Jason4

If you're anywhere near Bellingham you can check out my 45L Cilo pack and even through skis and other parts of the kit on or in it to see how it feels to you. I think you'll like the simple sack and lots of D-rings/tri-slides for changing how it carries a load and attaching stuff to the outside of it.

I've seen a few of your trip reports and it makes me wonder what you consider to be painful... I've been happy with it but I really wish Cilo still did custom work so I could order any particular pack with the suspension of the next one up just for humping ski gear around(the last time I checked their site it said "too busy for custom work"). I don't know that I've had it up to 60 pounds but I think I was around 50 coming out of the Sisters in July. I had a full rack of cams/nuts, my personal climbing gear, all of a 2 person tent, and 4 liters of water plus sleeping bag, stove, and the remains of 2.5 days of food. I've also carried it on more than a handful of dry approaches to ski tours. The split kit isn't the lightest, think fat pow ski with dynafits plus another set of snowboard bindings and extra hardware to hold it all together. One of the things that I really like about the 45L pack is that it collapses down to a 22L pack and still carries the split kit really well. What I really don't like about it is that it encourages me to carry more stuff than I need because I have space to fill. I've found it to be a very versatile pack for everything that I do.

My Cilo 45L worksack carries skis and snowboards better than any other pack that I've had. I imagine the 60L version would work just as well in that regard. I have been using it with the shovel pocket and find that to be a great place to put avy tools and I can drop my skins in behind the shovel pocket to carry securely on the way down.

Wow! Solid climb and inspiring pictures as always.

I think if we had stayed up clear of the creek bed we could have done trail to bivy next to the creek in 2 hours also. We hit a talus field below Wiseman that made the travel on that side easy and it only took 2 hours for us to get out. It sounds like it's about the same on either side of the creek really and the biggest time suck for us was dropping down to the creek to look for crossings multiple times.

I'll second the motion to rename Skookum! It's always good to see your pictures Jason, even more so this time since we were so close to running into each other again. We looked at the same Green Creek crossing but pushed on higher up the creek and found a spot that could easily be waded or jumped across without needing a log. How was the bushwack on the other side of the creek there? We also looked at your second GC crossing but didn't like the looks of the log. That might be why our 'shwack in took us 3 hours in the woods, we kept dropping down to the creek to see what we could find. I'm going to go back for Skookum/Kloke and Jaw's tooth soon and for sure to get on the arete in the next couple of weeks.

Thank you! I owe you a beer for the beta. Should I leave one stashed somewhere in the Green Creek drainage for your next outing?

If I were to head out that way and had a choice of twin 8mmx30m ropes or a single 9.8x70 what would you recommend? I think my objectives will be similar to yours but with a partner. Thanks for all the beta and the stoke to get out close to home.

There's a new product out called NeverWet from Rustoleum that just came out. It sounds promising but I don't know that the durability will be there. I'm going to pick some up to try out on my approach shoes.

That's too bad. I'd really rather get the ski pack but if yours fit me I would have been happy. Good luck with the sale!

I have a coworker in Seattle that I can probably convince to pick it up for me if that makes things easier. Let me know what you figure out about the size.

I'll take it if it's a medium.

I copied your post over to VW Vortex (one of the biggest forums on the web and have found stolen cars in the past), I hope you don't mind. I want to see Wyatt get home. http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?6074073-Stolen-Dodge-truck-in-Squamish-BC-WITH-DOG!!!&p=82282362&posted=1#post82282362

How does the Inspiration Route compare to Prime Rib? I was on PR on Friday afternoon and only got a bit of light drizzle around p8 but it dried up for the top pitch. We had talked about climbing the Inspiration Route but the guide book doesn't sell it so well. We also looked longingly at Spontaneity Arete but went for a trail run near Maple Pass instead.

I saw Colin Haley give a talk and slideshow at Backcountry Essentials in Bellingham almost a year ago and he had some excellent advice on how to pass a slow party on route. It was a 3 step process that ended with taking their sleeping pad. If anyone runs into him they should ask for the first 2 steps because I'm not sure that I got them right.

