Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Summit - 1/27/07

Harvey, I have so many different pairs of gloves, I couldn't give you an accurate count.

For the WOW! trip, I carried three pairs of gloves, including an expedtion type mitten, but it never got to the point that I thought I needed them. (We were lucky then with NO WIND.) I wore a pair of mid-weight fleece under a pair of OR wind/water proof gloves. With no wind, it was no problem pulling the gloves off for photos, even with the temps probably 20 degrees colder. (As the women said, I only got cold feet and that was only until we starting moving.)

This past weekend, I started out with a pair of VBLs under a pair of fleece/thinsulate/gortex gloves. It worked fine for the morning down low when there wasn't much wind. As we got higher, I switched to the ORs/fleece. My hands didn't get cold until I started pulling them out (too) frequently to take photos. Again, it was the wind that was sucking the life out of my fingers. If it had been still, it wouldn't have been a problem.

I never had a problem when I was shooting with the Digital Rebel because the design allows for shooting with the thickest gloves on. (I don't think I ever removed gloves while shooting with it in cold conditions.) The new point-and-shoot Fuji is just the oppostite - I doubt they could have made any of the buttons any smaller.

I started with my favorite light fleece gloves then switched to <a href="http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47920209&parent_category_rn=4501423&vcat=REI_SEARCH">REI Switchback Gloves</a> at Trail Camp after having thoroughly chilled my hands messing with food, gear, camera, etc. I left my mitts (which I hate using) in the car. The REI gloves (with guantlets) have a removeable liner but it is held tightly in place by velcro so you can't really take just the outer glove off without a good deal of work. Not really sure if I like these gloves yet.

-Rick

okay, this is crazy, but,

why don't we try to glue a small peg(s) on the end of a glove finger(s) so it can be used to push the ever-tinier buttons.

anyone?

I was thinking in terms of soldering a peg on the buttons. Same concept.

Richard, Re: "I was thinking in terms of soldering a peg on the buttons."

The heat might damage the switch, unless you are able to remove the non-electronic part of the button from the camera when you solder to it.

Maybe using a glue like "Goop" might work and might be easier to remove than Krazy Glue or epoxy if needed. Although, not sure how "Goop" bond would hold up at low temps.

Bob, thanks for the warning. I didn't think of that. I think I'd be upset if I had to buy ANOTHER camera so soon.

Tina, if this weekend is successful (and I have no reason to think it won't be, considering the weather forecast), it'll be two more for Feb, and I'll probabaly start to focus on getting in skiing shape for Spring. The next time up will probably be whenever Rick Kent decides to go for the last one-day ascent he needs to complete the cycle. (I want to be there when the only other person I know joins the "A One-Day Summit In Every Month Club." The way Rick keeps records (and I don't) he may be able to get his achievement into the Guiness Book of World Records, Secor's book and Doug's book!)

My recordkeeping isn't all that great either. I don't get my peaks page updated that often. I do however have photographs from every peak I've done except for one or two.

I have this feeling March is going to be a hard month. It's the only month left I need but knowing my luck a month-long blizzard will probably begin March 1 and the snow level will be all the way down to Lone Pine. Ah ... but I wouldn't want it any other way. It just won't be enjoyable unless we have fresh powder up to our armpits for the entire distance. Can't wait. And for more fun lets leave the snowshoes even if we need them. Even better is if there's a thin crust on top that doesn't support a person's weight. I love that.

-Rick

Hey Richard did you ever figure out how many consecutive months you have right now?

-Rick

Yes, but it's top secret. I'll have a big party if I get to twelve consecutive.

Being the egomaniac that I am, I'm going to have a plaque made up (I'm still thinking of what the design should be. Come to think of it, we've got much more creative people, like HL who could come up with something much better.) that'll have:

Name..........................Completion Date
================================
Richard A. Piotrowski.....December 17, 2005
Rick Kent....................March xx, 2006

(I'll have the date engraved prior to us heading up in March.)

I'll take drill up to the Smtihsonian Hut and mount it on the wall inside. Fitting. After you complete the Seven Summits, fans will make pilgrimages up there to rub your name. They'll then wonder who this Piotrowski guy is (was).

I was using my new pair of REI Switchback gloves this past weekend in Canada ice climbing. It came time to make lunch and I took off the shell, leaving the fleece liners to operate the stove and open things. Going back to put them on, the thin fleece lining attached to the shell (put your hand in without the fleece liner and you will feel it) had pulled out and I couldn't get the fingers reformed. This left me with one knuckle in the gloves, making them nearly worthless when doing anything requiring dexterity. I was glad I had a backup pair because that almost ruined my day.

They were great besides that, so I might try and swoop them up at the garage sale and cut out that annoying thin lining. I might also pick up the OR Arete gloves to see how they fair.

So I started digging through old photos and exercise logs/files and found that these are the most probable dates for my One-day ascents of Whitney:

January 03, 2000
February 23, 2002
March 03, 2002
April 06, 2002
May 27, 2000
June 06, 2004
July 12, 2003
August 10, 2003
September 05, 2004
October 25, 2003
November 04, 2000
December 17, 2005

I've done other one-days in a lot of the months, but these, other than May and November have dates that I am certain of.

I know I went up to Whitney to try and break four hours for the Main Trail (~3:30 at TC; 4:18 at the summit) after I returned from Nepal in May, 2000. This ascent may have been on the 28th or 29th. November 4, 2000 strikes me as the correct date because it is the birthday of a good friend's mother and also the date that my college days dog was born on. If it wasn't the 4th, it would have been the 5th. I also know that I did June and September earlier than 2004, but can't find any notes/photos documenting it.

Ah..that's good to know..I just bought a pair of carbon trekking poles from REI and went with the REI brand instead of the Leki ones I've used before. The dude at REI told me that Komperdell makes the poles for REI..so I figured that was a no-brainer (cheaper by $40 or more dollars). If I bust one..nice to know I can take it back...

Chris

So would this 100% satisfaction guarantee apply to a missing trekking pole?

My one near-death experience on Whitney involved having an REI pole slip out of my hand while I was climbing down the E-Ledges. Instinctively, I started to grab for it, but stopped myself because I knew if I reached any farther down slope, they be scraping me off of the rock down below. I went back up to try and retrieve it many times, but never did find any sign of it.

Leki poles have a lifetime guarantee against breakage. At the annual PCT kick-off, one of their reps comes, and last year replaced my broken lower section. No cost.

OOO, Richard... A creative award? Hmmm, I'll set my wheels to spinning on that one. At the very least we'll have a Piotrowski-roast at this "big party" you mention. Slide show of pics of nothing but your butt will be the highlight!!

I'm DYING to join you guys this weekend, but I'm heading to pack up Sanny G instead to get another snow camp in. Gotta try out the new pack and bag! Spinefxr gave me the beta that 4" fell at Angelus Oaks last night, so maybe a bit of trail-breaking this weekend and snow-shoeing! Eventually, the borrowed crampons WILL make it on my feet!

Have fun, boys. We'll catch up soon enuf. Say hi to the mountain for me.
-L