Now - Off

Burns Well
The Land of Gog
Route Planning
My Pet Bug
Ask the PT
Iran
and more
Issue XXXV
December 2007
2 Off-Piste October 2007
StormTracker Gloves™
Flexibility without limits. The natural
articulation of MotionWrap™ AT,
combined with the weather-protective
stretch of WindStopper® Soft Shell fabric.
| Seattle, WA | outdoorresearch.com/stormtracker
Issue XXXV Off-Piste 3
`'iZaZbVg`#Xdb
I]ZWajZhVgZVlVnd[a^[Z#I]ZadlZgndj\Zii]ZWZiiZg^i^h#
4 Off-Piste December
2007 November OffPiste magazine full page ad • 10” x 16” pdf x-1a • Hammerquist & Nebeker 425.869.0191 [email protected]
KTT028
Off-Piste
Contents
Volume IX Issue XXXIV
Publisher/Editor
David Waag
features
Assistant Editor
Omar Sankari
Design Consultant
Brenden Thwing
Contributing Writers
Jeremy Allyn, Garry Dagg, Larry Goldie,
Andy Roof, David Waag, Benj Wadsworth,
Tim Weed, Steve Ogle,
Contributing Photographers/Artists
Adam Clark, Grant Gunderson, Bissel Hazen
Jason Laramie, Jason Leslie, Chris Miller,
Tim Weed, David Waag
Web Geek
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 2007 Freeheel Press
10
Iran
12
My Pet Bug
14
The Land of Gog
22
Hidden Valley
24
Ask the PT
A Tale of Two Worlds - Garry Dagg
A Rescue Effort - Steve Ogle
City Mouse/Country Mouse - Tim Weed
A Tribute - Jeremy Allyn
Printed in the USA on recycled paper
Circulation: 6,500 + at selected outlets in AK, BC, CA,
CO, ID, ME, MT, NV, NM, OR, WA, WY, UT, VT and more!
Cool outdoor shops and select coffee houses distribute
Off-Piste. Call us and get on board.
departments
6 What’s Up
9 Letters
18 Gallery
28 Gear Talk - Hooded Soft Shells
Contribute: Be creative! Send artwork, photos, news,
stories, and events. FOMO offpistemag.com
Advertise: Call or e-mail for our media kit.
Subscriptions: 4 issues = $15 / 8 issues= $25
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. Be careful out there.
Cover Photo: Adam Clark
SCA-0167_TX2_Lady_OffPiste-10x7_75.qx:Layout 1
Skier: Rachel B. gets the goods, Mica Creek, BC
Lower Back - Andy Roof
10/11/07
2:51 PM
Page 1
26
Backcountry Beta - Route Planning
32
Words and Images - Book and Movie Reviews
- Breakfast Cookies
Contents page art: Chris Miller
SCARPA TELEMARK SERIES
T2X LADY
There’s nothing ordinary about smiling into a blizzard for hours on end. But when the wind and snow combine
for endless freshies, it’s hard to wipe that grin off your face. Not merely a gussied up men’s model, the T2X
Lady is a fully-capable, go-anywhere, ski-anything boot designed specifically for women’s feet. The female
friendly flex, overlap cuff and Integrated Torsion Frame maximize downhill control while the Ski-Walk
mechanism, tour clasp, and PlusFit ® liners keep your feet happy during the tour. With a precise-fitting
boot like the T2X, you’ll always be ready for another lap. What more would you expect from the family
of craftsmen (and women!) dedicated to meeting the demands of those who lead less ordinary lives?
TO SEE THE COMPLETE LINE VISIT
S CA R PA.C O M
Issue XXXV Off-Piste 5
First Tracks
Gareth Martins bootin’ cooler number one, Purcell, Range BC Photo: Off-Piste
6 Off-Piste December 2007
What’s Up
ski news, access issues, and more
NWAC UPDATE
By Benj Wadsworth
Led by the efforts of board member Alex Morgan, Friends of the
Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center (FONWAC) has been
keeping busy in Olympia over the past year. What began as a
casual meeting over a beer with Washington State Senator Ken
Jacobsen has resulted in a state bill mandating Washington State
Parks to conduct a year-long study to develop a sustainable
future for the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center (NWAC).
More specifically, Senate Bill 5219 states that “the State Parks
and Recreation Commission shall invite the United States Forest
Service, the National Weather Service, and the National Park
Service to cooperatively develop an intergovernmental plan and
recommendations that seek to ensure the Northwest Weather
and Avalanche Center program has the resources to continue
operating at its current level of service into the future.”
The bill unanimously passed both the Senate and the House!
While the bill does not solve the funding problem just yet, it
does make very clear that our state legislators understand the
importance of NWAC and are committed to keeping it viable
in the future. Preliminary efforts by staff at State Parks are
encouraging, as they are approaching this charge with a lot
of energy. The bill calls for a final plan to be presented to the
legislature by December 2008.
State Parks will be hiring a visiting avalanche expert from out
of state to conduct an analysis of NWAC’s operations and they
are bringing in an accountant to analyze the financial situation.
In terms of coming up with solutions, Parks will be looking
at a variety of options, including formal intergovernmental
agreements with federal and local agencies, and larger
participation by the private and non-profit sectors. The Friends
of the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center will be working
closely with State Parks in the development of the plan over the
next year. We wish to thank Senator Jacobsen for sponsoring
the bill in the legislature and Governor Gregoire for her support.
Their understanding of the importance of NWAC is vital to the
program’s future. We are lucky to have supportive politicians!
The Selkirk Mountains
Photo: Tannis Dakin
New Resource for Golden, BC skiers
The new website www.wisegoat.ca aims to offer professional level
snowpack data for the Selkirk Mountains around Golden, British
Columbia. A group of Golden-based backcountry lodges created
the site to provide a portal to collect and share their snowpack
data throughout the season. The site allows guides, avalanche
professionals, and ski lodge operators to archive, collect, and share
snowpack data specific to their regional area and lets the public
glean information and check on the latest snowpack reports.
Wisegoat.ca should prove to be a valuable resource for anyone
heading into the backcountry around Golden and the Northern
Selkirks. The site complements the reports produced by the
Canadian Avalanche Association and looks to provide more regionally
specific data for guides, skiers, and avalanche professionals in and
around Golden, BC.
According to Tannis Dakin, who operates Sorcerer Lodge, “This is a
venue for the industry to share weather and snowpack information
with each other and with the public. We’re pretty excited and we
Issue XXXV Off-Piste 7
What’s Up
ski news, access issues, and more
want everyone to know about it! Real hard info should begin being
posted around Christmas by all the participants.” www.wisegoat.ca
NW Verticulture
Based on the success of the VertFest at Crystal Mountain, WA last
year, Outdoor Research is partnering again with Crystal and with
Alpental to expand the celebrations of ski VertiCulture.
According to Todd Walton at Outdoor Research, “Our goal is to
have a fun event that introduces skiers to the many facets of the
backcountry ski world.”
Net proceeds from the events will be donated to the Northwest
Weather and Avalanche Center and events include randonee rallies,
randonee relays, demos, clinics, gear raffles, and more (including
drinking Lazy Boy beer).
The lawsuit challenges the US Forest Service’s decision to authorize
construction of two access roads across public lands for the purpose
of building the proposed Village at Wolf Creek without analyzing the
environmental impacts of the proposed development.
The judges order, available at www.friendsofwolfcreek.org, states;
“The thousands of public comments submitted on the draft EIS,
the majority of which reportedly opposed [Leavell-McCombs Joint
Venture] access request and development plans, also demonstrate
the public interest in maintaining the status quo by not allowing
the Forest Service and [Leavell-McCombs Joint Venture] to begin
implementation of the [decision] until this challenge to the Forest
Service’s decision is fully resolved.”
Judge Kane’s order clears the way for further public concern to be
heard by the court before any construction begins.
Courses will be set by Martin Volken and the guides from ProGuiding
in Seattle. Both events are USSMA sanctioned. The Crystal event is
March 1 and the Alpental event March 29, 2008. Registration opens
January 4, 2008. www.outdoorresearch.com/vertfest
Now that the court has ordered a halt to all activity on the proposed
Village at Wolf Creek until a final decision is issued in the case.
Friends of Wolf Creek expects the case to continue through the
upcoming winter before a final decision is reached.
Village at Wolf Creek Halted - for now
NEW BSA Chapter
On October 4, US District Court Judge John Kane stopped
development plans to begin road construction to the controversial
Village at Wolf Creek resort development.
Following Magistrate Judge David West’s June 6 recommendations,
Judge Kane’s identified numerous potential flaws and logical
inconsistencies in the US Forest Service’s decision to authorize
the building of roads through the national forest, and the Forest
Service’s approval process. The Judge extended the preliminary
injunction issued last fall that has prevented road construction or
any other village development-related activity until the Court has an
opportunity to issue a final decision on the lawsuit by the Friends of
Wolf Creek.
