In case you haven’t heard there are defective Omega Pacific Link Cams out there. Check your cams if you’ve got them.
Link Cam Inspection Notice & Update: Axle Nut
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Monthly Archives: June 2008
Mt Rainier Gear List
***updated – post trip
I am heading to Mt Rainier to climb Disappointment Cleaver next week. Prepping for the trip I put together my Mt Rainier Gear List.
Clothing
Outdoor Research Furio Hardshell Jacket ((Shell)
El Cheapo Fleece Pull Over (Mid Layer)
Marmot Non-Cotton T-Shirt (Base Layer)
REI Synthetic Jacket like the Mountain Hardwear Compressor
REI Taku Soft/Hardshell Pants (Outer Layer) (full review)
Patigonia Capilene Bottoms (Base Layer)
Under Armor Underwear
Smartwool Mountaineering Socks <— these rock
REI Liner Socks
La Sportiva Trango Alp GTX (full review)
Outdoor Research Expedition Gators
Basic Warm Hat
Bandana
Julbo Glacier Glasses
Googles
Helmet
Liner Gloves
Outdoor Research Gripper Gloves (Wind Stopper Fleece)
BD Guide Gloves
Gear
Cilogear 60L Worksack
Mammut 60m 1/2 rope
6mm prussik rope
Black Diamond Momentum Harness
Couple of Locking Biners <– don’t get spring locking ones
Ice Screw x1 <– depends on time of year
Pickets w/ runners x2
Grivel Ice Ax Standard Length
Leki Trekking Poles w/ Snow Baskets
Grivel G12 Crampons
Bibler Eldorado Tent
Shovel
Sponge for Tent Condensation
Marmot Sawtooth Sleeping Bag (15 Degree Down)
Thermarest Z-Rest Modified 3/4 Length <– don’t “need” but it is nice to have two
Thermarest ProLite Full Length
MSR PocketRocket w/ Fuel & Pot Jetboil my partner also had a MSR Reactor
Nalgene Bottle x1
Gatorade Bottle
Petzl Headlamp
Compass & Map
Benchmade Knife
Chapstick SPF 30
Sunscreen SPF 60
Superglue, Duct Tape, Zip Ties
Tent Rip Tape
Camera
Well, that’s my Rainier climbing gear list. I hope its helpful.
Crowders Mountain – Predestination
I have climbed a lot at Crowders Mountain in North Carolina in my day. It is the local crag where I go if I don’t have time for a full day epic but absolutely must scratch the climbing itch.
Most of the time when I am at Crowders Mountain I climb on Practice Wall, Davids Castle or Red Wall which are all on the east side of the crag. I like climbing on that side of the mountain during the summer because because it is shaded by the sheer walls.
Today I decided to climb on the west side of the crag on Two Pitch Wall which in actuality is a misnomer. I guess the name came from the ability to break up the climb into two pitches because breaking it into two pitches is definitely not a necessity.
I hate when people give beta on a route when you don’t ask for. To me its like spoiling the end of a really good movie. So I leave you with this… the crux is at the very top of the climb and there are many variations. Choose wisely.
Looking Glass – Second Coming
I just went climbing at Looking Glass last weekend which is probably the most famous climbing place in North Carolina. I got my sorry as up Second Coming, Rat’s Ass and Zodiac which are all in the 5.8 range but they are ‘old school’ 5.8s in the words of a 55 year old I was climbing with. Out of curiosity I looked up some stuff on Looking Glass when I got home and I found this awesome video of Second Coming. I give serious points to the creators.
Gas Canister Climbing Stoves
I’ve been doing some research into stoves for alpine climbing and general mountaineering. I want a stove that I can take on expeditions and overnights. For expeditions liquid fuel stoves like the MSR Whisperlite or XKG EX are nice because you bring a jug of fuel and not a whole lot of little gas canisters. For overnights a gas canister stove would be much more convenient and easier to use. Today I did some research into gas canister stoves and so far this is what I have learned.
100% propane would be the best bang for the buck but it has to be compressed significantly in order to liquefy. This requires a heavy duty steel canister which I may let my partner lug up but there is no way I am going to. Butane, which is what is in lighters, doesn’t require nearly as much pressure but has a fairly high boiling point. Isobutene is somewhere in the middle.
I mentioned the boiling point of butane earlier. Why is this important?
The boiling point of a liquid is when it turns from liquid to gas and if you can’t get the gas to the burner because it is still a liquid you’re kind of in trouble. In temperatures below the boiling point of the fuel, the ‘gas’ will stay a liquid and your stove won’t light. So in short, the lower the boiling point the better because you can use your stove in chilly places.
Butane 32F/0C
Isobutene -11F/-12C
Propane -44F/-42C
FYI – MSR & Jetboil are Isobutene/Propane canisters.
There are some canister stoves out there that try to get around this by inverting the canister so the liquid flows out and doesn’t have to vaporize in order to burn. I haven’t tried it out yet but if Steve House says it works then I am going to believe him. House took the MSR WindPro on Nanga Parbat and talks about it around minute 14 in this video.
The only problem I see with this method is starting the stove since the vaporizer tube isn’t hot yet. I should mention that Steve House has the added advantage of being at altitude when he uses his canister stove. The advantage arises because the pressure difference between the inside of the canister and the air at altitude is greater, and the greater the pressure difference the better the gas will flow.
There is also another effect that all canister stoves have working against them. It is called latent heat of vaporization. All that we need to know about it is that the more liquid that is turned into gas, the colder the canister will get. A great example is how cold a can of compressed air gets as you use it.
Here is a few links that I used in gathering some info.