Jan 01 2013

TR: West Shore Lake Tahoe (31dec12)

 

The spirit of Dan floats through Sierra Cement.

Yesterday was a classic Powder Monday. Two old ski buddies were in town and the plan was simple — take a tour somewhere around Lake Tahoe. West Shore beckoned and we took the bait. Russ, Ethan and I rendezvoused at The Back Country then headed south on Hwy. 89.

There were three parking pull-outs possible and we naturally picked the empty one. There was an existing neanderthal slow-shoe track put in from the day before, but it went straight up so we broke a meandering trail for 2600 feet.
Keep making backcountry turns

Dec 23 2012

Interview with Greg Hill

 

Greg Hill enjoying a slice of Canadian heaven.

A few weeks back (13dec12) the Tahoe backcountry community was blessed to hear a bit about mountaineering and humility without a whole lot of braggadocio from Greg Hill. If you don’t know the name, perhaps it is because Greg is letting his accomplishments speak for themselves and in the grand scheme of things, as Greg recently put it, “my brother is out saving the world, I’m just a skier trying to inspire the world.”

It was refreshing to hear that perspective, not as a way to temper the achievement that is usually being touted, but as the dominant perspective, especially in light of being present on Manaslu when an avalanche took 14 lives.

Greg’s explanation of the situation made it soberingly real and he readily admitted that attempting such feats leaves you exposed to those dangers, and if you play the game long enough, or bold enough, it can get you. He admits to having played that game, but in this incident, despite choosing a safe campsite, he decided the team he was on was taking more risk than he was comfortable with and he bowed out. As they say, there are old climbers and bold climbers, but no old bold climbers.
Keep making backcountry turns

Dec 21 2012

Early Season Avalanche Reminder

Now that the end of the world has passed us by – again – it seems appropriate to focus on some serious stuff. Avalanche season is here and even Tahoe has a bit of a layer issue going on right now. As ever though, the real problem with avalanches isn’t predicting them, but in limiting how often and severely we flirt with them.

Most of you don’t know Otto Steiner, never even heard of him. He was the first person to do a trans-Sierra – solo – in the late 30s before WWII. He left Germany before the Nazi’s came to power and was an immigrant who seriously influenced backcountry skiing in California eons ago. He was an Olympic caliber nordic skier, doing 50k races and jumping. He always said, “if it’s worth skiing, it can avalanche.” The trick is to not ski it when it will, only when it won’t. That the slope could avalanche only means it is steep enough to make it fun to ski.
Keep making backcountry turns

Dec 17 2012

Review: Marker Duke for 2013

 

Back in the day Corey Stern and I could only dream of the Duke.

What Marker’s Duke has made clear, and the reason so many alpine companies are now jumping on the backcountry bandwagon, is that heavy gear is NOT a limiting factor, but an enabling one. To an experienced backcountry skier a six pound binding is not a hurdle, it is a barrier. However, to a resort bred convert, it is a bridge to the land of fresh tracks, and the bigger the bridge, the better the ride.

While some thought the lack of numbers in the backcountry was due to a fear of the dangers there, the Duke made clear, danger is part of the lure. Marker simply provided the requisite ingredients that alpine skiers could and would believe in to chase untracked lines.

So far, only Duke has a track record proving it can rock as hard as you can in-bounds, as hard as you dare out-of-bounds, and can help you climb back for another run as easy as pie. Users are adamant and consistent in their endorsement of how well the Duke skis compared to any other touring binding, and until this year, there was really no serious competition for its reputation.
Keep making backcountry turns

Dec 11 2012

Wild about Wool

 

Wooooooooooooooooooooool!!!

Oh Wool! Would that I could express the many ways I love thee. In gloves, underwear, vests, shells, jackets, socks and pants. For your silky softness. The magical way you combat odor. Your longevity, naturalness, even your hand is a pleasure to hold and the warmth you control, warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s not round out your paradoxical qualities. Even your musty smell when wet can be appreciated when you consider that wool creates heat when it is wet. It has a hydrophobic shell around the fiber, so it wicks moisture wickedly fast, but has a core that absorbs water vapor, creating heat and re-radiating it back like a thermal regulator.
Keep making backcountry turns

Dec 08 2012

Event: Sugar Bowl hosts apres ski BC Ball

 

click to enlarge

Sugar Bowl ski resort, the Tahoe’s most backcountry friendly resort will be hosting a Backcountry Ball next Sunday, Dec. 16th from 3pm to 6pm upstairs in the Judah Lodge.

What: Apres Ski Backcountry Ball

When: Sunday, Dec. 16th from 3pm — 6pm

Cost: FREE

PRESS RELEASE:
Both seasoned backcountry skiers and resort skiers curious about what lies beyond the resort boundary will have the chance to preview the latest backcountry gear, talk to experts and learn about guided backcountry trips at Sugar Bowl Resort’s après ski Backcountry Ball event on Sunday, Dec. 16.

Sugar Bowl Ski Ambassador Daron Rahlves will host the event, ski brands such as Atomic will showcase their latest backcountry-specific gear, and informational booths by organizations including Alpine Skills International and the Sierra Snowkite Center will educate skiers and riders on the local backcountry offerings.
Keep making backcountry turns

Dec 07 2012

Fondling Salomon’s Guardian

 

This rig is made for walking uphill, ‘n’ rippin’ down. In free heel mode you can chose between 12° or 3°.


Well I’ve finally shook hands with a pair for an extended period of time, but my feet have not had the opportunity to dance again with Salomon’s Guardian — yet. There is no doubt this is a binding that carries some clout. At 6½ pounds per pair, when you decide to kick it in gear, the Guardian adds some meat to that kick.

Which also means on a long tour it will kick your asterik and make you long for a two-pin binding like the “distinguished” beards on the trail are using. However, if you’re an active member of the Blue Angels using skis for wings the Guardian is the sort of cockpit you want to be locked in to, with a bomb proof ejection seat.
Keep making backcountry turns