:=02:98:@9?,49.:88@94?D
әÇxÊ Ê->˜`ÞʏÛ`°Ê*œÀ̏>˜`]Ê",ʙÇÓÎÓÊÉÊxä·ÓÓLJ£äÎnÊÉʓ‡vÊ£ä‡Ç]ÊÃ>ÌÊ£ä‡È]ÊÃ՘ʣӇx
8°^B°^90B,]N°_P]dc2:=0?0C‘;]Z>SPWW
iÀi½ÃʅœÜÊ",‡/8
*ÀœÊ-…iÊܜÀŽÃ\
4Y>_ZNV9:B
ÁÊ
Skier Ryan Miller is leading the charge in forming a new group to
represent skiers, snowboarders, and snowshoers on Colorado’s
Northern Front Range.
The group, which is applying for chapter membership with
Backcountry Snowsports Alliance, will focus on issues in the region
between Rocky Mountain National Park and Medicine Bow National
Forest.
Incursions by snowmobiles into closed areas have increased in the
Cameron Pass area over recent years. The group hopes to make
a stand in the area before conditions decline further. If you are
interested in protecting quiet areas on Colorado’s Northern Front
Range, contact contact the Backcountry Skiers Alliance at
www.backcountryalliance.com or 303.494.5266.
REVOLUTION
IN SAFETY
Easier and faster than any other beacon in the
world. Superior digital processor, unrivaled
performance and 100% compatible with all
other beacons.
",‡/8 Ê *Àœ‡-…iÊ ˆÃÊ Ì…iÊ «Ài‡
“ˆiÀÊ ÃœṎœ˜Ê vœÀÊ «ÀœviÃȜ˜>Ê ÕÃiÊ
ˆ˜Ê iÝÌÀi“iÊ >«ˆ˜iÊ Vœ˜`ˆÌˆœ˜Ã°Ê ˜}ˆ‡
˜iiÀi`Ê ÜˆÌ…Ê Ì…iÊ “œÃÌÊ ÀÕ}}i`]Ê “œÃÌÊ
LÀi>̅>Li]Ê`ÕÀ>LÞÊÜ>ÌiÀ«ÀœœvÊ>˜`Ê
܈˜`«ÀœœvÊ v>LÀˆVÃ]Ê Î‡>ÞiÀÊ ",‡
/8ÁÊ *Àœ‡-…iÃÊ “iiÌÊ Ì…iÊ `i“>˜`ÃÊ
œvÊ œÕÌ`œœÀÊ «ÀœviÃȜ˜>ÃÊ >˜`Ê ÃiÀˆ‡
œÕÃÊ i˜Ì…ÕÈ>ÃÌÃ°Ê Ê Ã«iVˆwVÊ ",‡
/8ÁÊ “i“LÀ>˜iÊ ˆÃÊ wÀ“ÞÊ Lœ˜`i`Ê
̜Ê̜Õ}…ʘiÜʜÕÌiÀʓ>ÌiÀˆ>ÃÊ>˜`Ê>Ê
˜iÜÊÀœLÕÃÌÊLÀi>̅>Liʏˆ˜ˆ˜}°Ê/…iÃiÊ
˜iÜÊ ÌiÝ̈iÃÊ ÜœÀŽÊ ˆ˜VÀi`ˆLÞÊ ÜiÊ
ÜˆÌ…Ê VÕÀÀi˜ÌÊ >“ˆ˜>̈œ˜Ê ÌiV…˜ˆµÕiÃÊ
>œÜˆ˜}Ê iÛi˜Ê “œÀiÊ `ÕÀ>LiÊ «ˆiViÃÊ
̅>ÌÊLÀi>̅iÊLiÌÌiÀ]ʏ>ÃÌʏœ˜}iÀ]Ê>˜`Ê
>ÀiÊ ˆ}…ÌiÀÊ >˜`Ê “œÀiÊ Vœ“vœÀÌ>Li°
• Error-free, electronic signal separation
for easy multiple-burial searches and
no confusing search techniques
to learn
• Real-time, backlit, graphic LCD
screen
• Plus 4 other beacons to
choose from: d3, f1 focus,
m2 and Patroller
Á
i˜½ÃÊÀV½/iÀÞÝÊ/…iÌ>Ê,Ê>VŽiÌ
ÃœÊ>Û>ˆ>Li\Ê/…iÌ>Ê,ʈL]ÊiÌ>Ê,Ê
>VŽiÌ]Ê «…>Ê /Ê >VŽiÌ]Ê «…>Ê /Ê *>˜ÌÃ]Ê
-̈˜}iÀÊ>VŽiÌÊ-̈˜}iÀʈL]Ê-ˆ`i܈˜`iÀÊ
,Ê>VŽiÌ°
,iViˆÛiÊ >Ê ,Ê ÀV½/iÀÞÝÊ -ˆœÊ £nÊ
«>VŽÊ ­6>ÕiÊ f£ää®Ê œÀÊ >Ê fxäÊ ˆvÌV>À`Ê
vÀœ“Ê "Ài}œ˜Ê œÕ˜Ì>ˆ˜Ê œ““Õ˜ˆÌÞÊ
ÜˆÌ…Ê Ì…iÊ «ÕÀV…>ÃiÊ œvÊ >˜ÞÊ ",‡/8ÁÊ
*ÀœÊ-…iÊˆÌi“°
6ˆÃˆÌÊÜÜÜ°i‡œ“V°Vœ“ÊvœÀÊ>Ê
ÀV½ÌiÀÞÝÊ«Àœ`ÕVÌÃÊ>˜`ʜÛiÀÊ
ÇxäÊÃVÀi>“ˆ˜}Ê`i>Ãtt
Other revolutionary new
products include Intelligent
Probe Tip – signals when
you’re close to a
transmitting beacon.
And Grizzly shovels –
big, powerful and
sharp.
USA 603-746-3176
Canada 403-283-8944
www.ortovox.com
ÊˆÌi“Ãʏˆ“ˆÌi`Ê̜ÊÃ̜VŽÊœ˜‡…>˜`]Ê܅ˆiʵÕ>˜ÌˆÌˆiÃʏ>ÃÌ°
8 Off-Piste December 2007
The world leader in backcountry safety equipment.
Letters
send us your thoughts
express yourself
the good
the bad
the ugly
If we print your letter, you’ll get a one year subscription - free
off-piste letters - po box 1626 hood river, or 97031
[email protected]
OOPS
Hi guys,
Just received my 1st subscription issue of your great
journal.
One small error to bring to your attention, the website
address for purchasing the movie Sublimation Experiment
should read: kgb-productions.com (with a dash after kgb),
not as it’s listed (without the dash) in the October
issue. The devil’s in the details, as the saying goes.
And thanks for putting together such a great publication.
Let it snow!! - Don Campbell, Victoria BC
COOL
Off-Piste Crew,
Thanks for keeping up the good work while the other ski
mags duplicate each other.
I enjoyed the straightforward character of the ski review
in the last issue. It is nice to read a review that tells
me something about the ski!
How about some more coverage of ski pioneers and early ski
mountaineering achievments?
I’ll keep spreading the off-piste love.
- Tom Lander, the right-hand coast
Illustration this page - Chris Miller
GONF]hWciP
j^[b_]^j[ijf[h\ehcWdY[
Wbf_d[jekh_d]X_dZ_d]D
m_d7
GFFd[m ai
fWY
WlWbkd]
mmmDZ_Wc_hDYec
Z_Wc_h\h[[h_Z[fbkiD
j^[fjYfem[hjhWdic_ii_edYedjhebe\j^[
Z_Wc_h\h[[h_Z[fbkiYecX_d[iZ_h[Yjfem[h
jhWdic_ii_edm_j^jejWbijWX_b_jo\eh
ekjijWdZ_d]Zemd^_bbf[h\ehcWdY[WdZ
WYec\ehjWXb[WdZiW\[mWbaceZ[P
WYY[iij^[X[ijia__d]e\oekhb_\[D
% J TUSJ CV UFE CZ # MBD L % JBN P OE & R VJQ N F OU - U E 4 BMU - BLF $JU Z 65
BLACKDIAMONDEQUIPMENT.COM
F07_fritschi_OP.indd 1
Issue XXXV Off-Piste 9
9/6/07 11:03:30 AM
Photo: Andrew Mclean
I
stand in a busy carpark bartering over the
price of an apartment. Around me reach improbable
mountains, barren and high, going up in all directions.
The mountains are barren of everything but snow, the magical
white blanket. I barter over the apartment some more, arguing
over an amount that probably would not even buy me dinner
back home. Cars swarm around us - all of three types: four
wheel drives, Peugeot 306’s, and Paykans. Every road in
Iran contains the same mix of cars, although the number of
Paykans, the Iranian-built death boxes, drops below about 90
percent in the affluent areas. Here, near the ski slopes, they
are in the minority. I continue to barter, the white shimmering
expanse of mountains broken by ski lifts in the background. It’s
a bleak scene, enlivened by the excitement of the locals and
their driving habits. Iranians do everything at full pace and full
volume; driving is no exception.
Iran has risen and fallen under the rule of various empires over
the centuries. Today, Iran is a hub of activity, with towering
minarets mixing with a modern cityscape as the markets and
streets bustle with activity.
