Archive for the 'Chuting Spree Contest – BD Boots' Category

Chuting Spree Answers – BD Boots

Published on October 21, 2008 in Chuting Spree Contest - BD Boots. 9 Comments Tags: .

Holt Hancock from Livingston, Montana is the Black Diamond boot winner and is leaning towards a pair of the new Factor boots (just like the pair in Jon Krakauer’s lap in the photo below).  Holt said:

“I found the boots by doing about an hour and half of research on the Vinson Massif area last night. This morning I got a little panicky when I had no idea about the final clue, but a hunch about a plane crash (somewhat cemented by your near miss described in the current Sunday photo) led me to a productive Google search. Thanks, again!”

Nice job Holt!  I hope you get many miles/smiles out of the boots.

BD Boot Contest Answers

The boots are located in the co-pilots seat of a crashed DC-6B which is located 6-9 miles away from the Patriot Hills camp in Antarctica.

Blink, blink… excuse me Mr. Krakauer, but can I have my boots please? JK sitting in the co-pilot seat of the crashed and now buried DC-6B airplane.

“The DC-6B is N1597F of Allcair Air Transport which hit high ground on approach in bad weather to the ice runway at Patriot Hills on Nov. 26, 1993 while being seven miles of course. It was transporting the Norman Vaughn Expedition led by 88 year old Norman Vaughn to climb Mt. Vaughn; named in his honor. (He was the chief dog musher for Admiral Byrd in 1928.) One of eight people was injured severly; four dogs were also lost in the crash.”

http://alaska4x4network.com/archive/index.php/t-11881.html
 
The tailfin, which "appears to be a random prong of snow" of the DC-6B is all that is left showing of the plane wreck.
The tailfin, which “appears to be a random prong of snow” of the DC-6B is all that is left showing of the plane wreck.

 

 

Clue #4 – Specific Peak (Vinson Massif)
“Anselme Baud (France) and I made a ski descent of the south ice stream on the west face (45-55 degrees) of a sub-peak of Mt. Vinson on January 2.” Conrad Anker in the American Alpine Journal 1998

Clue #3 – Mountain Range (Ellsworth Mountains)
The Ellsworth Mountains are named after Lincoln Ellsworth who was a pilot for Roald Amundsen during his attempt to fly over the North Pole. 
 
Clue #2 – A specific region or zone
Chile, Argentina and the British all have overlapping claims to the NW quadrant of Antarctica.
 
 
Clue #1 – The Continent (Antarctica)
Barry Corbet, of ”Corbet’s Couloir” fame in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, was part of the first ascent team of the highest point on Antarctica, the Vinson Massif.
 

BLACK DIAMOND SUPER CLUESDAY! Win free boots NOW!

Published on October 21, 2008 in Chuting Spree Contest - BD Boots. 86 Comments Tags: .
Our journey begins after you have been magically transported to the top of the peak identified (hopefully) in Clue #4…

Cheese & Rice it’s cold up here!  We need to get going.  Taking a waypoint with your GPS, you notice that it is 2:00pm and decide to follow the sun as it sets to hopefully gain a little warmth.  The descent is moderate and along the way you notice a few climbing wands, which gives you hope that at least your body may be found by future climbers if you freeze to death.

Completing the descent (wheesh!), you reach a broad valley and set your 14m NASA Wing kite in a stiff breeze.  The wind is to your back and blowing from the North/NW as you catch a downwind ride across the open terrain. Traveling at 20 miles per hour, you go for about six-and-a-half hours, skirting mountain ranges on your right.

As you near a small sub-range, you hit rock-hard blue ice, patch out and take a five-star digger.  Visions of football teams, Jefferson, Hamilton, Paine and lethal missiles dance like snowflakes through your rattled cranium as you stare at the nearby hills. Recouping, you check your GPS and see that you have come 134 miles since leaving the summit. Pondering your location, you notice what appears to be a tent city with some oil drums and Weather Haven shelters.  Figuring it is either haunted or a mirage, you blink your frozen eyes and continue on.

Six to nine miles later, you stop for a rest near what appears to be a random prong of snow.  Downing the kite and taking off your pack and skis, you feel the call of nature and walk a discrete distance to lighten your load.

The snow surface is flat and smooth as far as you can see, but as you drop your drawers, you suddenly punch through the surface and fall ten feet!  Much to your amazement, the landing is cushioned.  Shock, relief and dismay are suddenly all forgotten as your eyes adjust to the dim light, and then glancing to your right you see an apparition offering you… a BRAND NEW PAIR OF BLACK DIAMOND BOOTS! 

