Water

most things were on sale and that coupon was able to be used on anything from what i could tell. again, instore coupon only, specially at that location (call other locations to confirm if the EB in your backyard is doing it)

in the long run? was that a pun? hope you feel better. have you tried good ol vitamin I? not necessary a long term solution but might do enough to help a noticeable degree.

as per my receipt the code they used is 4323 -- gives 50% off shows: 410013127425 M JKT DOWN N 259.00 NOV 50%/$0 50.0 4323 -129.50 ------------------------------------------- 129.50 I'd specifically mention that code when calling, if they aren't otherwise forthcoming.

I just looked too and couldn't find anything but my fiance had a printed 25% off your entire order coupon.. it looked like maybe she got it in her email box. The salesperson saw that and dropped the hint that there was a 1/2 off coupon after I actually talked seriously about using the jacket only a time or two a year on Rainier or during some uber cold snow camping. (providing justification on why I would not pay $259 - 25% off for something I would use so infrequently) It ended up being a code like 4342? they had to punch in at the register. I'll see if it is on the receipt when I get home-if so I will post it. They did specifically say it was only for that store, it wasn't for ordering online. I'd recommend calling them (503) 624-0704 and asking. They could probably set the jacket aside too (Sale went till November 8th). good luck

report from someone who hit hood on the 31st and turned around midway up concluded that they hated snowshoeing and it was deep and fresh snow. personally i'd take along an ax anyime i knew there was going to be snow.. just might not use it if it isn't warranted. secondly, if you have something like microspikes, those are a lot lighter than most crampons and have done the trick for me on st helens even when it was pretty crusty and slick in early spring. otherwise, like most things, if you don't bring them, then you will probably need them. if you bring them, you probably won't need them.

For the record it appears the Portland Washington Square Mall location (and maybe other spots?) is having a sale that extends until November 8th. I picked up the LWT one Dane is talking about, for $129.50. Size small on a postal scale in the 'stuff sack' was 33oz. It is listing for $259, but I used a half off coupon a floor person told me to ask the cashier about. You can find coupons online, or simply prompt the cashier for additional discount information--I was told floor people can tell you about discounts but checkout people cannot unless you ask them first if there are any other better discounts available. Was there with my fiance for her clothes shopping and I wanted to eye the First Ascent stuff--had zilch intention of buying anything but at that price I figured it was worth it for the 2-5 times a year I'd use it. hell, at that price you could gut it and use the down for a summer quilt and still save money on having gotten that much down for the price.

how did the rest of the party do? when i woke up at the shiny hour of 11am, the st helens, adams, and timberline cams all showed brilliant sun.. making me wish i had planned my weekend differently. snowshoeing can be fun when you don't have to do it.

yeah, I've been practicing my quick-draw noose tie-in as featured by the poster, barefoot, referenced above. i found some 3mm guy-line cord (clerk said it can hold 220lbs so we are golden, plus it is reflective so that is even better) it will be even lighter than the 6mm shit barefooter used. Also after hearing some advice from MajorMajor i plan on drinking a quart of egg nog before we leave the parkinglot, due to the caloric density of it-you can't beat it! And I'll take some thick apple cider to drink along the way up since it tastes good and has good electrolytes. we can forget the helmets too like barefooter since it is snowy that means everything will be safe, just like when it is completely melted out. following that line of thought you should bring a full rack in case there are good 'ice cracks' for protection at the gates.

just an uneducated guess, but i am thinking this is something you slowly, slowly, slowly build up to. If you decide to buy it off online or just stop in a store to buy it and go to the top of any of the 'mountains or ridges' here and decide to 'fly' or speedfly or whatever it is, you will probably die or be seriously injured in short order. Have you done any sky diving? I imagine there are a plethora of factors involved that would be hard to anticipate from any text book or youtube instruction. The same way people can read water on a river or snow on a slope, there is expertise in all the details. I think like BASE jumping, or anything where you are really upping the ante with your life, you need to find a mentor or go through some professional teaching. A first 'speedflying' would probably be on a sunny day off of a 100 foot grassy hill with a mile of farm field in front of it.. but hey, maybe it's one of those things you can just wing!

twas great. never found adams to be anything but windy lunch counter and above, most of the time anyways. chilly when stopped for long. crampons were overkill unless heading up above sunrise, was able to stay on rock for the vast majority. (didnt have them anyways) up and down in 9hrs.

thoughts on adams this weekend? from the paltry webcam views available to me, it seems as if the go up to pikers never fully melted out, just some sections. curious as last year late season i was able to just run up there in trail runners on rock and sand, sans the flat ice between pikers and the summit

heavier. doesn't breath as well.

whats the make? frontpoint parka? Rock and Ice Parka? year made? 09, 10? where located/shipping arrangement (incl. in price?). thx

wonderful you got to see some of that area. it is indeed incredible. I spent a week when I was 12 at the cabin across the lake from Dick Prennoke's spot.. and went back for another week when I was 18. just amazing place, left an indelible set of memories.. any fishing? we caught an 8lb dolly varden in hope creek, and I found the skull+jawbone of a withered salmon up there.. a long way from the ocean

you should clarify you didn't go to the summit, but the summit ridge. if it was easy you would have gone to the summit.

