elliottwill

Rabbit! Seamgrip spots are in the background.

Ha! What's next depends on if I can find people to climb with. I'm going to school out of state so I'm home for such short periods. So, ANYONE, feel free to PM.

Hi, Selling my pack for lack of use. It's a Long torso Wild Things Ice Sac, green side panels. I'd give it a good-as-new condition except for the bottom, where I put seam grip over some scuffs. I also reinforced the stitching with seam grip on the ski slots, and the crampon straps. I'll take some real pictures if people are interested; here's a couple I had laying around. New these packs are $285, so how about $140? Or make me an offer.

what size pack?

No problem. If you try an Arakkis 65 at REI and it fits, let me know.

Large. Fits like a tall Granite Gear Virga or tall Wild Things Ice Sac, or large Gregory Makalu Pro. I'm 6'1", 195 lbs., and was pleased with the fit. The load lifters would accommodate someone an inch taller, and maybe 2" shorter. I looked all over before I bought it, but didn't see a size tag.

Yup, the magic X! I've got it just about on all my gear No defect stated on the tag, which means there's nothing wrong with it. I'd say that's the case with about 40% of garage sale items (not counting footwear) here in Northern California. I suppose it could mean that the REI employee just didn't bother to write anything down, but I went over the whole pack before I bought it, and didn't see anything. I would bet it was out for a weekend, and the original purchaser just didn't like it. I bought it at the Sacramento garage sale this past weekend, wore it around the house since then, and decided that if my girlfriend doesn't find a new job soon, I'm going to need my money back more than a new backpack.

Arc'teryx ACRUX 65. $549 new. With WA sales tax, that's about $585 out the door. I think it's a couple ounces heavier than a CiloGear 65L worksack. Asking $275, which is on par with the CiloGear and you won't have to wait forever (my Cilo pack took months to arrive). Brand new condition, except for the REI magic 'X' in sharpie. Cool! My girlfriend lost her job, so we're selling stuff. 4270 cubic inches. 4 lb 6 oz. Lifetime warranty. 5 star rating on Backcountry.com. Details: Arc'teryx made the Acrux 65 Backpack with 4090cu in of waterproof storage and a low 4lb 3oz (regular size) weight for alpine climbers casting off on massive 4-day-or-more routes. Seam-sealed VaporTight fabric and a roll-top closure make the Acrux 65 backpack completely impermeable to any mountain storm. The lid, dual aluminum frame stays, and molded Binary Hippods are removable for your ultralight summit push. Pre-molded shoulder straps add to this Arc'teryx pack's comfort, but it's the ability to keep your sleeping bag and down jacket dry for five days straight that makes the Acrux a favorite. hi-res photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/elliott.will/GarageSale?feat=directlink