Oh. My. Heck. :)  The places you’ll go and the things you’ll ski with theses puppies boggles the mind!

With technical exactitude, within one meter, where are you?

SEND IN YOUR COMMENT/ANSWER NOW!

Entry Format:
Continent – (your answer)
Zone/Region – (your answer)
Mountain Range – (your answer)
Specific Peak – (your answer)
Specific Location – (your answer)

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Help support StraightChuter.com and check out the Black Diamond Push Men’s Telemark Boot from Backcountry.com! Click on the photo below…

A versatile tele boot ideal for inbounds ripping and backcountry touring, the Black Diamond Men’s Push Telemark Boot blends commanding power and silky smooth flex. Black Diamond made the shell with a MidStiff bellow so it has a 110 flex rating, which is ideal for advanced freeheelers who want a lightweight, backcountry-capable boot with the power to drive big skis. This boot’s thermoformable liner features Black Diamond’s exclusive Boa closure system, providing the snug fit of lace-up liners without the added bulk. The Push’s adjustable forward lean covers eight degrees in three setting and the mechanically integrated ski/walk mode and mid-height cuff ensure excellent uphill efficiency. Outside Magazine liked this boot so much it slapped on the Best of Backcountry award and said “the best off the shelf fit and feel of any boot liner out there.”

Bottom Line: Float like a butterfy, sting like a bee.

How to Win Those BD Boots…

Published on October 20, 2008 in Chuting Spree Contest - BD Boots. 0 Comments

Yes indeedy – tomorrow is SUPER CLUESDAY which means the final clue will be given to win a pair (any size, any model) of the new Black Diamond ski boots.  I’d like to send a big ol’ shout out to BD and thank them for helping to support straightchuter.com by offering up such an excellent prize.

Some details:
- the final clue will be given at 10:00 Utah time
- only answers submitted after the final clue is given will count

The final answer (the location within one meter) is what really matters, but for clarity and fairness, the format is:

Continent – (your answer)
Zone/Region – (your answer)
Mountain Range – (your answer)
Specific Peak – (your answer)
Specific Location – (your answer)

If you know the answers to the first four clues, it helps to pretype them for speedy delivery.

You can enter as many times as your speedy fingers can type, but it is the first person with the correct format and answer who wins.

For reference, the final clue is more of a skiing story-problem, which of course includes some of my personal quirky ideas of fun.  You might think about where and how you would travel from this peak.  The answers to all the clues can be found on the internet and are real places.

Clues:
September 30th – Continent
October 7th – Country or Region
October 12th – Specific mountain range or zone 
October 14th – Specific peak or town
October 21st 10:00am – SUPER CLUESDAY! Exact location. Send in your answer NOW!

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Help support StraightChuter.com and get an appropriate boot-hunting suit, the Mountain Hardwear Absolute Zero One Piece Suit from Backcountry.com! Click on the photo below…

Chuting Spree Clue #4 – Black Diamond Ski Boots!

Published on October 14, 2008 in Chuting Spree Contest - BD Boots. 31 Comments Tags: .

Follow five semi-weekly clues and be the first to correctly identify where the boots are hidden to win a pair (any size, any model) of Black Diamond Ski Boots!

Clue #4: On 2 Jan 1998, a well-known American Alpinist teamed up with a legendary French extreme skier to ski the west face of a subpeak of this MOUNTAIN.

 

The American Alpinist (in blue) on the Reticent Wall, Yosemite.
The French extreme skier who was there from the very start.

The French extreme skier who was there from the very start.

Know the Mountain? Don’t answer now – save it for Super Cluesday.

Click here for the Chuting Spree – Black Diamond boots contest rules.

Clue Schedule:
September 30th – Continent
October 7th – Country or Region
October 12th – Specific mountain range or zone 
October 14th – Specific peak or town
October 21st – SUPER CLUESDAY! Exact location. Send in your answer NOW!

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Featured Black Diamond Ski Boot – Stiletto Telemark Boot. Click on the image below to check’em out at Backcountry.com!

