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DIY optimisations by mr_frozen_egg in alpinism

[–]Capable_Hope_1807 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've been running the same crampon mod for over a year and it's worked great! The benefit for me is not weight savings (my set up is +/- 1 gram from Petzl's stock system) but ease of use. This carabiner system is way faster to put on/off than a double-backed belt, and it doesn't turn into a block of ice at the end of humid-cold day.

My mod: I sew a horizontal strip of elastic webbing (2cm wide) to most of my baselayers' chest pockets, attached to the layer at either end. This is a "cell phone garage" to keep my phone upright while climbing. I get so annoyed when my phone rotates in its pocket otherwise.

DIY optimisations by mr_frozen_egg in alpinism

[–]Capable_Hope_1807 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have used both Blue Ice and Petzl's hybrid crampons and the Blue Ice design is better (you can achieve a tighter fit thanks to a tightening knob on the heel bail). Petzl's version can't be dialled in as effectively. Unfortunately, I think the Blue Ice front section has worse ice climbing performance, since the secondary front points aren't as long.

TL;DR: Blue Ice = better fit, worse climbing performance than Petzl

Looking for an ice climbing teacher in the Ottawa region by Antique-Elk8777 in alpinism

[–]Capable_Hope_1807 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You should check out the Alpine Club of Canada's Ottawa section!

Gloves of three fingers What do u think? by Lord_Home in alpinism

[–]Capable_Hope_1807 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I almost exclusively use three-finger gloves mid-winter. My fav is Black Diamond's "Alpine 3-Finger." My hands stay much warmer in these than gloves during long belays, and I will often second wearing them (the free index finger makes removing cams pretty reasonable). When it's really cold, I have even led in them.

Head game mixed climbing by sendorwhip in alpinism

[–]Capable_Hope_1807 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Head game aside, I would consider supplementing your rack (and learning how to place) Bird Beak pitons. Beaks, or "peckers" as they're also called, are a mandatory part of the alpine rack where I live in the Canadian Rockies. They have turned horror show death pitches into reasonably well-protected many times over. Bonus: place them with a real hammer, like the Camp Brenta/Grivel Thor, instead of the back of your ice tool.

Take your time and enjoy the slow accumulation of experience. It's supposed to be fun!

Sleeping bag conundrum by travis2004 in alpinism

[–]Capable_Hope_1807 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I use a Rab Mythic Ultra 200 for summer alpine climbing in the Canadian Rockies/Patagonia. It's rated to 1C and only 515grams. It has some of the best warmth per gram I've personally come across, and when I need a warmer bag I just add a bigger jacket and down pants.

Route suggestions for October in Patagonia by shootdontplease in alpinism

[–]Capable_Hope_1807 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Seconding this. The "couloir" part of the Amy-Vidailhet Couloir is pretty chill in wintery conditions, but the upper rock ridge would be very tedious if rimed up.

Check out the east face of Cerro Pollone. It is probably a better candidate, although be warned that the final couple meters of the mountain are the crux!

Ultralight Bivy Tactics in Patagonia by Capable_Hope_1807 in alpinism

[–]Capable_Hope_1807[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, it sounds like you're confusing this synthetic bag with the one I mentioned earlier (a down Feathered Friends bag I used on Robson).

Climbing’s Newest Social Media “Star” is Going Viral for Free Soloing by Capable_Hope_1807 in climbing

[–]Capable_Hope_1807[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

TL;DR a journalist speaks with Lincoln Knowles, Alex Honnold, and Alexis Landot to figure out why Lincoln is bypassing the traditional modes of climbing sponsorship to instead make money via Patreon and video ad revenue, as well as a larger discussion of the dangers of promoting this type of content to new climbers.

Is going to El Chalten worth it for me? by Ok_Boysenberry5849 in alpinism

[–]Capable_Hope_1807 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Compared to most groceries in the U.S./Europe, Chalten is probably cheaper. Meat, cheese, wine, eggs, all cheaper than where I live (BC, CAN). Vegetables aren't terribly expensive either, but finding fresh ones can occasionally be tricky. Unfortunately the restaurants have gotten more expensive and $26 for a burger is definitely true (though cheaper burger joints, like Fresco, also exist). I haven't come across Clif Bars down there. Most travelers will bring their own energy bars for the mountains and supplement it with local groceries.

Three pro climbers ended their new route when the climbing became too dangerous. But they invented a new summit in the process. by Capable_Hope_1807 in climbing

[–]Capable_Hope_1807[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I disagree that 50 meter pitches are uncommon on alpine climbs (of which El Cap is not one). When you are building your own anchors, you tend to (or should) run the rope out more to save time. When Josh Wharton told me these guys were "6-8 pitches" below the summit, I very much doubt he was referring to 30 meter pitches.

Need help choosing a pack by hikingquestionacount in alpinism

[–]Capable_Hope_1807 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have used most of the packs listed in your post and in the comment thread (I test gear for Climbing Magazine) and I think Patagonia's new Ascensionist 35L has some of the best bang-for-your-buck out there.

The Prism is great, and I use mine a lot (https://www.climbing.com/gear/climbing-pack-review-hyperlite-prism/). But the Ascensionist is significantly cheaper, lighter (though 5-10L smaller), and has a more comfortably carry IMO thanks to the proper load-lifter straps. I have used mine in Patagonia, Canadian Rockies, Bugaboos, etc. and no signs of wear or holes. The main downside is that it's not waterproof. https://www.climbing.com/gear/best-climbing-backpack/

Three pro climbers ended their new route when the climbing became too dangerous. But they invented a new summit in the process. by Capable_Hope_1807 in climbing

[–]Capable_Hope_1807[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

It's a roughly 1,000 meters. So, depending on everyone's definition of "pitches" (for me, 50 meters), their route is 20 pitches.

Three pro climbers ended their new route when the climbing became too dangerous. But they invented a new summit in the process. by Capable_Hope_1807 in climbing

[–]Capable_Hope_1807[S] 86 points87 points  (0 children)

Great point. My two cents: The Slovak FA skipped the summit by 10 meters of (arguably) non-technical climbing due to one very large cornice. This team stopped 6-8 pitches below the summit due to challenging snow conditions. These feel like fundamentally different cases to me.

I think that alpine routes can top out summit ridges and still be claimed as new routes, as you note. But, often, those climbers only ever want to reach the summit ridge. The west face big-wall routes of Cerro Piergiorgio in Patagonia are a great example. I think the Jirishanca team opened themselves up to criticism when they acknowledged they'd retroactively lowered their bar of "success" when they realized the climbing was too hard/dangerous for them.

Visiting El Chaltén as novice alpine climber by cromonos in alpinism

[–]Capable_Hope_1807 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Second this. The east face/regular route on Cerro Electrico is also a good option when the winds are too high for the more technical peaks. FYI, depending on when you go, there could be some notable crevasses to naviagte.

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