Shanghaied in Livigno Telemark Bindings Pack Essentials Mountain

Transcription

FREE
Shanghaied in Livigno
Telemark Bindings
Pack Essentials
Mountain News
Ski Technique
and more . . .
Issue XXIII
December 2004
2 Off-Piste December 2004
C
Volume VII - Issue XXIII
Publisher/Editor
David Waag
Contributing Editors
Karen Holt
Contributing Writers
Stuart Craig, Gene Dwarkin,
Phil Gallagher, Glenn Kessler,
Nils Larsen, Lance Waring, David Waag
Contributing Photographers/Artists
Myles Berney, Ian Coble, Chad Coleman,
Gene Dwarkin. Nils Larsen,
Carl Skoog, David Waag
Web Geek
Karen Holt
Printing & Distribution
Oregon Litho, McMinnville, OR
Off-Piste - PO Box 1626
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F E A T U R E S
Off-Piste
O N T E N T S
SHANGHAIED IN LIVIGNO - 8
LA SKIEDA 2004 - GENE DWARKIN
SPIRITS IN THE HILLS - 10
REFLECTIONS ON A LOST FRIEND - LANCE WARING
RELEASE - 12
SKI TECHNIQUE - STUART CRAIG
WINTER MAN - 16
DOG - PHIL GALLAGHER
TELE BINDINGS - 17
THE LATEST IN FREEHEEL TECHNOLOGY - DAVID WAAG
DEPARTMENTS
LETTERS 21
READER INPUT
WHAT’S UP 5
NEWS, EVENTS, ISSUES
AVY 101 24
HUMAN FACTORS BY GLENN KESSLER
BACKCOUNTRY BETA 22
PACK ESSENTIALS BY NILS LARSEN
Warning: The mountains can be dangerous and,
fortunately, backcountry skiing is not for everyone.
Common sense goes a long way in the mountains and you
best not leave home without it. No part of Off-Piste can
replace experience and sound judgement.
The opinions 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 Free
Heel Press.
GALLERY 14
WORDS & IMAGES
SHOP DIRECTORY 27
CHECK WWW.OFFPISTEMAG.COM FOR THE LATEST NEWS, GEAR REVIEWS, AND BACK ISSUES
Cover
Skier: Andy Wade
Location: North Cascades, WA
Photographer: Ian Coble
Off-Piste Issue xxiii 3
I
awake to blue skies and see that the forecasted storm cycle has remained to the north, again. I take a deep breath and
remind myself that it is still early. There have been plenty of seasons that I have not skied until mid December and the
snowpack in the Northwest can literally be born overnight. But with reports of above average snowfalls in other parts of the
country and my less than sympathetic friends e-mailing me reports of cold smoke in their local mountains, I am struggling
to remain patient. Browsing through images and content for Off-Piste is not helping to inspire patience. It is not like I do not
have other things to do. The house ‘to do’ list is as long as ever, I even have new skis yet to mount, and given the nice dry
weather, there is always the bike.
A
las, my thoughts inevitably turn towards skiing and I return to my mantra, patience. The mountains, be they snow
covered or not, are a place to bond with friends and a place to reflect on life. In this issue we celebrate just that. Lance
Waring takes into the mountains of South America to remember a life lost and share the energy of the living. Gene Dwarkin
takes us to Italian Alps for the celebrated La Skieda telemark festival in Livigno where friends are made and the telemark
turn is given proper respect. Our local Luddite, Nils Larsen, takes us on a tour of his ski pack and reflects on just what are
‘pack essentials’.
I
I
t is still early in the season and to help keep us all in check Glenn Kessler explores an early season avalanche accident and
some of the human factors associated with it in the hopes of keeping us all coming back for more.
f you have snow in your neighborhood, take a run or two for me and if, like me, you are still waiting, sit back and repeat
after me . . . patience.
Cheers,
Dave
Skier: Alex Schenkar
Location: Crystal Mtn. Backcountry
Photographer: Chad Coleman
WHAT’S
WHAT’S UP
UP
the lift served area. Park Management asserts that
when skiers access the park following a chairlift ride
they represent an extension of the resort and thus the
access is seen as a commercial operation. Management
at Crystal says they support access as it is in the “spirit
of the sport” and they will investigate options to work
with park officials on the issue.
PERMANENT FEE DEMO
A
n Ohio congressman with no public lands in his district has
forced a measure through Congress to implement permanent
access fees for recreation on all land managed by the Forest
Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service, and Bureau of
Reclamation.
CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN WASHINGTON
I
n August, following six years of discussions and planning,
the Forest Service announced their final record of decision
regarding Crystal Mountain’s Master Development Plan. The
decision outlines a scaled down version of Crystal’s original
master plan to be implemented over the next 10-15 years. The
approved plan includes seven new lifts, base area expansion
including a 100 room hotel, new on-mountain lodges, and
expanded parking.
Of interest to backcountry minded skiers is the detail that the
Forest Service decision also includes the requirement that
Crystal close access beyond its boundaries to all National Forest,
Wilderness, and National Park lands. For those unfamiliar with
the area, Crystal Mountain affords access to a variety of excellent
backcountry tours beyond their permit area and Crystal has
historically allowed access to these areas. The idea behind the
closure is to restrict access from Crystal’s lifts to the variety of
Forest Service, Wilderness, and National Park lands that surround
the resort. Should this closure come to be a reality, it could set
a bad precedent for backcountry skiers around the country.
Ralph Regula (R-OH),
the original architect
of the Recreational
Fee Demonstration
Program (Fee Demo),
succeeded in attaching
his bill as a rider to
the giant Omnibus
Appropriations Bill
recently enacted in
the lame duck session
of Congress. The bill
was never passed by
the House and was never introduced, given a hearing, or voted
upon in the Senate. Omnibus bills are considered “must pass”
legislation because of the potential for a government shutdown.
Some members of Congress use riders attached to them as a way
of getting funding for pet projects often referred to as “pork”.
Regula’s bill, HR 3283, allows federal land management agencies
to charge access fees for recreational use of public lands by the
general public.
Fortunately, a vocal group of skiers has stepped up to appeal
the closure. During a public meeting in mid October, the Forest
Service agreed to drop the closure to Forest Service and non-park
lands. The decision to drop the closure is based on an agreement
that Crystal will develop a comprehensive boundary management
plan. What the comprehensive boundary management plan
encompasses is yet to be known.
HR 3283 passed the House Committee on Resources in
September under strong pressure from Regula, who is
expected to become the next Chairman of the powerful House
Appropriations Committee. His bill is a radical change in the
way public lands are funded and stands in contrast to a more
moderate competing bill passed by the Senate. There, Senator
Thomas (R-WY) sponsored S.1107 that would let the National
Park Service retain their entrance fees for local use but would
allow access fees to expire in the other agencies. Thomas’s bill
passed the Senate in May by unanimous consent but never had
a hearing in the House.
The remaining issue at stake is that Mount Rainier National Park
stands firm on the access closure to National Park lands from
Early in last week’s lame duck session, Regula’s attempts
to attach his rider were strongly rejected by the Chairmen
continued on next page
WHAT’S UP
continued
of all four pertinent Senate committees. Senator Thomas of
the National Parks Subcommittee, Senator Domenici (R-NM) at
Energy and Natural Resources, Senator Craig (R-ID) of the Public
Lands Subcommittee, and Senator Burns (R-MT), Chair of the
Interior Appropriations Committee, all westerners, succeeded
in forcing Regula to remove his rider on Tuesday.