I got lectured for blocking the yellow sensors a week ago (or was it two weeks ago?). I liked the way it made my soft parts feel when I parked between them but I'm not sure if the new growth is an intended side effect.

Tvashtarketena, it sounds like you might have some experience with CBP? Some of my customers at my previous job were border agents and were really good guys. I go through the border a lot and am used to the odd questions but this was the first time that the border agent tripped up. She was kind of attractive too but really bitchy. I've been asked how I finished in snowboard contests, why I'm only going for the day when it's such a long drive (2 hours to Squamish!?), what size my snowboard is, whether my friend has snow tires, why I'm bringing an orange back with me, etc. I've had friends get mocked for downhill mountain biking (bomb biking!), turned around for being auto techs and having rachets in their car, others get pulled in all the time. Recently one of my coworkers who has been going to Canada for 20 years for work was turned around at the border for a DUI from 1973. The best guess that we came up with is that they finally digitized the criminal records for 1973 and it's the first time it's popped up on a computer screen since he got in trouble 40 years ago. I just stay out of trouble and know where I'm going, why I'm going, how I know the people in the car, and when I'll be back and I never really have any problems. There's a black helicopter that flies around near my girlfriend's house at night and I always see border agents out on 542 with fun looking toys, snowmobiles, KLR 650s, quads, and Jeeps. I'm sure they're keeping an eye on the less fortified border crossings.

I cross the border a lot to climb in Squamish and ride bikes in Whistler and usually everything goes well. Saturday I had a Canadian agent that was in a bad mood. It went something like this: Canadian Border Agent: Have any of you ever been arrested? Us: round of "no" from all three of us CBA: Have any of you ever had handcuffs on? Us: same reply CBA: Have any of you ever been in trouble with the law? Us: What do you mean, like speeding tickets? CBA: Yeah, like speeding tickets. Us: Each of us said "Sure, I've had a speeding ticket." CBA: How long are you going to be in Canada? Us: Just for the day. CBA: Where are you staying? Us: *puzzled*...Whistler bike park. CBA: You're going to sleep in the parking lot...? Us: No, why would we do that? CBA: You just said that's where you're staying. Us: No, we just said we'd only be there for the day. CBA: Then why would you stay there? Us: We'll be back to Bellingham by the end of the day. CBA: Ok, you can go.

Don't overthink the chalk bag but if gear is important to you then buy the fancy one the first time around. Some of us are stuck at computers all day long and can only get out on the weekends and drooling over cool gear helps the week go by faster. I actually really like the newer Arc'teryx bags with the reinforced rim but since I already have a perfectly functioning bag I can't justify another one, I should have just splurged the first time. I agree with getting a bag with a zipper so you can stash enough stuff to get you out of trouble. I also agree with tying it around your waist with a piece of chord. A friend that I climb with has seen a few people climbing with them clipped take ground falls (pad falls?) at the gym trying to get out of tricky sit starts and get punched in the kidney by the 'biner. We were talking about it yesterday while we were walking back to the car.

I was up yesterday climbing at Lumberland and got on a couple of the new routes on the wall that was cleaned last fall. They range from 5.5 to 5.9 with a mix of bolts and trad. It really is pretty kid friendly and the walk around is easy if you want to drop a top rope in there. I thought that the first route I climbed was a bit awkward and my GF thought it was delightfully awkward. The kids area seems to have developed pretty well and is always crowded with strollers and climbing classes so it seems to be serving it's purpose. Good luck and have fun with the kids!

I'm on the Voile Mountain plates now and I agree, they suck. I plan to go to the second gen Phantoms next year and hopefully the TLT6 will fit my foot.

Glacier Creek Road closed until further notice. I just heard about this via the most important source of news that I have, Facebook...bummer. It sounds like the approach for the CD route will be much longer and the other options will get more crowded.

Nice day to get out!

I drove through Darrington last Monday or Tuesday and posted some pictures of Whitehorse on Instagram, search for @jasonspeer and you'll see them along with a handful of other recent mountain condition pictures.

I tried to stop in last Wednesday but they were closed. I think the hours were Thursday through Monday 9-5 or something like that.