offroadfanatic

Nice!

I drove back this past weekend and searched for it with no luck. TH was crowded like crazy. That TH gets so much traffic I'm sure someone picked it up.

Came back from a backpacking trip and took a photo of my car (old mitsubishi galant covered in stickers with a yakima rocket box on top), set the camera on top of the car and took off! I was tired, ready to go home. Not really looking forward to driving there from Portland to check the area. It'd be awesome if anyone could help put the word out! A group of Mazamas left from the same TH and were planning on returning 9/1/2014 if I remember correctly! Thanks! Caleb

Thanks guys, I got a really good deal on these is why I'm not skiing Dynafits. Also the new dynafits changed their boot molds recently making them narrower. Sounds like the forward lean is 24-25 degrees (source: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-206259.html ) That seems high but also sounds like other people are having trouble skiing with these boots as well on that same forum. I may have to sell them and try to find something else. They are only "on" "off" walk/ski so yeah. Hopefully I can find a deal on a pair of Dynafits somewhere! Caleb

So I just started touring after about 5 years away from the cascades. I'm running used Volkl AX4's with Freeride bindings. I picked up some used Garmont Radiums and headed up the hill after having them liners molded. Skinned to the top of Palmer and my feet hurt so bad that I just turned around. My skiing was terrible. I'm not a great skiier by any means but I just could NOT get the skiis to turn and the forward cant in the boots just locked my legs into excruciating quad burn and a very tough position to hold. A week later I had my boots punched and I headed up again. It was after work so I was about 3/4 to the top of palmer and decided to turn around. The snow was much softer and the skis much easier to control. My feet had almost zero pain, although the cant in the boots really was tough for me to hold comfortably after skinning for an hour and a half. Still got the same terrible quad burn that I'd never experienced resort skiing or with another setup. I rented a pair of skis and boots (Dynafit) from the Mountain Shop in PDX and went up two weeks before everything else and I had zero problems with endurance (quad pain) skiing down from about the same place as last time. So my question: Am I a wimp who just needs to train more so my quads can stay comfortably in that position after skinning and climbing? Is my form wrong? Should I try a different pair of boots with a different forward cant? Thanks!

I really like my NW Alpine Fast / Light pant. They seem Durable, but I haven't worn a pair of softshell pants out in a long time! The Cuff expands really big for ski boots. http://nwalpine.com/store/#!/~/category/id=5178964&offset=0&sort=normal

Anyone been up beyond Palmer this week? Planning on taking advantage of the forecasted temp drop and head up this weekend and trying to decide whether to skin up or leave the skis at home.

:rawk:

The view was incredible. You could almost pick out the Hogsback on Hood from the summit. Just an incredibly lucky break in the weather!

Trip: South Sister Winter Ascent - Cheating - South Side Regular Route Date: 1/27/2011 Trip Report: Left the car (parked at Dutchman Flat - Check overnight parking regulations beforehand) about noon Wednesday and snowshoe traveled for about half an hour. Got picked up by some snowmachinists who took us to the Devils Lake Trailhead. Snowshoed up to about 7200' and set up camp. Gorgeous clear night with light winds. Left the Camp at about 7:30 am to a hard crusty snow with just crampons on. (Took us a while to figure out the crampon situation as the crampons my partner had didn't fit his boots ) Crater ramp and about last 2000' of ascent was about 2" of snow above solid ice. Winds around 20mph. Summit at 11:30 am. Descend, took down camp reached the Devils lake TH at about 4:30. Caught a ride out after about an hours of snowshoeing back to the snow parking lot. Perfect conditions. Earlier start would've lended to a more stable descent. Lot's of snow balling underfoot. Un-roped travel was a bit sketchy at times due to that, but all manageable. Good trip. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=274714&id=500083502&l=b9900003ee Photos there. (I always have trouble with uploading photos. Sorry) I'll try to upload some when I get back to Cinci. Gear Notes: Snowshoes Crampons Mountaineerng Ice Axe (If you fly out from Cinci and only bring your AT boots, rent mountaineering boots instead of using them with snowshoes Approach Notes: Snow machines. Put your thumb out. They tend to stop. Nice. Edit: Added Parking Area

Just summited last Thursday. Caught a ride in. and a ride out on a snowmobile. (cut HOURS off the trip) Went on snowshoes. Conditions were great. Quite icy. Would've rather been on Skis but snowshoeing was great. Camped about about 7200' Took four hours to summit. About 2" of snow above hard ice for the last 2000 feet. Four hours to summit from 7200'. About 4 hours from the summit and to pack up camp all the way back to the road. (Butt glissading helped) TR and photos to come.

Gotta be some sort of ice up there now with the recent precipitation. Might be a perfect time for NF Routes.

I love the climbing out there! So much climbing so little time. solar slabs is a classic! The "walk off" the top was about the worst walk ever. Better to rap off. Takes less time. Pics bring back good memories! Good report.