By Thursday, Regula back tracked on the agreement. He went
over the heads of the Senate’s public lands chairmen and struck
a deal with Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK), Chair of the Senate
Appropriations Committee. Regula reportedly agreed to give
Stevens funding for a road in a remote community in Alaska in
exchange for allowing Regula’s bill to be reattached.
“This was a victory of pork over principle,” said Robert Funkhouser,
President of the Western Slope No-Fee Coalition, which has
worked to oppose the Fee Demo program. “Ralph Regula is
responsible for the first tax increase of the Bush administration.
He and Senator Stevens have sold out America’s heritage of
public lands for the price of a road.”
The Regula bill will go into effect when Fee Demo expires at the
beginning of fiscal year 2005 unless the new congress acts to
derail it. Its key provisions include permanent recreation fee
authority for all National Forests and BLM land as well as all
land managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau
of Reclamation, and the National Park Service. Failure to pay
the fees will be a criminal offense punishable by up to $5,000
and/or 6 months in jail. The measure encourages agencies to
contract with private companies and other non-governmental
entities to manage public lands and to enforce fee collection.
The bill also establishes a national, interagency annual pass
called the America the Beautiful Pass, expected to cost $85$100 initially.
These provisions have encountered strong opposition in the
west. The program is considered a double tax by many and
puts the burden of funding the land management agencies on
the backs outdoor recreationists. Regula’s bill failed to attract a
single western sponsor but was co-sponsored by seven eastern
congressmen.
The provisions in HR 3283 are intended to replace the former
Fee Demo program, also created by Regula. Fee Demo was
similarly passed as a rider on an Omnibus Appropriations bill in
1996. Originally a two-year demonstration, it was repeatedly
extended and is now in its eighth year. Fee Demo has sparked
protests nationwide and widespread non-compliance. Hundreds
of organized groups, as well as four state legislatures and dozens
of counties, opposed the program.
BERTHOUD PASS
F
riends of Berthoud Pass (FOBP), organized in 2003 when
Berthoud Pass Powder Cats ceased operation, has been busy
working with the Forest Service and a variety of special interest
groups to help preserve and or promote Berthoud’s long ski
history.
The Forest Service has said they will not allow another attempt
at a lift serve ski area and FOBP is on the same page. However,
FOBP does hope to either preserve or help develop an educational
or interpretive site at the pass that revolves around backcountry
recreation.
Berthoud Pass offers easy access to the high country and
consequently sees a large amount of winter recreation traffic.
The Forest Service recognizes the high usage of the area and
has made Berthoud Pass a high priority on its agenda. The
Forest Service is steadfastly against any initiative to preserve
the current lodge structure and, Solvista, the current owner of
the lodge has been mandated to remove the existing building.
Several organizations, including the Continental Divide Trail
Alliance, Great Outdoors Colorado, and Colorado State Parks
are working on a proposal to build a new, smaller-scale daylodge/visitor/interpretive center, but have yet to present the
plan to the USFS.
According to Shan Sethna, Executive Director of FOBP, interest
in the organization “is growing by leaps and bounds. The
uncertainty of the future at the Pass, along with increased usage
has people concerned and consequently, they’re getting involved.
We had an Open Forum last month at which our members told
WHAT’S UP
us resoundingly that their primary concerns for Berthoud Pass
are (in order) safety, preservation of recreational access, and
facilities.” www.saveberthoud.org
YELLOWSTONE OPEN FOR SNOWMOBILES
Following Brimmer’s ruling the National Park Service established
its new winter use rules for Grand Teton and Yellowstone
National Parks. The new Yellowstone rules allow for 720
snowmobiles per day and requires that all snowmobiles must
be commercially guided. In addition, all snowmobiles must
meet best available technology requirements. The rules are
slightly different in Grand Teton park, 140 per day, unguided,
and most are required to meet the best available technology
requirements.
Although environmental groups are likely to appeal Judge
Brimmer’s decision, the new rules are stricter than the pre-ban
rules and Judge Sullivan, who supported the ban, can still weigh
in on the new plan. Full details of the park service plan can be
found here www.nps.gov/yell/planvisit/winteruse/index.htm.
SUN VALLEY TELE CELEBRATES 25YRS
T
National Park Service Photo
O
n October 14th, Wyoming Federal Court Judge Clarence
Brimmer struck down the Clinton administration ban on
snowmobiles in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.
Brimmer’s ruling, claiming the ban was “a wrong-headed
decision, based on poor judgement”, is the latest in a series of
court decisions regarding snowmobile access in the Yellowstone
and Grand Teton parks.
Brimmer’s decision is in response to a lawsuit filed by the
states of Wyoming and Montana as well as snowmobile
manufacturers and advocacy groups. The ruling states that
ban was “the product of a prejudged, political decision to ban
snowmobiles from all the National Parks”. The ruling is also in
direct opposition to District of Columbia Federal Court Judge
Emmet Sullivan’s decision last February to enforce the ban.
his winter the Sun Valley Telemark Races rings in its 25th
consecutive year as the longest continuously run telemark
series in the country. The series has evolved from the original
3-pin Downhill and “Pins of Fear” on Baldy in the early 70’s.
The 2005 series consists of five events including a GS on Dollar
Mountain, a Classic Terrain Race on Bald Mountain, and the
infamous Hawaiian Nationals showcasing the Tandem Telemark
Challenge - two skiers on one pair of skis negotiating a modified
slalom course (Three intrepid skiers launched their own class
years ago). Snowboarders are also welcome to participate in
the Classic Terrain and the Hawaiian.
This year’s race series is proud to benefit Expedition Inspiration,
Sun Valley Adaptive Sports Program, the Galena Backcountry
Ski Patrol, Avalanche hotline and Education for Avalanche
Awareness. Last season’s series helped raise over $4000. The
Sun Valley Telemark Race Series is nonprofit and depends
solely on sponsorship and race entries for financial support.
Series sponsors include Atomic, Sun Valley/Ketchum Chamber
of Commerce and Guinness. Prize sponsors include The North
Face, K2, Mountain Hardware, G3, Columbia, Granite Gear,
Chums, OR, Moonstone, Nalgene, Backcountry Access, Spyder
and Grandoe Gloves. www.sunvalleytele.org
words
T
he guy sipping the grappa says, “Bank machines? Yeah,
they work. It depends on the weather”. My eyes are
squinting from the sun and it has been that way since I
got to Livigno. His explanation doesn’t jibe with why at any
given time one of the two bank machines in town may or may
not give me my money. Today, neither of them work and
I’m heading to the drink clinic without a Euro penny. Maybe
between now and when the sun goes down, the weather will
change, and the atmosphere will be conducive to electronics.
I need a beer.
I’m in Livigno, Italy for the annual, La Skieda, a telemark
festival that attracts 700 freeheelers worldwide. I haven’t
counted them but judging by all the shouldered skis with hair
entangled cables dangling on Gore-Tex covered backs, it is
possible. Ten years in the making, and lasting for a week,
this ski festival is the biggest in the world. The festival only
entered my stream of consciousness a few months ago while
talking to friends in Canada. “700 telemarkers, and all of the
girl freeheelers rip, drink grappa, and go skiing with lingerie
under their Gore-Tex,” they said. The few grappa samplings
I’ve had have been enjoyable and the other adjectives
sounded worthy. A few days at a telefest would fit into my
travel plans, I thought.
