850 fill power premium northern European goose down is the best you can do for insulation on any mountain.

Here’s the jacket you can live in up to 26,000 feet elevation, before slipping in to the full-body version for the twilight assault to the summit. On Mt. Everest, that would be another 3, 035 feet straight up and your insulation system needs to be as tough as you’ve become to get you to that point.

First Ascent brings you this super-warm jacket filled with 850 fill power premium northern European goose down. The Peak XV is available in men’s and woman’s sizes. Your two color options for men are Dark Lava (a coal-ember red) and Black as in “lights-out.” Women’s colors are a light purple and a light charcoal.

Here’s some of the specifications you’ll need to make your purchase decision:

• Integrated hood fits over your climbing helmet
• Unequaled warmth, compressibility, and lightweight
• 850 fill power premium norther European goose down
• Water resistant shell made from stout 22-Denier fabric
• Turtling collar shields your face from bitter cold and wind
• Pockets are lined with brushed Tricot to keep your digits dextrous
• Men’s back lenght is 26.75″
• Weight is 26.34 oz

It’s so rare to truly get recommendations on products like the First Ascent Peak XV from most low-altitude earth dwellers. So listen to what two of the most accomplished heavyweight expedition mountaineers have to say about “the” jacket they wear when it’s time for “Parkas on!”

“My Peak XV is the perfect loft and weight for the big muntains I work on. It moves with me and doesn’t get in my way while protecting me from serious cold, yet it packs down neat and small when things get more civilized.” — Dave Hahn

“From the Antarctic blizzards to Himalayan summits, this jacket will heat you up. Nothing beats 850-fill down for insulation and packability. Take this jacket n your next extreme adventure.” Ed Viesturs

First Ascent Peak XV is available through www.whittakermountaineering.com and retails for about $269.00

Warm weather skiing and snowboarding can present wet-avalanche dangers. Learn how to spot the warning signs with a simple thermometer.

By Donny Roth

While the spring ski season is renowned for a more stable snowpack, most everyone is aware of the dangers presented by wet-slides.  Spring is the time of year that most neophytes choose to enter the realm of ski mountaineering. Even the most novice ski mountaineers know they must start early when the average daily temperatures climb higher, but how do you determine when it’s too late?

“I think we should be off the face by…“

This is a common statement that is often heard during evening planning sessions and discussions along the approach.  While you may come to the correct answer with this statement, using time of day to determine whether a slope is dangerous, is not the proper approach.  With enough historical information, you may be able to get close using a time estimate, but your watch is not really the critical instrument for making the call to turn around or not.

As an example, I was out skiing great terrain until two o’clock in the afternoon on a sunny day, with temperatures in the fifties.  Then, two days later, I didn’t even start up the trail when the temperature reached forty degrees and the sky was completely cloud covered at 3:30AM.  So clearly, time is not the determining factor.

Use a basic dial thermometer to measure snow and air temperature to determine avalanche danger. At a cost of $10, it's an inexpensive tool that can possibly save a life.

Wet-snow avalanches occur when there is enough free water in the snow pack to loosen up the grains in the snow and allow them to slide.  This can be difficult to determine, but be sure that it’s not at your watch that you need to be looking at.  The tool you need for spotting signs of an avalanche is a high-quality thermometer.

Some good examples of this are from Brooks-Range Mountaineering Equipment. They have two varieties of high-quality thermometers that are made for this application; a  Dial-Stem Thermometer (see it on their site), and a Digital Thermometer (see it on their site).  Dial-stems allow the user to calibrate the thermometer to ensure accuracy for many years.  Digital thermometers are simple to use, and read temperatures to a tenth-of-a-degree.

Use the thermometer to measure the temperature of the air and the snow.  While measuring air temperature, you must find a way to suspend the thermometer a meter-and-a-half above the snow.  Generally, fastening it to your ski tip, with the tail plunged in the snow, is a good way to accomplish this.  If the air temperature is above 0°C (32°F) then there is potential for wet-snow avalanches.

Another factor regarding air temperature is the diurnal freezing cycle.  Is it getting below freezing at night?  For how long?  If the snow didn’t get a good freeze overnight, then it won’t take long for those grains to loosen up once the temperature climbs above freezing in the morning.  If it didn’t freeze at all, then you better keep away from hazard areas like steep slopes and cornices.

Digital thermometers are also easy and fast to use. Just make sure that it has fresh batteries when you head out into the snow covered back country.

We all love to ski while it’s warm out.   And I have personally made many fantastic, steep descents while the air temperature was above freezing and the snow was warming.  The question is, “To what depth is the snow temperature zero degrees?”  Take out your thermometer and look for how much snow is isothermic – or consistently zero degrees.  If the isothermic layer extends to a good glide layer – like an old crust or a grassy slope at the base – then there is a good potential for wet-slide activity.

So the next time you’re headed out for a classic, spring descent of a corn-covered peak, bring along a good thermometer.  Instead of looking at your watch, take a few temperature readings.  Sometimes, you’ll have to change your plan earlier than expected. Other times you’ll get to stay out for an extra lap.

A snow cave makes a great emergency shelter for back country skiers and snowboarders who get caught in bad weather situations.

When temperatures drop or winter storms bring strong winds and heavy snowfall, seasoned mountaineers prefer to sleep in a snow shelter, rather than a tent. A snow cave takes more time to build, but is more secure than a tent. In cold weather a snow cave is also much warmer.

Snow caves are best suited to locations where you can burrow into a snow-covered hillside. A strong and stable cave requires somewhat firm (consolidated) snow. The snow must also be deep enough to leave about two-feet of ceiling thickness.