Iran, like many places in the world, provides a tale of two
existences. There is the Iran that I have just wandered around
Photos: Garry Dagg
for three weeks, where religion dictates law and people live under the weight of their own daily existence, a place where the wonder of oil
riches hasn’t trickled down to the people and their lifestyles. This is the Iran where people live not on the wealth of the economy, but on the
wealth of their lives - the richness of their family lives, language, hospitality, and daily interactions - and their culture, with its awe-inspiring
architecture, art, and history. It is a country confined only by its own imagination.
Then there is the other Iran, one which I had no idea existed until I saw the mountain snow. This is the Iran of Land Cruisers and Nissans,
where the young elites come to spend the money they were born into and forget the mania that rules their country. Poking out from North
Face jackets are drastically made up female faces, with rebellious quiffs of hair protesting the religious hierarchy awaiting them in the valley.
This other Iran is also the domain of the expatriate - the successful Iranian back from Los Angeles, Frankfurt, or Dubai to see his or her
family, enjoy the snow, and take advantage of the weak currency.
Although Iran’s two main ski resorts are not far from Tehran, a city of ten million people, not that many Iranians ski.
ends up at Dizin, where the lifts groan under the demand.
Much of the skier traffic
Thankfully, backcountry skiing doesn’t seem to have been translated into Persian. For the next week, my Swedish comrades and I strap on
skins and find incredible untracked wonders. The snow is not deep, but anything fresh is a celebration - in any culture.
10 Off-Piste December 2007
Garry Dagg
The bartering for my apartment
has proven fruitful, and I gaze out
each night at the beauty of the
mountains. A lone tree stands
above a nearby peak, framing the
clear sky, which refuses to release
any prized precipitation.
We explore every possible area
for soft snow. Every corner you
turn in Iran reveals unexpected
secrets, and the Alborz Mountains
above Dizin are no exception.
The range is steep and immense;
the mountains blast skyward
from an intricate maze of valleys.
We find chutes and open bowls,
knee-deep powder and incredible
vistas. Each climb ends on a
ridge which folds out into more
mountains in every direction,
barren of trees and landmarks.
The sea of white is broken only
by the regal Mt. Damavand, a
volcano that sits watching Iran
become the center of the world,
just like it’s done time and time
again through the centuries.
Every corner you turn in Iran reveals
unexpected secrets, and the Alborz Mountains
above Dizin are no exception. The range is steep
and immense; the mountains blast skyward from
an intricate maze of valleys. We find chutes and
open bowls, knee-deep powder and incredible
vistas. Each climb ends on a ridge which folds
out into more mountains in every direction,
I wander nomadically south to
the wooded Zagros Mountains,
where more snow has fallen and
where skins are the only option
for access. From the central square of Isfahan, you can see this
beautiful white range. Cool blue-tiled minarets reach up over the
city, not with the grandeur of a cathedral, but with the more quiet
contemplation that Islam has as its core. The square is framed on its
southern and eastern flanks by mosques of immense beauty. To the
west is a 400-year-old palace, and to the north is the city’s heart, the
tangled mess of alleys and corridors that make up the bazaar. Once
a part of the Silk Route, Isfahan’s
markets offer rugs, ceramics, food,
clothes, and anything imaginable
in a claustrophobic underground
network of stalls. Pity the poor
wandering skier who has to find
his way out to set sight on the
Zagros Mountains, the endless
Iranian sun shining off their snowy
peaks.
I trudge into the range, getting
a taxi to the end of a road and
then applying the skins. The
mountains are not steep, nor is
the snow plentiful, but there are
unexpected surprises. A withering
climb through a dense forest leads
me to a ridge from which I can
look down on Isfahan and the vast
plains to the west. Mesopotamia,
Iraq, and the Fertile Crescent lie
just out of view. The place where
man decided to stop moving, to
exploit his environment, draws
me to pause. I spend half a day
looking down, imagining the
march of history across these
plains - from those brave nomads
who set up camp there to the
empires that have swept through,
from Darius and Alexander the
Great to the American empire that
might just try its hand soon. I know, sitting on this ridge, that it is
these plains and the oil that lies under them that will likely change
Iran’s course again. And as the Paykans rattle their way around the
country, I take off the skins. Feeling as though I am at the heart of
humanity itself, I push off into the fresh snow and turn my way into
the awaiting future.
Issue XXXV Off-Piste 11
My Pet Bug Steve Ogle
L
ife as a bug isn’t easy, at least from the human perspective. Whether getting past the awkwardness of pupation or
facing the realities of adulthood, no matter what, as a bug, you are constantly in survival mode. Some other so-called
higher creature either wants to swat you, eat you, or simply eradicate your species. Swarming all the time seems so
frantic, and then there are the elements. Think of what a single raindrop can do to your parade.
Bearing in mind this
imminent mortality, what
bug wouldn’t try to make
the most out of life?
softening up. Just when
we approach what must be
the middle of the tempest,
sure enough there appears
a little brown bug on the
For ski bums Dean and
snow’s surface beside my ski.
myself, entomology is not
Though I’ve seen bugs on
on our minds today on the
the snow before, this one is
Salmon Glacier. We’ve been
a surprise, not only because
battling a plague of Pacific
it crash-landed at least three
lows for the past week and
kilometers from the nearest
are now making a bid for
leafy green, but also because
the nearest cheeseburger
it’s the only sign of life Dean
combo, which is still a
and I have encountered
couple of days away. For
during the past week. While
past week.
the past twelve hours we’ve
this thimble-sized caddisfly
slogged down the length
(taxonomy I recall from
of the mighty Salmon,
days spent on faster-flowing
which, being one of Canada’s largest glaciers, makes us feel
watercourses) gets pelted by sopping snowflakes, we humans
pretty damn small. Yet, as skiers who have just completed
decide that negotiating the broken glacier is a risk during the
a big descent in the Coast Range, we understand how one’s
storm, and so we set up camp, just the three of us.
perspective can be influenced by mountain conditions. It’s
snowing pretty hard, but the shin-deep wind crust isn’t
While lying in the tent listening to avalanches crash down the
12 Off-Piste December 2007
Just when we approach what
must be the middle of the
tempest, sure enough there
appears a little brown bug on
the snow’s surface beside my
ski. Though I’ve seen bugs on
the snow before, this one is
a surprise, not only because
it crash-landed at least three
kilometers from the nearest
leafy green, but also because it’s
the only sign of life Dean and
I have encountered during the
I feel like I’ve helped make the world a better
place today. To my surprise, however, when the
lid comes off to reveal the little guy’s freedom, I
see him fly off not toward the verdant pastures,
but rather in the complete opposite direction back up toward the glacier!
surrounding slopes, I ponder the isolation of this bug that
is now temporarily residing in a film container, insulated
by one of my dirty socks. I wonder what the rest of its
species are doing at this moment: Recreating? Procreating?
Regardless, this one will be happy to be rescued and
later reintroduced to its former, albeit ephemeral, life of
mating and swarming, and I’m content as the vessel of its
salvation. If only my bug could say something, not only
would it break the monotony of Dean’s snoring, but it
would surely also convey a sense of gratitude
for being spared from the Salmon.
For the next day and a half, the three of
us slog our way through crevasses, over
moraines, and finally back to Dean’s buried
truck. Snow continues to swirl through the air,
but by now that has become our element, and
so it feels strange to finally sit in dry clothing
with a windshield between our eyelashes and
the oncoming flakes. After we drive through
the unattended international border between
Stewart and Hyder, I begin to feel the usual
post-trip euphoria. This may be partially from
the corn chips I left stashed on the back seat, but it also
comes from a sense of freedom reinforced by another
epic wilderness jaunt. We’ve just completed our very own
harmless adventure into the middle of nowhere - one that
nobody saw fit to interrupt or give us a hard time about.
Eventually, we arrive in the valley where the leaves are
green and a warm breeze blows off the ocean. It’s time
to part ways with my diminutive yet faithful companion,
to release him back into normal bug society with
his normal bug friends and insect lifestyle.
Yes, happier days are upon him, and I feel
like I’ve helped make the world a better
place today. To my surprise, however, when
the lid comes off to reveal the little guy’s
freedom, I see him fly off not toward the
verdant pastures, but rather in the complete
opposite direction - back up toward
the glacier! Obviously, I’m left with the
conventional opinion that the wind must be
blowing him off course, and that he’ll soon
enough get his priorities straightened out.
Issue XXXV Off-Piste 13
As our mice will shortly learn, it’s not wise to
underestimate a mountain named Gog.
T
his is the story of two brothers. One lives in Vermont, and the
other lives in Utah. In a way it’s kind of a City Mouse/Country
Mouse story, although since they both live in semi-rural situations,
it’s more like Hill Mouse/Mountain Mouse, or Blue Ice and Bulletproof
Crust Mouse/Smoky Powder in the Backcountry Mouse. You get the
picture.
Anyway, every year, at least once a year, the Vermont mouse flies out
to visit the Utah mouse, who happens to be the U.S. Forest Service
avalanche forecaster for the Bear River Range near Logan. It’s a treat
for both mice. The Utah mouse gets a chance to show the Vermont
mouse around his favorite mountain range, and the Vermont mouse
gets to avail himself of his brother’s multifaceted expertise to ski
some fantastic terrain in a remote and relatively untapped powder
paradise.
