Alpine Starts

My 15-year old partner (and son) Tobias and I went up to New Hampshire's legendary Mt. Washington for some early season alpine action. Although an increasingly-common low tide year (until just after our mid-December trip), we had good conditions for what we were looking to do. We have been to Tuckerman's Ravine several times in the spring for ski mountaineering, and I have climbed in Huntington Ravine over many years and routes. But Tobias had never done an alpine route, and that was the objective for this trip. We were supposed to have a third, which I favor when venturing into technical terrain, but poor health intervened and it turned out being just the two of us.

The approach went a bit faster than usual, due to the lack of ski gear and perhaps better fitness, or that's what Tobias said of my performance. Given the rare compliment I'll take it. We did not leave Pinkham Notch until about 1pm on a Saturday and made it to the Hermit Lake area in about 2 hours and 20 minutes with packs weighing in at just under 40 pounds. We dropped camping gear in a lean-to and hiked up to the base of the bowl in Tuckerman's ravine. Compared to our spring trips it was bone dry, but the standard wealth of early-season ice was there, and we discussed what route options would be best for our outing the next day. While Tucks had Open Book and some pitch-long ice left of Left Gully, Tobias was hankering to get back over to Hillman's. We had heard from a descending soloist that it was in good condition, and we'd topped out just below the lip last April due to my failure to bring crampons (never again.)

Camping was enjoyable if cold, with the windless night coming in about zero Fahrenheit. The highlight was when it was discovered that I'd not only failed to charge my headlamp but lost my backup. Tobias only crowed a little when his backup saved my bacon. The next morning we started later than we planned because even with 11 hours of sleep I neglected to remember that the alarm on my phone was not likely to work if said phone was off, another chestnut for the young man. But we started out at 7 and headed over to Hillman's. The bottom was dry with audible water beneath, and the first several hundred feet passed smoothly under us with increasing neve and less bushwhacking as we rose higher. Finally, about halfway up, Tobias wisely asked for the rope and we tied in and started pitching out the top half of the route.

There were a few ice bulges but most of the route was very firm neve, and until the last few hundred feet the belays were acceptable. A couple of screws for the first one, some slung bushes one might call trees, a semi-hanging belay from a rock anchor and one final rock thread created by beating a few rocks down on the lad.

As we neared the top there was some flagging, but we were steady if slow at our pace. We probably started climbing around 8 and topped out around noon, about an hour after my target time for safely continuing to the summit, another cause for Tobias to crow about due to the late start. But in fact the cloud cover was only a couple of hundred feet about the lip, and it was not the right day for the summit, which I have never visited. We started contouring around the lip of Tucks heading for the Tuckerman Ravine trail. 

The view down into Tucks was a bit sobering, and since neither of us had been up the trail we opted for Lion Head which I'd travelled many times. 

We got down it keeping crampons on the entire way, but there were only a few patches of ice and it would have been viable with microspikes as on the approach. We picked up our camping gear, grabbed a last look at the ravine and headed down for the long drive home in a light lovely snow.

Song of Helmets for My Son

Sometimes I shudder to think we only used to wear helmets when ice climbing. Until my main rock, ice and alpine partner was the first to have kids, we did not generally wear a brain bucket on rock, unless we were climbing something really chossy. I know that I had the venerable old Joe Brown, which seemed like it weighed pounds, and probably did. Even though I moved onto the HB carbon versions, they were still hot and left at home 9 months of the year. When my partner had his first son, we had been musing about beginning to wear them on rock, and some of the lighter more comfortable and well-ventilated ones came on the market. I like to think it was then that I laid it down and said we were just going to wear helmets all the time and not think about it anymore. And we did. I think with the exception of one moderate mixed climb where I forgot my helmet, see sheepish grin below, I have not climbed a pitch without a helmet in almost 20 years, and barely notice them anymore. I do have a regular partner who does not rock climb with a helmet, but he does wear one in the winter, and he's a bit of an independent actor.

These Petzl helmets (Meteor and more recently Sirocco) are my recent choices for climbing, with the Sirocco being in constant rotation for rock, ice and ski mountaineering. However, they are not MIPS, which I wear for downhill alpine skiing, and which both Black Diamond and Mammut have. I like the idea of a MIPS helmet for ski mountaineering. I also think they look cool😉

https://skimo.co/helmets has the best selection including some very light ones from CAMP and other Euro manufacturers. There are also dual-certified helmets for both climbing and skiing. Ones to look at include the Scott Couloir, Ski Trab Race, Kong Kosmos, and the Salomon MTN Lab – aka the ‘shroom which I own. This means they are certified as both mountaineering and skiing helmets, and well suited to both impacts from falling items and falling skiers. I think that’s a good idea myself.