Black Diamond’s top-of-the-line freeheeler, the Women’s Stiletto Telemark Ski Boot combines a female-specific fit and killer performance for hardcore she-rippers. The 100-flex Pebax shell provides plenty of torsional stiffness, while the alpine-style overlap design and MidStiff bellows create a responsive yet forgiving forward flex. Black Diamond tailored this boot’s cuff opening, rear spoiler, and liner specifically for a women’s foot but gave it an aggressive stance angle for girls who charge. The Stiletto’s mechanically integrated ski/walk mode doubles as the customizable forward lean adjustment, offering three settings covering eight degrees to suit a variety of ski styles.

Bottom Line: For freeheeling shred-bunnies who walk the walk.

Chuting Spree Clue #3 – Black Diamond Ski Boots!

Published on October 13, 2008 in Chuting Spree Contest - BD Boots. 17 Comments Tags: .

Follow five semi-weekly clues and be the first to correctly identify where the boots are hidden to win a pair (any size, any model) of Black Diamond Ski Boots!

Clue #3: This MOUNTAIN RANGE is named after an American pilot who also has the first undisputed sighting of the Geographic North Pole.

 

This American pilot/explorer was funded in part by his father, who made a fortune in coal.

Know the Mountain Range? Don’t answer now – save it for Super Cluesday.

Click here for the Chuting Spree – Black Diamond boots contest rules.

Clue Schedule:
September 30th – Continent
October 7th – Country or Region
October 12th – Specific mountain range or zone (note – not on a Tuesday)
October 14th – Specific peak or town
October 21st – SUPER CLUESDAY! Exact location. Send in your answer NOW!

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Featured Black Diamond Ski Boot – Seeker Telemark. Click on the image below to check’em out at Backcountry.com!

Black Diamond designed the 100 flex Men’s Seeker Telemark Ski Boot for backcountry powder hunters who want a lightweight, easy touring boot that delivers responsive, efficient power transmission when tackling untracked descents. This boot begins with a Pebax Triax-Tour frame that offers an ideal balance of stiff support and forgiving flex. The Seeker’s three buckle design and MidStiff bellows provide uphill efficiency without sacrificing high-performance downhill capabilities. Black Diamond gave this boot a mechanically integrated ski/walk mode and three setting covering eight degrees of forward lean to suit your skiing style and stance. The thermo-moldable, high performance Strobel liner features the Boa closure system for increased fit and on the fly adjustability. Use this boot with both 75mm and three-pin tele binders.

Bottom Line: Seek and you shall find deep pow stashes.

Chuting Spree Clue #2 – Black Diamond Ski Boots!

Published on October 7, 2008 in Chuting Spree Contest - BD Boots. 6 Comments Tags: .

Follow five semi-weekly clues and be the first to correctly identify where the boots are hidden to win a pair (any size, any model) of Black Diamond Ski Boots!

Clue:  Three countries have overlapping territorial claims to this ZONE. 

 

Now if we could only get there from here…

Know the zone? Don’t answer now – save it for Super Cluesday.

Click here for the Chuting Spree – Black Diamond boots contest rules.

Clue Schedule:
September 30th – Continent
October 7th – Country or Region
October 11th – Specific mountain range or zone (note – not on a Tuesday)
October 14th – Specific peak or town
October 21st – SUPER CLUESDAY! Exact location. Send in your answer NOW!

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Featured Black Diamond Ski Boot – Custom Tele. Click on the image below to check’em out at Backcountry.com!

The Black Diamond Men’s Custom Telemark Boot caters to aggressive freeheel skiers who push the limits, in bounds and out. The 130 flex index and RidStiff bellows make the Custom Black Diamond’s stiffest Tele boot. The alpine overlap style Pebax shell features a mechanically integrated ski/walk modefor excellent tourability. The shell also boasts adjustable forward lean with three settings covering an eight degree range, providing maximum adjustability for your preferred skiing style. The Boa lacing system adds to the thermoformable liner’s glove-like fit and provides for easy, on-the-go adjustments.

Bottom Line: The Black Diamond Custom craves steep, hairball lines at face-melting speeds.

Chuting Spree Clue #1 – Black Diamond Ski Boots!

Published on September 30, 2008 in Chuting Spree Contest - BD Boots. 39 Comments Tags: .

Follow five semi-weekly clues and be the first to correctly identify where the boots are hidden to win a pair (any size, any model) of Black Diamond Ski Boots!

Click here for the Chuting Spree – Black Diamond boots contest rules.

Clue: One of the most famous ski runs in America is named after a member of the first ascent team of the highest peak on this CONTINENT. Name the continent.

