jack s. > Forum Messages

Oct 3, 2013 Haha, just did this about a month ago at a friends wedding, then climbed in them the next day. View Message

Sep 22, 2013 It is easy to say soloing is stupid, but the question comes in the grey area where the terrain just starts to get techincal. Nobody would rope up to walk down the sidewalk,… View Message

Aug 10, 2013 If you are in the Valhalla over a weekend, I could probably meet you and do Gimli. Maybe something in the adamant range over labour day? Not 100% sure about the work schedule. View Message

Aug 9, 2013 I wore chacos with dull aluminum crampons. They worked great although chacos don't have the greatest insulation... I suppose gore text does have its applications. View Message

Jul 9, 2013 Just get the xpro. Then you can have a similarly awesome camera. If you are Alpine climbing, you can just take the prime lens that fits your trip the best. When you go sport cl… View Message

Jun 11, 2013 I have to agree with the first 6 listed, although must of Utah's climbing highlights don't include ice or Alpine. At least British Columbia trumps everything mentioned so far,… View Message

Jun 10, 2013 There was an incident at Castle crag in the north American mountaineering accidents book where this happened. I still carry long slings over my shoulder, but you should avoid l… View Message

Jun 6, 2013 True. You probably won't see a Ranger enforcing backcountry permits anywhere in the Sierras, with the exception of Whitney Portal. The only two times I have ever been required… View Message

May 28, 2013 I recently got both. 44 performance fit in the miura and 45 in the tc pro. Not sure if that is the same for everyone or not. For the record, I am 46 in the Ganda and 47.5 in th… View Message

May 25, 2013 Another favourite climbing quote. A woman at Lake Louise asks "so do you need to be a professional to get all that gear up there?" Random climber jumps out of the woods and rep… View Message

Apr 14, 2013 FIVETEN BURGER! I know its the area code, but I can't help thinking it has something to do with climbing. Plus they are some of the better burgers I've had. View Message

Mar 20, 2013 The North Face Cat's Meow is ranked petty high. I own a 15°F down bag and absolutely regret it. Get a synthetic so you're not screwed when it gets wet. I would tend to agr… View Message

Jan 24, 2013 I've climbed quite comfortably in -20° Canadian a few times quite happily. Ice gets much more difficult at that temperature though. I am sure I have rock climbed at below… View Message

Jan 12, 2013 I have synthetic pants (nano puff by Patagonia). Got them for $10 and I love them, although the only use I have really found for them is when I am back at camp if it is less th… View Message

Jan 8, 2013 The strength of the rock is not really a determining factor here. It is the rock-ice interface that matters most. If the rock is super smooth, the ice will have a poorer bond… View Message

Dec 25, 2012 Make sure they are big enough. Slightly undersized gloves can make ice climbing a completely miserable experience. Pro lite sells the camp hot glove which is super in my opi… View Message

Dec 9, 2012 This is the same route that I had in mind. Just be sure to stay close the the ridge. The face is kinda gross. This route would be good pretty much anytime the Bugaboos have goo… View Message

Dec 9, 2012 You can blow through the non-pointy end. I've never had my lips stick to the metal if that is your concern. The one thing is that it is ABSOULUTELY VITAL that you point the oth… View Message

Dec 2, 2012 As for phone service, if you have Verizon, just get the Nationwide plus Mexico plan for an extra $20 a month or so and then switch back to your normal plan when you return. It… View Message

Nov 8, 2012 The Go pro is really only useful if you choose to put some time and effort into it. Climbing is really a pretty boring sport from the spectator's point of view, unless you put… View Message

Oct 31, 2012 The trick is to find that 5.3 that still remains at your limit after five to ten years of climbing experience. They are not too easy to find, but they do exist. View Message

Oct 31, 2012 My favourite occasion of this is when a bunch of people brought their guitars along and played various songs, although "Wild Horses" by the Rolling Stones is the most memorable… View Message

Oct 30, 2012 I have been pretty spoiled when it comes to ice. Coming from Hyalite, California has very chopped ice, but I suppose this is a matter of perspective. Like I say, the ESI guideb… View Message

Oct 30, 2012 I moved to British Columbia, so I certainly won't be going to California to ice climb with you any time soon, but your best bet is Coldstream Canyon right outside of Truckee. T… View Message

Oct 15, 2012 Assuming ice climbing is on. My list in my perfect world, within the US and Canada. January: Hyalite Canyon, Bozeman Montana. Lots of ice from WI2 to WI7 February: South… View Message

Oct 13, 2012 Grade IV: REI Flash 18 pack with 1.5 Litres of water in Platypus bottles (makes a nice impromtu pack frame) with about 500 to 1000 calories of food, minimal clothing as require… View Message

Oct 6, 2012 Skaha is truly your best bet in the Spring with a limited trad rack in western Canada. If you delay until summer, Lake Louise is one of the most enjoyable sport climbing areas… View Message

Oct 2, 2012 Thanks for the heads up. I am aware of the concerns and discussions behind the use of strings. I agree that it can be an issue, but I find the benefits outweigh the risks, espe… View Message

Oct 2, 2012 It doesn't directly answer your question, but there is no better way to train for ice climbing than climbing ice. Becoming experienced enough to climb efficiently is more impor… View Message

Sep 30, 2012 My standard is 6 alpine draws (with strings). I then put two double length slings over the shoulder with one biner each. Sometimes I also put two other single slings over the s… View Message

Sep 30, 2012 It is really easy to sit here on the internet and assume that you are one of the idiots that we have all dealt with on various climbs, but the truth is that we all had to start… View Message

Sep 30, 2012 Seriously, not trying to be rude, but I strongly recommend getting on some nice steep snow slope with a good safe, rock-less runout zone and practice self arresting. Once you c… View Message

Sep 28, 2012 I really can't see any good reason to use screws without the spinny knobs, unless you just want to carry a screw or two for general mountaineering that you plan to never place… View Message

Sep 28, 2012 Do you speak French? There may be some options if English is your only language, but you would have to do more research than I did before I went to Chamonix. The village is rea… View Message

Sep 27, 2012 I just moved out of the East Bay (still a bit sad about that--Berkeley is awesome!). Best ice climbing that I have found in California was Clyde Couloir in the Palisades, which… View Message

Sep 19, 2012 Keenan has half a good point here. I did my undergrad at Montana Tech and my Master's at University of California, Berkeley. My Bachelor's that I got from MT was just about as… View Message