Even considering the current state of California’s economy and the anemic ski season this past winter it is still surprising that Mammoth Mountain has decided to close June Mountain permanently. This certainly closes the door on an old goal of Mammoth founder Dave McCoy to link Mammoth and June mountain with lifts along the Sierra crest.
Keep making backcountry turns
Jun 22 2012
Mammoth Shutters June Mountain
Jun 20 2012
Review: LiteDogz, Step-In 3-pin Binding
When the original Tele Bulldog was introduced back in 2001 it seemed to be a solution without a problem. In the minds of the majority of backcountry nordic skiers, whether telemark or cross-country, it still is. But then, inventors like Louis Dandurrand aren’t necessarily motivated by huge profits as much as the desire to see their idea brought to fruition.
Lite Dogz are the perfect compliment to a good pair of touring boots.
Keep making backcountry turns
Jun 18 2012
TR: Mt. Shasta, Hotlum Glacier
This is my favorite time of year. Early summer corn season at Shasta! As usual, I was jibbing solo. The plan was to head to the east side. I didn’t really have a plan beyond that, just trying to get some good turns. Ended up skiing something a bit different than usual. The hunt for good corn was a success!
Seracs on the Hotlum Glacier.
Keep making backcountry turns
Jun 16 2012
Technique: Headplant Stop
When leather dominated,
snow snakes ruled.
One of my favorite tele tricks is ye’ ol’ shoulder-roll-biff turn, also known as a starfish turn. When I was riding a single plank, it was sometimes referred to as a 3-point landing. Whatever you call it, it is a way to avoid getting tweaked by simply going with the flow of momentum and rather than trying to fight the forces that are causing you to go ass-over-tea-kettle you not only don’t fight it, or even just roll with it, you add to it by tucking your upper body to speed up the rotation you’re about to make.
This, of course assumes you will either stick the landing and not keep somersaulting, or even pop back up onto your edges and keep skiing. If a slide for life might result, this isn’t necessarily the move of choice.
Keep making backcountry turns
Jun 14 2012
TR: Mt. Shasta via Brewer Creek
Hooked up with B last weekend to make another visit to Mt. Shasta. The goal was two-fold. End the season on a high note, and get some more feedback on the Telemark Tech System binding.
Mt. Shasta's SE face from Hat Creek overlook. (all photos - click to enlarge)
In our dreams we wanted to check out a route neither of us had done before, the Bolam Glacier from the Coquette Falls trail head, but practicality led us inevitably to the Brewer Creek trail head. It had been several years since skiing that line so I was surprised to see how well the road to the TH was marked. No doubt locals are disappointed at this, but from a visitor’s perspective it was stellar; there were signs at every turn.
Keep making backcountry turns
Jun 11 2012
BC Ski Review: Dynafit Stoke
There’s a couple of things you can tell about the Stoke right off the bat. With a 105mm waist (174 cm length) it was clearly built for the North American backcountry market where obesity has become hip, or at least popular unless you consider epidemics to be the result of choice. Yet for a fat ski, it is merely full bodied, not flabby.
Dynafit Stoke - $800 - 130-105-125
Keep making backcountry turns
Jun 07 2012
Rerun: Touring with Luddites
© 2002
“Bet the person who skied that face soiled his shorts.”
Opening spread image from the original article in Couloir Magazine XIV-5, Spring 2002.
Nils Larsen, telemark videographer, telemark instructor, telemark equipment consultant, and all around zealot of this subspecies of skiing, is standing beside me studying the face of Excelsior Mountain, a 12,446 foot peak near the northeastern border of Yosemite National Park and the tracks before us tell a story.
Keep making backcountry turns
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