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An spur of the moment adventure....

PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 8:15 pm
by Pyroman9
Gather around all for Uncle Eric's Story time...

So it all starts with the fact that I leave for Aconcagua in four days...

This is my first seven summit, I am going with one other. We are experienced hikers but only my friend has been to that altitude (Kilimanjaro). We are going unguided on the polish traverse route. So I have spoke to many, read a lot of books, and organized all the planning and gear. We had planned to hike the mountain with La Sportiva Nepal Evo boots.... Why not, after all they were very warm on mt washington.... and reviews said they should be ok...

Well thankfully bradmarshall spoke up and said it was a bad idea and they would not be warm enough... we were stubborn and already had the boots for a year.. so we bought insulated super gaiters ... $150 a pair. We assumed we would be all good to go now... wrong.

In between last minute questions last night for that damn brad he really stressed that the boots would not be good.. this got me worried.. so i read more and more... contacted a few guide companies... and sure enough the overall vote was no... so this brings us to last night...

Now here i am sitting at the table at 6pm wondering what the hell am i going to do.. so i go to the internet looking for some spantiks or buruntse... i found them but after talking to reps realized that the buruntse's which was what i needed... needed to be heat formed.. so where is the closest ones to me... Keene Valley which is near lake placid... This was 300 miles from me!!!!

So I called a friend and invited him for a beer.. when he got here I told him to get in the car we were going to the Dacks... He shockingly jumped right in and was siked, as we all are to go to the dacks for the hell of it. We departed at 11pm last night... arrived in keene valley at 0430 in the morning... slept for a few hours in the parking lot.. got up and walked into the now open store at 0800.

And now I have my boots and am home and happy... Nothing like a spur of the moment trip to the dacks to buy $600 boots three days before I leave for Aconcagua.

The boots: VERY COMFORTABLE!!! Well worth the money, playing with them now.

Ok story over.

PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 9:05 pm
by Pyroman9
hahha yea we are not sure with the nepal evo with super gaithers...

we were on the borderline with it.. some said oh yea it would be fine.. others said heck no..

then fernando grajales said he highly advises not to bring them... and i gave it..

but hey on the bright side i have boots i can bring to denali... and i got more gear!!

And the super gaiters fit on the boot to, so i should be more than sufficient now.

PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 9:34 pm
by brandon
Ranger nazi's on Aco last year were refusing to sign the permit of anyone that didn't have double boots, for eveyones information.

That's right, double boots or you aren't allowed to go above basecamp!

Sillyness

Good luck down there. Ask around for the homebrew in BC.

........

PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 9:43 pm
by Pyroman9
well now i am set :) what is the homebrew? What BC? We will start in plaza argentina and end in plaza de mulas

PostPosted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 8:07 pm
by ScottyP
Pyro, I know the feeling. Leaving at 5am tomorrow to drive 300 miles to one of the best boot-fiters in CA to do the same thing! At least I can hit the slopes of Shasta after the appointment!

PostPosted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 8:16 pm
by Pyroman9
Hahaha. Come on make it fun and leave at 11pm!!!

We leave for Aconcagua this upcoming monday!!!

PostPosted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 8:37 pm
by WouterB
Didn't get my Baruntse's heat formed and they worked fine on Elbrus.

Must say that it's not a bad choice you made there. Sure, it's in investment, but if it turns out to be cold, that could be the difference between getting up there or not. And as you said, you'll use them more than once.

Now don't do as I did and take cheap gloves. I had toasty boots, but very(!) cold hands.... .

Ow... good luck! :wink:

PostPosted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 8:38 pm
by Pyroman9
no worries i have the mountain hardwear absolute zero mittens.

PostPosted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 9:36 pm
by Pyroman9
Its not uncommon for us to call each other up and be like hey lets go.. ha. I called into work sick for this also, that made it all the better.

PostPosted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 9:42 pm
by ScottyP
Wouter,

I am getting mine heat fitted to eliminate the slightly more than desired heel lift. I also am gettng custom footbeds for my high arch. Money well spent. I got the boots brand new for $270.00 ! Scott

PostPosted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 9:47 pm
by Pyroman9
you got the baruntse's for $270!??!?!? WHAT!?!?!?!? WHERE?!?!?

PostPosted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 10:59 pm
by climbncookie
ScottyP wrote:Wouter,

I am getting mine heat fitted to eliminate the slightly more than desired heel lift. I also am gettng custom footbeds for my high arch. Money well spent. I got the boots brand new for $270.00 ! Scott


Please do share

PostPosted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 1:13 am
by ScottyP
No Spantiks ! Do share on the heel lift ?

PostPosted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 5:04 pm
by Pyroman9
no how did you get them for 270?!?!? lol

PostPosted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 5:58 pm
by ScottyP
eBay fire sale! Still had the tags on Scott