David_Parker

I like my megamid. I have long strings on the tent stake straps and can pitch it really high if I want. I bring the floor if weather looks really bad or extended trips. I can also pitch it really low when I'm high!

I took a friend to a sail rigging shop in Ballard once. I had to convince them that the swage didn't have anything to do with the holding power of the unit in a fall. They swaged it for a buck I think. Might have a problem finding one of those type shops in Wenatchee though!

quote: How waterproof have you found these boots to be? Worthy of multi-day trips filled with stream-crossings & rainy bushwacking??? Try Extra-Toughs sold at Fisheries supply in Ballard. Mine are pretty new and my feet get wet because I think they sweat a lot (doesn't seem to matter what I wear). I have not really put them to the test you describe. PM Wayne and ask him, but he stayed relatively dry on Goode and we had plenty of wet snow for the descent and he was dry for the most part. Personally, the "wet" part is not a concern as much as what the boot does technically. In this case, I'm looking for the best all-round boot for the North Cascades. I'll give it high marks for that.

Leon Lloyd Bean once said, "treat your employees like they were your best customer." Makes me wonder how management treats the employees at FF. If they are not happy, it will reflect in their customer service. Retail sales is not very forgiving and neither is the American public. While we may blast REI for not having technical savy employees, at least they try to give you service with a smile. Regardless, it's no wonder I'm the LL Bean walking poster child. They define good customer service!

We used left gully which is a narrow dried up streambed for part of the way. Very small patch of snow at top, no worries. I thought it was pretty technical coming back down though. This was August 18-22, '02.

I would second Matt's suggestion with more specific beta. GO TO SECOND BEACH!!!! It's an easy hike from the trailhead and once on the beach, persevere to the south around the corner and you should find relative solitude amongst the driftwood. Second beach is way better than 3rd beach and 1st beach. I have found often on the coast the weather is fine when just slightly inland the weather is grey with clouds backed up against the mountains. However, I have also experienced coastal fog while it was bluebird just a 1/2 mile inland.....so just go and deal. Any favorable forecast and all should be good. Second Beach is my most favorite campsite in Washington and even Art Wolfe has many awesome photos in his coffee table books from there. If it's not raining, you'll have a very memorable experience there. Driftwood fires are OK too, but try to make indian fire, not whiteman fire and save some for others! Gorgeous sunsets, nice walks, much exploring. I was there 3 weekends ago with my son. We paddled in my double kayak from La Push. Much easier to carry all the essentials for 2 people that way! You'll need to bring water. Try cicumnavigating the huge rock tower at low tide. It's sort of like climbing. My son and I made it around the outer one even...pretty technical at times. ENJOY!!!! [ 09-03-2002, 03:22 PM: Message edited by: David Parker ]

quote: Originally posted by Off White: Of course, this morning he headed back off to Maine for college so I'm feeling sad and mopey. Still, its turning fall and I do love that, ... Hey, Maine is an awesome place to be in Fall! Make sure he heads over to N. Conway for some prime granite. Mt. Washington or any other "presidential" mountains are best in the fall, especially when it snows high above timberline and the leaves are peaking!

I've been "rained out" of the Cascades more than the Olympics. But now I try to wait for weather windows when planning trips. All mountains have their personal weather systems though.....

I climbed this: with these! Colin did same route with the Ferratas. Basically same boot, but in leather. These are AWESOME all-round Alpine climbing boots for the Cascades. Lightweight, enuff flex for long hikes, stiff enuff for edging and crampons, great rubber for smearing. Best "do-it-all" boot I have found. THANK YOU GARMONT!

old gaitors work well too! I often use a "gaitor" bag when travelling since all my thermarests have holes in them!

quote: Originally posted by mattp: [QB]having the shaft point upward, I HAVE seen the spike poke people. [QB] Matt, glad to see you're politically correct. It would be SEXIST to think girls are the only ones who get poked! Now, where did you say you saw this????? [ 08-27-2002, 04:14 PM: Message edited by: David Parker ]

But knowledge there is cold beer in your car will propell you like the wind! It's not that bad!! I was assuming he'd catch the boat at Big Beaver and not hike the seven miles. [ 08-27-2002, 01:35 PM: Message edited by: David Parker ]

I just did 11 miles on Big Beaver last week from Ross Lake to past Luna Camp. The bugs are not bad until you stop....then they find you. Deet and a tent will be necessary. The trail is mellow and you'll see some REALLY BIG TREES! Big Beaver is closed to camping right now due to bears. You can still get picked up/dropped off though. The last boat ride is 6:00 pm. Advanced reservations mandetory. If I may be so BOLD...I highly suggest you reverse direction! Go from Hannegan to Ross Lake. You'll be much happier taking a nice swim and hanging out in the sun when you get done vs arriving in a dusty parking lot. Also, If there is marginal weather, it will only improve heading east. Take a quick spin up Whatcom Peak on the way. You'll have an AMAZING view from up there!

quote: Originally posted by mattp: A special place to put crampons on a pack is probably the least important feature that one could look for in a pack. . I like to roll my crampons up in my Thermarest. It helps protect the points from getting dull when you throw the pack down on rocks.

