CaleHoopes

I have done multiple trips with both RMI and IMG. I wholeheartedly recommend IMG. My experiences with them have been the best experiences with guides I've had in the mountains. Granted, many of the guides who I've been with have worked for both companies at one time or another. However, the philosophy at IMG is much more friendly in my opinion. I'm a little clouded because I built up a good relationship with one of the owners of IMG so I know a little about their inner workings. However, they are a top notch company who cares greatly about the experience their clients have. I took the 4-day trip a few years ago up the DC and I was blown away by the experience. I climbed with Mike Hamill, Karl Rigrish and Ang Dorje. It was a spectacular experience with those guys. The best part of taking the extra day at the flats is that you're basically at the base of your route - you get to look at the cleaver and the icefall all day and see teams coming down. That's much better than being way around the corner at Camp Muir for sure. This year I enjoyed a trip with those guys up the Kautz and it was a great experience. If you want to know more about IMG or would like me to direct you to contacts there if you wanna ask questions, just PM me and we can discuss it. Hope you have a great trip! :-) Cale

Dellas makes an awesome point. I didn't know if I'd like it. Now I did buy some gear (but two brand new ice tools for a total $200 is an unbelievable deal). Anyhow, from the swing of the tool, I knew I had a new obsession. It's a different obsession from Glacier climbing, Rock Climbing, etc. Yes, I want to do those things - but I really want to get experience on the ice.

For Alpine use, I actually mix an inflatable with a closed cell. That's not to say that you couldn't just go with closed cell. If it's weight you're trying to save, you should check out what I went with (my entire sleep system): Gossamer Gear Thinlight Insulation Pad 3/8" - 5.5 oz. http://gossamergear.com/sleeping/3-8.html Small Cascade Designs NeoAir - 9 oz. (R2.5) http://cascadedesigns.com/therm-a-rest/mattresses/fast-and-light/neoair/product Gossamer Gear SitLight Pad - 1.7 oz. http://gossamergear.com/sleeping/sitlight-sit-pad.html Cocoon Ultralight Air-Core Pillow - 3.7 oz. http://www.rei.com/product/766035/cocoon-ultralight-air-core-pillow Cocoon Silk Mummy Liner - 5oz. http://www.cocoon.at/eng/show.php?doc=frameset&page=cocoon_ckat1&kat=3&prod=10&fab=0 Marmot Plasma 15 - 1lb, 14 oz. (30oz). http://marmot.com/products/plasma_15 Overall weight for the system... 54oz. (3.375 lbs). Overall weight for just sleeping pad... 16.2 oz (1lb). The R value is probably 3.5ish. Since I use the small inflatable, I'm supplementing with my pack at my feet like you suggested. The best thing about all this? Super compact and packable. Since every piece is really small (even the sleeping bag is small), I can cram it in anywhere in my pack. Also, I can get away without the mummy liner and pillow. But for half a pound I can wake up totally rested and the liner is great for storms - adds an extra 9 degrees to your bag (but very packable and small). Anyhow, I used this on a ton of alpine events this summer and it was excellent. Never felt cold, always seemed to sleep soundly (actually much better than when I had a much heavier system) and packing was a complete joy (easy to cram everything in and still have tons of space). BTW, there are other options at Gossamer for closed cell that you might want to check out - good weight for pads, etc. Good luck!

One suggestion.... cordelette for building an equalized anchor. I do see that each are bringing some runners. If you want to build a good equalized anchor it might be nice to have a 20ftish piece of 6mm (7 or 5 can work too) to build your anchors with. If each person had a cordelette, you would probably have too much, but consider safety vs. weight and decide from there. Just didn't see anything there about how you'd equalize your anchor (unless you're girthing a bunch of runners together). Just a thought.

Not to be a naysayer, but you know that consuming that much water on the way won't get processed and retained, right? 8 oz every 45 minutes would be better approach as it will get absorbed and used by the body.

What pulley model do you have? You can use many things to equip your ratchet. The best solution for a pulley off the master point would be to have a Prussik minding pulley like the Petzl Mini. However, there are many options: Belay device (should mind), Consecutive Pear Locking Biner's (should mind - one on the master point, one on the prussik loop used in a bachmann knot - both going the SAME direction so that the Large loop of the Rachet biner rams into the Small loop of the Bachmann carabiner). These are the best minding examples I can think of. Hopefully that makes sense (difficult without pix).

