DPS

I've always thought the Squamish guidebook was good, at least compared to the other ones out at that time. Nelson and Potterfields guide was a bigger improvement to climbing that sticky rubber or Friends for me. The Beckey guides, while full of natural and human history, were hard to discern what would make a good winter climb, what season to climb in, good approach info etc. The Nelson guides changed all that and made climbing much easier.

I use about 40 m of 6mm a season for prusiks and rappel anchors. I typically carry 20 meters or cord for anchors in addition to my prusiks on alpine climb for this purpose. Just a thought.

Now only if I had the space.

If I buy it will I be able to smash and grab huge Alaskan objectives like Dave and company? =)

I'm so lazy I've never even written a guidebook.

That is some good looking chicken fried rice! Are those red onions I see?

I camped on the Wilson with BD a Betamid to climb Wilson Glacier Headwall, ended up climbing Fuhrer Thumb. Only complaint is we left the shovel at home and slept on a poorly constructed platform built with our ice axes. Bring a shovel to level a proper platform and to build snow walls in case of high winds to help protect the shelter. You can take down the center pole when you leave for the day and pile snow blocks on top to keep high winds from blowing anything down or away. Descending the Kautz makes little sense. Why not descend the Fuhurer Finger? The Kautz can actully be more difficult to descend than the Finger, particualarly as the season progresses. I've climbed and descended both routes, the Finger is more direct and less steep. I was on the mountain once when a party ascended the Kautz and decided it was too difficult to descend so they went down the DC and tried to PAY the climbing rangers to retrieve their camp.

In the Tetons, the Exum guides were outfitted by Nike at the time. Many of the the clients ran out and bought the same clothes and gear as the guides. The trend seems to be the same on Rainier. A lot of the RMI clients wear whatever the guides are wearing. My understanding is that some of the guide services not only received free clothes/gear for the guides, the companies paid the guide services for the priviledge of outfitting their guides as it was such strong advertising. The clients saw their guides wearing such and such so obviously it was the best choice and they had to have it.

Good point Jason. The Roman Wall is often hard and icy when the rest of the mountain is softening up. Also the only exposed spot on the Coleman Demming route, prolly don't want to bone it there.

wow!

I haven't, but if you carry an extra set of poles, wouldn't that increase the weight of the Firstlight up to an inherently sturdier tent such as BD I Tent of ID MK1 Lite?

I've used my BD Betamid, a floorless shelter, on Rainier and Baker many times. July typically has very stable weather. Invest in some parachute style MH sand/snow anchors. If the weather is bad enough to flatten a well staked and guyed out floorless shelter you should go home anyway.

With just a hint of hantavirus.

This is the stuff alpinists dream of. Nice work you guys/gals.

LS Nepal Evos are kind of the gold standard for leather mountaineering boots. If LS fits your feet they are a good choice. If you have wider dogs Scarpa may offer a better fit. The comparable boot would be the Mont Blanc. You will probably appreciate leather boots later in the season and you already have warm plastics for cold, early season trips.

It is not ridiculous. Wetslide is at that stage of development where he feels the need to denigrate other peoples' accomplishments to boost his low self esteem.

I declare this post to be ridiculous.

Not sure if I read this or someone related the story, but a dead mouse was found in the water barrel once.

If you do get a second tool, I have seen a number of Charlet Moser Pulsar and Grivel straight shafted hammers for sale here and there. That would be an inexpensive way to go and would be plenty technical for your needs. Maybe check out Second Ascent's selection when you roll into town.

That's a shame. Having climbed Hood by 8 different routes, Shuksan by 4 different routes, and Baker by 7 different routes I can confidently say Shuksan and Baker are much better choices for moderately technical routes given the time frame you mentioned.

I have a Lumix and have been really happy with it.

I think the Pearly Gates can easily be avoided by following the 'Old Chute' variation climber's left of the Pearly Gates. Only one tool should be necessary for this variation. I haven't been there for a while though.

For Camp Muir or Camp Shurman I would say a shovel is optional, but having camped below FF twice I can say flat real estate is a rare commodity.

+1. also with some shovels you can fit your ice axe shaft into the blade and can leave the handle at home. One trick with T handled shovels and old style ice axe loops is to drop the shovel handle through the ice axe loop, flip it up like an axe, attach the blade and secure it with the ice axe strap.

Strap it on the outside?