Rodchester

Just an update of road conditions: The road into the Heliotrip Ridge Trailhead still has a lot snow on it for about a mile, maybe a tad less. It is very compacted snow and will likley take a while for it to melt out. In classic fashion, some sections (such as corners) are deep copacted snow (2 ft. deep) some section (such as straight-a-ways) are bare and snow free. Sooooo, no good ski out. The trail itself is similar: some setions are snow covered and some are bare. We took snowshoes and while we could have used them in a few sections, they were not needed. Freeze levels never came down over the weekend, making it soup city up there. The snow was very heavy (almost slushie) and never hardened up or crusted. Rain on Saturday night added to the fun.

marylou: I have a Suunto and it I also have a Citizen dress watch...same company that apparently makes the Nike watches...it is SUPPOSEDLY Citizen's best watch. It is a piece of shit, pure garbage, junk. I swear the more expensive the watch the bigger the piece of shit that it is.

Anyone up there this past weekend? Looking for any additional/recent road access beta.... Thanks

Anyone been up Shannon Creek Road (FR 1152) and/or FR 1152-014? Curious about the road conditions geting into the Sulphide Glacier trailhead. How far can it be driven? Anyone slogged in? What are conditions on road past last drivable area...is it in decent touring shape? Any beta on route conditions (i.e. summit pyramid conditions) is also appreciated. Thanks in advance....

There is a huge difference between attending a memorial service (like the OK City bombing service or the Reagan Beirut bombing service) and attending an individual’s funeral. So the link to me makes it clear that few presidents attended funerals of fallen soldiers. I think there is some legitimacy in criticizing Bush on this, but I can see why he wouldn't do it. It is for most families, a very personal event.

Is is my understanding that this policy was put in place, by the Pentagon, about the time of Gulf War I. This was done primarliy as a reaction to the media's focus on it during Vietnam. The brass running the show at the time remembered it all to well and was not a fan of the media. I do seem to recall that Clinton used this policy (by failing to lift it) to his benefit during the Somalia fighting. You may be correct, but I don't think so, if this is a Bush II policy could someone please cite the Presidential order number, and or a link? I'm curious about this one.

If you mean the Southwest Coulior on SEWS, it is skiable in good coditions, though even then the top 1/3rd would be tough given that there is no room for turns. The middle 1/3rd is pretty narrow and steep, but doable if you're used to that kind of skiing. That section would still be pretty unforgiving if you screwed up. The bottom 1/3rd is fairly easy ski, steep in sections but enogh room to turn and negotiate rocks. The conditions right now make it unskiable (top to bottom anyway), at least the top 1/3rd. Rock is all over the place and the middle 1/3rd seemed to be melting out pretty fast. If just want to climb the coulior, it is doable right now, but the melted out section in the top 1/3rd makes it less enjoyable, wear a bucket. Watch the cornice at the top. Don't walk out on it, though it may have calfed off by now.

MattP: Any estimate/opinion on when it MIGHT melt out sufficient to get to the trialhead?

Hey Bug: Not all of us flamed him??? So if you got recent beta on the approach, share...come on brother, show some love.

Was up there about ten days ago. What is your intent? Skiing? climbing? ?

MattP, as usual, gives wise advise. There are many ways to learn, and most learn from a combination of things. 1) Clubs classes like the Mounties and BoeAlps 2) Schools like Outward Bound and NOLS 3) Guide Services/Schools like AAI, RMI and Mountain Madness 4) Informally with friends, or friends of friends 5) Self Taught Each of these has real benefits and real draw backs. Your goals, your time, your resources ($), your abilities, your confidence, and your personality will each lend themselves to one or a couple of these approaches. Schools are a good way to lay a solid base of knowledge and meet others that have the same interests and are at the same or similar levels of experience. They do tend to be ditatorial in the methods taught. This occurs in most any large scale teaching environment. Schhols like NOLS are usually pretty good in that they offer a pretty good immersion in a somewaht intense environment. The NOLS mountaineering course in the Winds is something like a 30 day intensive non-stop go go go school. You will learn a lot in a mid-length period of time. It takes a time commitment and cost some cash. Guide Services/Schools like AAI, RMI and Mountain Madness offer guided trips, which while fun for the average Joe are not meant to be instructional....so you don't really learn anything. Fine, if that's all you want. But they also offer really good intensive climbing classes. I know that AAI and M2 offer 13 day alpine climbing classes in which a lot is taught. This approach offers good instruction in a pretty short time frame. It ain't cheap, but if you have the cash this is a great way to learn quickly. Informally with friends, or friends of friends is a great way to learn, but you need to choose who you are learning from well. This can be hard to do, great climbers are not always great teachers. Also, you may not know any climbers. This also tends to be a slow process, unless you have the luxury of having a great guy or gal to work with that is willing to really dedicate the time and effort. On your own? You'd be just that. Usually self-taughts also learn from other climbers too. Not a bad way to learn, cheap. But it takes a very long time. A Any way you learn, Mattp is correct that you need to start reading reading reading and learning basics like knots and the like sitting in your own home. Good luck and enjoy, but be safe.