Then there are the aesthetics of the helmet choice. I think the Ski Trab looks very cool. I mean, black and red may not be that cool in the heat, but it’s cool looking. If you can live with white, the Kong has some interesting ventilation design, which is important to me as I overheat otherwise.

https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Sport/Helmets

https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/product/capitan-helmet-mips/?colorid=11319&utm_source=cordial&utm_source=cordial&utm_medium=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20220505-helmets-non-pro&lrx=&mcID=1118%3A62714fec59320e5ccf679949%3Aot%3A5f46ca99735e313f17e3b97f%3A1

https://www.mammut.com/us/en/category/5875/helmets?filtersOpen=true

Backpack advice for a young endurance athlete

We have lots of relatives back in Europe and one of them is a distance runner in her 20s who has recently taken up with an excellent young fellow who lives in a beautiful Austrian ski town. She has visited the states over the years and stayed with us and I gave her a decent Hyperlight 4000 cu/in pack for overnight trips, but recently she asked for advice on smaller day packs as she's beginning to ski tour. I thought it worth posting what I shared with her here, even if some of it duplicates some of what I've posted before. 

Dear N,

Let me know if this helps. If you would like me to bring you a pack from the US that can be done. There are some wonderful small US shops making packs, but they are largely climbing packs (Cold Cold World, Alpine Luddites, Hyperlight Mountaineering, CiloGear). This retail shop below has a good selection and reviews of many European options I think you can try on easily if you look for them:

https://skimo.co/compare-backpacks

 Also I like:

 https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/ (unfortunately they do not review ski packs)

Use your own body and good sense to pick a pack that feels good and works for you. The one I gave you will work for everything, and is my strongest ski mountaineering partner’s main pack. It is however a bit large for day trips. I mostly use a very simple old Canadian Arc’teryx pack and T uses an Arva rescue pack with lots of pockets out of Europe. I also have a small Mountain Hardware designed by our friend and guide Andrew McLean. We can share and loan them all if you want to try what is best for you. Let me know if you want to discuss more and again, hope to see you soon. 

Backpacks I like

Most of my backpacks are for climbing. Even with my ski backpacks, there is a bias for climbing.

Both climbing and skiing are fluid body movement activities. The less frame the pack has the more it moves.

If you carry more than 20 KG, you will want some kind of support. This can be back padding or aluminum stays in the frame. They transfer weight to the waist belt which needs more padding for more weight. There is also a very old technique called a tumpline worth looking at for heavier loads: tumplines

Any ski pack should have very easy access to the shovel, beacon and probe. If you think that the thought of an avalanche might occur, take them all. Never take only one or two of them, unless you are digging out your grandmother’s driveway.

If you carry less than 10 KG you will need little more than a simple sack with a section for the avalanche trinity and another section for puffy, headlamp, food and water. Racing packs are like that. They are light but solid and have features for:

·       Carrying skis either A-frame or diagonally

·       Storing ski crampons (harscheisser) and/or crampons

·       Carrying an ice axe

Nice to have (not need to have):

·       Separate sections for wet gear (skins) and dry gear

·       Attachments for modern ice tools (as opposed to a traditional piolet) and crampons

·       Soft compartment for ski goggles

·       Clips for keys and small internal pockets for wallet/passport/flask/chocolate

·       Removable and expandable top lid

Key things to consider:

·       Does the pack fit you well and move with you?

·       Can it carry the gear you need?

·       Does it look dope?

I think that’s all for now. The packs I own and use consist of these brands/styles:

http://www.coldcoldworldpacks.com/

I have all of Randy’s packs, and one on order. They are by far the best packs for climbing, and work well for most simple skiing trips. They are indestructible and have whatever attachment points an alpinist needs.

https://www.mammut.com/

I admit I mostly admire them for their ropes, which I use exclusively. They are the best.

My favorite large ski pack lately is the Mammut Trion from a few years back. It is good for overnights with full ski mountaineering gear, and you can strip it down for day travel. It is a very good pack of the extendible top type (vs rolltop like the Hyperlight I gave you), but has no dedicated ski shovel, probe, etc slots, just one big pocket.

https://www.mammut.com/us/en/products/2520-00850-00087/trion-50

While I have never owned them I think Ortovox are very interesting and well featured packs.

https://www.ortovox.com/us-en/shop/c35488-backpacks

Again, it is all about fit and features. Don’t go for what looks good (although that matters). Get one that feels great and does what you need it to do.

