I Like Turtles

We have had so many turtles at the campground this year. I'm not sure what that is about, but it's been fun watching them move around and share living space with us.

Tonight, as I was cropping pictures, I came across some shots that Nathan took of some turtles. Which made me think of Austin. For two reasons. The first being that he is in Virginia with Daryl and Diana for a visit. He is my baby and the only child I have left living in our household, so I wasn't fond of him going away. Lauren just had surgery though, so I thought it would be a kind thing if he went to keep his cousin who is in a cast company.



Before he left, I told him not to ask me if he could stay there for anything longer than a two or three week long visit. Because it rips my heart out to even think of giving up any of the little bit of time I have left with him up. I said it clear terms that if he called and asked me, I'd be tempted to bring home sooner rather than later. And then I said, I mean it. So he'd know of course that I really did mean it. I wasn't just tossing out empty, meaningless threats.



So today, he called Nathan to tell him he wanted to stay longer and why. Ok, so he didn't call me which is what I had so clearly laid out. What he did do was to try and go around Mom though. Because he knows Dad isn't quite as sad about the last one leaving home as Mom. Dad would probably be ok with him staying longer.



So Dad tells me, just to let you know...this is what Austin called about. At which point I got angry and sad all at the same time. Since I cry when I'm angry and I cry when I'm sad, I just took care of both at once and cried twice as hard.



The main reason the turtle picture is making me think of Austin though is because a few years ago he fell in love with a video where a young kid is being interviewed by a reporter and he randomly says, I like turtles. Austin played this video over and over and over and over and over again. I think he even made it his voice mail message on his phone. It didn't hurt any that he likes turtles himself.



Somehow the two things are related, but I'm not sure why because I'm crying again over missing my youngest boy. Oh yeah, they are related because I can't look at turtles now without Austin's voice running through my head and I can't see turtles without thinking of Austin. So this picture made me think of Austin. And now I'm missing him.



So in honor of the turtle loving guy I thought I'd send him this message:



Dear Austin,



Mom just wants you to know I miss you so much already. And don't call Dad again about trying to stay longer or Mom will have to come up and bring you home the next day.



Much Love,

Mom

Poor Van Dora ...

Wednesday, March 7th - - My decision to leave Salt Lake City yesterday morning was made the previous week. I was ready to go after five weeks researching in Genea-Mecca but in hindsight perhaps I should have waited a few more days... I was headed to California but high winds with strong gusts were forecast for all of Nevada (and much of the west) for the next two days. I could take the northern route and get into the snow storm that was predicted and coming towards Salt Lake City. Or I could take the southern route through Las Vegas then west. After checking the weather reports before leaving yesterday morning I decided the safest route would be to go south.



I haven't checked to see what the weather was like along I-80 so I don't know if my chosen route (I-15 south) was the best or safest! But I do know it sure wasn't an easy day of driving! It wasn't too bad until I got about half way to St. George, which is about 300 miles south of Salt Lake City, when the winds really picked up. By the time I got to St. George, it was definitely two-handed white-knuckle driving! Then when I got into Nevada, there were times when visibility was extremely limited due to the blowing sand. There was an amazing amount of tumbleweeds blowing down the highway too, as well as plastic bags and bottles and various other debris.



My “plan” had been to stop at Valley of Fire State Park for the night, which is about 40 miles north of Las Vegas. But there was so much sand and dirt and gravel being blown about that I decided to continue on south. I stopped just north of Las Vegas for gas and had a really rough time trying to stand in one spot to pump the gas.



I made it through Las Vegas before the rush hour and drove the 50 miles or so west to Pahrump where I wimped out and spent the night at a motel. At around five o'clock or so we had a little rain added to the wind and I was glad that I was inside, safe and dry. I learned later on the news that the wind had been steady at about 30 mph most of the day with gusts up to 75 mph – no wonder my right arm and shoulder was sore!





Poor Van Dora. She needs a bath! This is what happens when you drive in blowing sand then a little rain comes along... I didn't really think the van was all that dirty when I got out at the motel. After the rain, all of the other cars in the parking lot were in this same condition, which means that as the rain fell it must have picked up some of the sand and dust in the air. I think it was basically raining mud, at least for a short time.





Van Dora looks worse now than she did traveling on the dirt roads in Alaska!

Winter Layers?

