New climber to Washington Cascades: footwear help

[khu]

Just moved to the area after graduating school and landing a job in Seattle. I'm looking to get on some climbs and have yet to obtain gear. I've got outerwear covered except for boots. I would be looking to do mainly spring-summer climbs. I am not interested in ice climbing, just snow/steep snow, alpine class 5 and scrambles. My question is this: I'm looking at Scarpa boots, and have narrowed it down to the Mont Blanc, Triolet Pro GTX and the Maverick gtx, which is best suited for the area.

 

Now, I know that the Mont blanc is kind of an outlier in the group, but I'm really not sure if it's something I need or not. I would imagine something like the Triolet or Maverick would suffice for the seasons I'd mainly be climbing, but I would love to get out on some cold weather climbs, be it either back country boarding, snow camping or even an ascent, and I feel the triolet and maverick would not be warm enough.

 

Any help is welcome, I'm new to the sport and area, so I really don't know what I should be looking for.

 

Thanks!

 

khu

[NWben]

For what you are looking at I would recommend the Triolet or Mavericks. The Mont Blanc is an amazing boot, but it's pretty stiff for long approach hikes and non-technical climbing. As far as warmth it kind of depends on the person. I have pair of Charmoz that I've climbed Mt. Baker in early June, Adams in late October, and some mid-winter climbs of other north cascades peaks and been fine. My feet run naturally pretty warm though, some peoples feet get cold a lot easier. The Triolet is going to be a little warmer than the Charmoz, so I would think you'd be ok. I haven't seen the Maverick yet so I don't know about that one. Hope this helps!

[khu]

When I was trying on boots a size 43 had my toes right at the end of the toe box, with the 43.5 my toes would touch the front while going down the little test ramp in REI, and they did not have a 44 to try. Should I assume a 44 will work? I could see the 43.5 causing issues on descent. I wear a size 10 street shoe and I guess 44 may work to allow for foot expansion and sock layering. I had smartwool snowboarding socks on while testing these. Probably what I would wear on the mountain.

[NWben]

44 is probably a safe bet, maybe even a 44.5. You don't want your toes hitting at all, and you're feet definitely swell when you're climbing. I know they aren't boots REI normally carries, but as a Scarpa retailer they can always order them for you and then you can return them if they don't fit well.

Edited August 6, 2012 by NWben

[yellowlab03]

I have the Triolet's and I like them a lot. They have no insulation so if you stand in one spot on snow or in the cold your toes will probably get cold. I have been up Adams in them and was fine, and have been on Rainier in them and was fine, but both were in June, July and Aug. My boss has the Mont Blancs and he likes them a lot and doesn't have anything bad to say about them.

[khu]

I ended up getting a pair of the triolet's in 44. I guess that's 10.5 in US so it's a reasonable buffer for socks/swelling/snow pack in my boot. This time of year, what temps can you expect at the lunch counter on adams and camp muir on rainier?

 

 

[yellowlab03]

Warm to hot. Lunch counter was in the mid to high 70's when I was up there two weeks ago, and Muir was probably about the same though it felt like it was way warmer. It might not have even been that warm at either places, but you have zero cover and are totally exposed to the sun. I was in shorts and a t-shirt at both places.