I also have the 350. I couldn't wear the 320 because the leg loops were too small and the fit was weird. I've got big thighs and a small waist. I also use it for everything. Super low profile. Super light. Seems very durable. As or more comfortable as any harness I've ever sat in.

sweet photo man. Like the TR. Short and concise.

Any new grads who can't find a freakin job? Graduated in June 09 with a Mechanical engineering degree and about 40K in debt, and an awesome resume. I've applied for about 100 jobs and not even a callback. Student loans are due and I can't pay em'. Starting to e-bay the gear. Stupid economy. Maybe I'll just try out at RMI this winter.

Hogsback is the right. If you follow that up and to the right you'll come to Pearly Gates. Everyone on the left there is heading up the Old Mazamas Chute. Which is a non-technical route. The first coloiur after cutting left from the Hogsback is 2'O Clock Coloiur.

I've had good luck with Cincular. Now AT&T. With reception on Half Dome in Yosemite and on the top of Mt. Hood. FYI.

Sweet shots man! What are you shooting with?? Yes! AT Setups are SWEET! Good for going up in the soft snow too! WAY better for going down than your butt! Yes! Alpine starts = good idea for Hood. I can't believe how much snow there is compared to last year! Awesome!

Had my First Ascent XV Jacket in a four day trip to the Tetons two weeks ago. Freakin' loved it. Such a nice bit to have after my down sleeping bag got so wet it wasn't lofting much anymore, and to wear it while melting snow and cooking. At 32 oz it was worth the weight. Didn't absorb ANY water. Seems like everything got wet but the shell on the XV jacket was surprisingly weather and water resistant. Used it as a pillow and even when water from melted snow had puddled up the jacket always lofted up.

I just picked up the Igniter pants. Both the Compressor and the Igniter are 100g primaloft insulation so VERY similar. I was sitting in snow for a few hours and didn't get any noticeable water though the shells. The Compressors are full zip, and the Igniters are 7/8 zip, which makes them a pain to put on with crampons on. So I would say YES. Quite comparable to the compressor pant. Almost exactly the same thing except for the side zips.

My vote is for the Cilogear. Go pick it up if you can in Portland. Hang out, talk to Graham. I thought it was really cool to walk in and have a tour of the MFG facilities and see some of the older versions of the packs and just talk gear for a while. I got a 60L Worksack and I love it. carries really well. Quality is top notch. Just a pack I love putting on every time I do. I've mostly used it cragging but I'll be using it next week in the Tetons and plan to write up a full review on the pack for alpine.

I picked up at XV jacket, Cloud 1/4 zip fleece and the guide gloves and some other FA stuff for an upcoming winter climb. Seems like good stuff to me. The Mountain Hardwear Sub-Zero Hooded Jacket weighs the same, filled with 650 down, but it's got an interior water bottle pocket which I like. But I went with the XV Jacket because of the cost and the fill. I have yet to have a long term testing but I don't see why some of the First Ascent stuff wouldn't stand up. I have owned the MH Pinnacle Pants and thought they were extremely breathable and totally waterproof and surprisingly tough. Sort of sold me on non-goretex products. A few things I've noticed is that the hoods are truly helmet compatible and generous. The softshells are sweet. and that I can afford it. Although Eddie Bauer has been doing down since 1953 they got out of expedition outfitting many years ago and were never in alpine. So I wouldn't use "first produced down garments for an expedition in 19XX year" as a selling point on me. Since they didn't continue making expedition gear. Their Downlight sweater fits much better than the Patagonia down sweater, is less boxy, and about 1 oz heavier. I'll have to give it all time though. I mean yes, "First Ascent" doesn't have a lot of first ascentionists, but I wouldn't buy something for apline that carried the eddie bauer name only. They had to call it something. Ed Viesturs helped develop and grow and develop Mountain Hardwear and now he's been recruited to help develop and grow First Ascent. No reason to believe it won't work as well. Guess time will tell. They offer a lifetime guarantee so shouldn't hurt to find out.

Planning on heading out to the Grand this January. Just looking for anyone who's been out there in the winter? Or knows a good site to check snowfall / conditions up there. Route suggestions? TR's? We're planning on the Stettner or Becky Couloir. I think it'll be too steep and windy for any crazy avi conditions to develop except on the snowfield up high. Been out there in the summer when storms roll in real quickly in the afternoons and are gone in the morning. Just thought y'all might have some beta for me!

A great pack that hasn't been mentioned yet is the http://cilogear.com/60lws.html I just picked mine up. With the expansion it'll fit 90L, caries VERY well. Supports local business. When I went in to pick it up I spoke to the guy who built my exact pack. I've had about 45# of gear in it quite comfortably. I never thought I would buy a pack that wasn't TNF or MH, but it carries so well, fits so much, so versatile, I'm going to buy a 40L next.