Couloir Junkie - Avy 101 - Backcountry Rap - Avy Beacons

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Couloir Junkie - Avy 101 - Backcountry Rap - Avy Beacons - Sierra Skier & more
Issue LI
December 2011
2 Off-Piste December 2011
Off-Piste
Volume XIII Issue LI
Publisher/Editor
David Waag
Copy Editors
Michael Becker, Simon McDowell,
Lance Waring
Design Consultant
Ullr
Contributing Writers
Paul Butler, Cate Doucette, Larry Goldie, Don Pattison,
Jake Sakson, Susie Sutphin, David Waag
Contributing Photographers/Artists
Jay Beyer, Grant Gunderson, Braden Gunem,
Dave Heath, Jason Hummel, Andy Jacobsen,
Ryan Kreuger, Chris Miller, Mark Melig
Web Tech
Karen Holt
Printing & Distribution
Oregon Litho, McMinnville, OR
Off-Piste PO Box 1626 Hood River, OR 97031
509-999-2208 [email protected]
www.offpistemag.com
All Content Copyright 2011 Freeheel Press
Contents
features
10
Mining the White Gold
12
Skinning to Christ
14
Couloir Junkie
19
Powderwhore Rap
20
Sierra Skier
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Advertise: Call or e-mail for our media kit.
Subscriptions: USA: 4 issues $20 / 8 issues $32
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Outside North America: 4 issues $40
The opinions expressed in Off-Piste do not necessarily represent those
of the publisher or editorial staff. Closed minds are dangerous. No part
of Off-Piste may be reproduced in any form without prior written consent
from Freeheel Press.
Warning: Backcountry skiing is inherently dangerous. It may well cause
disruption in your otherwise normal life. Off-Piste is no substitute for
honest field experience and sound judgement. Be careful out there.
Cover Photo: Jason Hummel
Location: North Cascades, WA
Brian Cross - AKA The Bald Bomber - David Waag
A Tale of Advenure in South America - Cate Doucette
Feeding the Addiction - Susie Sutphin
Backcountry Rappin’ - Jake Sakson
An Interview - Don Pattison
departments
10
What’s Up
9
16
22
26
28
Letters
30
Words & Images - Opinion on books and films
Gallery
Gear Talk - The Quiver Question
La Polenta - Wisdom, insight, opinion & more
Avy 101 - Knowing When to Dig
Contents illustration: Chris Miller
Issue LI Off-Piste 3
The Penetrator lives up to his name in the Kootenays, Mt Carlyle Lodge, BC
Photo: Dave Waag
Molly Baker | Freelance Writer | Backcountry Freeskier | Glacier, WA
At OR we know it takes hard work to have serious fun. So does Molly Baker, a freelance writer
and competitive freeskier who picked a powder gypsy lifestyle rather than stable post-baccalaureate
employment. Her alternative path led to an emerging career as an online journalist for Skiing,
Ski Journal and ESPN.com — a natural fit for a girl with the steep-skiing skills to tick off the first
female descent of Mt. Shuksan’s Hanging Glacier last winter. Read Molly’s stories about Shuksan,
Patagonia and New Zealand at outdoorresearch.com.
First Tracks
It’s a meandering but relatively short climb to the top of our first run. The climb
is cut shorter than normal by rocky terrain that has yet to see its full winter coat.
The bear grass still rises above the snow surface in places, and the creeks are
still exposed. Nonetheless, we are sliding on fresh snow, a feeling that, although
it has been absent from my life for nearly six months, feels remarkably familiar.
Everything just looks so good with a fresh coat of snow; the crisp air holds an
extra sparkle, and the trees are loaded with gorgeous crystals. Conversation is
exaggeratedly upbeat as we prepare for our first descent of the season. Without
waiting for consensus, I tip my skis down the fall line. The silent swoosh of snow
rising over my boots and spilling off in my wake looks and feels so good. Hoots
rise effortlessly from behind me, momentarily breaking the silence and sharing in
the rush. One by one we collect at the base of the run and share in the energy of
kicking off the season.
In classic La Niña style, the Northwest (and much of the West’s) ski season has
gone from zero to sixty in the course of a week or two. With pre-Thanksgiving
storms bringing snowfall measured in feet not inches, the mountains are once
again ready for sliding.
The collective shift in attitude amongst the ski afflicted as the mountains turn
white is palpable. The first day of touring for the season is special indeed and a
badge of honor for many. It is unlikely to rival mid-winter skiing for depth and feel,
but the first day of the season has a full summer of anticipation behind it, months
spent dreaming about the feeling of sliding through snow and trying to fill the void on
two wheels.
As a somewhat of recent convert to fixed heel skiing, I maintain a romantic enough
notion about the first day of the season to reserve it as a freeheel day. With modest
snow coverage and early season legs, the freeheel ritual adds another layer of fun
to the day; my old teles also happen to be my favorite rock skis. I also like to think
that getting on the freeheel gear helps get me centered for the season, but that’s
probably just wishful thinking.
The first day of the season is also a time to get back in the rhythm of touring. It’s
the time to take stock of the gear; find your shovel, probe and beacon, make sure the
skin glue still holds, and sort out clothing, old and new. But most of all it’s a time to
connect with ski friends and revel in the season that is winter.
Here’s to a great season of sliding.
Cheers,
Dave
Jeffe Hanegan enjoys the goods at Carlyle Lodge, BC 6 Off-Piste December 2011
Photo: Dave Waag
What’s Up
ski news, access issues and more
Monika Johnson Avalanche Education Scholarship
T
he Northwest mountain community lost a dedicated skier and
teacher last winter. Monika Johnson, an adventurer whose
humility and generous spirit endeared her to all, fell to her death
when a cornice collapsed on Red Mountain near Snoqualmie
Pass, Washington on February 1, 2011. Monika was born March
25, 1970 and was introduced to ski mountaineering as a student
of the Seattle-based Mountaineers group. She soon became an
instructor and, for years, introduced beginners to the sport she
loved. Monika’s commitment to work and the local community
was as ambitious as her ski adventures, which include first ski
descents (or first women’s ski descents) of dramatic routes
on Mounts Shuksan, Stuart, Glacier, Colchuck, Tenpeak,
Chikamin and Rainier. Monika’s energy and enthusiasm were
legendary and her love of snow earned her the nickname Yukithe Japanese word for snow. The Monika Johnson Avalanche
Education Scholarship has been created to fund the Yuki Awards
that are bestowed in her memory.
The Yuki Awards were created to promote safety in the
mountains by increasing avalanche awareness and safety in
the Pacific Northwest. Award recipients will receive free AIARE
Level 1 avalanche training. In return, recipients will pay forward
what they learn by creating and implementing an avalanche
awareness program designed to target a community of their
choice. A community might be a group of snowmobile users, a
Girl or Boy Scout troop, a school-based outdoor program or any
other group the applicant wishes to address. Award recipients
will work with a mentor who will assist with implementing the
program.
Interested in applying? Submit a one page (max) letter
introducing yourself and your idea for sharing what you learned
in your Level 1 course. Applications should focus on the
timeline and target group rather than on ideas for content and
coursework. The selection committee is most interested in the
combination of excitement and ideas that you bring to the table.
The more detailed and action oriented the application, the
better the chances of being accepted as a scholarship recipient.
Monika Johnson, Garibaldi Provincial Park, Photo: Ryan Lurie
Additionally, there is a need to increase avalanche awareness
amongst youth and snowmobilers. The committee encourages
applicants to focus on these groups.
No prior avalanche safety awareness is required; however, a
passion for snow is a necessity. Send applications to yukiaward@
gmail.com before January 4, 2012.
For further information or to make a donation, please email
[email protected] or visit www.turns-all-year.com/yukiaward.html
What’s Up
ski news, access issues and more
New Hut Proposed in summit county
Summit Huts Association (SHA), a non-profit group dedicated to
developing and maintaining a system of backcountry cabins linked by
non-motorized trails in Summit County, Colorado, has proposed a new
hut, the Weber Gulch Hut, on the flanks of Baldy Mountain, just outside
of Breckenridge, Colorado. Located near 11,500 feet on the north side
of Baldy Mountain, the proposed one- or two-story structure could be
up to 2,000 square feet and accommodate 16 people.
The proposed location is adjacent to an area that sees local
Breckenridge backcountry skier traffic and sits on Forest Service land.
Summit County Open Space has already granted approval for access
and the application now sits with the Forest Service. A site-specific
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review is currently under
way by the White River National Forest (WRNF), with the first round of
public comment completed in November. Based on this input and other
data compiled by the WRNF, the Forest Service will compile a draft
environmental assessment, which will also be open to public comment
before a final decision is made.
The SHA currently operates four backcountry huts under special use
permit from the United States Forest Service in Summit county:
Janet’s Cabin, Francie’s Cabin, the Section House and Ken’s Cabin.