Several people can shelter in one snow cave. A well-built cave dug in the firm snow is a very secure structure. However, if the outside temperature is warming toward freezing, a tree shelter may be a better choice. The weight of a collapsed snow-cave roof could cause serious injury to people underneath.

Find a short seven feet minimum – 30 to 40 degree slope or snow drift, that is clear of any potential avalanche hazard. It is easier to dig the cave into a steep slope than a gentle one. The snow must be deep enough that you will not hit ground before you finish excavating the entire cave. Dig an entry that is 1.5 feet wide and five feet high. Then create a construction-debris exit slot by digging a waist high platform centered on the entryway, forming a “T” that is four feet wide by 1.5 feet high.

Cutaway side view of a finished snow cave. Illustration by The Mountaineers Books.

Develop this platform so that it forms a horizontal slot extending into the slope, providing a temporary exit-way for all the snow being shoveled out as the interior of the cave is excavated. Excavate so that the cave floor is about six inches higher than the bottom level of the horizontal slot.

Create the main room of the cave by digging inward from the entry and expanding the room to the front, sides and upward; all directions except down. Shovel snow out through the horizontal slot. A second person working outside, can can clear the snow away.  Extend the original entry hallway another two feet into the slope permitting the excavator to get farther into the cave to continue excavating outward and upward. Now it should be nearly possible to stand inside. continue to excavate, now out of the wind. When enough snow has been cleared to to allow the excavator to sit upon the main cave floor, another person can enter and help continue to expand the cave in all directions except downward.

Excavate until the inside dimensions are about five feet from front to back, by seven feet wide and 3.5 feet high; a comfortable minimum for two people. Make the cave larger for more occupants but remember that a small cave is warmer than a larger one. Keep a minimum of two feet of firm snow on the slope above the cave ceiling to provide enough strength to keep the roof  from collapsing. Avoid building a flat ceiling. The more dome-shaped the ceiling contour, the stronger it will be and the less it will sag.

You can't build a snow shelter wihtout a shovel. This Brooks-Range Mini-Pro retails for under $40 bucks, weighs only 32.01 ounces, and features a telescoping handle.

Fill in the temporary horizontal slot with snow blocks; one large block or two smaller blocks leaning against each other may be sufficient to close the slot. Cut any spaces around the blocks with snow. The top of the completed entrance tunnel should be at leas six inches lower than the cave floor, keeping war air in the cave and cold drafts out. Use snow blocks to build a wind-screening wall on either side of the entry path. Poke a pair of ski-pole basket sized ventilation holes through the ceiling of the cave from the inside out. This is important to prevent asphyxiation of the snow cave occupants. If it gets too warm inside the cave, enlarge these holes. Remember to not use a camp stove inside the cave. Cook outside at the entrance open air.

Smooth the domed ceiling of the cave’s interior so that it is free of any bumps or protrusions. Scratch a small ditch all around the base of the wall to channel any melt water away from the floor. Place a ground sheet on the floor to help keep things dry and prevent loss of equipment in the snow. Keep stormy weather out by putting a small tarp or a pack over the entrance, but leave some opening for ventilation air to flow in. To ensure that no uninvited guests drop in, mark  the area around the cave so that someone doesn’t walk onto the roof. When you are finished using the cave, collapse it so that it does not present a hazard for others.

a) Choose the location, b) Dig the entry, c) Dig a T-shaped slot, d) Dig inward expanding up left and right, e) Expand to desired size, f) Fill-in T-shaped slot - Illustration by The Mountaineers Books

Author Jim Davidson

By Kimberlee Frederick

When Jim Davidson emerged from an 80-foot glacial crevasse in 1992, it was not with the expectation that his harrowing experience would inspire him to write his gripping, recently released book, “The Ledge: An Adventure Story of Friendship and Survival on Mount Rainier.”

But inspire it did, and the result is an emotional, intricate and ultimately uplifting story about the resilience of the human spirit.

Released on July 26 and co-authored by “Denver Post” journalist Kevin Vaughan, “The Ledge” (Ballantine Books/Random House, 2011) details the perilous journey to the summit of Mount Rainier (southeast of Seattle, Wash.) made by Davidson and his climbing partner, Mike Price in July 1992. Beginning the descent after reaching the summit of Rainier, Davidson and Price fell 80 feet into an unseen crevasse. Price attempted to halt the fall but was unable to, and the partners fell and were buried by snow. Having taken the full force of the 80-foot drop, Price did not survive.

What proceeded for Davidson was a treacherous fight to complete a climb beyond the experience of some of the most seasoned climbers in the world, weighed down by grief over the loss of his friend and hindered by inadequate tools.

Although Davidson’s specific experience is not one most people can directly relate to, the emotional barriers he fought through and described in “The Ledge” have struck a chord with a variety of audiences.

“It certainly is an invigorating survival tale,” Davidson said of his book, “but the real lessons are not about climbing. It’s more about

The Ledge Book Cover

realizing how resilient humans are. People can surpass what seem like insurmountable obstacles.”

With such a universal theme, “The Ledge” has been lauded as book that transcends the traditional climbing story elements and reaches a large scope of readers.

Davidson said, “We wanted to make it very accessible. We didn’t want it to be a book written just for climbers, per se. It’s for all people who can learn a lesson from their adventures.”

Since July, Davidson and Vaughan have been travelling and doing extensive interviews and readings of the book to publicize it, from Washington and Colorado to Utah and Oregon.

“It’s been a very exciting but extremely tiring ride,” said Davidson. And in terms of response to “The Ledge,” their travels have also been rewarding.

