JasonG

I want to know the bolt count.

We'll miss you Mr. Bauer. Talk about a far reaching impact! http://www.alpenglow.org/nwmj/05/051_Bauer1.html http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/obituaries/wolf-bauer-103-mountaineer-environmentalist-dies/

Yep, Loren speaks the truth. Stay at Muir, climb Gib ledges, descend the ID. I found Gib Ledges to be quite a bit better than expected in winter conditions.

Or, in my particular case, HFC stands for "hardly found competent".

This build-up is pretty entertaining. Hyperbole Canyon indeed. Even the Grand Canyon would have a hard time living up to this.

Same. They are close to their goal, so I encourage others to donate as well. I never knew Mark, but he seemed like quite a guy.

Damn. This is heartbreaking. Those photos......

I'll add to the heaps of praise. This is one of the best TRs I've seen (well, since your last one), otherworldly and aesthetic. I can't believe you crammed that all into 2.5 weeks. That takes guts as well. My hat's off to you both.

GAIA it is....thanks for all the input!

You did them a favor, we all have to grow up some time.

Yeah, we all know that Colin is an heir to that Brown & Haley Almond Roca fortune. Thanks Mr. Cheese, that is some interesting info.

Ah....now this is starting to make more sense. Still terrible, but not quite as baffling as the slope I was thinking it was.

The same slope we skied a few weeks back?

OK, back to the subject at hand. We miss you Doug!

Sounds like a terrible accident, though I don't really have any details. NWAC is sending staff up there today to investigate, so hopefully we know more soon. The scary part is that many (myself included) thought that the rain had taken care of the PWL. Condolences to all involved, and their friends and family.

Glad it worked out and you got to climb some ice! But..... did you scare yourself?

Not the climber's memorial, but should be good nonetheless: Doug Walker Celebration of Life Friday, January 29, 2016 Benaroya Hall (downtown Seattle, 200 University St, Seattle, WA 98101) 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm The program will begin at 6:00 pm. Reception to follow.

That's completely ridiculous!

Petzl will send you a new buckle free of charge, which "fixes" the issue for a good while. I would have taken the helmet off your hands, too bad you tossed it. Personally I think it is the best (though certainly not the prettiest) helmet I've ever owned though I agree that the buckle could be changed for the better.

That's why we need to make America great again.

I've heard the same from those in the ski industry about things like AT boots. Economies of scale are a real thing, and there really aren't that many climbers/backcountry skiers out there compared to many hobbies (golf, fishing, water skiing, etc.). It doesn't hurt that many weekend warriors have good jobs either. Non-dirtbag climbers tend toward white collar work, and companies often charge what the market will bear. Arc'teryx for example. I would be interested to hear from a company like BD what proportion of their gross sales are through prodeals, and if they are taking a hit on any items. My understanding is that they are selling gear direct to climbers for the same price as they do to retail outlets. So I think that it is a bit of a stretch to say that their profits are being cut into by prodeals. Retail outlets? Certainly. But the internet is a bitch, as Loren already pointed out with his recent purchases.

Cool, thanks for the update! Glad he is alive and well, the couple times I've run into him in the hills have been inspiring. Hopefully our paths will cross again.

This is a really good point, and something I've wondered about with all foam helmets. I think it is potentially a major drawback for glancing blows, but I've not seen any data one way or the other.

If Pro Deals were that good, they aren't any more. 30-50% off is more typical, especially on hard goods. Cost, or cost plus a little bit are more the norm. When you add in shipping, it often isn't a lot better deal than shopping around on the web or heading up to MEC. But it is usually still a better deal, or so I've heard

And if you do want to go with a guide, hire Chris (or Kurt Hicks). You won't be disappointed.