Very FM » Marmot

Mt. Washington

John Pasmore — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:51:19 +0000

Heading up Mt. Washington, in winter, has been a vague goal for a long time. Last week, something snapped, and on Monday I made plans to be there by Friday. (Pictured Above: Lake of the Clouds Hut as we descended).

I booked the trip through REI, though the actual guiding was courtesy Mooney Mountain Guides and they were fantastic. Highly recommend them. They have a blog here. Saturday, our itinerary had us climb two smaller peaks (Welsh and Dickey). Sunday it was Mt. Washington.

Sunday started at 4AM to be on the road at 5AM and at the base of Mt. Washington as the sun was coming up (7:30ish). For anyone who is interested in Mt. Washington you’ve heard all the cliche’s about the weather and the wind and from my perspective is was everything I could have imagined plus some (a significant “some”). The official day’s statistics were (1/29/2012 — http://www.mountwashington.org/weather/summit.php):

Maximum Temperature: 25°F

Minimum Temperature: 8°F

Peak Wind Gust: W 122 mph

Average Wind Speed: 54.5 mph

Liquid Precipitation: 0.02″

Snowfall: 0.6″

We made it to the summit, I believe at 12;30ish. So not bad. Coming up above the tree-line is something I will never forget, and those footsteps were by far the most challenging with the wind, the cold, and the unfortunately foggy goggles. The experience reminded me of diving in cold water with so much neoprene that you can’t easily move, and such limited visibility that you’re brain desperately wants you to be somewhere else. Same effect. Attempting to change my glove liners quickly (20 seconds) showed me how fast something could go wrong cause when I spilled my water and saw that it froze instantaneously I realized that I had about 10 more seconds to get gloves back on as my fingers quickly turned numb. Really numb, not numb ha ha.

After that I really did switch to a scuba-learned mind-frame of being very deliberate and breathing and thinking. Then doing. What worked:

1. Mitts/hands

Brenig – definitely really worked well. Arrived via post the day I was leaving and am very glad we didn’t miss one another as that could have been painful. Had several glove option and even a Black Diamond mitt-option (was going to use their Access Mitt over Patagonia gloves) but wouldn’t have been the same. In picture below, I’m wearing Patagonia Liners, and Brenig mitt-liners without the over-mitt. The mitt’s with all layers are big and that takes getting used to, and unless you have really burley zipper pulls you’ll need to adjust everything first and then put on the over-mitts. Significant hassle at 10 degrees and 50 mph winds to take off your mittens to fix anything. Brenig is in the UK so ordering is a bit tricky and more expensive than say REI, but well worth it.

2. Jacket

Montane Flux Jacket was perfect. Ordered from UK as well at OutdoorGB. Have ordered a good amount of gear from them and all has been good so far — very good. So the jacket is Primaloft and was warm with an Icebreaker wool shirt as a base, and a very warm Helly Hansen Verglas Top which is one of the best pieces of kit I have. The HH top is impossibly warm. So those were the three layers and added Marmot Cervino which worked better than I thought it would above the tree-line. I never used a Montane Anti-Freeze down jacket in my pack even while stopped. Fantastic jacket, though would buy the NorthStar with the hood if I had it to do over again. Cold, other than hands just wasn’t an issue. Backpack is an old Marmot Shooting Star.

That said, I did rock a Fjallraven throwback hat and it really worked well – by this time I had two balaclava’s on — a Patagonia and a Helly Hansen ninja-style near full-face that was actually needed since I didn’t have a true face-mask.

Could have used better goggles (a requirement to have all skin covered), face-mask so breathing out doesn’t fog goggles and that’s about it. Made it. Appreciate the trip end-to-end; really good group of guides, great group of climbers from as far away as Houston (and heading on to Ranier later this year) and lots of learning about what I can accomplish, about climbing generally, and great to see people doing what they love. Why else would you climb a mountain.

Slip/Slide/Run the Brooklyn Bridge

John Pasmore — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 04:07:43 +0000

As I toss on a few layers to run across the Brooklyn Bridge I’m guessing that my wife thinks I’m nuts. Given the weather. The fact she doesn’t say anything…at all…cements the POV. Yeah, we’re probably both thinking about the torn calf muscle last year and the 8+ weeks of rehap or… maybe not. Who knows really, it’s not worth asking.