“We’ve been hearing back from folks after they’ve read it, which is the most exciting part,” Davidson said. “It’s been really uplifting, and such a great tribute to Mike Price.” And praise hasn’t just come from the general public; a variety of media have praised the book, and NPR put it on their list of “Summer’s Biggest, Juiciest Nonfiction Adventures.”

“NPR is highly revered, so that was exciting. It was very affirming,” said Davidson.

Though immersed in an ongoing schedule of publicity for “The Ledge,” the emotional aspects of sharing a deeply personal story have not gone unnoticed for Davidson.

“I was a bit nervous about releasing the book,” he said. “It’s a very personal story, so there was a bit of anxiety about what people would think. But we were really excited to roll it out and were happy with the response, which was very positive.”

The process of getting his story out to the public was an arduous one in many ways.

“In hindsight, several things needed to happen before I was ready to come forward publicly,” said Davidson.

This included coming to terms with the trauma on Mount Rainier, the loss of Price and reestablishing his relationship with climbing.

“Over the course of many years, I started to hike and climb again. In 1998 I was chosen to co-lead an expedition to Nepal. That was going to require a pretty serious commitment back to the climbing world,” Davidson said.

Jim's LOWA Civetta mountaineering boot from Mt. Rainier experience

From there, he started teaching young people to climb, and his involvement with the climbing world branched out again.

A long-time public keynote speaker, Davidson began using his climbing stories to reach his audiences as he spoke about learning resilience through struggles in life.

“Going through these experiences is about learning to find a meaningful life afterwards,” Davidson said.

And that’s what he still works to convey when speaking to audiences of all types. For him, waiting until this year to share his story through a book had its value. “These are lessons that I couldn’t have seen a year or so after the accident,” said Davidson.

By 2005, Davidson was speaking full time as a professional motivational keynote speaker, using his experience with climbing—which came to include working on rescues, going on expeditions and scaling some of the largest mountains in the world—to further impact people.

“I was driven to share the stories of my 29 years of climbing, he said. “Climbing is a crucible for human interactions. I made a conscious decision to share the lessons I had learned with as many people as possible.”

The transition from being an environmental geologist to a professional speaker was a big one for Davidson at the time, but the payoff has been significant; signs of Davidson’s impact on his audiences come consistently.

“It doesn’t come in a singular moment. It comes repeatedly, in unpredictable frequencies. I’d give a presentation, and someone would say ‘That’s exactly what I needed to hear today.’ The feedback is proof to me that I’m doing what I need to be doing,” said Davidson.

Working with Vaughan to get “The Ledge” published was the next natural step for Davidson in getting his story told. Vaughan, who

2011 LOWA Civetta mountaineering boot

had written about Davidson previously in “The Rocky Mountain News,” provided Davidson the push necessary to get the book out.

“I had written some chapters beforehand, but had a hard time finding time to work on it. I would make progress, then it would go back on the shelf for a time. I wasn’t making it a big enough priority,” he said. The solution was working with an experienced journalist who helped Davidson to create a compelling narrative.

Vaughan’s articles about Davidson’s Mount Rainier accident also piqued the interest of the Animal Planet show “I Shouldn’t Be Alive,” who interviewed Davidson for the episode “Killer Crevasse,” which aired Jan. 19 this year and continues to play in reruns.

Doing the interview for the show was unexpectedly difficult for Davidson.

“I had spoken about [the accident] publicly before, so I thought it would be straightforward. I was in a dark room with very bright lights, and the interview went on for about nine hours. It was a very tough experience, but that’s what brings out the story,” he said.

Currently, Davidson is touring for “The Ledge” and continues to speak professionally. He has plans to write more in the future, “looking at lessons and pulling out human stories to share,” he said.

Still an active climber, Davidson is also an ambassador for LOWA, whose climbing boots he wore while stuck in the crevasse. In 2005, he wrote to them explaining how their exemplary gear kept him alive. Since then, he’s remained in communication with them and actively promoted their boots.

“I’m a fan of top-quality gear, especially when someone’s life is on the line,” said Davidson.

Davidson’s message is one that continues to reach the myriad groups he speaks to, from universities to corporations and a wide variety of associations, and is one that equally accessible to all:

“In this fast moving world, you’re short on time, resources and people, but you still have to find a way to get it done, which is directly parallel to alpine climbing. There are always unexpected difficulties and setbacks. You have to find a way to get through them and do what needs to be done.”

“The Ledge” is available in stores and online. Visit Davidson’s website at www.speakingofadventure.com for information about his speaking engagements, book tour dates, a special look at the prologue and much more.

Big Agnes Air Core Sleeping pad.

By Mary Webb

Big Agnes provides extreme comfort in their summer and winter bags, and the Air Core sleeping pad sets the stage!  Coupling the Big Agnes Yampa down-filled sleeping bag we reviewed last year with the Air Core pad creates a complete sleeping system while you are out romping in the rugged Sierra Nevada, Colorado Rockies, or the great Smokey Mountains.

Regardless of how cozy your down sleeping bag is, it’s important to choose a sleeping pad that will cushion your body from the tent floor and the hard ground. As important, to us at least, the sleeping pad should be easy to deal with and ultra-compact.

Big Agnes gives guideline temperature ratings for all of their non-insulated and insulated sleeping pads.  So you have several options for the type of backpacking and seasonal conditions you plan on using it for. The Big Agnes Yampa sleeping bag that was used with the Air Core, has an integrated full-pad sleeve that fit this particular pad just fine. The cool thing about the full-length pad sleeve is that you are less likely to roll off the sleeping pad in the middle of the night. You might peel of it, but you won’t likely roll off of it. That’s a nice touch.

