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skibum14

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Posts posted by skibum14

  1. Hey Dina, just replied to your email. Sorry for the delayed response. Maybe we can hit up Squamish again when you're back, if the weather is nice? Never managed to make it up there this summer, and I'm really itching for it!

  2. Neat stuff dude, thanks! Crazy how small of a world it is! Hearing him talk, he seemed to indicate that wasn't a one-time thing. Good reminder that no matter how fit you are, there's always someone fitter.

  3. A fellow I know a bit (flys for TAT, guides for AAI) left the trail head at the same time running up Icicle Creek road, soloed Backbone Ridge (or was it Serpentine Arete?) on Dragontail, soloed WR Prusik, soloed Outer Space and passed us on our way out just before the Snow Creek TH. That's some mountain running!
    I'm pretty sure I ran into him at Exit 32 one day. Overheard him saying he did that back when he was "in shape." (The story I heard was Serpentine Arete, fwiw.) He had the conversation with his belayer while he was floating up some 5.11 sport climb. Crazy stuff for sure.

     

    OP: I'd just plan to score a ride or stash a mtn bike. Not terrible difficult to do either of those and beats getting lost on a climbers trail which may or may not be the one you're looking for. If it's a weekend, the chances of catching a ride have to be pretty good.

  4. Props if you can do all that in a day. But it's cool you posted pretty much all of my favourite crack climbs in Leavenworth (though you seemed to have missed the stuff at Pearly Gates).

     

    Or just head to Squamish and lap the apron a few times. Diedre, Snake, Vector, Calculus Crack, St. Vitus' Dance, etc. (Oops, missed the title of this thread. Still a good option if you've got the time.)

  5. Boots are the #1 thing that makes or breaks a skiing experience. I try to buy gear on sale, but boots are the one thing I'll buy at retail if it means I get a good fit. Go to a reputable shop with a good bootfitter and buy something that fits your foot well out of the box. Get said bootfitter to modify shell and liner as necessary to get the boot to fit perfectly. Hint: If they don't take the liner out and fit the shell to your foot, it's not a real ski shop. Also, they should hurt a bit for the first 10 days until the liner packs out or they'll be too big.

     

    Good advice above on the skis: 95-105, rockered tip, 8-9 lb for the pair (weight measured in the 180 ish length, though the length you buy will depend on the height). I'd seriously check out the Praxis Backcountry, as well as the Moment PB&J. Both have gotten excellent reviews. Full carbon offerings from DPS and PM Gear. The Vicik from ON3P is on the heavier side of things, but might be worth a try. At your size, I'd shoot for something between 170 and 180 (though 185 isn't out of the question). Oh, and the K2 Coomback is a pretty well-liked, known ski.

     

    As far as tech changing - Trogdor is right about Dynafit's offerings for next season. Definitely a step up from the past. I've got my eye on the Vulcan for sure, even though I just bought new touring boots at the start of this season. But these boots will likely not be found on sale and retail will be steep.

  6. Great stories, Dane!

     

    I have a number of girls with whom I climb (no gf though). If I had a girlfriend who wanted to climb a bunch, I'd prefer to let my girl partners take her out for a bit so she didn't have to deal with me pushing and prodding.

     

    Random story: I was friends with this girl who said she climbed in the gym. So I asked her if she wanted to go outside one day. I showed up at her house to pick her up, and we chatted for a while before I asked if she was read to go. She was like "wait, you were serious about going climbing?" Gah!

  7. What about the Stephenson's Warmlite tents?

    When I was looking I didn't include the Stephenson tents or the super light BD bivy tents (Firstlight etc.) in my list of tents becuase of their limited usage. Those tents are made for alpine / snow only and aren't so great in rainy environments. If I were looking only for a high alpine bivy tent I'd go with the Firstlight.

    Yeah, I have the Firstlight as well, and definitely agree that it shouldn't be used in the rain. Didn't realize that was also true of the Stephenson's tents also...do you have any reason for grouping those two together other than the weight? In other words, how do you know the Stephenson's performs poorly in rain? I've been looking intermittently, but never came across a review stating something to that effect.
  8. What about the Stephenson's Warmlite tents? I personally own the Integral Designs MK1XL, but I've always wondered if the Warmlite tents perform as well as they claim. If so, they're lighter than any other tent on the market. To add to your chart:

     

    Stephenson's Warmlite 2R / 134 / 60 / 41-26 / 2lbs 12oz / $500+options = ~$575

    Stephenson's Warmlite 2C / 110 / 60 / 41-26 / 2lbs 9.5oz / $500+options = ~$575

  9. First of all, I would recommend something in the 60-65L range. Anything less and I think you'll be annoyed trying to cram everything in. Secondly, I'd recommend you take a trip to one of the great shops in the Seattle area (if you're relatively close) like Feathered Friends, Second Ascent, Marmot Mountain Works, etc, and have one of their knowledgeable staff help you decide on the pack that suits your needs and fits you best. That said:

     

    I have the Osprey Exposure 50 (think they quit making it), and I find it a little too small for my needs on a 3-5 mountaineering trip, even fully extended. I do like it, though. I also have an Arc'Teryx Bora 80 (given to me as a gift), which is a heavy clunker that I only use for extended backpacking trips if I absolutely can't fit my gear into the 50L. I try to pack as light as I can, but there's only so much you can leave out and still maintain some margin of error (food and fuel are the only extras I bring). Perhaps you pack lighter, though, and can get away with something 50L. Personally, it's not worth the hassle of trying to stuff everything into a 50L...

     

    ...which is why I plan to get the Cilo Gear 60L Worksack as soon as I start getting steady paychecks in the fall. If you're wealthy (or just a gearwhore), they offer the pack in dyneema - but they do charge an arm and a leg, to be warned. (Though I was told that the company's profit is the almost the same between the two versions; the difference in cost is almost entirely materials.) The pack can be stripped down to a light weight for smaller loads by removing the framesheet. Plus, compartments can be compressed eliminating extra space. I should note that I have no experience with the pack other than playing with one in Feathered Friends, and desperately wanting it.

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