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Now - Off

Burns Well
Rain
ENSO
Whitewater
0809 Ski Review
Ignorance & Arrogance
more
Issue XXXVIII
October 2008
While our competition
searches for the Holy Grail…
Voilé is making better telemark bindings now!
Our industry has coined the term “holy grail” for a telemark binding which, by our account,
has become an elusive, complicated, telemark contraption.
The new Voile Switchback and Voile SX telemark bindings deliver elegant simplicity, light weight,
innovative functionality, power and reliability.
Stop searching and get back to Voile.
Made in the USA, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Win a pair of Switchback or SX bindings.
To enter, leave a comment at the Holy Grail
post at the Blogcountry link on our
website, voile-usa.com
www.voile-usa.com • 801-973-8622
2 Off-Piste October 2008
Issue XXXVIII Off-Piste 3
Off-Piste
Volume X Issue XXXVIII
Publisher/Editor
David Waag
Contents
Assistant Editor
Omar Sankari
features
Design Consultant
Ullr
10
Whitwater Changes Ownership
Contributing Writers
Brooke Edwards, Eileen Garvin, Leigh Jones, Nils Larsen,
Lee Lazarra, Steve Ogle, Andy Roof, David Waag, Wendy
Wagner
13
0809 Ski Review
Contributing Photographers/Artists
Adam Clark, Ian Coble, Chad Coleman,
Ryan Creary, Bissell Hazen, Jason Leslie, Steve Ogle,
Nichola Shilletto, David Waag, Will Wissman
17
Ode to “S”
20
Ignorance & Arrogance
28
Lazy Rain
Copy Editors
Eileen Garvin, Karen Holt
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
An Interview by Nils Larsen
Ski Geeks Unite
A Poem by Brooke Edwards
Ignorance is Bliss in the Hallway Couloir - Lee Lazarra
Getting Ready for Winter - Steve Ogle
All Content Copyright 2008 Freeheel Press
Printed in the USA on recycled paper
departments
8 What’s Up
9 Letters
18 Gallery
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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.
24
26
Backcountry Beta - ENSO
30
Words and Images - Book and Movie Reviews
Ask The PT
Contents Page Illustration: Nichola Shilletto
Cover Photo: Will Wissman
Skier: Brant Moles full speed ahead in Mill Creek Canyon, UT
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First Tracks
T
he snow has stopped falling for the moment, but
the clouds remain thick. We are well into the cloud
layer, and it is hard to determine where the clouds end
and the snow begins in the distance. The sun tries to exert its
presence, but the clouds yield nothing. We are only a couple thousand
feet off the valley floor, and we are momentarily parked on the glacier waiting
to see if the clouds will lift and offer some visibility before we continue any higher.
I have spent my fair share of time over the years waiting for mountain weather to cooperate
with my ski agenda. A little patience goes a long way in the mountains as does knowing when to
say enough is enough. This particular trip has been a lesson in patience with the weather, and on this
particular day, we decide to make the best with what we have, and ski the lower elevations.
The weather outside my window right now is reminiscent of that day on the glacier; the rain has stopped, but the
clouds cling to the tree tops around the house. It is the first true fall-like weather of the year, and my thoughts turn
to what the winter will bring. Anticipation for winter has captivated me since I was a little kid, even before I was much of a
skier. Something about the cooler temperatures, shorter days, and changes in weather patterns hypnotizes me year after year.
These days, anticipation for winter is inextricably linked to Off-Piste as fall is crunch time for getting the magazine rolling for the
season. This year marks Off-Piste’s tenth anniversary. I only released a single issue the first year, but every year since ’98-99
season, there have been four issues per winter (the original issue is available online in PDF format).
Many people and companies have supported Off-Piste over the years, and without this support, the mag would not have made it this
far, thank you. The backcountry ski industry has grown, and the mag has evolved too. My background is in skiing not publishing or
even writing, and the success of the mag is a reflection of all the people who have contributed, readers who have subscribed, and
companies who have offered their advertising support over the years, thanks.
Here’s to winter!
Cheers,
Dave
Garry Dagg enjoys some of Canada’s finest, Roger’s Pass, BC. Photo: Ryan Creary
What’s Up
ski news, access issues, and more
Foes of White Pass
Expansion Lose in Court
Eileen Garvin
Pacific Northwest backcountry skiing suffered
a blow this fall when a U.S. district judge
cleared the way for the expansion of a
Washington resort in September. Following
the decision from Judge James Robart, the
White Pass Ski Resort, which is located in
the Cascade Mountain range 50 miles west
of Yakima, Wash., can proceed with plans to
double in size. Robart ruled against the Sierra
Club and the Hogback Basin Preservation
Association — a local environmental group —
in a suit that sought to block the expansion.
White Pass Company, which owns the resort,
will add 767 acres to its footprint, which
currently covers 805 acres. The expansion
includes plans for two new chair lifts, 18
additional trails, a 2,000-square-foot lodge and
a 7-acre parking lot.
David Bahr, attorney for the Hogback Basin
Preservation Association, said the White
Pass expansion would be the first time a ski
area was allowed to expand into a roadless
area. Bahr said the lawsuit aimed to protect
the integrity of the rules guarding roadless
environments. During the suit, Bahr argued
that Hogback Basin could be protected with the expansion of lift access
in other regional ski areas that don’t have backcountry access. “You
can always create more ski runs, but it is pretty hard to create more
backcountry,” Bahr said.
Erik Splawn, Hogback Basin Preservation Association president, said his
organization is uncertain if they will appeal Robart’s ruling because the
major damage has already been done. “(Tree) cutting in the Hogback
Basin has gone on immediately after the ruling and continues to go on as
we speak,” Splawn said. His organization will continue to monitor other
environmental concerns in the area.
One issue in its sights is the sewage
system at the ski resort, which Splawn
said needs to be upgraded and has
been a problem for years. The Hogback
Basin Preservation Association has
been fighting development in the area
since 1988. This suit is its third against
development at White Pass Ski Resort.
At press time, White Pass Company
was engaged in tree cutting and ground
surveys as it waited to see if opponents
would appeal. Company president Kevin
McCarthy said Robart’s decision was a
positive one, and he confirmed earlier
comments that he thinks backcountry
skiers who want to keep the area
closed to lift skiing are being selfish. “I
believe lift skiers deserve more space in
White Pass,” McCarthy said. McCarthy
maintained that the expansion is
needed for the safety and enjoyment
of a growing number of visitors to the
area. He said the resort has seen a 36
percent increase in users over the last
eight years.
Backcountry skiers treasure Hogback
Basin, which, until now, was easily
accessed from the existing upper lift
of the White Pass Resort but free of
crowds. Lawyers for the Sierra Club and Hogback Basin Preservation
Association argued that the clearing of 22 acres of trees necessary for
the expansion violates U.S. Forest Service guidelines for roadless areas.
Other critics include the Yakama Nation, which has contended in the past
that expansion into the Hogback Basin would violate an 1855 treaty.
The White Pass Ski Resort is located in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest
and the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests. The resort operates
under a special use permit issued by the U.S. Forest Service. That entity
issued a permit for the expansion last year.
Map: Jason Leslie
What’s Up
ski news, access issues, and more
Wolf Creek Saga Take Two
The ongoing battle over the development of 250 acres near the base of the
Wolf Creek Ski Resort is back to square one according to Colorado Wild, an
environmental group based in Durango, Colorado.
The news comes on the heels of the out-of-court settlement of two
protracted lawsuits that have been holding up the development. One lawsuit
was between the owners of the Wolf Creek Ski Resort and the would-be
developers. The other pitted various environmental groups against the U.S.
Forest Service and the developers.
Under terms of the settlements, the developers have agreed to submit to a
full environmental review of their plans for a “village” on the land and have
agreed to cover $250,000 in court fees incurred by environmental groups.
In addition, the Forest Service has agreed to conduct the environmental
review itself rather than contract with a third-party firm for the review. The
previous environmental review, conducted by a third party, was at the heart
of the dispute between environmental groups and the Forest Service.
With the process back to square one, the public will have another
opportunity to comment on the development during the environmental
impact statement process.
Yellowstone Park Update
In September, a federal court ruled against a Bush Administration decision
authorizing increased snowmobile use in Yellowstone National Park.
The administration’s earlier ruling to allow 540 snowmobiles per day in
Yellowstone was found to violate the fundamental responsibility of the
National Park Service to protect the clean air, wildlife, and natural quiet of
Yellowstone. In addition, the ruling said that allowing increased snowmobile
numbers goes against national park scientists’ findings that show the
detrimental impact of snowmobiles.
The struggle to find a snowmobile use plan that meets Park,
environmentalist, and snowmobile user needs has been far from a simple
quest. Over $10 million has been spent to evaluate snowmobile impact and
solicit feedback from user groups.
The increase to 540 snowmobiles per day would have doubled the current
average daily use in the park. The Greater Yellowstone Coalition (GYC),
an environmental group based in Montana, has helped to lead the fight to
reduce snowmobile traffic in Yellowstone. The GYC suggests that the Park
allow a maximum of 260 sleds per day (the daily average over the past five
years) this season, and research the feasibility of phasing out snowmobiles
altogether.
The latest ruling leaves Yellowstone without a plan for the winter season,
which opens on December 15. Park officials have begun an environmental
assessment aimed at establishing a policy for this season, and hope to have
a document ready for public comment in November.