The proposal for the Weber Gulch Hut is part of the SHA’s master plan
that envisions an interconnected series of huts in the Summit County
area. The proposed hut’s location was chosen for a variety of reasons
including its relatively easy access and because the area has already
been prioritized for non-motorized recreation by the WRNF as per the
2002 White River National Forest Plan. The Weber Gulch Hut would
allow skiers to connect with Section House a few miles to the south for
a multi-day hut-to-hut experience.
Colorado has one of the most well-established and heavily used
networks of non-motorized backcountry huts in the United States.
The 10th Mountain Division Hut Association (TMHA), founded in the
mid-1980s, manages and acts as a reservation agent, for 29 Colorado
backcountry huts including those managed by SHA. One of the driving
forces behind the new hut proposal is expading the the capacity of the
the current Summit system, which runs near capacity all winter.
To learn more about the proposed Weber Gulch Hut or weigh in on the
process contact Shelly Grail Braudis at the White River National Forest
- [email protected] – or check out Summit Huts at www.summithuts.org
Letters
the Good, the Bad, the Ugly
DON’T FORGET THE MID WEST
I noticed in your profile of backcountry skiers [fourpart series that began in Issue 50] that you are skipping
over the Mid West. Michigan is the birthplace of many a
skier (the woman profiled in Issue 50, for instance). The
Upper Peninsula and even here in the mitten is home to
many people dedicated to breaking trail, touring for turns
and being so far off-piste that we aren’t even on your
radar screen. I suggest that your regional profiles are
incomplete without somebody from the middle; call someone
from the Keweenaw. Other than that, I love your mag.
The hills are smaller, the trees are tighter; but
dedicated winter worshipers live out here.
-Jay, Kalamazoo, Michigan
FALLING
The mag is looking good, especially appreciated the
Falling article. I’m thinking we need more of it. Way back
in an issue of Couloir, Lou Dawson hinted (in good humor)
at the carnage that happened after a shot of somebody
doing something beautiful.
I’ve been taking pictures of my buds thrashing, crashing
and having a great time for years. It’s why I like your
mag; you haven’t gone slick like some. You still have
stories about the core of way-out-there skiers, regardless
of background. Harrower and Litz [original publishers of
Backcountry Magazine] did a good job way back when also.
Stories of real people doing regular backcountry stuff,
not just a bunch of pro skiers. Ditto on photos. So, how
about calling all the folks for an amateur contest with
crashes the mindset? Call it the laughter issue.
–Teleman, NE Kingdom
more letters on page 31
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Photo: Dave Heath
A
number of years ago I saw a photo of the Bald Bomber grinning from ear to ear, long beard covered in snow,
goggles reflecting the winter mountain landscape. The image was on the cover of one of my favorite ski films,
Sinners by Bill Heath, which features footage from the Bomber’s home turf, British Columbia’s Kootenay region.
The shot captures the spirit of a powder day with personality to spare.
I’d been told, “The Bald Bomber, yeah he is a farmer and prospector
up in the Slocan Valley.” Farmers that ski, interesting, I thought.
He certainly looks like a real character if not actually an old-time
prospector. If I have learned anything from ski bumming and
traveling over the years, it’s that everyone comes to skiing from
different places, and BC’s Kootenay region, of all places, is home to
many who don’t fit neatly into any single ski bum stereotype.
I finally crossed paths with the Bald Bomber, or Brian Cross as he
is also known, last winter. Cross had just purchased Mount Carlyle
Lodge in BC’s Kokanee Range, and I was set to spend a week up at
Carlyle skiing with him. My image of farmer, prospector and ski bum
would finally get a real person to give it shape.
Having been co-owner of Valhalla Lodge since 1987, Cross is no
stranger to the logistics of running a backcountry ski lodge. You could
argue he saw the future of lodge-based backcountry skiing before
the full gold rush hit. Self admittedly, Cross said the early days of
Valhalla were as much about powder skiing with friends as they were
about building a business. This time, Cross was stepping into a fully
operational lodge as the sole owner, but he was also bringing with
him the knowhow and connections of twenty-plus years of running
Valhalla Lodge. After meeting Cross, it was clear his approach to life
is more organic than methodical, but it is equally apparent that any
lack of planning is more than made up for by his get-it-done energy
and enthusiasm.
Preparing to fly into Carlyle, Cross pulled a snow blower out of his
well worn pickup and announced we should fit it into one of the
sling loads that was headed in to the lodge. When I asked what the
snow blower was for, Cross replied, “It’s for clearing the roof of the
lodge.” Of course, I thought to myself. Why would you shovel it when
you can use a blower? I was beginning to see how the Bald Bomber
worked.
On the farming front, Cross has indeed been busy. He and his wife
ran a sheep dairy in the Slocan Valley, raising 180 sheep each
year. They milked the ewes to make frozen yogurt with Raspberries
(800lbs) and blackberries (600lbs) from their gardens and
slaughtered over 100 head for meat. As with most farms, they have
had a variety of other livestock over the years. Cross admits to being
a bit of a hippie, but given the size of their farm, he is no stranger to
hard work.
Although farming plays a lesser role in his life right now, he and his
wife still raise about 500 hundred chickens, six steers and 35 sheep
annually. Cross definitely has the weathered hands and face that
farming and raising animals bring out in a person. I was beginning
to reconcile my vision of farmer and ski bum nicely. Cross is a mix of
hippie, farmer and mountain man. Farmers that ski; I was beginning
to understand.
Talking with Cross at the dinner table one evening, he shared
more about his prospecting days. Essentially, he stumbled into the
prospecting gig while looking for a summer job out of high school. In
his words, “What better job for a young guy who loves the outdoors getting paid to run around in the woods, bang on rocks, hike through
the alpine. The spirit of exploration and prospecting history always
interested me. ” Hanging out with Cross, it’s obvious that exploration
and mountains are in his soul. He saw prospecting as an opportunity
to feed his need to explore and play in the mountains. He has been
exploring the mountains on foot and ski ever since.
My own ignorance of the mining world conjures up archaic and
rugged, even somewhat romantic images of prospecting. Cross said
he too was and still is enamored with the history of the old-timers,
the real prospectors. It is fitting that old-time prospecting and its
associated imagery was once very alive in the area Cross now calls
home.
Prospecting and mining played a major role in the modern history
of British Columbia’s Kootenay region and the Kokanee Range
surrounding the Bomber’s latest endeavor, the Mount Carlyle Lodge.
Prospecting is what brought the white man to these rugged, snow
covered hills. Modern history in the area was jumpstarted by the
discovery of silver in the mid to late 19th century. Sandon, BC, the
now ghost town near the head of the Slocan Valley where Cross lives
and just over a pass from Mount Carlyle Lodge, exploded into a small
city in the 1890’s as silver was extracted from the hills at a record
rate. The rugged mountains were a tough place to make a living at
the turn of the century. Not only was it a remote environment, but
claim jumping and the elements took their toll on the adventurous
soles who dreamed of striking it rich. In fact, just over a small pass
from Carlyle Lodge lies Carpenter Creek, home to the Mountain Con
Mine, the highest elevation mine in the area. The remote mine is
literally located up in the cliffs above Carpenter Creek.
Accessing the area in 1900 was no small affair, and mountain
weather played a significant factor in the mine’s history. In 1900,
an avalanche took the life of one of the men working with the mine.
His partner was lucky enough to escape death, but the harrowing
tale of dragging himself, broken limbs and all, out of the mountains
to get help hits home as we, aided by every modern convenience a
ski tourist could wish for, spend a week exploring the rugged terrain
around the lodge. The deep snow, steep terrain and big timber
make for great skiing, but only complicated mining efforts. The early
prospectors were tough folks who endured the harsh environment
for the dream of striking it rich. This one tale of a miner’s death is
not unique; diaries of the day tell stories of miners spending many
a summer day searching the mountains for the remains of fellow
prospectors who perished in slides.
Having been raised in Kamloops, BC – just west of the Kootenays,
Cross is no stranger to the Selkirks and surrounding ranges or the
weather and hazards of mountain travel. He logged many days in
the mountains while running his own prospecting business not to
mention his days on skis spent getting to know the terrain around
Valhalla Lodge. His passion for skiing and involvement in Valhalla,
and now Carlyle, has lead to an evolution of his prospecting skills
and priorities.
Today, Cross prefers to think of himself as prospecting for the white
gold – the plentiful powder snow of the Valhalla and Kokanee Ranges.
Unlike the silver ore that attracted the original prospectors, there is
no shortage of white gold in these hills. Cross has chosen the powder
triangle of the Southern Selkirks to stake his latest claim. Although
claim jumping and mountain weather still play a role in the day-today life of powder prospecting, harvesting the white gold suits the
Bomber. It blends his get-it-done work ethic with a well-honed ability
to stake out the mother lode.
