Comrade

Large for me, if it's not too late.

k. 7p it is.

I can be there, but I know absolutely no one..

I had a hunch REI wouldn't come out on top of recommendations, that why I asked. I'll go to FF/Evo/proski.

Thanks a lot, guys. I was fully expecting to get flamed because this topic must have been discussed previously. But the search function is not so great and stuff changes from year to year. You convinced me to get the gear instead of waiting a full season. I'm pretty set on La Sportiva Lo5 and Dynafit ST bindings. Not ultra-light, not super heavy. Hopefully it works out. Speaking of ultra light, some of you might be interested in this: http://www.geartrade.com/item/370363/la-sportiva-rt-binding Finally, REI should be good enough to mount the bindings, right? Or do you have any strong recommendations?

Thanks guys. I'll look into buying the stuff. There is tons of info out there, including on this site. I'm still trying to absorb all of it, but do you have any tips for starting out? I'm okay with the boots, but skis are a bit confusing to me. Why is a ski like La Sportiva RST so light yet cheaper than others in their lineup? Do the heavier skis offer better downhill performance and should I stick with them when starting out?

This is sort of a followup to this thread from a few weeks back. I was in the same boat as OP. You guys generated a lot of stoke in that thread, so I went to resort a few times and picked up the basics. I am renting boots and skis for now. I still have ways to go before I can call myself a decent skier, but I'll be putting in days to improve. I don't know if I'll be ready for backcountry this year. But is there any harm in buying boots and skis/bindings now and trying them out in the resort before the season ends? Or would you recommend continuing to rent them until I can reach a certain level, say, being comfortable on black diamonds? There are some decent deals going on around right now. Buying stuff one by one will also be easier on the pocket.

I can walk to Von Trapps...

>By this point their rope was reduced to 38 meters in length How does this happen?

Do you have any preference? I would be in a lot of these, but don't lead water ice yet. I would prefer something not too super steep - maybe Shuksan or Baker. Fine with overnigher. And I don't ski. Or following ice in banks lake doesn't sound too bad either. Let me know if you're still looking. We've talked before. I'll shoot you an email.

I don't get it either when there is a significant overhead incurred. But there are a few ones like this where all the donation money goes to charity and climbers have to pay for their own climbing costs.

Badass pic. How did the Reid Headwall look?

Do you know which places are in?

I recently got a pair of Spantiks off Craigslist. The owner had put around 12 days on it. He had never heat molded the inner boot. They come with 2 pairs of insoles and am not sure what combination to use. I've had terrible experience with my Nepal EVO insoles. Within half season, they ran so thin that my fee were burning and about to kill me on a trip. It would be miserable if that happens on a multiweek trip. I have superfeet in my Nepals and they work just fine. Anyone has experience with them in Spantiks? I'm also a tiny bit concerned about the fit. I got them in the same size as the Nepals and they fit perfectly when I start out. But on the second day of an overnight trip, I had a really hard time getting my feet into them in morning and they felt somewhat tight. I never experienced this in Nepals. Did my feet expand or something? I'm concerned about circulation cutoff on extended trips. Is it a good idea to heat mold the liner after roughly 14 days of use on it?

Check your PM.

Bump. Is anyone still looking for a regular gym partner?

You could always give http://purmit.com a try. I see 4 permits listed for Jun 18.

Drive down there this evening and start at midnight tomorrow on the South Side. Send me a PM if interested.

This is a long shot, but is anyone interested in driving down to Shasta and climbing it on memorial day weekend?

I'd be interested. I am gaining experience in glacier travel, crevasse rescue, anchors, etc. I have a Baker trip lined up in June. I'm not sure about Rainier without a third, more experienced person. PM me to stay in touch.