JasonG

On the other hand, a friend had a sat phone on the wapta a couple weeks ago and they are pretty incredible (great to be able to call for a weather report at any time). Relatively small and light nowadays also. The key thing is to spring for the extra $$$ and get one that is hooked into the Iridium network (phone is around $1K). The competition is pretty weak in comparison (I know a comm. fisherman that has one and he isn't real excited about it) b/c there are lots of times/places when they don't work. Iridium works 24/7, anywhere on the globe. Sound quality is amazing, like talking on a decent cell connection, but it isn't cheap at around $0.75 a minute or so.

What about a real PLB like the McMurdo FastFind? A $250 one time charge and replace the battery every five years for around $100 or so. If you don't want to be sending or receiving messages, but rather want your ass saved in an emergency, I think this is the best way to go. http://www.mcmurdo.co.uk/en/products/2-plbs/2-fastfind-210-211

Thanks for the Terray quote! I will have to remember that one, especially those last couple sentences.

Maybe, or one of those two times a season when you fall tree skiing could kill you. I used to think along your lines, but I have lost too many experienced friends in the mountains to think otherwise. You can stack the odds in your favor, and think you are doing everything "right", but there are always odds.

Everyone falls, I don't care how good you are or how well you are skiing "within your abilities". Seriously?

Now that is awesome, thanks!

Thanks for the nudge to contact my electeds regarding SOPA and PIPA....I needed it .

I'll bet! A friend of mine calls that the "Waddington shuffle".

Hey Dan- Is this what you are looking for? Taken about this time last year on a trip to the lookout . .. .

All MEC brand stuff will ship to the US (Other brands are hit or miss) and unlike REI, their stuff is usually quite comparable to name brand gear. Shipping does cost a bit on some items, but you save on some Canadian taxes. One of my ski partners lived across the street from MEC so I usually would just have him pick stuff up for me....

Did you get them? Sounds like quite a bit of weather headed that way: http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=48.85432452980058&lon=-121.70877456665039&site=sew&unit=0&lg=en&FcstType=text Wow!

And you had a guitar strapped to your back ! Excellent adventure for sure Dan, that is a lot of terrain to cover in a few days.

What is up with the prune hands? Looked too cold to have that kind of wetness....

Elite! Love the Smoot ticking, in winter no less. About how many hours RT for your foray?

Sobering. I lost a good friend to a tree well at Baker a few years ago. Before his accident (he was an excellent skier who had skied from a young age), I thought that sort of thing just happened to folks who really didn't know what they were doing. Keep a close eye on your partners when tree skiing in the powder, it only takes a few minutes to die when you go all the way in like that.

I'm on my second pair of these in about 6 years and I like them a lot: http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Snowsports/MensClothing/GlovesAndMitts/PRD~5024-099/mec-oracle-gloves-unisex.jsp Near as I can tell, they seem to be just as good as gloves that cost twice as much. Gotta love MEC brand stuff.

1) Clear it with the rangers if you don't want the cache removed from the mountain. 2) No. There aren't many (any?) roads in the PNW that go to 8K. Maybe somewhere in southern Oregon?? Still, not within a couple hours.

Sounds like it is a 50 Classic for a reason! Thanks for the reminder.

Nice work Caleb, we've missed your TRs around here! Good to see the photos from yet another stellar road trip too.....I need to head down to the Sierra and Tetons and stop chossdawging.

And before any angry e-mountaineers chime in, yes I know that the photo is of the Bugaboos, and yes, the Bugs aren't part of the Rockies. Most of the photos Steph will be presenting will be from the Rockies proper though, so please take a deep breath.

Two noted northwest mountain photographers, Steph Abegg and John Scurlock, will collaborate on a special presentation at the February 7th meeting of the Skagit Alpine Club. Steph will give a slideshow on their joint six-day aerial photography adventure in September, 2011, amongst the massive and rugged Canadian Rockies. Highlights include Mt. Robson, Kakwa Provincial Park, Jasper National Park, Columbia Icefield, Valhallas, Bugaboos, Mt. Assiniboine, and more. John will also discuss the making of his new book, "Snow & Spire: Flights to Winter in the North Cascade Range". Copies of the book will be available as well, with proceeds going to benefit the SAC. Please join us for what is sure to be an amazing show!!

Ah yes, you mean whoeverovsky.

WOW! That is an amazing collection of images, both for their quality and the hard lines that they were taken from. I don't think I have seen anything quite like it.

sounds like an adventure under the current conditions.

I think we left the car (@ Narada Falls) about 0900 and were back about 1500-1530. Good travel conditions will make or break the trip- we had very firm conditions, especially up high.