The town of Livigno is spread out across a long narrow valley.
Hemmed in by the Alps on all sides, the only way in or out
is by a treacherous mountain pass toward Bormio, or a long
tunnel heading to St. Moritz, Switzerland. I was told again
that the weather had a lot to do with whether one could get
in or out of Livigno, and in fact the tunnel, was more prone
to closure than the exposed mountain pass. Here in Livigno,
my eyebrows twitched with this word weather, and suspected
that local Italian translation had something to do with its use.
So far only threatened by bank machine glitches, the morning
effort of applying sun screen, and too many telemark turns
with smiling new friends, I decided to go with the flow.
The festival is focused around a large tent, center to daily
backcountry ski tours, equipment displays and demos by
&
images by Gene Dwarkin
every freeheel supplier in the industry, as well as social functions.
This tent is surrounded by American Indian teepees, and this
year a totem made of skis. I asked one of the ski guides, John
Faulkner, about the Indian theme and was told that the native
theme was brought to the event seven years prior and has been
carried through with success ever since. Each day, skiers meet at
the tent in the morning for ski tour excursions from beginner to
expert, and at the end of the day for beer, and gathering around
a fire to swap lies. The tents are also host to the “fire party”
including an outdoor banquet, live band and dancing. Occurring
during the middle of the week, this was not the only party. Each
night at precisely 11:30 p.m., festival goers were encouraged to
gather at a designated local bar for the “drink clinic”. The schedule
was filled with numerous daily events, including a disclaimer that
all events ceased if it snowed, “to worship the powder.” Looking
at the schedule I noticed the clinics.
“What are the drink clinics?” I asked Damiano Bormolini, the
main host of the event.
“You’ll see”, he says.
“Are you one of the instructors?” I asked.
“You’ll have to go and find out.”
Tonight was the night. Apparently the weather hadn’t changed
and I was heading to my first drink clinic, with foreign bills in
my wallet. I pushed my way up to the bar. Do you take cards”,
I asked.
“No cards”, he replied.
“Do you take Francs”, I asked the bartender. He shrugged and
said nothing. I held up a Swiss frank bank note. He shook his
head.
“Euros”, he says. I held up an American bill. With a frown, he
shook his head again. Now trying to humor the man, I reached
into my wallet and grabbed Canadian. With the color barely
showing,
“No”, he said.
In absolute denial, I grabbed
a Sir Edmund Hillary, New
Zealand 5 dollar bill I had been
saving and flashed it at the
man. With a small smile, he
shook his head.
“Hey Gene, “
I turned to see Paulo, another
one of the hosts, in from
Cortina.
“Don’t you have any tickets?”
Before I could reply he handed
me some paper tickets that
said “Daphne’s, one drink.”
He also said something to
the bartender. The bartender
returned to speak to me with
such graciousness, I brimmed
with the feeling I could now
order several drinks with any
currency at hand. Not pushing
my luck I politely asked for a
beer. “Gratsie”, I said. There
weren’t seven hundred people
here but well over a hundred,
all drinking, dancing, and
twisting words in a multitude
of languages, on many subjects
including skiing.
The next day was the tour to
Treppali. Several hundred
t e l e m a r ke r s t o u r e d t o a n
isolated valley from various
angles for a buffet lunch, music,
more drinking, and the annual
‘big turn’. With certified guides
and seventy new and old friends,
I skinned for an hour and half
to a remarkable view of the
Silvrettas. There was plenty of
room for my own line of fresh
powder, taking me into Treppali.
The town consisted of a few
huts and houses accessible
only by skis. Locals dressed in
traditional woolen clothes and
leather strapped wooden skis
were seen more than once.
A couple of hours into the
bluebird afternoon, and many
empty pints, skiers climbed up
the gentle slope to assemble for
the big turn. It took awhile, but
eventually skis were counted,
hands were held, and a perfect
right hand telemark turn was
performed by over 200 people
at once. Dickie Hall, host of
another telemark festival in Mad
River Glen, Vermont, declared
the turn as the biggest ever,
breaking the old world record
held by the Mad River festival.
This momentous event must
have had an effect on successfully
shifting the weather, the first
bank machine I tried spit out
some cash. The timing was
good, tonight was the night for
the Carosella party. Arriving
continued on page 26
O
n the metaphysical level, mountain dwellers vibrate at
high frequencies because we commune daily with the
spirits of Air, Water, Fire and Earth. Mountainfolk are
fortunate because we can sense the spirits of nature in the
sudden gust of wind that showers us with aspen leaves, in the
faceted serenade of a frozen alpine stream, in the morning sun
rising above snow-covered peaks. Sometimes we even sense
the spirits of absent friends…
We addressed the spirit of the South where Fire is housed. I
bowed my head to prevent the sun from stealing my tears. Is
it selfish to be sad when a friend passes away? If I were a true
Buddhist, I’d be glad T. R. had escaped this turn of the wheel
of life. If I were a proper Christian, I’d celebrate his heavenly
ascension. Sadly, my personal blend of those two religions along
with a dash of pantheism and a sprinkle of secular humanism,
provides no guarantees of afterlife. At this point, all I know is
I am kicking steps in boot-deep powder on top
of a supportive sun crust. It is shirtsleeve hot. I
am high in the Andes, well above the Roca Jack
lift in the Portillo Valley. A condor circles slowly
in the still thin air. Below I hear singing—a fine
tenor rendering an old Chilean folk song. My new
friends are boisterous because last night it snowed
ten centimeters in the valley without wind. This
morning the avalanche forecast predicted stable
conditions. I look over my shoulder at Aconcogua
and the chain of sub-peaks surrounding me
and wonder if I am seeing the slope where the
helicopter carrying T. R. Youngstrom crashed.
T. R. Youngstrom was a photographer with a keen
eye and promising career. He was a traveler, a skier
and a pilot. T. R. was a ladies man and a mountain
man. T. R. Youngstrom died in1997, and his spirit
has been coming back to visit me ever since.
Where does spirit go when it leaves the body? Why
do we sometimes feel the presence of friends who
have died? Is it because their spirits are restless
and still wandering the earth? Or is it because their
spirits are especially strong and able to maintain
contact with the world of the living?
I remember the fall afternoon we gathered in town
park to honor T. R. The mood in Telluride, Colorado
had been somber since the news hit town. Facing
death is always hard—perhaps harder in a small
community where everyone is interconnected. We
searched for answers where there were none. We
were selfish in our loneliness and then lonely in our
selfishness. Finally, we united in loss and gathered
in the park. Prayer flags fluttered overhead as
the shaman lit a sage smudge and held it aloft to
the spirits of the West where the spirits of Water
reside. We turned to repeat his words.
The morning after T. R.’s memorial, I ran steadily
out of Telluride up the red dirt road heading toward
the ghost town of Tomboy. It had rained in the
night and mist shrouded the San Juans. I thought
about the upcoming race and how I hoped to break
the three-hour barrier. I ran my lungs out last
year and was eleven minutes off the mark. Feet
beating rhythm on the old mining road, I found
myself asking T. R. for help—a little push at the
end. I felt foolish until a blaze of sunlight shot from
behind the clouds and hit the path in front of me.