The non-insulated Big Agnes Air Core sleeping pads range in suggested retail price from $44.95 to $54.95, depending on the size you need and whether you are pairing it up with a Big Agnes Bag or other brand.  Weight ranges from 16 ounces all the way to 22 ounces for the non-insulated Air Core pads, which are all dark red in color up top and gunship gray on the bottom.

Last summer the initial camping trip to the Central Coast of California allowed the first opportunity to try this Air Core with size

Big Agnes Air Core pad seen in relation to a Marmot Home Alone Bivy tent. It fit fine.

dimensions of 20×72x2.5 inches.  With a low-end temperature rating of 35°, this non-insulated sleeping pad works great for most types of back country overnight hikes this writer is likely to get herself into. Also, the Air Core sleeping pad was a great match for my 40° Yampa bag.

The Air Core is convenient, compact and easy to use.  That’s perhaps the best attribute we can share with you. The small packed size is welcomed when loading up the backpack. It comes in a water-resistant nylon stuff sack, with a rope-pulled cinched closure that bundles up nice, and alleviates the cumbersome bulk and clumsiness that so many other air-cushioned sleeping pads turn out to be, after you go to break camp and pack up for the trail.

When you weigh the compact size with the price, as compared to some brands, you start to get the feeling how hideously overpriced others brands are, and how they pale in value. This assessment right here is what separates Big Agnes from others we have had the opportunity to take into the field.

Again, we really liked how the Air Core rolls up in its own storage bag, making  it convenient to travel with.  An added bonus in the storage sack is a hidden pocket stitched into the bag.  This “secret” compartment houses a repair kit that includes nylon patches, adhesive and repair instructions.

Big Agnes Air Core EZ valve worked fine every time.

It is important to follow the steps on the repair kit and use the materials that are provided for you.  If the pad deflates unexpectedly, it’s important to find the leak first.  Submerge the pad in a bathtub of water and look for a stream of bubbles.  We didn’t experience any misfortunes with this Air Core, but it is always a possibility to be prepared for. It may or may not be necessary to use the patches provided; depending on the severity of the tear, the pad could possibly be repaired with the adhesive glue alone.  While some hikers use duct tape to make repairs, it is not recommended with the Air Core.  The residue from duct tape is difficult to remove and might become an eyesore to the mountain lion inspecting its food source in the moonlit night!

While an air pump might make any sleeping pad easier to inflate, the durable EZ valve makes it quite easy to fill the Air Core up at the end of the day. Keep in mind that the higher you go in elevation, the more challenging it could be to fill any air-cushioned sleeping pad. Being in great physical condition is always a good idea, but even if you are in perfect health it is possible to get light headed if you have not acclimated to the altitude you are operating at.

This is just a thought for you to keep in mind if you plan on high-country backpacking while not necessarily having had much experience setting up camp at the end of the day after trudging like a packhorse crawling to the clouds. Take your time filling up your air mattress at the end of the day, even if you have to close the valve and take a break. By turning the valve counter clockwise, you simply blow air into the pad to inflate it, or Turn the valve clockwise to hold the air in.

Big Agnes (BA) Air Core in stuff sack and BA Yampa sleeping bag show compact relationship. Both fit into the Osprey Xenon lower sleeping bag compartment with room to spare.

In lower elevations, like a swift through-hike on the Appalachian Trail, filling the Air Core is a non-event. It was easy for our younger campers to help set up camp and get the Air Core ready to go. On one trip the stop watch clocked one youngster at less than three minutes to get the Air Core cozy plump. In general it’ll take about two and a half minutes for the Air Core to reach its comfort zone.  The Air Core is designed to give you about 2.5 inches of separation off the ground and provided a nice cushion for our sleeping bag.

Big Agnes does its part as a manufacturer that supports Green technology in their products, and that’s always a good thing. Big Agnes Air Core sleeping pads are made from recycled polyester, keeping the product lightweight and water resistant. The pad also protects the sleeping bag from ground moisture and that occasional boulder you missed when you lay down the tent floor before setup.

The Air Core uses “Beamed construction” in the pad to reduce cold spots and allows the it to easily inflate and deflate. After removing all the air in the pad and rolling it up into thirds, it was no drama to tuck it right into the sack! And that’s what we value most about the Air Core; that and the price as a value that makes it a sleeping pad we can recommend to our friends and readers researching online for their first, or fifth, sleeping pad.

When colder weather gets us to the slopes or some cool mountain lodge where some folks have to sleep on the knotty pine floor, like the middle of January when this little ditty was written, the Air Core still gets plenty of use.  If you need to increase the insulation value of the Air Core, or any air-filled sleeping pad, you can use a closed-cell foam pad or other additional insulation options. As it stands for the winter of 2011, this Big Agnes Air Core has done a good job in whatever situations it has been taken to task.

Here’s something we were not prepared for. Our young campers who were introduced to the Big Agnes Air Core, now want to use the sleeping pad whenever they spend the night a a friend’s house. They obviously love it, and have been vocal about the pad’s comfort.

By Mary Webb

You won’t want to miss Pelican’s 2690 series HeadsUp Lite.  With various outdoor excursions in mind, we wanted a light that could take us from a family camping adventure to an evening bike ride along the road.  It’s all about hands free in California, especially when you’re setting up tents in the evening with a busy family, and those times when you need to hang on tight to your handle bars along a dark street.

Light up the Campground!

We took the Pelican HeadsUp Lite camping on a family trip to Santa Barbara. While other families fumbled along the path to the campfire with unstable hand-held flash lights, our family was able see clearly, hand in hand towards the camp site.  With 10 hours of AAA battery burn time, we knew our path would be well lit for unpacking at dusk.

