Maine-iac

Both my Nepals and my Evo Alps like to get untied on their own (must be a sportiva thing...). A good double knot solves all this BS, especially when it happens mid climb (and of course you're wearing gaitors, making this even more agravating...) Other than that, totally rad boots! YEAH!! The whole time I was like why is my right calf getting pumped out when my left isn't.... I hope that damn boot isn't untied. Sure enough after getting the gaitors off, it was. I have the Garmont Radiums and they are awesome!! A little soft, but they walk/tour super nicely!!!

3 pairs of ski boots (Alpine, AT, and tele), La Sportiva Nepals, Koflach plastics, Vasque hiking boots, and a sweet pair of down booties! The ski boots have gotten me up almost every climb I have done, and probably have close to the number of miles as my hikers have on 'em. I love the Nepals, although one came untied on Leutholds (did the entire climb with an untied boot ) but they are sweet!

I plan on being up on the summit around noon Let me know what to bring and i'll get it up there.

I will just be relaxing at T-line parking lot saturday. I just got the new Alpinist and have not really looked at it. So look for the kid with the silver subaru, with the Ski The East stickers, and come and chat. I will probably be there mid/late afternoon. If you want my number PM me and maybe we can grab a brew saturday evening.

You will be fine at the top of palmer, it is almost flat. Just don't walk super far climbers right because there are some cracks over that way. The concern is right up around the general hogs back area. I will most likely be up there saturday night. But I won't make the call to leave home until saturday morning, after re-reading the weather reports. On the plus side no precip is forecast for tomorrow or saturday, and I think very little fell today, so it is having 3 days to settle up. p.s. I have a red jacket, and will be skiing.

Yeah I forgot to add that the nicest and probably easiest place to camp is going to between Middle and South. I have done the North ridge (same as Luvshaker's NE ridge) and while it was fun, I did it in september so it was all rock or errrr should I say mud/gravel.

From Pole Creek to Devils Head TH is is just a tad under 18 miles; that is a bit long IMO to chance not needing slowshoes. It is a really 'fun' traverse, and honestly skis would make it AWESOME. You should also check on the status of the Cascade HWY, the HWY that connects Bachelor to 58, because if that is not open then you won't be able to get to the other THs (but for a little extra milage you could connect Broken Top and D. Flats into it and come out at Bachelor). I will be up there next weekend, and will let all know what the trails/snow are like.

Billbob, I am glad that I am wearing dirty pants and not clean ones, because I now need to change them! Frik, lets chat about it. My only open weekend is next week though, But I am thinking about going up doing a mid week climb (before June), it would be a tuesday night/wed morning type of thing.

It is easy to get faceshots on a sled, just as an FYI How are the gates forming up this year?

YO John what is the deal man? Somebody is asking for honest advise on something, and you are just spraying up a storm with what reads like dribble. How about instead of attacking, or mocking, the other posters you offer up your piece of advice and why/how it works for you. Think about it if you had just bought your first piece of gear for a new hobby and you had a few questions..... Would you want somebody writing nonsense? Wes, if you pick your weather windows right almost anything will work for you. One of the most important features that I have found is how well the tent guys out. The more taught the tent is the quieter it will be and the less likley it will blow away when you are not there (I am sure you know this).

That guy really is on crack. I gots me a wallymart tent, and it is nice to car camp with in balmy weather. But I also have a 4 season tent which goes in the pack when I am doing something other than car camping. I would get rid of the non-freestanding tent and get one that stands up alone. The REI half-dome tent is pretty ballin'.

Nice photo Frik, where is that? There was a guy up there being photographed by a heli on sunday, anybody know what route he skied? It looked like it might have been the Wy'East, but not too sure.

If one skis the Reid or Leutholds is it possible to just bare hard left and make it back to T-line, without having to boot it?

Yeah it was a cluster funk up on the summit ridge. People leaving bags at the end of the cat walk, people getting tangled in other peoples ropes. The route was super stellar though!!! Why arn't people doing the gates? How hard can it be right now?

I saw your climbing sheet at the climbers hut. I laughed a little to myself. Glad nobody was hurt though. They are hard to see, but i have also heard many reports of them being big. I think the recent snowfall just gave them all a nice covering. I didn't even see the berg on the hogsback today when I came down.

I was climbing at the Columns in Eugene last summer and an empty keg came flying off the top of the wall. Luckily there were very few people there; but it almost hit a dog. A little while later some methed out teenagers came down the hill in a rusted out truck. They didn't stop because we were still pretty angry at them.

I read the reports and changed my mind pretty quickly. Smith was sunny and in the mid 60s!!

The road is probably no where near open, they just let it melt out and typically opens in mid may. As for the difference between the South and North climbs... one is a cake walk and the other a serious endeavor (e.g. south side of Hood versus North side of Hood).

I am driving from Iowa on the 22nd of this month to drive to Portland. I have to be back no later than 9am on Monday the 30th. I would love more than anything to ski somewhere in either Colorado, Utah, or Wyoming. The route I was planning on taking was I-80 to I-84, but slight deviations can be made. I was not planning on bringing much climbing gear just the standard BC setup. If anybody is in the greater I-70 area, SLC, or Jackson area and wants a partner for the BC for 3 or 4 days; It would make me a very happy camper. I have been skiing for more than 10 years, I have done the equivalent of an avy 2- course. I am more than comfortable on 50 degree slopes, and I have my WFR. Please let me know if you want to rip some slopes up!

Shoot... Hold on one second, I need to go change my pants. But damn, great photos guys. I am hoping this weekend produces similar results.

I have my fingers crossed as well for the weather. But... link

It seems that quite a few of the 4 day climbs are available for at least 2, and in most cases 3/4 people (July-August). The 5 day climbs seem to be booking up though.

Garda hitch http://www.chockstone.org/techtips/GardaHitch.htm For when you are out of prusiks, or for when you don't want to tie one.

Hmm this one is serious; I would suggest taking a break to recover, but your injury sounds like it is caused by a serious addiction. I would suggest switching hands; it will work your other forearm muscles, and let your "bad" arm recover.

Yeah, there is a gym, The Crux, and we have the columns, which are some pretty nice, albeit short crack climbs. Also if you like climbin' trees the campus is the place to be.