I picked up the pace.
Is it selfish to be sad when a friend passes
away? If I were a true Buddhist, I’d be glad
T. R. has escaped this turn of the wheel
of life. If I were a proper Christian, I’d
celebrate his heavenly ascension.
that I’ll never see T. R. in the flesh again.
In a high clear tone, the shaman called to the East and the spirit of
Air. I closed my eyes as the acrid scent of sage filled my nostrils.
The smell revisited me months later at the base of a sandstone
cliff on the edge of the Utah desert where pinion, juniper and
sage thrive. I stood underneath a new rock climb called “T. R.
Forever.” I chalked up, checked my knot and touched the first
holds. The route required vertical ballet up a golden face. The
finish was dramatic and abrupt.
At 13,000 feet, on top of Imagene pass, lies the halfway mark of
the race. The view of the San Juans might have been stunning but
I was too dizzy to care. It took me just under two hours of hard
running to get here, and I wondered if I could descend in less
than an hour. My legs were numb; my breath ragged. I grabbed
a paper cup of water from the aid station and staggered over
the crest. I was drinking Water, running on Earth, and wishing
for more Air.
The snowfield angles left to a dark cliff band. The other skiers
are still behind but they’ll catch up now because this looks tricky.
I wipe sweat from my eyes and try to gauge the path ahead. If
the snow isn’t too rotten on top of the rocks, it should be ok. This
must be the traverse I heard about last night at the bar, the place
where it would be handy to have an axe. I take a step and punch
through to fractured stone. My trussed ski tips scrape overhead
as I carefully shift my weight and scratch out another tentative
step. I’m standing on Water, balanced between Air and Earth.
The shaman lifted his smudge and wheeled North to invoke the
spirits of the Earth. Our bodies followed, voices raised to match
his chant. After the ceremony, I spoke with Robert Sullivan, the
shaman who led us toward T. R.’s spirit. Sullivan has spent the
last decade studying the metaphysical. I asked him about the
concept of afterlife. According to Sullivan, “All spiritual traditions
acknowledge some form of afterlife. The answer to the question
is cultural. Some cultures vibrate closer to the spirit world than
others. Those are the people spirits visit most frequently.”
I’ve crossed the snow-covered cliff band. The summit ridge
looms, and the remainder of the ascent looks reasonable. The
wind picks up. I dig in my pack for another layer and watch my
friends navigate the crux. On a whim, I shout, “Hey Greg! Do it
like T. R. would do it--with a big smile!” Greg traverses toward
me with a teary grimace. “I know you are from Telluride and I
figured you knew T. R. But I’ll bet you didn’t know he died in
my arms. He gave me the numbers to call to reach his family.
I only knew him for a few weeks, but I’ve been thinking about
that guy for years. I never found time mourn for him.” “We’re
doing it now,” I say. Suddenly we—strangers who met the night
before--hug each other.
My feet pounded the rocky road as I struggled to carry speed
into the flats. I was three or four miles from home and hurting. I
glanced at my watch: Two and a half hours gone. I remembered
my conversation with T. R. I felt a gentle nudge at my back and
ran faster.
Robert Sullivan explained that by chanting to the four directions
and the four elements, we created a sacred space. Only then
could we invoke the spirit of T. R. When T. R. hears us, he will be
at peace; when we contact him, we too will be healed.
The familiar rooftops of Telluride came into view. Turning the
final corner, my feet hit pavement. I sprinted, not caring if I
achieved my goal, just wanting the pain to end. I heard cheering
and friendly faces swam in the crowd. My heart hurt. Digital
numbers flashed across the screen-- 2:56:28. Falling into the
grass, I closed my eyes and thanked T. R. for the help.
Portillo’s Super-C Couloir is perfect--half a meter of cold winter
snow on top of a smooth base. We ski the chute in long pitches,
resting behind rock outcrops when our legs will no longer carry
us. Greg skis fast and bold, honoring a friend he’d barely met. I
do the same for the friend whom I knew well. When we enter the
sunny apron, we clash our poles together in a skier’s high-five
and scream with joy. Silently, I thank T. R. for the day.
In a moment of epiphany, I understand why I am compelled
to ramble in the mountains. I’m moving though sacred space,
chanting to the elements with my breath. Unwittingly, I’ve opened
up to the spirit world. For mountain dwellers, recreation is more
than raising our heart rates or bagging the summit. Through
recreation, we can re-create connections with the spirits of absent
friends.
Lance Waring writes from the San Jaun Mountains of Colorado.
Technique -
Release
P
icture yourself knee deep in wet manky snow doing
everything you can think of to get your skis up, out, and
around and it just ain’t happening. The more you hop and
bob, the more you struggle. Counter intuitively, the secret here
(and everywhere else, for that matter) is NOT to “hit it harder,”
but to hit it “softer”... by thinking in terms of release.
First off, “release” is NOT simply another way to say “unweight”
– it’s a different concept. And while “releasing” certainly
encompasses moving from the engaged edges to the “new” ones,
the crucial component is letting go of the energy inherent in the
skiing “system.” If you let that energy build up, then harness
it with purpose and direction, you’ll find that you can not only
change edges and TURN whenever or wherever you want, but
you can also do so with less effort and more effect.
Our bodies have a certain mass and, no matter the activity, we
move that mass by directing its center (found just below the
belly button) forward. In the simplest terms, we let our center
of mass “fall” into gravity’s pull, which accelerates us downward,
and, because our feet are acting as a fulcrum point, moves our
center forward. We complete the cycle by “catching” ourselves
with our legs, using our joints (ankles, knees, hips and spine)
to absorb the energy, storing it momentarily, then releasing it to
start the process over again. We do all this unconsciously, and
by applying these same principles to our skiing, we can do that
unconsciously, too.
Try this little “fall and catch” demo, indoors. Give yourself plenty
of room and simply fall forward, as though you were trying to fall
onto your face. Your brain will tell you to let a leg come forward to
catch you, but resist the command until the last possible second.
This way, you can feel both the freefall sensation of gravity
pulling you down, the forward movement of your core as your
body levers over the fulcrum of your feet, and the absorption
in your legs as the ground “pushes” you up when you land – all
the things you want to harness in your skiing.
To play with these concepts and sensations on snow, first find
what I call the gravity wave, the place where you’re right on the
edge of all the energy from all the forces that are acting on you,
and where you can use its power to make skiing the smooth
event you want it to be, rather than the laborious thing it can
become. Just like a surfer (kayak or surfboard), you want to
stay right over the “sweet spot” on the wave where the all the
forces coalesce: get behind it, and you have to work very hard
to get back into it.
Try this. Get on a moderate groomed slope and side slip, keeping
your skis directly across the fall line. Balance over both feet,
but direct the focus of your balance over the inside edge of the
downhill ski, and keep your center of mass pointing at a spot
midway between your ski tips and directly down the hill. You
should find yourself quite “tall” over your skis, and you want your
body inclined more towards the fall line than away from it.
