To preface, I'd like to hear about your experience with these two tools and how they've performed in a variety of situations. Maybe I'm asking too much and just need to buy both eventually, but I only want to buy one pair this season.

I live in New Brunswick, Canada, and want to pick up a somewhat versatile tool that I can use for easy waterfall ice, but also rely on for climbs on Katahdin and occasionally the Rockies. In New Brunswick we don't have any proper alpine climbing so I'd be limited to waterfall ice, and I'm wondering how much the Quarks will limit me. As far as I'm concerned, the main difference seems to be the grips. I've been told that it's hard to wear bigger gloves with the Nomics, and also that they're useless for plunging. On the other hand, gripping with the Nomics will be easier/more energy efficient than the Quarks. Would like to know if this information is true!

Does anyone have suggestions on spring couloir climbs in western Montana? My favorite climbs are moderate angle snow couloirs. I lived in Colorado for almost 10 years and had plenty of couloir routes to choose from. I moved to northwest Montana a few years ago and I'm still searching for beta and options.

As title states this post is more about getting an idea for a bag needed to base camp at root canal glacier the kahiltna in mid to late April for some of the classics of the range.

My current bag set up is a 30° WM megalite and -10° WM lynx. I was advise to get a -40° when Alaska climbing but it seems it may be overkill for anything not on Denali high camps. My bags have taken me from summer to mid winter -10° camping temps. I’m Not sure if I should bite the bullet and get a -40 or try and stretch what I have currently and maybe get down overstuffed in them and get a winter bag liner, vapor barrier liner to add an extra 10°.

Has anyone had much experience in the Ruth gorge to opine on what bag rating you feel would be mandatory for that time of year?

I wanted to buy my first mountaineering backpack. Really want to get into the thing. I live in Peru, and probably plan to level up in mountaineering here the first two years haha. I saw there are these avy packs and was wondering if it would be a good idea or when it would be good, to buy one for mountaineering? don't plan to skii or snowboard in the near future yet

https://preview.redd.it/0tdg8fmrbp4e1.jpg?width=2448&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80fa6eadce2c60c7c50aaabc0e9847bfb5982de0

Bit of a warning for anyone considering Mountain Equipment gear. I've got a top end Lhoste jacket, the zip leaks even in quite light rain, wetting through my midlayers.

Tried to get a resolution from customer service but they have been very poor so far, emails back and forth below for anyone interested in making their own mind up!

Dear Mountain Equipment Customer Service Team,

I am writing to express my concerns regarding the water resistance of my Mountain Equipment Lhotse jacket. While I appreciate its durable and lightweight construction, I have encountered recurring issues with water ingress through the front zipper, which I believe compromises its functionality in wet conditions.

Despite the jacket’s high standards of waterproofing, the front YKK Aquaguard® #5 VISLON® zipper is a weak spot, quickly letting through water. I looked up the zipper online and elsewhere it is marketed as 'This zip is water repellent and not waterproof or watertight'. This limitation has led to significant water ingress down the zipper line, which quickly wicks onto the inner storm flap and penetrates to my underlayers. On a recent one-hour hike in fairly poor wet and windy conditions, I again experienced noticeable wetting directly down the center of my chest, despite the jacket’s internal storm guard, which suggests that water is bypassing these protective measures.From a technical perspective, the front zipper being only water-repellent limits its effectiveness in preventing water intrusion, especially in windy and rainy conditions where the pressure on such areas is increased. This design choice appears to undercut the jacket's otherwise excellent waterproofing capabilities. As a dedicated user of Mountain Equipment products, I feel that the issue with the zipper detracts from the jacket’s reliability in the wet conditions for which it was purchased. This could be considered a limitation in design rather than a manufacturing defect, but it nonetheless impacts the jacket’s intended performance.

