tvashtarkatena

A clove hitch is not a good choice for tying in for the following reasons: 1. They can slip. If you have to 'make sure it's tight', don't use it. 2. They can jam under load to the point where you have to chop the rope. There are more than a few aid climbers who've jumared on clove hitches and learned this the hard way. Butterfly and bowline on a coil (for your rescue loops) are a good way to go for tying in short. Clove hitches are a quick, adjustable tie in for a dynamic anchor with an upward pull, but there are better knots out there for other applications.

My watermark IS an animal. When you click on one of my photos, my uncaged soul leaps out and rips your fuckin face off.

More bro + avi pron featuring the better looking ski model

No. Next thread.

Finally. Best piece of outdoor clothing I've ever used. Bombproof Schoeller fabric, on sale, free ship: link

The very existence of larger trees indicates some measure of protection from bigger slides. Trees also cut way down on wind deposition/crust and keep the snowpack shaded. Finally, tree bombs can do a decent job of avi control as conditions warm.

If anyone needs a spleen, I'd like to purchase some Speedskins...

Rock the permullet and the whole question becomes moot. Do you like to hang out together? That's what counts. If she wants to climb, cool. If not, cool. There are lots of other things to do in the outdoors together if that's important.

After selling both kidneys to get this setup, I'm a quiver of one kind of guy.

We were skiing deep pow for 3 days in the teens and twenties this weekend. That softshell was the perfect outerlayer for it! I don't quite understand softshells without hoods, though.

I bought two hooded softshells this year: OR Ferrosi (same weight as Patagonia above...as light as you can get) and a MH Mercurial. After overnighting in several midwinter blizzards - cabins, tents, snowcaves - I haven't really needed the heavier Mercurial (it's GREAT around town, though). The Ferrosi with 1 to 3 light layers underneath has kept me comfy and amazingly dry, even after hours of driving spindrift at near freezing. It's turning out to be one of the best pieces of clothing I've ever had. Schoeller fabric. Accept no substitute.

Every time I enter the Muir shelter I'm reminded of Van Gogh's "The Potato Eaters"...only its not quite as warm and cheerful.

Normally I'd agree, but I think he'll have to pick an Extreme Thumper to garnish the Kristianazi social conservative vote.

No hate, but I felt like Dog on 92s this weekend in the bottomless, so no pity, either! My gear weighs 7 lbs per foot, but that includes everything: boots, skis, binding, and skins. Thank you, Modern World.

I always wondered what this button on my camera was for:

Makes me hot.

That's what the mullet is for Hullet? The Cook expedition reported that Australian aborigines of the day grew their hair way out front to shade their faces. This might be the same principle at work: a wifebeater can give you a helluva case of redneck without proper protection.

No helmet required there.

When birds don't like something they just take a dump on it. Just like here.

I'd like to see some birds weigh in on this.

Coming from Atomic Kongurs (not a bad ski mind you) and Scarpa T2 telys it was like slipping into a sparkling, Carlos Castanedian world of smooth without pain, where baby unicorns frolic among giggling snow children under the gentle plumes of fragrant Volcanoes.

THere was a pair of 169s at Redmond REI for $350 recently. If you want a super light backcountry setup that's a little shorter for the trees n crud... Note: the 169s are slightly narrower (92 underfoot) than longer Manaslus (95 underfoot)

Three questinos: 1) How long are the skis 2) How much do you weigh? 3) Can you carve turns (initiate by edging only) in powder or does the rocker force you to crank? Thanks in advance... 169 cm 185 lbs full commando Skied em with a 3 day overnight winter pack - zero cranking, as effortless as you could want. Perfect crunch and launch goodness. They pretty much ski for you.

Skied the new Manaslus in the Baker backcountry this weekend. What a great ski. Feather light, nice and short, yet they ski the pow like a dream. Best 3 ski days ever. With most of my tely quiver sold off, my gear room just got quite a bit smaller, too.

No, actually, there aren't.