Letters
express yourself
po box 1626 hood river, or 97031
[email protected]
Funnel of Death
Long time reader here. I have always enjoyed the
educational aspect of the magazine as well as the format.
You guys really stepped it up last season. Content was
great and some of the ski adventure far over my head. I
like to read about places that I can ski and places that I
can aspire to ski. Although I do not know if I will ever
aspire to the Canadian Couloirs in Issue 35, especially
with nicknames like the Funnel of Death! Think snow.
- Joe Lang, Colorado
T-Shirt Love
OK, I have been waiting for several years for you to get
new t-shirts. I have completely worn out your original
shirt. Come on, show some love.
- Andrew M., Missoula, MT
- Andrew, Shirts or hoodies are in the works.
Where’s my Mag!
In August (during a heat wave) Powder Mag arrived and then
Backcountry. Where is Off-Piste? I think you guys have the
best ski reviews in the business, even if you do not cover
all the skis that are available (what’s with that anyway?)
I’ll just keep waiting – not so patiently.
- Sam F. Portland, OR
- Thanks for the kind words. Here you go, ski review and all.
Ymir Peak presides over the humble Whitewater Ski Area. Photo: Steve Ogle
O
n August 29, 2008, Whitewater Ski Area, near Nelson, British
Columbia, was sold to a small group of investors from Calgary,
Alberta. With only two fixed lifts and 1,300 feet of vertical,
Whitewater is often passed over by the casual ski tourist in British
Columbia. There are, after all, a wealth of ski areas in the province,
many of which boast more lifts and bigger vertical drops than
Whitewater. But for dedicated skiers, and particularly for those with
a penchant for powder and backcountry touring, Whitewater makes
the radar. The area’s near-mythic status is well-earned. Whitewater
sits in a subalpine bowl in the southern Selkirks, part of the only
interior temperate rainforest on the planet. Whitewater receives an
annual average of 40 feet of snow, and, because of its 5,400-foot base
elevation (very high for this northern region), it generally receives
little or no rain through the season. In-bounds skiing includes limited
beginner and intermediate terrain, but the area has a wealth of
advanced skiing. The adjacent backcountry is exceptional, with some
great open terrain and incomparable tree skiing – a plus for the often
low-visibility days when, as the locals say, “it’s puking out.”
Whitewater is also known for its food, which is arguably some of the
best ski cafeteria fare in the country. The lodge is modest, but cozy,
and during the week skiers’ packs hang on the walls and friends
gather between runs and watch the snow fall. Whitewater is, in the
best sense of the phrase, a skier’s mountain.
Needless to say, a change in ownership and the potential for trying to
make Whitewater into yet another glamorous resort has both locals
and long-time fans worried. On a recent trip to Nelson, I sat down with
the new manager, Brian Cusack, and two of the three new owners to
talk about their plans for the future.
Until recently, Cusack was the area manager at Castle Mountain, in the
Canadian Rockies, just east of Fernie, British Columbia.
big houses and that kind of stuff, we want to be small. [We want
to have] very comfortable unit size with very low visual impact and
really sound ecological footprints. We want to make sure that by the
time we are actually building, we are using the most ecologically
sound and environmentally friendly technologies and insulating
procedures – ground source heat pumps, grey water recycling – [and
doing] everything we can to be as low impact as we possibly can.
[We’d also like to] focus on – it’s sort of cliché – that small is the
new big.
Nils: It seems like right now at Whitewater it’s almost like
everything’s at capacity and you couldn’t, say, develop the lodge
space or the lift space without increasing parking space.
Brian: Right now, we do see the place as bursting at the seams, so
we would consider building a skier services building, which would
allow the lodge to utilize the ground floor for more cafeteria space,
and increasing the parking lot. We are already looking at how we can
do that with the least amount of environmental impact. … That will
be one of the things we do next year.
Nils: Specifically, for this upcoming season, are there any changes?
Brian: Well, we are looking at doing a shuttle for the backside skiers.
[The backside is currently an out-of-bounds area of steep tree skiing
that ends down the access road from the ski area.] It would probably
only happen on weekends or on really primo powder days, and we’d
have some pretty strict … guidelines [regarding] how you get into
that area and the area that we patrol. Right now we’ve priced it so
that [the shuttle] would be included in the day ticket. … If conditions
don’t warrant the bus, we won’t run it.
Our conversation turned to Whitewater’s famous food.
Following are excerpts from our discussion:
Brian: Realistically, we are maintaining the food.
Nils Larsen: The obvious question is: What are the plans for the
future?
Nils: Yeah, that’s a big question that everybody’s asked me right off.
Brian Cusack: We really want to focus on maintaining the niche
and the backcountry aspect that Whitewater supports. We don’t
foresee installing quad chairs or high-speed chairs or anything
like that; we just want to access the 3,200 acres that are in the
commercial recreation area. … [A way] to improve the terrain mix a
little bit … from a commercial point of view, would be to increase the
intermediate skiing. But at the same time … we’re looking at … three
or four runs of intermediate skiing, we could access another thousand
acres of tree skiing off the backside. So, by installing one lift we could
end up with a significant increase in backcountry access.
As far as the real estate goes, we want to go really, really slow. We
want to be what everybody else is not. So rather than big condos and
Brian: Oh yeah, I know. We’ve already spoken to Shelley [Shelley
Adams, the creator and driver of Whitewater’s food service] a
number of times. [We want to] make sure that the quality stays
where it has been or where it can even improve.
Nils: It’s pretty unique food.
Brian: Yeah, it’s fantastic. I think we are probably the only ski area
that doesn’t have people coming in with bag lunches.
Nils: So, basically there’s no infrastructure change this coming year.
Brian: Not this year. We only really took over in August.
Nils: So, next year would you be looking at possibly putting a lift on
the backside?
Brian: Well, next year we would probably have our plans in place.
We’re accepting bids right now for a planner to review the existing
master plan. We sort of already know what the shortcomings are,
but hopefully we will get an industry expert to confirm our views and
give us some ideas for other plans, and also to come up with a village
plan. We would work hand in hand with the BC government and the
local government to make sure that our village plan fit a concept that
everybody could live with. There are a lot of locals who want the right
thing to happen. So, realistically, we might cut some runs next year
and still run the shuttle, but there is a pretty tight market for used
lifts, so we would start shopping [for a used lift].
Nils: As far as the backcountry skiing goes, access is going to stay
similar to what it has been?
Brian: Yeah, unchanged.
The new owners are Dean Prodan, Andrew Kyle, and Mitch Putman.
After talking to Brian, I was able to spend a few minutes with Dean
and Andrew.
Nils: Do you backcountry ski?
Dean: You know, I took it up about four or five years ago, and over
the years have been coming to appreciate it more and more. I’ve
done a few trips; I’ve done the Haute Route, the Wapta. I did do a
seven-day camping trip last winter [in the Selkirks]. The more I go, I
realize I’m actually built for touring; I’m happy to go uphill.
Nils: As we get older, it’s a little more holistic, healthy way to ski, I
think.
Dean: Yeah, and that comes to the whole unique opportunity of
Whitewater and what makes it so special. … Our vision is to keep it
the same. It’s all about the skier experience.
Nils: [to Andrew] Have you backcountry skied too?
Andrew Kyle: Oh yeah, I love to backcountry ski. We have Mt.
Engadine Lodge [a backcountry lodge in the Canadian Rockies]. I do
quite a bit out there, and we go to … backcountry lodges out here.
Dean: From a backcountry point of view, I think you’ll find that
Andrew and I are the keenest to try and figure out a way to, …
Nils: How did you three go about getting the ski area?
Andrew: To support it.
Dean Prodan: Well, it was just more of an opportunity than
anything we were looking for. … I guess the primary driver was my
relationship with Brian [Cusack] through Castle Mountain. Brian knew
I had an interest in the ski industry because we had known each
other for a while. When he heard that Whitewater might be available,
he and I spent some time looking at it, and it became clear that
maybe there was an opportunity to do something. I started to look
for partners to be part of it, and Mitch Putman and I went to high
school together, so we’ve skied together for 30 years. So he was a
natural. Andrew and I had met over the years skiing as well. I knew
he was keen, particularly for this type of unique niche opportunity, so
I brought them together and worked toward the purchase.
Dean: Definitely to support it.
Andrew: There is so much opportunity there [at Whitewater]. We’ve
talked about guiding and doing some other things in respect to
opening up [backcountry skiing] opportunities there.
Dean: I think that also, as you said, as some of us get older,
backcountry skiing is a much better, more holistic thing to do, and I
think it’s a growing market, particularly for contemporaries of ours. …
Skiers climb the toward Ymir Peak above the Whitewater Ski Area. Photo: Steve Ogle
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ackcountry skiing is experiencing growth and crossover from alpine skiing unlike we have ever seen.
Twenty years ago backcountry skis were tools for mountaineers and a small core user group. Today,
backcountry skis are less backcountry and more all-mountain in character. Big dimensions, high
performance, and front-country appeal characterize many of the skis in our review. There are still many
skis designed with dedicated touring in mind, and we have pulled them aside to honor their construction
and performance with special recognition as Off-Piste Picks. Skis are organized by waist width.
FATTEST – 110MM+ WAIST
While this category has some old schoolers scratching their heads, it has
aggressive big mountain skiers rejoicing. Although all of these skis are
surprisingly capable on firm snows, we see them as skis for folks who
like to ski fast, ski big lines, and ski the deepest of snows; we will go out
on a limb here and call them quiver skis.