Given these concerns, I would be interested in hearing if there are any recommended solutions for improving the jacket’s water resistance in this area. If there is any possibility of retrofitting the front zipper or adding a more robust storm flap, I would be eager to explore these options. Additionally, as a loyal customer, I wanted to share this feedback with your product development team, as addressing this detail would likely improve the experience for future users of the Lhotse jacket.Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to any suggestions you may have for enhancing the performance of my jacket and appreciate any support you can offer.

Warm regards,
Simon

************************************

Hi Simon,
Thank you for the further details. We appreciate your feedback regarding the zip component.We do not use any fully watertight zips throughout our range. During development, testing, and costing, we concluded that fully waterproof zippers are far bulkier, heavier, stiffer, costly, and difficult to integrate into this kind of fabric - for minimal benefit.As a quick comparison, the average retail cost of an 86cm YKK Vislon zip is around £10, and an 86cm YKK Proseal Aquaseal zip used on dry suits is closer to £70. This also does not account for any added manufacturing complications and bulk that would add to the unsuitability of the component, as well as global freight costs for added volume and weight. All of which would push up the retail prices of the garment for a possible marginal gain in waterproofing on a garment that is not intended to be submerged.In short, we will not change to this type of zip anytime soon, but hopefully, that gives you some more context as to why the Vislon zip is so popular.

Regarding moisture entering your garment, as you rightly pointed out the Vislon zip is not 100% waterproof or airtight. The storm guard will work to gutter out moisture from the zipper, but we also recommend regularly cleaning and lubricating the zip for added repellency and smooth functioning. As well as frequent washing and reproofing of the garment as a whole to keep the durable water repellancy working, and ensure efficient layering to avoid increased condensation.More details are here: https://www.mountain-equipment.com/pages/caring-for-waterproofs

Modifying the garment is not recommended, as it would likely make minimal difference. The cost and potentially irreversible changes to the sealed seams and stitching are likely not worth it. However, if you do wish to look into modifications, we recommend the specialists below:
Lancashire Sports Repairs: https://lancashiresportsrepairs.co.uk/
Scottish Mountain Gear: https://www.scottishmountaingear.com/

I hope this explanation helps, if you have any further questions then please let us know.

Regards, John

**********************************

Dear John,

Thank you for your detailed response and the context around the choice of zippers. I understand the design trade-offs involved and the decision to use the Vislon zip. However, I remain concerned about the level of water ingress I’m experiencing during conditions that I believe fall well within the jacket's advertised capabilities.

Attached is a photo taken during a hike in Wales on Saturday, which clearly shows the line of water ingress where the edge of the inner storm flap contacts my midlayer. The rain was light and intermittent, with some wind, but still, water was able to penetrate through the front zip and reach my fleece layer underneath. This highlights a recurring issue I’ve faced, where wind-driven rain appears to bypass both the Vislon zip and the storm guard, leaving my base and mid-layers wet.

Given that the Lhotse is marketed as a "mountaineering classic" capable of withstanding storms and providing protection in challenging environments, I would expect it to handle a breezy day with light rain without issue. I chose this jacket for its reputation and the assurance that it could perform in the very conditions it was designed for.

You mentioned that fully waterproof zippers are not viable for this type of jacket due to cost, bulk, and complexity, which I understand. However, as this issue renders the jacket unreliable for its intended use, I believe it points to a significant shortcoming in its design as the storm guard clearly doesn't gutter the water out of the jacket, the water simply wicks across it.

I would appreciate it if you could offer a resolution directly, as opposed to directing me to third-party repair specialists at my expense. The jacket is positioned as a premium product, and its failure to protect against relatively mild conditions undermines its value as a dependable piece of gear.

I look forward to hearing from you with a solution that ensures the Lhotse performs as advertised.

***********************************
Hi Simon,

Thanks for getting back to me.

We can't offer a zip replacement or modification to any 'ait-tight' zip - Only inspect the garment for manufacturing issues that would be covered under warranty, and test and surrounding sealed seams for leaking using a hydrostatic tester. Note that this would not include the zip, as we already discussed this is not considered a waterproof component - but we can certainly check if there's moisture entering from any areas that should be sealed, or if there's any obvious fault with the garment.