With Santa Barbara comes the evening moisture from the ocean, fortunately the HeadsUp is made from ABS water-resistant plastic.

HeadsUp is light, compact, and powerful.

Not only is the ABS water resistant, it is also lightweight at a mere 4.1 ounces!

The whole family wanted to take turns wearing the HeadsUp! Clock-wise rotating knob allowed us to control the on and off capabilities.  We felt the rotating knob had less of a chance to accidentally turn on and off, as there was a proper 1/2-turn that takes place even before the LED light comes on. Plastic grooves on the built in rotary switch, which houses the lens, lends itself to easy handling; particularly those times you are wearing thick gloves.

Versatility comes in the design. There is a small stand at the back of light which transforms the Headups into a lamp, so to speak. This little lamp-stand allowed us to set the light on the tent floor for setting up sleeping bags in the evening.  There are 3 different ranges on the stand to reflect light at different angles. Each position clicks in place and we were able to read in our comfortable Big Agnes Yampa sleeping bag after an extended day hiking the trails along the Pacific Coast.

Ample padding next to your forehead makes the HeadsUp Lite easy to wear.

Light up the Road!

We were quite pleased at how bright the Pelican HeadsUp Lite is, the radial spread of light is impressive.  Enough to keep us safe on an evening road bike ride along the coast.

The HeadsUp Lite comes with two adjustable straps, elastic band and rubber. Elastic band is stitched tight and durable with a soft fabric that feels good against the forehead, the material repelled sweat as we took our bike up steep-hilled slopes.  Rubber strap fit nicely on our biking helmet also, snug and tight without slipping around.

Light up your world!

Pelican brings light to any adventure with this one. So whether you are planning a family camping excursion to the back country or intense climbing in Bryce and Zion, you will feel secure in long lasting light, durability and affordability at only $32.95!

HeadsUp Lite 2690 LED Flashlight Specifications

Light Source:

LED

Tested Lumen Value:  60.0

Tested Lux Value @ 1 Meter:  1,000

Batteries

3 AAA Alkaline, included

Battery burn time:  10 hours

Voltage

4.5

Length

2.81 inches (7.1 cm)

Weight with batteries

4.1 oz.

Weight without batteries

2.8 oz.

By Kevin Varner

We took the opportunity to assess the Suunto Core All Black wristop mountaineering watch and enjoyed the accuracy and functionality of this multi-functional watch.

That said, most every backcountry trekker knows at least one old-timer that resists today’s latest technology and swears that digital technology will result in the downfall of outdoor survival skills. Digital technology can, however, push the boundaries of outdoor recreation when skill and experience are applied to the latest wristop instruments available. The Suunto Core watch is a testament to this marriage between experience and cutting edge technology.

There is a list of essential items that all mountaineers must carry such as a compass, warm clothing, and, of course, a wristwatch. Mountaineers must constantly have a solid sense of time as conditions change rapidly given the hour of day. The Suunto Core All Black uses state-of-the art technology to assist mountaineers in every data-gathering function they need in their journey. It is not your average timepiece as it not only provides the time, but also provides users with an altimeter/barometer, an accurate compass and more.

Designed in Finland, Suunto watches are often a choice piece of equipment for climbers ascending into the vertical, unforgiving world of mountaineering.  We found the Suunto Core All Black to be a reliable piece of equipment suited for novice trekkers as well as experienced and serious mountaineers.

At first, it can be a bit overwhelming for those unfamiliar with mountaineering wristop computers.  But setting up the Core All Black

Calibrate Suunto All Black at a known elevation for accuracy.

is very doable. And becoming familiar with the functions will become second nature with a little practice. With the Core All Black, like any digital wristop computer, occasional calibration and set-up is advisable when your adventures take you to different regional or global locations. This Core watch is an instrument, and as such requires the user to take the time to know how it functions and how to use the output information to stay safe and informed throughout your journey.

The Core All Black watch has a large face (which comes in handy in extremely low visibility) and a strong back light. The watch band fits all sizes from lumberjacks to chicken wrists, and has a vice-like locking system. All digital features are controlled by five buttons on the side of the watch case (two buttons at the 9 O’ clock position of the watch face, and three buttons at the 3 O’ clock position). These buttons are used to alternate between the three primary information modes and make selections to program the various functions.

The Suunto Core is waterproof up to 30m (as it is also reads dive depths up to 30m) and is composed of mineral crystal glass face.  Mineral crystal is highly scratch resistant and found on many high-end watches. The watch comes in various styles including our personal favorite solid black. The Suunto Core All Black watch is listed at $350.00, but delivers serious bang for one’s buck.

You can pre-set compass bearing. Suunto Core watch face will indicate left or right arrows to keep you on course.

This Suunto Core All Black wristop computer operates in the three respective modes, and each mode provides the user with a myriad of features.  The watch is polyglot as the interface can be displayed in English, French, German or Spanish. The time setting can provide the hour in military time or the standard 12 hour increments.  This setting also provides an alarm clock, stop watch, the date and the ability to set time zones.

The time zone feature is extremely cool because the Suunto Core provides a list of major cities in various time zones. The user simply selects the nearest major city to designate their time zone, and given the date, the Suunto Core provides the sunrise and sunset times for that particular day in that particular area.