I made it and had little company on the bridge. First none at all which was a little disconcerting as it was only 7PM and usually there are reams of folks. But I made it to Brooklyn and to Tillary Street certainly without seeing another runner. The way back, still no runners, a bicycle (one), feet down, trying to guide his way down the hill. Good luck, I’d walk. I didn’t look back to see if he’d agree with my thinking.

By now the snow is stinging my face and coming at a steep angle. Occasionally a large-ish piece of snow/ice comes off the bridge from somewhere up above and lands with a thud. I understand why they might close the bridge to pedestrians. I read later that some unfortunate dude is killed in Central Park by falling branch weighed down by the snow and, as always, realize life can be shortened in the most bizarre and capricious ways.

“…The man, Elmaz Qyra of Brooklyn, was killed around 3:30 p.m., along a picturesque stretch called Literary Walk, named because of the statues of Shakespeare, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns overlooking it…”

But gear is holding up well (could have used cramp-ons). In the midst of what was becoming a driving snow storm a lone Indian (looking) tourist tries to flag me down to take his picture — err — I passed on the opportunity. I was “running” the bridge – thought that was obvious, and welcome to New York. I mean c’mon.

Anyway, gear:

Clear lenses in ESS glasses,

Wool hat (which actually was keeping me warm even though it was very wet),

Some Patagonia liners for gloves,

New Balance sneakers,

Inexpensive Duofold Long Johns that were doing as well as much more expensive merino long johns I left at home (was 32 degrees out),

Icebreaker merino long sleeve short (like my Patagonia merino better, but Icebreaker did the job and scored it at steep discount from Gilt Group wedged amidst the tight and attitudinal designer wear that is the stock/trade of their email offers),

And an old Marmot pull-over waterproof shell (am a pretty big fan of Marmot),

Basic pair of Red Ledge water-proof/slip-on/velcro/zip-up pants,

Wrapped up the iPhone running Runkeeper App in an OtterBox Defender which did its job as well. Personally I just keep the iPhone in a Nathan runners pouch, not purpose-built but works for me.

I do three+ miles in the wet snow. Is kinda fun. And as long as I don’t trail water through the apartment wife is fine….I think.

Devil’s Path 1, John Pasmore 0

John Pasmore — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:29:28 +0000

So went hiking up in the Catskills with the intention of camping with a buddy. After waking up at 5:30, and then driving 3 hours north we hit the trail a little late – 9:00ish on a chilly (50 degrees and falling) morning full of drizzle. Got a map and little advice from the Ranger Station and was onward and upward. Approximately an hour and a half into the woods my partner in this mini-adventure develops a not-so-mini 1.5 inch blister on his heel. Ouch. (Partial gear list to come as this was mostly a preparation/gear avoidable injury).

The trail, Devil’s Path is noteworthy in New York. It was featured in NY Times a couple weeks back. It’s 25 miles of some of the more difficult hiking in New York, taking in 6 peaks; small by global standards but challenging with anything more than a daypack.

Post blister I knew we were ascending on borrowed time. Sure we made up another 1000 feet of vertical gain (over about a mile), but by lunch prospects were fading as fast as the temperature, now 41 degrees. With the rest of the day staring at us like Everest (some 25,000 feet higher than the Hunter Mountain we sat on) we bagged it. Yeah, without even any serious remorse. I could hear my wife laughing before making the call. And laugh she did. Coming down still took two and a half difficult hours.

Another hour and and we were stopping at Ikea in New Jersey. Beyond defeated. Devil’s Path notches clear victory. Round 2?

GEAR LIST

Always trying to find gear solutions that can work for many sports – sailing, hiking, scuba, occasional kayaking, etc.

Itopomaps worked perfectly – a little basic on the interface side, but you can download maps for when you’re out of range of cell signal.

ELECTRONICS

iPhone 3GS

http://www.apple.com/iphone/

Garmin GPS

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=144&pID=8705

(the most basic GPS in the line – just need lat/long – always take backup sailing)

Itopomaps for iPhone

http://www.itopomaps.com/

Iphone Case: Otter Defender

http://www.otterbox.com/iphone-cases/iphone-3g-3gs/iphone-3g-3gs-defender-case/

I would say this is water resistant not waterproof – have used sailing in rain though – so far pretty good.

