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All mountaineering gear comes with proper storage instructions. Most gear is best stored in a dry, cool, dark place. Humidity will rust your screws, crampons and axes. That box will effectively tur...
I'm getting back into leading indoors and going through similar things with the 'head-game' part of climbing. Agree with Brian and the others. Practising indoor falls, and talking to myself are hel...
Being a climber (mostly indoor these days) with a lifetime of eczema on my hands, and some nasty flapper experiences (and a pulley injury), I've done lots of research into this! So lots of mentions...
I would argue you've left off the most subjective of metrics, but the most useful: similarity to other routes in the same area. I don't think there's going to be a single equation to grade a route...
The technique I learned through AMGA is to extend your rappel using a full length nylon sling. Girth hitch one end through your hard points, tie an overhand knot halfway through the sling then cli...
I'd focus less on the falling part and more on the climbing part. Get some miles under your belt by leading climbs that you feel comfortable on. Leading is a separate skill from the purely physica...
I met a guy who left February 14th, the same day as I did, and he used a 40F Katabatic quilt the whole time. He slept with his down coat and gloves on. I didn't meet many people with 0F bags. I to...
Here are some pointers and questions: Gloves: Layers are good. Have spares, as well as a set of mittens. Wool pants: How water resistant are they? The greatest potential for problems would be fro...
I have tested the 1443R multiple times from multiple roles and it has consistently resulted in water seepage through the fabric after having 200 pounds of weight on top of it (shelter + person). Th...
I think your basis for this question is a bit out of skew with the myself more at risk clause. The difference between truly top end Merino Wool and lesser quality wool is the micron (µm) being use...
While it does not account for the difference between Canada and the USA, I'm pretty sure that one reason for the low numbers in Europe is that the latter has a lot of seasonal mountain pastures in ...
I think your going to struggle. Let me explain why: Scotland has a very different climate to the US. Scotland is a northern region warmed by the Gulf Stream. At the same latitude in the Americas t...
This is a very, very common problem, perhaps the most common limiting factor among all climbers. It may be worse for you than for most climbers, but at least you realize it and wish to adress it, s...
I think it was polypropylene, it was that cheap, hard, twisted stuff sold in hardware stores for general utility You may find a larger hardware store sells a wider quality spectrum of plastic-...
Avoid eating sugary foods, the digestion of sugar tends to heat your core quickly, and then just as quickly your core temp goes back down. Eat some cheese right before going to sleep. This does n...
Be aware of the difference between removal of harmful pathogens and removal of chemical contamination. Harmful pathogens include amoeba, bacteria, viruses, and worms, and these are effectively de...
For certain contaminants such as Giardia, it doesn't matter whether the water is running fast or slow. You will get infected regardless. So this idea about "fast water" is a myth that is not correc...
What you are specifically asking for is quite rare. That is because any place wet enough to have the kind of grass you want will have trees. There are vast grassy areas in the center of North Ame...
For what purposes? For 'general' purpose, you should be able to get by just fine by making a bight in your line, then tying any knot you'd normally use in your situation using the bight as your lin...
I think this means you are varying the volume of your body too much or holding a full breath too long. Try holding your chest in a more consistent position as you breathe.
You could do two half hitches using a bight in the cord. In fact, I would expect many (most?) hitches to work well using a bight. I do this frequently when hanging a ridge line for my tarps using...
The graph looks exactly like a bunch of graphs in House and Johnston, Training for the New Alpinism, pp. 334-337, except for the scale on the time axis. The ones in House and Johnston are for moder...
The Blake's Hitch tied with with a bight should work okay as well. It is a tree climbing/friction/sliding knot very similar to a prussik or klemheist but without needing a loop for its structure. ...
Stabilizer/Load-lifter/Load-adjuster... Straps Those are stabilizer straps, also known as load lifter or load adjuster straps. You typically have another set of stabilizer straps on your waist bel...
A lot depends on where you live and where you ski, but unless you've got solid enough skiing skills to manage ungroomed terrain at a resort, you'll struggle a lot backcountry skiing in a typical si...