Please send your product to the address below with a covering note marked as reference (removed)

Hey folks, me and some friends are looking to climb Chopicalqui in Peru in July, 2025. We've been in contact with a few operators for this like

• https://www.alpamayoperu.com/index.php
• https://www.peruvianandes.com/en/
• https://www.summitclimb.com/ (international company)
• https://peru-expeditions.org/ (local but as pricy as international ones)
• https://www.namasadventure.com/ (international company)
• https://andeanrajuexpeditions.com/ (local and cheapest of the bunch)

For a 11-12 day itinerary (Huaraz to Huaraz), the local companies are charging < USD $2500 per person for a 4-person group.

The international companies I mentioned above are charging around USD $4500 per person for a 4-person stay. They include hotels and transfers to/from Lima as well (not by flight).

From my initial research, I've realized that logistics around hotels in the area and even transfer to/from Lima is trivial and something we can do on our own. So that should bring down the price.

I'm solely looking to see if anyone has worked with any of these operators in the past. Or if someone has general recommendations on how we go about choosing an operator for our expedition, that'd be great :)

I'm looking for a pair of boots as I get into mountaineering. I'm fairly novice so it will not be very technical climbs or extreme conditions. I'm going to spend some time in Mexico so the idea would first be to do some volcanos there like Izta and Pico de Orizaba, then I'm also looking at some summits in the Alps in Summer.

I am looking for something versatile that won't be too stiff when I hike in the mountains. La Sportiva fits me well so I was looking at the Trango Tech gtx or Aequilibrium ST - but maybe these won't be warm/stiff enough? I also had eyes on the Trango Tower Extreme but these might on the contrary be a bit much for what I have in mind? Any recommendations welcome

Thanks a lot !

I'd like to expand my personal library of mountain books. I have special interest in Alps, Himalayas and Karakorum expeditions and I would like to read some classics like Messner. I am interested in technical books on alpinism and mountaineering too. What books would you recommend?

Not sure if Paul Ramsden has ever spoken openly about his life or his accomplishments until now.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3kXz47XXPhP4gRAhez4WsR?si=73657db96b454371

Hey all.

I just got back from a trip to Patagonia (sadly no mountaineering, just hiking), and started using Windguru.

I found it pretty thorough.

Does anyone have experience with it in the Alps?

I'm thinking of using it as a main / secondary weather forecast in combination with local ones.

Thanks!

I was mainly doing mixed terrain with singing rock bandits but quite frankly they are shit..

Hey guys,

I am interested in your long term experience with the Samaya 2.0 tent.under which conditions did you use it?What were your experiences with this tent?

Hi guys!!

I recently bought Mammut duncan boa low gtx boots to hike. I actually love them however I have been wondering lately if the boa system on this model can be used counterclockwise to losen the strings. I have seen that this is possible with some boa systems and wanted to know if any expert knows if that is also the case for this model.

And if it really is possible to loosen the strings turning the system counterclockwise, is it easy to turn or does the system offer a bit of resistence? Wondering in case you guys say it is possible and I turn it and it offers resistence and I break them hahahahs.

Thank you!!!

Has anyone had any experience with their gore tex pants? And are they on par with hardshells from other brands?

Hi! I’m asking here and advice on how to dress warmer this winter. I’m asking here because this clothing must be somewhat dual purpose: climbing/alpinism and everyday. I do really have very few social occasions outside of climbing/alpinism and working settings (where I absolutey have no need to dress up since I mostly use a working uniform).

