Fast and Lite in the Seattle PI

[olyclimber]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/299762_ultralight15.html

[Hendershot]

This topic should turn into a heated thread soon.

 

You can't blame someone for wanting to go light, except to a point where you aren't prepared. When some RMI clients asked to borrow my partner's shovel at Muir last year, we had a discussion on how light you could go by relying on others parties gear. Still our conclusion was you need to be self sufficient in principle no matter what.

 

I had my experiences with carrying way to much gear, because I over anticipated bad conditions, 40lbs on glaicer peak in the hottest day of summer. I also went too light and had an uncomfortable night in the Enchantments. Between these mistakes I carefully examine (& weigh) each piece of gear before I pack it. My buddy lent me Ray Jardine's book and I proceeded to get rid of my redundant gear. Besides reducing pack weight, in both packing mistakes I made, they could have been solved by researching current conditions before setting out on my intended route and pack accordingly.

[MattStan]

I hope Loren's server can handle the traffic they're mistakenly sending him...

[catbirdseat]

Yeah, I noticed that error too. Unfortunate, the writer left off that pesky S.

 

There was also a column by Joel Connolly that talked about the 2006 season on Everest and the death of that climber Sharp on the standard route contrasting that with Dan Mazur's rescue of another climber on the North Ridge route.

Edited January 15, 2007 by catbirdseat