Mt. Whitney Webcam 1

Webcam 1 Legend
Mt. Whitney Webcam 2

Webcam 2 Legend
Mt. Whitney Timelapse
Owens Valley North

Owens Valley North Legend
Owens Valley South

Owens Valley South Legend
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
#87413 10/03/11 03:26 PM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 42
Member
Member

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 42
Anticipating the upcoming winter mountaineering season (and the fact that my old boots finally bit the dust), I am in the market for a new pair of boots that will work well with my strap-binding crampons. Any recommendations....preferably in the non-heart-attack region of the price spectrum?

Sphazo #87425 10/04/11 12:39 AM
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 110
Member
Member

Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 110
Try La Sportiva EVO Nepals. Fit like second skin!

JustBob #87494 10/06/11 06:47 PM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 42
Member
Member

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 42
Thanks for the advice on the boots! I know this forum is, more or less, Whitney specific. Does anyone know if there is a similar forum for Shasta? I am thining of doing a bid in November?

Sphazo #87495 10/06/11 07:58 PM
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 135
Member
Member

Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 135
shastaavalanche.org and summitpost.org (forums, CA) are good sources of info for Shasta. Anyone know a Shasta specific forum? cascadeclimbers.com maybe.

Sphazo #87504 10/07/11 04:33 AM
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 30
Member
Member

Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 30
"The Fifth Season" store in Mt. Shasta rents all of the equipment that you will need, including crampons, ice ax, and double-plastics if you want to test drive them before you dole out the cash. I purchased a pair of Kayland Apex Rock boots that I used on Whitney a couple of years ago in May and on Shasta and was happy with using a boot that was pretty much like a hiking boot in terms of fit, performance and function. Of course, they don't approach the double-plastics in terms of warmth and imperviousness to the wet of tramping through snow. Everyone swears by La Sportiva and they dominate the market, but Kayland has some really interesting designs including ones that integrate the super gaiter into the boot for truly cold weather environments; Sportiva has similar designs. I think that personal fit trumps all other considerations in the end.

LeeTintary #87933 11/21/11 07:49 AM
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 19
Member
Member

Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 19
The LS Nepal Evos are the ticket. I use the green SuperFeet insoles and my feet are always happy. If you get them from backcountry.com you can always send them back if you don't like them...doubtful though.

Last edited by PaulS; 11/21/11 07:49 AM.
Sphazo #87990 11/27/11 06:37 PM
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 55
Member
Member

Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 55
Sphazo,

Depends greatly on the terrain and conditions that you'll be using them in. You mentioned the winter season but are you talking about winter snow hiking? Steep terrain? Possibly icy? Mixed terrain? Day hikes where you're always moving? Overnights and lots of stops? Etc, etc.

Pretty much, all the major brands (La Sportiva, Scarpa, Kayland was mentioned (I'm on my second pair of them and love'm) are well made and do their respective jobs well. After narrowing down their intended use, it's just a matter of fit. LS and Kayland tend to run more narrow which is a big reason they work so well for me. Scarpa tends to be wider. If you have funny shaped feet, maybe sucking up the weight and bulk of doubles (Koflach's are back!) for winter use would take care of that since you can snug up the soft inner (which tends to conform to your foot) before sticking your feet into the shells. They're great for cold winter camping and overnight climbs as you can wear the inners around camp and bring them inside your tent and/or sleeping bag to warm up and dry out if necessary.

Best,

Brandon

BMan #88004 11/30/11 09:05 PM
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 783
Member
Member

Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 783
I have a nice pair of Garmont Tower GTX that are good - Men's size 9.5 I need to sell, they did not fit me properly. Worn once and a good deal at $150. Rick Graham recommended these, but sadly they were not a good fit for my big lady foot.


Tracie B #88047 12/07/11 04:37 AM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 18
Member
Member

Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 18
I would like the boots for $ 140 and free shipping. (not in a hurry)
I got new boots, 1/2 size too big, for my Oct 3rd hike. It was a mistake. But, it's a good story, later.

This is a good deal...(I should sell those boots, worn once).

If interested, call me (310 995 1911) for details of shipping and money.

Happy n Merry Holidays...

Love from Los Angeles...

Hiking always,

Tim



pic}
How do I post my [
Sphazo #88071 12/09/11 04:17 PM
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 380
Member
Member

Joined: May 2008
Posts: 380
I'm usually one who goes for the cheap solution, leveraging ebay, trying to get the best deal on whatever gear somebody else tried out and didn't like. Most of the time I am able to cut my cost of gear in half by doing that, but when it comes to boots that work in winter, I am starting to back off from that approach.

I just dropped $550 (and that was $200 off regular price) on my new winter mountaineering boots. Took me a year to make that decision, and it was after trying out everything "cheap" I came across first.

First I had some brand new Koflach Arctis Expe:




I grabbed them on ebay for a super nice price, but they were soooo big that I needed to get the size 12+ extension bar for my Petzl crampons, even though I just had a size 11 boot. Weight was close to my 1980s all leather mountain boots. I tried them for a few minutes in the snow last April and put them back in the truck before spending the rest of two spring weeks in the west wearing La Sportiva Trango Prime boots (also an ebay find, and I am keeping those).



The Trango Prime is basically an insulated version of the mild-weather Trango Evo GTX I have used in the Sierra for years, with a stiffer sole for step-in crampons, but still leather without a removable liner and very soft in the ankle. For my use the support they offer is alright, but I got wet feet in them the first time out on Telescope Peak. There's a liner in them, but it's probably not Gore-Tex or even close to that in terms of water proofness.

