yasso1am

If you've been up there, would you think the fixed lines on Denali count as stiff ropes?

Hi all, Usbha Basic ascenders are hard/impossible to find/purchase these days. Looking for a similar toothless ascender but having trouble finding comparable ones. Any ideas? Looking to purchase 10. Thanks for your suggestions.

Shameless self plug: http://aai.cc/ProgramDetail/mountaineering_leadership1/

Screws don't really have any additional holding power by just being longer. Ultimately it is their threads that decide holding power, and anything over a 13cm screw has the same amount of threads (if we are talking BD express here). Glacial ice is generally pretty consistent so I bring a 16cm and figure it will be just as strong as anything else. It will also make any v-thread plenty strong that I will need for an unintended rappel. If I was planning to top-rope something, I would bring the 22cm.

I don't know a ton of guides that are that highly qualified and also willing to allow their schedule to be left relatively open to last minute scheduling changes due to weather. That usually doesn't lend itself well to guaranteeing work and putting food on the table or gas in the tank. Congrats on finding one, best of luck in finding a partner as well.

Out of this world (country)!

I picked up NWAlpine's Black Spider Light Hoody http://nwalpine.com/black-spider-light-hoody Contrary to the name, it comes in red and that's the color I got it in. The zipper is deeper than the R1 (which is better) and it zips up around the face better. I also think it is slightly lighter than the R1 (insulation wise) which honestly I prefer. It's also much cheaper at retail price than the R1. It's also from a pretty rad dude. It also hasn't started smelling yet and I haven't washed it for a few weeks. Pretty stoked on it.

http://montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=34&p_id=1223329 Check out the Mont-Bell Super Expedition 90. I have the 80L version of this pack (last years model) and it carries super well. Mont-Bell is often overlooked. It's probably one of the cheapest retail 90L packs you can find, has basic features, but rocks. Highly recommended if you like simple but effective packs.

I spent some time with Lonnie in Talkeetna and up on the mountain about two years ago. He's actually a complete regular man. It's actually astonishing just how regular he is. I think he's just a got a lot of determination. I think his regular-ness actually makes this even more impressive.

+1

I may not participate in a climb, but would happily donate to a fund on behalf of the climbing community for Margaret's family/kids.

OR Vert Glove for the way up and OR ExtraVert Glove for the way down. If we are talking ski touring, that works great for me. I sometimes carry my BD Guide Glove shells in the bottom of the pack if for some reason it is a particularly wet/cold day, and the shell can be used in combination with either of the above mentioned gloves.

Wait the month. I had a buddy kick a soccer ball in a "pass" after three weeks and it re-broke. I broke my tibia+fibula and had a recover time of 6 months, but that's a bit different.

I have the 5.10 descents and I really like them. I have climbed everything from the complete north ridge of mt. stuart to angels crest on the chief to solar slab in them. They are pretty light, climb awesome, and breath well.

Thanks all!

Trip: Dragontail - Triple Couloirs Date: 12/9/2011 Trip Report: My buddy Kirk Turner and I headed into the Enchantments to try Triple Couloirs on Dragontail. Neither of us had tried a route like this before, so we were excited with a bit of trepidation. We also weren't sure what conditions were like, so went in with open minds and found that they needed to be expanded even a bit more. If anyone has questions about conditions, I took about 30 condition specific photos (NE Couloir conditions, descent conditions, etc.). I'll send you photos, or maybe post a conditions specific topic. Photo essay ensues. Necessary gear... Kirk climbing into the first couloir through a short bit of mixed. Kirk in the middle of the first couloir. The runnels are not currently in. We found the variation 200 feet up from the runnels. The variation currently involves some steep loose snow over rock. I found the rap anchor (a piton and a stopper with a red sling attached) into the second couloir, but it looked like I would be rapping into a bone dry section of the couloir. I elected to climb an 80 foot pitch of mixed 5.8/5.9 to another anchor I spotted above (a 2-piton anchor with a purple sling). The anchor was slung in an American death triangle, which I recommend you not using. Due to a mind expanding incident on this pitch, I did not cut and replace the sling - I apologize for that. The entrance to the variation. Kirk moving through a slot before our first mixed pitch. After lowering/rapelling into the second couloir, Kirk climbed into a little alcove that had some tat and a previous anchor. He hand pulled one of the pitons in this anchor, so we decided to remove the tat and left over pitons. We bootied two carabiners in the process, thanks for that. At the top of the second couloir, into the third, is the only true exposed ice on the route we encountered. I placed a 13cm screw and we simul-climbed until a mixed section above forced us to place a belay. Kirk and his bomber 3-piece anchor after his stellar mixed lead that involved some cams and pitons. A cool reflection shot. Kirk at the top of the third couloir. Headed up the last snowfield and a bit of mixed to the summit. Obligatory summit shot Down climbing a few ice bulges on the descent down Asgard Pass. What a great trip, with beautiful weather, with an awesome friend. Hard to beat trips like this (for me) in the mountains. Overall we climbed two pitches of mixed, simul-climbed a few sections and the rest was cruiser. Thanks Cascades. Gear Notes: Gear brought: Let's not talk about it. Gear used: A picket, a 13cm screw, a rock rack including nuts, BD 0.3-2, 3 pitons, and slings. Approach Notes: Skinned up the logging road. Switched to climbing boots for the awesome bootpack on the approach. Camped near the end of the lake in the trees next to a small stream of running water. Not sure how much longer the stream will be running, but we didn't have to melt snow which made us happy. Thanks to previous parties for finding most holes on the posthole talus approach.