Dedicated race and fast adventure packs are also really great. I have a Ultimate Direction and a Millet. I also have a Camp Raptor which is my favorite in this class (not racing, but light):

https://skimo.co/compare-backpacks

This is a great store in Salt Lake City Utah and I would read their reviews carefully. I think they look the most like your approach. Athlete-drive, high-performance gear which does not get in your way.

Ascending and Descending the Grades aka dig the new breed

I remember the days of ascending the ladder of grades while learning how to climb/survive at the Gunks. It was always a bit ambiguous because grades are such an approximation of difficulty, and more so the further into the past you go. Thirty or more years ago the hardest climbs were actually within spitting distance of those we could get on, which is no longer the case. As life took over, and climbing became more of a luxury and less of a necessity, we peaked, somewhere in our 20s or 30s. I know others don't, and have 2 friends who started in their 40s and went on to impressive careers on climbs harder and more magnificent than my best efforts. I have a long-time climbing partner who can rise back up the grades every time he gets the bug again. 

After a while I found myself top roping more ambitious climbs I would once have saved for an onsight lead. I started to descend in the grades, touching bottom while following the airy Thin Slabs Direct, recognizing I would have to hit the gym to even keep in the game. I saw my weight creep up, even as I worked harder to stay fit than I had in my youth, and it is true the harder/heavier they come, the harder they fall. I try not to fall. At all. It is the opposite of the observation by my good friend Henry Blodget in our teens, that until we started falling, we were not going to figure out where our limits were, and improve upon that high water mark. He was right, and I did explore those horizons, and was lucky to suffer no serious injury. 

Then something turned. My son Tobias, now 13, got interested in climbing, or at least the idea of going climbing and the camaraderie. He's no featherweight , so we have parity on that front. He's not game all the time, and requires much food to fuel his enthusiasm, but it's a great treat to get out there and focus on something other than the undeniably narcissistic cult of self climbing has embedded in its culture.

Tobias topropes Son of Easy O 5.8 Trapps Gunks

I've also been lucky to have friends who are great at mentoring Toby. As any parent knows, there is no easy way to teach your passions to your children: they are often much more resistant to pushing themselves in front of their parents than they are in front of others. It is incredible to work with other adults who can get over the friction of the family romance and get down to the business of staying alive while pursuing some of life's greatest joys. 

When Toby was about 4, we went to Chamonix to visit his godmother. He had only skied on toy skis, and wept pitifully when we had him equipped with rental alpine gear. He looked poised to breakdown again as we left the van with my guide who just saw me down the Valle Blanche the day before. As we were walking across the parking lot the guide, Sylvain Ravanel, http://www.guidos.fr, said with Gallic non-challance, 'un moment.' He returned to the mini with Toby, they conferred for 30 seconds, they emerged, Toby hiked his skis on shoulder and strode across the parking lot as if a man on a mission. 

When later we asked Sylvain what had transpired he said deadpan 'that is between me and Toby'. He also admitted that although a Olympic candidate on xc skis, he had been unable to teach his own 3, 6 and 9 year old boys to ski largely leaving it to others too. Toby proceeded to ski all morning until he ate a lunch the size of his torso and then skied another 3.5 hours in the afternoon, finishing on Sylvain's shoulders for the last run, and a full carry across the parking lot.

Sylvain and Toby at La Thuile, Italy, near Cormayeur/Mt. Blanc

Toby showed similar, somewhat uncharacteristic grit when xc-skiing at my parent's place in upstate New York. He would shuffle around on said toy skis, and once after covering 2-3 miles I asked if he wanted real ones. The answer was a foregone conclusion. So now there's backcountry skiing.

Truly this is Toby's passion, and if it will convince another 13-year old that it's worth sweating in the skin track for house and sleeping in subzero temperatures, it's alright by me.

Just a box of Gear

This is a tale of boxes of hardware. They really are just objects. But they come with stories. In high school I discovered the art teacher John Wharton had done an early ascent on El Cap. When I bearded the somewhat grumpy New Englander he told me nothing of the ascent, and I can't find it so would love to know what/if it was. He offered or really gestured me towards a box of old pitons. It was not a big box. He indicated he's used that as much of his rack on the route, or that's what I gathered. It consisted of a couple of dozen pins and angles, most obviously pretty homemade. I used a few of the small chouinard angles and lost arrows over the years while mixed climbing, but most of it remains in that same small box, in my mother's basement, near the xc skis and tire chains. 

