A bit of steep skiing..Spring in Chamonix!

Huntington, Denali and the "Bond"

"Simon McCartney was a cocky young British alpinist climbing many of the hardest routes in the Alps during the late seventies, but it was a chance meeting in Chamonix in 1977 with Californian ‘Stonemaster’ Jack Roberts that would dramatically change both their lives – and almost end Simon’s.

Inspired by a Bradford Washburn photograph published in Mountain magazine, their first objective was the 5,500-foot north face of Mount Huntington, one of the most dangerous walls in the Alaska Range. The result was a route so hard and serious that for decades nobody believed they had climbed it – it is still unrepeated to this day. Then, raising the bar even higher, they made the first ascent of the south-west face of Denali, a climb that would prove almost fatal for Simon, and one which would break the bond between him and climbing, separating the two young climbers for over three decades. But the bond between Simon and Jack couldn’t remain dormant forever. A lifetime later, a chance reconnection with Jack gave Simon the chance to bury the ghosts of what happened high on Denali, when he had faced almost certain death.

The Bond is Simon McCartney’s story of these legendary climbs."

The new book is now available here:

http://v-publishing.co.uk/books/categories/biographies/the-bond.html

and there is more to the story :)

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2013/03/wheres-waldo.html

Mark Twight puts Huntington's "Timeless Face" into context and closes one chapter to hopefully only open another on Huntington.

"In the early-80s I discovered Mountain Magazine and the north face of Mount Huntington. I thought the protagonists to be the baddest of the bad-asses. This was about the time the WPODs (Newsom was a part of the WPOD) were active in AK. Those guys scared the shit out of me and I put Roberts in the same category. For a long time I took the ascent at face value and inspiration from it because my own experience taught what may be  one when extraordinary conditions and will prevail. But some of Jack's actions off the mountain made the rumors of doubt easier to believe and I did. Reading Newsom's words was a relief because they meant a climb that inspired me for many years was real, and likely the single ballsiest undertaking in the history of North American climbing."

A new film...

Brave New Wild from Oakley Anderson-Moore on Vimeo.

How far in fruit boots?

IIRC it was the winter of  2006-7 (?), that I remember John Freeman telling me he had soloed Polar Circus wearing fruit boots and using Nomics.   Nomic's were may be a year old at the time. Common now anywhere there is ice,  but at the  time Nomic's alone were pretty radical ice tools.   Fruit boots?  Sweet but usually pretty dang cold.  Warm day on Polar Circus?  It all seemed to make  "some sense".  When John was telling me the story it had been a while since I had been on steep ice and either way I was impressed with the choice of gear and the climb. 

This John Freeman:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQByrChFhZQ

I like the films linked below and Ueli's choice in gear.  Which likely has some to do with his head as well.....but not much :)

Now we see Nomics on anything from Alpine ice to steep water ice or really hard M climbing.  Fruit boots?  Some of the best mountain boots are now better/lighter/warmer than most of the original fruit boots.  Telling for me that the Nomic is still "state of the art".

If that doesn't get you stoked try this......

Some nice visuals!

This time of year this is too funnny!

Courtes N. Face skied

Face nord des Courtes(Les Autrichiens) from redpointmovie on Vimeo.

Spring in the Cascades?!

The Mallory on the Midi

http://fatmap.com/mallory-chamonix-guide/

http://fatmap.com/

Scarpa Phantom Tech review

I wrote the Phantom Ultra reviews starting in Sept 2010!  It took some 3 years to catch up with the significance of this boot.

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2010/09/scarpa-phantom-ultra.html



                                                  Photo courtesy of Jonathon Griffith
                               

Ueli Steck wasn't one to wonder if a lwt boot would suffice on cold ice. The Ultra was never imported into North America but available in Europe. I still think the Phantom Ultra was a much better boot than the Phantom Guide having used both boots.

I try to keep up on  a few things..alpine boots being one of them.  I've not missed La Sportiva's new dbl boot entry or Arcteryx's new "dbl" boot line .  I was involved on the ground floor in both ideas.

I think the next step in the evolution of boot technology was the Scarpa Rebel Ultra.  I suspect Scarpa did as well hence the name.."Ultra".





Having used the Rebel Ultra mid winter @ altitude in the Alps I can say it worked fine...but could be a little warmer :)  The Phantom Ultra was just a little warmer.  I suspect the newest Phantom Tech to be a even better boot than the Phantom Ultra was and ....every bit as good of boot as the Rebel Ultra is now.   Thanks to Grammy for the updates. 