This is a post from Feb of '10 . But as the season is just getting started for the winter of '11/'12, thought it worth reposting with a few updates from what I have learned over the last two winters.



Winter layers?



(or in this case lack of layers)



If you have seen this all before skip down to "layer ONE".



I get to spendtimeice climbing around Banff and on the Icefield's Parkway in Alberta Canada. Places I have climbed and skied in most winters for years. Last winter I was lucky enough to spend a few months in Chamonix.



Besides the obvious high quality ice climbing I alwayslook forward to field testing some new (for me anyway) pieces of clothing and ideas on cold weather use.



But before I get to what I have learned in the last two years, let me back up a bit and tell you what I have used in years previously and have been happy with generally.



The coldest temps we would actually climb in hover around -25/-30C (-22F). Anything colder and I retreat to a shelter, hot springs and good food. Not uncommon to see



+10C (50F) on calm days in the sun on sheltered ice climbs.















Base layers?



Generally Merino wool or Capilene, two piece set ups. Some times even these will get layered.









Mid layer/insulation ?



Pile. Pick your weight and material but generally some sort of pile gear. Pile pants and pile shirts or sweaters.



Outer layer/ protection?



Early on it was nylon shells, then Goretex and then Shoeller style soft shells of wool/spandex (25 years ago) and more recently synthetics (Shoeller and Polartec fabrics) with real 4 way stretch.



Boots were singles and dbls. Often times with Supergators on the singles and even the dbls when required.



Gloves/Mitts?



Old stand-bys were boiled wool Dachsteins with/without over mitts. My favorite were Dachsteins and Helly Hansen over mitts and when required a foam pad between the layers to keep your hands from getting too beat up with straight shafted tools. Dachstein gloves had their place as well...but generally considered a luxury. Goretex shelled gauntlet gloves with thick pile liner came next and have remained a standard with leashed tools.



Leashed tools? Leashless tools? Here is where much of the info I am relating changes drastically. Tools te newest BD Cobra and Fusion or the Petzl Nomic and Quarks have in many ways redefined what we use for clothing on ice/mixed climbs. Gear that easily works leashless will NOT be warm enough, in my experience, for leashed climbing.



OK..back to the clothing systems.



An old saying I heard as a kid was, "Eskimos never sweat." The thought behind that? It was just too cold in an Arctic environment to ever risk getting wet, soaking your insulation and then having that insulation freeze. Makes sense, but how do you ever get anything done and not sweat if you are working hard and trying to climb fast?



(I'm about to repeat info now that can be better understood by reading Mark Twight's and Will Gadd's ice climbing/technique books)



Obviously you'll sweat on the approach unless you really back off the pace. I don't do approaches longer than just a few minutes in my climbing upper layer. I dress really lightly on the top layer for the walk in and then dry off (while not getting chilled) at the base of the climbing. That generally means I bring an extra top layer if the approach is long.



To stay dry on the climbI use a belay sweater/jacket (depending on insulation required by the temps) to let my body heat dry me off and keep me warm while drying out at the belay if I have broken a sweat climbing.

The trick here is to make sure your clothing system will dry out with body heat alone. One wrong layer and the system may not work efficiently. Better yet climb with a light enough and breathable enough set of clothing that you don't wet your body or gear on anything but the hardest leads. It is a tough balancing act.



Light enough...breathable enough?



Four words that are saying a lot! You need to push the definition of both imo.



I switched a few years ago to all Shoeller style clothing. Which if you look at much of what is available today for cutting edge fabrics here in the US is actually a Polartec product. But early on unbelieving on just how far I really needed to go I bought all the gear in a insulated form.I have worn out a set of both over time. And I still love both of them for climbing. For everything but the very coldest weather (below -10C) I find the insulatedsoft shellsto be too much insulation and not breathable enough.



That was then () ...and it may still be true. But last winter at the OR show in Salt Lake City, there were several new fabrics that were getting a buzz. I was lucky enough to get a Neoshell Westcomb Apoc jacket to try out. PreviousI had spentyears in hard shell Goretex garmentsand finally abandoned them itforwinter climbing. Neoshell was the first of the "modern shells" I have been able to use.



And by most accounts Neoshellis what all the rest of the new fabricsare being judged by if the early reports are accurate.