Photos this page: Dave Waag
T
he ski bug had been gnawing away at my brain, body and soul since my last day on skis in June, and the chance to feed the bug was fast
approaching as was a welcome hiatus from the heat of the North American summer. Packing ski bags and down jackets in the heat of
summer seemed wrong on one level and oh-so-right on the other. Looking to cover our bases but still travel light, we combined repair and
med kits; we packed our skis and double-checked the most vital gear. Argentina’s backcountry scene is limited, and the telemark scene even
rarer. We wanted to make sure we had our gear needs covered.
Our immersion in the South American winter included several stops, the first of which was Bariloche, where we were greeted with storm
cycle tree skiing and feet of fresh snow. That was the anomaly. Our other destinations, Las Lenas and Los Penitentes, offered classic high
desert landscapes with nary a tree. In one swift movement, the landscaped rolled from open dirt to snow slope, with hardly a bush to
obstruct our views of the terrain. Combined with clear weather, the landscape afforded easy navigation.
Lulled into our own backcountry bliss by the relatively easy navigation of the alpine desert, we explored at will. The exception to our route
finding success came on our seventh day in the backcountry near the border between Chile and Argentina. Our day started from the highest
hostel in the world at 3,048 meters (10,000 feet). Staying on the fourth floor of that thing had us sucking wind on the way to our room. Out
of breath at the top of the stairs, I wondered about our ambitions to explore the surrounding peaks. Our plans were simple; we were going to
ski to Christ.
For the past two days locals had been telling us to ski to “The Christ,” a huge statue situated on the Chilean-Argentine border at 3,832
meters (12,572ft). It was erected in 1904 and stands as a symbol of world peace. The statue documents the end of a long border dispute
between the two countries. It is known as “Cristo Redentor de los Andes,” or “Christ the Redeemer,” in English. A plaque at its base, roughly
translated, reads, “Sooner shall these mountain crags crumble to dust than Chile and Argentina shall break this peace which at the feet of
Christ the Redeemer they have sworn to maintain.”
On some level this goal made sense to me. If I were ever to find Christ, chances are it would be in the mountains on skis. Ignoring advice to
follow the meandering road, Chris and I headed straight up. After less than half an hour on skis, we decided to boot pack. The sun pounded
as we gained around three thousand vertical feet. The slope was relentlessly steep. Chris kicked steps above me and used his whip-it to set
a deep path upwards. We didn’t pause to eat, drink or take pictures. The snow looked me steadily in the face. It was all I could do to suck in
the thin air, move each step and keep my poles steady and planted. When we finally reached the distant ridge, we had overshot the statue.
Fortunately, we had a shady south facing powder shot down to the saddle, the statue and the border.
Our turns spilled out behind us as we skied the wind-deposited snow. The conditions were sweet, soft powder on a good base, easy to ski.
Chris didn’t stop once as he lay neat tele turns down the gully. I took in the sweep of the Andes and followed suit, dropping a thousand feet
and past the saddle into the sun. We stretched skins and climbed to check out the symbol of peace, eat some lunch and enjoy the views of
Argentina, Chile, and Mt. Anconcagua. Technically, we spent the next run in Chile - on the shady south facing slopes - meaning powder. The
north faces into Argentina baked in the sun, ripening to perfect corn all morning long. After a second longer run, we skinned back to the
saddle and beyond to assess a final long run. At this point, we had well over three grand on our legs and at elevation to boot. It was our
fifth consecutive day of touring, and needless to say, my dogs were barking and my tank was nearing empty. After a quick conversation, we
decided that the huge south-facing valley must wrap around and would lead us back into Argentina. The open landscape lulled us into this
assumption. We saw a clear road imprinted into the valley and assumed that there was only one road up to this improbable elevation. That
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must be the same road that the Argentineans mentioned, the road
that ended literally at our hostel we reasoned.
STEERING.
Somehow we convinced ourselves that we could ski down the
Chilean side of the border, enjoy the good, soft snow and an end up
in Argentina. This was a flawed plan, perhaps swayed by the snow
quality in Chile. We could ski corn snow back in the US, we wanted
powder. It was our last run and we skied a long shot from above the
Christ statue. We truly skied the run like it was our last of the day. I
used the remainder of my energy to arc big turns down the run, my
quads burned, but I dealt with the fatigue knowing I was skiing out.
Once lower, we met up with the snow-covered road and followed it
casually downward, losing elevation carelessly. Suddenly, I stopped
and yelled up to Chris, “I think we’re in Chile.” His expression said,
“Hell no.” We traversed out farther and found that we were clearly
in the wrong country, and illegally so. The long grey snake of the
road was on the wrong side of the border tunnel. Big cement blocks
lined the left side of the road. Even the highway looked different. The
tunnel that marked the border wasn’t even visible, and the border
was already 10km away from our hostel.
It was four thirty, and my whole body was wasted. There were two
clear choices. We finish the short ski down and deal with the Chilean
authorities, admitting that we crossed into their country illegally and
ask them -- could they please give us a ride back if they weren’t
going to imprison us? Awesome. Or, we slap skins on and drag our
bodies back up to the pass and ski the ever-hardening corn down to
our hostel and hope to get in before dark.
“I don’t want to find out what the border authorities will do,” Chris
said. We imagined prisons, the language barrier, and anger in
different manifestations. And, as much as I was tired, I also didn’t
want to deal with the authorities. “Me neither,” I said. It was settled.
Skins on, we raced the sun back to the saddle. I was hungry for the
pass. It was a mere 1,500 feet back up to the col, but it took what
felt like forever. I dragged as Chris steadily led the way upward.
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As slow as I felt, the truth was that I could rely on my body; I knew
continued on p. 24
Photo: Mark Melig
It started
with a harmless e-mail; I told a friend I was headed to the same Canadian hut he had
been to the previous year. He replied with a single photo attached to my note. I opened
the photo, and there it was, Scott’s Chute, an alluring couloir with all the makings of a memorable ski run.
The chute’s rugged, rock-lined walls and silky white surface spoke to me, tempted me to ski it. With this one image, I was smitten,
focused on standing atop the line pictured feeling the adrenaline rush of preparing to ski it. The calendar on my wall loomed over me
with a month’s worth of commitments and deadlines to meet.. The image of skiing Scott’s Chute was just the carrot I needed to stay
focused ‘till departure day.
I love all things mountainous and snowy, but couloirs are my favorite mountain feature. I’ll be the first to confess I’m a couloir
junkie. The more I ski tight, gullied lines, the stronger my desire to find the next one becomes. I love the way they look, their different shapes and sizes, their topography and their contribution to the mountainscape. Couloirs stand so proud when scouted from a
distance. The view looking up one is mesmerizing and the view down thoroughly intoxicating.
As a skier I often relate with climbers when hearing them describe how close they feel to the natural world when in the mountains,
one with the rock, one with nature. I find the same sense of place in couloirs, especially when framed with rock walls and filled with
soft snow. It is the closest I can come to being a part of the mountain.
Departure day finally dawned, and upon arrival at the hut, I stood gazing across the landscape towards Scott’s Chute. The chute
wasn’t in the next drainage over. It wasn’t a day’s travel from the hut. It was in plain sight of the front door! Seeing the line in the
context of the glacier above which it stood made the entire scene more impressive, the temptation to ski it even greater.
It was January, a weak snowpack and recent avalanche cycle left our crew weary of steep lines. The weather was cold but stable,
and it hadn’t snowed in a few days, so maybe we’d get our window to check out the line; I kept my fingers crossed.
Day three dawned sunny and temps tiptoed toward zero degrees Fahrenheit. Four skiers were in our touring party that day, and we
started up the main glacier to yo-yo some moderate lines. Snow conditions were stabilizing, and there was little indication of any
continued avalanche activity. Nearing the bottom of our first lap on the glacier, we saw a skier traversing below Scott’s Chute. Could
someone from the hut have just skied it?
Georgio, an Italian mountain guide who didn’t really subscribe to our cautious approach to the terrain and snowpack, came into view.
Georgio skied what he wanted, when he wanted, with or without a partner. Nonetheless, he was charming and likable. We caught up
with him, and sure enough, he had just skied Scott’s Chute. His report was of excellent skiing: a foot of soft snow and no settling. He
declared it stable, and he was stoked to go back a second lap. Of course, I was right on his heels.
We skinned back up the glacier and onto the mid-mountain plateau behind the chute. The entrance was extraordinary, a classic
vertical mountain hallway top to bottom. It was a perfect 40-degree slope lined with impressive rock walls and a ramp of white that
spilled out on to the glacier below. The view from the top was mesmerizing. I dropped in, arcing turns in the untracked snow beside
Georgio’s lone track, my skis rising and falling through the soft snow, rock walls looming above me on both sides. Like an addict, my
heart pounded with adrenaline as I descended into the bliss that only a couloir can deliver.
