I happened to have my POV camera with me yesterday when I stumbled across the Holy Mole couloir, so I shot a little 10 minute “How I Ski Chutes” tutorial, or Chututorial. Don’t get your Oscar nominating hopes up – it is pretty crude, but it does illustrate the thought process that goes into skiing a couloir, especially one that you haven’t climbed up from the bottom. Continue reading ‘Chututorial 101′
Archive for the 'Tips & Technique' Category
Whenever I’m in JHole with Rando Steve chugging down GU Chomps and Cucumber Mint Nuun chasers, he asks me how I sharpen my Whippets. Here’s how… Continue reading ‘Whippet Sharpening’
Without a doubt, solid partners are the A-#1 best piece of avalanche gear out there. This doesn’t mean partners who can dig you out quickly, but more partners who are less likely to get you or themselves buried in the first place. Good partners come in all sorts of sizes, shapes, sexes, speeds and ability levels, and sometimes being an uber-rad skier is actually a detriment in a partner. I’ve been on two trips with partners who were very accomplished skiers, yet were livid that I wanted to ski low-angle terrain after waiting out multi-day storms with high winds. One of the better descriptions of an ideal partner came from a eulogy for a French skier whose friend described him as someone who “knew when to hit the gas, but also knew when to hit the brakes.” Last year in the Wasatch was a classic example of riding the brakes almost all season long – I went through two sets of brake pads and almost ruined my rotors because it was such a weird snowpack. The challenges came in finding fun, safe routes and exploring new terrain instead of skiing steep lines. There’s a time and place for almost everything. Continue reading ‘My Most Valuable Piece of Avalanche Safety Gear’
Ahhh, I can feel the pounds falling away. Tomorrow is my first day out with my lighter set-up and I can’t wait/weight.
As mentioned in the last post, I am keeping my heavier Safety Pack and assembling a light one as well.
Things that got the outright chop:
- Goggles – I use wide sun glasses instead.
- Probe – I’ve used a ski pole as a probe before and it worked.
- Avalanche Airbag – I love this thing (BCA Float 30) but there’s no denying it is heavy.
Substitutions:
- Down jacket (MHW Phantom) replaces synthetic (MHW Hooded Compressor).
- Old skool water bladder replaces fancy-ass CamelBak with huge screw-on lid.
Downsizing: Continue reading ‘Enlightenment – Step 2′
The process of reducing my total backcountry skiing equipment weight is harder than it seems. First, there are times when I definitely DO want the full-monty of safety gear and creature comforts, but it is hard to say exactly when that is. For instance, during the past few days the avalanche danger in the Wasatch has been High, but instead of needing more safety gear, I prefer to ski low angle terrain and do safe, exploratory tours instead of steeper skiing. Conversely, when the avalanche danger is low or moderate, I might ski steeper, more exposed terrain, but then there is less avalanche risk, so perhaps I don’t need all the extra gear then either..? Hard to say.
Rather than constantly shuffling gear between packs, I’m putting together two completely separate and different packs – a light one and a heavy one. May the best pack win. ;) The light pack will have a minimal amount of gear, water and food, and will be outfitted for a day of backcountry skiing in the Wasatch, where if you get cold or hurt, you ski ten minutes back to your car and go home.
In the name of weight savings I’m willing to sacrifice a degree of safety (down jacket vs. synthetic, no extra gloves, minimal 1st Aid Kit, etc.,) but there are a few items that are sacrosanct, namely a large shovel and pair of Whippets. I learned the value of a large shovel (G3 AviTech, Voile Telepro, etc) in 1993 when I tried to dig a buried friend out with a tiny mountaineering shovel, which was tragically frustrating. As for the Whippets, if I could have them surgically implanted in my hands, I’d do it as I use them so often and in so many different ways. For long mellow tours, I’ll occasionally use skinny little carbon-fiber pencil shaft poles with Nordic grips on them, but not that often. Give me Whippets or give me death. Continue reading ‘Enlightenment – Step 1′
Few topics get the fur flying among backcountry skiers more than discussing the merits of A-frame vs. diagonal ski carrying modes on backpacks. Blood will be spilled. Continue reading ‘A Frame vs. Diagonal Ski Carry’
The other day I was out skiing with a woman I didn’t know very well and she mentioned something about “macho assholes who set steep skin tracks.” Good thing it wasn’t a first date as she was most likely talking about me. I love steep skin tracks in the same way that I love steep, run-out friction climbing. It’s a fun physical and mental challenge that gets easier the more you do it and at some point it just becomes normal. Continue reading ‘Keep’er Steeper Skinning’
Within any single backcountry ski run there usually exists multiple options for skiing more or less avalanche prone terrain. On the first run of the day, I’ve often formed an opinion on the snowpack by doing mini tests and making observations on the way up (as well as reading the UAC report in the morning), but until I’ve actually made a run, I like error on the conservative side whenever possible.
Here’s a photo of our first run of the day on Nov 27th. Continue reading ‘First Run Strategy’
I’m happy to say that I haven’t had a ski boot related blister for years and the last one I did get came from trying to mold my own liners. Some things are better left to the pros.
Here’s the not-so secrets to my blister free success…
1) Go with boots that fit your feet. I’ve been skiing in Scarpa’s for years and am not sure if they fit my feet or at this point my feet have conformed to the boots, but whatever the case, Scarpa’s are a known and consistent entity for me. When I was into Alpine racing I wore a size 7 Lange, but for touring have gone up two full sizes to a size 9.
2) Use a thick, high quality sock like a Bridgedale, Smartwool or one of the new BC.com merino wool versions. They are pricey ($25ish a pair), but they last forever, or seven years – which ever comes first.
3) Find an insole that fits your foot. Some of the new boots come with substantial insoles (like the BD line), but I’ve found that SuperFeet fit my foot and are comfy. I have been rolling them over for about five years and take them out of my old boots, then use them again for my new ones.
4) Use a good boot fitter who knows how to fit backcountry/touring boots, as a BC fit is different than an Alpine fit. I’ve been going to Dennis Maw at Black Diamond in Salt Lake City who is a Liner Magician. Continue reading ‘Warm & Blister-free Boot Fitting’
Establishing rappel anchors on a ski descent is a labor of love and an art form. On a first descent, you may have no idea what the route will require, so you bring along a selection of nuts, slings, cams & pitons and hope for the best. Most skiing lines which require a rappel aren’t worth repeating, but occasionally a few of them become classics and see a lot of traffic. When this happens, the original half-assed anchors are often added to in an attempt to beef them up which eventually leads to the Ski Mountaineering version of a Super Fund site – a pile of unsafe garbage that nobody really wants to clean up. Continue reading ‘Bolted Rap Anchors for Skiing’
