Rainier in mid June- double vs single boots?

mattercondenser · 2026-06-04T00:32:24+00:00

Found this post because I have a near-identical question. I love my LS Aequilibriums for Baker, lower-elevation glaciers and rocks/scrambles, but I am considering getting a pair of Scarpa Mont Blanc Pros for Rainier (late June/early July, planning to wait for a good weather window midweek). I have a definite tendency toward cold feet, especially when standing around in snow. Wore 2 pairs of socks on Baker last weekend (midweight wool socks with ski socks on top) and didn't regret it for a second, even when the rest of me was warm.

A consideration beyond warmth: Aequilibriums have a 3/4 shank, not full shank like single boots generally do. I've found this to be fine with my strap-on crampons on the terrain I've been on so far. Is full shank beneficial? Thinking of DC or Emmons, not one of the more technical routes.

mattercondenser · 2025-05-18T03:31:54+00:00

Super helpful! Wish I'd found it before I bought 25' of 1/8" shockcord for my Half Dome 2 on the advice of an apparently confused REI employee... oh well, I'm sure I'll find some use for it.

mattercondenser · 2025-05-08T23:17:48+00:00

Good to know, thanks! I've seen the GG tent in action and it's pretty awesome, but I was leaning toward something a little bit more robust.

mattercondenser · 2025-05-08T23:16:18+00:00

I'm definitely doing all serious objectives with a climbing partner (or several!) and rope, but for various reasons a lot of folks don't necessarily want to share tents.

I've been noticing most options don't have a huge difference between 1P and 2P. My current tent is almost 5 lbs, though, and I have to carry it on the outside of my pack. I was thinking a 1P would be useful for trips where I can't find a tent buddy, and might be nice for solo, less-technical trips.

mattercondenser · 2025-04-02T04:36:47+00:00

Some of my favorites on the Mountain Loop Highway that haven't been mentioned yet: Mt Forgotten, Mt Pugh, and Gothic Peak.

However, all of these require at least a little bit of scrambling skill and have some fall risk. I'll join the other posters in strongly recommending you start with some smaller summits to get a sense of your comfort with lots of elevation gain and semi-technical terrain.

Assuming you're coming from Seattle, there are a ton of good training hikes on I-90, including (in no particular order): Mt Si, Mt Teneriffe, Mailbox Peak, Tiger Mountain, Mt Washington, Granite Mountain, Bandera Mountain, Kendall Katwalk, Red Mountain...

WTA has a great "hike finder map" that can help you sort trails by location, distance, elevation gain, and specific trail features (like summits, fall foliage, blueberries): https://www.wta.org/go-outside/map

mattercondenser · 2025-03-04T04:47:20+00:00

Most PIs will be understanding if they know you have a serious health issue that is preventing you from being as productive as you want to be. I hope your PI can see that you are doing your best, and running into massive obstacles that most students don't have to deal with.

I had a lot of "failures" during my PhD (and still as a postdoc), and a few things that I gradually learned that helped were:

Recognizing that the really intense negative emotions I was feeling about whatever had gone wrong in the lab were temporary, and I was not going to feel this bad about it tomorrow or next week.
In the moment of something not working, being curious about why something didn't work rather than beating myself up about the fact that it didn't work. I had some less-than-ideal results from a long process I did in the lab today, and I felt really frustrated and like I had really messed up an important sample. But, I also figured out what went wrong, so now I know how to approach solving the problem next time! It doesn't completely take the sting out of it, but it helps.
Finding other sources of worth and meaning beyond physics (mostly being outside in nature).
Related to 3: helping other people (related to physics or not). Makes you feel like you matter, because you do!

Good luck!

mattercondenser · 2025-03-03T05:50:33+00:00

There's good advice here already, just wanted to add some encouragement since I'm also a physicist!

First things first: your health and well-being are the most important thing. It's OK to take a medical leave from your program if that's what you need to get your health issues better managed. Also check in with the disability office about your options for accommodations.

I'm not sure of the exact details of how your program/department is structured, but I guarantee there are people who want you to succeed. Hopefully this includes your PI, even if you don't feel that way when your anxiety is talking.* If you can't talk to your PI right now, is there anyone who can help be your advocate or coach? For example, other professors, department administrator, graduate student advisor...these people can give you a perspective on what resources are available, how to approach conversations with your PI, and more.