With Doug's advice and a liberal application of SnoSeal to all the seams around the bottom, I got them to work on Whitney. Conditions were warm and wet one day, cold and crisp the next, and it was all good. No water got in, but I was worried about that the whole time. For anything longer than a 2 day trip in the white stuff, I really needed a different boot. If on a budget, look for used Trango Primes on ebay - I got mine for $180 with only one Rainier summit on them, so I can't complain. They are perfect for spring conditons.

Looking at the options available for more extreme conditons and my plan to ski the John Muir Trail in a year or two, I was wondering how well a light touring ski boot would work for trips without ski. If I ws to spend big bucks on a touring boot anyway, why not pick one that can be used for other activities as well? I found the answer just recently here in this two part blog post:

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2011/06/tlt-5-dynafit-series-part-i-of-2.html

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2011/06/part-2.html

Since my first pair of touring ski boots was a pair of $50 ebay Scarpa F1 beaters that need more maintenance time than I spend skiing with them, I was already looking at these boots, as they are by far the "best walking" touring boots available. They were so popular last season, that you could not get any discount on them anywhere, so I let it go and patched my Scarpas one more time (that $200 Intuition liner I bought better fit in the TLT5's as well!)

Snow is back (artificially made around here, but hey, it is slippery). Just a few trips to the ski hill showed me that it was time to get some new boots now. I went back online to study what was available this winter and saw the TLT 5 was still the boot to beat, and this year they were being discounted in some places.

So here's the game changer boot - my new platic winter mountaineering boot, about 20 ounces lighter than a pair of La Sportiva Spantik, and it can ski, too:



I will ski them for the next months at the resort here, and then take them out west in April for some ski touring, as well as some peaks where I will leave the ski behind or just do the approach on ski (e.g. skin up to Iceberg Lake).




cascadesrule #88084 12/11/11 08:39 PM
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 783
Member
Member

Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 783
Originally Posted By cascadesrule
I would like the boots for $ 140 and free shipping. (not in a hurry)
I got new boots, 1/2 size too big, for my Oct 3rd hike. It was a mistake. But, it's a good story, later.

This is a good deal...(I should sell those boots, worn once).

If interested, call me (310 995 1911) for details of shipping and money.

Happy n Merry Holidays...

Love from Los Angeles...

Hiking always,




Well TIM it was a good deal. Pushed your luck a little too far, tho...boots are gone.

Tracie B #88091 12/12/11 04:49 AM
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,364
Member
Member

Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,364

Red Boots on Red Hill.

Probably not the type of terrain they were designed for, but I've already started to put them to good use. Thanks for the GOOD deal on the boots Tracie.

Richard P. #88096 12/12/11 06:50 PM
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 783
Member
Member

Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 783
You've scuffed them up!! smirk


Tracie B #88105 12/13/11 12:53 AM
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 202
Member
Member

Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 202
I just bought my first pair of mountaineering boots--Scarpas and gave them a test drive up Baldy on Friday. In the store they felt better than anything else they had at REI, which is not to say they felt great. Do they get more comfortable when you are walking in snow? I'm not used to the lack of flexion and I'm not used to the lip around my lower calves. I normally run in Vibram Five Finger Toes and hike in trail runners, so maybe I'm just rebelling against all the constriction. I'm trying to learn snow travel skills, though and realize that I need a sturdier boot for proper crampon use.

Brent N

Richard P. #88129 12/14/11 04:46 AM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 18
Member
Member

Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 18
Very nice picture...
Wow, How did you get them before me?
Anyway, it's cool...
I'll find another pair,
Thanks anyway, Tracie...


pic}
How do I post my [
cascadesrule #88130 12/14/11 04:51 AM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 18
Member
Member

Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 18
Oh, I forgot, Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to Doug an his Fam an acquaintances...


Always Hiking,

Tim


pic}
How do I post my [
cascadesrule #88133 12/14/11 05:32 AM
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,364
Member
Member

Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,364
Check out who she is with on the summit of Whitney...
Check out who she is with on the summit of Ixta.....
Check out who she is with on the summit of Orizaba..
Check out who she is with on the summit of Baldy...

Besides, I didn't try to lowball the great deal she was offering...
And she didn't have to go to FedEx, UPS, or the post office!


cool smile wink

Richard P. #88143 12/15/11 03:39 PM
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 283
Member
Member

Joined: May 2003
Posts: 283
Everyone's feet are different. I need a wide toebox. These work for me:

http://en.kayland.com/details.php?id=39

and if I need a bit of insulation:

http://www.lowaboots.com/catalog/ShowBoot.cfm?StockNum=2200276399&Category=1&Type=W

Richard P. #88149 12/16/11 05:26 AM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 18
Member
Member

Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 18
nice words...


pic}
How do I post my [
Richard P. #88150 12/16/11 05:29 AM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 18
Member
Member

Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 18
Digital blush


pic}
How do I post my [
Page 1 of 2 1 2

Moderated by  Doug Sr 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Mt. Whitney Weather Links


White Mountain/
Barcroft Station

Elev 12,410’

Upper Tyndall Creek
Elev 11,441’

Crabtree Meadows
Elev 10,700’

Cottonwood Lakes
Elev 10,196’

Lone Pine
Elev. 3,727’

Hunter Mountain
Elev. 6,880’

Death Valley/
Furnace Creek

Elev. -193’

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 8.0.0
(Release build 20240826)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.4.33 Page Time: 0.227s Queries: 56 (0.191s) Memory: 0.8090 MB (Peak: 0.9408 MB) Data Comp: Off Server Time: 2024-11-21 10:22:10 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS