[pct-l] Music and ice axes

[djd989s at smsu.edu (Dintelmann, Dayla J)]

 After a bunch of research, what I plan to carry on this year's hike for music is a Sony Mini disc player. The new Hi-MD players disc can hold 1 gig of MP3 files, and it runs on one AA, which lasts about 25 hours. The battery format and life was the main reason this won out for me. And it weighs 4 oz, plus the weight of the discs of course which depending on how much you want to carry could be substantial, but you could always bounce several if you were listening to books on tape.
 
The model I'm getting also has AM/FM/weather band/Tv band radio, and it can also be used for picture storage, but I think you'd need access to a computer to transfer files.Check it out:
 
http://www.minidisco.com/mz-nhf800.html
 
Last summer, I hiked the JMT using a Black Diamond Whippet, which I felt to be an ideal compromise between an ice ax and poles- its a top pole segment with a removable ice axe pick attachment. So as you are crossing a snow field, you have your poles for balance and a pick in your hand as well. I hiked with it on all the time, it seems like it would bother you, but it didn't at all. It is removable though. Also worth noting - it's compatible with other brands of poles besides Black Diamond. I used it with my old Leki makalu's- I had to take the spring off for it to fit, but it was no problem. I hiked the JMT northbound just behind the PCT hiker pack, there was still a lot of snow on the passes. I found time of day to be more important than anything the iciness factor.
 
http://search.backcountry.com/exec/?mv_session_id=uDWthq3H&q=whippet
 
Doodlebug PCT 05!