Woodcutter

Top 10' of Chockstone falls in the Alpy Valey is now melted away.

Sent email for friday

Integral Designs MK1. The XL version is on the web here: http://www.campsaver.com/integral-designs-mk1-xl for $330, see if it's the new onemade by Rab in the land of the rising sun. Jim Nelson had some reservations about it, the poles were the wrong length to fit in the corners properly, probably been sorted, check it out. I love mine

Many snowboard boots come with U-shaped inserts that you are somehow meant to be able to fit into the heel section of the boot to prevent heel lift. It's worth noting that snowboarding requires excellent heel-cup functionality or you can't get the board on the toe-side edge effectively. Take a trip to your local snowboard shop & do some asking. I reckon I saw some in a recent pair I bought (32's) and I know there was a set of these U shaped things in a pair of Burton Serrow's about 4 years ago - I reckon they're standard now. Good luck

Great TR, and those photos aren't too shabby either. Thanks, most inspiring

I thought this was out of print, surprised to find it: http://montanaice.com/ $25 There's a copy on Amazon for $1118 bucks. Ho ho ho Santa says no

Were the ladders still in place on the DC, or did you manage to descend after they were removed?

Does anyone know if the pocket glacier has slid??

Some great photo's there. Can we see the rest??

I use 7.8mm metolius monster for this. Single strand on easy ground alpine ground where you'll never generate a high force factor fall. Double it if you need to lead a short section of steep.

I can't get this photo sh(* to work http://www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboarding/trip_reports/index.php?topic=24789.0 Follow the thread & click the picassa link May 12th Friday was the day

Hi Steve, PM sent

I'd like to see that funny creature that makes the red circle footprints

Yes, much skiing/ split skinning pain. Kyle was babysitting me out, but it was too humiliating falling down that drainage in public so I sent him packing. Nice guy that he is, he waited at the lot for me to get out (or maybe he wanted his rope back). Ha. Snowshoes would have been easier in Le Rat for a ski-novice. Anyway, enough moaning from me. Great day, good company, strong lead!

...I'm really pleased that you got to ski ALL the way to the car John & Kyle. I'd be interested to know how long it took you John?? I got out about 5.30, after swearing at every boulder, tree, and undulation my idiot splitboarding self encountered. I've gotta learn to ski. Weather was great though.

...that was fun. It's a striking, sculptural ice formation. Once the cloud cleared & we could see the curtain & pillar clearly, we pretty much giggled our way up the last few hundred vf, thanks for the invite.

Hubba Hubba was good on Sat early AM, buried under 2" & a bit hollow in places. But the snow was building fast and becoming unstable when we left at 1 PM [img:center]http://www.kodakgallery.com/imaging-site/services/doc/5758:238698078212/jpeg/BG[/img]

Thanks for the 2nd opinion Dannible. Nice to have confirmation that I hadn't completely transmogrified into a chicken. Respect is due to you for pushing through.

We attempted to climb NE couloir yesterday (sunday) but retreated half way up the 1st mixed pitch because there wasn't any ice. There were a few patches of neve but mostly rotten sugar snow and the odd bit of rotten ice. Camera crapped out at the top too. I can't get the photo's to load http://www.kodakgallery.com/imaging-site/services/doc/5369:202185318212/jpeg/BG http://www.kodakgallery.com/imaging-site/services/doc/5369:927675318212/jpeg/BG http://www.kodakgallery.com/imaging-site/services/doc/5758:237675318212/jpeg/BG Maybe this route is always sketchy on the initial low section, but when the rock started to disintegrate under my frontpoints I had enough. Reversed down leaving a cam & a wire which I gladly bequeath to the next guys who do the big hike. Spoke to a really nice fella on the hike out who suggested that there wasn't enough snow on top yet and there hadn't been any melt-freeze cycles. The dude also said that the fat ice from 3 weeks ago on Colchuck NBC was greatly diminished. Everything else was great.

I have have an XCR jacket which I have replaced with paclite jacket and climb in both to good effect. And I'm a sweaty gindofaguy. The key in my opinion in the PNW is to judge your baselayer just right & not to wear a midlayer, use your pitzips. This way you have what Mark Twight calls the action suit, which means you are OK when moving verging on the cold, but not sweating. You feel lightly dressed and can open/ close the pitzips if you feel you've got the baselayer a bit off. Also hat on/ hat off helps control body heat to a good degree. And when you stop, put your synthetic puffy on. The paclite is...light, and packs small, which is good. Windproof & waterproof if necessaey. Rubbish for skiing in on sunny days though. My baselayer is an REI silk longsleve + IO biocompatibles very thin wool waffle longsleve (2nd ascent) + IBEX woolies wool tanktop if it's getting cold. My 2 cents. Jake

3 of us climbed this route on Sunday 13th. Definitely more mixed than expected lower down. Snow in the upper gully is now infinitely deep and chest high & almost impossible to move through. We bailed about 200' from the notch due to the snow depth & lightness. Also a 6-8" windslab forming.

Handling is rather good, supple. Make good pillows too.

That is some excellent information, really great. The R values from Pacific Outdoor are brilliant if accurate. R 4 for a 9OZ closed cell polyethylene pad looks great on paper. Thanks Again. Jake

I climbed Buckner N Couloir last Oct with the 30l CIlo pack as part of a 3 man team. It can work, the pack does becomes uncomfortable if overloaded, I can still remember the pain in my shoulders now form the approach, but that may be from carrying really heavy skis earlier in the season, can't remember. I also used (& still use the vireo & helios combo (both with 2oz overfill) on that trip and was just about right. The vireo combo is great for me cos I don't sleep like a corpse on my back, I squirm around all night and you don't and up getting twisted in a full bag with the hood upside down. I packed for Rainier last weekend into the 30l Cilo, but re-packed into a 40l MEC pack for an easy life. Love the pack though, just don't overload it. Love the Vireo combo, saves carrying sleeping bag & puffy parka.

I have the Metolius 7.8's and like them. Pretty stretchy on the raps though.