The fleeting moments of the descent still fill my head. The speed and energy of the turns as the chute yielded to the apron below
fueling my passion for skiing. Scott’s Chute delivered; my addiction continues.
Gallery
Big Mounttain, Little skier - James Binkley in the Fairweather Range. Glacier Bay, Alaska. John Wells kicks up the cold smoke.
Photo: Grant G
Gallery
Peter Drake skis Redwell Basin, MOunt Emmons, Colorado
Photo: Braden Gunem
Photo: Ryan Kreuger
Gunderson
Walking the line.Takinsha Mountains, Glacier Bay National Park,
Photo: Jay Beyer
JT Robinson and the glory of coldsmoke. Wasatch, UT 18 Off-Piste December 2011
Photo: Jay Beyer
The Powderwhore Rap
by Jake Sakson
G
etting up early is how we do this,
How about the dirt lot at around six.
Skinning on up and my legs are burning,
But I know it’s worth all the turns I’m earning.
Damn that’s snows deep, bout up to my thigh,
Take a deep breath and get real high.
Get your ass to the top before you can drop,
But that’s when it’s time to get face shots.
I know that hoe Jenna has had a few,
But not half as many as the boys in my crew.
I
’m a humble telewacker in the backcountry,
But I’m so fast Greg Hill can’t touch me.
Big lines or treeez always dropping knees,
Change over quick, yea that’s my steeze.
I’m the best pinner, yea on the globe,
Ask Nick Devore, I taught him all he knows.
Yea check my flows, and see what find,
These MTV fools can’t keep up with my rhymes.
And neither can you when were out in the woods,
I bet that light set-up feels really good.
It don’t that matter that my skis are fat,
Step to the side, I’ll break the skin track.
T
his powder’s not the shit that comes in keys,
But I’m still a fiend, I could use a little more please.
If you wonder what’s up with the hype,
It’s ‘bout time you get shown the light.
Splitting, trekking or even three pinning,
To us it don’t matter if the lifts be spinning.
We skinning - we like getting deep fresh tracks,
Plus I hear this shit prevents heart attacks.
But way out here, it’s not just fun and games,
There is the rip roaring sliding dragon to tame.
O
ne’s gotta be smart and educated,
Otherwise your tour might be ill fated.
The avalanche beast can be real vile,
Check up, stay safe to keep your style.
Gotta hit it hard when conditions are right,
But no matter what, keep your homies in sight.
Ya must be prepared if that shit cuts loose,
Bad call or mistake and you’ll be in a noose.
D
anger, danger, yea sure there’s risk,
But untracked powder is the ultimate bliss.
Just give it a try, and I know you’ll find,
The backcountry’s almost as sick as my rhymes.
From soggy old men to young ass fools,
Getting mad freshies – it’s what we do.
I’m a Powderwhore – now what about you.
The Powderwhore Rap originally appeared in the recent Powderwhore ski film, Breaking Trail
Jake Sakson, full steam ahead. Days Fork, Wasatch, UT Photo: Andy Jacobsen/Powderwhores
A
friend once observed while climbing a
skin track in a popular touring area that
backcountry skiers are like cats: they tolerate,
but rarely embrace one another’s presence. I’d
never really thought about it like this before.
Sure, everyone is a little protective of their ski
line, especially after working a skin track to
reach it. But given our situation, Northwestbased skiers out for a tour in the Wasatch
Mountains, his remarks hit home. Arguably, we
were out of our element and unlikely to know
any of the people touring in our little slice of the
range. Regardless, we had very little interest
in trying to meet the other skiers we saw, nor
did it appear anyone was too intent on getting
to know us. We simply coexisted with as little
overlap as possible, like cats.
If collectively we are like cats, how do
backcountry skiers break down by region?
Well, this four-part series explores composites
of stereotypical skiers, albeit fictitious ones,
from four different regions. Issue 50 looked
at Northwest skiers. In this issue, we continue
with the Sierra Nevada skier.
M
eet Tobey (not his real name, but it could be). Tobey is a tan,
sprightly fellow in his 30’s with shaggy hair sticking-out from
under a ballcap with a bill as straight as a ski edge and some creative
facial hair. We are sitting outside, eating big plates of breakfast in
the brilliant Sierra sunshine at a rustic diner by Lake Tahoe. Tobey’s
big, shaggy dog, Crampon, lies at our feet.
Off-Piste: Last winter was sick, and it looks like the forecasted La
Nina may yield a repeat. Thoughts?
Tobey: I couldn’t be more stoked. Let the sickness begin! But I got
kinda tired of shoveling decks for dough last winter, but it was a good
afternoon job. I guess the drought is officially over, so that’s cool.
OP: Nice goggle tan.
T: Right on. Thanks for noticing. It’s a badge of honor in these parts.
Speaking of, your pale Northwest skin looks like it might be getting
burned here in the land of plenty.
OP: Thanks. We did not see much sun this winter or spring. Where
do you live?
T: In a South Lake Tahoe garage/bedroom, but I travel for the kind
snow when need be: Squallywood, Rose, Alpine, DP. It doesn’t matter
as long as it’s going off.
OP: DP?
T: Donner Pass. Or Donner party, if you’re less lucky. Ha ha!
OP: Yeah, I should have gotten that. The Tahoe “check me out,
bro” attitude is well known, world-wide, but there is also a selfdeprecating side of the scene led by the late, great Shane McConkey
and the movie G.N.A.R. Where do you weigh in on the bro-brah
scene?
T: I grew up around that ‘tude, both real and ironic, but when I
stopped shredding under the lifts at Squaw and started to spend my
days earning my turns, the only people I had to impress were my
bros. And believe me, they got over me a long time ago. But bringing
the fun back to skiing is cool. Fun is what motivates folks, and it’s
the beating heart of skiing. The rest is just fashion and corporate
bottom line.
OP: Have you ever skied BN [butt naked] for G.N.A.R. points?
T: Dude, I wish I could say yes, but the sad truth is no. BN takes
some serious cajones. There’s the obvious fall factor, but you can
also get your pass pulled. One of these days I will do it. I’ve got my
line in the Palisades picked out; it’s sick.
OP: Do you think Squaw Valley, sorry Squallywood, should put in
backcountry gates?
T: That’s a rough one, dude. It’s a totally rad bonus for the prepared
dude to access the goods on a pow day, but I feel for the patroller
that misses dinner with their kids because he or she is out looking
for the lost, cold and lonely. I would totally use ‘em though, and be
sicker than you!
OP: What’s your dream ski trip?
T: Leave Tahoe? There’s no real reason to. But if I was a sick pro
rider, which I should be, and someone else was footin’ the bill, I’d be
all over the AK scene. You know, test the metal - Go big or go home,
bro.
OP: Freeheel or Alpine Touring?
T: I started as a snowboarder. You know, surfer roots, dude. But
I moved to tele once I saw how rad it was. More recently, a blown
knee and the lighter rig have swayed me to the dark side of the fixed
heel for the sick and steep, but when you live in the “range of light”
it’s all good. Bardini [the late Alan Bard] was famous for his “redline” traverse of the Sierra on tele gear, and that was probably the
right guys, the right time and the right terrain for tele. But if you
aren’t a tele God like Bard and Carter, locking it down is the kinder
way.
OP: You’ve got heavy Sierra cement and the finest cream corn in the
world? I guess both yield good skiers?
T: Hey Man, we get our fair share of the kind. But you gotta love
it all around here. You don’t get the killer corn season without a
little cement in the recipe. Spending the winter pushing an up-track
through the goo isn’t easy, but it’s eventually rewarding. Carving
ruts down that spring corn on the eastside chutes with a healthy
snowpack is the shit. And nothing says “center-punch-me-baby” like
a firm yet ripe chute on a spring morning.
OP: Jeez, it’s a wonder you can hold onto your slippery poles?
T: True that, I’m a lucky little dude. Plus, the approaches are so easy
compared to Northeast and Northwest bushwhack fests. The Sierra
rule the roost, man: It’s cheaper than AK, you can kook-out in the
hot tubs and springs après ski and those legendary California girls of
song still abound.
OP: It’s good to be you! Any regrets?
T: Crampon can’t talk or ski.
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Gear Talk
reviews, innovation and chatter
A
n avalanche beacon is no guarantee that you or your ski partners
will survive an avalanche, but backcountry skiing without one is
foolish. Whether you’re skiing adjacent to a resort or in a remote
range, an avalanche beacon, and the knowledge to use it, should be
viewed as mandatory equipment.
All of the beacons tested here use a three-antenna design and work
great. One of the big take-away points from this testing was just how
well the new crop of three-antenna beacons work. Each one, however,
has its own personality, and despite how well they work, you still need
to practice, practice and practice some more. Another with the more
interface rich variations of a couple of these beacons (Barryvox Pulse
and Piesps DSP), it is clear that if the manufacturer offers a firmware
update, you should get it; your beacon will work better.