Myself and a partner climbed Triple Couloirs on Dragontail on Saturday. We were not a guided party. Will post a TR shortly.

Has anybody had a look at the routes on Colfax lately? Any idea if the snow has blown off them and the ice is in? Any postulation is appreciated.

http://alpineinstitute.blogspot.com/2010/05/diy-leashless-ice-tool-tetherumbilical.html Another option for making your own.

No worries. He does dress super funky, and I did climb with him on Halloween when he wore tight capri's, a ripped up skin tight shirt, and the similar hat. I think the only thing they share is somewhat ridiculous style, other than that they're different. Thanks!

Argus, I can almost guarantee it isn't that guy. I climbed with "that guy" roughly two months ago, and in no way could his hair be that long by now. Also they look different My last piece of evidence, is "that guy" in your picture happens to be an extremely upstanding and kind guy. I have a hard time believing he even has it in his nature to think about doing that.

DreamClimber, Look into American Alpine Institute Alpinism 1 program. It is probably the best course to get your feet wet in mountaineering, while not breaking the bank. It is 6 days long, spent on Mt. Baker, and is $1160. http://www.aai.cc/ProgramDetail/alpinism1/ It also leads into every other AAI program, so if you want to continue your training it is extremely easy to blend into the next step. Let me be honest and just say I work for AAI, so I'm definitely biased. However, I was also a customer once, coming out from Michigan and taking the full Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership (AMTL) Program. I know exactly what it is like to be a customer and now an employee of AAI, and I happily and readily recommend their programs. Feel free to contact me if you would like to know more.

Kodak Zi8 supports an external mic and has 720p and 60fps (the 60 fps is more important than 1080p at 30 fps I found, although the 1080p is beautiful) The still shots with this camera are 5 megapixels and actually quite fantastic too! I used this camera on a month long road trip over october and it worked great. Can handle up to 32 gb cards I believe, and charges via a mini usb port. It also features a macro mode which is nice for close-ups. A few samples: Photo samples: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=875281556798&set=a.875281167578.2498484.21723138&theater http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=875302325178&set=a.875301287258.2498492.21723138&theater http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=886231627768&set=a.886231283458.2504971.21723138&theater Let me know if you have any other questions about the camera. I think it is a great option.

I fit the bill of the young 20s, single, recent college grad who is about to make his way into the field as a guide next season. I've been working in the office of a guide service this past year and feel like it has been an invaluable experience. I have learned skills and seen a side of the guiding industry that I will use for the rest of my job/career as a guide (job/career will be decided after a few years of doing this). I will say that the biggest thing I've noticed between those that guide as a job versus those that see this is as a career, is the career guides really know how to "make it work." To me guiding encompasses all of your skills, both in and out of the field. You really need to be comfortable talking to clients both during and after the trip, and work to make them repeat customers. In the office, I do my best to create work for guides, however as a guide you unfortunately can't just rely on the office. Use email, Facebook, your own personal website to make it work, whatever you have to do. You have to sell yourself just as much as the company you work for and the trips your company runs. The more you participate in the business, the more business you as a guide will get. These comments may seem very naive, not having spent a season guiding yet, however I feel pretty passionately that once I'm in the field I want to continue a sense of "office work." Every job has it, why should guiding by any different? Perhaps it is because I am recently out of school and used to homework, or being in the office the past year has me used to sending 40+ emails a day, but it just makes sense to me. I'm looking forward to participating in creating my own work, and accelerating my track to "seniority," when altering my guide schedule and choosing my work is more of a possibility/reality. I'm well aware that this may seem overly simplistic and optimistic, but I'm young and new to all this. I'll either loose my innocence soon, or prove my point. I would say the proof will be in my bank account, but it is difficult to put a price on quality of life.

Thanks so much for sharing this. Helps us make decisions for tomorrow.