JohnGo

okay, I guess CCrs are not into swinging =^) Easy solution: a small tied loop of bungee cord on the pack shoulder strap. The bottom of the 16 oz. bottle attaches with a snap, and there's no bouncing - which I find annoying as well. It's not perfect, but still an improvement over bladder systems, IMHO. Dru/G-spotter, can you enlighten us with your prefered water carry method, since you are clearly 359% less dorky than I am?

These PacerPoles look pretty nice, though maybe more for hiking than mountainering. (I do not own a pair.) http://www.pacerpole.com/index.html

A tip on protecting your map from the elements: Buy a pack of sheet protectors from any office supply store or well equipped supermarket. Y'know, the kind you can put into a 3 ring binder and then slip 8.5 x 11' paper into. They are: dirt cheap, reuseable, weight nothing, almost tear proof, and, unless water get in the seam at the top, totally waterproof. Put scotch tape all across the top for a waterproof seam.) You can write on / draw on your map, and then reinsert it into the sleeve. All the other solutions out there (ziplock bag, clear shelving paper, map protect goop) do not have these beautific qualities . . . (OK, the humble ziplock comes close).

A good point made above is that the fortunate folks here who are out most every weekend may well eat diffetntly than those of us who make just a few overnights a summer. Out every weekend: make your own dinners. Out on 3-4 overnights per year - typically better to buy some freeze dried chow. (I still have a long-ago purchased box of dried milk in the freezer that I am sure will never get used!) Snack favorites: good olives in a 4 oz nalgene bottle, and add olive oil to cook with. Pecorino Romano cheese - salty, handles hot weather well. Tamari almonds choco covered coffee beans on cold climbs Spiz power drink, if it's going to be a real long day http://www.spiz.net/

Skykilo, Excelente photos, thanks for the inspiring beta. Looks like you had a great trip, congrats! Johngo

Giardia is not nearly such a problem as many people think. This link is a great read on the topic: http://www.yosemite.org/naturenotes/giardia.htm Highlights: - You are far more likely to get it from poor personal hygene (your partner reaching a dirty hand into your food bag) than from water. - Giardia is present in many water samples. Good news: the # of cysts are typically very low and will not cause you health problems. There's lots of money being made by those who sell water filters. These businesses have an economic interest in fostering fear of backcountry water. I feel that's why reports like this have not been printed in the mainstream outdoors press.

Hoodie, Very nice photos, thanks a bunch! Your ski outing looked like Big Fun. Congrats on a nice climb.

Thanks. I have searched all posts for the last few years and have full beta/details on the approach. My concern is the actual route conditions. Any thoughts, summer Shuksan experts? C'mon, I know you're out there.

Wowzer, really cool video!!!

Hi folks, We're considering a climb of Shuksan N face on July 28-29. In the opinion of those who know this route, is that too late in the season or will it still be in shape then? I saw some photos on the web of a decent sized bergschrund on the N face. Does this ever melt out to become impassible? We plan to bring a few screws and 2 tools if need be. B'lay On, johngo

Keeping a climb journal is absolutely a smart idea! I have mine as a single large Word doc, with hyperlinks on the first page or so. That serves as the "index" and table of contents, letting you go to the peak you want with one click. With a Word doc, you can easily add digital photos and Google Earth images as well as the text. Mine has peak, route, date, partners, conditions, pro used, and a catch-all paragraph or two of "what worked, what didn't". It's nice to look back at previous year's entries and see what I have learned in terms of gear, technique, route selection, etc. Keeping it in a digital format allows you to easily share via email with others. Blog based might be cool as well, just be sure you can back it up in case the blog site shut;s down some day.

Very nice TR. The photo annotations are especially useful, like the route, the upper Curtis notch you need to hit, etc. I wish more folks did this with their photos. Thanks! johngo

Hi John, That photo of Shuksan is absolutely fantabulous! Wowzer, Bradford Washburn lives! Those of you who have not clicked, check it out. Keep up the fine work, and thanks for the beautiful beta. Be Well, johngo

He was a hero my mine. I've read The Man who Walked Through Time and The 1,000 Mile Summer 3 times each. Wowzer, he hiked the length of California on his own route, before the PCT existed. The Complete Walker was and is the best backpacking book written. He solo floated the entire length of the Colorado River when he was well into his 60's. He was a truly great man who paved the way for most backpackers today.