The Suunto core is a world-class wristop computer for its ability to provide users with vital information like the altimeter/barometer feature that makes this a true mountaineering watch. All Black’s altimeter will take you just beyond the height of Mt. Everest and can be set to read in meters or feet-above sea level. This function takes measurements in absolute air pressure, meaning that its calibrated reference point is absolute zero pressure (such as a vacuum). This means that the reading not only depends on elevation, but also current weather conditions as well. This should not be mistaken as a mechanical flaw but rather a mechanical advantage as it provides users with information of both elevation and weather conditions.

Suunto urges users to calibrate the altimeter/barometer as often as possible to obtain more accurate readings. Users can travel to areas with known elevations such as summits, base camps, or sea level and register the elevation. The watch then compares the imputed elevation to the current air pressure readings (absolute air pressure) to find the difference. This variable difference is based on the current weather conditions.

Like many of the more technical digital alpine watches available today, the Core All Black has a thermometer that will give you

Whether on or off your wrist, keep the Core level for compass accuracy.

temperature in Fahrenheit or Celsius. The sensor used for temperature readings must be of the same ilk as so many other current mountaineering watches as the temperature reading you get while the watch is on your wrist will be about 10° warmer due to pickup of your body heat. It’s not a big deal to deduct 10° F from the reading, but it would be great when technology allows the manufacturer to isolate the body heat from the instrument. With the Core All Black of the wrist, the thermometer gives a very accurate reading that precisely matches analog thermometers and other wristop mountaineering computers. We don’t consider this a drawback, but a reality one would take into account when you are watching for temperature drops or increases along your trek.

In the compass mode, the Core All Black is an invaluable to any climber or outdoor enthusiast. This is an example of when you would want to calibrate your Core to the geographical region you intend to visit by adjusting the declination angle (declination angle is the difference between magnetic north and true-north). Compasses point to magnetic north. Most maps are set to true north. So you must account for the difference in order to end up where you intend to arrive safely at journey’s end. For us on the West Coast of Southern California, the declination angle is about 14° East. If we have a trip planned for the Canadian Rockies we would calibrate the Core All Black for the declination angle of that part of North America for greatest orienteering accuracy. The ability to calibrate your Core and adjust it to the environment is a discipline you readily take on as another task to allow you access to the best information wherever you find yourself in the global backcountry.

When you are orienteering using an orienteering map, you can set the Core watch declination angle to zero, because the map is aligned with magnetic north and the declination angle is not in play.

Wristband clasp is robust and very adjustable.

The Suunto Core allows users to set the value for Magnetic North by rotating a dial on the circumference of the watch face. You can also input your target destination compass point and the Core will keep you on track with simple “Turn Left/Turn Right” directions at the bottom of the watch face.

With practice and familiarity with your Core All Black will make recalibration just another mountaineering routine. Any misreading of the Suunto Core’s instruments is not due to mechanical flaws but rather human error. This is a rule that many experienced climbers understand as gear checks are practiced regularly.

Experienced mountaineers understand how important it is to predict weather patterns. The Suunto Core, designed to assist climbers on Himalayan expeditions, features a barometer and meteorological settings. The impressive storm alarm can be a life-saving tool to predict oncoming storms before they strike. The barometer detects rapid drops in air pressure over a three hour period, which signifies a higher likelihood for nasty weather. The storm alarm alerts users when the drop in air pressure is consistent with the pressures of previous storms.

There is no replacement for basic outdoor skills and experience, and modern technology must not deteriorate these foundations. Today’s modern technologies such as the Suunto Core All Black wristop computer (watch) can amplify the skills of experienced mountaineers as it has been designed to appeal to the specific needs of mountain survival. This is one tool that Sir Edmund Hillary was able to do without but he would have leapt at given the opportunity.

Outdoor enthusiasts find a thrill in finding new and creative uses for their gear, and the Suunto Core All Black provides a whole world

User replaceable battery. We wish the screw socket had a more positive bite.

of opportunities to do so. The large user’s manual which comes with the watch offers example scenarios where users can use some of the watches features. For example, one excerpt illustrates how users can combine the altimeter and stopwatch functions to assist them in finding the proper cook times for food such as eggs.

New generations of mountaineers are putting Suunto’s reputation of reliability to the test and using its products to advance the sport of mountaineering. Suunto has recently released this new edition of watch in commemoration of Apa Sherpa’s world record Mt. Everest ascent in May 2010. Apa Sherpa made headlines when he reached the summit of Mt. Everest for the twentieth time.

Sherpas have long been the unsung heroes of Himalayan climbing expeditions, often receiving less media coverage than their western associates. This has changed in the last two decades as stories of their superhuman physical feats and unmatched climbing skills have reached western media. Apa Sherpa’s success on the world’s highest peaks are not simply due to the fact that he descends from a proud culture of mountaineers, but his ability to use his years of experience and resources he has at hand to excel in the world’s most unforgiving environments, and he relies on his Suunto wristop computers.

Mountaineering is a sport which demands a lifelong pursuit to mastery of the skills involved. There is no room for reckless adrenaline junkies, but requires adventurous and determined individuals that approach life like an aggressive chess player. They are meticulous in the calculated risks they take and constantly assess their own abilities and the pieces they currently have on the board. This means they have a unique bond with their fellow climbers and the gear they carry. Old-timers are correct to argue that one mustn’t abandon their mountaineering skills due to an increased dependence on technology. True mountaineers apply their skills to their trusted gear to push their limits in unforgiving, vertical environments. The Suunto Core All Black gives testament to the saying, “Take care of your gear, and your gear will take care of you.” We believe any person with a need for backcountry and upper elevation gear will find the Suunto Core All Black and valuable piece of kit that you can depend on and enjoy for many trips up the mountain.