Black Diamond Megawatt Dimensions: 153-125-130 Lengths:
178/188cm Weight: 4.7kg/10.4lbs (183cm) $799. Although our old school
brains are hard pressed to imagine touring on this board, there are
skiers who do so without complaint. The Megawatt features a rockered
tip and zero camber. The combination makes for a ski that prefers to be
on top. If the width was not enough to keep it afloat, the rockered tip
pretty much ensures this ski will plane over anything. Although these
will ski firm conditions, that is not why you ski them. They excel in
variable and deep snows, require big boots, and are best served by big
terrain.
Black Diamond Zealot Dimensions: 138-110-126, Lengths: 182/192cm
Weight: 4.2kg/9.24lbs (182cm) $699. Aptly named, the Zealot is a big ski
that comes to life as it gets up to speed. Given the sizes available, the
ski appeals to aggressive skiers looking for a big radius soft snow tool.
A ski like this changes what can be called skiable snow and extends the
range of what can be termed “powder” here in the Northwest. Like last
year, we found it more forgiving, but less versatile than the Verdict.
Karhu Team 130 Dimensions: 155-130-148 Lengths: 186cm Weight:
5.14kg/11.3lbs $775. The Team 130 is the widest ski underfoot that we
have ever skied. We tested it with freeheel binders and found that it
does not take much new snow to take advantage of the ski’s girth; even
a few inches of soft snow is enough for these skis to float. And perhaps
this is the secret of super fatties; with this much surface area, even a
few inches of snow affords a feeling of flotation. I could speak to the
skis’ firm snow performance, but why would you want to ski them in
firm snow?
Voile Asylum Dimensions: 153-116-143 (175cm) Lengths:
165/175/185/195cm, 3.3kg/7.25lbs (175cm) $575. Like the Insane, the
Asylum is hands down the lightest weight ski in its class In fact, the
Asylum is lighter than many of the 90+mm waist skis. The Asylum
handled everything we could do to it with relative grace for its size. That
said, by their very nature, skis this big underfoot are true quiver skis.
Regardless of how well they can carve, it is a unique feeling and this ski
excels at flotation and big arcs. We skied it with three-buckle tele boots
without complaint. The ski is available with telemark binding inserts or
with a flat deck for alpine touring bindings.
FAT – 99-109MM WAIST
Once the fattest ski category around, this collection of skis may still not
appeal to a touring fanatic, but they are loads of fun for mixed boundary
skiing, and they are getting plenty of play on hut trips, too.
Atomic Janak Dimensions: 124-99-115 (173) Lengths:
153/163/173/183cm Weight: 3.91kg/8.6lbs (183cm) $549. The Janak
returns unchanged from last year. It is a soft snow tool that also
manages to rip around on-piste pretty well so long as you have a big
radius bias in your turns. This ski is a well known quantity, and it set a
high standard for the 99mm+ category early in the category’s existence.
Ski it fixed, ski it free, but most of all ski it in the deep snow that we all
dream about and you will be happy.
Atomic Janak Bro Dimensions: 127-103-119 (183cm) Lengths:
174/183/192cm Weight: 3.75kg/8.3lbs (183cm) $659. The Janak Bro
steps out of the standard Atomic recipe. This ski uses a poplar wood
core and sandwich construction versus Atomic’s typical Densolite core
and cap construction. The result is a ski with a distinctly different feel,
and we liked it. It is a light lively ski with a soft flex, but it managed to
hold its own ripping around the hill with no problem. If a twin tip ski is
what you are after, the Bro should make the short list. If they made it
without a twin-tip, I know some old-schoolers who would tour on it.
Black Diamond Verdict Dimensions: 134-102-120 (180cm) Lengths:
170/180/190cm Weight: 4kg/8.8lbs (180cm) $629. Unchanged from
last season, the Verdict continues to appeal to aggressive skiers. The
Verdict holds firm in a variety of snows but requires solid input to enjoy
its versatility. We see this as a big mountain ski for experienced users.
Intermediate skiers found it less appealing in varied snow conditions,
but it floats through soft snow with ease.
G3 El Hombre Dimensions: 136-105-124 Lengths: 170/177/185/192cm
Weight: 3.9kg 8.6lbs (177cm) $699. El Hombre gets some new paint this
season, but is otherwise the same ski as last season. Like many of the
bigger skis, El Hombre comes to life at speed. That said, the Hombre
stood out in the 99mm+ waist category for its versatility in turn shape
and ability to please a variety of skier types.
Karhu Team 100 Dimensions: 134-100-125 Lengths: 172/179/186cm
Weight: 3.97kg/8.7lbs (179cm) $625. The Team 100 has established
itself as a standard in the big mountain backcountry ski scene and for
good reason; it is a very versatile, responsive ski for its size. The float
and flex of the Team appeal to a wide range of skiers, and it handles the
full gamut of snow conditions very well. It is one of the more versatile
skis in its class.
K2 Anti-Piste Dimensions: 135-102-121 Lengths: 167/174/181/188cm
Weight: 3.75kg/8.2lbs (174cm) $599. Part of the K2 telemark line, the
Anti-Piste is a relatively light ski for its size, but it is the ski’s subtle
tip rocker that defines its personality. It excels in mixed and deep
conditions. It is less inspiring on firm snow than some skis in its class.
The Anti-Piste was designed for off-piste snows, and it skis ‘em with ease
regardless of how big your boots may be.
K2 Coomba Dimensions: 135-102-121 Lengths: 167/174/181/188cm
Weight: 3.75kg/8.2lbs (174cm) $799. Joining K2’s alpine-touring lineup, the Coomba comes directly from K2’s alpine line. It is dimensionally
the same as the Anti-Piste, but without the Anti’s light tip rocker and is
relatively light for its size class. The Coomba offers a smooth, damp ride
and easily rides through mixed and varied snow conditions. The Coomba
is at the top of its category for all-around versatility and had wide appeal
amongst testers.
Voile Insane 138-103-128 (172cm) Lengths: 161/172/183cm Weight:
3.1kg/6.75lbs (172cm) $525. The Insane is the lightest ski in its
class by well over a pound per pair and is the obvious choice for a
dedicated touring ski in this category. The aspen wood core and carbon
construction give the ski its light weight, but still create a solid platform
underfoot and stout flex. The ski makes short work of soft snow and
handles speed on-piste with ease. Given its weight, it is a good match to
a variety of boots. The ski is available with telemark binding inserts or
with a flat deck for alpine touring bindings.
ski with the Kilowatt. We see this as BD’s quiver-of-one model. It rips
around firm snow as well as it skis soft snow. Its weight is respectable,
and it has a mid to large radius turn bias. Given the skis big platform
underfoot, it is best served by stout boots and alpine touring or active
telemark binders.
Dynafit Manaslu Dimensions: 122-95-108 (178cm) Lengths:
169/178/187cm Weight: 2.9kg/6.39lbs (178cm) $699. The Manaslu
is a pioneering ski. It sets a new standard for light-weight off-piste
performance in its class. The combination of a slightly rockered tip
with a blend of wood and synthetic core materials creates a dynamic
all-mountain touring ski that simply eats up varied and soft snow
conditions. The tip planes over everything, yet the ski maintains a solid
platform underfoot offering responsive control in firm snows. The ski was
designed to handle varied snow conditions, and it lives up to its design.
G3 Reverend Dimensions: 126-93-114 Lengths: 170/177/185cm Weight:
4.1kg/8.2lbs (177cm) $629. The Reverend gets a new façade this season, but
at its core is unchanged. It is a versatile ski that’s equally at home inbounds
as it is out. The Rev has a damp ride and comes to life with an inspired
driver. It continues to appeal to a variety of skier biases. Three and four
buckle boots are right at home on this ski.
G3 Saint Dimensions: 126-93-114 Lengths: 170/177/185cm Weight:
3.2kg/7lbs (177cm) $699. The Saint, modeled after the Reverend’s
profile, offers the same dimensions with a lighter-weight construction,
dropping over a pound per pair. On snow, the Saint does not have the
same level of power or dampness that the heavier Reverend offers, but it
holds its own in soft, untracked snows. It is the obvious choice between
the two for a dedicated touring ski.
MID-FAT – 90-98MM WAIST
Dimensionally, the mid 90’s waist category is, in our humble opinion,
playing out to be the all-mountain ski of choice. Sure, there are days
when fatter is loads of fun, but if you are looking for all mountain go-to
ski, look in this category.
Black Diamond Kilowatt Dimensions: 126-95-114 (175cm) Lengths:
155/165/175/185cm Weight: 3.5kg/7.7lbs (175cm) $599. Black
Diamond’s pursuit of the mixed boundary skier comes together in one
G3 Rapid Transit Dimensions: 128-91-116 Lengths: 177/178/185/192cm
Weight: 3.6kg/8lbs (178cm) $649. We see the Rapid Transit as a
responsive telemark ski. Given the ski’s asymetrical design, it takes a
couple runs to learn to take advantage of the ski’s energy, but testers
found it confident in classic mixed condition in-bounds skiing as well as
powder snow. It initiates turns quickly, and it was responsive to a variety
of boot styles.