Ortovox 3+, $349
The new Ortovox 3+ is a three-antenna,
digital beacon with a simple, user-friendly
interface designed for users of all levels.
FEATURES:
• Directional search indicator and
distance readout
• Flagging feature with multiple
signal indicator icons
• Two antenna transmit ability
• Group check function
• Motion sensitive return to send
• Search Range 40m
(advertised and actual)
• Updateable
ON/OFF/STARTUP: The On/Off switch
doubles as the battery compartment cover. Although it’s easy to
master, the switch is easy to fumble the first time or two you try it.
Once you get the idea, it’s easy. The startup runs through a thorough
function and battery strength check. The 3+ also allows for a simple
group check upon start-up. The group check is not a default mode at
startup and must be activated while turning on the 3+.
USER INTERFACE: The 3+ user interface is simple and easy to use.
Switching to receive mode requires two hands, but this keeps it from
happening inadvertently. All other operations revolve around the easy
to follow LCD panel and a single button used to flag signals in multiple
burial scenarios. There is a highly visible pulse indicator confirming
when the beacon is in transmit mode. When you switch to receive,
small body-shaped icons indicate the number of signals detected. We
found that polarized sunglass lenses interfered with the LCD screen;
although it remains readable.
SPECIAL FEATURES: The 3+ is unique in its use of a secondary
transmit antenna. This secondary antenna allows the 3+ to increase
the distance at which other transceivers will receive its signal when
buried in a vertical orientation. Unlike other beacons, which use a
single transmit antenna, the 3+ detects when it is buried vertically
and switches its transmitting antenna to optimize the range at which
its signal can be detected, thus maximizing its chances for detection.
For example, when the 3+ was buried at an optimal orientation
(horizontal) the searching beacon showed a distance of 22 meters.
When the 3+ was shifted to a vertical orientation, the searching
beacon’s distance display spiked to 40 meters and then quickly
reduced to 30 meters once the 3+ optimized its transmit antenna.
The 3+ has a motion sensitive switch that defaults back to send if
it detects no movement for two minutes while in receive. A third,
perhaps less noteworthy characteristic is the 3+ operates on a single
AA battery. That’s right, one battery, and the beacon still meets the
international standards for send and receive times. Ortovox pulls this
off with a power management circuit. It is also worth noting that the
3+ features a nice slim (and light thanks to the single battery) design.
SEARCH PERFORMANCE: The search performance of the 3+ was
excellent. The beacon’s straightforward distance readout, directional
arrows and nice, loud audible signals are intuitive and easy to follow.
Initial signal detection comes in as a numerical distance followed by an
audible tone and directional arrows (vectoring). The distance at which
the tone and vectoring engaged varied depending on the scenario.
Once fully engaged, the 3+ is intuitive and easy to use: the audible
tone and cadence changes at 20m, 10m, 5m and again at 2m when
vectoring ends. Pinpointing with the 3+ was easy and efficient.
MULTIPLE SIGNAL PERFORMANCE: Multiple burials are straight
forward with the 3+. Once in search mode, the beacon is quick to
indicate how many signals it detects with small body-shaped icons
(up to three). With four or more signals, the beacon adds 4 and 4+
respectively. Flagging was efficient and reliable in all tests and made
for smooth multiple burial practice.
SUMMARY: The Ortovox 3+ is a strong contender for the easiest to
use beacon. The 3+ offers a great blend of functionality, like multiple
signal flagging, with a clean and intuitive interface. The combination
of the audio tone’s changing pitch and cadence is one of the nicest
tested, and the added technology of the dual transmit antennas gives
the 3+ a unique position in the beacon market. The ability to switch
transmit antennas provide a unique advantage in situations with suboptimal orientation. The 3+ delivers functional features in an easy to
use package.
BCA Tracker 2 $335
The Tracker 2 builds on the
popular Tracker DTS beacon’s
functionality and simplicity
with an updated user interface
and the addition of a third
receive antenna for improved
performance. The result is
improved range, smooth secondary
and fine searching and, believe it or not,
an even more user-friendly interface.
FEATURES:
• Directional search indicator and distance readout
• Multiple signal indicator light
• Search range 50m (advertised) / 48m (tested average)
• Updateable
ON/OFF/STARTUP: On/Off switch is located in the back of the
beacon. It is a basic dial switch with a reassuring click and subsequent
audible tones when turned on. The startup runs through a standard
functionality test and battery check.
passed, your target signal. Of course, any beacon with a numerical
distance readout tells you that you have traveled too far, or in the
wrong direction, when you see the distance number increases, but the
Element actually has an icon to alert you to the situation.
USER INTERFACE: The Tracker 2 interface revolves around a single
toggle or bumper switch that, when pulled, initiates the search mode.
The LED display has five directional lights and a numerical distance
readout. The audio tones are loud, and change pitch and cadence
as you move you through primary, secondary, and fine search. The
Tracker 2 is super straightforward. There is a secondary light that
illuminates when more than one signal is detected.
SEARCH PERFORMANCE: Search performance was excellent on
straight forward companion rescue as was the flagging function in
multiple burial scenarios. Once a signal is received, the beacon directs
you with visual, audio and numerical distance display through the
secondary and fine search process. When it reaches three meters, the
Element switches off the directional data to help you focus on the fine
search.
SPECIAL FEATURES: The Tracker 2 offers an advanced feature called
“SP” or special mode. SP mode is used to assist in multiple burial
scenarios for experienced users. Functionally, SP mode displays all
signals, regardless of their strength, but it also reduces the width of
the search window. When engaged, SP mode let’s you turn from the
beacon you have just located and renew your search for remaining
signals without interference from the located signal. In reality,
mastering SP mode is not rocket science, but it requires practice.
Nevertheless, it is a functional feature that, with experience, assists in
multiple signal scenarios.
MULTIPLE SIGNAL PERFORMANCE: Flagging is simple and effective
with the Element. The beacon actually appeared to process multiple
signals faster than our older Pulse beacon (perhaps because our Pulse
does not have the latest firmware update). The Element displays small
body-shaped icons for up to three signals, more than three is indicated
by the addition of a small line. Similar to the timer icon on the Arva
Axis, the Element will occassionally display a “stop” icon indicating that
it needs time to process. The only way we were able to engage this
was given a beacon switchd to send in the midst of an active search.
It never displayed the stop sign in a standard situation, despite our
attempts to make it happen.
SEARCH PERFORMANCE: The Tracker 2 vies for the most userfriendly beacon available for straight up, one-on-one companion
rescue. The beacon’s reasonable range, bright LED display and
intuitive audio tones are enough to give even a novice user confidence.
With its third antenna, the Tracker 2 moves through a fine search
with ease. The display drops the directional lights at three meters,
indicating it’s time to pinpoint. Of all of the beacons tested, the Tracker
2 proved the least prone to processing glitches. Every beacon can
be made to stumble or pause, so to speak, due to erratic search
movements or complex multiple signal scenarios. But the Tracker 2
proved quite resistant to such glitches.
MULTIPLE SIGNAL PERFORMANCE: The Tracker 2 has a multiple
signal indicator that alerts you when more than one signal is detected,
but it does not allow flagging or masking of signals. The light flashes
when two signals are within five meters, indicating a close proximity
situation. Multiple signal searches with the Tracker 2 rely more heavily
on user experience and search technique than beacons with flagging
functions. The special mode is helpful with multiple signals, but it
requires practice for smooth operation. The Tracker 2 can handle
multiple signals, and many experienced users are quite good, but
mastering multiple signals with the Tracker 2 requires practice.
SUMMARY: In designing the Tracker 2, Backcountry Access stayed
true to what has defined the Tracker beacon from the beginning, ease of
use. The Tracker 2 offers a true performance upgrade with the addition
of a third antenna, making for smooth primary and fine searches. The
multiple signal light and new search mode simply add to the Tracker 2’s
user-friendly and effective design.
Barryvox Element $350
The Barryvox Element takes components of the
popular Barryvox Pulse beacon and refines the
user interface to offer streamlined operation.
The result is a Pulse-style beacon minus a few
advanced features, like the analog mode, and
without the complex interface menu. The Element
is akin to the Pulse in basic operation mode.
FEATURES:
• Flagging with multiple signal indicator icons
• Group check function
• Search Range 60m (advertised) / 58m
(tested average)
• Updateable
ON/OFF/STARTUP: The on/off switch is conveniently located and delivers
hassle-free operation. Turning the Element on initiates a full internal test,
provides remaining battery power details and offers a group check option.