I was in northern pickets Aug.18 to 22. It did not drop below freezing at night at Luna Col (elev. 7100). We encountered no real "ice" on N.rib of Fury, nor did the NE Face appear to have any real ice. If that wasn't ice, I'm not sure where it will be. BTW, I define ice as the substance that will actually take an ice screw! N.Face couloir of Buckner way have a couple moves of ice; N. Face proper probably none. I don't know why people do the N. Face of Buckner when the couloir is so much more "alpine" and only 10 minutes more to get to. It was a big snow year and I don't think the alpine ice is going to appear until well into Sept. Good luck and let us know if you find some!

Why don't they figure out a way to let you know how much fuel has been consumed/left. Even if you had to buy a little gauge to test at home before you leave. I'm sure there are trips where 1/2 cannister is plenty, but you don't dare because is a half, 1/3 or 1/4 left????

I always grab a few extra veggie bags at the grocery store when I go on a trip. My feet sweat a lot and no non-plastic boot is waterproof in wet glacier snow or walking in streams. I always bring 2 pair of socks (and two thin liner socks with some boots)and rotate them, drying them by putting them in my sleeping bag with me (not wearing them). But after 2-3 days the insides of my boots are usually wet so as soon as you put them on dry socks get wet! This is when I'll put the plastic bags over my socks so the socks (thus feet) don't get wet. I have noticed the tiniest hole allows water penetration but it sloows it way down. I also concur that in sub-zero, multi day trips you need to do the vb between the liner and insulating sock to keep your liners dry. They are the hardest to dry out once wet. It definitely helps to pull the footbeds out to accelerate drying of liners. You definitely have to figure out the system that works for you by trial and error.

Yeah cool, since I just climbed it! (N. Butt)I'd love to have the most recent photo that shows it in the conditions it was. Mine is from the year before. Call me if you still have my phone #.

I remember reading the story in AMC Magazine about the guy on Mt. Washington. LEARN FROM OTHERS MISTAKES... The doctors said if he had pulled it out himself he would have died, probably by bleeding to death, before reaching Pinkham notch!!! Good thing he left it in!!!

arrrrrrrg! I can't make it and I want to go out in the boat! So no boat rides this week! And not next week either cause I'll be climbing! So keep downtown open for two weeks from now OK!

see post currently running for "stupidest things you heard in climbing!" The snow all melted....bring your waterski!

quote: Originally posted by Alpine Tom: If it was on the upper slopes of Everest or someplace dire like that, I’d have a hard time arguing with them, but this is Mt. Hood, in summer. Wind is wind anywhere in the world, so even if you were on Everest or Mt. Washington in N.H., it's a 4 season tent. Get Ugly with them.... or consult the lovely Jules and ask for her assistance. I'll bet she can help set things right!

quote: Originally posted by Alpine Tom: If it was on the upper slopes of Everest or someplace dire like that, I’d have a hard time arguing with them, but this is Mt. Hood, in summer.

A sad story and my sympathies to friends and family. One thing I noticed was the knowledge the writer of the story seemed to have about the sport. Wouldn't it be great if our local climbing rescue stories were writen with such insight! Doesn't seem to make Nic look like an idiot or anything.

Parapenting is great if approached as a sport in itself. But to think of it as an easier way to descend after a climb is contrived. It works well in Chamonix because conditions support it, but don't assume it works everywhere. The Cascades are a whole lot different than the valley in Cham. You have a big learning curve and beware if you lug that thing to the top of some mountain, you may feel added pressure to use it when you really shouldn't. My brother was quite expeienced before his wing collapsed after dropping below a ridge flying off La Sal in S. Utah. He cratered on a lake and was lucky he didn't bust through. I saw the video and it was disturbing. He was evacuated by snowmobile driven by Captain Morgan. He's ok, but has since toned way back. Eventually your going to have an accident...are you prepared?