Jon, That sounds great! I will wait for and support this new feature. johngo

CC folks, Does anyone know of a collaborative type website where climbers can draw routes on Google Earth, save the file, then post it for others to see? I'm just getting started in the Google Earth thing, and see it as an amazingly powerful tool to scope the route and terrain before you leave home. If a core group of climbers could all draw their route info and share it, such a site would be of great benefit to a lot of people. Before I proceed, does anyone know if such a place exists? (Moderators - If not, might it be hosted here?) Be Well, Johngo

There's more problems with these bags than leaks. Consider these top 10 reasons why hydration systems "suck": (I wrote this for the Tip of the Week on the Mazamas site.) 1. The tubes can freeze. 2. There are too many delicate parts (tubes, bladders, mouthpiece bite valves) that can easily break or malfunction, and they’re hard to repair. 3. They have lots of hard to clean cracks and crevices where funky microorganisms can grow. 4. They’re hard to fill, either from streams or with snow. 5. It’s difficult to monitor your water consumption and see how much you have left. 6. It’s hard to share water with others. 7. The mouthpiece can easily drag in the dirt when you put your pack on the ground. 8. You can’t use a bladder in camp as a cup for hot drinks. 9. You can’t easily put hot water in a bladder and put a sock over it at night, to help dry out wet socks. 10. They’re very expensive compared to a simple water bottle. 11. (Bonus reason: Unless you’re an adventure racer, are you REALLY in that much of a hurry that you can’t stop and enjoy a drink of water?) So, how to stay well watered on the go? Simply clip a “keychain” mini-biner to a pack shoulder strap or side compression strap, and clip a one-pint Nalgene bottle to the biner. (Or put a water bottle in one of the stretchy mesh pockets on the side of your pack, a feature of many newer models.) Start the climb or hike with two full 1 liter bottles inside your pack, and simply refill the small bottle at breaks. This lets you easily drink on the move just as effectively as a bladder system, with none of the cost and hassles. When your climbing partners complain about their problems with their “hydration systems” you will chuckle . . . and then give them some water from your pint bottle. Oh, and, check the water bottle aisle next time you’re in REI. Camelback’s newest offering is not a turbo titanium new bladder backpack system, but, you guessed, it, a simple water bottle (complete with large Camelback logo.) A tad ironic, no?

Whoops! Here's the link to the actual trip report The annotated photo is the really nice thing, but I did not deliver before. Sorry. Be Well, johngo

Consider a 40-50 meter 8mm STATIC rope. Get it bulk from the spool from your climb shop. Staic is better for crevasse rescue duty, as the rope does not stretch when loaded, and thus the victim does not fall as far. Any raising systems will be more eficient as well. IMHO, there's no need for a dynamic lead rope if you are not doing any serious leading. - johngo

Folks, Here's a link to some superb photos and a route description of Leuthold. It's from 2002, but the route beta is of course the same. I am posting this because so many people seem to get into trouble on this route. (It's not my site and I do not know Matthew.) Especially nice is the annotated photo of the route If you have a good look at this route photo, getting lost will be pretty hard to do. Note: 1 - You need to drop about 200 feet from Ill. Saddle and traverse almost to Yocom Ridge before heading up right. 2 - At the arrow marked "Leuthold Couloir", you need to bear a bit to the left to get into the correct gully. If you head straight up or off to the right, you'll get into steeper terrain on the upper Reid Headwall. Leuthold is a great route, and a nice next step from the south side for aspiring climbers. Check out this TR and climb safe.

All, the evil Makalus. Mine finally broke in after about 2 years. I always taped the heels preventatively before heading out, usually with a dab of tincture of benzoin on the skin first so the tape/blister pad stuff would stick. Give that a go, along with the sock suggestions.

The Mazamas site (mazamas.org)has a quote of the month with some gems. Here's a selection: "There are only 3 real sports: bull-fighting, car racing and mountain climbing. All the others are mere games." Ernest Hemingway "If the conquest of a great peak brings moments of exultation and bliss, which in the monotonous, materialistic existence of modern times nothing else can approach, it also presents great dangers. It is not the goal of "grand alpinisme" to face peril, but it is one of the tests one must undergo to deserve the joy of rising for an instant above the state of crawling grubs. " Lionel Terray, French Alpinist "As I hammered in the last bolt and staggered over the rim, it was not at all clear to me who was the conqueror and who was the conquered. I do recall that El Cap seemed to be in much better condition than I was." Warren Harding, after the first ascent of El Capitan, Yosemite “My best vacation is your worst nightmare.” Bumpersticker seen on a climber’s van, Yosemite NP

Pedroslog, That is a timely post of a superb "editorial". Thanks! I hope the media folks reading this take home the message and file it away for the next time we have a rescue incident.

Ideas I use . . . - Remove all stickers from your car that promote your expensive outdoor toys. - Keep the wallet at home. When climbing, bring a "trail wallet" of $40-$60 in cash, driver license and single credit card, in a ziplock bag. Bring this with you in the pack, or hide it really well in the car. No sense in risking your entire wallet at a sketchy trailhead when you really only need these 3 items. - I like the rocket box idea. Has anyone here ever been ripped off with gear left in one of these?

In Craig Connally's new book, The Mountaineering Handbook, he suggests using a static rope for glacier travel. If all you are doing is being roped to prevent a crevasse fall, and not actually climbing on it, a static rope will naturally stretch less. The climber who pops through a crevasse will have a shorter fall, leading to easier extrication. I have not tried a static rope for crevasse rescue travel practice, but it seems like a sensible idea to me.