Mar 04 2013

Review: Madshus Annum

 

Rigged with a step-in 3-pin (TeleBulldog) binding the Madshus Annum is ready to go just about anywhere.

One of the benefits of living in snow country is the ability to embrace skiing in all its forms. Whether alpine, nordic, steep, deep or flat – just gliding on skis is a thrill. However, to enjoy skiing in all its forms you need to have quite a few different skis. Few of us are in a position to just ski all the time, and even if we could, rarely does the money to support such a life exist.

Nonetheless even frugal skiers know it is important to have a quiver of skis, for each has a place. When the quiver is small, the versatility of a ski is paramount. One can hardly go wrong by including the Madshus Annum, especially if you like to dabble in the freedom of Nordic with the power of Alpine.
Keep making backcountry turns

Mar 01 2013

Beacon Review: Tracker DTS

 

How do you spell revolutionary in beacon-speak? Tracker DTS!

Note: The following review was penned while Tracker DTS was still the best selling avalanche beacon in the USA. Since then it’s sales have been largely taken over by BCA’s Tracker 2. Although a 2-antenna beacon is considered outdated relative to current, 3-antenna technologies, it is still far superior to single antenna transceivers, especially in the hands of an average (non-practicing) backcountry skier. If you’re on a budget, these remain a good beacon to have, even if they aren’t state of the art.

Overview:
Ten years after its introduction this is still the best selling avalanche transceiver in the North American market. As the pioneer in multiple antenna, digital transceiver technology, Tracker created a new paradigm for searching technique, and almost every other beacon on the market is a copy of the intuitive mix of directional LEDs and distance readings. In single victim searches, this remains the standard by which all other beacons are judged, largely because it still has the fastest response time of any beacon on the market, thanks to the X-patterned antenna, yielding a virtual antenna that helps the processor determine the critical element of direction.
Keep making backcountry turns

Feb 27 2013

March 2013 Races & Festivals

Bunch o’ stuff comin’ up in the next two weekends for the free heel faithful (including those w/training heels 😉 ).

3rd Annual Tahoe Backcountry Festival
Third annual? This is the first I’ve ever heard of this one. After looking at the write up in the Tahoe Daily Tribune it all becomes clear. It used to be a splitboard festival. This year the festivities are truncated and what remains is a good, low budget fundraiser for the Sierra Avalanche Center in South Lake Tahoe. Sans skiing or skinning it will still be a good chance to meet other local backcountry skiers/riders in the South Lake Tahoe area and polish up your avalanche awareness.

Friday March 16th, 5-10pm at the American Legion building located at 2748 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe. More details here.
Keep making backcountry turns

Feb 26 2013

How much snow is enough?

Zeke knows when enough is enough.

How much is enough? Does it have to be blower deep to marshal the motivation to get out? If it does, then there are a lot of great days that I’d be missing. Without a doubt, pow is the best, but it doesn’t last, even when you know how to farm it like a good backwoods boy could.

This was underscored while skiing at Sugar Bowl recently. The last Sierra dump was before Christmas and though we received snow a week ago, it was a mere dusting by Tahoe standards. While that doesn’t sound all that encouraging, nonetheless Tahoe delivered the goods anyway because the snow, though manicured and homogenized, was actually in really good shape. It had stayed cold and thus fast.
Keep making backcountry turns

Feb 25 2013

Review: TNF’s Patrol 24 ABS pack

 

TNF’s avalanche airbag pack:
Patrol 24 w/ABS technology

Without a doubt the addition of The North Face as a maker of airbag packs will prove beneficial to the entire mountain community just by virtue of them establishing a distribution network of ABS canisters. Thankfully, they go further than that by tacking on their idea of what makes an ideal ski pack.

Patrol 24
The Patrol 24 works well as a day pack. At only 24 liters it is a tight fit and you’ll definitely need to be judicious in what you carry, but there’s enough room for essentials, food, plus a jacket and puffy. Anymore than that and it gets tough to add, especially with the airbags taking up space in the center of the main compartment. You can certainly squeeze in most of the utility things like goggles, sunglasses, water, etcetera, but luxury items are categorically denied a seat in the Patrol 24.
Keep making backcountry turns

Feb 23 2013

Yup, another Nachtspektakel

Another Nachtspektakel comes to Tahoe.
(click to enlarge)

What’s with all these Nachtspektakels? I can’t speak for everyone else but having been to the first two in the Tahoe area I can testify they have the same vibe as a tele-fest with a sense of accomplishment and hunger that follows a rando race, without the longevity or commitment of either. You can do it as date, or simply as a good excuse to knock a few back with old and new friends.

If you missed the first two the good news is there’s another Nachtspektakel coming to Lake Tahoe, Friday, March 1st . This time around Tahoe Mountain Sports is organizing the event, hosted at Diamond Peak and sponsored with Dyanfit and The North Face.

Tickets are $40 in advance, $50 the day of the event, and include lift accessed skiing from 2pm-4pm along with an uphill pass and a 3-course meal in the Snowflake Lodge, overlooking Lake Tahoe, at Diamond Peak in Incline Village, NV. It will be an excellent venue to watch the sun set while drenching the mountains surrounding big blue in alpenglow.
Keep making backcountry turns

Feb 21 2013

1st Look: Exped’s Downmat Lite 5 – budget luxury

 
Some of you may have read my review of the Exped Downmat UL7 with some interest, then dismissed it because it is simply too expensive. While it may be more expensive than many competitive products, the old adage that “you get what you pay for” comes to mind. Quality is rarely cheap, but usually worth the cost in the long run. Regardless of value or worth, it may just be beyond your budget for a sleeping pad.

Exped’s Downmat Lite5 – the warmth and comfort of a down insulated mat for a realistic budget.


Keep making backcountry turns