So the main requirements are:

• fabric/whole garment durability
• bright colors are ok but no flashy/overly technical appearance
• climbing/alpinism and everyday usage
• I run colder than most people
• in my region we now have temps that goes near 0C/32F in the valleys and will likely touch -10C/14F in the coming months

Current clothing system that I use daily:

• Patagonia Thermal Weight bottoms

• BD Forged Denim pants

• Patagonia Thermal Weight zip neck (or other brands similar items)

• Patagonia R1 (or other brands similar items)

• Arc’teryx Atom AR (2019 model) that seems to have lost some warmth

• TNF beanie

Now, keeping in mind the requirements, what would you change to boost warmth? I might upgrade my fleece with something far more heavier (i like this option because fleeces if cared well can last decades without significant loss of warmth and they can be more useful in fall and spring). Another option would be to change my Atom with something heavier. What about pants? Maybe I should upgrade to a softshell….

So I decide to choose between this two manufacturer.

1. HMG is porter 70/80 liters. Halka 70 or Ice pack. Reading reviews a try to understand cons and pros. What is more comfortable for more weight cargo?
2. Cilogear 45 l worksack. Thinking about this volume because it is possible expand to 75 liters. But 70 liter worksack price is almost 1k. Too much

Does HMG have cargo load straps?

In this post, I would like to share with you some history of the Alpinist Gaston Rébuffat and his vision of climbing The Six Great North Faces of the Alps. The information I gathered in this post is based on multiple internet sources, so if you see any inaccuracies or missing information, please let me know by sending a direct message.

What is a North Face?

For those unknown to the term North Face, it basically refers to the Northern side of a mountain, which receives the least, or no sunlight at all, of all faces on a day, assuming the mountain lies in the Northern Hemisphere. Due to being mostly in the shade, these faces are a lot colder and thus have a lot more potential to create and maintain a frozen layer between the rocks and/or create glaciers. This proces is also referred to as glaciation. This frozen layer keeps the mountain from falling apart, resulting in much steeper faces. These steep faces are as a result much harder to climb than the rumbled South faces and the cold and low amount of light doesn't soften the climbing conditions either.

Overview

Basically, the Six Great North Faces of the Alps consist of:

• The Matterhorn, first North Face ascend in August 1931 by the brothers Toni and Franz Schmidt from Bavaria.

https://preview.redd.it/kc6o0vzqbu3e1.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=1225c25e5c575b1d6d2b21c917a3639c9f12aaa5

• Cima Grande di Laverdo, first North Face ascend in 1933 by Emilio Comici from Italy.

https://preview.redd.it/kkvi0ojrbu3e1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=1a4b3cda8727dc78e615091ab0d52a45b5b6a8cb

• Petit Dru or Les Drus, first North Face ascend in 1935 by Pierre Allain and Robert Leininger from France and the UK (unsure).

https://preview.redd.it/gssjbw4sbu3e1.png?width=649&format=png&auto=webp&s=c000bbba81a4e2c0293ac31f18c4310351d683a7

• Piz Badile, first North Face ascend in 1937 by the legendary Ricardo Cassin (founder of the Cassin company) together with Vittorio Ratti, Gino Esposito, Mario Molteni and Giuseppe Valsecchi, all from Italy.

https://preview.redd.it/wh1tuhgtbu3e1.png?width=540&format=png&auto=webp&s=54930c7fdcd63f661186fa078c145b8cbaa89909

• The Eiger, first North face ascend in 1938 by Anderl Heckmar (Germany), Heinrich Harrer (Austria), Fritz Kasparek (Austria), and Ludwog Vörg (German).

https://preview.redd.it/m8sgda1ubu3e1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=ad7aa89e5e435ccad8276e4287064c7fabd1495f

• The Grandes Jorasses, first North face ascend in 1938 by Ricardo Cassin, Luigi 'Gino' Esposito and Ugo Tizzoni, all from Italy.

https://preview.redd.it/hemhmwjubu3e1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=1531cb2923246713e8f83686658a0748fa41c360

These North faces are generally considered to be one of the hardest North Faces in the Alps. Especially the Matterhorn, the Eiger, and the Grandes Jorasses are notorious for being extremely difficult and are also referred to as the North Face Trilogy.

