News of SummitPost.org

how cold does it typically get on pico de orizaba? i am considering driving down there from california in december/january and i'd rather not bring expensive gear like down jackets and sleeping bags that i will have to worry about safeguarding for two months... i figure i can always pick up a few wool sweaters in oaxaca (i'm taking a roundabout route to avoid mexico city) - i guess i'm good to about -5 C ...

Has anyone been recently on the french side of the Brèche de Roland, over Gavarnie? If so, did you find a lot of snow? Are crampons and ice-axe necessary? We are thinking of a Taillon climb for next weekend and one of our friends is not really an expert in winter technique... :wink: Any information shall be welcome

In two weeks we are going for trekking in the Pyrenees. We will arrive in Toulouse by plain and plan to continue by train to the mountains. We will have get our supplies of cooking gas in Toulouse because gas cartridges are not allowed on planes. Does anybody know where we can buy gas cartridges in Toulouse (preferably close co the main railway station)? Our stove (MSR Superfly) accepts popular French system (blue ones without ...

Anyone on the net been to Kerguelen in the past five years. Read a recent article on a French Mountaineering Party which made the Second Ascent of Mt Ross 6430' and two other unclimbed peaks on the Mt Ross Ice Field. Since there is only one regular ship resuppling the research base three times a year from Reunion Island access is very limited to the island and preference is given on the ship to relatives ...

Conditions have been great in Chamonix. Here's a recent report:
http://www.chamonix.net/english/mountai ... latest.htm

I’m doing my first solo climb on mount Dana this weekend the route is all ice now. Have done other solo climbs but this seems a bit more real to me. Any suggestions?

In theory it seems quite simple, I have been up three times with my partner. However, as many times before I do a climb I start thinking about all the scary stuff. :shock:

All,

I'll be around Mexico city from ~ Dec 11 - Dec 23rd, with my girlfriend. I'd love to climb something, but I have some criteria.

**I do not want to bring a bunch of gear from the states beyond a backpack (I'd consider a water filter and trekking poles but that's it). We would need to rent any gear we'd need.

**I want to start in Mexico City & return there within 3 days, ...

Today 4 Dutch climbers died on Mont Dolent. Apparently one (or more) of them slipped and they were roped up. They fell together.

This accident raises to me (again) a question that I also had last week while preparing to climb the Bianco grat on Piz Bernina (which we eventually didn't due to bad weather). We would climb the snow/firn part of this ridge unroped, since (in my opinion) the use of a rope without ...

What would you guys do?
On the one hand, I know weather is usually better in Wallis.
But on the other hand the Schreckhorn and other peaks seem amazing!

Step in and shoot the breeze :).