-
by Stuart Craig
To keep balancing right over that sliding sensation, play with
actually moving your body more towards the fall line, and see
how close you can get to being completely perpendicular to the
slope. This will let you create JUST enough resistance to keep
you right on top of the slide sensation – the gravity wave - rather
than behind it. At the same time, experiment with reducing edge
angle on that downhill ski to a bare minimum. Imagine you’re
riding that gravity wave down the slope, and you want the
maximum ride, so you want the least resistance to the power
under your feet.
To slow down, and to stop, resist the temptation to do the
traditional, sharp downward flexion movement of a “hockey stop”
to set your uphill edges. Instead, feel the pressure build up under
your feet and progressively, remorselessly, but smoothly press
against it until you’re no longer moving.
You’ll feel a “twist” in your core as your legs work to stay solidly
across the fall line, right against the pressure under your feet,
while your upper body stays still and quiet, maintaining that
between-ski tip-and-fall line attitude. You may also feel as though
your Achilles tendons are lengthening, or as though your heels
are sliding just below your toes. If you imagine a hockey stop
to be the sudden, downward slam onto the brake pedal in your
car, then this constant, progressive pressing is the smooth but
effective (often even in “bad” situations) brake pedal pressure
that gets your vehicle to stop without locking up the wheels.
The key to this move is to stay right over that gravity wave
– which means inclining your body more towards the fall line
than you probably think you should – so you can apply that
smooth braking action. The second you’re behind that wave, you
have no choice to but “slam on the brakes” with a hockey stop
to control your descent.
You should end up standing fairly tall, without lots of flex in your
knees, and still balanced over both skis (and still with that focus
of balance on that inside edge of the downhill ski).
Next, take this concept into basic parallel turning, like this:
Side slip as before, and gradually let resistance build as before.
Just before you come to a stop, however, release by “falling,”
diagonally towards that same direction your center of mass
is pointing (midway between where your ski tips are pointing
directly across the fall line, and the fall line itself). Keep your
body moving as a unit, and you’ll find that your ski tips seek
the fall line, and, if you let them and stay balanced over them,
you can easily guide them around a round, smooth turn. Repeat
the “falling” movement to turn the other direction, and keep
turning!
These lazy-feeling parallel turns are actually the secret to solid
speed control, because, when done right, this initial movement
of release moves you and your skis a third of the way through a
turn. This then puts you on target to have engaged edges from
1
2
#1.) Start with your body balanced over both skis, and with the focus of your balance
over the inside edge of your downhill ski (the right one in this case). Your core (your
belly button) should be pointing midway between your ski tips and straight down the
hill – towards a spot that is in the middle of the arc of the new turn.
#2.) Using your core muscles, “pull” the inside half of your body (in this case the
right) towards the spot to which your belly button is pointing. As your body moves,
your edges will release. Stay with the free fall sensation, so that it feels as though
your body is traveling ahead of your feet. KEEP PULLING THAT INSIDE HALF TOWARD
VERY early in the turn, and, because it effectively gets your body
down the hill before your skis, it gives you plenty of time to bring
your skis around. This also means you can make rounder turns, and
use their shape for speed control – way less taxing than “pushing”
against the forces! As your skis seek the fall line, the crux to this
whole process is to STAY WITH, EVEN A BIT AHEAD OF, YOUR
SKIS as you guide them along the path of their natural arc. If your
skis/feet get ahead of you, you’ll end up in the back seat!
You’re trying to lead with your body, not your feet, so it should
feel a bit “weightless” in the early part of the turn. As the turn
progresses, guide your legs gently around, staying right over that
“balanced on edge” sensation. At the same time, feel your skis
getting pushed up under you (this is the “catch” portion of skiing’s
3
THAT SPOT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NEW TURN! As you do this, you’ll engage the new
edges. While keeping that pulling of the inside half going, guide your skis, along their
edges, around the turn.
#3.) Keeping your body “ahead” of your feet, guide your skis around the turn towards
the “finish,” where all the forces acting upon you will “push” your feet up underneath
you, building potential energy. At the height of that energy buildup, you’ll release, but
to the other side, to start the process all over again.
fall and catch), and resist that push only enough to keep tension
downward. At the greatest amount of flexion – when your feet
have been pushed up under you the maximum amount – move
your center, or “fall,” just enough to let your legs get long away
from you as your center moves down the hill.
This basic movement pattern is the real key to great skiing. Master
it, and you will rule your snowy environment. And, yes, it works
the same for tele, too, the secret to which is that the release IS
the lead change. Put another way, the lead change is a result of
the release, not something you “add.” Intrigued? Tune in next
month for more!
Stuart Craig is the lead Telemark Examiner for PSIA NW and Telemark
Program Director for Snowperformance.
Skier: Shan Lorenz
Location: Snow Peak, WA
Photographer: Chad Coleman
GALL
Skier: Chad Wertz
Location: North Cascades, WA
Photographer: Ian Coble
LERY
Do not burn yourself out. Be as I am - a reluctant enthusiast...
a part time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half
of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure.
It is not enough to fight for the land;
it is even more important to enjoy it.
- Edward Abbey
Skier: Bjarke Mogensen
Location: Youtaw
Photographer: Carl Skoog
Winter Man T
Dog
by Phil Gallagher
he man wakes in darkness before any light filters into the sky, goes to the wall and turns
on the light. He dresses, prepares his gear, skis, poles, boots, pack, parka, places them
next to the back door, and heads to the bathroom.
He makes a lunch in the kitchen and gives a morsel to his friend, the dog. The animal is
blacker than any shadow and watches with brown eyes the color of chestnuts. His muzzle is
gray around the tip of his snout. The man notices the dog’s gaze that rests on his skis.
“Yeah boy, I know you want to go,” he says, “but it’s too hard. You’d just kill yourself out there
trying to keep up. I know that.”
The dog continues to stare at the skis and wags his tail.
It used to be that they hiked the mountain together in the winter. He would break the trail in
the deep snow and the dog would follow. Together they would descend the peak, he on his
skis, the animal running and sledding behind him on his furry body. Skiing down was always
faster, the man would wait for his four legged companion at intervals, watching him bound
down the slope, with the most joyous expression, jaws open, fangs flashing in a wild and
wolfish smile.
The skier misses his old hiking partner and thinks of the dog as a spirit guide. They had good
luck together and untold powder days through many winters. There was an aura of being that
rainbowed from the animal, goodness, courage, heart. Now arthritic hips and a bad shoulder
render him infirm at fourteen; weakness and age keep him from adventure.
His years were seven to the human’s one. The man understands through this friendship, that
one day he too will be in the same situation, like the dog who has had his day, unable to hike
or climb or ski.
“Honey to the pot,” he muses.
After his equipment is loaded into the car the dog returns to his spot by the hearth and falls
back to slumber, ever loyal in his effort to greet the man when he rises.
T
elemark skiing has changed a lot in recent years. CABLE BINDINGS
Telemark skis now rival their alpine peers, boots have
evolved into high performance plastic beasts and as a Black Diamond 02 1.41 kg (3 lb 5 oz) $189
result bindings have had to evolve as well.
A flurry of changes in the binding world hit the market about
two seasons ago. Manufacturers old and new began offering
compression springs versus the older expansion style, and
several small manufacturers threw their bindings in the hat.