I am currently testing some of the newestvariations on that idea from Polartec. And it would seem that we might actually have more breathable and more water repellant soft shell options available soon. But I'll report what I do find if there is a significant change.



So why too much? Too heavy physically, too warm and not breathable enough.



OK, you ask, "WTF, Dane?" "That is a $400 piece of kit (Gamma MX Hoody) you encouraged me to buy last year and now you are telling me it is rubbish?...too warm?...too heavy?"



This year Arcteryx has changed the material on the Gamma MX Hoody and is offering an alternative to that technology in the Venta MX Hoody. Both are suppose to be more breathable. Patagonia is there as well using Polartec fabrics. Mountain Hardware, Eddie Bauer and Outdoor Reasearch and even Cabella's have joined the game as well.



All with one idea, to stay warm you must stay dry.



Last year I thought the Gamma MX hoody would be the one piece of clothing I would always take on alpine/ice routes. Last winter I didn't use the Gamma MX at all climbing, but did for one day of skiing in the Alps. So, yes it is a big change for me as well. Now I am saying it is too much? Yes....but don't throw it away just yet :)



















You need to go back to the idea that "cool muscles work more efficiently".







Mind you it might take you a bit of effort to find out just how "cool" you are willing to work at to make this all work. That might include a trip where you dress too light and freeze your ass off to find out just how "cool" you'll want to be :) I'd suggest you make that trip, a low risk, high energy event. If you blow it bad on the clothing combos at least movement will generally keep you warm. You need to iron out your system in a fairly controlled environment.



The rewards are worth the risk imo. But to be sure, blow these combinations in a big way and cold injury is almost certain or even death will be the end result. I have used the system at a fine edge half a dozen times now and I had significant performance and recovery break through each time. I also look back and thank my lucky stars that there was no "incident" on those climbs that could have easily precipitated a disaster. An unplanned night out in bad weather while cutting it close on gear can be more than just uncomfortable.



The results of 24 unplanned hrs out in 10F temps? And a full year of recovery.































Here are my current thoughts on winter clothing systems.Limit the layers. Yes, limit the layers! The first picture in this post is me climbing early in my career in mostly wool, with temps rapidly going to -40 as the sun went down. It was pretty miserable at the time and to be honest a little scary. I had never been in such temps and that exposed before.



But a couple of things made a big difference. I was mobile, light layers made that possible. I was dry internally because the clothing breathed well and so I stayed warm if I kept moving. Funny now because I realised as I typed this morning that the clothing pictured there (circa 1973) would be a perfect set up for leashless climbing now in very cold temps...say -20C but not at -40C :)



So limit the layers and stay mobile. Easy to do now with modern clothing.



Layer ONE:



I am using a R1 Hoody inner layer. MEC makes R1 tops and bottoms for something like $60 retail. Or you can buy Patagonia's for $150. Same exact material and in several ways the MEC clothing is better designed imo. Now there is a easy decision for price point. Buy I do like the detailing offered by the R1. I want to be comfortable and the R1s details like a long cut, easily tucked in and off the face zipper make a difference to me. Not a $100 difference mind you as I'll find the R1 on sale before paying retail.



Yes, just the R1 and nothing between it and my skin. Although my lowers are actually Costco longs...almost expedition weight but some brand name called "Paradox". The R1 seems to be just a bit much on my legs and I lose some mobility compared to the Paradox lowers which seem to slide in the outer shell pants I am using easier. Last winter in the Alps on the-20C days I would use two layers of the Paradox longs and lwt soft shell pant. So the system isn't perfect. I'd also add a Merino wool hoody from Sherpa Adventure Gear under my R1 on the really cold days. But even when adding layers for more warmth in the Alps I know the material I was using would breath.



This newtechnology (again a Polartec concept) Cabela's E.C.W.C.S Thermal Zone® Polartec® Power Dry® might be much better yet than simply dbl layering as I have done in the past to gain warmth.

This technology with a hood would be hard to beat.





Generation III Extended Cold Weather Clothing System (GEN III ECWCS) from PEO Soldier on Vimeo.





It shouldn't be a huge surprise that Mark Twight has his design fingers in the US Military'scurrent cold weather systems,























Layer TWO:



That depends on the outside temps and the level of aerobic action I expect.