Just completed a guided climb on the Kautz with a summit on last Thursday. Good climb. There's about a 10-15 ft section of maybe 25-35 degree ice. Definitely walkable. Exposure but nothing else. You probably should rappel off the notch. Not a very good route right under the ice cliff. Very straightforward snow on thursday. Went really early from a camp just below the notch (left at 12:25). Pix here: https://picasaweb.google.com/caledh/20110724Kautz

You can always check Snotel... this is from Ollalie Meadows which is where the PCT is right below Catherine (south side of the freeway)... http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/nwcc/sntl-data0000.jsp?site=672&days=7&state=wa At 4k, they only have 14 inches.

My vote for June trip report!

Anyone been to Schreiber's Meadow over the last weekend? Trying to figure out what access on FS12 & FS13 is like? How many miles of snowshoeing/hiking from where the snow is impassable to the trail parking at the meadow? Thanks in advance for your observations...

Will Gadd wrote a fairly comprehensive book for the Mountaineers that covers things like "pull-ups". Check out: "Ice & Mixed Climbing: Modern Technique" Chapter 11, Training for Winter Climbing discusses Periodization (managing what sports you're doing at what times during the year...), Specific Adaptation, and some great exercises that are really specific to the goal of climbing ice. Pull ups are nice, but there are better approaches for holding and hanging on tools: One arm pull DOWNS, front levers, half levers, curt ups, hammer swings, dumbbell hammer swings, shoulder training, etc. I suggest you get this book or something similar and get yourself ready for the season!

Titanium fiber is way too heavy, only sleeps 1 and only allows you to put 3 cd's worth of songs on em. Overrated.

My foray into ice climbing included taking a class from International Mountain Guides in Ouray, CO the last couple years. It's been fantastic and I completely recommend it. You can rent all the gear and Ouray is a fun town. Ouray basically is an outdoor ICE climbing gym which is less than a mile from the town (you walk to the box canyon). The guided programs are great because they teach all the techniques. I don't think any mountaineering experience is required at all to do one of these programs - the fact that you have some experience rock climbing in the gym will help you. They will teach you about the sport completely = how to hold tools, how to use your feet, how to use the gear correctly, etc. It's nice to know your knots when you go. I find that Ice Climbing is more about efficiency and practice than anything else. I'd put down the cash somewhere (either Colorado, Utah or Montana) and walk away knowing whether you like it or not. I chose to try it in order to expand my horizons. Now I want to do it all the time if I could. Sucks that I live in Washington State where the ice just ain't in. Additionally, you'll learn MANY skills if you head to Ouray. Water Ice will give you some great skills you could use with Alpine Ice. I do second the suggestion you read an Ice Climbing book too: "How to Ice Climb" by Craig Luebben or "Ice & Mixed Climbing" by Will Gadd are great books. Good luck and hope to see you at the bottom of an ice wall. Additionally, you don't need to take rock climbing or alpine rock or alpine ice before you try water ice. It will help you, but if you take a class, you'll find that it's a sport that can live on its own without a big bunch of prerequisites.

With Dane's suggestion, I got the Baruntse boots and am looking forward to using them for a whole lot of experiences!