Photo: Susie Sutphin
Karhu Storm Dimensions: 128-96-117 Lengths: 170/177/184cm Weight:
3.8kg/8.6lbs (177cm) $600. The Storm replaces the Jak and sets a new
standard for Karhu’s mountain series skis. The Storm is characterized
by its solid platform and relatively stiff flex. The combination handles a
variety of conditions but prefers a confident driver. Stout boots will help
you get the most out of the Storm, especially with freeheels. We see
it as a good mixed boundary ski for aggressive freeheelers and alpine
touring gear.
Karhu Storm BC Dimensions: 128-96-117 Lengths: 170/177/184cm
Weight: 3.42kg/7.5lbs (177cm) $625. Cut from the same mold as the
Storm, the BC version offers a lighter construction and somewhat more
moderate flex. Carbon layers replace the titanal found in the Storm, and
although the flex is not quite as supple and round as its predecessor, the
Jak BC, the Storm BC is more forgiving and touring oriented than the
Storm. We found it more confident in mixed snows than the Jak, yet still
fun in consistent soft snows. Moderate to big boots are best for this one
and medium to bigger radius turns are its forte.
ALL MOUNTAIN – 80-89MM WAIST
This category once ruled the quiver of one title, but as wider skis have
evolved, we see this category taking on a different role. Although the
skis at the upper end of the width range here can easily compete with
the next category wider, many of these skis are finding their niche in
firmer snows and more mountaineering type applications.
Atomic Kailas Dimensions: 125-88-111 Lengths: 163/174/185cm
Weight: 3.36kg/7.4lbs (174cm) $529 The Kailas gets new graphics this
season and holds its own in a wide variety of snow. This ski, given its
tip width and nearly 90mm underfoot, skis soft snow every bit as well
as many skis a few millimeters wider underfoot. The Kailas has a nice
even flex and is relatively light. Despite its healthy side-cut, it handles
medium and big radius arcs without complaint. It had wide appeal in our
testing, fixed heel or free, aggressive or cruising, everyone found the ski
handled well.
Atomic RT86 Dimensions: 127-86-113 Lengths: 162/169/176/183cm
Weight: 2.95kg/6.5lbs (176cm) $589. The RT86 is a smooth, responsive
ski. Although dimensionally similar to the Kailas, it is a very different ski.
The side-cut is aggressive, and this ski loves to carve and make short
radius turns. Given the ski’s tip dimension of 127mm, it’s easy to think
it would have a soft snow bias, but we actually found the RT86 more at
home when it could carve a turn with its edge. It has a relatively stiff
platform and tail and enjoys laying out high-speed turns with something
to push against. It is light and a good choice for high alpine adventures
as well as corduroy cruising.
Atomic Free Dream Dimensions: 117-82-106 Lengths:
150/157/164/171/178cm Weight: 2.56kg/5.64lbs (171cm) $529. The
Free Dream is a ski mountaineering tool. Its short lengths and light
weight make it a good choice for mountaineering exploits. The 82mm
waist gives you enough ski if the snow gets funky while the ski’s carbon
construction gives it a solid edge in variable high-alpine snow conditions.
This a good choice if you are looking for a light ski to bag peaks, ski
spring chutes, or take on an extended expedition. It is well matched to
light boots/binders.
Black Diamond Havoc Dimensions: 123-88-112 (175cm) Lengths:
165/175/185cm Weight: 3.6kg/7.92lbs (175cm) $559. The Havoc is
slowly getting overshadowed in the BD line by several of the company’s
bigger skis, but the ski continues to have a solid following. Its healthy
dimensions make for respectable soft-snow skiing and it has a great
reputation in firmer alpine-like conditions. It is best enjoyed with
confident skills, but responds well to a range of boots and bindings.
Black Diamond Voodoo Dimensions: 123-88-112 (175cm) Lengths:
165/175/185cm Weight: 3.3kg/7.25lbs (175cm) $549. Given BD’s
unabashed dedication to the down, the Voodoo stands alone as their
all-mountain ski with dedicated light-weight construction for touring. The
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VooDoo can be a little uncertain on firm snows, but once the conditions
soften up, it serves up medium radius arcs with life. It responds well to a
variety of boots and binders.
lively spirit and, although a powder purist may scoff at the ski’s waist
width, the World continues to get praise from a wide variety of skiers
and is a great choice when the conditions are boot- versus waist-deep.
G3 Spitfire Dimensions: 123-89-111mm Lengths: 170/177/184/192cm
Weight: 3.5kg/7.7lbs (177cm) $599. The Spitfire is a responsive board
on-piste and offers enough underfoot to hold its own in soft snow, too.
Billed as the new guide’s ski, the Spitfire’s personality is predictable with
all-condition abilities. If your local snowpack is soft and deep, we’d go
Reverend or Saint, but if all condition versatility is what you are after,
the Spitfire fits the bill.
Karhu Spire Dimensions:122-86-1108, Lengths: 163/170/177/184cm
Weight: 3.67kg/8.1lbs (177cm) $575. Another all new platform from
Karhu, the Spire follows the Storm’s lead in offering a stiff-flexing ski
that appeals to aggressive skiers. Its point-and-shoot personality is
created using a wood core with titanal reinforcements. The Spire is best
skied with active or fixed binders and a confident driver. Its damp ride
holds its own in firm snows, but we were less impressed with it in soft
snow.
K2 Work Stinx Dimensions: 124-88-111 Lengths: 167/174/181cm
Weight 3.6kg/7.9lbs (174cm) $575. This is a tele skier’s ski. It is fun to
turn in all but the firmest conditions. The Work’s damp ride and round
flex keep it lively and easy to control for a wide variety of skier biases.
This is a quiver-of-one tele board.
K2 Mt. Baker Dimensions: 121-88-108 Lengths: 167/174/181cm Weight:
3.9kg 8.5lbs (174cm) $549. The Mt. Baker returns unchanged from last
season and is clearly K2’s all-mountain, mixed-boundary ski. You can go
bigger, you can go lighter, but few skis are as stable and consistent with
varied input. The Baker is a practical all-mountain board that responds
well to a variety of boots and skier styles.
K2 Mt. Baker Superlight Dimensions: 121-88-108, Lengths:
167/174/181cm Weight: 2.95kg/6.5lbs (174cm) $575. This is K2’s
dedicated all mountain touring board. The Mt. Baker Superlight is two
pounds lighter per pair than the Mt. Baker, and although it does not
handle mixed condition ski area turns as well as a stouter ski, it works
through varied backcountry snows without complaint. The Superlight is
easily skied with lighter more touring-oriented boots, and can be found
on the feet of many a dedicated backcountry skier.
K2 World Piste Dimensions: 122-80-107 Lengths: 167/174/181cm
Weight 3.2kg/7lbs (174cm) $529. The World Piste shares in K2’s damp,
Karhu Spire BC Dimensions:122-86-1108, Lengths: 163/170/177/184cm
Weight: 3.17kg/7lbs (177cm) $590 We applaud Karhu for following each
of their new ski models with a BC version directed at a more dedicated
touring customer. With the Spire BC, we think they created a better
ski than its stouter brother the Spire. The Spire BC did everything the
Spire could do and did it with less muscle. Still a little heavier than we
like to see for a dedicated touring ski in its size category, the Spire BC is
equally at home with freeheels as it is with fixed. The ski handles mixed
soft snow conditions without complaint and has enough backbone to
carve the alpine when called upon.
Ski Trab Stelvio Freeride Dimensions: 117-84-105, Lengths:
164/171/178/185cm, 3.22kg/7.1lbs (171cm) $619 Named after Italy’s
Stelvio National Park (home to some impressive ski touring), the Stelvio
Freeride breaks out of Ski Trab’s more randonee, go-light ski mold. It
is a solid, all-conditions ski that handles varied backcountry snow with
ease. It has a medium radius bias, and once you find its groove, the ski
pulls you into turn after turn without hesitation. The ski’s wood-veneer
top sheet is the icing on the cake.
Ski Trab Stelvio Freeride Light Dimensions: 117-84-105, Lengths:
164/171/178/185cm, 2.58kg/5.7lbs (171cm) Combine the Stelvio’s
all-mountain dimensions with Ski Trab’s light-weight honeycomb core
technology and you get the sub-six pound Stelvio Freeride Light. We
skied this ski foot to foot with the heavier Stelvio. Sure, it loses some
of the damp do-everything feel of the regular Stelvio, but it excelled in
continued on p.23
ORM
2008 KARHU ST17
7, 184cm
128-96-117mm
::
170,
KARHU GEAR & XCD HISTORY PROJECT
www.KARHUSKICO.com
www.WHEREWILLYOUSKI.com
Photos: (L) Allan Bard on the Redline Traverse, by Tom Carter. (C
and R): Eric Henderson scrambling for deep powder in Jackson, by
Steve Lloyd. Karhu® and Karhu & Design are registered trademarks
of Karhu Holding B.V. and are used herein under license.
I
n 1978 we created the �irst Karhu XCD ski, and it inspired a
backcountry revolution. Marrying downhill and Nordic designs,
Karhu XCD skis opened up a wilder side of winter on the feet of pioneers like Allan Bard. It's been 30 years, but the same spirit lives on
today in the four new skis of our Mountain Series – backcountry-inspired
tools for visionaries like Eric Henderson and the next generation of telemark
and alpine touring skiers.