USER INTERFACE: The Element combines multiple signal icons and signal
flagging functionality with an easy to use one-button interface. Really, it is
the best of the Pulse technology packaged for the average user. Switching
to receive requires simultaneously pushing down and sliding the on/off bar
to the receive setting. Transmit is indicated by a red flashing light on the
on/off bar. The LCD display is updated from the Pulse but remains easy to
read (although polarized lens interference can impact viewing).
SPECIAL FEATURES: Unique to the Element is a u-turn arrow if you
happen to be headed in the opposite direction from, or have
SUMMARY: The Barryvox Element clearly targets the highfunctioning, easy to use beacon category. You get the benefit of timetested signal flagging and intuitive display information from the Pulse
beacon without the more complicated user interface and configurable
functions that are often described as advanced user features. The
Element’s robust signal processing abilities illustrate the importance of
keeping your firmware updated.
Pieps DSP Tour $399
Simplification of the user interface is the name of the game these
days, and Pieps introduces the DSP Tour,
which is essentially a less interactive
variation of the Pieps DSP beacon. You get
a majority of the DSP’s functionality with an
intuitive one-button interface.
FEATURES:
• Search Range 50m (advertised) /
50+m (tested average)
• Updateable
ON/OFF/STARTUP: Start-up is initiated
by sliding the on/off bar on the front of
the beacon into the on position. The DSP
Tour runs through a standard function and
battery power check before settling into
send.
USER INTERFACE: The DSP Tour eliminates two buttons from the
standard DSP, leaving only the flagging button. This simplifies the user
interface to send, receive and flagging for multiple burial scenarios.
The eliminated features include the ability to test a companion’s
beacon for frequency drift and the ability to scan a multiple burial
scene by distance. Arguably, features better left to users interested
in advanced functions. The LCD display is bright and easy to read.
Directional arrows are combined with the distance readout and a
changing tone cadence to direct searching. Up to three small body
icons appear given multiple signals. A fourth icon (a series of dots)
indicates four or more signals.
SPECIAL FEATURES: Despite its simplified interface, the DSP Tour
reatains one unique feature of the DSP beacon, iProbe compatibility.
The iProbe is a probe designed to interface with Pieps beacons.
The probe can actually deactivate a burried DSP’s signal after it’s
pinpointed to assist in the recovery of subsequent signals.
SEARCH PERFORMANCE: Overall search performance was easy and
intuitive. The combination of distance, direction and tones works as
intended, guiding you through the primary, secondary and subsequent
fine search. The DSP Tour drops the directional information at two
meters, indicating it is time to get down to business with your fine
search.
MULTIPLE SIGNAL PERFORMANCE: Multiple burial situations
prompt the DSP Tour to show small body icons on the LCD. We
noticed a distinct improvement in signal detection and flagging over
the first generation DSP models we tested a number of years ago.
The simplified interface and latest firmware update made flagging a
continued on p. 25
breeze. Issue LI Off-Piste 23
continued
I would eventually attain the saddle. It was good to know that even after a rugged day I could
still get myself out of the wilderness despite a wrong turn. Don’t misunderstand me, I was
slow, and it didn’t feel good to notice the chill slip into the air as the sun faded. Chris made a
slow count of the elevation.
We reached the statue around six while the sun dropped neared the horizon line. This time,
I felt the desperate joy of spotting Christ at the pass. With gratitude I muttered, “Christ, it’s
good to see you,” and smiled to myself. The statue, with great upheld arms, watched silently as
we slipped by in the gloaming. We stripped skins and looked down the now firm corn slop into
Argentina. The shadows leaked across the Andes, and we prepared for two thousand feet plus
of frozen corn: steep, icy crap. But, this hard runway definitely led to Argentina. Thankfully,
Chris and I, as New Hampshire natives, knew how to ski ice. Let’s take a moment to appreciate
our eastern ski roots, we chuckled.
At first, I was convinced that I could side-slip the whole thing. This plan lasted about two bonerattling minutes, after which, I found the guts to take wide, cautious turns. I skidded each arc
out as much as possible, losing elevation by scraping it away. Chris and I watched each other
ski carefully down the big bowl. The consequences of falling were not good; it would be a long
slide-for-life into toothy, dark rocks.
We took our sweet time and I felt like a five year old as I skidded down the frozen slope. My
whole body was clenched against the fall line. Once we had made it safely into the open, lower
angle terrain, Chris relaxed a bit. “It’s one thing to think about making three must-make turns.
It’s another thing to do it for two thousand feet,” he said. We admitted fears of falling, and a
quiet glee seeped into our exhaustion. We were back in the right country, and before dark.
As we arrived at the hostel, the generous caretaker greeted us with worried eyes and an offer
to make us dinner. After hot egg and salami sandwiches, we settled in for our last night in Los
Penitentes. We were headed back to the states in a few days, and I tried to absorb the last of
the sun, the powder turns, and the lessons of the trip. Maps are good, but reliable partners
and the ability to keep going topped my list. All too soon, I would be back in the heat of North
American summer wishing for even the chance to skid down some hardened corn.
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Avalanche Beacons
-
Don’t Leave Home Without One
SUMMARY: Pieps has been a leader in three-antenna, signal flagging
beacon design. Like their competitors, they also recognize the value in
designing a user-friendly, but still high-functioning beacon. The DSP Tour
offers a visually guided search experience and the ability to flag signals
in a complex scenario in a novice-friendly, one-button design. At times,
the DSP Tour felt a little slower to present directional data than the 3+
or Tracker 2, although, the current DSP Tour software is a significant
improvement over earlier DSP versions and is definitely on par with its
competitors. It is just a reminder that it is important to get to know your
beacon and stay current with any software updates.
Arva Axis $360
Arva introduces all new beacons for the 2011
season. The Axis is a three-antenna, digital
beacon with multiple signal flagging and a
long list of features.
FEATURES:
• Directional search indicator and
distance readout
• Group check fucnction
• Analog functionality
• Search range 50m (advertised) / 45m
(tested average)
• Updateable
ON/OFF/STARTUP: On/Off switch is a
small surface button located onthe top of
the beacon. Start-up runs through a typical
function check and offers an easy to use
group check option.
USER INTERFACE: The basic functions on the Axis revolve around
a single multi-function button on the front of the beacon. This button
switches between send and receive modes and facilitates flagging
in multiple burial scenarios. Switching to receive requires pushing
simultaneously in and down. The Axis has a variety of user preference
settings and a full analog search mode that are configurable using two
side buttons. An LCD delivers all visual information.
continued
SPECIAL FEATURES: The Axis has a variety of extended features and
user-configurable settings, of which, the ability to switch to a full analog
mode and a motion sensor feature that switches the beacon back to
transmit mode if no motion is detected for four (can be set to eight)
minutes (in case of a secondary slide) are the most significant.
SEARCH PERFORMANCE: The Axis performed single burial tests
without a hitch. Initial signal detection prompts a large directional
arrow (vectoring) and numerical distance readout to help facilitate the
secondary search. The audio tone rate changes when you are within
range for fine searching. Signal processing was reliable, but not as fast
as the 3+ or Tracker 2. The beacon can be set to begin a fine search
(where it drops the vectoring) at five or three meters. This setting also
indicates the range at which you can mask or flag a signal in a multiple
burial situation. Given our shallow test burials, the 3-meter setting made
for easier pinpointing than the 5-meter setting.
MULTIPLE SIGNAL PERFORMANCE: The Axis indicates multiple
burials with small body-shaped icons for up to four signals. The flagging
process is simple and effectively streamlines searching for multiple
signals. The Axis also offers more advanced data including Victim+, a
function that comes into play when two signals are in close proximity to
one another. Although of less interest to an occasional user, the Victim+
feature helps to distinguish between two strong signals and isolate
one at a time. In practice, it takes a skilled user to efficiently conduct
a complex (close proximity) multiple burial scenarios. Occasionally,
given a complex situation the Axis will actually default to a timer icon
indicating that the signal processing needs time to sort data. The need
to stall and process the signals is not unique to the Axis, but Arva is one
of two manufacturers (Barryvox is the other) to have a default display
indicating what is happening, versus just leaving the user hanging.
SUMMARY: The Arva Axis offers a straightforward interface for
standard companion rescue. It also steps into the realm of advanced
user functions with its analog search mode and high-level multiple signal
capabilities. The added functionality is not for everybody, but if you like
to customize your equipment, are looking to learn more about complex
multiple burial search techniques and like the idea of having the analog
mode resource, the Axis delivers.
BEACON SPEAK
Analog mode: Analog refers to a beacon’s real-time translation of a received signal to an audible tone without additinal processing and requires only one antenna.
Digital: Digital defines a beacon that uses more than one antenna and a microprocessor to interpret a received signal and provide direction and
distance information (along the flux line) to the transmitting beacon.
Flagging: Flagging allows you to mask or hide one signal after you have pinpointed it to facilitate locating additional signals in a multiple burial situation.
