goldenchild

thanks dru

you think Baker seracs is out of the question now?

Just a newbie that wants to do easy ice-climbing this Sunday. I'm living in Vancouver, BC. Any suggestions or am I too early in the season for anything.

Okay, whose gonna bid for these? Ridiculous http://cgi.ebay.ca/NEW-Black-Diamond-Cobra-Ice-Tools-Hammers-2007_W0QQitemZ320186139698QQihZ011QQcategoryZ50814QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I don't get your point builder206?

too bad promountain sports is closed sun and monday

Coming down from vancouver to Seattle and hoping to check out some gear shops for comparison shopping. I plan to visit REI and Feathered Friends. Any other shops worth checking out? Mostly interested in mountaineering boots, ice climbing gear (tools,screws, crampons) and down jacket.

I like to thank GR, Fishstick and especially DS for inviting me to their trip. It was an eye-opening experience for me and a great introduction to what 'couloir soloing' is like. Halfway up the gulley I lost some of my nerves and vocalized my discomfort before I got myself in trouble and perhaps turned a good day into a bad one for everybody. DS graciously put me on a rope and we turned back. Thanks DS. This my first time in the Sumallo area and had no idea how beautiful it could be. With a little more experience I hope to be back. Once again thanks to the 3 for taking me. RT

my featherfriends I sent you a PM

so I'm looking at some down jackets to purchase and noticed these two: The Catalyst http://www.thenorthface.com/opencms/opencms/tnf/gear.jsp?site=CA&model=AK8H&language=en Elysium http://www.thenorthface.com/opencms/opencms/tnf/gear.jsp?site=CA&model=AK9C&language=en Part of the Elysium description says: Built to withstand the extremes, a superior insulating down jacket with welded baffles and stitchless build. Exactly what does the welded baffles mean? Also, most of the 800+ down jackets I've seen are much thinner than the 700 or so fill ones. Am I to assume the 800s are just as warm or warmer and still compress more?

Is my yearly trip to Skaha on Turkey wknd gonna be fubar because of access issues? Just wandering if there's any updates.

JayB This is the quote I got from tirefactory.com in Washington for the Nokian Vatiiva: Price for the Nokian Vatiiva, size 235-75R15 is $140.00 each, plus 8.4% sales tax and $1.00 per tire state disposal tax. The price includes mounting and balancing. The Costco in the states sell the Michelin LTX M/S for $122 each. Should include installation and balancing ---------------------------------- The difference in Canada is greater. At Costco Canada it will cost me 685 CDN for 4 Michelin tires + installation. For the Vatiiva about 850 CDN at Kal-Tire who have exclusive rights. The Nokian WR SUV was another suggestion. The WR SUV was 4 ply vs 6 ply on Vatiiva. WR SUV was also approved for snow conditions whereas the Vatiiva was better off-road. I believe the WR SUV was more expensive by 25/tire. Thanks again

thanks everybody I went to the local costco and saw the Michelin MT/S. Torn btwn those and the Nokian's. The Michelins were much cheaper. Decisions, decisions.

I'm assuming I'm posting on the right forum I drive a Nissan Pickup XE 4wd v6. I was in Kal-Tire ( a chain in Canada) and they recommended the Nokian Vattiva. I was looking for some tires that would haul me up to Whistler and beyond in the winter. Do alot of backcountry skiing in the Duffey Lake area. So, it was important to have good peformance on highways with snow. And during the summer, good enough to on the occasional logging road. The person at the shop thinks I don't need two sets of tires but a good set of all seasons is good enough. You guys thinks I need two sets of tires? Any recommendations other than the Nokian? Lastly, I've been told it's much cheaper if you go to the states and purchase it. So for the Canadians out there, has anyone have experience with this and can recommend a good shop down in Washington? And finally are there any duty on tires, particularly foreign tires like the Nokian's.

PM sent

sent you a PM Don. I believe we've met before. Can't do Bugs, but maybe some other stuff

I may be doing something wrong, but I didn't get your PM. So I sent you one. Thanks

I reside in Vancouver, have a trad rack, 60 M rope and my own transportation. Like everyone else here I assume, I'm looking for a reliable partner to do some trad routes and some alpine stuff. Getting tired of doing the same ol routes in the Bluffs and would like to do more long stuff on the Chief. Also getting frustrated calling around looking for partners. Thus, I'm resorting to the Internet. And like many, I may have the physical skills to climb harder stuff but still trying to develop the head game. Goals for this year (what remains of it): Ultimate Everything, Squamish Buttress, Exasperator, Smoke Bluff Connection... If you need a partner PM me. If you are phenomenaly skilled climber and don't mind teaching a guy some stuff I'm willing to belay and try to climb the stuff you just lead. TIA

John, A photo would be great! So how do you keep the skinny line from feeding through the rap device faster than the fat line and then subsequently start sawing through the rappel sling? My tag line is ~5 meters longer than my lead line to account for stretch of the lead/fat line... this extra also allows for some movement of the knot on the sling... whoever raps second always repositions the knot back against the rap sling prior to rapping though as some slippage does occur... I have never seen so much slippage or at a rate that cuts/melts the rap sling. What I do to minimize the amount of movement is I put an extra biner on just the skinny line side (total of 2) for rapping... the extra surface area seems to give enough friction so that the skinny line moves at about the same rate as the fat line... it helps that I don't climb on anything larger than 9.4 in the alpine also. I can take a pic if that would help.

great! That was it, thanks

thanks porter, I did a climb with a fella and could have sworn he used a tagline system where it was attached to a carabiner and pulled down or something like that. Guess I was wrong.

don't know if I should put this on this board or on the newbie board. How do you use a tag line for rappeling. Do you tie it to your climbing rope. If so how? TIA

thanks folks

For someone quite new to mountaineering and wanting to tackle Wedge via NorthEast arete, what technical gear should I bring. The obvious I know are crampons, rope and ice axe. TIA

Can anyone update me on road conditions going into the Mt Sampson on Hurley Road? Any updates compared to directions given in the Alpine Selects book. Any current trip reports would be great. Thinking about it this wknd, but a bit nervous.