Solar: Brunton 26W

http://www.brunton.com/product.php?id=420

Macbook DC & Solar Power

http://www.hyperdrive.com/HyperMac-External-MacBook-Battery-and-Car-Charger-s/91.htm

Computer Case – Pelican

http://www.pelican-case.com/1090-hardback.html

WEAR

Boots

Raichle

Raichle Eiger Norwegian Welt Boots. Black 3.0mm Roughout leather. Raichle/Vibram Montagna soles. 1 inch rubber rand joining the sole with the upper

(Weight: HEAVY – these are ancient but work for me)

http://www.mammut.ch/en/footwear_productcatalog.html

http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/download.php?id=39222555_0a925f9735p146607-

Rain jacket

Used sailing foul weather jacket – same effect. Good.

http://www.atlantisweathergear.com/

http://www.atlantisweathergear.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AW&Product_Code=BM765&Category_Code=MOL

Wool Pants

Not brand focused

Mid-Layer

Fleece Polartec

Not brand focused

BackPack

Marmot Shooting Star

3500 Cubic inches

4lbs 6 ounces

(2002 Backpacker Magazine: http://books.google.com/books?id=DOIDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA13&lpg=PA13&dq=marmot+%22shooting+star%22+backpack+-womens+-jacket&source=bl&ots=8BpKh0XYpi&sig=IGf9b3OC0ToV6eiajZH3sFe-Zck&hl=en&ei=t_PRSv_-IovElAf79oSpCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CBMQ6AEwAjgK#v=onepage&q=&f=false

GEAR

Tent

Marmot NYX 2P

Two person, three season tent

5lb 4 ounces (with ground cloth)

http://www.trailspace.com/gear/marmot/nyx-2p/

Sleeping Bag

NorthFace Blaze 3D

3 lbs

The Blaze 3D Bx sleeping bag by The North Face is a Polarguard 3D, twenty-degree bag for three-season use. Polarguard 3D synthetic insulation (Discontinued 2006)

http://www.trailspace.com/gear/the-north-face/blaze-3d/

20 degree

Sleeping Bag Liner

Thermolite Reactor (Sea to Summit)

Sleeping Bag Liner (adds 15/20 degrees_

http://www.seatosummit.com/products/display/24

9 ounces

Sleeping Pad

Big Agnes – Insulated Air Core

http://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Pad/InsulatedAirCore

24 ounces – rated to 15 degrees

Stove

MSR PocketRocket

http://cascadedesigns.com/msr/stoves/fast-and-light-stoves/category

3 ounces

60 minutes per canister (roughly)

Water

MSR Airspring/MSR Waterworks EX (water filter)

http://cascadedesigns.com/msr/water-treatment-and-hydration/category

durable ceramic element that delivers years of protection, as well as a second-stage PES membrane for extra filtering power

Stove Fuel

MRS Isopro

http://cascadedesigns.com/msr/stoves/stove-accessories/msr-isopro/product

80/20 blend of isobutane and propane

8 ounces

Sunglasses

http://www.esseyepro.com/CDI_14_detail.html

Mil Spec MIL-PRF-31013 and ANSI Z87.1-2003+ compliant (when not used in conjunction with Rx Inserts). All CDI™ lenses provide 100% UVA/UVB protection.

Leatherman

http://www.leatherman.com/

Compression bags

Pacific Outdoor Equipment Pneumo 5L Compression Dry Sack with Valve

Best bags – I don’t know what all bags don’t have this kind of valve – much needed to compress bag quickly…Use a separate bag for clothes; food, stove/kitchen, electronics

http://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Outdoor-Equipment-Pneumo-Compression/dp/B000VUSSEE/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1255276144&sr=8-8

Lights

Princeton Tec & Petzl Headlamp (Red Lens)

Carry two – pretty similar – generally either would be fine – if you’re caving you might want something specific…

http://www.princetontec.com/

http://www.petzl.com/us/home

Tent Ground Sheet

Super Extra Large Plastic Bag

Handwarmers

http://www.rei.com/product/405046

Medical Kit

Bring something and hope to use none of it….

http://www.rei.com/product/718294

Map Case – Seal Line

http://cascadedesigns.com/SealLine/Protective-Cases/category