Group Check: Group check allows you to simultaneously test multiple beacons at the trailhead to confirm everyone’s beacon is on and functional.
Three-antenna: It takes two antennas to deliver distance and directional information. A third antenna refines the pinpoint search process by eliminating signal spikes.
Pinpoint Search: Also called the fine search, pinpointing typically begins once within three meters of the signal and leads to probing and digging.
Primary Search: Initial search phase to locate signal(s)
Search Range: The greatest distance at which a beacon receives a signal in search mode.
Secondary Search: Also called the coarse search, this is where you hone in on the signal’s general location
Vectoring: Vectoring is abeacon’s ability to deliver directional indicators that help to guide you through a search.
36
A ALANCHE
AIRBAG
La Polenta
wisdom, insight, opinion and more
You know the nearer your destination. The more you’re slip slidin’ away
– Simon and Garfunkel
T
here are few pieces of backcountry touring equipment more important than our skins. In fact, a pair of skins is arguably the
most important tool that we, seekers of backcountry powder, carry in our packs. Talk about critical, in lieu of a chairlift, heli
or other mechanized ride, skins are our ticket up in the backcountry, and we’d better like using them since that is how we
spend the majority of our time out there, going up.
If you’re at the trailhead ready to head out, and assuming you have your boots, skis and poles, what is the one piece of gear that, if
forgotten, can end your day before it starts? That’s right, skins. What can’t go up won’t be coming down.
When our skins work well (and it is dangerous to simply assume that they will work, no matter what) an enjoyable outcome to
the day is heavily tilted in our favor. In these times of high-tech ski equipment and evolving ski design, skins have improved, too.
Everything about skins is better than it was a decade ago: the plush, the glue, the attachment pieces, the weight. The concept of
pre-trimmed skins made to fit the fat new skis you just bought isn’t just great marketing; it’s an idea that rivals the invention of
micro-brewed beer in a can. There’s no longer a need for angst about shredding a new pair of skins with a dull trim tool or how
about struggling to recover the trimmed edges from your living room carpet.
And the breakthroughs continue. I recently read (ashamed plug alert!) Editor Waag’s pre-review of a pair of glueless skins on the
Off-Piste website and wasn’t a bit surprised to see a new twist on the adhesion situation. What’s the number one rule in making ski
touring gear better? Get rid of the pain in the ass stuff.
But even in these high tech, modern times, skin malfunction is always a possibility. Because skins can be the devil incarnate. Like
a canker sore that won’t go away, dealing with a skin situation can be maddening and puts a serious damper on one’s backcountry
adventure.
What causes skin issues? Generally, it’s a combination of poor glue adhesion and marginal tip and tail attachments, normally further
compounded by operator error, or at least inattention. If you don’t take care of your skins out in the field, they won’t take care of
you. For example, taking the time to fold your skins and properly stow them despite gale-force winds and driving snow is not just
preferable over simply wadding them up and tossing them in your pack; it’s a necessity if your plans include more than a single lap.
The next time you’re out touring, watch how your companions care for their skins. You can tell a lot about a person by their skins
and how they “relate” to them. There are the folks that take forever to put on or remove their skins, and ones that are prone to
tumbling over while doing so. These companions are most likely real good friends who rarely ski tour or someone you have never
toured with before (kind of a first and last thing).
Some folks are meticulous with their skins, folding them in perfect thirds with a curious insistence, especially given the fact that
the run you are lapping is only 600 feet long. Yes, the relationship one has with their skins can be quite revealing. Nonetheless, well
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. . . what is the one piece of gear that, if forgotten, can end
your day before it starts? That’s right, skins.
What can’t go up won’t be coming down.
cared for skins, perform. The less you expose the glue to the inside
of your pack and the surface of the snow, the better your skins will
adhere, and the better your chances are for a productive day of
skiing.
The fit of your skins to your skis is also important. In this day of
100mm minimums underfoot, if you have skinny skins, you are likely
to be in a world of hurt going up. You might as well use kick wax
instead.
Wall to wall carpeting is what you want, but it comes with its
downsides, too. With 100mm-plus skins, the plethora of sticky glue
can be a bitch to pull apart. The solution, in lieu of growing some
gorilla arms, is the now common wimp strip up the middle or the
gluey surface area being replaced with some other fabric (yet the
skins’ cost isn’t necessarily less).
We all have skin stories involving hose clamps, knives, hut theft,
glued eyelids and what not (but I have yet to hear one involving sea
lion pelts), and despite these tales of woe, and occasional triumph
(the duct tape held!), these incidents of skin sorrow are needed for a
great story. Indeed, skins provide much more than we ask of them:
frustration, joy, triumph and the occasional horror story.
And for those who believe that the most important piece of
equipment they carry is their thinking cap, it is a good bet your brain
doesn’t stack up against your skins. Think how potentially more
compromised the former is compared to the latter. Skins are by far
more reliable, especially with age.
Skins are indeed the unsung hero of the backcountry, though the
curses uttered in their name often ring from peak to peak.
Paul Butler lives in Mazama, Washington and continues to explore
new uses for retired skins.
Avy 101
avalanche science
Decision making in the backcountry is seldom black and
white. ... most days fall into a grey area in which the
skiing is good, but there is an avalanche concern that
needs to be considered. These grey days make up the
bulk of the winter and are the reason for the need to have
good terrain and snow assessment skills.
I
like to start a day of touring with an innocent
sounding question; “Anyone know what the hazard
is rated today?” This question is a very effective
way to begin a conversation with your touring
partners about the current avalanche conditions.
I like to follow it up with something like; “Considerable, eh? What’s our
main concern?” Now, with a discussion about the current avalanche
conditions underway, you can move on to discuss the plans for the
day and how to maximize your skiing and minimize your exposure to
hazard.
Decision making in the backcountry is seldom black and white.
Occasionally, there is a widespread natural avalanche cycle taking
place and the choices are more obvious. Every now and then, there
are periods when things are really stable and everything is good to
go (ie: several days after the previously mentioned natural cycle). In
reality, however, most days fall into a grey area in which the skiing is
good, but there is an avalanche concern that needs to be considered.
These grey days make up the bulk of the winter and are the reason for
the need to have good terrain and snow assessment skills.
“The snowpack is the problem, and the terrain is the solution,” is an old
guide’s adage and it informs a lot of backcountry decision-making. But
what about the times when you are unsure how much of a problem the
snowpack poses? There are situations in which conducting a thorough
snow assessment is the logical step: travelling to an unfamiliar area
like a backcountry hut in British Columbia, or when contemplating a
day of sidecountry touring near the ski hill during your family vacation
to Utah. For me, it always comes back to the mathematical expression
known as Goldie’s Axiom, which states: less digging = more skiing.
With this idea in mind, let’s look at ways to target snow assessment for
maximum efficiency and information return.
The simplest way to begin narrowing your focus and building your
knowledge of any snowpack is with the regional forecast center’s
avalanche report. Since these guys are already getting paid to dig pits
and collect data, their reports are the natural place to begin gathering
information. Currently, many avalanche centers not only offer a hazard
rating, but they also identify what they see as the primary concerns
or threats. A modern avalanche bulletin might say that the primary
A standard stability test
Off-Piste photo
concern is the recent 30 centimeters of storm snow that fell over the
last 48 hours. The secondary concern might be a sporadic surface hoar
that was buried three weeks ago and is now down 80cm, and while
isolated, it is still capable of producing larger avalanches.
Armed with this information, you can decide where and how to further
assess the snowpack. For example, if the threat is storm slabs, these
are likely to be found on all aspects and at all elevations (potentially
more prevalent at the higher elevations). In this situation, your most
important observations will include the depth of the new snow as you
break trail, the layering of the new snow that you can feel with your
ski pole, and being especially observant of any red flags in the form
of recent avalanches. Valuable tests during your tour will include hand
shears, shovel tilt tests and ski cutting small test slopes. Due to spatial
variability, numerous quick tests over a wide area can provide a better
overall picture than detailed testing in a single location.
The persistent slab issue (buried surface hoar) is a bit more difficult
to evaluate. Here you need to find out three things: Is the buried
surface hoar layer present, can it be initiated, and will it propagate?
Identifying the presence of the layer can be tricky, but can be done by
examining a standard column profile, which is also the first step toward
performing a more detailed stability test. One of the best tests for
showing a layer’s likelihood for failure initiation is the compression test.
As one of the simplest and quickest among the formal bonding tests,
the compression test does a great job of identifying weak layers and
suggesting if they are likely to initiate a failure within the snowpack.
What the compression test doesn’t do as well is indicate whether the
failure is likely to propagate into an avalanche. This level of information
is in the realm of the large column tests. Now, if you are like me, your
internal calculator is saying large column test =less skiing (a variation
of Goldie’s Axiom). And while a large column test, like a Rutschblock, is
a fairly time consuming test, there are a couple of newer large column
tests that can yield some great information about the likelihood of
fracture propagation that are relatively quick to perform.
