ericb
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Posts posted by ericb
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Any new baby pictures? Anyone....anyone.....
I'll bite
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I'm trying to take advantage of end-of-season deals to put together an AT setup. I have Dynafit boots and am looking at Dynafit bindings, but would like some suggestions on skis. Also, if you've seen any spectacular deals out there anywhere.
Thanks!
Love my Shuksans
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The instructor is a nob on this particular subject. Helmet is certified to the same level as the ones he has suggested. Some would argue (myself included) that polystyrene actually offers better protection than the polycarbonate helmets from any impact. Having used both and broken a polystyrene helmet in a fall I know which one I'd rather have on my head when things are bouncing off it. And it is not polycarbonate.
Trust me, breaking a polystyrene helmet in a fall or from falling objects will generally end any trip at that point. And you'll want to go down. From my limited experience take the same impact in a polycarbonate helmet and you might not be making the choice. More likely someone else will be making it for you.
But being a nob myself it is hard to keep up with all the new gear. So I can see the problem. For an instructor, even in a volenteer position, I would have hoped for more.
yadda yadda yadda....bitching about this "popular climbing club's (oxymoron acknowledged)" failure to embrace fast and light methods on this site is about as novel as Bush bashing.
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I do fully accept that it might accidentally break easier than the ecrin, which might prematurely end a trip, and cost me a few more $$$ when I get back home.
Prematurely ending the trip for 12 people?....Sounds like a cluster the instructor would be well advised to avoid IMO.
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Be sure and check the weather forecast....weather can move in quickly, and it can snow at muir during summer. People have died of exposure up there because they didn't bring the appropriate clothing.
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Ordered the Metolius Master Cams yesterday @ noon on their web site and requested ground shipping (est 4-10 days per order form), they should up the next day.
They rule - they absolutely rule. Especially since it's suppose to be nice weather outside in 2 days.
I'm guessing they are shipping from Spokane so not surprising, but cool nonetheless
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time consuming rappels and descents become less stressful when you have time - i.e climb UP faster. Take the time and be smart and thoughtful on the descent where most mistakes occur. Bring extra headlight batteries and some twilight calories.
Or, just bring an extra headlamp that weighs less the extra batteries
Another idea....my camera takes AA batteries as does my headlamp, so I don't need to carry extra batteries...the odds of needing the camera and the headlamp at the same time are low. Also, while the camera is a bit heavier than the canon elph or equivalent, the ability to use lower weigth lithium batteries that are far more dependable in extreme cold is nice.
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Blake...keep your eyes open for some shuksans
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Here's a TR with some photos of the route to match TTK's description...
http://sverdina.com/argonaut/argonaut1.htm
Looks like a cool route
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That's HUGE!!!!!!11111!!!!
Plus the Denalis make that slappy sound that I hate.
Plus Ivan blew out the pivot plate on his Denalis on a trip this year, but then again, Ivan is the size of a T Rex.
Ivan's a biggun fo sho.
Seeing you blastin up the trail while I lumbered down with my skis overhead catchin every other tree made me think that while I love skiis for an approach, a nice simple pair of snowshoes might be nice to have in the quiver for certain trips - last weekend being perfect example. I was doin the weight calc and figure I could shave ~ 8 lbs. between the skis and boots for trips when the need for floatation is questionable, and/or I'd like the climbing performance of my mountaineering boots over my ski boots.
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I have MSR Lightnings. They're consideraby lighter than the Denalis and grip on up and sidehills wonderfully. I really like them.
TTK...not being argumentative, but if I look at MSR's website the weight difference between the lightening and the Denali at 22inches is only 2 oz.
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Rack with a yosemite draw on every cam, it simplifys the whole trad thing.
I ndon't use this system much anymore, but it kept me in one piece during the 5.10 learning curve.
What's a yosemite draw???
I believe it's a quick draw fashioned from two biners and a single sling that can be extendes, as opposed to a dog-bone
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The weather sucked....
so did you guys do the NE Couloir on Dragontail?
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Thats what i'm waiting to hear about. I want to get back up there but not if a shit ton of snow fell.
were those your tracks heading to Stuart?
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Met Tvash on the way out...he's much more pleasant in person
Thats what I thought too! He was bitching about his skies as we passed him on our way out as well.
I thought the road up in the morning was great, the way out SUCKED!
If you mean his skis, he didn't have any...tvash was on snowshoes.
The road out was quick on skis
What route did you guys do/attempt?
