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My neighbor gave me a Lowe Sirrocco 70+15 pack as he was about to flee the INS...apparently this is a women's pack, manufactured in 1990s and marked "S" as in S-M-L. Lowe now offers it in adjustable one-size fits all, and I want to sell it but don't know what to advise customers regarding torso length. Can anybody confirm that Lowe formerly offered s-m-l packs? Neither the distributor nor Lowe USA seems to know.

All ages in poverty, 2002 Pierce County, Wash., estimate: 55,514 to 85,956 INCOME IN 1999 Households 260,897 100.0 Less than $10,000 18,639 7.1 $10,000 to $14,999 13,841 5.3 $15,000 to $24,999 30,639 11.7 $25,000 to $34,999 34,324 13.2 $35,000 to $49,999 46,521 17.8 $50,000 to $74,999 58,734 22.5 $75,000 to $99,999 30,989 11.9 $100,000 to $149,999 19,130 7.3 $150,000 to $199,999 4,081 1.6 $200,000 or more 3,999 1.5 Median household income (dollars) 45,204 (X)

Nat'l weather service has best stuff I've been able to find. I'd be happy to hear of better stuff or similar stuff. here is forecast link http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sew/forecast03.php here is link that has page with snowpack link http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sew/hydrology.php

I was having trouble locating CCH's David Waggoner's original comment that people here were referring to. For more schaudenfreude, here's a copy, from Wed. Jan 9, off Rock Climbing.com site. Odd that Waggoner signed first post but recall notice is just signed "sincerely CCH." Who knows, maybe Waggoner's alleged allegation of a hoax was a hoax, though it sure sounds as if it was really written by an aggrieved and peeved small-business owner. "The Silver brazed connections on Aliens are made by experienced ,skilled people who take great care in the quality of the braze. The accusations being made on this site are quite serious . An examination by a certified metallurgical lab on the device in question is necessary in order to prove or disprove the claims made regarding alleged failure of the brazed connection. Without an actual report by a lab we will assume this is a staged hoax. The cable on a 1.5 orange alien will hold over 3500 pounds, far more force than a falling climber could ever generate. When tested on a machine the cable will break ,not pull out of the cable eye. --David Waggoner at CCH"

I have IME Brio pack from 2003. It's really a pretty nice design, but not super-high quality. Got it super-cheap on close-out though. I think their concept for MEC branded merchandise is a bit like REI's, but result may be of better design, and at lower price. Much less selection of MEC branded stuff versus REI branded stuff. REI occassionally and/or historically, has gone for slightly far-out and questionable designs, with pricing trumping quality. Also (let us be frank) the fashion value (in US) of REI brand is less than nil, versus somewhat higher for MEC, depending on your view of fashion. More broadly, as one might expect in Canada, MEC hasn't been as corrupted by giftware and consumerism garbage to same extent as REI. There is still a currency advantage but they kill you on shipping. -----------

Certainly there can be only a small handfull of comparable shops in the entire world. Retail is something everbody depends on, but none are without fundamental sin.

I notice on Mr. Skoog's excellent online annual journal concerning local alpinism a story from Park Service documenting a decline in numbers of climbers in N. Cascades on the order of 25% over past four or five years. Apparently some but not all may be weather-related for most recent year. Has anyone noticed this and/or have any theories why it may be so? Has Rainier, Denali, Tetons etc., shown similar decline?

I think both volumes are very valuable work & I admire the authors. But in my view the snappy writing gets pushed too far. Kearny's book suffers to the extent it imitates. Becky has the best writing because it doesn't call attention to itself.

I love my 2004 model Garmont Towers but crampon straps seem more uncomfortable on these than on old-style lightweight leather mtneering boot. Worth the tradeoff for my purposes. No idea how they'd be with strapless.

Nobody has mentioned Superfeet insoles and whatever the competition may be. I would never again buy boots without at least trying these as an additional fitting aide. I have Garmont Towers, which are slightly similar to the ultralight Sportiva brand and are good for summertime snow and rock. I think crampon straps become painful on Towers, however, & wonder if Sportiva and similar brands have same drawback.

The Natl Weather Service forecasters use the term "meteorological winter" which they say starts Dec. 1... They're scientists. On the other hand I suppose conditions in Feb. March, etc., could be substantially different that currently. The first time I saw that mt I nearly puked from fear just trying to imagine a climb of it.

At the risk of revealing what a lame climber I am, how many pitches is the third-fourth class and higher parts of route? How is (or would be) the gear & anchoring possibilities? I've only lead on gunks rock...& only to 5.3...and wonder if this would be over my head coming into it cold as leader...I went up Canon Del Aqua trail about 20 years ago.. Is this the approach?

Was just visiting relatives in New Mexico. Has anybody ever heard of Shield's Knife Edge route? There's a very sketchy description in book I saw that rates it mainly 4th class & slight 5th...Looks very long and somewhat remote..Mostly everyting else there is rated pretty hard.. Wonder if I could lead it...I get sketchy sometimes on gunks crags rated pretty easy & sometimes have found 3rd class in the mountains far more scary because of loose "rock," weird route-finding etc...

Seems like NW climbing is generally awful from here on in.. Are there any winter climbs that aren't? Do they get better in later season? And Happy Thanksgiving.

Worst ranger experience 1992 was being told in strong Austrian accent to "please get off the grass" up near Seven Lakes Basin by distainful and beautiful young female summer intern ranger. Best was checking out historic 1950s trash as "official business" outing to below Blue Glacier icefall with Yalie summer intern-type ranger in 1989. It was great fortune to hook up with him & his gear on my solo hike to edge of ice.

'Tis end of season near Halloween, & among my morbid & entirely personal thoughts from down in this sewar of Jersey City: thirteen climbing trips to Northwest in thirteen years, including two in 2004, and none in 2005. At least I can still look forward to something when I pay off my debts. But hey, thirteen is an unlucky number.

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/s2520.htm

Herzog film like watching a car wreck....Herzog compares Treadwell to his film "Aguirre." The character Aguirre (a mutinous conquistador) was a tremendous fool and really a monsterous criminal (see also Herzog's "Nosferatu The Vampyre") ---& made for a great movie. Herzog's Treadwell wasn't a monster but certainly a big fool & with highly destructive insanity along with ability to manage a video camera. Possibly instructive to certain climbers & also those hunting for Loch Ness Monster, Yetis, Etc..

Trangia solo stove & cook kit weighs 11 ounces plus whatever fuel for a short trip. Practically as light a cooking rig you can have. Of course mini-cannister stoves are probably nearly as light, more expensive, more convenient, effective & safer assuming fuel is available & Trangia solo kit very doubtful for more than one person.

I've used Trangia solo kit-stove quite a bit in Washington and elsewhere. The Trangia works good for short-term minimal solo cooking & is somewhat beautiful device...& probably beat gasoline for this sort of thing...but the mini-cannisters are more convenient & practical for short & slightly longer-term. I reserve Trangia for possible repeat visit to Mexico.

I wonder who will write his biography and when....Krakauer seems like a candidate... best & most detailed story I ever noticed about him was by the NYT Seattle correspondent....possibly there are dark-horse types out there...slightly surprised nobody's done it already... but I wonder about access to his papers/notes...Given his reputation for cussedness he's probably blocking it as best he can...& it seems we'll have to wait until he passeth....