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Sierra mountaineering/ice boots

Original Post
csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330

I currently ice climb very little...maybe a handful of time a year. I've been wearing my Spantiks when I go. I now live in CA and am hoping to do some Sierra couloir/gully ice routes (are they even still around with this crazy drought/warming!?)this year. I no longer own a lighter single boot that will accept a crampon and am looking for a good boot. I'm looking at something like a Trango S EVO GTX or a Trango EVO light GTX. Sierra alpine "ice" tends to be a lot of walking on trails, rocks, and dirt, with some rock climbing and scrambling and finally....if you're lucky...you find ice and not not a snow slog. So the boot has to hike and climb rock well, and be warm enough to climb some ice, but not too warm! What's your favorite alpine boot for warmer climbing someplace like the Sierra?

webdog · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 0

The light weight LS Trango's climb ice well but are hell to walk in. They're super stiff and narrow. Now I've got a pair of leather Nepal's and they're better to walk in. I'd be curious to hear how the Salewa boots work. Their shoes are great

iceman777 · · Colorado Springs · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 60

Before moving to Colorado I lived in Reno for 12 years and spent most of my time exploring the Sierra east side .Whitney, Palasades, sawtooth , mt Dana,Levining , ect ect ect ad nausea .

Get a pair of La Sportiva Ganda guides , I whish I had this choice when I was climbing in the sierras ! For winter your Spanticks will be fine esp if you ski in and out , I used a pair of Koflach degrees in raimer bindings on cheap Sierra cement skis and loved it esp coming out of the Palasades, I even tore up Mt Rose in that set up a few times .

FYI there is no real serious ice climbs in the high sierras , south shore Lake Tahoe , Cold stream, Le Vining are moderate at best . Good if you cannot afford to travel someplace else but not worth a trip from out of state . The higher classics U notch, V notch ect ect are steep snow slogs at best .

I think you would be pleased with the gandas and so would your feet ! I've been rocking my pair ever since they came out and they have yet to disappoint me or my feet . If your going to do more technical rock throw in a pair of dedicated rock shoes and enjoy .All so called soft mountaineering boots I've ever tried made my feet miserable . Even the softest mountaineering boot will be way too stiff for the long approaches your going to have and hammered toes and blisters are what you'll have to endure .

Just my .2c.

ColinM McKim · · Frederick, CO · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 50

I have a pair of Trango S (not EVO GTX) boots that I've used for both hiking and ice climbing. They are not the best ice climbing or hiking boot but they work for both. They are lightweight and stiff enough to work with crampons. I wouldn't want to hike more than ten miles a day in them since they don't have much flex. They were designed for walking in snow and edging on rock, at which they excel. The Trango series is the only alpine boot that I've found to fit my narrow feet. I'd recommend the La Sportiva Boulder X mid GTX for a good 3 season lightweight scrambling boot. This and the Ganda would only take strap on crampons. I use Black Diamond Sabertooths with the toe basket on my Trangos.

Dr. Long Arm · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 15
iceman777 wrote:Get a pair of La Sportiva Ganda guides.
For climbing ice? No, don't do that.

If you want to climb 50+ degree ice (North Peak Couloirs, etc), you're definitely going to want a boot designed for that purpose, not an approach shoe, which may work with a strap-on crampon for steep snow climbing at best.

I have the now-discountined Scarpa Rebel Ultra GTX and love them. They're super comfortable, very light, and have just enough flex in the sole to make hiking bearable (although I would certainly wear something else if there was no snow/ice to deal with). They aren't very warm but would be perfect for spring/summer in the Sierra.

Check out the Scarpa Rebel Pro GTX and the Mt. Blanc Pro GTX. Both feature the super comfortable floating tongue, with the Mt. Blanc being the burlier, more durable, warmer boot of the two. The Rebel Pro could be just what you are looking for...
climbing coastie · · Wasilla, AK · Joined Feb 2011 · Points: 95

Go with the LS "Silver Bullets". You won't be disappointed. I had a pair of Nepal Evo's I wore the sole off of and got the silver bullets and haven't regretted it for anything here in CA.

CCChanceR Ronemus · · Bozeman, MT · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 130

I'm really stoked on my Asolo Eigers. Kind of an under appreciated boot IMO. They're crazy light and climb ice really well. Hike snow really well, haven't rock climbed in them much though, hoping that their light weight translates into fancy rock footwork?

csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330
iceman777 wrote:... The higher classics U notch, V notch ect ect are steep snow slogs at best .
I haven't been ice climbing in CA in several years, so I'd like to know what the conditions have been like the last few years with the warm dry weather. But I did do some of these routes years ago...U-notch, V-notch, Dana...and while they were not that steep, I did find them in true ice conditions. Definitely not a snow slog when they were in.

Anyone have both a pair of Spantiks and a pair of Trango EVO lights? Im wondering how they compare size-wise. I have a pair of Spantiks and want to know if I'd take the same size Silver Bullets.
Cory B · · Fresno, CA · Joined Feb 2015 · Points: 2,577

Curious if you went with the silver bullets. If so how did you like them? I was thinking of picking up a pair....

Jon H · · PC, UT · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 118
C Brooks wrote:Curious if you went with the silver bullets. If so how did you like them? I was thinking of picking up a pair....
Everyone who has the silver bullets loves them. You will too, as long as they fit well and you don't head out if it's too cold (I'd say below 15 deg F, but that obviously depends on you).

Silver bullets are ideal for Cali and lower altitude climbs in CO. I wouldn't take them up high without a really good weather window - toes are precious. Not warm enough for New England at all, IMO.
Clint White aka Faulted Geologist · · Lawrence, KS · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 151

I have a pair of Lowa Tibet GTX boots for big backpacking treks with a 70+ L pack and 2 weeks of food, and I have never loved a boot more.

My next purchase will be a pair of Lowa Weisshorn GTX for ice and alpine. They are all handmade in Germany or Europe. I have tested various other boots they have, and I always feel like the build is the best. Anyone else climb in Lowa?

Matt..C · · South Lake Tahoe, CA · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 20
C Brooks wrote:Curious if you went with the silver bullets. If so how did you like them? I was thinking of picking up a pair....
What size are you? I've got a pair of 41s that are just a hair too big for me.
Cory B · · Fresno, CA · Joined Feb 2015 · Points: 2,577
Matt..C wrote: What size are you? I've got a pair of 41s that are just a hair too big for me.
Too small for me!
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Ice Climbing
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