montypiton

sorry about taking so long -- if the ice pack and OR pants have not sold, I'll take them off your hands - you can pm me with payment instructions... -Haireball

ice pack and OR pants grab my interest. can you provide waist and inseam measurements for the pants? -Haireball

check your pms.

climbing around Goat Dome on May 5, my partners and I cleaned off about a dozen or so ticks apiece for the day. With snow barely gone, tick season is really just getting started... but SCW has a less brushy approach, so perhaps less exposure to ticks... just have your partner go first!

unlike Dane, I don't detest lockers - rig half or more of my quickdraws with lockers on the rope end. if placement is secure, I don't have to screw it closed... and I use lockers on ALL screamers, because of their stiffness. quicklocks address the disadvantages Stevie demonstrates with screwlocks - speed and unscrew hazard - but I've yet to see a truly lightweight quicklock. looks like there could be a weight-saving for me on these, but I'd have to look at the price penalty before I could commit -- cost/benefit, y'know? And I'd have to handle one and verify Dane's rave, also. I have big hands, thick fingers, and some carabiners I just can't operate efficiently. but it sure looks like it's worth checking out.

by now, I imagine most of us have heard of the sherpas who were killed on Everest this week while attempting to extend the fixed line route for the sahibs to use to access the south col. the American Alpine Club has already established a fund to benefit these men's families. tax deductible donations can be made through the AAC site at www.amercanalpineclub.org - there's a link to the fund on their home page. As far as I know (and please correct me if I'm wrong) the commercial outfitters who hire these guys do not provide them insurance, so please be generous.

I made two Denali trips with a bag rated to -20, and it was more than enough. consider: will you camp in tents, or depend on igloos and snow-caves. The major challenge with an igloo or snow cave is not warming it up, but keeping it cool enough so it doesn't drip. If you're sheltering in snow, you can get by with less bag. Eventually, I saw the light and realized that the -20 bag was too warm to use anywhere else, so I ditched it in favor of an FF "widebody" 15' bag, and an ultralight "pounder" summer weight bag that fits inside it - so I have the summer ultralight, the three-season "everyman", and the two in combination for an expedition rated rig. and the combination weighs under four lbs - less than my old -20 monster.

as you describe your skillset, I do not believe that the DC is an inappropriate objective. I would consider taking more than just a single extra day at Muir for acclimatization, though. Rainier boasts the highest incidence of HAPE of any mountain in the world for good reason -- major metropolitan areas within an hour, and hordes attempting to climb it from sea-level in a weekend. consider that if you were attempting Denali via the West Buttress, you'd likely take a week to get to 14K. Yet climbers who would happily take a week to acclimatize to 14k on Denali get sick trying to summit Rainier in two days. take a day at Panorama point to work on ice-axe skills - self-arrest and ice-axe belays (if there's snow there, which there is most years), take another day at Muir, build an anchor to rappel into a crevasse, and practice hauling one another out. then take a very short day to Ingraham Flats, and make your summit camp there. you won't set any records, but you're likely to enjoy yourselves a lot more...

lose the aluminum stays, plastic framesheet, and worthless 1/8" "bivvy pad" that come with so many so-called "climbing" backpacks. replace all of the above with a half-length evasote or ridge-rest pad folded to create a soft "frame" for your pack. now you have a real functional bivvy pad, and you've lost a buncha useless crap. then, as Oly-mtn-boy suggests, forget stuff-sacks and stuff soft gear into nooks & crannies created by less maleable items like stoves, pots, hardware. as layton suggests, bladders trump bottles - the part that isn't full folds away to nothing. carry NO single-purpose items. every item needs to be multi-purpose - an item that performs three functions means you carry only one item instead of three -- doesn't take long for this to add up. tools like camera, gps, cell-phone ride in holsters that clip to pack-straps or hip-belt -- keeps them at hand, and they don't take up space inside the pack. I've carried snacks this way as well - don't have to stop walking/climbing to eat.

"there's lies; there's damn lies: and there's statistics" -Mark Twain

I'm a little bit surprised that no-one has commented on the absence of toilet paper from your list! Having noted it, I will: GOOD FOR YOU! It has long irritated me when partners have whipped out the t.p. in the backcountry, while they're surrounded by snow (much cleaner) and leaves (no litter).

most of the sar units with which I've worked over the years (40+ years, both professional and volunteer units) have done their training in house, free to their personnel. what you get depends on who's doing the teaching. the National Ski Patrol system provides courses for their members. most clubs and college outdoor programs offer the basics, and the "gold standard" is AIARE. For what it's worth, I feel like you can approach the AIARE standard without taking the formal course IF you're willing to devote a number of years to cultivating partnerships with folks who know more than you. Over the course of those years, you'll likely spend at least what the AIARE course would cost you, just spread over a loooong time. if you really don't want so spend the money, join your local sar unit or the National Ski Patrol.

one word -- supergators. I use a version of the Trango year round in the Cascades, and supergators have been my solution for trips longer than overnight. I've never found any boot treatment to provide dependable waterproofing for longer than a couple of days of real wet. my supergators have kept boots and feet dry for month-long trips in Alaska and South America. When its warm, I scrunch the upper "leg" part of the gator down to my boot-top to keep from overheating.

given the discussion of self-arrest here, I feel I'd best clarify my recommendations: I've introduced all three of my sons to alpine climbing, after several years' rock climbing. although I did teach them self-arrest, I never put them in a position of having to self-arrest. I kept them on belay (or at least shortroped) in any/every exposed situation, regardless of difficulty. Of the climbs I suggested, all, except for Goode, can reasonably be "pitched out" in a day. and I have to agree with Trash - the exit from Goode is kind of a pain. A great climb, with a lousy descent. maybe more adventure than you want for a novice. I stand by my Argonaut recommends, though. Both routes are really fun, and, yes, moderate. But I admit, it would never occur to me to take a novice on either one unroped. I climbed these routes with experienced partners, and even though the climbing was moderate, and our self arrest skills second nature, we still climbed roped, and protected.