In the past I have used the Eddie Bauer Front Point jacket..it is a combo hard shell and soft shell . Very water resistant (my top was dry in a soaking waterfall that went straight through my pants and filled my boots to the brim) and very breathable. I am highly impressed with the details of this garment and the combo of materials used. A surprising and almost immediate favorite for cold technical climbing. And now discontinued.



But here is where the newest fabricsget interesting. There are now several offerings from Polartec that are soft shell and "hard" shells that might well replace what I thought was a good use of the fabric technology in the EB Front Point.



Patagonia is offering a newPower Shield Pro product, Marmot is offering a Power Shield '02. That is just touching the surface as Mountain Hardware is in the game as is Outdoor Reasearch and Arc'teryx.











We can thank our tax dollarsand the US miitary for testing much of this gear and the budgets that enabled Polartec and others to do the research and development.







-OR-







Arcteryx Atom Lt Hoody....lightly insulated shell with stretch vented sides and under the arms. Again a surprise, water resistant as well but not tested to any extreme yet. Very warm for its weight and thickness but useful in the right temps (cold) for hard climbing because the stretch side panels and insulated body breath so well.















































Worth noting that I have now cut one full layer from the previous suggestions from even last year's system. Insulation is used as required in the base layer and in the outer layer. And most manufactures are now making something similar.



Patagonia's Nano series is another example. I use a Nano puff to layer over my Atom light in many cold weather instances. Mtn Hardware has one as well with the stretch side panels . But there is no separate insulation layer short of the belay sweater (like how I am using the Nano Puff) and a actual belay jacket. The real insulation is in layer THREE where the insulation can EASILY be added or just as likely removed to keep you dry and mobile.





For my pants I have been using the Arcteryx Gamma Lt. for three winters now. I did add a set of grommets to use them as a pant gaiter. And no one more surprised than me that a set of generic long johns and a Gamma Lt. would be good enough to keep me warm and toasty from -10C to well above freezing and still breath enough on the "death marches" while toiling and dripping in in sweat. Only disadvantages I see are they aren't very durable and the lower left leg could be more tapered if my crampon "wear" is any indication.



Layer THREE:



A Belay jacket chosen for the degree of warmth required and how much drying will be required.















Listed in amount of warmth is required. Warm temps to cold and how much moisture I expect:







Mountain Hardware Compressor Hoody (Primaloft 1)



*shown here in combo with the Atom Lt @ -20C in the shade* (lots of other high qulaity jackets in this catagory now)



I use this combo now with a Arcteryx Atom SV and have been happy with it to -20C as well.









Any of these trhee will offer even more warmth if required

Narrona Hooded Down



Arcteryx Duelly



Eddie Bauer XV



As a system that is it...THREE... layers total. And one generally will be in the pack or going in and out of the pack. Only times I have found myself climbing continuously in all three layerson my upper body last winter I was either very tired or more likely it was dark and I was tired.



Staying hydrated and your food intake up as required has not been mentioned. But the fastest way to get frost bite is get dehydrated. Fastest way to get tired and stat moving slowly is not eat enough. You need to manage your clothing systemand what you east and drink.



Gloves and boots?



Maintaining your mobility, cutting down on weight by doing so allows you to move faster. You can then use lighter weight boots and gloves and still stay equally as warm or warmer while moving faster with less effort! Add the advantages of leashless tools and the differences of what you can get away with for a glove system while still being comfortable is simply...amazing.



You have to remember it is a SYSTEM. If required I could carry and use both layer TWO pieces together for extra warmth. I'll do another post and describe the boot and glove systems I am using with this clothing combo. Scarpa and La Sportiva for boots and Outdoor Research and Mtn Hardware for gloves cover the brand names here for me currently.



But there are new players here as well, Salewa, Mammut andArcteryx again. But it is hard to find bad gear these days. Much easier to use the right gear in the wrong place though. I think the newest materials and designs will sort themselves out in the next winter or two and much of this will become common knowledge. Right now it is hard to keep track as there is so much new gear and new applications it is hard to keep track.....I can't.



Bottom line to all this and thefield testing? I'm climbingharder and faster with less effort and less clothes and in more comfort than ever before. Huge success for me.



I think you find a similar result.



An after thought..