All in all, it’s a good deal, but it comes with the following
complication: Both brothers have wives, and these wives have
produced scores of little mice. This means that to go on a ski tour
there are delicate negotiations to be conducted and strict timelines
to follow, and the big mice never seem to be able to meet these
timelines. So in addition to the usual hazards of backcountry skiing
- avalanche danger, unpredictable approaches, and rapidly changing
weather conditions - the two mice face serious dangers on the home
front.
So that our mice are not forced to continue laboring along in
anonymity, let us give them names: They are Tim (the Vermonter)
and Toby (the Utah avalanche forecaster). On the day in question,
another friendly mouse, Darren, a forestry extension associate at
Utah State University, joins Toby and Tim. Darren also has a wife
and a little mouse at home; moreover, it’s his birthday, and he and
his wife have a babysitter and a reservation lined up at a very fancy
restaurant. He’s pledged to return to Logan no later than 5:30 p.m,
which means that the ski party must start down Logan Canyon by
5:00 at the latest. Darren’s commitment is firm, but he makes it
clear over the phone - no ifs, ands, or buts.
14 Off-Piste December 2007
Toby and Tim meet Darren at the trailhead at approximately 10:30
a.m. Despite the firm return time, there doesn’t seem to be any rush,
mostly because in his capacity as avalanche forecaster Toby has what
some would say is an unfair advantage - a snowmobile. Unlike the
Wasatch and other ranges, the Bear River Range is home to no major
ski resorts; thus snowmobilers are more common than backcountry
skiers. As Toby’s job is to get the most accurate readings possible, his
sled is indispensable. Those who ski with him tend to swallow their
aversion to the two-stroke machines when they stop to think about
what kind of access they buy - the slopes our mouse-adventurers will
be earning their turns on see few (if any) other ski tracks in a season.
With or without snowmobiles, the Bear River Range is an unsung
paradise for backcountry skiers. The range offers hundreds of square
miles of pendulous Karst topography reminiscent of the Italian
Dolomites. Skiable lines wind down through picturesque limestone
spurs and outcroppings. The area has a sunny but well-watered
climate favoring robust and scenic glades of subalpine spruce and
Douglas fir, as well as abundant untracked snow, which often takes
the form of weightless Utah powder dumped by wet Pacific storms
that have been aerated like foamed cappuccino as they scud across
the arid deserts of the Great Basin. There is ample reason for caution
in this Eden-like environment, as our mice will soon discover - plenty
of steep angles off which the snow can slide, and a unique problem
that leads to misjudgments of distance and scale. Because of the
region’s fertility, the trees grow bigger here than in other similar
mountain ranges, meaning that distant vistas often look smaller and
friendlier than they actually are.
Above a certain altitude, the snow on this lovely mid-March day is
too light and deep for a snowmobile. Rather than wasting time with
a stuck snow-machine, the mice decide to roll up the towropes and
put on their skins to begin their ascent. It takes a few hours to climb
to the day’s first turnaround point, an unnamed ridge topped by a
healthy cornice. The resident expert declares that the avalanche
danger is low, and, one after the other, our happy mice take their
turns glorying in around a thousand feet of uninterrupted waist-deep
Utah smoke on a rolling hillside that is open except for widely spaced
Both brothers have wives, and these wives have produced
scores of little mice. This means that to go on a ski
tour there are delicate negotiations to be conducted and
strict timelines to follow, and the big mice never seem to
be able to meet these timelines.
copses of spruce and fir. For a few soaring moments each skier has a chance to
savor the fierce euphoria that floating downhill through such a stirring natural
landscape can awaken, that feeling of true oneness with the world, like what a hawk
must feel riding the wind over forest and meadow.
It’s now 3:30, time for one more lap if the mice are quick. Off to their left is a peak
known as Gog, a Biblical name bestowed by early Mormon settlers who must have
been impressed by the mountain’s forbidding cliffs and buttresses. If the mice follow
yesterday’s half-buried skin tracks up the ridge, there might be time to summit.
Toby admits that he’s had his eye on Gog for months; he thinks he may have seen
a route down the eastern flank of the peak, a steep chute winding through the cliffs
that has probably never felt the P-tex caress of ski bottoms. If it does turn out to be
skiable, he reasons, it could put the party closer to the sled, thereby saving a long
slog across the flats and rolling ground that took up so much time on the ascent.
Toby does not say it in so many words, but all this could simply be wishful thinking.
It’s possible the rocky summit is farther away than it seems, and the short-cut to
the sled is only theoretical. He’s only glimpsed the chute from a distance. It may
be too steep to be safe to ski with so much snow on it, or the outlet it appeared to
offer through the cliff bands may prove illusory.
However, reality has seldom stood in the way of these mice before, and they skin off
up the ridge full of carefree optimism, bound for the summit of Gog. If they decide
not to ski the unnamed chute on the mountain’s eastern aspect, the reasoning goes,
they can always bail and come back down to the gladed slopes on the northwestern
side. Left unspoken is the reality that if they take time to summit and then have
to retrace their tracks, the slog out may take them well beyond the established
deadline; as previously stated, none of these mice is particularly good with time
management. In the back of their minds is a growing belief that the chute will go
through and put them down close to the sled.
As our mice will shortly learn, it’s not wise to underestimate a mountain named
Gog.
The first mishap occurs as they crest the narrow ridge leading to the rocky spire
of the summit. Darren, the mouse most adamant about upholding the deadline,
energetically breaks trail, followed by Tim and Toby. All afternoon Darren’s skin
tracks, well placed and thoughtful, have been easy-to-follow zigzags. However,
in one place where the ridge narrows to a knife-edge, Tim watches him struggle
to get around a stout Douglas fir that happens to block the path. He manages to
muscle around the tree, using its lower branches for leverage, but the end result
is that there’s no skin track left - just the tree and an abrupt drop-off into a steep,
trackless chute. Tim does his best to get around the tree using Darren’s technique,
but there’s no ground under his skis, and he finds himself slipping sideways.
Issue XXXV Off-Piste 15
His efforts to recover accomplish nothing but further undermining
the snow in the chute, and in the end, he is suspended over the void,
hanging on a tree branch. If he were to let go, it’s possible he would
find the steep chute skiable for the first 50 yards or so, but then,
assuming he could stay up on his skis, he would have lost a great
deal of vertical, and the return traverse would surely end the hopes
of returning at any kind of decent hour.
No one panics. Toby finds a way around the tree and squats to reach
as Tim hands him, one by one, his poles and then his skis. The
Vermont mouse is then able to hoist himself up by the tree branches
to regain the trail, where he very carefully reattaches his skis. The
party continues, but time has been wasted.
By the time the party regroups on the summit of Gog, Darren’s 5:30
deadline is already a pipe dream. Nevertheless, it remains in his
interest, and in the interest of the Vermont and Utah mice, to get
down as quickly as possible. There are still two options: pick their
way back down the skin track along the rocky narrow ridge they
have just ascended to the medium-angle glade on the northwestern
side, or attempt the unknown chute on the steep eastern side of
the mountain. The main advantage of the first option is that it’s a
known quantity, predictable and safe; the disadvantages are that it
will burn a lot more time and the mice will lose much of their hardwon vertical. The advantage of the second option (aside from the
attractions of an adventure in uncharted territory) is its potential to
get them down to the sled quickly, saving them hours of slogging.
The disadvantages remain to be seen.
There is some token dialogue about weighing the options. The
Vermont mouse declares that he is too inexperienced to make a wellinformed decision. The Utah mouse tells the other two that he really
sort of believes the chute goes through, though it is likely to be, in
his words, “gnarly.” The truth is that from the beginning there was
very little question regarding whether or not the party was going to
attempt the chute.
Thus, swallowing any trepidation they may feel, our mice set off
one by one down a steep slot of untracked powder. It’s too steep to
see what unfolds below them, but for whatever reason (or lack of
reason) the mice are optimistic.
They regroup after the first long roll, where the chute narrows,
finding a spot well to the side of any potential avalanche hazard.
Our mice are trembling with that unique mixture of exhilaration and
dread that comes from being somewhere they probably shouldn’t
be. The snow is deep, and this eastern exposure, as promised,
is noticeably steeper than anything they’ve attempted over the
last several days. The party has observed no natural avalanches,
although on his official Utah Avalanche Center web site Toby will
later describe the day’s avalanche danger as “moderate.” That is,
if avalanches are going to occur it will be on exactly the kind of
steep slope they are about to ski. So, they try to minimize the risk
with good backcountry travel protocol, skiing one at a time and
communicating often, the second skier waiting for word from the
first before proceeding, and so on. They still can’t see the terrain
immediately below them - the slope is too steep for that - but
they can see their goal, the low-angle run-out at the bottom of
the mountain leading to the safety of the aspen glades where somewhere, though they can’t see it - the snowmobile is parked.
After the next passage, a winding chute, the slope angle turns gutwrenchingly steep. The mice regroup again and look at each other
with helpless alarm. They’re committed to the line. At this point
trying to skin up might be just as dangerous as continuing down. On
the positive side of the ledger, the flats at the bottom of the run look
close enough to reach out and grab.
Darren goes first; after a few minutes, an indistinct shout comes up
from below. His voice does not seem distressed or panicked, so Tim
follows, a little nervous, but working down through a steep narrow
chute curving gradually to the left.
Darren has taken cover at the bottom of the chute in the only
available safe haven, a narrow strip of Douglas firs perched on a
small strip of high land between two distinct avalanche paths. Tim
skis in below him and waits at the lower end of the grove behind a
solid-looking tree. Darren is troubled; he saw shooting cracks in the
snow halfway down the chute they’d just skied. He doesn’t tell Tim
about it yet, perhaps to spare his feelings while they wait for the
expert to come down.
Meanwhile, they take a preliminary look at what’s to come.
Immediately below is a broken limestone fringe marking the top of
the cliff band that anchors the eastern base of Gog. There seem to
be two possible routes through it: a narrow chute to the left and a
slightly wider one to the right. Both are so steep that it’s impossible
to judge whether they go through or simply end in cliff. Weirdly,
the flats that represent the goal - safety, escape, freedom - seem
to have grown more distant as the skiers have descended. How can
that be? Gog is playing games with our mice, like an enormous and
potentially very deadly cat. It’s the problem of scale coming to light.
“I don’t like this spot,” Darren calls down to Tim. “Too exposed. How
is it down there?”
“Okay. I’m behind a couple of pretty big trees. Come on down.”
Darren makes a turn and tucks himself behind the tree in front of
Tim’s.
“Should one of us go down to that snag at the edge of the cliff and
see if we can get a clearer view?” Tim asks.
Darren shakes his head. “Better wait for Toby.”
Just then, there is a scream from above. The word that comes
ringing down the chute is the last word either of them wants to hear,
three quick syllables causing shock-waves of revulsion and panic:
“Avalanche!”
Tim and Darren lean uphill into their trees, grabbing hold of the
strongest-looking branches available. In the next moment, the steep
gully to their left is filled with a slow-motion torrent, a languid white
tongue of broken snow sweeping down the chute. It comes to a stop
at the edge of the cliff, burying the bottom three feet of the snag Tim
3TOMPTHELANDING
NX
$).
$OWNHILL!4BOOTCOMPATIBLE
3MOOTHTOURINGTRIPLEPIVOT
16 Off-Piste December 2007
3ETH-ORRISON(AINES!+0HOTO&LIP-C#RIRICK
.OTTHE
APPROACH
"ACKCOUNTRY!CCESS)NC
WWWBACKCOUNTRYACCESSCOM
&RESH4RACKS&RESH)DEAS
had just suggested using for a look-out point. But it’s a relatively
minor avalanche; everyone is safe.
Toby, having instinctually skied wide to escape the slab, is
indescribably relieved to see that his partners have not been swept
over the cliff band. He picks his way down through the rubble
to the strip of trees, looking pale and shaken. After a brief and
tense consultation in the shelter of the trees, he traverses over
to the skier’s left to look down the narrow chute, which from the
current viewpoint seems to spiral alarmingly into the cliff band like
somebody’s twisted idea of a drainpipe. When Toby looks at it from
his angle, the others watch the remaining color drain from his face.
“No,” he says. “Not this way.”
The angle is so steep that on the return traverse he starts sliding
sideways down the drainpipe, barely making it back to the strip of
firs.
“Shit, guys,” he says, with feeling. “I’m really sorry I got you into
this.”
This is somewhat difficult for the others to hear. Toby is the expert,
the one they’re depending on not only for expertise, but also as an
inspiring beacon of confidence. If he’s feeling this way, they must
really be in trouble.
As for Toby, he’s thinking about something Reinhold Messner said
after losing his younger brother and climbing partner to an accident
on Nanga Parbat: “He would not have died if I had not encouraged
him to come on the expedition. If I had not been his brother, he
would probably not have tried to catch up with me on the last part
of the Rupal Face . . . I was responsible for his death and I must
live with this tragedy.”_
The fact is that there’s no option left but to take the chute to the
skier’s right, a steep plunge into the unknown. Again, they could
try to skin back up the way they came, but that in itself would be a
huge risk given the amount of vertical and the slope gradient, and
it would mean being out on Gog well into the night. Whereas, if the
chute does provide an outlet through the cliff band, the three little
mice could be out on the flats and on their way down to the sled in
minutes.
Toby, already having assessed these options, dutifully steps up to
the plate. The other two watch tensely as he crosses the avalanche
rubble and disappears into the right hand chute. There’s a long
wait, then a faint scream comes up from below. Is it triumph, or
agony?
Darren doesn’t pause to analyze; he pushes off, and in seconds
he too is swallowed up by the chute. A few minutes later another
scream comes wafting up from below. Tim fidgets nervously
by his tree. Could the screams of his partners have been their
final warnings as they plunged over a cliff? Or were they the
vocalized expressions of intense relief for the deliverance he too so
desperately craves?
There’s only one way to find out. He almost loses his balance in the
avalanche rubble, but recovers in time to muscle a string of turns
through the steepest part of the chute. He keeps looking over his
shoulder, half-expecting a huge torrent of snow to come rushing
down and overwhelm him. But it doesn’t, and before he knows it
the chute has opened up and he’s following the others’ curving
leftward tracks onto the flats and out of danger.
***
In the parking lot, as Darren shakes the others’ hands before
jumping in his car, his face shows the stress of a mouse who is late
for a very important date. It is a stress, however, mixed with the
unmistakable jubilation of having narrowly evaded the clutches of
Gog, one capricious predator of a mountain.
As for the mouse brothers, Vermont and Utah, this is the third
day in a row they’ve stayed out later than they said they would.
Their wives are not pleased, but neither are they surprised; over
the years the brothers’ tardiness has become a habit nearly as
predictable as the sunrise. After the little mice are in bed, over
a beer and a late dinner, the brothers do their best to explain
themselves - how they really did want to get down on time, how
they really thought they could, but things just didn’t work out
that way. How they are actually pretty lucky, by the way, to have
escaped with their lives.
The wives aren’t buying it. In their view, the mouse brothers
knew very well what they were getting into, went ahead and did it
anyway, and will almost certainly behave exactly the same way next
time.
And you know, the wives probably have a point.
Issue XXXV Off-Piste 17
Gallery
Danny Watts, takes the line, Mt Baker Backcountry, North Cascades Washington
Photo: Gr
Climb the mo
Gena, Mason, and Anna climb into the clouds, Teton National Park 18 Off-Piste December 2007
Photo: Bissell Hazen
Gallery
rant Gunderson
Ro-Sham-Bo, Chris Barber gets the goods, Purcell Range, BC
Photo: David Waag
ountains and get their good tidings.
- John Muir
Issue XXXV Off-Piste 19
Gallery
Zach Crist launches in Haines, AK
Photo: Adam Clark
Monica and Jasmin in the shadows of Fitzroy, Argentina
20 Off-Piste December 2007
Photo: Steve Ogle
Gallery
Nils Larsen tests the snow in the Purcell Range, BC
Photo: David Waag
The mountains are calling and I must go.
- John Muir
Issue XXXV Off-Piste 21
The Hidden Valley
I dreamed the other night
that you were a skier.
Not because I wanted you to be one
but because sliding on snow
and gliding on water are the same,
and in that way, I am your son.
I had taken you to my favorite spot,
a remote mountain hut nestled below tall peaks,
and after a few days
a new valley appeared
(hidden until then)
from behind a wall of stormy, black cloud.
We rested for a while
and when the time came to
commit to the journey,
we packed bags full of simple things
and set out down
the frozen river bank,
intent on clue gathering.
It has been said that
when the student is ready
the teacher appears—
that day it was much the same.
As we turned the valley corner
and started upward,
our destination revealed itself
as if to say:
“I have been here all this time.”
We spotted a gap through some rocks
and punched higher—cresting benches,
weaving and working the terrain,
crafting a track that
bestowed honor and respect,
in the manner of those that
came before us.
Breaking into the upper basin
we stopped for a snack and
you remarked about the passage of time,
and about how the wind sculpted the snow
on the lee of some granite boulders,
and about the small icicles
that hung, ephemeral and sweet, from
some nearby larch trees—their needles
still crisp and golden from the late-fall sun.
The day passed dreamlike and quick,
and the storm, that “shifter of shapes,”
continued to clear from the high peaks
as we spoke of being moved,
and of being dominated,
and of strength.
Approaching the upper cirque
we settled into a rhythm that
only life-long partners possess.
In this way we traveled onward
and upward, each to his own,
silent, yet together.
Late afternoon brought the kind of
complete clearing-of-sky that exists only in the
rarified air of alpine ranges.
As the sun sank low on the western horizon,
we looked down on where we had come from
and spotted the tiny hut, smoke rising
from its rooftop, quiescent and peaceful.
Before us stretched an infinite ridgeline
of spires and gendarmes,
a maze of snow and ice so complex
it vibrated like a grand and evolving symphony.
We paused for a moment—
first you—then me,
and we held still
as the last light of day broke free
and onto the newfound land
that lay before us.
“We should keep going,” you said.
I nodded,
silently,
and we kept going.
I had little to teach you
and you were happy to follow.
After so many years of sailing and
internalizing the movement of water,
adapting to the ways
of snow was simple enough.
(for my Father)
Jeremy Allyn
22 Off-Piste December 2007
Photo: Grant Gunderson
Issue XXXV Off-Piste 23
Q: My lower back feels stiff and tight after touring with a pack
on my back. The hour-long drive home from the trailhead only
seems to make it worse. What can I do to relieve this?
A: Skiing with a pack on can compress the spine and cause
tightening of the muscles of the lower back. Sitting and driving,
especially in a poorly designed car seat, can further aggravate these
symptoms. It is important to decompress the spine and gently
stretch the low back muscles at the trailhead before driving home.
Try the common yoga stretch the “downward dog” (Position 1).
Stand with feet hip-width apart. Place hands on floor in front of you,
shoulder-width apart with fingers spread. Lift your tailbone upward
and push down through your heels. Lengthen and decompress
through your spine and down the backs of your legs. Hold for 5 to 10
deep belly breaths.
24 Off-Piste December 2007
A second “spinal decompression” stretch can be performed using
your car’s roof rack or the side of your truck’s bed (Position 2).
Hang from either object with your hands while your feet provide
counter pressure against the top of your auto’s tire. Angle your hips
backward to form a sideways V-shape with your body. Play with
moving your hips up, down and side-to-side to get the stretch where
you need it the most. Allow your chin to drop and lengthen through
the back of your neck. Hang like this for 1 minute while breathing
deeply with your belly.
Skinning uphill while carrying a pack can cause shortening of your hip
flexors. The tightening of these muscles on the front of your thighs
and pelvis can lead to postural changes in your lower back that can
increase contact pressure between the small joints of the low back.
This can lead to that tight, compressed sensation in your low back
after touring. To stretch out prior to the drive home, put one foot
behind you and up on the car’s hood or tailgate (Position 3---left hip
flexor is being stretched). Keep your trunk upright and clench the
left buttock; side bend your trunk to the right and reach upward
with the left hand. Feel the lengthening through your left thigh,
groin, abs, and side. Hold for 5 to 10 deep breaths. Switch sides and
repeat.
All of these stretches can and should be repeated once you are
home.
Andy Roof is a liscensed MPT. Do you have a recurring issue or
are you interested in an exercise or two that will improve your ski
experience?
Send Andy your questions via e-mail; [email protected]
www.offpistemag.com
Blog - News - Gear
Issue XXXV Off-Piste 25
Gear Talk
S
oft shell fabrics have been gaining momentum as the fabric of
choice in technical shells and pants for several years now. What
is a soft shell? The term soft shell is used to describe fabric that
is more breathable, flexible, and arguably more comfortable
than the traditional Gore-Tex type shells (called hard shells). Most people
will agree that a soft shell fabric is defined as a breathable stretch-woven
fabric. The purists will say it stops right there. However, as you will see
in the shells discussed here, there is no single fabric that defines soft
shell technology. Every manufacturer has a slightly different take on the
idea, and as a result, the jackets available are widely varied. Some are
made with basic stretch-woven fabrics, some use a laminate process
to add warmth and wind/weather resistance, and some actually use a
laminated membrane to add significant waterproofing. Regardless of the
type, most people will agree that soft shells are still more breathable and
more comfortable than hard shells. Soft shells are great for ski touring
because they really do breathe. They do not always offer the same
protection from the elements that hard shells offer, but the improved
breathability is a worthy trade-off when your focus is climbing to ski.
We hand picked a variety of hooded soft shells from different
manufacturers for this review. We went with hooded jackets because
a hood is an important piece of any layering system for backcountry
travel. A hooded jacket is simply more versatile than one without a
hood. Although each of these jackets is marketed as a hooded soft
shell, they each excel at different applications. All of these jackets
include good DWR (durable water repellent) finishes that offer
great weather-proofing, but my experience is that these finishes
lose their effectiveness with time and washing.
Outdoor Research Mithril Stormshell $199, 21oz
We have been using this jacket for almost a full year now
and it has worn incredibly well. Soft shell purists will
argue that the Mithril’s Ventia fabric is a laminate with
a membrane and not a true soft shell. Well, that may
be the case, but as a result, the Mithril offers incredible
protection from the elements. OR’s Ventia fabric is,
simply stated, bomber. The trade-off is in breathability
- the Mithril is not as breathable as a non-membrane
shell. It does breath, but the best breathability is
achieved through venting, not through the fabric’s
membrane. The Mithril‘s pockets use mesh liners and
are designed to act as vents when open. The upside of
the laminate is its ability repel the elements is unmatched.
In fact, OR bills the shell as 100% waterproof, and my
experience backs this claim. This is a jacket designed with the
26 Off-Piste December 2007
Cascades’ worst weather in mind.
I used this shell for several days of climbing and skiing on Mt. Hood
during a search and rescue effort in weather that set records for wind
and precip levels. Imagine high winds combined with precip ranging
from rain to snow to ice for several days running, the kind of weather
where your hood and goggles never come off and you can wring the
water out of your gloves. Well, the Mithril survived this cycle with style.
I stayed warm and dry in literally some of the worst weather I have ever
experienced, and I was physically active the whole time.
The Mithril is, like its name says, a storm shell. It is a great choice for
maritime climates and handles a stormy day at the ski hill in any climate.
It is not my top pick for clear and cold touring days, but when the
weather is going off, the Mithril is hard to beat. www.outdoorresearch.
com
Beyond Vayu Plus X $259, 19oz
The Vayu Plus X is more than just a nice soft shell; it is a custom-made
jacket. Beyond is a custom outdoor clothing company. They offer
a variety of shells and pants, all custom made as per each
customer’s size and needs. You decide which jacket is right
for you and they custom make it to your size specs, pretty
incredible, actually.
I ordered the Vayu Plus X right on their website.
The site walks you through options such as
color, pocket location, pit zips, and hood, and
then they get down to business, asking for
detailed measurements to make sure you get
a custom fit. It is easy to be somewhat glib
about the idea until you actually do it and
see that you are indeed getting a custommade jacket. You spec how long you want
it to be - arm length, shoulder width, etc.
- and the result is a jacket that fits exactly
as you would hope. I tried on a few of my
old favorite jackets, took note of ideal arm
lengths and fit, entered all the specs as per
Beyond’s website, and I got exactly what I
ordered – and yes it fits great.
Outdoor Research Mithril Stormshell
The Vayu Plus X is a combination of Schoeller
fabrics: Schoeller WB-400 on the arms and
front and Schoeller Dry Skin Extreme on
Gear Talk
the entire back panel. The WB-400 is a
laminate fabric with a brushed lining
that gives the jacket some added
warmth and wind protection,
while the Dry Skin Extreme
is a single layer, highly
breathable fabric that vents
and breathes better than it
protects from wet weather.
weave for protection from the elements and
adds a light fleece layer inside for added
warmth. This is an ideal cold weather
touring jacket.
In the field, the jacket is
very versatile. It is highly
breathable and tours
without leaving you feeling
marinated. The addition
of the pit zips (an option
when designing the jacket
to suit your needs) extends
the jackets temp range.
The WB-400 fabric has a light
fleece liner, but still offers enough
breathability and warmth that you can
tour and turn without having to change
the jacket – the true advantage of a
soft shell. It offers moderate protection
form the elements and is a good allaround touring shell for any climate.
www.beyondclothing.com
The Winter Guide is one of the warmer
jackets in this review, and as a result
is a little heavier, but I found that in
cold conditions the light insulation
is a welcome addition. Touring in
temperatures hovering near 20
degrees Fahrenheit or colder,
the Winter Guide offers a nice
balance between breathability
and warmth. The fleece
lining and the outer fabric’s
dense weave cut the wind and
elements nicely and make it
worthy of lift skiing as well. The
Jacket offers a slightly longer
cut in back to keep the weather
out and you can actually cinch
the hood from inside the pockets –
pretty slick.
www.patagonia.com
Beyond Vayu Plus X
Arcteryx AlphaComp Hoody $350, 17oz
The AlphaComp Hoody is a hybrid soft shell/hard shell jacket. It uses
Tweave stretch-woven fabric for the body
and back, while the hood and shoulders
use a waterproof hard shell fabric to
give the jacket added storm cycle
protection where needed. It uses
Arcteryx’s signature waterproof
zippers and trim fit sizing.
The jacket is dialed for ski
touring. I took it on a hut trip
to BC and never felt the need
to throw a hard shell in the
pack, even on storm days.
The hard shell hood and
shoulders add good storm
protection with little impact
on overall breathability. The
trade-off is simply that the
jacket loses some of its soft
shell feel. The AlphaComp is light
and packable and a good choice
for ski touring in any climate. It is
a good breathable option with a nice
compromise for storm protection.
www.arcteryx.com
Arcteryx AlphaComp Hoody
Patagonia Winter Guide Jacket $275, 27oz
The Winter Guide is essentially a basic stretch-woven soft shell with
a light fleece lining. The shell relies on the outer fabric’s dense
Patagonia Winter Guide
Cloudveil Spacewalk Jacket $340, 29oz
The Spacewalk jacket combines a standard
soft shell outer with PrimaLoft insulation. The
result is a breathable insulated shell designed
for cold weather touring and for skiers who
do a lot of stop and go traveling.
The Spacewalk shell uses Schoeller
Dynamic fabric on the outside
and PrimaLoft One insulation on
the inside. It creates a warm,
breathable, and relatively
lightweight shell. It is a hybrid
shell/insulation layer. I found I
could only tour in this jacket in
true cold, 20 degrees F or colder.
It breathes well and has pit zips
to vent even more, but is too
warm for general touring use –
especially in a maritime climate.
In the Rockies, however, the
Spacewalk becomes more
versatile.
Cloudveil Spacewalk
If your home weather scenario routinely sees temperatures in the
teens and colder, the Spacewalk will keep you comfortable on the
ascent and descent. The added insulation also makes this shell nice for
lift skiing and any general outdoor work/play that is less aerobic than
laying a skin track. The jacket packs than a non-insulated shell, but I
found that it saved me from packing an additional down layer as well
as a hard shell.
If you call the Rockies home or routinely ski in colder climates, the
Spacewalk could save you packing a shell and a down jacket.
www.cloudveil.com
2EALTIMEDISPLAYSIMPLICITYANDDURABILITY
)TSNOWONDER4RACKER$43»ISTHEBESTSELLING
AVALANCHETRANSCEIVERINTHEWORLD
4RACKER$43»
4HE&IRST4HE%ASIEST
!FTERALLWHONEEDSBELLSANDWHISTLESATA
TIMELIKETHIS
&ORINFORMATIONONTRANSCEIVERUSEANDSNOWSAFETY
SEEWWWBACKCOUNTRYACCESSCOMEDUCATION
3IMON&RYER!LPINE#REATIVE
7HENSPEEDAND
SIMPLICITYMATTERMOST
"ACKCOUNTRY!CCESS)NC
WWWBACKCOUNTRYACCESSCOM
&RESH4RACKS&RESH)DEAS
Issue XXXV Off-Piste 27
Backcountry Beta
tips, techniques, recipes, etiquette, and more
Creating a Tour Plan
by Larry Goldie
“Where the heck are we?” The clouds had come in thick
and we were completely inside the proverbial milk bottle.
Standing on a massive glacier in the Alps, it was hard to
tell which way was up, let alone where we were going.
Fortunately, I was prepared with a tour plan and was able to
look at my notes, pull out my GPS, and punch in a waypoint to
give us direction in the clouds. Away we went, into the white
with full confidence in our heading. When the clouds parted
an hour later, we found that we were a mere 20 feet from
a well established skin track that had been invisible in the
whiteout.
Tour plans are an excellent back-up tool in a whiteout situation and
can prove equally as valuable for any longer mountaineering or
skiing objective. As a guide, I will often make a tour plan when I
want to see how long a route should take, or when I want to know
the vertical (both up and down) of a given tour. Tour plans can also
be used to find overall distance of a tour, aspect, slope angle, and
more. In short, it’s a good way to know what you are getting into
before you get into it. Obviously, you don’t need one of these to go
run laps at your favorite stash, but if you are considering a big ski
mountaineering objective like the Ptarmigan traverse, Sierra high
route, Chamonix to Zermatt, or something similar, creating a tour
plan is an essential skill.
It all begins with a map; the following discussion assumes you have
basic map-reading skills. To begin, lay out your map and find the
area/route where you plan to tour. Always strive to use the most
detailed maps available for the area where you are traveling. Next,
take a notebook and create headings that include a reference point,
the elevation of that point, the elevation change from the last
point, a compass bearing from the last point, a GPS waypoint for
the location, distance from the last point, and a time estimate from
the last point (see notebook image below). It is common to have
several other headings for things such as aspect, slope angle, and a
place for notes like “watch for cliff bands between 7200-7500’.”
short enough that it is essentially one direction. If a segment
takes a turn around a feature or terrain, simply divide it into two
segments at the turn. The more segments you have, the more
likely your tour plan will be useful and accurate, although it will take
more time to create.
At this stage, I typically record the coordinates of each reference
point in order to create a GPS waypoint for each point I have
created in the tour. Many guides prefer the simplicity of using the
UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) grid for this, as opposed to
lat/long coordinates. The UTM grid essentially divides the entire
world into 1 km squares, and as such, can be further subdivided
by using the magic number 10 to easily reference any spot on the
globe .Remember when the metric system was going to simplify the
world? Well, it did in most of the world.
If your map has a UTM grid marked on it, as many do, you can take
a clear plastic map tool (such as those offered by Brooks Range)
and pinpoint the coordinates corresponding to your reference point.
Carefully copy these coordinates into your notes. One transposed
number here can be disastrous in the field (as I can attest).
If you haven’t already guessed, you are going to break your
route into segments. Each segment is made up of the distance
between two reference points. Ideally, reference points are obvious
landmarks such as cols, summits, or rock buttresses. While not
crucial, it is definitely preferable to have reference points that are
easily verified in the field so you can verify that you are on course.
By checking the elevation of each reference point, you can calculate
the elevation change.
Next, measure the bearing between reference points on the map
with a compass. With this in mind, it’s ideal to make each segment
28 Off-Piste December 2007
Next, you need to measure the distance between reference points.
This can be done with a ruler, or with marks on a piece of cord that
correspond to the scale of the map. I have marked the cord on my
compass with the scale from a 7 ½ minute map. Again, it’s easiest
if we do this in metric, so I measure these distances in kilometers.
Now comes the fun part – creating a time estimate based on your
plan. This is an old Swiss guide’s trick. First, take the change in
elevation between two reference points - once again, metric is easier
here. Assign 1 point for each 100 m (or every 330 feet) of elevation
change. For example, 740m of elevation change is 7.4 points; in
feet, 2,440 feet of elevation change is also 7.4 points; (a calculator
helps if you are using feet.)
Now, add 1 point for every kilometer of distance between the same
two points. To calculate your time between the chosen points,
simply divide the total number of points by 4 for going uphill and by
10 for going downhill. This gives you your time in hours. You can
Backcountry Beta
tips, techniques, recipes, etiquette, and more
turn this into minutes by multiplying by 60. Many guides will add
in some additional time for breaks to come up with a total time for
a given tour. If you have a particularly fast group, don’t add any
time and you should be pretty close at the end of the day.
1 km=1 point
100 meters or 330 feet=1 point
Uphill travel=total points/4
Downhill travel= total points/10
A timeline is a great thing to create when planning a big trip at
home or when stormbound in the tent or hut and needing to plan
an alternative route to get to your next destination. If I know I am
going to dealing with whiteout travel, I often enter the waypoints
into my GPS before I head out. You can also write notes, such
as compass bearings, directly onto your map for quick reference
when in the field.
When I am out touring in bluebird weather, I like to enter a few
key waypoints into my GPS at critical junctions, so that if I return
in poor visibility, I can easily locate a given spot again. Ground
truth waypoints are almost always preferable to ones taken from
the map, since maps do not always show the subtleties in terrain.
Tour plans are a great way to familiarize yourself with unfamiliar
terrain. They will help you know how big of a lunch to bring
or whether or not to pack the headlamp. For the aspiring ski
mountaineer, tour plans should be considered a prerequisite when
heading out for an ambitious objective. Living in the digital age,
much of a tour plan can be created with the aid of your computer.
In the next issue, I will explore the world of tour planning for
computer geeks.
Larry Goldie, IFMGA certified guide, spends his free time palnning
adventures and lobbying for the metric system.
Issue XXXV Off-Piste 29
Backcountry Beta
tips, techniques, recipes, etiquette, and more
W
e have found yet another great recipe for a tasty trail treat. This one, Mountain Breakfast Cookies, submitted by reader Chris
Reitz, comes from the cookbook Steamboat Seasons. These cookies make for some great calorie-packing, easy-eating
trail food. As the above image implies, they go as well with a splash of single malt as they do with a hot drink in the field.
And as the name implies, these cookie are not just for snack time; they are good for breakfast, too. As usual, we tested these cookies
here at the office; they passed all rigorous field testing, including the need for easy baking and the claim that they could be eaten for
breakfast.
They offer a quick hit of energy while out on a tour and stay soft and edible for extended periods of time if kept in an airtight
container. They are definitely fragile when hot as the cooking directions say, so take care when moving them to a cooling rack; they
firm up once cool. For more details on the Steamboat Seasons Cookbook check out www.stringsinthemountains.com/cookbook.php
INGREDIENTS
3 cups rolled oats (preferably old-fashioned)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
2 teaspoons nutmeg, or 1 teaspoon nutmeg and 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup skim milk powder (we used regular whole milk here and added some extra flour and wheat germ without a problem)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup raisins, optional
1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Mix oats, flours, brown sugar, wheat germ, nutmeg, salt, baking
soda, and milk powder in a large bowl. Cut butter into small pieces and mix into ingredients with your hands until crumbly. Stir
in 1 1/4 cups buttermilk and blend well. Add chocolate chips and stir to incorporate. Drop golf-ball-size mounds 1 inch apart
onto greased cookie sheets. Lightly brush tops of cookies with remaining buttermilk.