unless its a heavy snow year (this year is a snow drought so far...) the West Ridge of Stuart is likely to be snow-free by July. North Ridge, as Keenwesh recommends, is probably a better choice. Approach is via the Stuart Glacier, then a couloir to access the ridge on the classic version of the route. West Ridge of Forbidden is another gem, but you need to be on it early in the year because the access couloir is a nightmare after the snow's gone. June should be good, but again, consider that this winter is a snow drought, so don't wait too late for this one. Both routes are on Roper/Steck Fifty Classic Climbs list... Argonaut, in the Stuart Range, has a pair of great classic mixed routes on its north aspect: its northeast, and northwest buttresses both have steep couloir starts. The northeast couloir is longer, with a 5.6 rock finish. The northwest couloir is shorter, with a longer 5.7 rock finish. Depending on conditions, either couloir could require full on ice climbing (two tools, though protectable on rock), or they could be step-kicking up snow. Great fun, and two routes for one approach/camp. What's not to like? From Washington Pass, Silverstar has a moderate glacier route with a scramble rock finish. Not difficult, but great alpine ambiance. And in June, Liberty Bell and the Early Winter Spires will likely have snow in the approach couloirs -- all have moderate routes. NE Buttress on Mt. Goode is fun, bit of steep glacier at the bottom to access the buttress, then a looong moderate rock route to the top. (way cool summit bivvy...) Looong approach, though. Either take the boat to Stehekin and approach from the south, or hike all the way from Washington Pass if approaching from the north. Wonderfully remote, but will likely take 3-4 days.

Drury is in, Pencil is in. Comic Book Hero is incomplete. Drip is in, but not as fat as I like. Penstock is in, Plastic Fantastic Lover is thin, but doable. In the Icicle, climbed at Millenium Wall and Rainbow Falls this week, Candlesteins were forming fast, but not quite there yet on Thursday - didn't have time to look today. Haven't driven up to check the Funnel, but it's usually a good bet... -Haireball -Haireball

you have my attention -- pm sent

You should be fine. I've used two bags one inside the other like you're describing, and gotten by with a lighter combination than the one you describe. (30'inside 15') double up on pads - and old-school foam mat under a therma-rest used to be the gold standard up there. These days, a closed-cell foam pad under a neo-air might be even better. Especially if you're staying low on the Kahiltna - temps at that altitude (6000') are much more moderate than high on Denali or Foraker. Same for the jacket combination. One advantage to layering like that instead of depending on an "expedition" weight jacket is you have the option of wearing one or the other by itself when it's cold, but not nasty enough to require both. I'm presuming your bigger puffy has a hood. You have a hardshell that will fit over both puffies?

walked up Snow Creek today,(Feb 1) and found unexpectedly good ice on the Millenium Wall. Climbed four different lines, all with sufficient ice to accept screws for lead. nothing in the main Icicle Canyon at this time.

ice?? this year?? fugedaboudit. Had 8" snow today, though, so nordic skiing should be good now. Got a look at Nada Falls (above Nada Lake) from Wedge Mountain last week, and it looks climbable... Last walk up Snow Creek was not encouraging -- not much on Millenium Wall, and nothing at all on Fourmile Falls. We're pretty much starting from scratch again... if we're lucky, we might have ice in a couple of weeks given a decent melt/freeze cycle... pray!

Nick - I've been in Leavenworth since 1980 -- drive a school bus so have mid-days off during the week - good for short cragging days. If you don't mind hanging out with an Old Fart, I'd be happy to show you around and hook you up with more partners --- -Haireball 509/433-6401

pm sent

mid-may is actually a great time to visit the stuart range if you like classic mixed alpine climbing. triple couloir and stuart glacier couloir may be the best known routes, but depending on the year, these may or may not be in. I've seen triple couloirs obesely fat in June some years, but dry by april in others. if you trust your routefinding, there are usually seasonal mixed lines, just not always in the same places. consider giving yourself a day's cushion, especially if the eightmile road is still gated. I've done triple couloir bumper to bumper from the Icicle road, and found it a looooong day. consider carrying a light pair of binoculars - you may scope something that looks like more fun than what's in your guidebook... camping in the Icicle Canyon in May should not be a problem - usfs campgrounds will be open by then, and you'll be earlier than the permit season for your high camps. depending on how our spring shapes up, you could need floatation into June, or have a walkable trail as early as April. Check at Leavenworth Mountain Sports for current conditions when you get here.

I've had good experience with pants of Schoeller fabrics in a couple of different brands. I prefer the THIN versions, so I can wear them in warm weather, or layer underneath them for colder trips. They breathe extremely well, and I have rappeled through a waterfall in one pair,while my legs remained dry (quite a surprise - magic?!?). I've heard great reports about "neo-shell", but I don't know if anyone makes pants out of it -- I've only seen jackets. For me, brand is less important then what they're made of.

I've had good experience with pants of Schoeller fabrics in a couple of different brands. I prefer the THIN versions, so I can wear them in warm weather, or layer underneath them for colder trips. They breathe extremely well, and I have rappeled through a waterfall in one pair,while my legs remained dry (quite a surprise - magic?!?). I've heard great reports about "neo-shell", but I don't know if anyone makes pants out of it -- I've only seen jackets. For me, brand is less important then what they're made of.