A long time climbing buddy who on rare occasion reads the blog busted on me for listing all the brand names I use. I search out the best gear for my own use and buy it at retail. No one giving this stuff to me. But that doesn't make it the best gear for your use. I list the manufacturers simply so you can make direct comparison for your own benefit.

Finally, Dogs Gone

Nita looks like she is ready to relax since that dog, Tuffee, has left.

Peace River After Much Rain

The kids kept telling me how high the river was after all the rain we've had. I think this winter it has rained more than any winter I can recall in Florida. So it didn't surprise me to hear it was high.



Tonight, we took a walk back there to see it ourselves.



It was as beautiful as always back there. And the river was higher than I've ever seen it before!

Since we are gearing up to head out of this area in a few days...I'm wanting to soak up the beauty while we are still here. With all the rain, there is green everywhere. It just screams Spring!



I love it! Living the life in Florida!

A Custom Rivendell Roadbike

Some time ago I got the chance to try a custom Rivendell, built for local cyclist and bicycle mechanic Jim A. I had been eying this beautiful bicycle in Jim's corner at Harris Cyclery for a couple of years now and did not have the nerve to ride it. But as my curiosity grew and my bike handling skills improved, the stars finally aligned and it all culminated in a test ride.





As far as Rivendells go, this one is both iconic and unique. The lugwork and color scheme look quintessentially Rivendellian, but the frame was built by Roland Della Santa in 2000, whereas today theircustom frames are usually built by Mark Nobilette. Of course being custom it was also built according to Jim's proportions and specifications, in particular to accommodate his long legs and a short torso.





As far as lugwork, there are some special touches such as the double-plated fork crown,





the elegant seat cluster,





and the filigreed lugs framing the contrasting head tube panel. Of course I love the sage green and cream color scheme. If I were to get a custom Rivendellthis is pretty much what it would look like.





Jim has this bicycle set up with Nitto Noodle handlebars, bar-end shifters, a compact drivetrain,PanaracerPasela28mm tires, and a green BrooksB17 saddle. The frame was built for short reach brakes, and will fit a 28mm tire with fender.





The frame size is 54cm x 53.5cm. With its standard diameter tubing, level top tube, and road geometry, this bicycle resembles a classic roadbike more so than Rivendell's currently produced models - which was one reason I was interested in trying it.






I rode the bicycle for a 5-8 mile loop through the suburbs with some hills. While I did not put the bike "through the paces" (I was still pretty nervous about marring its pristine condition), I did get a basic sense for its handling and speed. And... my main impression was that it handled similarly to my Mercian - to a freewheel, geared version of it, that is. The acceleration, the turning, and just the general feel of the Rivendell felt so similar that it was as if I was riding a different version of my own bike. With the handlebars set up for Jim but the saddle lowered for me, I was more upright than I wanted to be, and also there was some toe overlap with the front wheel, so on my own bike the specs would be a little different. But otherwise it felt comfortable, while also being lighter and more responsive than the stockRivendellSam Hillborne I own.






It is hard to believe that 2000 was 12 years ago, but time does fly. Since they opened shop in 1994, Rivendell's philosophy has been shifting consistently in the direction of wider tires, hardier tubing, upright handlebars, greater off-road capacity, and reinforced frames (double top tubes, diagonal tubes, etc.). But in the past they did offer more roadish models that were essentially classic lugged steel road-to-trail bikes with decent tire clearances - nothing fancier or more eccentric than that. Trying a custom bicycle from this period was a treat, and has helped me understand the company's history. Many thanks to Jim A. for allowing me to ride his bike and to share these pictures.

Computer Games

I have never liked computer games, but with the influence of the Co-Habitant I am finally starting to get into them.



Here he is, taking a break after a particularly heated round.



What you need to play: an open road and a fast bicycle. Challenging hills can be introduced after you pass Level 1. Oh yes, and of course you'll need a computer.



After I mocked the Co-Habitant for putting one of these on his own bike, he decided that I was just jealous and got me one for Graham (my Rivendell Sam Hillborne). I reluctantly agreed to try it, and quickly grew to love it - much to my dismay, as there is really no attractive way to attach these things to a bike.



