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kinnikinnick

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Posts posted by kinnikinnick

    Lwt is right?

    in The Gear Critic

    Posted

    I agree there is entirely too much emphasis on the gear aspect of going light and fast in the mountains...mental and physical fitness combined with experience are just as important, if not more important than shaving a few grams here and there.

    FS: OR Down Jacket, Ice Tool, Camera...

    in The Yard Sale

    Posted · Edited by kinnikinnick

    send a pm with reasonable offers if interested

     

    OR Down Jacket size XL black

    Patagonia R1 hoodless half-zip size L blue

    Chouinard Ice Tool

    OR Snowline Mitts size L

    GoPro HD Helmet Camera, brand new

    Omega Pacific Lockers x2

    Omega Pacific D-biners

     

    all gear lightly used except for the camera which is BRAND NEW.

     

     

     

     

    First Ascent Information/Photography

    in Climber's Board

    Posted

    I'm curious if any of you old timers have photographs/stories of first ascents in the Cascades. (Maybe there's a preexisting thread?) I've seen similar threads elsewhere but not so much here. I really enjoyed reading Matt Christensen's recent trip report on the first ascent of the Boving Route on Dragontail.

    Dual vs. Monopoint ... Leashed v.s Leashless

    in Ice Climbing Forum

    Posted

    I think one of the most important skills in the climber’s repertoire is knowing exactly what gear to take for any given climb, and taking no more and no less than what is required. When I go climbing, I choose tools based on the nature of the route. (I want to reiterate that I am speaking from the perspective of what I want in the mountains and what works for me, and am not trying to establish an ultimatum for the climbing community as a whole.) On a hard trad climb at Index, I climb in an aggressive pair of shoes with a chalk bag on my harness. On a long, easy ridge climb in the mountains, I ditch the chalk and wear looser shoes for comfort. If the freezing level is high, though, and there are consecutive pitches of 5.9 difficulty or higher, I will take a chalk bag. But if the freezing level is forecasted to be low that day, the chalk bag will probably stay at home. Similarly, I want different ice tools for different climbs. On a climb like Airborne Ranger in Hyalite, I’d use a pair of Nomics and a pair of crampons with vertically oriented frontpoints. On a climb like the North Face of Chair Peak, however, I don’t care if I’m using Nomics or straight-shafted Black Prophets with leashes, because on low angle ice, you aren’t really hanging from your arms much. And if you aren’t really hanging on your arms, the pump-factor and circulation issues aren’t a problem (for me). It’s also important to note that there are many different tools and many different kinds of leashes. and some of them really suck. Some leashes cut off circulation and are hard to get out of to place protection. Some leashes keep the blood flowing and are damn easy to pop your hand out of to place a screw. Another time I'll bring leashes is if the terrain requires frequently transitioning from dagger position to actually swinging tools. Much easier to move your hand up and down the tool with a well-made pair of leashes than it is with umbilicals. On a glacier climb with a couple pitches of technical ice climbing like the North Ridge of Baker, I’ll take an ice axe and a slightly curved tool, both with leashes. I wouldn’t take a pair of Nomics on that climb for a couple reasons: on a two-person rope team, I like the peace of mind afforded by an ice axe if my partner were to slip and I had to arrest his fall. (Although I’m sure there are sensible ways of arresting with an ice tool, it just seems easier and safer with an ice axe) Second, on glacier climbs, it is not uncommon to be in exposed terrain without protection; in these situations, a solid self-belay with an ice-axe is reassuring. Call me a n00b if you want, I don’t care. I know you can self-belay with modern curved tools, but it doesn’t feel as bomber to me. And I’m aware that people like Ueli Steck are using Nomics for just about any alpine ice route, but Steck is a fucking professional who probably hasn’t self-belayed with an ice axe ever. To summarize, I want state of the art ice tools for difficult ice routes. On easy ice, I don’t really care. If the route requires a lot of glacier travel, I like having an ice axe. Not saying my way should be yours, however.

    Alpine Ice Tools

    in The Gear Critic

    Posted

    thanks for the response, dane. i agree that durability is important. was curious if there were other reasons why a factory grip rest is ideal: i just upgraded my alp wings to a leashless system using the attachable, non-moveable yellow horn made by grivel, and i'm starting to think i should go back to using the leashes if i want to climb on alp wings. for one, the horn covers the spike clip in hole for umbilicals. this leaves me the option of threading cord (~5mm diameter) through a small hole on the horn, but if the horn or cord breaks, no good at all. i could also thread cord through a small hole on the shaft about 4 inches from the spike bottom, but then the umbilical carabiner is all up on my grip. what do you think about all this?

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