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Sweet, great pics! Not bad for a fat ass. How was the road? You don't by chance have any beta pics on Stuart?
Jordan...the only view of stuart is the one behind me in the background at the notch, so not sure if a close-up of that aspect would help you. The road was closed, but packed enough for hiking....I had running shoes on.
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First the truths....
1) no floatation necessary until the lake - hiked the road in my tennies, and schepping the skis to the lake was of marginal value due to highly variable wind-affected snow.
2) Yes, I whined....I don't know that I've ever hiked 10 miles in my rando boots, and my pinky toes paid the price
3) Bug certainly has a self depricating sense of humor, but to avoid any confusion, he's fat...that's a fact. That said I was happy to burden his fat ass with the rope, since he hardly noticed it.
The pix
log bridge on the approach
me at the lake
skinning the lake
the route
the crux in the couloir
~ half way up
almost there!
chilling at the notch
north face traverse
Lie number one...more to come
Met Tvash on the way out...he's much more pleasant in person
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Trip: 8 Mile Mountain - NE Face
Date: 3/9/2008
Question for anyone....is the left hand of this aspect of Colchuck visible here the face that is climbed once you exit the couloir proper of the North Buttress Couloir route? Heading up there next weekend and trying to get an idea of the snow conditions.
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So did you not need floatation from the trailhead to the lake?
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Ask your betrothed how she likes they way you smell after 4 days on the trail.
Costa Rica, from north to south:
Rincon de las Viejas National Park: day hikes only, nice lodges located outside the park in a rural setting. Incredible wildlife, swimming holes, waterfalls, boiling volcanic lake. Watch for snakes at night.
Corcovado Tent Camp and National Park: Pristine 8 mile beach walk to the National Park Lodge. Anteaters, tapirs, rainforest, crodiles, monkeys.
Monteverde Cloud Preserve. Best to backpack to the backcountry huts here to really experience the place. Probably not worth a day trip.
Arenal: active volcano with a hotsprings right across the road so you can watch the lava at night.
Chirripo: Hike C.R.s highest peak (13,000) and see both oceans at sunrise if there's not a low cloud layer, which there will be. There's a rustic lodge with bunks at 11,000 ft, and nice, inexpensive lodges at the base.
You might want to fly in and out of Corcovado NP; it's a full day's drive from anywhere.
I've got specific recommendations for lodges. PM if interested.
OMG....I'm actually going to agree with TTK on something...Costa Rica is the shit....we went there for our honeymoon, and liked it so much we went back last year for our "babymoon". Lots to do from adventure to kickin it. Where to stay might be function of the season - the continental divide results in a one coast having a wet season, and one a dry concurrently, and I can't remember which is which in September. Belize is great as well, but far less to offer a non-scuba diver IMO.
I also have lots of ideas for you as well as an in-country agent we've used twice with great results. She's a hell of a lot cheaper than a US based agent that essentially subs it out to an in country agent and takes a slice.
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Why do they always tie in through a locking carabiner in ads and promos? Seems like common sense would tell even a non-climber that tying your rope to your harness is the simplest and safest way.
that's the first thing I noticed as well
If that's the first thing you two noticed, might I recommend you look into testosterone suppliments?
oh, the irony
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Why do they always tie in through a locking carabiner in ads and promos? Seems like common sense would tell even a non-climber that tying your rope to your harness is the simplest and safest way.
that's the first thing I noticed as well
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from a performance standpoint, I think they are identical - except the newer ones may be slung with dyneema vs. nylon. I have a set where slings are all the same color and the anodizing distinguishes between the sizes, and the older ones have colored slings....personally I think it's a little easier to indentify them on you rack by the colored slings, rather than the tricam itself, but honestly, if I'm gripped at all, I'm typically not going for tricams. I know tests have shown that dyneema slings lose ultimate strength over time, so not sure if this would be a concern with the new slings.
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For mountaineering, it seems that some folks like the tether for high altitude stuff, but not for stuff down low.
Some great arguments have been made for both already.
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As for waterfall ice and mixed, quite simply leashes are aid.
Any European climber (expect those from the UK) will immediately relegate you to the status of "lame" if you are climbing with leashes, no matter how hard the route is that you are leading. It doesn't matter if you are 12 years old or 80 years old.
You will also get this designation ("lame") for using pickets in my experience
Missile Command...
in Spray
Posted
Jay - what's driving your obsession with declining housing market...are you a smug renter?