So, having gone through the boot two-step, let me throw out my opinion. I also have a pair of Arctis Expes. The liner rubber sole actually disintegrated on me after only 4 seasons of fairly heavy use DOH. And, they are supposed to "pack out" after a few seasons anyway. So, it's not a bad idea to get new liners. That being said, the Intuition Denali liners are pretty nice. Get them well fitted for your foot at Feathered Friends or Sturtevants (check with Sturtevants to see if they have the Denalis). A few irritations regarding the Denali's: They are kinda hard so front flex is not that great on the liners - which can turn into some nasty shin bang. Additionally, the liners don't have ANY lacing system - they rely on the lacing system of the boot. HOWEVER, they dry super well when removed from the boot overnight and they are more than warm enough for Denali type weather. They aren't that "comfortable". You're not going to find that they are cushy or comfy to put your feet in (the stock liners are probably more cushy) but they are effective. Currently, I've purchased the La Sportiva Baruntse boots which have a moldable liner made by Palau in France. The liners are spectacular and might fit well in the Arctis Expe. Apparently, you can order the replacement liners for $149 from La Sportiva or you can get the Palau liners from here: http://www.palau-boutique.com/thermo-liners,us,3,6.cfm I haven't put these liners in my Arctis Expes to see how they would do, but I think they would work fine - once again get a boot fitter to do the molding. The great thing about the actual La Sportiva version of the Palau liners is that they have a really nice velcro lacing system. Dane likes the Baruntse liner so much he actually put them in his Spantiks for savory goodness. After some time in heavy snow, I wholeheartedly agree with him. Awesome stuff! Finally, another option is the high altitude scarpa liners which will be very similar to the Koflach liners. Since you're "not feeling it" with the Koflach's however, these may not be better. The Baruntse liners are even lighter than the intuitions and easily as warm.

Seriously be mindful of the avalanche conditions - right now it's really nasty in the mountains and the snow lake trail is one of those very dangerous places. As the weather heats up this week, look for even more slides. NWAC has some info about the snowpack on their website - check it before heading out. http://www.nwac.us

I have fond memories of attending a climb school with Nawang Gombu and spending great time with him before and after multiple climbs on Mt. Rainier. We will all miss you!

Yes. I have a fantastic friend who is a guide in Ecuador. PM me and I'll point you to him - he does everything there. I don't know about costs individually as I met him on a climb up Cotopaxi. But let me know and I'll hook you up.

Thanks Dane! The umbilical is awesome! Easy to attach.

Had a great experience with mountaineering boots at Sturtevants in Bellevue, WA. They are primarily a ski shop so I'm sure their expertise is ski boots but they did a fantastic job on my mountaineering boots. Just ask Dane how good they are - he basically sent me there.

Bump! Hey folks, if you wanna get some backcountry travel skills... this is the course for you! This is a great place to start!

Folks & Dane. I can now put my boot question to rest. After a fitting from Rick @ Sturtevant's in Bellevue, I can honestly state I have the most comfortable mixed use mountaineering/ice boots that I've ever owned. The Baruntse with their moldable liner are fantastically warm, stiff in the right places for vertical ice, but flexible enough to endure 12 miles of vertical snowshoeing. Fantastic boots once you get the fit fixed. The boots endured a full two days of snow in the cascades. The liners dried perfectly in my condensation boosting single wall tent. Not a single hot spot, no blisters, no pain (unlike the un-custom fitted version I tried two weeks ago). Success! Thanks for everything, Dane!

Well then, I'm probably on my way since I went through a boot fitter (I met Zach and he had me see Rick) and I can likely write off those hot spots to a bad fit. Good to know that there really isn't "break in" on those. I actually didn't think through my comment there

Earlier on this thread I asked about boot opinions. So far so interesting. I bought a pair of Baruntse boots. Size 42. Then did 16.5 hours of snowshoeing, bushwhacking, creek crossings, etc. with no fitting and the stock footbeds. All was not right with the world. I didn't get a blister but got many hot spots (probably just not broken in). However, my biggest problem was that the boot was pressing in on my 5th metatarsal on both feet. Ugh. Therefore, I've purchased a pair of 42.5's and took them to Rick @ Sturtevants. The first thing he did was look at my feet in the boot without the liners. He took the boots back and made them WIDER! So, that was huge. Then custom footbeds and heat molded everything. The whole thing took 45 minutes and I definitely could tell the difference when he had me walk the boots for 10 minutes around the store. I'm very happy with the custom fitting at the moment and they will get a big test in the mountains this weekend. Anyway, I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for all the help Dane!

I agree with Gene... what KIND of climbing?!@?! I suggest: 1) Get a copy of Freedom of the Hills (descriptions on all types - gear lists and SKILLS you need) 2) Take a course, class, etc. OR start with a guided climb or guided climbs 3) RENT BEFORE YOU BUY 4) Realize that SKILLS are more important than GEAR SELECTION (yes, that from a gear hoarder like me...)