James Heim enjoys another day in Canada Photo: Ian Coble
Ode to the “S”
Skiing
stole the
“S”
back from
Sexy
Sweet ~
Sweat ~
Sugar ~
glistens
like hush
hush
Secrets
Slideshowing
Solitude
Subnivean
Snakes
Seduced
into Submission
Sign
“S”
After
curvaceous
“S”
Into
Sequin
Sideways
Smiles
Slipping
Sometimes
Into
Surfalicious
Serenity…
Drew Stoecklein leave his ode to the “S” in Golden BC. Photo: Will Wissman
~ Brooke Edwards
Gallery
Alex Schenkar fills the void, Alpental, WA. 18 Off-Piste October 2008
Photo: Chad Coleman
Gallery
Reggie Crist works the line in Haines, AK
Photo: Will Wissman
N ow I see the secret o f ma k i ng the best perso ns, i t is to g row i n the o pen a i r,
a nd ea t a nd sleep w i th the ea rth . - W a l t W h i tma n
David de Masi enjoys the storm cycle, Alpental, WA.
Photo: Bissell Hazen
Hallway Couloir, UT Photo: Adam Clark
I
considered myself to be an experienced
backcountry traveler – which, of course, I was not.
But with twenty-three years, two seasons of Wasatch
backcountry, and a two-day avalanche course under
my belt, I certainly lived like I knew what I was
doing.
I knew where the common skin trails should and shouldn’t go. I had
a vague notion that ski-cutting a slope could produce avalanches that
might otherwise take you down if you center-punched a slope in the
name of first tracks. If the avalanche hazard for the day was rated as
“considerable” or higher, I knew it was time to take advantage of my
dishwashing-earned privileges at Alta and stick to slopes ski-cut and
bombed by others.
But I also wanted to ski bigger and more exposed runs. Weary of the
typical low-angle powder cruising in the West Bowl of Silver Fork, bored
of the rolling, sheltered trees of Grizzly Gulch, I wanted to ski the kind
of terrain I partook of on a daily basis at Alta, but bigger and steeper,
with no tracks. I sought the terrain unknown and unskied by the other
young locals with whom I shared my powder days and hazy nights.
One such line was the Hallway Couloir. Having skied the Hallway the
previous season with an “expert” maybe one year my senior both in
age and experience, I possessed secret knowledge on par with the
Masons - I knew where it was. This time, my partner D, and I agreed
that he would ski-cut the portion of the chute above the left-angling
dogleg, then traverse to some insignificant trees on the far side of
the chute. There he would be in a “safe” spot – safe being a relative
term based on the idea that if the trees existed in such a precarious
locale, then they must be safe. The safety of this area of trees was
also increased, my thinking went, by the fact that if the second skier
triggered a slide, the first skier would have a sturdy, two-inch diameter
tree “trunk” to latch onto, thus fending off the volley of snow that
would otherwise wash him down the rocky gut of the Hallway right
behind his unfortunate partner.
Once D reached the “safe” spot, I would ski toward him, but cut left to
rip glorious first tracks between the towering rock walls that define the
Hallway. This is exactly what the “expert” did when I skied the shot the
previous season. Now it was my turn to have someone else do the dirty
work while I reaped the benefits. Knowledge comes at a price. I was
cashing in. D was paying his dues.
D began a ski-cut left along the break-over of the upper chute. But this
was different from any ski-cut he had ever attempted; there was no
soft snow to cut. D traversed, jumping up and down on the stiff snow
with no results save for an eerie, hollow, drumming sound. He stopped
and looked back up at me, not sure what to make of the lack of results.
There was no powder, and powder slab avalanches were what killed
people in backcountry accidents. Where was the hazard? Was there a
hazard? D continued to jump with gusto down the entire length of the
upper chute and traversed right to his island of safety, just under a
small cluster of rocks.
My turn. With D’s more-than-adequate testing, I was damn sure going
to ski this shot, even if there was no glorious powder to be had in the
first turns. The line I chose to ski took me closer to some rocks that D
had avoided, but would give me a more fluid run into the lower section
of the chute.
I think it’s obvious how this is going to play out, but here are some of
the details anyway. I skied into the rocks, where facets from a shallow
snowpack and a recent cold snap reached the surface. The cupped
crystals collapsed domino-style from my trigger-point impact and set
loose the hard slab that had supported our weight up to that point. I
heard D yell, “SLIDE! SLIDE! SLIDE!” and instinctively aimed high and
right for a vertical rock wall, the only “safe” spot in sight. Looking back
from the one patch of snow on the right side of the chute that didn’t
slide, I witnessed five-foot-tall chunks of slab peeling off one after
another back up the length of the upper chute to the break-over. Tons
of snow ran mere feet below D (as he clung to his tree branch) and
created a 15-foot-tall standing wave as the debris curled back on itself
on the far side of the chute, the mouth of the lower Hallway being too
small to swallow all that snow in one gulp.
Since I’ve gone this far, I might as well tell you the rest. That evening
I went to the Alta bar that D tended and got hammered on free beer.
Did I mention the part about how we had run into my roommate’s
boyfriend on the ridge minutes before we dropped into the Hallway and
had failed to heed his warning about steep, rocky terrain, and how he
had gone to ski it afterward and saw two tracks going into a five-foot
fracture? The results of the evening’s revels and of our apparent tracks
to oblivion collided later that night.
In a sordid finale to the day’s misadventures, an Alta town marshal
tracked me down in employee housing (I was completely wasted) and
told me how glad he was to have found my sorry ass when, as he put
it, “Your roommates think you’re dead in an avalanche.” In response to
his and the Salt Lake County sheriff’s deputy’s questions about starting
any avalanches earlier that day, and the information that they were
getting a rescue party geared up to track down my aforementioned
sorry ass, I could only slur, “Yeah, we kine o’ shtarted a big shluff –
was no bic deal. I tink.”
Hallway Couloir, UT Photo: Will Wissman
soft backcountry snow. When you tour all day, shedding a couple pounds
underfoot makes a big difference, and the Stelvio Light is a welcome
addition to Ski Trab’s freeride line; now if we can only get them to add
ten millimeters all around . . . Like the regular Stelvio, this ski has a
beautiful wood topsheet giving it a classic retro look.
Not-so-Fat – 70-79mm waist
Karhu Bertha Dimensions: 134-100-125 Lengths: 165/172cm Weight:
3.28kg/7.2lbs (172cm) $625. The Bertha is remarkably damp, and
darn light for its width. The ski made many skiers happy. Like the Jak
series upon which its construction is based, the Bertha is surprisingly
versatile for its size. Sure, it is a soft snow ski, but it turns on the
corduroy without complaint, too. It has a big sweet spot, and keeps
you afloat when the snow gets deep. We like it tele, but are confident
it will be fun with fixed heel bindings, too.
Black Diamond Stigma Dimensions: 123-79-1o8 (174cm) Lengths:
158/166/174/182cm Weight: 3kg/6.7lbs (175cm) $529 Part of BD’s
Efficient Series, the Stigma is a light weight mountaineering ski. At 79
underfoot, it is quick edge to edge, and its healthy sidecut makes for
a very responsive ride on firm or carvable snow. It is light at under
seven pounds and makes for a capable mountaineering ski in varied,
alpine conditions.
Karhu Jil Dimensions: 124-90-113 Lengths: 158/165/172cm Weight
3kg/6.6lbs (165cm) $525. The Jil continues to please a variety of
skiers. This is a respectable hut trip ski, and can handle everything
you can find at the ski hill, too. It has an even flex that responds to
all levels of input. Although it has a sweet spot for tele turns, the Jil
makes a fine alpine touring rig, too.
This category offers excellent skis for mountaineering and technical
descents. What they lack in deep snow performance, they make up for
in lively turnability and boot top snow performance.
ALL MOUNTAIN – 80-89MM WAIST
Dynafit Seven Summits Dimensions: 113/78/100 (170cm) Lengths:
156/163/170/178cm Weight 2.64kg/5.8lbs 170cm The Seven Summits
is a technical mountaineering tool. It is most at home as a spring
mountaineering ski. A fatter ski will serve you better in deep spring
muck, but the Seven Summits will not let you down in good high-angle
corn skiing. Its sub-six pound weight makes for easy packing.
K2 Shuksan Dimensions: 119-78-105 Lengths:
153/160/167/174/181cm Weight: 3.2kg/7lbs $479. Although easily
overshadowed by wider skis, the Shuksan remains a solid dedicated
touring tool. It is versatile and confident in all conditions. You can find
more float in a wider ski, but the Shuksan is a strong contender in the
all-mountain/mountaineering world. It is moderately light, forgiving in
flex, yet solid and damp when it needs to be.
Karhu XCD Guide Dimensions: 109-78-95 Lengths
165/175/185/195cm Weight: 2.6kg/5.8lbs $380. Karhu’s XCD Guide is a
waxless (fish scale base) ski worthy of true mountain skiing. We have
been using this ski in powder and spring touring conditions with great
results. Matched with three-pin binders or even Dynafits, the Guide is
light and reliable in a variety of conditions. It will not replace your main
touring skis, but it makes a nice compliment to any quiver.
Ski Trab Duo Freerando Dimensions: 112/110-79-96, Lengths:
157/164/171/178cm, 2.58kg/5.6lbs (171cm) $619 The Freerando, true
to its European roots, is a ski mountaineering board; a short radius
turner and a good tool for technical skiing. The Freerando has a solid
platform and enough torsional rigidity to handle steep firm conditions.
It is a great choice for technical spring touring.