The activity was directly related to bigger boots, bigger skis,
more demanding skiers, and the success of the G3 Targa
binding. Basically, skiers were breaking bindings and G3,
with its stainless steel construction and compression springs
was quickly eating up market share. Although no binding has
proven to be 100% problem free (there is always someone
capable of pushing gear over the edge), experience has lead
manufacturers towards sturdier construction and greater
spring travel, both requirements in the age of big boots, big
skis, and big air.
So now, a couple of years later, the binding market has settled
to some degree and consumers have their choice of a variety
of bindings in three primary categories, cable bindings, plate
bindings, and releasable bindings. Three or four years ago I
would not have suggested that a given binding served a certain
ski style better than another but now a few of the bindings do
just that. In fact, I will suggest that there are now two schools
of bindings, the active school and the neutral school.
The difference between neutral and active bindings stems
from a binding’s pivot point and spring characteristics. Without
getting into the technique versus technology debate or into
great detail on the subject, we will generalize that neutral
bindings are typically seen as more touring friendly while
active bindings are generally favored by more resort focused
skiers. In a nutshell here’s why.
A neutral binding utilizes softer and more even progression
in spring tension making for lower resistance when touring
(for example, a three pin binding without a cable is a neutral
binding as it has no spring tension). An active binding typically
utilizes stiffer springs and creates more heel retention based
on cable routing and pivot point. While some skiers say that
neutral is the only way, others believe that a more active
binding improves boot flex and helps drive big skis more
efficiently.
You will find skiers on both ends of the spectrum participating
in every aspect of freeheel skiing. Regardless of the debate,
every binding is adjustable within a range toward more neutral
or toward more active through the use of softer/stiffer springs
or simply through less or more spring tension.
We split telemark bindings into three design categories, cable
bindings, plate bindings, and releasable bindings. You will find
active and neutral bindings in each category. Here are our
opinions on several of the latest offerings.
The most active flex of the single pivot cable binding group,
the 02 is the result of rigorous testing by BD. Borrowing
characteristics from a variety of bindings, the 02 combines the
ease of use of a standard cable binding with very active flex.
BD makes no bones about the active nature of this binding
and we agree with the propaganda that states the binding is
biased towards downhill performance. This is not a binding
for the Luddite crowd or touring fanatics, it is
designed for lift served skiing. The added
heel retention and resistance make for
unnecessary work on an up track.
That said when it comes to downhill
performance, the active feel
helps flex big boots and drive
big skis. The 02 is available
with one of three different
spring cartridges,
f r e e f l e x , m i d s t i f f,
and ridiculously stiff.
Freeflex is the softest
springs while the mid
and ridiculously stiff are
self explanatory. We
only skied the mid stiff
cartridge but will have
a chance for others
later this season.
Black Diamond 03
$159 1.33 kg / 3 lb 1 oz.
Developed last season and based on the
general model of the 02 binding, the 03
is Black Diamonds answer to those who
prefer a more neutral touring friendly
binding. Although we rate it at the
active end of the neutral scale,
the 03 is far more neutral than
the 02 and could be compared
to a Targa with one of the
stiffer cartridge sets. Using
compression springs and
stainless steel toe plate
construction, the 03
is an all mountain, all
style binding and will
keep most skiers with
a mixed resort/touring
focus happy. Although
some may suggest that
the binding is better
suited to softer flexing
boots, we found it skied
equally as well with a T1
Telemark Bindings
continued
and the EnerG with the mid stiff spring cartridges. The integrated
shim ensures bomber attachment to the ski and is K2 insert
compatible. Like the 02, the 03 is available with one of three
different spring cartridges, freeflex, midstiff, and ridiculously
stiff. Freeflex offers the softest springs and caters to softer boots
while the mid and ridiculously stiff are self explanatory.
G3 Targa $145 1.21kg / 2lbs 12oz.
T/9 $179 1.02kg / 2lbs 3oz.
The G3 Targa has established itself as a leader in the telemark
binding market. Using compression spring cartridges, stainless
steel construction, and an integrated four screw shim mounting
system (K2 insert compatible), G3 helped set a new standard
for cable binding performance when they introduced
the Targa in 1997. We consider the Targa a neutral
binding although the addition of stiffer springs
and or increased tension adjustment will
give the Targa a more active feel. The
Targa is available in a lighter weight
model, the T9 and smaller boot
specific model, the Roxy. All
models are compatible
with three different
spring configurations,
All Mountain, Xrace, or
World Cup. The Targa
is compatible with the
full range of modern
boots although G3
recommends one of the
stiffer spring combos
for big boot wearing
hucksters.
New this year on all
models of the Targa
is what G3 calls the
tour throw (see image).
This new heel throw
innovation allows you
to release a degree of
the cable tension while
touring. In fact, based
on in-house testing, G3
G3’s new tour throw
claims the new system
reduces resistance by
32%. We have not had
a chance to field test the
new system yet but from everything we have seen it looks like a
great innovation; simple yet rewarding and functional. The Targa
series also features a well designed and functional heel lifter for
touring and an integrated (and bomber) anti ice plate in the toe
box. The Targa is hard to beat for all mountain performance at
the hill or in the backcountry, hard snow or soft.
Voile Hard Wire
$130 1.18 kg / 2lbs 10oz.
Voile stepped up the performance of their long time favorite
cable binding a few years ago with the addition of compression
springs, hard wire cables, and an ultra beefy aluminum toe
box. The Hardwire is now in its second generation and offers
durability
and simplicity in a light
package. The Hardwire
has a responsive
feel associated
with the rigid wire
cables that matches
today’s plastic boots.
Although we prefer
the more neutral feel
of the Backcountry
spring cartridges,
the standard spring
(which we consider
on the active end of
the neutral scale) is a
great match to all but
the lightest of boots.
We have found that a
small adjustment in
cable tension goes a long way with the Hardwire and as a result
it pleases a variety of skiing and boot styles. The Hardwire is
available with the traditional three pin toe piece or with the more
modern pin less version. The three pin version is a great choice
for die-hard backcountry touring fans as it allows for cableless
uphill travel. Both versions are also available as a releasable
binding, more on that under releasable bindings. The hardwire
comes standard with a 20mm shim that matches the K2 insert
pattern for mounting.
RELEASABLE BINDINGS
Releasable bindings offer the added safety of release to the
telemark system. Although not everyone is convinced of the need
for releasabilty, it ads a margin of safety in avalanche terrain
and may well save a knee or two in any terrain. Releasability
means moderate weight increase and just plain old more moving
parts.
Karhu 7tm All Mountain
$229 1.35kg / 2lbs 15oz.
7tm Tour $279 1.78kg / 3lbs 14oz.
Karhu launched the 7tm a few years
ago as the binding market started
heating up. Well, the 7tm
has weathered several
seasons without
widespread
failures and has
developed a
loyal following.
Borrowing
technology from
the world of
Alpine Touring
(AT) bindings,
the 7tm offers
freeheel skiers
an affordable, lightweight, and easily adjustable DIN release
binding. The binding fi ts the neutral feel category and its
compression spring offers a smooth even flex with a wide range
of boot styles. The binding release mechanism has hints of the
Silvretta AT system as the engineer behind the binding comes
from Silvretta. The system releases laterally and is easy to step
back into given a release. Early questions regarding snow buildup have posed little or no problems and reliability of the release
mechanism has proven to be very good. For skiers looking for the
benefit of DIN adjustable release, the 7tm is the lightest most
user friendly binding available. A minor nitpick is that several
pretty important “accessories” need to be purchased separately,
climbing bars, ski brakes. Not a big deal but why not just bundle
them with the binding.