Functions:

• Time
• Four language menu (English, French, Spanish, DE)
• Altimeter
• Barometer
• Compass
• Altitude difference measurement
• Temperature
• Depth meter
• Automatic Altitude/Barometer switch
• Storm alarm
• Sunrise/Sunset times
• User replaceable battery

Mount Shasta in Northern California

MOUNT SHASTA, Calif. – The Forest Service Mount Shasta Avalanche Center, in its 13th year of operation, is offering free avalanche awareness and transceiver clinics.

Topics covered include recognizing snow and weather factors that create avalanche conditions, identifying avalanche terrain, understanding avalanche warning signs, what to do if you are caught in an avalanche and how to perform an immediate avalanche rescue within your group.

The avalanche center will host an avalanche awareness presentation 7 p.m., Nov. 19, at the Mount Shasta Ranger Station at 204 W. Alma Street.  The center will hold a transceiver clinic 9 a.m., Nov. 20, at the Fifth Season, 300 N. Mt. Shasta Blvd.

Last winter was a big year for avalanches around the world, especially in North America, Europe and central Asia.  The United States had its second highest number of avalanche fatalities in the last 60 years.

“Almost all of the avalanche accidents in the United States involve snowmobilers, skiers, snowboarders or climbers,” said Eric White, an avalanche specialist with the US. Forest Service at the Mount Shasta Avalanche Center.  “They’re people out trying to have fun and then something tragic occurs.”

To learn about the Mount Shasta Avalanche Center, mountain weather information, avalanche information and this season’s education schedule, go to www.shastaavalanche.org or call 530-926-9613.

Backcountry four-season shelter for party of three

By Rick Shandley

Leave it to the Swedish sense of quality and functionality to design Hilleberg Kaitum 3 four-season tent.  With almost 40 years of backcountry tent making knowhow, Hilleberg tents are wilderness shelters built to endure, comfort, and protect. If you’re the kind of person who owns the best gear you can get your hands on. You want enough room for two or three people. And you know there’s going to be at least one trip where the shelter you invest in now will pay for itself keeping you safe for just a few days, or one night, then consider the Kaitum 3.

Like most of the gear we review, this Hilleberg Kaitum 3 went on several pack trips in the backcountry. From the first time we pitched this rectangular tunnel design, the Kaitum 3 proved to be a quick set-up and sturdy weatherproof tent. Three DAC tent pole hoops run through continuous sleeves to create the skeletal framework that is anchored with DAC pegs and guy lines.

DAC V-pegs offer sturdy anchoring. Longer DAC pegs are available for deeper ground penetration. The V-pegs worked fine.

Kaitum 3 is not free standing, but it requires only four DAC, V-shaped, stakes to erect. In all but the mildest conditions, even free-standing tents are pegged out to secure them and prevent them from taking off like a tumble weed in a wind gust during set-up. Any tent that incorporates vestibules must be pegged out, free-standing or not.

Hilleberg’s own Kerlon 1200 nylon tent fabric is used for the Kaitum 3. With a tear strength of 26 lbs., the Kerlon 1200 is coated on both sides with three applications of pure silicon. In addition to being extremely light, waterproof, and strong, Kerlon 1200 is also resistant to UV light. At 1.4-ounces per square yard, a swatch of Kerlon 1200 with a ½-inch scissor cut could not be torn asunder. It would fray slightly, but the slit length would not travel. Conversely, the same sized patch of standard ripstop nylon could be halved with the same human fingers doing the shredding.

Pitching the Kaitum 3 goes like this: peg one end of the tent into the wind with one stake at each side.  Slide the DAC poles through the continuous sleeves, longest pole in the middle, then peg the other end of the rectangle to the ground. Your basic shelter is pitched.  Each pole sleeve has only one open end. The other end is a closed pocket; which leads to efficiency in set-up time and provides a pole capture point that allows the tent pole to take its shape with the tent fabric immediately. We didn’t have to work on both sides of the tent when inserting the tent poles because of the closed ends making set up fairly rapid.

Kaitum 3 on first trip in Sierra's. Note interlinked tent walls and cavernous interior.

This Kaitum 3 is a thing of beauty when it’s fully staked out taught with the Spectra guy lines shoring up a structure that’s ready for serious winds, rain, snow, and freezing weather. When you anticipate heavy snow and high wind conditions, you always have the option of running a second set of DAC poles through the pole sleeves to double-down the structural support.

A total of 18 DAC V-stakes come with the Kaitum, and we found it to be little extra effort to have both vestibules in action and both vertical doors at each end available. The vent system is located high-up on the vestibule crowns and found to be totally functional regardless of the time of year or weather conditions.

On one trip in the Gila National Forest in New Mexico, our Kaitum 3 housed three medium-sized adults on a long-mile overnighter that got down into the low 30’s. All three reported they had ample room to sleep soundly through the night without feeling packed together.  Two backpacks where housed in the rear vestibule, (facing the wind), and the third pack occupied the forward vestibule. During the night and early morning, the guy sleeping in the middle spot would enter and exit through the vestibule housing two packs. The two guys sleeping next to the tent walls would enter and exit through the vestibule housing the single pack.

The Kaitum 3 ventilation system did not allow condensation to build up inside the tent even with three souls sleeping in overnight temperatures that dropped down to freezing levels. With both vestibules fully-pitched, both entries fully zipped up, and ventilation hoods at both ends open, the airflow through the tent was more than adequate. The snow-panel ventilation hoods on each vestibule can be adjusted from inside the tent. Zippered, full no-see-up mesh panels on the inner-tent doors and full zipper-adjustable fabric panels allow you to tailor ventilation requirements in warm, cool, and cold weather.