More recently I opened a box which had been sitting unidentified in one of my company's warehouses for a few years. I had seen the name on it before, Rolando Garibotti, but it was a German shipment to an address in Germany which had long since gone astray and I assumed it couldn't be the same person I was thinking of. This summer I opened it. It was a bunch of top-of-the line cams, some slings, daisy chains and a pair of pants, all from 2016, but as good as new with original tags and packaging. They were in fact for Rolo. I contacted his sponsor who could not help given the age of the order. I left a message at Pataclimb.com, Rolando's website, and heard back. He expressed cheerful surprise in the fact that someone out there was honest enough to try and repatriate him and his gear, which he thought long gone. 

As I age up the years and down the climbing grades, and spend time on more sensible pursuits with my child (flying drones, trail work, skiing), I am warmed by these touchpoints with elders of a tribe I am sometimes further from than I wish. 

six pieces of silver

So I have three items which I (more) obsessively upgrade and mull over than most pieces of kit. They are a shell, a ski and a pack. I've done the pack thing. Wait, you say that's not six pieces? You're right. I just like the album. If you have not heard it, get it.

Shells Shells have long been just about the most overrated, overpriced, chunks of junk for most of their history. I remember when a cagoule was high tech. But there are times you want one, and good ones are better than bad. There are hard shells, soft shells and hybrids. I am often annoyed with myself for having so many, but there are a few good reasons to have a few good ones.

• Rain I think it was Marc Twight who said 'if it's raining go home'. While this is prudent advice for alpine climbing, I have not always followed it (the freezing line must be just ahead...), and when you don't, you need a shell. If I don't think I'm using it much, I'll bring a very lightweight one and hope to keep it in my pack. The Arc'teryx Alpha SL or FL is very good. There are nice less expensive versions from Mountain Hardware, Marmot, many others, and the Alpha only has one pocket, which is limiting if you wish to use it more casually. I have a really great Solomon Bonatti WP stretch shell which is like an upgraded Patagonia Houdini, much more weather protection, stretch, and every bit as indispensable clipped to a harness.

• Driving Snow I personally think that 'full conditions' are only for those of Scottish descent and residents of the Northeast. Wait..I'm both. I like a heavier 3 layer Gore-tex shell for these kinds of conditions, or any serious wind. If there is serious wind but no precip, I'll opt for a softshell. I like the older Arc'teryx windstopper I have very much, as long as it's not too warm. If it is, I'll go with an even older one without the windstopper. The Arc'teryx SV is pretty much the bomb in these conditions. Mine is 15 years old and rarely broken out, but they are the standard. I have a Rab with stretch but the main zipper is a real bear to operate. Otherwise a great jacket, especially the oversized hood with wire brim. The pants, also Gore-tex Pro, are also very well dialed, if a bit more fussy in design than the Canadians.

• Cold Wind Snow If I'm ice climbing, the Arc'teryx Windstopper stretch softshell top and old polartech softshell salopettes with built in knee pads are best. They are almost worn out and I think I'll have to turn to Northwest Alpine who have said they'd modify theirs to match that. It's an incredibly warm, mobile, comfortable combination for a 'go suit' for most climbing conditions. It's a little too warm for me for most ski mountaineering, when I prefer a non windstopper, Arc'Teryx Gamma top and a thinner pant. For skiing the Rab stretch Gore-tex Pro pants or the Alpha SV bibs seem to be best, depending on temperature.

• Warmer Windy When rock climbing I generally won't wear more than a long john top. If I may however get chilly up top belaying. If so, I'll bring a small puffy, I have a remaindered old Patagonia which works well, or if it's not that cold I'll use their Houdini. This is a very lighweight item, but it's lasted me for years and is welcome each time I use it. I recently got the lightest Arct'eryx hooded puff, no insulation in the hood, and it's fine. In colder than 50-60 F temps, it might help if you remember a hat, but with a helmet it's enough for the shoulder seasons. I think Patagonia's version of this looks a little better (but was not on sale yet.)

Skis I ski very little, just a half dozen to a dozen days a season. But I like it a lot. And I love skis. I have also enjoyed migrating over the years from alpine to tele to AT. I predictably dream about a life where I ski more as I grow older and the work/play balance swings back to play. But I still get plenty of play.

The best skis are ones I have had long and still ski so well. Stelvio Trab's, Atomic Beta cap tele boards, some old BD ascents with silvrettas for approach in mountain boots, even the old atomic sierras we punt around my parents' property on are great. They are only chipped, rusty and worn on the kick pattern. They still ski fine, just like all the best skis. As Andrew says any ski can ski great powder.