The first of these new large column tests is the Extended Column Test
(ECT). The ECT is a great follow up to the compression test and can
often be conducted with minimal extra digging. The ECT uses a column
similar to the compression test, but requires that it be 30cm deep x
90cm wide rather than simply 30cm x 30cm. Once you have identified
the weak layer in question, the ECT lets you see if the failure will
propagate across the extended column by tapping the column at one
end like in a compression test. A positive result (failure propagates)
equates to a higher likelihood of an avalanche occurring. Recent
research on this test has shown that results are most accurate when
the weak layer is less than 70cm deep.
The propagation saw test (PST) is a second new large column test that
is gaining traction among professionals for testing deeper persistent
weak layers (PWL’s). The PST requires isolating a column of snow
30cm wide x 100cm upslope. If the weak layer is deeper than a meter,
the length upslope is equal to the depth of the weak layer. Rather than
subjecting the snow above to any kind of compression or shear force,
a saw is dragged upslope directly through the weak layer, initiating
failure right at the layer. Avalanche propagation is only likely if the
failure initiates when the saw is moved 50% or less than the upslope
length of the column and continues uninterrupted to the end of the
column.
Both of these tests are relatively new and are still undergoing some
minor tweaks by the folks in the white lab coats who spend more
time digging than skiing. The best place to learn more about these
newer large column tests is in an AIARE (American Institute Avalanche
Research and Education) Level II avalanche course. If you are curious
to see what the tests look like, AIARE has video demonstrations
available at www.vimeo.com/user8820492.
Since these snowpack tests do require you to stop and dig, it’s
important to use the most appropriate test for the avalanche concern
with which you are dealing. In many situations, simply observing all of
the clues available around you is just as valuable as pulling out your
shovel. For example, if the primary concern is wind slab, knowing
that they tend to form from the wind redistributing snow, breaking
up and packing it together more densely than the snow upon which it
lays is important. Simple observations help here: Which way was the
wind blowing? Is there still snow in the trees? Does the snow surface
change in appearance? Does the depth of the uptrack vary throughout
the terrain? Does the snow feel hollow? Can you feel density changes
with your pole as you break trail? These observations can be made
across a wide area and they tell you a lot about the depth and
distribution of a windslab layer
without ever stopping to dig.
The propagation saw test in action. Off-Piste photo
The simplest way to begin narrowing your focus and
building your knowledge of any snowpack is with the
regional forecast center’s avalanche report. Since
these guys are already getting paid to dig pits and
collect data, their reports are the natural place to
begin gathering information.
Throughout the process of evaluating snow stability, it’s important
to keep the big picture in mind. Forecasts from the local avalanche
center combined with astute targeted field observations and some
carefully chosen snowpack tests help to build an overall view of
current conditions. In the end, however, assessing snow stability is
extremely complex. When doubts about stability remain, remember
that the terrain is the ultimate solution. For me, that means following
a simple formula: When I am unsure about the stability or when I am
sure that the stability is poor, my solution is the same: I choose safer
terrain. By utilizing simple formulas such as this, you can maximize
your skiing, stop and dig no more than is necessary, all the while
keeping safety at the forefront – math doesn’t get much cleaner than
that!
Larry Goldie is an IFMGA certified guide and owner of North Cascade
Mountain Guides.
Words and Images
opinion on books and films
G.N.A.R. - THE MOVIE
Movie – 69 minutes
www.unofficialnetworks.com/gnar/
Like the epic stoke of the roaring 30’s or swiveling 70’s in American
skiing, the recent movie G.N.A.R. celebrates the fun, competition and
camaraderie that dwell in the Sierra, or in the words of the parrotheaded Sierra ski prophet Glen Plake, “where it smells like skiing.”
G.N.A.R. has nothing to do with backcountry skiing, but everything to
do with the fun of skiing and is a worthy addition to your après-ski,
beer-enhanced film viewing.
Squaw Valley, CA, specifically the Palisade cliffs, are the walls of
freedom where local kooks ply their one-upmanship, be it powder or
dust-on-crust, every winter day. The movie and the game of G.N.A.R.
(Gaffney’s Numerical Assessment of Radness) were inspired by the
book Squallywood: A Guide to Squaw Valley’s Most Exposed Lines
by Dr. Robb Gaffney (not a real doctor but he plays a good one in
the movie). Imagine if a rock-climbing guide had extra grades for
nakedness, phoning your Mom mid-route or telling people how rad you
are. Well, it is acts such as these that define the game of G.N.A.R. and
add a unique dimension to the ski guide Squallywood and the movie
G.N.A.R. The quirky band Ween scores the soundtrack, and their
sound is fittingly ironic and melodic.
After some obligatory cliff hucking and finger chuting, G.N.A.R.’s
mellow-dramatic plot swells when a group of skiers is picked to
compete in the first official G.N.A.R. contest. A parody of a reality
TV selection process picks a worthy cast of sliders to compete, per
Squallywood guidelines, for a $25,000 prize. Denying spoilage, I will
only say that the resort management has a heavy-hand in the outcome of the contest.
What separates this ski movie from its turn-it-up-and-check-this-out
brethren is the self-deprecating wit of Robb and Scott Gaffney and the
late Shane McConkey. They are having a bunch of fun and make fun
of themselves having fun. After Shane’s heartbreaking demise on an
Italian B.A.S.E jump, in 2009, his bros carry-on with a worthy road trip
as a memorial, complete with a solid tribute to McConkey’s Saucer Boy
persona. Bittersweet is the ending, but the pole-whackers will not be
denied, and that is the ultimate point of being gnar. -DP
Letters
the Good, the Bad, the Ugly
GRASSROOTS vs. CORPORATE INTEREST
I appreciate you grassroots approach and look forward to
every issue of Off-Piste; however, I was disappointed to
see one of your Gallery photos credited to POWDERWHORES;
surely you receive plenty of exciting photos from everyday
skiers and do not need to print shots submitted from
corporate interests.
With respect,
-Ross Greenfield, Ashland, OR
Ross,
I fully agree with you; there is no need to use images
attached to corporate interest; however, I must defend
the Powderwhores. Sure, the Powderwhore boys put on a
great show, but they are far from corporate. Brothers Noah
and Jonah Howell are dedicated skiers trying to make a
living from their passion (or at least subsidize their ski
pursuits). They are a far cry from Teton Gravity Research,
Matchstick Productions or Warren Miller.
-D. Waag, Editor
PEOPLE
I enjoy the writing from all of the different type of
articles in Off-Piste, but especially the people and
avalanche science pieces. The Mark Nelson story [A Body of
Work – Issue 50] was very special. I hope to be remembered
like the last three paragraphs about him. Andy Roof must
be ok too.
Thanks for Off-Piste.
-Clark Trowell, CA
GEAR – NAMELY CLIMBING SKINS
I just want to say thank-you for all the great reviews.
I’ve been using your input to figure out this year’s gear
setup.
I thought I’d give you a shout to see if you could do a
review on all the available skins out there. It seems like
there’s a pretty big gap in the quality and performance of
the different brands, and I find it surprising that no one
does an annual review.
I started a post in TGR and it’s getting a lot of
interest. Here’s the link: http://www.tetongravity.com/
forums/showthread.php/230355-Climbing-Skins. Seeing as a
lot of people are curious about this subject and there are
no reviews that I can find in any of the big magazines,
doing a full climbing skin gear guide would be a huge
attraction to your mag.
It’d be pretty easy to do some testing for the best glide.
Have all of the skins set up on the same skis and see
which ones glide the furthest down a hill that decreases
in angle in a few types of snow: ie hard pack/powder.
Likewise, measure for the best climb by trying to climb
an increasingly steep slope without poles and mark where
you can get to. Check durability by skinning on gravel and
showing the wear on each skin. Assess the tip/tail clips
for advantages/disadvantages, like being able to remove or
put on without adjustment or the ability to take them off
without removing your skis.
Ski mountaineering race technology is quickly transferring
into everyday backcountry use and I think people are
suddenly realizing why good skins that climb and glide
well are important.
It seems like there are some clear winners, but no-one is
putting all the competitors in the same room and letting
everyone know who’s the best. On the other hand, every
major magazine announced which ski is the best in every
category out of hundreds being produced every year. Not
sure why there’s no interest in skins, but I’m sure the
ski population would be pretty excited for one as more and
more North Americans look at ways to increase speed in the
backcountry.
Cheers,
-Shaun, Alberta
Great Idea. We ran a pretty extensive (for us) skin review
in March of 2011. You can see it online under back issues.
Download Issue 49, March 2011. - D. Waag, Editor

Couloir Junkie - Avy 101 - Backcountry Rap - Avy Beacons

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