totally fine if you always use the same lateral and forward settings anyway). No "flat" skinning mode, although the lower of the two elevators is similar to full-on rando race bindings, which is kind of a "half-step" (as Dynafit used to call it on some other discontinued models) and pretty much perfect. The higher setting is more like the low setting on a Speed.

I've had some inquiries, but still available.

This is the classic lightweight ski mountaineering boot, shown here in its most recent incarnation: http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/405,1103A_Dynafit-TLT-4-Evo-TF-Alpine-Touring-Ski-Boots-For-Women-and-Men.html For sale is one of the original versions, size 27, bsl 301mm. I had a previous pair that I used a bunch, mainly for spring and summer skiing, then dropped them in the favor of the F3, then used my Zzero4 for pretty much everything, but then bought this pair used in very good condition and took them on just three outings . . . although that included a weekend trip of only 10,500 vert but with an absurd amount of painful hiking, then a daytrip of over 9,000 vert with once again way too much hiking and scree scrambling. (Boots like these make such outings far more feasible.) More detailed info on condition available in the picture captions: http://picasaweb.google.com/jshefftz/DynafitTLT4 For skiability, if you can stay centered over your skis, then you can use this boots on pretty much any terrain (though they wouldn’t be much fun muscling around a dense in dense unconsolidated snow). The steepest terrain I’ve ever skied has been on these boots. (For those on the East Coast, that includes routes like Dodge’s Drop.) Shells are 4 pounds 13 oz with a velcro strap, but without the rear spoilers. Total weight including liners depends on what liners you want. Price for the shells is $60 plus actual shipping from 01002. Add $10 for the old Raichle Thermoflex liners, $15 for the older size 9 Intuition liners, and/or $20 for the older size 8 Intuition liners. (Details once again in the picture captions.) Discounts available if you want to experiment with more than one pair of liners.

Just curious, did your partner break through a snowbridge while on foot, or on skis? And if on skis, while skinning up, or skiing down? The first time I skied Snowdome we did not rope up: late June, hiked on dirt (/ rock / kitty litter / etc) straight to the snow, avoiding the Elliot. (This was before that route got destroyed by the floods.) Last year, we did rope up, mainly for crossing the Eliot, although I felt that we were being super cautious and that most parties probably would not have roped up: http://picasaweb.google.com/jshefftz/May26Snowdome

I've used my 60cm Camp Corsa Nanotech ice axe for lots of ski mountaineering. The steel insert on the spike makes it far more effective than my older 50cm Camp XLA 210. The steel insert on the pick seems like it would be far more effective than an all-alu head, although I haven't tested it with lots of self-arrest practice to confirm that. (The adze is all-alu.) Compared to my 60cm Raven Pro, the head has far less mass, which of course is both a plus and minuses re efficiency and effectiveness. However, regarding possible failure/breakage, all of these axes are meeting the B spec, so I think any speculation beyond that is just, well, speculation. Oh, as far as the slight curve in the shaft, and the sandpaper-like coating on the lower shaft, not quite sure what's up with that, although doesn't seem to be a drawback at least.