A TR and some gear comments

Hi.  A friend and I got snowed out of the Palisades
this past weekend.  I?ve posted a short TR (pasted
below) and some pictures on my Web site at:

http://itsa.ucsf.edu/~rener/

Some comments on gear:

I was trying to go lightweight for this trip, but the
pack still weighed close to 45 pounds, with a rock
climbing rack, slings, harness, shoes, and other
items.  My tarptent performed well, although I still
have trouble pitching it tautly so I did get some
flapping in the wind we had (maybe occasionally
gusting to 15-20mph).  (But I was somewhat limited in
space where we were and so had trouble getting things
set up correctly.)

I like my Kelty Flight 4500, but it seems that this
weight is getting close to its limit.  I used the
stays and padded hipbelt, but they were digging into
the small of my back more than my heavy Lowe Contour
IV does.  Also, the straps were pressing through the
foam padding in the shoulder pads.  Nonetheless, I was
happy with how it carried and plan to use it for all
these kinds of trips.

We used a CampingGaz stove instead of Esbit tablets or
my alcohol stove, so I don?t know how they would have
performed in the cold and windy conditions,
unfortunately.

I was very happy with my Rain Shield (ProVent) rain
wear (like Frogg Toggs), but they do seem somewhat
fragile when scrambling around granite.  They did seem
to breathe remarkably well, much better than any other
WB jacket I?ve worn.  I got these from thru-hiker.com
and recommend giving them a try if you?ve thought they
might be for you.  I find that the medium is cut a
little small in the shoulders/underarm area, even
though the front sort of balloons on me.  Despite
this, I?ll keep taking these things on trips until I
wear them out--love the weight, breathability, and use
as a wind layer!

I also am very happy with the GoLight Coal jacket. 
It?s warm and comfortable, with a good hood for
sleeping (although it's a little tight when fastening
the button under the chin).  They?re on sale right now
at NorthernMountain.com.  It weighs about a pound and
is well made.

I still have much room for weight reduction--lighter
crampons, ice axe, and harness; headlamp; always
others.

Have fun,
Rene?
-------------------
On Not Climbing Starlight Buttress, 5.5 

I wake up and look outside. Clouds hide the moon. I
can hear water from the melting glacier pouring into
the lake below the moraine and small stones tumbling
down the talus fields. The flapping of nylon is less
insistent than it was, but it is cold. My socks,
soaked from a water bottle accident in the middle of
the night, are frozen stiff like two plats of balsa
wood. Later, I wake up, yet again, and check my watch.
4am, our planned wake-up time. I can hear tiny pebbles
of ice falling onto my tarp and rolling off to the
sides. I roll over onto my other side, pull my bag
over my head, and go back to sleep. 

When I emerge into the gathered gloom at 12,000 feet,
snow gently falls on the Palisade glacier, coating the
talus with a white dust brush. In its own way, it is a
beautiful day. The mountains have put on their
inhospitible face--such power and beauty in this
world!--and the fog makes it clear that we will not be
climbing Starlight Buttress today. Romain pokes his
head out of his tent, he makes us tea, and we start
packing up our camp. 

In what conditions would we have given the route a
try? Thunder is a deal killer, but we had heard none.
Snow, fog, cold--all sending in their applications to
join our epic organization--stopped us without too
much thinking on our part. What could we do? Who can
fight the weather? 

Real mountaineers do, those old Alpinists of yore in
wool coats smelling of sheep and hair grease in
yellowing pages, shaving every day on the glacier and
sporting jaunty caps for their feats of derring-do,
staring out with preternaturally bright eyes from
cracked black and white prints. Give me news from your
side; direction; a pat on the back for you, old
sport--heart. 

When is the pursuit of safety killing the soul of the
modern world? 

"Real mountaineers"--Ha! I laughed at that one, all
the way back to the car, and enjoyed the hike out in
the falling snow under gray skies. The birch were in
their shocking colors, yellow and orange, with pretty,
wet bark. I could hear the laughing of the water,
descending from the glacier and hidden underneath the
blocky talus, and it was pleasant, like the twittering
of the birds, making me smile. Halfway out, we paused
near Big Pine creek to rest, and a giant slicked
rockfall came tumbling and pouring down Mt. Alice,
bidding us farewell. We could hear it, but we couldn't
see it, on account of the fog.


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