This year, Karhu introduced a new version of the 7tm, the 7tm
Tour. The Tour model utilizes nearly the exact same construction
as the original 7tm but it incorporates an ingenious system to
allow for a free pivot point when touring, essentially allowing
the 7tm to tour just like an AT binding. With the movement of
one small lever the entire toe piece and attached heel throw
pivot on a hinge near the toe of the boot. The result is a free
pivot that allows you to tour up hill without flexing the boot
of compressing springs. On snow, the best comparison I can
Karhu 7tm Tour
make is to a Fritschi or Silvretta AT binding. You still feel the
weight of the binding and boot on your feet but the freedom is
unmistakable in contrast to a regular cable binding or the 7tm
All Mountain. You get all the freedom of an AT binding in tour
mode and the ability to make telemark turns in downhill mode.
If you tour and have any inclination toward a releasable touring
binding, you should give it a try.
Voile Complete Releasable Binding (CRB) $158
1.61kg / 3lbs.9oz.
The Voile CRB is the original releasable telemark binding and
has seen years of use. Today’s CRB incorporates Voile’s updated
Hardwire binding and is available with either of the Hardwire
binding options, three pin or standard. The binding has a
reputation for taking some time to dial in so that it releases when
you need it to and stays put when you want it to. That said, we
know plenty of CRB users who have used the binding for several
years without complaint and Voile made some key updates to
the binding for this season. Although we were not able to give
the new binding extended snow time the innovations look to be
true improvements. The primary change is the redesign of the
riser/mounting platform. The new riser (made in-house) offers
a clean design that addresses a couple of key issues. First,
the release barrel position is factory set which helps maintain
more consistent retention and release. Second, a new slot
for the back of the toe plate allows for easier re-entry after
a release. In addition, the CRB is available with one of three
different springs (standard, competition, junior) for the release
mechanism to further tune the binding to individual skier needs.
Designed for lateral release, the CRB also offers releasability
in a backwards twisting fall. The binding is relatively light and
very affordable.
PLATE BINDINGS
The idea is greater lateral stability over a cable binding and thus
increased control, better transfer of power to ski and increased
responsiveness. There is truth in these claims but the price paid
is weight. Plate bindings are typically favored by resort skiers
and folks not earning their turns with time and sweat.
Bomber Bishop $320 4.0 lbs. (1814 grams)
Bomber, a well established name in the world of snowboard
bindings, stepped into the telemark
ring a few years ago with the Bishop
Telemark binding. Although our
backcountry bias made us skeptical
of a machined aluminum binding
that weighs in at 4lbs and costs
over $300 bucks, we were
intrigued by what looked
like a beautiful piece of
work. An adjustable
pivot point allows for
a range of adjustment
in the binding from
neutral to very active.
Bomber has gone on to
innovate and improve
the original Bishop,
primarily with a new
Telemark Bindings
continued
toe block (eliminates boot rocker) and stiffer
springs (for aggressive skiers), but functionally the
binding remains the similar. Obviously, the bomber
appeals to lift served skiers first and it delivers a
very responsive feel. Aggressive skiers sportin’
big boots, big skis, and an eye for big kickers
will appreciate the binding’s responsive feel and
bomber construction.
or was it the early nineties?) was a simple flexible
plastic/nylon plate attached under a three pin
binding and secured to the boot with a
heel throw. I even had a pair. Well, the
VPII takes the technology quite
a bit further and the result
i s a s m o o t h r e s p o n s i ve
binding. In classic Voile
style, the binding is very
Linken $259 1.72 kg / 3lbs 12 oz.
affordable and light relative
to the other plate binding
The Linken binding comes from Narvik, Norway
competition. Like the Linken,
and has been on the market for a number of years
the relatively free pivot
Voile VPII
now. The simple design keeps it on the lighter
point of the binding makes
end of the spectrum for a plate
for a light feel under foot
binding and relatively trouble
and a neutral flex. The new
free. Given its simple design, the Linken wedged toe box addresses boot rocker and gives the binding
has a relatively light feel under foot and a more active feel than earlier models. It carves the hardpack
a very neutral feel. Despite the neutral like a plate binding should and its neutral flex allows for a
feel, we felt most at home in big reasonable touring feel.
boots with this binding. Perhaps
this is because the binding Stay tuned to the Off-Piste website for updates and more gear
encourages hard edging reviews. www.offpistemag.com
and fast skiing both of
which are served well
by big boots. Another
nice feature of the
Manufacturer
Linken is the step-in
Website Details
convenience. Once
adjusted to your boot
Linken
www.bdel.com
size (which is very
www.bombertele.com
easy), you can step
www.genuineguidegear.com
right into the heel
after sliding the toe into the toe box.
www.linken.com
Voile VPII
$99 1.27kg / 2lbs.13 oz.
Voile rounds out their binding offerings with their plate binding,
the VPII. The first Voile plate binding (back in the late eighties
www.karhu.com
www.voile-usa.com
LETTERS
EXPRESS YOURSELF
HELP
Help. I can’t find the
mag in Bellingham, and
there’s lots of us up
here who count on Off
Piste for great info
and excellent stories
and art. Fairhaven
Bike and Mountain Sport
fairhavenbike.com used
to carry it, and I
bet they’d be happy
to stock in on their
rack if you sent them
a supply. BTW - That
is the only shop in
the area that caters
to tele and AT skiers.
Thanks, and keep up the
good writing!
Pete
Bellingham, WA
Fairhaven Bike is on
our distribution list
but you can always
subscribe to ensure you
get your very own copy
of the mag. We like
your money in our bank
and our advertisers
like to see our
subscriber base grow!
If your local shop
needs Off-Piste, let us
know.
- Dave
CHECK ON THE WAY
Greetings Off-Piste,
I just received my
trail / complimentary
issue of Off-Piste.
(Oct. 2004) Thanks so
very much! I haven’t
enjoyed reading a ski
publication this much
in a long, long time.
I subscribe to Coulior,
but honestly don’t
often read the whole
thing, too much of
what I call the “dude
factor.”
Mondo kudos to you
for having what makes
reading Off-Piste so
enjoyable...humor and
soul! Consider me a
convert and a new
subscriber...the check
is on the way!
Cheers,
Don
Chester, CA
DIVERSITY
Dear Off-Piste – I
enjoy the mag! The
homegrown feel is
great and I like that
it is not super slick.
I would like to see
you incorporate all of
the off-piste riders
(snowboarders, tele,
AT). We’re all united
in our pursuits in the
backcountry.
Keep it up!
Ryan
Denver, CO
It is nice to hear kind
words. please spread
the word amongst your
backcountry minded
friends and we will see
what we can do about
getting more diverse in
our coverage!
- Dave
Joogas Radius finds his line near Mt. Hood.
Photo D. Waag
T
here is always preparation
required for a backcountry
tour. For some it’s a multiday
project, for others it is as
simple as throwing your skis
and poles in the back of the
truck, your boots in by the
heater, and heading out.
Touring packs are personal things, an expression of ourselves.
What we choose to take or to leave behind can say a
lot about who we are. One could make a study of reading
personalities by what’s in (and on) a person’s pack. There is
always a balance between going light and being prepared.