Gaston Rébuffat's vision of climbing the Six Great North Faces

As mentioned in the previous section, all of these North Faces were first ascend in the 1930's, back when climbing equipment was still relatively unreliable and people died quite regularly trying to accomplish these great feats. The name Mordwand or Murderwall on the Eiger really does it's name justice since more than 60 people have died on this face alone since 1938.

More than 20 years after the Matterhorn North Face was first ascend, the French Alpinist Gaston Rébuffat was the first person to ever climb all the Six Great North faces of the Alps, finalizing his climbs in 1952. Together with his team, he documented his journey in a film he published in 1954, which he called Etoiles et Tempêtes, roughly translating to Stars and Storms.

https://preview.redd.it/po7yrsdvbu3e1.png?width=683&format=png&auto=webp&s=7fe5c90ffacf561f324070d5837b837f73fc35cd

Gaston started climbing at age 14 and at age 17, in the summer of 1938, he made a first attempt at the North Face of the Grandes Jorasses, right after the first ascend by Cassin's team. Unfortunately, he was not successful due to poor weather conditions. It was only until 1945 before he tried again, and this time he succeeded with the assistance of Édouard Frendo. The following year, he successfully guided another mountaineer called René Mallieux op the North Face of Petit Dru. In 1948 he attempted Piz Badile together with another client, Bernard Pierre, and although they had to endure a harsh lightning storm, they reached the summit the following day. In 1949 he climbed the Matterhorn North Face twice, together with Raymond Simond and together with the Italian guide Gino Soldà, he climbed the Cima Grande di Laverdo in the Dolomites. The only challenge was the Eiger North Face.

On July 27, 1952, Gaston started his climb of the Eiger North Face together with Paul Habran, Guido Magnone, Pier Leroux, and Jean Brunaud. They made quick progress, but after the Hinterstoisser traverse, the progress slowed down at the Ice Hose, right underneath the Karl Max Bivouac. This was due to another team consisting of Hermann Buhl and Sepp Jochler moving considerably slower than Gaston's team and not letting them pass easily. This however didn't stop Gaston and his companions and at 6 o'clock in the afternoon, 2 days after they started climbing, they successfully reached the summit.

Gaston's Legacy

Gaston climbed many other great mountains until he passed away in 1985 due to cancer. He has a record of over 1200 climb graded the difficulty level D or higher. Although he never got further than high school, he became a foremost mountaineering writer and editor at the Alpinism column in the Paris Daily, Le Monde. He also directed other movies, apart Etoiles et Tempêtes, like Flammes De Pierres and Les Horizons Gagnés. But above being a great climber, many also saw him as an extraordinary human and great family man.

Many great alpinists have climbed the Six Great North Faces since Gaston. Most noticeably Leo Schlömmer who was the first one to do them in one year, Tom Ballard being the first one to climb them all solo in one winter and Dani Arnold who has the record of having the fastest solo ascend time (with currently the exception of the Eiger North Face, which Ueli Steck broke a couple years after Dani set the record in 2015).

https://preview.redd.it/nps98z8wbu3e1.png?width=950&format=png&auto=webp&s=34cafd12129c2e112369320e59ccd49289a5e536

Sources

Six North Faces of the Alps: Matterhorn - Glenmore Lodge

UKC Articles - The Six Classic North Faces Of The Alps

The North Faces of the Alps - Jussi Haikka

AAC Publications - Gaston Rébuffat, 1921-1985

Gaston Rébuffat: Poet of the summits and exceptional mountaineer

Gaston Rébuffat | Chamonix Guides

Gaston Rébuffat - IMDb

Gaston Rébuffat (Author of Starlight and Storm)

Hello. I want buy backpack Hyperlote mountain Gear Halka 70. Or maybe ice pack?

I like that hip belt is removable. Is there someone who can give review about this backpack. Also north face cobra 65 look interesting. But in the shop they told me that it’s winter backpack. Back has no any ventilation. Just foam.

Or maybe you can give an advice what backpack where is else with removable belt. I want removable belt because less weight when I will go to mountain from camp.