Women’s Skis
Black Diamond Velvet Dimensions: 123-88-112 (175cm) Lengths:
165/175cm Weight: 3.4kg/7.5lbs (175cm) $559. Akin to the Havoc in
the men’s line, the Velvet carved groomers with confidence. We found
it damp and predictable in mixed conditions, but most responsive for
confident skiers.
G3 Viva Dimensions: 121-88-109mm Lengths: 157/166cm Weight:
3.2kg7.0lbs (166cm) $579. Based on the successful Siren platform that
G3 launched a few seasons back, the Viva fills its predecessor’s shoes
well. It specs out a little bit lighter than last year’s Siren and has new
graphics, but overall was reminiscent of the medium radius, stable ride
that made the Siren popular. It is respectably light and damp enough
to rip around the resort, too.
K2 Shuks Anne Dimensions: 122-80-108 Lengths: 153/160/167/174cm
Weight: 2.95kg /6.5lbs (167cm) $489 The Shuks Anne is an easy
handling ski with a short to medium turn radius bias. Its relatively
soft flex and modest dimensions are most at home in varied alpine
conditions and soft snows. The ski transitions through varied snow
with confidence, and is dreamy in boot-top powder. Mount with Dynafit
binders and tour at will.
Miss Baker Dimensions: 121-88-108 Lengths: 160/167cm Weight:
3.6kg/7.92lbs (167cm) Based on the well known Mt. Baker dimensions,
the Miss Baker shares the lively but damp K2 personality of its cohort.
The ski inspires medium to big arcs through varied snows. This is a ski
that comes to life when the snow is soft and is an ideal all-mountain
hut tripper.
Fat - 90-100mm waist
Black Diamond Joule Dimensions: 126-95-114 (175cm) Lengths:
155/165/175cm Weight: 3.4kg/7.5lbs (175cm) $599. Built on the
Kilowatt’s dimensions, the Joule is lighter and available in shorter
Lengths. Like the Kilowatt, the Joule likes a confident driver. We skied
it with fixed heel binders and found that the bigger the input, the
bigger the return with this ski. It was a bit lackluster at slow speeds in
mixed conditions, but it rises to the call when skied aggressively.
G3 Luscious Dimensions: 126-91-114 Lengths: 157/165cm Weight:
3.3kg/7.3lbs (165cm) $589. The Luscious is a new board for G3 and
follows in the asymmetric design of the Rapid Transit. We liked it
best with a free heel and found it responsive and capable in mixed
conditions. Dimensionally it holds its own in soft snow, and although
it takes a few runs to get comfortable with the asymmetrical design’s
engagement, it is responsive and carves well.
K2 Dawn Patrol Dimensions: 124-88-111 Lengths: 160/167cm
Weight: 3.7kg/8.1lbs 167cm $539 The Dawn Patrol has proven itself in
the telemark world for several seasons and it held its own again this
season. It makes short work of classic northwest conditions and has no
trouble in good cold snow either. It is damp enough to be fun at the ski
area, too. Our only complaint is it is a bit on the heavy side for its size.
Karhu Betty Dimensions: 117-80-105 Lengths: 156/166/176cm Weight
2.82kg/6.2lbs (166cm) $525 The Betty is a lively ski that carves and
handles mixed snow well. You can find a better soft snow ski, but the
Betty shines in mixed alpine conditions and with a confident driver. We
skied it free heel and it that suits its round flex well.
Off-Piste Touring Picks
S
ince we fancy ourselves dedicated touring skiers, we decided we
should select our top choices for dedicated touring boards. These
selections are biased toward light-weight construction and varied snow
performance. These skis stand alone as quiver-of-one choices for folks
dedicated to touring for turns.
Dynafit Manaslu – The Manaslu sets a new standard for all mountain
touring skis. This ski handles varied snow and powder with aplomb. It is
pre-drilled for Dynafit bindings, and the package makes for a solid go-to
ski for varied mountain adventures with big or not so big boots.
K2 Mt Baker Superlight – The Baker Superlight is an even flexing,
soft snow ski that is equally at home in host of conditions. We know
several folks who ski them with light boots like the Scarpa F1, yet they
handle bigger boots, too.
G3 Saint – G3 responded to the popularity of the Reverend by creating
the Saint, dimensionally the same, but with lighter construction. The
ski’s healthy dimensions and moderate flex keep it capable, while its
light-weight construction is what make it a touring pick.
Voile Insane – To borrow a phrase, this ski is a powder whore.
Although not our first choice for technical descents, the Insane holds
its own when the snow is less than perfect and is an obvious choice for
skiers who want to get out on the deepest days without paying a weight
penalty.
Karhu Storm BC – We are excited about this ski, although a little
disappointed that it weighs in heavier than its predecessor the Jak BC.
It is bigger dimensionally and arguably stouter in flex than the Jak too.
It skied well in mixed snow last season and should be a good choice for
skiers looking for a touring ski with a soft snow bias.
Atomic RT86 – The RT86 is a unique ski. Big dimensions are combined
with big side-cut and matched to light-weight construction. At six and
half pounds (176cm), the RT86 is light for its size, yet skis with the
control of heavier skis. The RT86 is not our first choice for full-on soft
snow skiing, but it skis varied and firm snows with ease.
Ski Trab Stelvio Freeride Light – Take the predictable all snow
abilities of the Stelvio Freeride and drop close to a pound and a half per
pair and you get the Stelvio Freeride Light. Still quite versatile, the Light
is a stick for all mountain skiing. It pairs well with lighter boots and
maintains a predictable personality through all snows.
shop
winter is about to drop
are you ready?
telemark
randonnee
cross country
alpine
snowboard
628 ne broadway
portland, oregon
(503) 288-6768
Backcountry Beta
tips, techniques, recipes, etiquette, and more
I
La Niña delivers double-digit overnight accumulation, WA Cascades. Off-Piste Photo
t’s the subject of pre-season fantasies and anxieties alike:
Will El Niño bring a ski season for the ages, or one to be
forgotten? Do you find that there’s a mystique surrounding
the phenomenon and what it has to do with your powder
prospects? Perhaps you and your touring partners have
discussed it between breaths on the uptrack. We offer you a
foundation on which to base your ski-related musings as we
examine El Niño and take a look toward our up-and-coming
2008-09 ski season.
Niño-Southern Oscillation). Voilà!
Here’s where it gets really exciting. What happens next is a remarkable
example of the global-scale synergy between hydrosphere (water) and
atmosphere (air). We’ve already said that the trade winds usually keep
the warmest waters in the western Pacific along the equator. These
warm waters fuel massive thunderstorm systems that can be as large
as half the area of the conterminous United States. When the storm
updrafts reach jet stream level, the air flows out in all directions. This
outflow of air literally “bumps” our jet stream, altering the storm tracks
Who is “The Niño,” and what does he have to do with your ski season?
headed toward North America. Whether the equatorial storms occur
A 1997 episode of “Saturday Night Live” featured Chris Farley as a
more eastward or more westward along the equator affects where
personified El Niño informing
our snow storms are bumped,
the viewing public that, “El Niño
and, subsequently, where they’ll
But what is going on during an El Niño event? What’s eventually hit. So, for the skier,
is Spanish for [dramatic pause]
The Niño!” Well, he’s close. The
ENSO is nothing but a shifting of the
really behind this long-sensationalized deliverer of
climatological phenomenon known
jet stream and a redistribution of our
disastrous weather or droughts? And how does it
as El Niño got its name because of
storm systems.
the time of year it most strongly
actually affect your ski season?
affected the fishing industry off
Brain spinning yet?
the coasts of Ecuador and Peru
– around Christmas time – every few years. Warmer ocean waters
So, given the previous explanation, your ski season must be intrinsically
replaced the cool, nutrient-rich waters that normally kept schools of
linked to winds blowing off the coast of Peru, right? Well, consider
fish so abundant. So, while it may have meant a lull in the fishing
the climatology. In the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, and the
business, it allowed fishermen to be at home with their families for
Intermountain North, an El Niño winter has a greater chance to be
holiday festivities. Because the arrival of the switch in the weather
drier and warmer than average, and vice versa for a La Niña winter. For
coincided with the holiday celebrating the arrival of the Christ child, the
California and the Southwest, El Niño winters have a greater chance to
phenomenon was named for the boy. But what is going on during an El
be wetter than average, and vice versa for La Niña. Furthermore, the
Niño event? What’s really behind this long-sensationalized deliverer of
stronger the El Niño or La Niña, the greater the chance of seeing an outdisastrous weather or droughts? And how does it actually affect your ski
of-the-norm winter. But don’t kid yourself – it’s way more complicated
season?
than just that.
To answer that, we first need to back up and zoom out. Get those longstagnant cranial neurons re-firing as we hearken back to your junior high
geography lessons. Recall that there are trade winds that blow toward
the west around the equator. Off the coasts of Ecuador and Peru, the
trades drag warm equatorial Pacific surface waters westward, causing
cooler waters to well up from below. Thus, a tongue of cold surface
water extends out across much of the eastern equatorial Pacific, keeping
warmer water to the west. This isn’t some newly arisen phenomenon;
it has been happening for at least the past 130,000 years, and likely
longer. Since the first communities were established on these coastlines,
they have made good use of the phenomenon by fishing the cold,
upwelled, nutrient-rich waters that are choked with fish.
