Oct 03 2014
Alpenglow Sports gets recognized.
The goal of the award is to highlight the true value of the outdoor specialty channel and its critical role in the greater onmi-channel discussion. Outdoor USA Magazine’s Top 100 Retailers initiative recognizes the leading independent, outdoor and active lifestyle specialty retail businesses for their outstanding work and entrepreneurial drive.
Keep making backcountry turns
Oct 01 2014
Vipec’s toe gets a make over.
1) Thicker pins: M5 to M6. 2) Spring-loaded locking pin.
3) Self centering jaws. 4) Improved toe clip
Based on feedback from retailers and early adopters, Fritschi’s Vipec, their first 2-pin tech binding, will see four modifications to the toe unit this season. The most noticeable change is to the pins, which will now be thicker, a tad longer, and with an improved adjustment locking mechanism. Less obvious, but perhaps more important, is the addition of plastic guides inside the pin arms to make getting in and out of the binding much easier. Lastly, a clip that snaps onto the toe release lever will now come pre-mounted for a better touring release with square-toed boots.
Keep making backcountry turns
Sep 30 2014
It appears Andreas Fransson and J.P. Auclair were caught and died in an avalanche on Monday, September 29th, 2014 in the Auyen mountain region of Patagonia near the border of Argentina and Chile. The avalanche occurred on Mounte San Lorenzo (12, 159′), reportedly running 700 meters (2300′).
Mount Cochrane (12,159′)
Sep 28 2014
Cochise gets a make over.
That meant a good percentage of skiers would be so unimpressed with the fit they’d never experience the performance. This year that changes.
Keep making backcountry turns
Sep 26 2014
Getting a snow pit profile with AvaTech’s new SP-1
This isn’t completely new technology, a similar type probe exists in Switzerland for a cool $80,000. That price prevents widespread adoption. At roughly 1/40th the cost, AvaTech’s SP-1 is almost certain to be more widely used.
Keep making backcountry turns
Sep 22 2014
It was two seasons ago my preconceived notions about rockered skis, especially the too fat variety, were blown to smithereens. For me, that means anything wider than 110mm at the waist which simply cannot hold sufficient edge for good all round, backcountry skiing.
The example was Volkl’s V-Werks Katana, a magical mix of wood core and carbon fiber technology that not only demolished my notion that super fat skis can’t carve on ice, it also showed that camber wasn’t required to hold that edge, or rebound out of a turn, and it didn’t have the heft of a tank to deliver such performance. The biggest breakthrough though was how damp it felt, unlike most carbon-fiber skis.
Volkl’s Big Mountain Touring series, BMT 94 shown. Less than 7 lbs./pr at 186cm long.
Sep 19 2014
Skiing in Kashmir, India
We exited our jeep taxi at the end of cleared snow about a third of the way towards the pass. The Indian Army’s road crew had begun the multi-month task of clearing snow off the road over Rohtang Pass, a critical connector north to the contested state of Kashmir. The road is a remarkable feat of engineering as just this south side gains about 5500’ in twenty-five miles of steep eroded switchbacks. Here at about mile nine, we began our manpowered ascent marching past the road crew’s morning blessing ritual. We were unsure if they were blessing the heavy equipment that they hoped would cut through meters of wind-packed snow or blessing themselves that they may live through another day of high altitude work in avalanche-prone areas where spring weather can change to winter in minutes. Soon we were off the road with skins on, making our way through the thinning trees towards the alpine.
Keep making backcountry turns
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