Trip: Mint Glacier - Triplemint North Buttress Date: 9/3/2010 Trip Report: This route is so close and cool-looking from the Mint Hut I thought it would be worth posting up here so more people can experience it (and figure out a better way of descending Go up the glacier to where you see a gully of loose, light colored 3rd class rubble that goes up to the skyline. Bring crampons and an ice ax. Snow gives good footing for crossing the bergshrund and getting onto the rock. You have to get off the ice and onto the rock up-glacier of the gully, then traverse / climb up to it, to avoid the cliffs and crevasses directly under it. Start climbing at the top of the gully, following the skyline east toward the summit: 1) blocky stuff to a mossyy ledge with a nut and sling anchor. 2) first, a system of low angle thin cracks, then more blocky stuff over and out of sight of the belayer, to a little saddle. 3) more blocky stuff. I don't remember this one well but you go to our two nut rappel anchor on the downridge side of a big bump. Then belay your second over this bump and down just a bit into the next saddle with a huge boulder, and set up the next belay there. 4) climb and traverse along the north side of the ridge on light colored rock to get around the steep pillar in front of you, and continue to a smaller saddle— or notch really. 5) an almost vertical (like a climbing ladder against a house) 5.6 pillar with a truly monstrous detached flake at the top. You need a #4 cam to protect the last 12' because you have to sort of stem / lieback up the crack / corner offered by the flake. Continue above that monstrosity to an au cheval ridge, extending a #3 cam to avoid lots of rope drag as you go sideways to the last 6' before the sunny (hopefully), mossy summit. to descend: 1) Rappel the route. Look for our nut and sling anchors. Our ropes got stuck twice. 2) Walk down the gully. About 40m from the ice and directly above where you probably left the glacier is a boulder slung for a rappel. Rappel the last 3rd / 4th class part of the gully, rappel over the bergshrund and crevasses, and get as far down the glacier as you can. It would be tricky to downclimb all this but possible; we came down in the dark and didn't want to downclimb over the crevasses, etc., w/o crampons. 3) step from rock to rock, frozen in the ice, to get down to the middle of the glacier. Continue directly across the glacier. Eventually in the dark (or sun, hopefully) you'll see the other side. It has nice rocks and no crevasses. Walk down these rocks, rubble, sand, and boulders 'til you are off the glacier, then head on to the Mint Hut. Gear Notes: gear: 2 ropes, nuts including little ones and giant ones, cams including a #4 if you have it, lots of cord for rappelling, crampons and ice ax. We didn't sling many horns because most were loose. We started climbing at 10am and were on top by 4pm, so that's probably the maximum it would take. Despite the loose stuff, this was really fun, with a very memorable last pitch. It's 5th class from top to bottom and the last pitch is exposed down to the glacier. Approach Notes: see photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/elliott.will/NorthButtressTriplemint?feat=directlink

Arc'teryx ACRUX 65. $549 new. With WA sales tax, that's about $585 out the door. I think it's a couple ounces heavier than a CiloGear 65L worksack. Asking $275, which is on par with the CiloGear and you won't have to wait forever (my Cilo pack took months to arrive). Brand new condition, except for the REI magic 'X' in sharpie. Cool! My girlfriend lost her job, so we're selling stuff. 4270 cubic inches. 4 lb 6 oz. Lifetime warranty. 5 star rating on Backcountry.com. Details: Arc'teryx made the Acrux 65 Backpack with 4090cu in of waterproof storage and a low 4lb 3oz (regular size) weight for alpine climbers casting off on massive 4-day-or-more routes. Seam-sealed VaporTight fabric and a roll-top closure make the Acrux 65 backpack completely impermeable to any mountain storm. The lid, dual aluminum frame stays, and molded Binary Hippods are removable for your ultralight summit push. Pre-molded shoulder straps add to this Arc'teryx pack's comfort, but it's the ability to keep your sleeping bag and down jacket dry for five days straight that makes the Acrux a favorite. hi-res photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/elliott.will/GarageSale?feat=directlink

PMed on visor

Here is a newish ID Silshelter, perfect for 1 - 2 people with room for a dog or stove. I've slept in it 2 or 3 nights; I'm selling it because I just don't use it much. Lots of other people do. Backpacker Magazine calls it "the lightest all weather shelter we've seen and a fantasy come true for ounce-counting hikers" (August 1999). I've seam-sealed it, tied shock-cord loops on all the tie-out points, and sewed matching .25" strips of velcro along the door flaps. New they're $170. I'd like $115. If that sounds crazy, make me an offer. I'm looking for a 30 -40L pack under 24 oz. Here are the specs: "The Silshelter is an ultralight siliconized nylon tarp, specially shaped to set up on a hiking pole as a two person stand-alone shelter. "The non slip drawcorded pole cup holds a hiking pole in place at the reinforced apex. There is also a second pole cup in the center rear of the shelter. There are 21 webbing tie outs on corners and edges (one on the outside of the pole cup to enable suspension from a tree), and 3 webbing tie loops on the body of the tarp. "The front entrance flaps can be left open for ventilation or overlapped and staked for a weather tight closure. The Silshelter has no zippers. Length: 9' (2.75m) Width: 5' (1.5m) Height: 3.5 ft (1m) at apex Weight: 16.5 oz (470g) Capacity: 2 person Packed Size: 4"x 8" (10 x 20cm) Silcoat stuff sack."