Water, the reason I posted here is to report the current conditions of the route for other people interested in trying to do an off season climb. Please Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged. Thanks everyone else for a good feedback. people interested in doing an off season climb? so basically anyone without a clue, letting them know it is golden to go? anyone with an iota of knowledge about hood knows what off season conditions are. look, ya'll had a successful climb, that is great, I'm glad you didn't get hurt. But you roped up, with no protection, length of rope, (diameter looks about like 6mm? was it 10m of static from the reel at REI?), full rental gear, climbing this time of year, and sincerely exclaiming surprise that nobody was at the top, screams of a total lack of understanding of what you were doing besides getting to the top. Cheers to that success but what I am saying is having done things as you did, i'd hate to learn of harm befalling you and friends on some other endeavor based on confidence of an ill executed but successful hood climb. if i posted the same trip report here, I would expect to be judged. Not trying to specifically hurt your feelings, i promise. it is easy to die, why put oneself at additional risk with improper technique, equipment usage, and climbing in what is consistently a bad time to climb?

from the pictures nobody has any pickets, they just roped up so that they'd all die together if a mini-fridge rock decided to make their acquaintance. this quote from the gallery is pretty rich: The cute kids in the other galleries on picasa sure give me pause. The boots are all rental, I do have to wonder what they told the rental company (i think its REI but i dont know never rented) they were climbing/why no helmets if renting cramps and boots. I am little more than a newbie climber myself, but i have the distinct impression that naive successes like this can be detrimental to one's climbing perspective. I'm sure they're planning to scramble rainier with 10m of rope in early november.

i think september, the snow will be sparse enough you could pick your way up the majority of the route without getting on snow, except for the flat section from pikers peak till the next part to the full summit. microspikes, forget the crampons. about a month ago, we brought microspikes and didn't use them. though we started well after sunrise so the glissade was soft. if we were climbing before sunrise the microspikes would have been used. have fun

if you want to do st helens just screw the permit and go up anyways. just play lotsa stupid if you're asked at all, ie: no don't have my ID. No, a friend dropped me off, not sure of his/hear address..NW something street? leave a good bit before sun-up. or go up adams. either is going to be a long scree slog, adams longer of course. again, start early as possible, or a few hours before dawn to avoid spending forever under the sun (though if that is your cup of tea..) have fun. dont go up hood then, if you want to actually summit anything.

hard shell, get some with full, 7/8ths, or 3/4ths length zips, imo. I found it nice to be able to throw them on w/ relative ease compared to non-zip (ie you can't get a boot through most pants). i personally don't put $300-400 into these, nor worry as much about if it is 'gor pro, event 3 layer, precip, whatever (and instead try to find a deal on sierratradingpost, used, etc) as they will probably get damaged through wear second only to liner gloves, and i dont find my legs as strongly impacted by heat/breathability as my upper torso. Plus with full zips u can usually vent well. i personally go pretty minimalist on these (mine have no pockets and are full zip). thats just what ive found works for me since a lot of the time they stay folded in the bottom of my pack. soft shell, consider backcountry.com/stoic overhang pant-im a big fan. waaay cheaper than arcy/mnt hrdw/etc. i think hard to go wrong though with most softshell--main thing i find is there is soft-shell that is light and stretchy, heavy-weight, and 'winter weight', it seems. for me, i've found the lighter-stretchy to work sufficient even for a lot of winter cascade stuff--tho i dont tend to climb in the middle of a winter storm. it can be supplemented w/ some merino long underwear or u can always throw the hardshell over the top. ice ax and harness seem fine gaiters? i have lowa mnt expert--i love it, feet never get wet, extremely durable, yet use it in july at 80 degrees or december at 5 and my feet have been comfortable. at the end of the day get the boot that fits your feet and feels the absolute best, not which has a toe bail or eVent or Goretex lining, or mulaz or teton vibram sole, etc. many people suggest the La Sportiva Nepal EVO it seems. it looks like a great boot. both it didn't feel the best on my foot, and the price is a lot to reckon with, esp for intro scrambling/alpine/snow/glacier summits, imho.

i will second going into the wallowas--hit sacajawea, maybe traverse down to the matterhorn and scope out ice lake from above, then head into town for awesome brew and fantastic food at terminal gravity (with a nice mountain view from their front porch). plus you said you wanted to scope out the wallowas for spring turns next year--not sure why you'd do anything otherwise. and the wallowas are extremely beautiful, imo

been happy with the rab summit mountain @ 4lbs`ish (the bigger of the two rab 'tent/bivis') its got some nice built-in guy-outs on 3 sides in addition to loops along the pole ridges. its pretty bare bones though, single wall, no vents, no window, 4 mesh pockets inside, door + screen door. and an instruction tag inside to "familiarise yourself with the rab summit mountain to avoid use in anger" haha

1 canister per day per person, maybe on winter expedition far and away, for safety, but right now on rainier, that is beyond conservative. though i suppose if they were the 100gm canisters..then maybe. in which case one 227gm per two days is a little less crazy.

what do you think, a gallon of water per day per person? thats 16 gallons total, 64 liters, each canister is suppose to boil 22liters, so go conservative since melting snow say 17? (not sure) liters per canister = 3.75 canisters ~ just take one each for the margin? at the worst you end the trip with one full canister? i have the same stove and have found a little difficulty keeping it lit for the first minute in windy conditions--once going though it is solid. have wasted bits of fuel at that juncture. also get a cozy for the canister/hold it in your hands/on an insulator. I'm not sure if it impacts efficiency but mine makes a bit of a whine/noise after melting a few liters and the canister starts to get cold..if i put my warm fingers along the bottom of the canister it sounds like the burner 'speeds up' and the whine goes away. 2cents