bivchad

Hey thanks for posting, Stew! Nice to be reminded of how perfectly we hit that window and the complete solitude we had. Your uninhibited lead around the rime bulge still inspires me to this day!

2nd week of September from Saturday thru the following weekend. My original group of 4 has been narrowed to 2 after an unfortunate situation. Wanting to put the word out to anyone who is completely able and motivated for a big adventure with bushwacking and hardships like bee stings . PM me for details, etc.

Hell yes, Tony & co.!

Did you and Tony swap skis or are you putting those old Coomback's to use? Nice effort, guys!

Rock Climbing - "On Top of Liberty Bell" Alpine - "Taking a break on Sahale Arm" Scenic - "From Shuksan to the Pacific Ocean" Skiing - "Ski Mountaineering in Wrangell-St. Elias" Ice Climbing - "Beautiful day at Baker Seracs"

TH is melted out completely. I was there on 6/4 and could drive all the way. Have fun!!

Great write-up....thanks for posting!!!

I love my Mercury mitts but they aren't seam sealed...for me they were warm enough for AK and of course here. It appears these Rab's are seam sealed which is the one thing the Mercury's aren't.

Wow, that S95 looks like a smaller version of the G9 with the same lens! If only I could afford another camera. That said, the body of the G9 is likely easier to handle wearing gloves and otherwise.

Canon G9 or whatever the latest version is! I have one and love the quality of zoom as well as the many features. Just make sure to use a fast shutter speed when zoomed in.

Thanks for the great TR! Heading up there this weekend...

Thanks for the info! I am well aware of the options available. Just curious of what others have used and how warm you've gone.

I am struggling to come to a conclusion on how much to insulate my legs with in the St. Elias mtns this May. Specifically, whether or not a pair of synthetic puffy pants is worth the weight and warmth?. May 1st-31st and we will be going up to 16.5k but a majority of the trip will be between 9 and 14k. I already intend to bring powerstretch tights, a midweight smartwool layer as well as some lighter softshell pants and Goretex shell pants. Anyone?

Thanks for the photo, Doug! Where did you get that waist-belt?

Thanks Gene, and everyone else! I am actually headed for some ski/climbing exploration in Wrangell-St. Elias and probably won't get above 14K. I understand it is not quite as cold as the Alaska Range there and because I will be traveling for 3 weeks, we definitely need to go light as possible. Great info about snow catching in the ridges. I think a foam pad and Prolite 4 might be the way to go....

Any of you guys ever used (or seen) a Bungee cord in the mix:

There may be another thread on this but couldn't find it in my little bit of searching. What are you guys using for your sleeping pad(s) in Alaska? I am caught between bringing a Prolite 4 coupled with a Z-Rest OR an Exped OR do I bring an Exped coupled with a Z-Rest?? I know I can count on you guys here to give me your detailed opinion...

Great information guys and thanks for the AAI link! Monty, I notice you said that you don't notice the sled much except on steeper climbs. What's it like pulling the sled after a heavy snow? We'll probably be pulling one for days or weeks on a planned traverse. What's the word on getting a sled to Alaska (airline luggage) or do you just bring the hardware and buy a sled when you get there?

Who here has experience with pulling a sled in AK or elsewhere? I am interested in knowing more details about the attachment of it to your body. I'll need to have a climbing harness on for crevasse travel so I would assume attaching it to that harness and maybe your backpack is the way to go. Also, what were your safety concerns and how did you prepare for that? I have found great info at skipulk.com but want more...

Thanks for more opinions! I agree that rafting at that time of year could be hairy! Basically I do not want to spend a solid 3-4 weeks in blinding snow, we'd like to get a taste of the lowlands also either at the beginning or end...

Yowza! Thank you for that! We have considered touring off the Bagley Ice field down Goat Creek to a cached raft at Chitina River. I am curious to know more details/cost of having a raft and gear flown in for you?

I would like to hear from anyone who has climbed and skied in this park. I am in touch with Paul Claus of Ultima Thule Outfitters who I am discussing options with but would enjoy thoughts/ideas/trip reports from anyone who has spent multiple weeks there?! I intend to spend at least 3 weeks in the back country from mid-May through the month of June. I will be traveling as a group of 3-5 people and will not be guided...

Yeah you wonder, are oil wells better or worse than killing animal for our clothing and footwear? Who knows, but I am interested to hear from anyone who has spent multiple weeks skiing and climbing ice/rock day routes either from a basecamp or as part of a long cross range tour with some moderate descents. Footwear?

Great job guys! Lots of smiles are good to see...

It was cold enough on Burgundy Spire that if you poured a little water on the rock, it turned to verglas right away. The ground was frozen the whole weekend...I smell snow!