Now back to the trade winds. These trades aren’t going at break-neck
speeds all the time. During some years they slow down, and in some
years they speed up. Sometimes they even reverse. This fluctuation in
wind speed is also associated with a fluctuation in air pressure that was
first studied by Sir Gilbert Walker in the early 1900’s. He dubbed the
fluctuation the Southern Oscillation. Under the condition of slackening
trade winds, there is more warm water toward the eastern equatorial
Pacific. With stronger trade winds, there is more warm water in the far
western equatorial Pacific. The slackening is known as El Niño, while the
strengthening is known as La Niña. It’s quite a mouthful to keep saying
“El Niño-La Niña,” so for short, scientists use the acronym ENSO (El
The dirty little secret that gets drowned out in the hype is that any one
climate signal doesn’t necessarily guarantee that your snow season is
going to be a boom or a bust. For example, if we say that La Niña means
a wetter, colder Pacific Northwest, we’re saying that either extreme snow
storms are more likely, or that it’s more likely that there will be more
storms. But it’s far from guaranteed. There are plenty of El Niño and
La Niña years that are climatologically average, and there are plenty of
neutral years – neither El Niño nor La Niña – that are climatologically
extreme. Basically, it all comes down to a game of probabilities.
What are the chances that your local stash will have an above-average
snowpack? Well, if playing the probability game wasn’t already hard
enough to deal with, we’re going to up the ante and toss in some caveats.
And you can bet your first-ever face shot that we can’t escape caveats!
Here are a few: Some regions in the West experience La Niña more
strongly than El Niño (the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia). For
some regions, the opposite is true. Some regions won’t typically see
impacts from El Niño or La Niña when the signal is weak, but only when it
is moderate-to-strong (the Sierra Nevada). Some regions may experience
large variability within a season, where the early or late season may be
more heavily weighted (Colorado). And if you ski Utah’s Wasatch, the
surprising truth is that there’s just no reliable correlation between ENSO
and the “Greatest Snow on Earth.” Therefore, friends, no matter where
you ski, there’s not always a solid predictor to hang your hat on.
Here’s why it’s not guaranteed: The likelihood that any one snowflake will
fall in any one location in the West relies on more contributing factors than
you can shake a stick at. ENSO may be the main seasonal predictor, but
it’s not the only game in town. There are a half-dozen other known large
climatic oscillations occurring in concert with or against one another at any
one time. Add to that the extreme variability in localized regional climates
in the West, and you’ve got a recipe that can have a variety of outcomes.
Now, we may have all but pulverized whatever diehard faith you previously
had in ENSO seasonal prediction, but we’d like to rebuild some confidence
by giving you an idea of how to anticipate your upcoming ski season.
Remember that El Niño increases the chances of seeing or not seeing
a mega-snowfall. The chairman of the University of Utah’s Meteorology
Department and experienced backcountry skier Jim Steenburgh likes to
think of it in terms of dice rolling. “What ENSO does is load the dice and
affect the odds of ‘rolling’ an above-average or below-average snow year.”
But you don’t have to gamble with your ski season. Steenburgh goes on
to say, “How loaded the dice are depends on your geographic location
and the strength and details of the El Niño or La Niña.” The most reliable
means of deciphering a region’s “dice loading” is in its statistics. There’s a
ton of scientific literature out there to help you sketch out your odds, but
for easy perusing, check out these two sites under the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): www.cdc.noaa.gov/ENSO and
www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov (click “El Niño/La Niña” on the left side). These
are two of the best places to indulge your inner weather geek.
Finally, then, let’s get to the up-and-coming ski season of 2008-09!
We’re emerging from a moderate La Niña, and are settling back into
neutral territory. That means chances are the West will see an average
snowpack. Average doesn’t sound all that exciting, but it does leave the
door open for a great season. For example, if your local hills average, say,
500 inches per year, you likely won’t have much to complain about this
winter.
To assess current ENSO conditions for yourself, click on either “current
ENSO” or “current conditions,” respectively, on the aforementioned
websites. Here you can find out if anything has changed since the writing
of this article. And if you’re really motivated, you can surf the “outlook”
link on the (second listed) CPC website to shed some light on the ENSO
phase forecast. You can find out if we’re still looking toward a neutral
season.
By all predictive accounts, this year The Niño will be hushed, Peruvian
fisherman will have their catch, and you’ll still get your freshies. No
matter the state of the weather, the authors wish you a season of safe
snow-trekking bliss and astounding face shots. And we heartily encourage
you, if there’s snow in your mountains, for the Niño’s sake, get out and
ski it!
Leigh Pender Jones and Wendy Wagner share a love for backcountry
skiing and mountain weather. They are currently in graduate school at the
University of Utah in Salt Lake City where they are both working toward
their Master degrees in Meteorology under Dr. John Horel.
Ask the PT
training, stretching, and advice to keep your body skiing
The author knows how to ski, too. Photo: Jason Leslie
QUESTION:
I stay fit in the off-season, do my pre-season training, and feel strong
during the ski season, but my leg muscles stay tight year-round. I
stretch them and it helps, but a long bike ride or tour tightens them
back up, especially along the outside of my hip and thigh. I occasionally
get pain along the outside of my knees, especially after big days.
ANSWER:
Whether you are pedaling,
hiking, running, or skiing, you
constantly require mobility of
the connective tissue called
the fascia that surrounds
and compresses your leg
muscles. It is analogous to
a sausage: The “meat” is
your thigh musculature and
the “casing” is your fascia.
The bane of many skiers/
bikers/runners is the iliotibial
band, known as the IT band.
This is a thickening of your
thigh fascia that runs along
the outer side of your hip,
thigh, and knee. This fascial
tissue serves to stabilize
the lateral side of your leg
and helps to decrease the
amount of muscular energy
used when you are standing
quietly. While the IT band is
not itself a muscle, there are
two muscles at the hip – the
gluteus maximus and the
tensor fasciae latae (TFL) –
that connect to it. Decreased
extensibility of the IT band
coupled with overtraining can
cause lateral hip or knee pain
or simply create a sensation of lateral thigh tightness.
In order to treat your symptoms, you must first stretch the muscles
that connect to the IT band. The hip flexor stretch and hip rotator
stretch outlined in previous articles should do the job nicely. The IT
band stretch (Position 1) for your right side is performed by planting
your right foot, then crossing your left leg over and in front of your
right. Keep your right foot firmly on the ground and clench your
buttocks. Move your pelvis forward and to the right until you feel a
stretch somewhere between your right outer hip and knee. Hold for 30
seconds and repeat 3 times on both sides. This stretch does a decent
job of improving fascial mobility, but the dense connective tissue of
the IT band just doesn’t respond to stretching like muscle fibers do.
It needs to be made more pliable by deep pressure and kneading. I’ve
found that the most direct, aggressive way to pummel the IT band is to
“iron” it with a foam roll, a three-foot-long, six-inch-diameter cylindrical
piece of foam that can be purchased at your local physical therapy clinic
or found online.
Use Positions 2 to 4 to knead the IT band into submission. Positions 2
and 3 work on the front and back edges of the band, and are great for
tenderizing your quad, buttock, and hamstring muscles, too. Position 4
can be very painful, since it gets directly over the offending tight tissue.
Work all the way from your hip and pelvis down to your knee. Be careful
not to roll over your kneecap when you are facedown in Position 2. Try
to work slowly and deeply in the areas that are most tight and tender.
Spend as much time in each position as you can tolerate. If you can
bear short durations of this on a daily basis for a week, you will loosen
up to the point where it actually starts to feel good. I’ve had patients
nearly cry during their first attempts, only to see them swear by the
foam roll after a week or two. I personally would not be able to bike
and ski at the volume and intensity that I do if it wasn’t for regular
sessions on the foam roll. By maintaining leg fascia pliability, we can
avoid the overuse syndromes at the hip and knee that plague many
athletes.
On another note, the snow is rapidly approaching, so make sure
you’re doing your pre-season training. If you do nothing else to get
ready for the season, make sure you do hop lunges on a weekly
basis (check out Off-Piste Issue XXX on the web). Training those leg
muscles to work explosively during the fall will make that first day of
hammering turns slightly less painful!
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I
’m staring out the window – at nothing much – sipping on a cup of tea. It’s raining oppressively, and the clouds are touching the
backyard fence posts that I still have to fix before winter gets a grip. Last winter an avalanche from the neighbor’s roof took out
half of the fence, and it lay there all summer like a patio deck. Just like the rest of the duties calling my name at this uninspiring
time of year, this one is easy to put off.
Next on the list would be emptying the recycling bins to make room for the holiday junk mail scourge. But first, I’ll put aside some
newspapers for fire starter – that is, once I get the wood chopped and stacked. In a month’s time, when the world is covered in snow
and ice, it’ll be gratifying to burn all those headlines about heat waves and water shortages. I could probably buy a new pair of skis with
the money from all the empty beer bottles. As things stand, though, I’ve got to mount those new bindings, or maybe I can pull a favor
with my tech buddy down at the shop – maybe next week.
A year can pass so unobtrusively that even after decades of “surprise”
autumn snowfalls, I’m always mesmerized by the season’s first flakes,
as if I’ve lived in the Amazon all my life.
“That rain is cold as hell,” my roommate declares as he walks in, the irony of his statement probably escapes him. If it rains like this in
two months, he’ll be complaining about how warm it is. It’s funny how we change with the seasons; everything, from our opinions to our
motivations, slowly fluctuates with them. A year can pass so unobtrusively that even after decades of “surprise” autumn snowfalls, I’m
always mesmerized by the season’s first flakes, as if I’ve lived in the Amazon all my life.