For those not familiar with it, a bicycle computer is basically a speedometer with some extra features. Mine tells me: distance covered during a trip,current speed, maximum speed during a trip, average speed, andtotal distance covered so far (since installing the computer). There is also a clock, which is handy since I don't wear a watch and extracting my mobile phone requires stopping the bike. If you are training yourself for touring, the bicycle computer helps you measure your progress in terms of how fast you are able to cycle. Keeping track of the distance you have covered is also useful. My top speed so far is 27.4 mph (44.1 km/h), which I reached the other day on the hills in Maine. I know that to the roadies out there, this is far from impressive. But for me, it was shocking to learn that I was capable of cycling this fast. 27.4 mph is of course a downhill speed, but on flattish ground I was consistently cycling at 16-19 mph.



The Co-Habitant is faster, so I guess he won the computer games - and probably will continue to win for a while. But who knows, maybe someday I will catch up.



The main thing that makes me lose speed, is fiddling around with my shifters. I don't shift gears on my usual rides outside Boston, so whenever we go to an area with real hills it takes me a while just to get comfortable with shifting. The Co-Habitant thinks that my friction shifters are an affectation, and if I got "brifters" (brake levers that contain indexed shifters within them) it would solve all of my problems. I feel attached to my wonderfulsilverbar-end shifters, but I do see his point.



For those interested in touring or in cycling for sport, the bicycle computer can be useful and fun. But beware: Once you have one, it can also get addictive! I know some people who have one on every single bicycle they own and are incapable of cycling without knowing their exact speed or distance covered. I am not likely to suffer this fate, but I amglad to have a computer on Graham. And a question for the randonneurs and roadies out there: What speed should I be working toward for touring and for club rides? It would be great to know where I stand.

Too Local? Not to Worry!

Today I made the decision to do something new and exciting: to rent an art studio close to home. My current studio situation is kind of disjointed. I have a small painting studio in our apartment, and the Co-Habitant and I share a photography studio outside of Boston. Neither has been working out very well. I have a difficult time painting at home, often feeling stir-crazy and unable to focus. And the photo studio, while a great space in theory, takes so long to get to that we do not go there as much as we envisioned. Some restructuring is in order if we want to be more productive.



When I began to look for studio space, I was hoping for a moderate bicycle commute. A manageable distance would be key to maintaining a daily practice - especially in the winter when it gets unpleasant to cycle in the snow in traffic. Good studio spaces are pretty scarce around these parts, but I didn't want to settle for something so far away that I'd end up never going there. I looked around and didn't find much. Then suddenly a great space turned up a 10 minute ride from my house. That's almost too local!




But while the studio is close by, it is in a neighbourhood I do not normally venture to - separated from my neighbourhood by a great big hill. In fact, the entire trip is basically the hill: Both going there and coming back, the first portion of the ride I spent climbing and panting, taking care not to weave in front of moving cars. The second portion I spent descending - careful not to go too fast, as cars appeared out of nowhere. Oh boy. This is what awaits me every day, twice or more a day, in high traffic and on an upright city bike! Laden with a heavy pannier, my 3-speed climbed faithfully, maintaining a consistent line of travel. I did it, but I didn't like it. Hopefully I will get really strong in a couple of months without breaking my knees first. Of course I could also just walk; it's close enough... but what would be the fun in that?

Morning Visitors

As I walk to work each morning, I'm amazed at the things I see in such a short distance. Different people, different animals, different rigs and different light each day. One of my favorite things to see is beginning to be a somewhat regular event around here. And it is something to have them visit right next to our RV.

They are so close, we give each other a Good Morning wave sometimes.

What a way to start the day! Even better than coffee!

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! So beautiful in fact, I've been known to trip on the speed bumps because I'm watching them instead of the road.

I've got to go to work now, but I'll see you again soon! Living the life in beautiful Florida!

Visitation Totals for Mount Rainier Park

The last graph got me wondering, what was the general visitation totals for Mount Rainier during the same period, 1991 to 2005. As you can see, there has been a decline overall. I gathered these stats from here.

Everyone draws a line some where....

If you haven' read this and the research behind it you should.



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//05/why-weight-of-your-footwear-is.html



I draw a line at cold feet and heavy boots. Admittedly that is going to be a balancing act generally.



While I was in the Alps a friend who was on the way to Chamonix asked me, "should we bring doubles?"



At that point in my own trip I had beenhanded my ass time wise and by the cold on two separate climbs that by guide book and my "sitting at my desk standards" should have been easy...to the point of casual. They weren't and I was cold. Luckily for me I never had cold feet. But then I didn't have to spend the night out either as clearly I would have if I had been required todo so. One climb was in dbl boots, Spantiks in fact. The other was in Scarpa Ultras.