Photo courtesy of Chris Graham 

More coming shortly on the Phantom Tech from a few of us that buy are own boots, and that are just now starting to use the Phantom Tech..

I'll update this review as I get more info.

Today it is weights.

All boots are size 45 and weighed on my postal scale

Rebel Pro Goretex  852g
Rebel Ultra             860g
Phantom Tech        970g (Scarpa listed @ 815g for a 42)
Phantom Ultra      1030g
Phantom Guide    1120g
Phantom 6000      1160g   (last generation with a Baruntse liner)   (Newest 6000 is listed @ 995g for a 42)

Quick high points?

The new Phantom Tech drops 2 full ounces per boot from the older Phantom Ultra.
4 oz. for the pair in my size 45.

Both Toes and heel crampon attachment points have changed for the better.  Any crampon will fit the newest Phantom  boot much better.

The boot sole and the ankle articulation of the new Phantom Tech are way, WAY stiffer than the ultra, Guide or Rebel Ultra.

While you wouldn't think the internals of the boot would have changed much..that would be an incorrect assumption.

Anyone climbing in a Phantom Guide now will be pretty impressed I think with the changes in the Phantom Tec.  There is a reason there is no longer a Phantom Guide model available. (at least in North America)  For once I actually agree with Scarpa's marketing plan here :)  It is a very nice boot.

Super light generally means less durable.  Slightly higher and much more durable gaiter than the old Ultra or Guide.  The new wrap around gaiter is suppose to be the chit.  I am with holding my opinion on that one till I get some time in the boot.

Over all?  It is lighter than the Ultra my previous high point for boot design.   It would appear to be warmer and at least from the rubber sole up.  And at first blush it seems to be a warmer boot than the Ultra.  Comparable to the Batura and Phantom Guide I think.  May be warmer than either.  Or at least that is what my trashed feet are telling me.   That info and the source is not as reliable as they once were :)  A super light technical ice and mixed boot.  It is not a double boot for warmth.  But it is the best thing I have seen in a "warm" single to date.

Boots this light and agile will change how you climb.

Scott's La Sportiva G2 initial review...

More here:

http://sierraascents.tumblr.com/post/138698795739/la-sportiva-g2-sm-initial-review

Steep?

mt Blanc!

avalanche

Happy Holidays!

Stay sharp...and stay alive this Winter!



Happy Holidays from my family to yours!

Slipstream....

Doing the 2nd ascent, in a day, of Slipstream was a life changing event for me.  Sadly we didn't take a camera.  Finding Chris' photos last night has allowed me to relive that experience in a small way from the comfort of my computer desk :)

The new cover photo on Cold Thistle shows a team topping out on Snow Dome after climbing Slipstream.

Some truly amazing photos.  Thanks Chris for sharing them.

http://sidestreamphotography.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ChrisScharfPhotography/?pnref=story

A few more but not all from Chris' face book page.

Gary Silver and I used a half dozen old Chouinard tube screws, one Warthog, one 9mm x 150' rope    and these ice tools to climb Slipstream in early Jan. '81.   

 

The film "Apogée "

Apogée - Memorial film for Andreas Fransson and JP Auclair
by Bjarne Salén


https://vimeo.com/140003267

Skiing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9cWSlh5ToM

Men in Trees? A little mixed climbing....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUCZyfmDGP8&feature=youtu.be

Ueli's most recent Eiger film...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfpYNr7es0Y

and another cool project

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCeyx3K9e9I

Check out the endurance running vests, fruit boots and mini Nomics they are using.

and one more from early on...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxEtJoK0-jA

Climbing in Skimo boots?

It has been a few years now since I first seriously started looking for and writing about a ski boot that would climb well.  The original TLT5 was a decent climbing boot.  But easily bettered as a ski boot.  Hence the TLT6.  TLT6 is still likely the bench mark for a cross over boot.

PDG and the Scarpa Alien 1.0 will work well enough if it isn't too cold, the climbing not super hard and most importantly, the boot fits you well.  Other wise either will eat your feet up pretty quickly in my experience as will the TLT5 or 6.

PDG and a good mate for the boot,  a Grivel G20 on easy mixed in Chamonix

 

This multi year project, with one of the original TLT5 design team involved, may or may not yet be the game changer...only time will tell.

 

http://www.tetongravity.com/story/ski/procline-boot-review

 

https://www.wildsnow.com/18947/arcteryx-procline-ski-climb-boot-review/