Hi all, I'm looking for a pack to climb with. Mountain Laurel Designs, CiloGear, or one of the old GoLite packs would be ideal: something super simple and light. If you have one you'd like to get rid of, let me know!

Check out MEC.ca. They have a number of Dyneema ripstop alpine packs that are nice and simple. Unfortunately most of them have side zippers, which I don't like. A comparable pack in the US is going to be about twice as much. http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442617749&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302699867&bmUID=1248368305963

Mountain Laurel Designs Duomid. Like a Megamid but for 1-2 people Integral Designs SilDome And the Black Diamond Epic tents are great.

I'll be done with school in the 2nd week of June. I've got family in Portland, so it would be no problem to meet you there. The fastest I've made it from Seattle to Haines, AK, was 36 hours, including a long detour through Vancouver and the Sea to Sky highway. I was hoping to get home as fast as possible this time. Driving is way cheaper than flying if you have 2+ people. 2600 miles / 20 mpg = 130 gallons * $3/gal = $390 / 2 people = about $200 altogether one way. Alaska Airlines wants something like $750 round trip if you buy the ticket now, so you save almost $400. For me, as a grad student money is more important than time, so this is a good deal. Maybe we can get someone else to come along and help break up the driving?

Hey, I'm trying to get home from college to Alaska this summer, and flying's pretty expensive. I'd like to split the cost of gas and get a ride up there with someone-- or potentially drive myself if a couple people are interested. If you're going up there to climb, I grew up in Talkeetna, and can give you a place to stay. You can do a background check at flickr.com/photos/will_elliott. I'd be coming from California via Seattle. Thanks!

Thanks Mark, Ketch, Porter.

OK, so the OP wasn't clear. I'll restate: 1) I have a bunch of pins that are wide. 2) I want narrow ones. Why? Because they work great in the iced-up conglomerate of the Chugach, and when it's -20 F you can place them with your mittens on. 3) I was curious if I could save some $ by cutting them down "the long way" so a 1" would fit in a .5" crack. So in response, I'm hearing from Rat: don't bother, it's too much trouble. OK, thanks. That's what I was asking. Have a nice day.

I recently inherited a box of Black Diamond angle pitons in the full size range. The larger angles aren't useful to me, but the narrower sizes are. I wondered about thinning down the larger sizes so they'd fit into narrower cracks. Is this possible?

I went years without trying the La Sportiva Nepals because I knew from previous experience that LS Makalus, Nuptses and Glaciers were far too narrow. Finally I tried the Nepals and it was amazing. They're one of the widest mountain boots I've tried in the forefoot/ ball of foot area, just before your toes. I tried the Scarpa Summits also and found the Sportivas to be wider and worth the extra $ in terms of stiffer climbing performance at the tip of the toe, and better ankle articulation. For comparison, I had to wear size 48 Makalus to accomodate my wide feet. I wear size 46.5 Nepals now.

Hi Billy, As always, thanks for the info. I was mostly thinking of using it on Talkeetnas glaciers, or carrying it on Hatcher Pass scrambles like The Pinnacle. Sounds like a good way to save some pounds. then. Will

I like the idea of carrying a short static cord, but I've seen 30m lengths of 8mm dynamic for sale by Beal and others as "trekking" ropes. Beal Rando Rope at REI Are these a viable option for crossing a glacier (not belaying steeps)? More specifically, a) does 30m give you enough rope to stay safely apart and still haul your partner out? I'm thinking about a bad-case scenario where the crevasse would taper quickly, so your partner would be corked, and unable to get to self-rescue. b) why do they sell these ropes as dynamic, if the stretch is bad for hauling? Why choose a 30m dynamic rope over 8mm static cord? Thanks for the help.

Where'd you get the minibiners?

Hello, I've got a friend who wears his Nepal EVOs year round, on summer rock and winter ice. I've got a wide foot, so I was hoping I could do the same with the Scarpa Summits. Now I see that Sierra Trading Post is selling Vasque Super Alpinistas fairly cheap, though. Is that pretty much a winter-only boot? Are these fair to compare?