So of course I suggested they bring dbl. boots. And of coursethey didn't. It worked out fine as the weather warmed up in the couple of weeks it took for them to show up in the valley and get on something big.

When they did climb, they climbed fast which helps :)



Snell's had several dozen pairs of the Scarpa Guide in stock but only 3 pair of the Ultras available. No Ultrasin my size or I would have bought a second pair as they aren't available in NA and easily replaced.



I've already reviewed the Ultra. This is a revisit to that topic.



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//09/scarpa-phantom-ultra.html



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//12/phantom-ultra-vs-trango-extreme-gtx.html



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//11/scarpa-phantom-ultra-and-scarpa-phantom.html



Weights are of a one boot in a size 45.





La Sportiva Spantik 3#.05oz / 48.05oz/ 1362g

La Sportiva Baruntse 3#2.5oz / 1503g

La Sportiva Batura 1st gen. 2#7oz / 1106g

La Sportiva Batura 2nd gen 2#11/ 43oz/ 1219gm

La Sportiva Nepal Evo 2#10.5oz / 1205g

La Sportiva Trango Evo Extreme GTX 2#3oz (35oz) / 992g

Scarpa Phantom Ultra new model 2#3.5oz (35.5oz) / 1006g

Scarpa Phantom Guide new model 2#7.5oz / 1120g

Scarpa Phantom 6000 new model 2#10oz/1190g









I've been trying tohigh light the gear I usedand really liked in Chamonix this winter on the blog and will continue to do so as time allows. I took 3 pairs of "big boots" on this trip. The Ultra the lightest of the three. It fits my feet very well and most importantly it dries easily. They dry faster than eithermy new Baturas or my Scarpa Guides.Part of that is the insulation and inner boot body and part of it is the OurDry liner I suspect. Now both the Guide and the Ultra are using OutDry. My early Guides are Goretex. Not sure what is in the Batura. But the Batura is warmer than either Scarpa single boot.









I had intended to climb in only the BD Sabertooth crampons with these boots as they offer the best fit with the addition of Petzl bales. But it bacame obvious pretty quickly that I had chosen the wrong crampon for the hard ice conditions we experienced early on. (more on that choice of horizontal or vertical front points in a later blog) Not a big deal normally but the Ultra (and its stable mate the 6000) are not the easiest boot to fit a crampon to. Here is why. The sole profile on the toe of the Ultra boot. By far the most narrow toes on a technical boot from the Industry to date.

Ultra and a new Batura side by side here.



I find the Petzl crampons or at least crampons with Petzl front bails seen to fit the Ultrathe best. So I started using a pair of Dartwins in the rock hard ice gullies. The fit isn't perfect but it works well enough and you aren't likely to loose a crampon as a buddy of mine did in Spantiks and Sabertooth crampons in the middle of a a tight mixed chimney. Annoying that,at best.



No real point to this blog other than to say how much I like and used the Ultra this winter. November through April it has been my go to boot. It fits me well and climbs good enough. Not the support of a Nepal Evo or Spantik but they are lighter than either by a fair bitand warm enough. More support and warmer than the Trango Extreme. And I consider all of the boots mentioned some of the verybest available for alpine ice climbing.











All the boots I mentioned are obviously excellent boots. No surprise of the boots I climb in andhave pictured above that I would like one pair better than therest. They all climb well so it eventually comes down to fit. The Ultras fit me the best..even better by a fair margin than the Scarpa Guides.

Down side of the Scarpas? They aren't very durable to date. Which is why I would have bought a second pair in Chamonix. I like them enough and know they aren't going to last long. The inners are coming apart on both pair of my boots, new Guides and Ultras.And I have had friends collapse the toe boxon the new Phantom Guides. Scarpa NA wanted nothing to do with the obvious warranty issue. Thankfully the UK importer took care of the problem with a complete refund.



Nov.



Dec.

For Jan.it was Spantiks in Canada and during Feb in Chamonix as well. March was a toss up between singles and dbls.If nothing else writing a bog post like this reminds me I have gotten some good climbing in this winter season. Nothing spetacular by any count but it was fun ;-)