In recent years I really like the Dynafit Denali. It's I think a good ski for a moderate skier. I ski a 184 in that and shorter in most others. Longer is too hard to do a kick turn for me, and I don't need more float. It is very light, fun in moderately angled powder and respectable on hard pack. It can also be had for cheap. I like TLT Superlights with no brakes ATK leashes.

©Andrew McLean

The next in line is the Movement Vertex, a ski so good they keep making it. It's a bit like a supercharged Stelvio with marginally less weight. I pair it with Plum Guides, but may like the old Speedturns on the Trabs better. I find the Plum adjustable heel plate shifts, and while I like the beefy beautifully machined heel post on the Plums, the old Speedturn is just so reliable and solid. I do like the Plum brakes which are light and right for some applications. I've been known to lose skis since a very young age...

I have some Atomic Ultimate 78s for ski mountaineering which I've only used on icy hills in the Berkshires. They are short, around 160, but they ski well. Lays down an edge, little bit of rocker, and paired with the old yellow Dynafit TLT5 boot they are a great setup for just about everything except deep.

Finally the ski I'm yet to ski. It's out there somewhere...

Packs come later. I'm still working on that. 

You call that a liner?

When I first bought a pair of Galibier SuperGuides I was warned to get neoprene sheets and cut them to fit the footprint. The insole of the superGs were beautifully crafted, hard leather. Along with the steel shank you could not have a more perfect conductor of cold from crampons strapped on to them (which is what they were for.) I dutifully used them, and they did cut down on the cold, but I also appreciated the additional cushioning. Fast forward about 35 years and I still like a nice insole, especially with my very flat and flattening feet. I use the term 'insole', 'footbed', and 'liner' interchangeably throughout this rant. 

(Benjamin Dulchin sporting said Galibier Super Guides in their 3rd decade, somewhere on the Sisters in the Adirondacks I think)

I'm a long time user of Superfeet's green, and at least one pair of orange insoles. I like their new black ones just as much as all I've used. The holes in the forefoot seem like they might breathe better, but I not sure and have used them only in cool and cold weather. The holes do cut some minor amount of weight. Maybe they are supposed to look cool and I’m overthinking it. They do last less long than professional leather orthodics, more on the pros below.

Custom orthotics insoles (what I used to call boot liners) are a luxury and arguably fit your individual feet best. Superfeet does offer a range of off-the-rack insoles for high arch/volume, etc. Except for the most specialized custom orthopedic applications, like for very small last ski boots (think Dynafit TLT 5s, more on that later) or other weird shapes, I'd use these. You can always trim them. I like to buy them to fit, which they do, and well. A good fit is also as warm as that specific boot will ever get. If you have a good fit on your boot you can focus on climbing or skiing as well as you can, whatever that means. Uncomfortable feet generally drive normal folks from the sport by which they experience that discomfort.

Cousin Joseph Hooper after almost stepping out of generously sized boots in the Catskills (Spiral Staircase?)

The insoles/liners these sometimes replace are those stock ones included by boot manufacturers who would like to sell you their $600 mountaineering or $900 AT boots. They should put these in there as stock, or something of similar quality. La Sportiva is the only one who includes footbeds which I'll repurpose/cut down for my child. The others are a placeholder, an admission by the manufacturer that it's not included in the price of their premium boot. It's similar to upgrading to an Intuition or Paulau moldable ski boot full liners (which top manufacturers do include): those who offer a premium boot should include a premium footbed/insole/liner. I think these are enough of a mountain standard that manufacturers of high-end boots should make them standard. And I like them in approach and work shoes too. If not Superfeet, then something comparable.

So when is it worth plunking down an additional $300-600 for custom orthodic footbeds from a professional? When nothing else works. I used Steve Rueda for some great TLT5s which were way too narrow for anything (http://www.turnpikecomfortfootwear.com), and he was at the low end of the range. The ones he made were based on bamboo and as a skier he totally nailed it. They are so good I use them in my TLT6s, really nothing like it. But when I presented my old Batura 1.0s, he asked if they were comfortable with stock aftermarket insoles, and declined to make customs because I said yes. I have also had street shoe orthos and while nice, the cost is rarely worth it. Except when it is.

So the blog title is from a (?) joke. A man in a trench coat walks up to an aged female fellow passenger on the subway platform. He opens the coat and exposes himself to her. She looks at his open coat, then looks up at him and says 'You call that a lining?'