dbconlin

I prefer Camalots for some of the reasons already mentioned, especially range and smootheness. However, the tech friends are lighter. I only own one of the latter and it is about the same size as BD #4. I have been very pleased with this purchase because for such a huge cam, the weight savings are very noticable.

Nice job on this--looks like a beautiful route in a stunning setting. One question, though: According to the Beckey book, it looks to me like the Nisqually Cleaver route would go more like this (green line): Did any of the recent parties climb this line? If not, and according to the topos presented, it seems to me that these routes would more properly be considered variations of the Nisqually Ice Cliff. Or am I missing something? Is the Beckey guide misleading?

umm, how does this work? don't you need the ropes for rappelling? wouldn't a double rope rappel be faster than twice as many single rope raps no matter how effeciently you conduct the latter?

I had a brand new pair of REI poles once. They were made by Komperdell. The tip on one pole broke the first time I used it. I returned it to REI and special ordered some BD poles. They have never failed me.

Well, we were planning on pretty much simul-climbing the entire thing, so we didn't think 3 would be too slow. We ended up belaying pitches in a couple of spots along the ridge, which did slow us down a bit, but because this pertained to a very minor portion of the time spent up there, it didn't seem to make much difference in the grand scheme of things. Sounds like the rock ridge portion of the route would be a lot harder in earlier season conditions.

I have large to Xlarge hands .. love it .. I will agree that with a heavily insulated glove on, the clearance between the Horn and grip is a bit tight but not a real problem I agree too. I did some window shopping this past winter, and even with my big hands this is the pair I'm buying in the fall to replace my cobra's. ...and what are you doing with those cobras, we all want to know...

Yes, good advice. I would look at 10.0 - 10.2 for all-round rope.

save 1/4 lb (per tool):

yeah that one

cobra

i'm very happy with my sabretooth anti-botts, much better than those on my m-10s (which of course are not in consideration here...) i do believe at least the vasaks are lighter, but better...??? It may depend on what you want to climb. I think sabretooths are very good at steep ice as well as moderate. I have not tried the others, but my impression is maybe not so good on the steeps.

quark

sabertooth

thanks that seemed to work.

I do not know we these *&^%$$ pictures never work...

Climb: Mount Stuart-Stuart Glacier Couloir Date of Climb: 6/3/2006 Trip Report: Scott and Luke Gullberg and I left the Stuart Lake TH early Sat AM (2:30) under clear, starry skies. After a couple of hours hiking, the sky started to lighten, eventually day broke, and finally we made it to the mountain that was our objective for the day: We took a little rest, filled our water bottles from the last liquid water we expected to encounter, and headed up the snowfields below the Sherpa and Ice Cliff Glaciers, towards the col below the North Ridge. We took another rest and geared up for the Stuart Glacier. The bergshrund was easily passed on the right and we headed up the couloir. The going was easy and we simulclimbed up until the constriction. In the constriction we encountered two pitches of moderately steep and somewhat rotten alpine ice and snow, which we belayed. Above this, the going got easy as we ascended the widening snow bowl. We attained the West ridge, took a break, and put away our tools. 4th class scrambling led up to the right (south) side of the ridge, where we angled left and regrouped. I was not sure whether the route crossed back onto the north side of the ridge, as the guidbook suggests, at this point or if we should climb higher still on the south side. Looking over to the North side the climbing looked more difficult, mixed and exposed. Scott decided it would go, though, and he took the lead and led us through steep rock and snow bands with neither crampons or tools. After one full belayed pitch, he got to a good belay, with good access above straight up to the ridge crest again. We followed and then I took an easy lead on nice rock up. Here is Scott coming up to the ridge crest: Above this we continued along the ridge until we reached a couple of steep cracks, which we recognized from previous route descriptions. The cracks were ackward with packs on and in plastic boots, so Scott had to ditch his pack to lead up through this crux. Luke followed, keeping his pack on (good on ya, bro), and then the two of them hauled mine and Scotts packs pack up before I followed. We then climbed easy rock to the summit. It had been a long day already (left TH at 2:45, attained summit at 2:00) with a lot of time spent on the approach and climbing rock along the ridge (kind of ironic that the routes namesake makes up such a minor portion of the overall route), and we still had to descend. We headed down to the east to the pass above the Sherpa Glacier. Moments before we got there some skiers had left for their descent down the glacier and we never saw them again, but it looked like a lot more fun than the tedious descent we had ahead of us. We downclimbed the steep upper part of the glacier, then trudged the rest of the way down, filling our water bottles from melting glacier along the way, tired, but it was easy going and still a beautiful day out. The rest of the descent back down to the car took about forever, but we finally made it, returning to the car after nearly 18 hours. Overall an excellent day for the route and a very awesome route made all the better by excellent climbing partners who kept going in spite of extreme fatigue... Gear Notes: Few pickets medium rock rack water purification Approach Notes: approach is long and mountaineer creek sucks!

OH, yeah, and something like 40% of Americans cannot afford basic health care. Having a job is not the same thing as having a good life...

aliens rule!

pm sent

I dropped one of my approach/descent shoes from over 500' up in RMNP once due to it backclipping itself when I sat on a ledge. Watched it sail down, yelled "rock" for lack of anything better (I knew there was a party below), and marked the spot it landed. Had to descend steep scree/talus and some snow with one climbing shoe on, but I hiked back (uphill) to the base of the climb and found my shoe, luckily, because there was a 3-4 mi hike out after that. Never did get my sock, though!

DOOOOO BEEEEE ... doobie? (sp?)

lots of snow at the lake. road closed at gate, i guess it is the paul peak th, but I did not notice that. not sure what you mean by the shortcut but with whiteout conditions we just followed the trail.

If anyone is interested in a really warm down bag (like for Alaska), let me know. I purchased this used a couple of years ago and just don't need such a warm bag. The original owner took it on a couple of Alaska expeditions. It has been stored in a really large cotton storage sack. Details: -30 deg F rating Long Gore Tex shell Down (guessing 700-750 fill) weight I'm guessing around 4-4.5 lbs (I could confirm if requested) pretty old but in very good condition will sell for cheap ($150?) pics available on request

What really sucked, in addition to everything Brian mentioned, was being on the ridge and knowing that this awesome mountain was looming above us, but not even being able to see 3 feet in front of you, let alone "the mountain"!!! ...and the wanker in the USFS uniform, who had unlocked the gate across the access road, to drive his personal subaru up as far as he could before his little hike, whom we encountered on our way out, walking down the dirt road...fucker!

what size is the alpine bod?