 

Too cool for words! This guy\'s name is synonymous with challenging skiing. Photo credit: M. Moore
Too cool for words! This guy’s name is synonymous with challenging skiing. Photo credit: M. Moore

Know the continent?  Don’t answer now – save it for Super Cluesday.

Clue Schedule:
September 30th – Continent
October 7th – Country or Region
October 11th – Specific mountain range or zone (note – not on a Tuesday)
October 14th – Specific peak or town
October 21st – SUPER CLUESDAY!  Exact location.  Send in your answer NOW!

_____________________________________________________________
Featured Black Diamond Ski Boot – Method AT.  Click on the image below to check’em out at Backcountry.com!

 

The Method is for the modern AT skier who craves downhill performance as much as tourability and comfort. Slightly less torsionally and longitudinally stiff than the Factor, the Method is your choice for skiing any and all terrain, from no-falls steeps to deep powder bowls. With its Triax-Performance FrameTM with Pebax® and Flex 110 rating, the Method still has power to drive today’s fat skis. The boot is equipped with both a thermoformable high-performance foot bed and a Power Fit Light Liner. Changing the Method between AT blocks and BD ISO Alpine DIN blocks (sold separately) is third-grade easy due to the sliding, four-screw attachment system.

Chuting Spree – Contest Rules for the Black Diamond Ski Boots

Published on September 30, 2008 in Chuting Spree Contest - BD Boots. 9 Comments Tags: .

With great excitement, I’m thrilled to announce that Chris “GoFo” Grover and Brad “B-Rad” Barlage of Black Diamond Equipment, right here in Salt Lake City, have donated a brand new pair, of any size or model available, of their new BLACK DIAMOND SKI BOOTS!  Can you give me a HELL YEAH!?  The rules and concept is the same as the Great K2 Ski Giveaway, so if you get it, read no further and check out the clues on Tuesday’s/Cluesday’s at 10:00am Utah time.

The Basics
Five semi- weekly clues lead to the location of the boots.  Be the first person to correctly identify where the boots are… and they are yours.

How the Contest Works:
Through a series of ski mountaineering related clues, contestants have to guess the location of the boots. The clues start with the continent the boots are located on, then narrow down to a specific location.  The boots are only there in theory – the real ones are waiting for you at the warehouse.

How to Win:
Be the first person to post the correct answer as a comment on the page with the final clue.  Click here for an example.  HINT: First time commenters must be approved, which causes a delay in your comments showing up.  For the fastest comment posting time, get pre-approved by making a comment on an earlier posting so that the computer knows your name. 

Question:  Are there going to be some really hard, stupid, obscure questions?

Answer:    No. Most of them will be easy if you have been following skiing and/or ski mountaineering for a while, and if not, they will be searchable on the Internets. The final clue will be specific to ski mountaineering lore, but it is not necessary to have been there to know the answer.  (Example: In “The Blizzard of Ahhhs” Scot Schmidt stood at the top of this and said “Yeah, I’ll ski it for sure.”)

Rules:

- Tuesday is Cluesday.  All clues will be given on Tuesday mornings at 10:00am Mountain Time on the main page of StraightChuter.com
- In case of a dispute, I (Andrew McLean) will be the sole judge.  I’m the Decider.  I make decisions.
- Immediate family members are not eligible (sorry Mom, Dad, Polly and Mira…)

Prizes:

- Prizes need to be claimed within 90 days of the winning date.  (No, you can’t wait six years for a pair of 2014 Factor Max 1000ZX’s.)
- Prizes are limited to Black Diamond’s available stock on hand. (Sorry, no custom- made gold-plated Method’s.)
- Shipping will be at the manufacturer’s discretion.  (FedEx Overnight International Express to Ushuaia is probably not going to happen.)

Sample Contest

Clue #1 (Continent)
Q:  This continent received a record seasonal snowfall in 1998-99.

Clue #2 (State/Country/Province/region)
Q:  The highest peak in this geographic zone is 4207m tall.

Clue #3 (Mountain Range)
Q: Early explorers referred to this range as “The Three Breasts.”

Clue #4 (Specific Peak/Town/Zone)
Q: This peak was first climbed to its summit in 1898.

Clue #5 (Specific location/object)
Q:  The first ski descent of this peak was continuous except for one obstacle.  For a brand new pair of K2 backcountry skis, what is the specific name of this obstacle?

Answer:  Click Here

 
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Check out the Black Diamond Boot Collection at Backcountry.com. Click the photo below…