I THOUGHT that there was still a good bit of melting to happen before Teannaway River Road opened up all the way inot the trailhead? Check it out by calling the Ranger station. Please post any beta you get. Sorry I'm not much help. Good luck.

I was actually thinking three season like spring, summer, fall. That why I was looking for lightweight, but reasonably priced. I surfed by MEC and found an interesting synthetic jacket, but no decent down jackets (at least not any actually in stock). The MH Sub Zero is a large bulky hooded and heavy parka. At 37 OZs. is is just too heavy and too bulky. And for the money, $300.00, I'd never call that cheap. The TNF you suggest (summit) is decent, but still a bit heavy and more than I was looking for. The TNF Nuptse is more along the lines of what I'm looking at. The Marmot down sweater is another good suggestion. I was looking for other brands in this category But thanks for the suggestions anyway.

If the road is closed at 6.6 miles.....that leaves what, about 1.5 miles of snow covered road to the TH? How much snow is on that last section? Roughly, of course. Think it'll melt out soon? Sounds like you had a fun trip! Thanks...

DR C: You asked if it (Omega Doval) can serve the exact same purpose as an oval carabiner. I think it MOST likely can, however, as a Mountie you may want to ask: Will the Mountie Police allow it (Omega Doval) to serve the exact same purpose as an oval carabiner. Many things that you pick up on CC.com are great ways of doing thing, but they are OFTEN not Mountie approved.

Mattp points are well taken. You need the pack to do what you want it to do. A crampon pocket isn't going to do you much good on an alpine rock route. (But then again, mine holds a nalgene perfectly). So define what you really want to use the pack for. You said winter up to four nights, so I say look into larger packs (but avoid the load-monsters) that have the features that you need and will actually use. Some features are great, so long as you use them. If you don't they're just useless crap that you have to carry around. I know this goes without saying, but besides the issue of what features the pack bag has on it, you REALLY need to be sure that the pack frame fits you. You could have the coolest features on the coolest pack, but if the frame doesn't fit you, you'll curse the thing all trip long.

I'm with Mattp on the straps, I like em long. but I do disagree on a crampon pocket. It is worth it weight in ease of use. Further, I like tool tubes, but prefer the type TNF used to use and that you now see on the DaKine packs. Evem when mountaineering, the seconf point works very well to hold a shovel handel. Otherwise, I like a clean and simple pack.

Lots of synthetic choices suggested here...how about down. Say down jackets without a hood. Light weight and compressible. I have a TNF Nuptse and like it for the most part....a little heavy compared to others, but not bad. Any other down suggestions? Thanks in advance.

I looked on thier website and they didn't have it on sale? Maybe its an "in-store" special?

A buddy of mine is looking a for a "puffy" either down or synthetic but prefers down. So generally what are some insulated jackets that you recommend. And specifically, does anyone know of any place with a deal right now? Criteria: fairly light weight and compressible for mostly three season use, cut large as a belay jacket, and as cheap as possible. Thanks in advance

Joshk: at 5.5lbs its not the lightest, but I wouldn't call it heavy either, especially for a full featured pack with a frame in its size/capacity. I also heard that the new model has addressed some issues such as the ski slots (but I don't know for sure). Mattp: I agre with you on the side straps. This is way too common and is my main complaint with the Alpine Attack 50.

Take a good look at the Lowe Alpine Alpine Attack 65. It is brand new but is based on last years model Attack 50. Basically it is a larger verion. It sounds like it is what you are looking ofr. I have the Alpine Attack 50 and like it, but with winter gear it would be small. It is also priced right. It has a crampon pouch which rocks and gear loops. Check it out.

Mailbox Peak

Actually, I just picked one up. I am impressed so far. It is light. However, I haven't had a chance to test it out yet. I was able to get a good "deal" on it. I did look at, in the store, the WM Ultralite (at PMS). Wow, what a nice bag. The loft was amazing and it came in right on its advertised weight. But it was just too spendy. I went back and looked at the REI Sub-kilo since its redesign and again, for the money I was pretty impressed. Right on its advertised weight. I still say, for the money one of the best down light weight bags in this temp range. I have been unable to pick up, or even look at a Moonstone Lucid.

For basic glacier travel, light and fast (OK I'm too old and fat to move fast , but light anyway), I serioulsy think a combination of the Petzel ULTRALEGERE with the Omega JC Wire Gate is the way to go. At a combined total weight of 51 gms (that's 1.8 ounces ) it is hard to beat for weight. The JC Wire gate happens to be built perfectly to allow the wheel to turn without hitting the side of the biner. Keep in mind that you have to have a biner anyway. If you are worried about strength, I agree it isn't the strongest thing out there. But this way the biner acts as the pulley's axle, instead of some weak ass axle like on the Petzl OSCILLANTE Further, this set up elimniates the weak ass housing connecting hte axel to the biner. Tell me that is stronger than a biner... Maybe I'm wrong, you engineer type feel free to chime in and tell me I'm high on crack. But it certainly seems to be to be the best "lightweight" system out there.