Bake 15-17 minutes (less for lower altitudes) or until edges are slightly browned. Remove carefully (fragile while hot) to a wire
rack to cool. The recipe will make about 5 dozen small cookies.
30 Off-Piste December 2007
Professionally guided ski touring in British Columbia’s Howson Range
BearMountaineering.ca | 250.847.3351
Avalanche and Weather Resources
CANADA - www.avalanche.ca
www.avalanchefoundation.ca
EUROPE - www.lawine.org
USA - www.avalanche.org
www.fsavalanche.org
www.americanavalancheassociation.org
Alaska
Chugach - 907-754-2369
www.fs.fed.us/r10/chugach/glacier/snow.html
SE - www.avalanche.org/~seaac/
California
Tahoe - www.fs.fed.us/r5/tahoe/
Shasta - www.shastaavalanche.org
East Side - www.esavalanche.org/
Shasta 530-926-9613
Tahoe 530-587-2158
Mammoth/Bishop 760-924-5500
Canada
www.avalanche.ca
Banff 403-762-1460
Rockies 403-243-7253
Vancouver 604-290-9333
Western Canada 800-667-1105
Colorado
www.geosurvey.state.co.us/avalanche
Crested Butte - www.cbavalanchecenter.org/
Denver/Boulder 303-275-5360
CO Springs 719-520-0020
Fort Collins - 970-482-0457
Summit Cnty 970-668-0600
Durango/Southern - 970-247-8187
Aspen - 970-920-1664
Idaho
www.avalanche.org/~svavctr/
Sun Valley 208-622-8027
Panhandle National Forest
208-765-7323 208-752-1221
Payette - 208-634-0409
Montana
www.mtavalanche.com
www.missoulaavalanche.org
www.glacieravalanche.org
NW Montana 406-257-8402 - 800-526-5329
South Central (Bozeman) 406-587-6981
Southern (Cook City) 406-838-2259
Lolo and Bitterroot National Forest
800-281-1030 or 406-549-4488
New Hampshire
www.tuckerman.org
Oregon
www.nwac..us
503-808-2400
Utah
Statewide - www.avalanche.org/~uac
Mant-LaSal - www.avalanche.org/~lsafc/
Logan - www.avalanche.org/~uac/BRAIC/
Tri-Canyon Area 801-364-1581
Alta - 801-742-0830
Park City - 435-658-5512
Provo - 801-378-4333
Ogden - 801-626-8600
Logan - 435-797-4146
LaSal - 800-648-7433
Washington
www.nwac.us
206-526-6677
Wyoming
www.jhavalanche.org
Bridger-Teton - 307-733-2664
Issue XXXV Off-Piste 31
Words and Images
opinions on books and film
STEEP
Sony Pictures Classic
The film is making its way around the film festival circuit and receiving well
deserved praise. Bill Heath’s talent extends beyond his eye for imagery and
this film is agreat example. $25 www.ninewintersold.com
STEEP is not your typical ski porn.
It is a high quality documentary
film that explores the history and
evolution of steep and big mountain
skiing. A project by High Ground
Productions and the Documentary
Group (formed by Peter Jennings),
STEEP portrays big mountain skiing
in a realistic and professional light.
Beginning with Bill Briggs’ historic
ski descent of Wyoming’s, Grand
Teton in 1971, STEEP documents
the evolution of big mountain and
extreme ski descents in Europe
and North America. The historical
coverage of early European exploits
of skiers like Anselme Baud, Patrick
Vallencant, Jean Marc Boivin,
Stefano deBenedetti, and Pierre
Tardivel in and around Chamonix is
excellent. Watching these pioneers
push the limits of skiing on the long skinny gear of the day is very impressive.
The film continues to explore the rise of big mountain skiing in North America
in conversations with skiers such as Doug Coombs, Glenn Plake, Mike Hattrup,
and Shane McConkey. STEEP looks at the role and rise of helicopter access
in Alaska but also includes the more alpinist approach by skiers like Andrew
Mclean. Regardless of the era or location, the film maintains a realistic voice
regarding the risks associated with the rise of big mountain skiing.
The film is very well done, includes incredible ski footage, and given
Doug Coombs’ death in 2006, offers what turns out to be very poignant
conversations with Doug about the evolution of steep skiing, its inherent risks,
and luck.
STEEP should be making the rounds at theaters around the country this winter.
It is a welcome change from your basic ski porn and a must see for any skier.
Nine Winters Old
Bill Heath
Nine Winters Old is more
than a ski film, it is a story
about people live winter,
snow, and skiing. Through
the stories of various
characters, including Bill
Heath’s brother and prophotographer Dave Heath,
the film captures a genuine
passion for winter.
Like Sinners, another
excellent ski film by Bill Heath, Nine Winters Old offers some excellent ski
footage. However, it is the film’s pace and story line, combined with Heath’s
artistry that make the film so good.
Nine Winters Old combines an eclectic blend of music, artistic footage, and
personalities to reveal an honest passion for and love of winter. From nineyear-old Ryan’s candid assessment of the grown-up world that does not
understand the value of snow to the octegenarian trio whose passion for
skiing, among other things, keeps them young, Nine Winters Old spins a rich
story around the simple premise of lives that revolve around snow.
Instant Karma - The Heart and Soul of a Ski Bum
by Wayne Sheldrake
The life of ski bum is a mixed bag of
living large and living in wait for the next
storm cycle. Low overhead and high
expectations for winter are integral to the
ski bum lifestyle. Instant Karma, by Wayne
Sheldrake, shares the ski bum’s perspective
on life over the course of thirty years of
skiing and living in Colorado.
The book is an eclectic story of Sheldrake’s
heart and soul and skiing. Although his
life revolves around skiing, Instant Karma
offers introspective moments in all aspects
of his life.
Sheldrake spins the story of his evolution
as a ski bum sharing the memorable days
at the hill and the equally unforgettable
trips to the emergency room. For those
familiar with Southern Colorado and the
Wolf Creek Ski Area, the setting for much
of the book, Instant Karma will hold special
interest. Although primarily a lift skier, Sheldrake offers descriptions of storm
cycle skiing and insights into the skiers perspective that ring true for anyone
afflicted with the ski bum disease. From couch surfing, to the operating room,
to skipping work for a taste of fresh snow, Sheldrake offers an entertaining
tale of restlessness, powder skiing, and a life obsessed with skiing.
$17.95 www.ghostroadpress.com
Backcountry Skiing - Skills for Ski Touring and Ski Mountaineering
by Martin Volken, Scott Schell, and Margaret Wheeler
Backcountry Skiing is a new reference book
from the Mountaineers Books that takes
on mountain travel and mountaineering
strictly from a skier’s perspective. It is a
comprehensive overview of all that relates
to ski travel. From ski equipment (alpine
touring and telemark), to avalanche
awareness and route planning, to technical
roped travel and rescue protocols, this book
covers it.
The authors, Volken, Schell, and Wheeler
are all AMGA or IFMGA certified ski
guides and the book reflects their level of
professional experience and knowledge.
All content is clearly presented and
suitable for beginners and experienced
skiers alike. Backcountry Skiing is not
a how to book on ski technique, it is a reference for skiers looking to
learn about or extend their knowledge of backcountry travel and ski
mountaineering protocol.
Backcountry Skiing is the skier’s equivalent of Mountaineering: Freedom
of the Hills and should prove a valuable resource for anyone looking to be
well informed and make good decisions in the mountains.
$19.95 www.mountaineersbooks.org
2nd Annual Outdoor Research
a celebration of backcountry
VertiCulture
Stay Tuned. Registration opens January 4, 2008
www.outdoorresearch.com/vertfest
Crystal Mountain, WA
March 1, 2008
Alpental, WA
March 29, 2008
Sponsored by:
USSMA National
Series Events
photo credit: Brian Litz
32 Off-Piste December 2007
Presented by:
Issue XXXV Off-Piste 33
5)
5)
'&#36"3: ° 8)*5&8"5&38*/5&33&4035
888$0-%4.0,&108%&3'&45$0.
NELSON, BC, CANADA
DEEP POWDER
SKI & SNOWBOARD
TELEMARK
SKI TOURING
TREESKIING
ATHLETE CLINICS
BACKCOUNTRY
FILM NIGHT
DEMO GEAR
APRES & BEER
GEAR GIVEAWAYS
> BUFF-EH & PARTY
> RANDONEE RACE
> TELEMARK CUP
> FOTO FACE-OFF
> BC SLOPESTYLE
PRESENTED BY:
HOSTED BY:
GOLD SPONSORS:
SUPPORTERS
34 Off-Piste December 2007
MEDIA:
Issue XXXV Off-Piste 35