Two hours later, after a much-needed power nap, nothing has changed. My vantage from the couch shows a brown and muddied world
outside – lackluster, to say the least. Yet these subtle hues of late autumn do, after a time, act as harbingers of an impending winter,
so I accept them. Except, that is, for all the leaves I have to rake in the front yard. What a pain. That would be the next chore on my
list. Actually, I suppose it should be buying a new rake. Last summer I mangled the old one with the lawn mower, throwing shrapnel
everywhere.
I go for another cup of tea to warm my spirits, and stumble over a neat pile of summer gear destined for the basement. I’ll get to it.
Chamomile is the tea of choice on days like this – mellow and soothing. No rush around here, no siree. We’re out of honey.
Suddenly, I realize I’ve been staring out the window for about twenty minutes, my head tilted in the direction of the mountains, kettle
still boiling. I zone in on the four remaining leaves on our maple tree, which are starting to wiggle – possibly a wind of change. A few
pockets of far-off mountainside show up between layers of cloud. Through one gap I can see a well-defined pattern of white on the
distant slope.
It’ll take more than Chamomile to kick-start this engine. If I hurry down to the recycling depot I might still have time to hit the hardware
store and ski shop before six. I’m a bit foggy, like a bear coming out of hibernation, but it’s nothing that an Earl Grey won’t fix. Nobody’s
ever called me lazy up on a ridgetop, a bowl full of powder stretching out below. That time is fast approaching, and I’ll surely be up to
speed when the snow beckons.
5515 ORT Off-Piste 08/09 S1
9/6/08
9:36 AM
Page 1
FINDS ALL YOUR FRIENDS
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Words and Images
opinions on books and film
The Edge of Never – A Skier’s Story of Life, Death and
Dreams in the World’s Most Dangerous Mountains
Allen & Mike’s Really Cool Backcountry Ski Book:
Following in the footsteps of pioneers
is not easy. Kye Peterson takes on an
even bigger challenge; he returns to
the mountains that took his father’s
life. His father, Trevor Peterson, was a
pioneer in the growth of big mountain
ski alpinism. Kye was only six years old
when his father died in the mountains
above Chamonix; he was only fifteen
when he traveled to Chamonix to visit
the mountains where his father died.
If you are looking for more really
cool tips, check out Allen & Mike’s
Really Cool Backcountry Ski Book:
Traveling & Camping Skills for a Winter
Environment. The second edition was
published last year and makes a great
companion to the Telemark Tips book.
Also published by Falcon Guides, this
edition was first published in 1996 and
is a comprehensive how-to guide for
backcountry skiing and winter camping.
The Edge of Never, by William Kerig,
follows Kye Peterson on his journey in
the Alps. In fact, it is Kerig who has
arranged for the whole adventure to
take place. Working with Peter Jennings
Productions, Kerig sets out to create a
documentary film about the evolution
of big mountain skiing. Kye and Trevor
Peterson are the center around which he
hopes to build his story. With the help
of other pioneering big mountain skiers like Anselme Baud, Mike Hattrup,
and Glen Plake, Kerig is in Chamonix to give Kye Peterson a taste of the
big mountains and explore what drives ski alpinism at a high level.
My overwhelming first impression of this
book was, “Dammit! Why didn’t I get this
book years ago?” What a difference it
would have made as a beginner to know
things like why not to overdress when
skinning, how to tie my skis to my pack
and where not to load my shovel.
Circumstances beyond his control bump Kerig from the documentary
project, but he turns his experience into an exploration of the bonds
between skiers and the story of Kye Peterson attempting to ski the last
line that his father ever skied. Kerig does an excellent job, and The Edge
of Never is much more than a trip narrative; it is a tale of adventure and
an exploration of bonds between skiers, family, and the mountains. Stone
Creek Publications (www.stonecreekpublications.com) $15.95, 254 pages.
- David Waag
Allen & Mike’s Really Cool Telemark Tips,
2nd edition
It’s been a decade between updates,
but the new edition of Allen & Mike’s
Really Cool Telemark Tips was worth
the wait. In 1998, Allen O’Bannon and
Mike Clelland — NOLS instructors and
enthusiastic freeheelers — released a
one-of-a-kind illustrated guide that was
beloved for its goofy humor as much
as its useful tips. The second one won’t
disappoint loyal fans and is sure to win
new ones.
O’Bannon and Clelland take on the
elephant in the room — the high-tech
revolution of telemark gear — from the
outset of the book, and they do so with
their familiar mix of self-deprecating
humor and experience. In noting the
design changes of the last decade,
they point out that beginners no longer
have to suffer to earn their stripes, but
they do so good-naturedly and tip their hats to the “new powerhouse
tele-gods” (pictured with super-fat skis and requisite coiffed soul patch).
And while the little flip-cartoon man who rides the right hand margin has
modernized and Clelland (who still signs off with an enthusiastic “Mike!”)
has made the crossover into plastic boots, he still loves and prefers to
draw “the inherent beauty in those smelly old leathers.” That spirit still
dominates the book.
The authors did more than just dust off the old manuscript and tack
on a few new entries. It’s clear that they removed some old tips and
expanded others, making good on their promise that it is “Revised and
Even Better!” For example, Tip 14, “The turn,” breaks the tele-turn into
three distinct parts: the initiation, the transition, and the finish - to draw a
clearer picture of the mechanics of the thing. The sections have also been
overhauled, with some removed to make room for new ones like “The
Stance,” “Edge Release,” “Carving,” and “Twisting.”
The book has new tips for every level of skier. Tip 18, “Pet the dog,” is
a great lesson for beginners on how to get your body facing downhill.
Intermediate skiers can try concepts like Tips 29 and 30, “Tippy-toe
turns” and “Hacky Sack on skis,” if they are willing to let themselves
look ridiculous. And experienced tele skiers will enjoy “Whirlybirds” and
“Backwards skiing” (Tips 98 and 99), which give a nod to the development
of twin tips.
Like the first version of Allen & Mike’s Really Cool Telemark Tips, this book
is sure to be loved by those who have just been bitten and those who
have had the tele bug for years (including instructors). What other book
asks us to think of ourselves as heavy-weight fighters, Samurai, hippo
wrestlers, and supermodels all in the same 124 pages? Many copies of
the first edition came and went through our house as we shared it with
friends over the years. I imagine the same will happen with this edition.
Falcon Guides (www.falcon.com) $14.95, 124 pages. - Eileen Garvin
Traveling & Camping Skills for a Winter Environment, 2nd edition
The new edition contains noticeable
updates and revisions. In the Safety section, Allen O’Bannon and Mike
Clelland have beefed up the avalanche discussion. The book includes
a descriptive table about shear quality and more information about
thorough slope evaluation. Technological advances of the last 11 years
are reflected in descriptions of beacons, the Avalung, and avalanche
airbags.
Section two, Equipment, also illuminates the evolution of gear,
particularly regarding boots and bindings. The leather-versus-plastic
wrangle is gone from these pages, as O’Bannon and Clelland simply note
that telemark boots were the last to convert to plastic. They do raise
the AT and freeheel debate, but their intention is not to convert as they
maintain that personal choice rules these kinds of decisions. Readers will
find noteworthy additions to discussions about sleds and stoves. A short
discussion about spring skiing as been added to the Other Challenges
section and includes information about corn cycles, equipment and
safety.
The meat of the book — Skiing in the Backcountry, Camping in the
Snow, Snow Shelters, Minimum Impact and Other Backcountry Ethics —
remains the same, but that’s no criticism. The information presented in
the first Backcountry Ski Book and again here meets the writers’ goals:
to help people be safe, prepared and considerate backcountry users.
Falcon Guides (www.falcon.com) $12.95, 122 pages. - Eileen Garvin
AK the Hard Way - film
Skiing big lines in Alaska is a dream for
many skiers and, if the big league films are
any indication, a must if you have hopes of
breaking into ski porn. AK The Hard Way,
from Adventure Filmworks, is a film about
three skiers who share the dream of skiing
big AK lines. The skiers are not polished pros,
and there is no helicopter time to aid their
dreams. These guys (and girl) set out the
hard way, hiking for big lines.
Life on the road in pursuit of dreams has
its share of emotional highs and lows for
this crew. Their adventure takes several
unexpected turns, and the film offers a
candid look at their life in pursuit of highangle dreams. With footage from Mt. Baker and Whistler to the Mountains
above Haines, Alaska, AK The Hard Way is an unscripted window into the
lives of three dedicated skiers in pursuit of turns and dreams.
$25 www.adventurefilmworks.com - David Waag
Hand Cut - film
What do mining and skiing have in common?
Other than sharing the mountains as the
heart of their exploration, they share very
little, but it is enough to make Hand Cut from
Sweetgrass Productions a stoke-filled film.
Hand Cut blends a subtle dialog with old time
miners from around the west with solid ski
footage from Colorado to British Columbia.
Add the soulful sounds of John-Alex Mason
for a soundtrack, and Hand Cut becomes the
kind of ski film you can watch over and over.
In classic ski-porn fashion, there is very little
story line, but there is an obvious passion for
the hills from the perspective of both miners
and skiers alike.
The footage and film cadence are reminiscent of Bill Heath’s award winning
Sinners, and Hand Cut does a great job of fueling the passion for winter
and mountains. $28 www.sweetgrass-productions.com - David Waag
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Transcription

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