BarryAnnArbor

Is your tent still available?

Western Mountaineering Kodiak SMF. Great bag, and quite warm. 2 pounds, 12 ounces. I've got an overfilled bag that's gone down to about -15 (the beauty of Ann Arbor's winters + wind). Western Mountaineering's factory is in San Jose - it's good to see that at least some folks in the States (WM, Feathered Friends, Nunatak) are still producing great gear.

Returned some ancient and abandoned stuff after reading this thread. 'Twas sweet. But hey, I'd be glad to help anyone who wanted to change REI back to an outdoors store, not a fashion shop. Or how about a shop which produces its house brand in the States, or Canada, or somewhere where they don't use slave labor? But $367 in returns -> a better stove, a better pad. That is nice. (The returned stuff had never been used... gotta try to be decent).

Hey - Thanks for all the advice, I'm listening, and expanding the general search parameters. I'm now looking for the best training possible, not necessarily making it up Rainier. I've got quite a long time to do that.

Should have said that upfront - I've got no alpine experience - so, a more specific question is, who provides the best general training? Sadly, most of the options discussed on this board don't apply to me - I can't visit for more than two weeks at a time, and my backpacking partners think I'm insane for wanting to do this.

Just as an aside, and to be a bit political, how many synthetic bags are made in the US? Honestly - Wild Things (half-sack), Wiggy's (downright odd). Integral Designs makes good bags, though. All the other synthetic bags are made by, frankly, sweatshop laborers paid a couple cents an hour. Just a consideration...

Hi Folks, I've lurked on this board for a long time, and would like your advice. I'd like to do a beginners climb of Rainier, Adams, or one of the other major mountains in the Pacific Northwest - and I live in the very flat, but damn cold, Ann Arbor, Michigan. I've tried to train as best I can - two to three hours daily in the gym, hiking carrying a sixty pound pack up and down our moderate hills, cycling, snowshoeing - strenuous and hard for more than a year. Makes my wife happy. I've also been camping in the snow, though it's pretty much melt off now. A baby's on the way in July - I'd like to do something real before then. What would you folks recommend? RMI? Alpine Ascents? I've got a free ticket to Seattle that I have to use before 4 June - sort of the limit for when I can go up and do stuff. But I wantto do something real, something challenging, and something I can use for later attempts on bigger mountains. I'd appreciate your advice. Thanks!