Snow-proof ventilation hoods mounted high up, and adjustable from inside tent.

In mild weather, where bugs are more a threat than rain or snow, you can use the Kaitum 3 inner tent by itself and pitches with the use of six additional pole holders. We did not take the opportunity to use the Kaitum 3 in this configuration, as all of our overnight stays where in late fall and at upper elevations where weather fronts could move in overnight and without advanced warning.

Packed trail weight for the full Kaitum 3 with inner/outer tent walls, stakes, and guy lines is 6 lbs. 13 ounces. On the high-country trips we used the Kaitum 3 for the weight vs. comfort was an acceptable tradeoff. For a person who hikes solo, or your tent requirements involve four or more people, there are smaller and larger tent options in the Hilleberg line-up of four-season tents to consider.  As for the Kaitum 3 we tested, even when just two people are to occupy the Kaitum 3, the floor plan, tunnel design and headroom make it a shelter that justified its place on the pack.

KAITUM 3 Interior

Your reward is when you slip inside the Kaitum 3. The late afternoon, high country winds can kick up all they want. Mountain shadows will bring on the dark before you’re tired bones are ready. But once you’re on the interior, you’ll find yourself in a very cool backcountry Townhouse. No kidding. There is more available room in this tunnel design than you’d think possible. It’s because of this tunnel shape that the double tent walls rise up vertically and carry the vertical rise into a gentle arch towards the top of the tent. You get 42 vertical inches in the center of the tent and 42 square feet to move around in.

Kaitum 3 with front vestibule opened up and ready for moving in as evening winds pick up.

Storage pockets are situated at four positions inside the tent for easy access even in low-light or utter darkness. These storage pockets are integrated into the inner tent wall and above the bath-tub shaped tent floor. With the bath-tub floor running the full diameter of the tent, ground water, melting snow, or muddy conditions shield the interior from intrusion.

It is this sense of having more than enough room inside the tent which all but eliminates the potential cloud of claustrophobia a person could feel when hunkered down for a couple days of serious wet or icy weather. For tall and large-bodied people, the ability to move around without bumping your head on A-framed tent walls and having enough room to sit up and play a game of cards or read a book are immediately notable.

Large vestibules at each end offer 14 square feet of storage area, enough to store your gear and allow plenty of room for entries and exits.  You can pitch the Kaitum 3 with one fully closed vestibule into the wind, and leave the opposite end of the tent completely open to the down-valley view. Leaving one end open, with the vestibules rolled back out of the way opened up to the cavernous interior and allowed us to hang out in the tent and sit for a while just sipping morning coffee and think about the day ahead.

Overall Impressions

On our first trip with the Kaitum 3, we noticed that the workmanship, hardware, and the dense multi-pass stitching of the Kaitum 3 appeared to be flawless. Every stress point was bolstered gusseted heavy nylon webbed fabrics. Because the Spectra guy lines were positioned at critical support points on the tent, they attached at two points, and they were easily adjustable, the stability of the shelter was impressive.

Set-up in backcountry meadow near Devil's Garden, Gila National Forest, NM.

Set-up is very straight forward and gets quicker and more efficient each time you pitch it. One person can pitch the Kaitum smoothly and with confidence. Once pitched, the Kaitum 3 is second to none in the roominess the tunnel design creates. At night, the Kaitum can be seen in the headlamp or flashlight beam on reflective strips at either end of the tent, but larger illumination panels would be easier to see from a distance. You’ll have no idea, until it happens to you, how much you rely on those illumination panels to find your way back to the tent on a black-on-black night in the wilderness.

Take down and pack out of the Kaitum is just as smooth and trouble free as pitching the tent. The materials, including the tent floor, Kerlon tent fabrics, the stakes and pole system, all packed down quickly and rolled up tight. Both tent walls and guy line system, all pack into the center of the collapsed tent. The fabrics are so pliable you can prevent any bulky spots just by smoothing and quickly adjusting as you roll up. The snow-proof vents at each vestibule do have a wire-like bracing structure to keep them open and rigid; these flatten out and blend with the roll-up.

For a tall, gangly, person stooping or crawling to get in or out of the Kaitum with either or both vestibules fully erected can be a challenge. But that’s a trade off for the full protection this shelter creates. Ease of entry and exit is a subjective decision each one of us makes in our research of a tent purchase weighed against the protection, strength, comfort, and the environments you’ll use the tent for.

Although our backpack trips were not in heavy winter conditions or wicked ugly thunderstorms, we did get overnight freezes and very stiff mountain winds in the evenings. And compared to other four-season tents we’ve owned or experienced, the Kaitum is a top-end shelter. The Hilleberg Kaitum 3 is a seriously well built, comfortable tent that is good for many years of use in all weather conditions.  At a MSRP of $775, this tent is a long-term investment that just might beat expectations.

Features:

• High strength to low weight
• Unmatched weight to space
• High reliability with “worst-case scenario” construction
• High usability: easy to pitch and pack out
• Original Hilleberg design
• Linked inner and outer tents for simultaneous pitching
• Durability for years of use
• IS0-9001 Certified

Kaitum 3 Specifications

Minimum weight:       5.15 lbs (2.7 kg)

Packed weight:           6.13 lbs. (3.1 kg)

Inner Height:               42 inches (105 cm)

Interior tent area:       42 square ft. (3.9 square meters)

Vestibule area:            14 square ft. x 2 (1.3 meters x 2)

9mm DAC Poles:          Three

DAC tent stakes:          18 V-shaped

Min. stakes to pitch:   Four

Product of:                    Sweden

Color Options:              Red or Green