As the title say which month of winter/early spring has the most favorable weather for a high altitude ascent. I'm well equipped and prepared, with a good experience in -25°c weather. I'm planning on climbing a couple of peaks in the Alps including Mont Blanc.

This is a rarely climbed route in mt.sannine and there is hardly any info about it but it is said to be pretty steep. So from this picture do you guys think 2 ice axes are enough or should i add belaying and pitches? (also it is zoomed in so it looks less steep than it actually is)

Hello. I don't know if anyone has already asked something on this topic, I'm new here. I hope you don't mind. I'm wondering if anyone has climbed Dufourspitze from Capanna Margherita? and back. What does the route look like? What can I expect? In what month did you climb and what were the conditions? Is it difficult to book accommodation in Margherita? looking forward to hear your experiences, thanks for every answer in advance.

to get ahead of you, I have experience. I know the importance of acclimatization and preparation for the climb, I'm interested in your experiences

Bonjour, j’aimerais votre avis sur ces trois chaussures, en excluant la notion de prix Scarpa ribelle tech 3 La sportive aequelebrium speed gtx Mammut eiger speed high gtx

Je cherches une chaussure plutôt polyvalente et rapide, que je pourrais emmener dans des sorties mixtes, que ce soit sur rocher, glacier ou en neige. Pas besoin d’une chaussure conçue pour des températures extrême mais qui soit suffisamment chaude tout de même.

Hello all,

In the first week of December I will be back in Chamonix with a fiend and I am looking for advice from locals/experienced climbers on what could be some safe winter climbs//low peaks/hikes to do.
(I read that Midi is closed till 21st of December?)

Team Experience:
- Alpinism: Medium (on the weekend warrior spectrum)
- Climbing: Both comfortable leading single/multi 6b with climbing shoes, 5+ in crampons
-Crevasses: Low experience, but we have the gear...

We will have all the climbing, mountaineering gear with us. Also we have a car, so if you remember something in the Alps (not only cham) please feel free to mention it.

Thanks in advance

Hi all,

I would appreciate some advice for a trip to the Cordillera Blanca in Peru in June next year. We are planning a few unguided ascents of some of the peaks up to around 5700m or so. Nevado Mateo, Vallunaraju, Pisco and the like.

My question is this: are double boots a strict requirement? My feet are (almost) never cold and I have a pair of Mammut Kento's that have good insulation and are pretty warm (been down to -20 celsius in them but never at altitude) and a pair of La Sportiva G Techs which I will use in the Alps this winter for the first time.

Would either of these work? Would one be better than the other? Advice from anybody who has been there would be appreciated!

I'm looking for a tent whose primary purpose will be a "short-term" basecamp up to about 4000m altitude, for 2-3 people. I'm thinking up to 5-7 days spent camping on a glacier or in the mountains while doing day hits rock or alpine climbing - e.g. on the mer de glace, bugaboos, wind rivers etc. Not expecting to do proper expeditions from this (e.g. living in it for weeks), but something that could work for a night or two before/after a route for 3 people, or a longer stint for 2. Budget aside I'm looking for interesting balances between size/weight/durability - obviously having multiple tents for different occasions is simplest, but one tent which works at least OK for everything would be better.

While I have a 2 person tent that works fine in these environments, ideally something larger provides more space to hang out when the weather is bad, or room for gear, cooking etc. in vestibules, and something light makes packing it in/out or even climbing with it possible. I've looked at the Samaya 2.5, MSR Access 3, and some Hilleberg options. Anyone have experience with these specific tents, or can recommend something you use for similar trips?

Thanks!

Hi everyone!

I'm looking for a jacket that can fill the role that my old Arcteryx Nuclei AR filled for me:

- Windproof, breathable and highly water resistant (doesn't have to be waterproof)
- Good synthetic insulation
- Packable

Thank you for your help!

Hello everyone, has anyone took some ice climbing courses in Norway and/or Chamonix? I'm looking for some advice.

Thank you!!