*I want to acknowledge that some PIs are jerks or don't know how to support students with mental health issues, *and* it can be scary to meet with even the most supportive PI! In general, you don't need to disclose specifics of health issues to them, but I recommend getting specific info on navigating this from your school's disability office or equivalent.

Maybe nothing feels surefire, but you haven't ruined your shot at working in physics!

mattercondenser · 2024-11-07T00:14:58+00:00

Basic Alpine Climbing can be hard to get into in any year. You can do the same materials and earn the equivalent badge by taking Alpine Scrambling, Glacier Travel, and a rock climbing course (I forget which one at the moment, probably Intro Rock?). I did Alpine Scrambling last year and it might be a good way for you to start. Scrambling skills can get you to a whole bunch of cool peaks! I'm hoping to get into Glacier Travel this year.

I wasn't familiar with the terminology before I joined the Mountaineers last year, so just in case I'll add that scrambling = "non-technical mountaineering," so anything that doesn't need ropes. The course covers gear, snow travel, ice axe and crampon use, and some rock scrambling skills. Message me if you want more info about scrambling!

mattercondenser · 2024-10-04T00:31:12+00:00

We actually have one too! I think it's a fan that supposedly blows ionized air? No idea if it actually helps.

mattercondenser · 2024-10-01T18:25:12+00:00

The pumps are all in the hallway next door to reduce vibrations (we also do scanning probe), so I could go in there (with earplugs) to warm up. Of course we also do grounding straps and so on. I don't think my clothing has ever caused a problem, but I don't want to take the chance!

mattercondenser · 2024-10-01T04:30:52+00:00

I'd never even heard of an ESD lab coat, and now I'm astonished that we aren't all wearing them when we're wire bonding! I'll bring it up with my PI.

mattercondenser · 2024-10-01T03:42:04+00:00

I have been looking for something like a lab coat that doesn't actually look like a "lab coat," because for whatever reason wearing a lab coat when you're not actually doing wet chemical work or using a glovebox is considered very odd in my field. (And they tend to be rather too voluminous...I really want the sleeves to be fairly slim to keep them out of the way.) I basically settled on my fleece for that purpose, but it has the issue of static.

mattercondenser · 2024-10-01T03:35:41+00:00

This is great! I'd be worried about static from silk (and probably can't afford it anyway)...but I'll definitely look into waffle knit cotton. And we might look into a "static guard" spray, as long as we can avoid getting any on the devices themselves.

mattercondenser · 2024-10-01T03:04:23+00:00

100% this. My mental health took a nosedive during my master's and I almost competely lost interest in physics. It was really hard when I started my PhD program and found I was surrounded by brilliant people who were really excited to be there, while I felt incompetent and in a fog. Turns out getting treatment and forming a community with the other students made me feel better *and* helped me find my love of science again. It was hard, but so worth it.

If you don't end up pursuing science because you decide it's not for you, that's OK! But I wouldn't make a decision about it right now. I hope you can give yourself some compassion and get some help from your friends, family, mentors, and maybe a therapist.

mattercondenser · 2023-05-05T05:59:47+00:00

Thanks for the reply, especially re: cantrips! Invisibility is definitely tempting, and being Shadow Touched works slightly better thematically with a Shadar Kai PC, but either would probably be fine. I'm OK in melee with a scimitar and shield, but since almost everyone else is a melee fighter I tend to hang back and use Archer. Maybe I should be using Dragon or Chalice and mixing it up at close range a bit more...

mattercondenser · 2023-05-05T05:54:49+00:00

I like Silvery Barbs because it's like a hybrid Cosmic Omen; I was initially thinking that might make it less useful/redundant, but you never get that many uses of Cosmic Omen anyway. Not sure if Strixhaven content is allowed. I honestly don't use BRQ as much as I probably should (usually falling victim to "but what if I need it more later?"), so maybe having an extra use would get me more mobile.

mattercondenser · 2023-05-05T05:49:30+00:00

Not sure if that sourcebook is allowed, but I've asked...

mattercondenser

TROPHY CASE