grandpa

I seem to recall something like that also, but a "screwdriver adjustment" in the heel of a boot? Seems iffy to me, and I'm not able to imagine what it might do, but I've not seen one, so I ask.

Any experience with these particular boots, or even the brand in general? Somehow this "adjustable stiffness" looks to me like a potential problem just waiting to happen.

Hilleberg Nammatj a good choice?

Check PM, Cesar.

Ah, ha! Got it, and thank you! Yup, dinosaur here too. I summited my first mountain (Rainier) ever this summer the day after my 61st birthday, and that business of switching the axe from hand to hand with the leash was a bit of a nuisance at first. I wondered if there was a better way to do it, but I was too busy watching where I was going while on the "path" to watch the guide, or anyone else, so I just kept at it and was cuatious at first, then it became more natural by the time we hit the crater. Thanks for the explanation.

I've been following this thread with some interest so as to learn something useful, but I don't follow the statement "originate from the opposite side of the axe head" very well. Could you paint a more detailed verbal picture for me? The "opposite side" statement is what's causing the confusion to me as the opposite side obviously changes as the axe is changed from hand to hand. My axe has a leash that attaches to the handle by a ring, and will slide up/down between the head and a cap screw in the handle and it swivels around the handle. Thanks in advance...

I'll go along with the $$$ spent in the mountains being worth FAR more than a TV, etc. Besides, I've already spent a bunch getting ready to climb Rainier, so now I need to show my wife "what're you going to do with all that stuff now that you've done that?" The pack/boots/weights bit in the gym doesn't raise an eyebrow (now), most everyone either knows what "that old guy" is doing, or doesn't notice. I also load it up and do "flights of stairs" on the stair climber. That helped a lot this summer also. 100+ flights of stairs with 30lbs on the back and 4-5lbs on each foot is a good workout. You may want to ask first just to be considerate, but I'll bet the gym will not have a problem with you working out with a pack. I rarely see that here, but occasionally I see someone with a pack on doing laps on the track. Never anyone (but me) on the machines that I've noticed.

Before you climb Shuksan, go to a local crag somewhere. Maybe Exit 38, or Index, or Leavenworth, or... Gym climbing is related to outdoor climbing, but there's a lot of difference. It's not hard to find holds, usually, but it's different, and they're more camouflaged than at the gym. That's the biggest thing, along with the fact that mountains don't smell like body odor. Also you don't wear a pack at the gym, might find yourself in boots or even crampons, etc. It's wise to get some practice much closer to the car before you summit the big peak. Excellent suggestion(s). Shuksan is on my "to do someday" list, and for certain I'll not be going without someone who actually knows what they're doing. I have IMG in mind, they were excellent this past summer on Rainier. And, I realize that paying a grand for a short trip is an expensive way to go about it, but I'm 1000 miles away, and don't know anyone out there (well no one that's interested in climbing anyway), well enough to go with a "local". I'm already working on the climbing with a pack at the gym, also with hiking boots and 2lb weights around my ankles (been doing that occasionally for several months now). And can you believe it, no red/blue/green/purple/yellow rocks out in the real climbing world? Exit 38, Index, etc all sound intriguing, I'll have to investigate next time we're out there. Exit 38 must be a few miles east of the highway 18 exit on 90? Thanks to all.

Same here, and I tell folks about it!

Well, it's been a while, like maybe 45 years or so, but I used to do a bit of scrambling on various surfaces - mostly where I should not have been - but point well taken. Sounds like a good reason to bring a dab of good Scotch (some Balvenie, perhaps?) along, to assist in the "chit-chat" afterward... Thanks, all.

Ok, that's encouraging. I can muddle my way up a 5.10 (occasionally) in our gym, but what that means in the real world, I guess I'll not know until I give it a go. I'm also wondering just how does one determine, or decide upon a particular rating? It doesn't seem like there are any measurements to compare to like in my world (electronics) where everything is measured with some degree of accuracy and precision. Thanks for the replies, guys. If/when I accomplish this one, I'll yammer on about it here.

Ok, for a (vague) reference point, what might the YDS rating on the summit pyramid of Shuksan be? And whether this would legitimately equate to anything I can do in the gym, I don't know, but I gotta start somewhere. Having never been up there. I have no idea, but it's "on my list" of things to do before I can't, so I ask...

Deleted by me. Got my answer(s) elsewhere.

Well, I am no expert on ropes, but I do know that fuel is a solvent, and ropes are made of synthetic material(s), so I'd be cautious about using it again, not knowing what, if any damage has occurred. An interesting possibility: http://www.summitpost.org/so-you-want-to-make-a-rope-rug-eh/263578

I'm thinking that for a couple hundred bucks, I'd just go get another rope. That's a LOT cheaper than a hospital bill (or worse). Wash it then use if for a haul rope, or even weave it into a rug, but retire it from "active duty".

I would agree, and this isn't based upon years of experience, nor packing heavy loads, but a one time event. I ended up using a BD alpine style harness (that had flexible gear loops that hung straight down from the belt itself), and that worked quite well. Better than my nicely padded, Metolius harness (that had gear loops that stuck out sideways and were protected by plastic tubing) would have worked for me, I believe.

Thank you, all. And this is just the goal I have in mind where I work part-time. My source, a climbing guide on Rainier said essentially the same thing: a bowline needs it, fig-8 does not, and said something about gyms teaching it, and is wasteful of time and energy.

Is it "good practice" to tie off the tail on a figure 8 knot (with a fisherman's knot or the like)? Initially, I learned to do so, but several climbing gyms I've visited do not, and was recently told by someone who makes his living by knowing and using ropes it's not necessary, but recommended one leaves 5x the diameter of the rope for a tail. What do you think, those of you who know more than I (and that's probably everyone)?

I was up there this past weekend, and we were speculating about these 4. That's two days after I came down. Sobering, it is...

Thanks, all. As it turned out, that's what I did. Used another harness instead of mine, worked out just fine. I summited my first mountain this past weekend, so when I get home and figure out how to post a TR, I'll do that.

Any experiences/opinions on the Grigri vs the Grigri-2?

Here's one I've not seen any discussion on: when carrying a backpack and wearing a climbing harness (one that has gear loops) for glacier travel, how is each positioned, relative to the other? One above the other, one on top of the other? It would seem to me that the harness waistbelt should be situated first, then the pack wherever it fits, but as both are designed to be placed just above the hip bones, this seems to be sortof unworkable. What's the right way to go about this? Use a harness with no gear loops? I'll find out for certain in about a week, but this Q popped up last night and woke me up. Now I'm genuinely curious.

Ok, I'm most likely "preaching to the choir" here, but I wanted to acknowledge the excellent customer of Cascade Designs in Seattle. I had a couple of old thermorests that just would not quite stay inflated, and after some unsuccessful efforts to find the problem, I finally wrote to CD and asked if they were repairable, or even worth messing with. They said send 'em in (for evaluation, I presumed), so I did. Soon, within a week maybe, I received a small box, and what was inside? Yes, two NEW thermorests! That is well worth the price of initial purchase! So I looked on their website, and find lots of stuff that I wasn't aware of. Neat, I found a new supplier of stuff, and a great company it appears.

Need a job, also eh? In Washington and Oregon, good luck with that. For the most part, I'm told they don't exist. Bring your own supply of rent/food money, about a year's worth... for while you're looking for work. Now if you want work, move to western North Dakota (and as it happens, Amtrak runs direct from here to where you want to live in WA), where there's more work than people, but then good luck finding a place to live....