If you tour a lot, you probably
have a gear bag (mine is my
touring pack) with all the
essentials in and ready for a
‘thumbs up’ from the weather.
Let’s see . . . shovel, beacon,
coat, goggles, moldy sandwich
– yikes, it’s alive – skins – check
again – two skins . . . add a little
water and some fresh snacks
and I’m good to go.
Then there’s the ‘personals’
those little things that wander
between useful, talismans, and
garbage. Looking at the flotsam
in my pack, there’s usually a
few binding screws (useful),
some AA batteries of dubious
charge (useful/garbage), one
spare glove (useful/talisman),
brightly colored bits of 4mil
cord (talisman/useful), energy
bar wrappers combined with
used duct tape (pure garbage),
voile straps (very useful), and a
variety of aged food bags that
look to be some type of gorp
(useful evolving to garbage).
We all have our ‘pack essentials’.
My essentials, other then the
obvious shovel, food, and water,
vary a bit, depending on how
cold it is, how remote it is, and
how lazy I’m feeling. I always
carry a probe as I like to use
it for checking layers in the
snow, probing for depth, setting
corners on Rutsch blocks, while
hopefully never using it for body
a search. Calling a probe search
a ‘rescue’ would, in most cases,
be an exaggeration of Rumsfeld
proportions. Anybody that has
done a simulated probe search
will quickly go out and buy a
beacon – and one for their skiing
partner.
I always carry a down sweater.
They are light, smush down into a
small bundle, and are very cozy out
on the trail. I use mine when I stop
for a bite and consider it a major
piece of survival gear if, god help
Nils’ pack, nothing but the “essentials” . . .
me, I get stuck out there. Speaking
of safety equipment, I always carry
a lighter (that would be for a fire),
a knife or two, and a saw. The saw
is kind of a pet peeve of mine.
Lots of folks get fancy snow saws
made out of aluminum. They are
expensive, light, and cut snow
pretty well. But for cutting wood
they are about as handy as a bent
nail. I like to carry a pruning saw.
They cut snow great and in an
emergency I can cut (fire)wood,
shelter, stretcher, splint, new pole,
skis . . . geez, with that and a knife
I could just about build a house.
I’d like to say I carry a full repair
and first aid kits – but I don’t. Deep
in my pack there are a few things.
I have those screws mentioned
earlier and on more ambitious
outings I have a small kit with
some wire, screws, a driver, a
few rivets, small vice grips, and
occasionally, spare binding parts.
My first aid has been pretty
much paired down to trauma
stuff, band-aids, gauze, triangle
bandages, Neosporin, and of
course, Vitamin I (Ibuprofen).
In addition, I always have
some duct tape on a pole or
a water bottle. By the way,
duct tape ages over time,
eventually transforming into
an amorphous grey blob that
will resist you pulling any
remotely functional piece off
while teasing you with small
stringers and pieces without
glue. From painful experience,
I would advise checking and
replacing it occasionally. The
other essential mentioned
earlier is Voile straps. I have
used these to repair bindings,
poles, skis, and all too regularly
to secure skins with lame
glue. They are also great for
emergency crafting of sleds,
shelters, or whatever the
creative mind can conger.
These handy little straps
come in different lengths and
carrying a few takes up very
little room and can save your
bacon many times over. What
else is in here . . . oh yeah,
the cord. This stuff is great for
cutting Rutsch blocks and tying
things together. I tie knots in
it about every foot so it cuts
better in the snow. Keep in
mind that if you’re touring with
a group you don’t need to all
take a repair kit and first aid
– divvy it up.
Being keen and observant
backcountry skiers, you may
have noticed earlier that I
mentioned a water bottle.
Yes, I still use these things.
It seems like every time I
go on an extended tour with
someone in cold weather their
“hydration system” freezes up
somewhere along the day. These
systems seem less then ideal for
backcountry skiing. It’s generally
cold when we ski and we are (or
at least I am) not out there racing
along so fast that we don’t have time to stop and get out a bottle for
a drink. I’ve also noticed that these water bags offer ideal environs
for growing stuff. Creepy looking stuff that sooner or later starts
sloughing off in chunks and entering the stream heading (unless
it has already frozen) for your mouth. This growth is especially
pronounced if you add flavor disguisers (lemonade, Gatorade, etc..)
and, for me, the water in these bags tastes foul enough that you
pretty much have to add something. If not, drinking out of them
would be like going to the dentist – you know it’s good for you but
it always seems like later is a better time. And finally, water bottles
make great duct tape holders.
Then there are the comfort items one can add to a pack. My favorite
of these is a small thermos. Yes, it adds weight (this goes back to
the “how lazy am I feeling” variable) but there is great pleasure in
making a seat in the snow with your pack in some high and wild
place and enjoying a steaming cup of tea. Friends become envious.
Strangers wander over. You will be instantly popular. There are
other comfort items we all like, from a favorite candy bar to warm
mittens. When the wind blows and the snow flies it can be a harsh
world out there. Allowing yourself a little luxury can take the edge
off a stormy day.
Touring packs are personal things, an expression of ourselves. What
we choose to take or to leave behind can say a lot about who we
are. One could make a study of reading personalities by what’s in
(and on) a person’s pack. There is always a balance between going
light and being prepared. Your level of comfort and tolerance for
the unexpected are the big factors here – and your experience.
The more experience you have the more you can winnow the gear
down to the bare essentials. Invariably, it is the inexperienced
skier that brings the kitchen sink along. I will admit to carrying
large wooden snowshoes with me the first two years I backcountry
skied (I never used them and no, I am not a quick learner). So
keep track of what you take and leave behind, what you miss while
out skiing, and what you never use. Peek in other peoples’ packs.
Be creative, try and take multi use items (like my pruning saw)
and figure out how to solve problems with what you have. With
time and experience, you will develop your own “kit”, part useful,
part talisman, and part personal gear, all of which will make you a
seasoned backcountry skier.
Nils Larsen teaches freeheel ski workshops, produces videos, and
skis whenever possible. He is a regular contributor to Off-Piste.
AVY 101
Human
Factors
by Glenn Kessler
Photo: Ian Coble
A
sk an avalanche guru for the leading cause of avalanche
deaths and he or she will probably not answer
asphyxiation or trauma, they will cite the human factor.
Human factors is a catchphrase that encompasses any type of
thinking that overshadows or trumps the making of prudent
decisions.
Let us look at a very
recent avalanche fatality
that I believe exemplifies a
common way of thinking that
many of us may find all too
familiar.
Were they simply following the ritual of
wearing beacons and carrying shovels
and probes or were they engaged in
an active process of trying to assess
avalanche danger and avoid being
caught in a slide?
Just a few weeks ago two
climbers set off for an ascent
of Mount Rainier. From
their basecamp at 11,200
they dressed, donned their
avalanche beacons, packed
up their shovels and probes,
roped up, and set out to
explore the Ingraham Glacier. Near 11,700 feet, the team
entered a large cavernous crevasse close to Disappointment
Cleaver. They traversed inside the crevasse and found an exit
ramp on the other side. While ascending the 35-40 degree
ramp, the slope fractured around them and the snow beneath
their feet began to slide. The slab was about a foot thick. The
avalanche swept both climbers roughly 150 feet back into the
crevasse. It completely buried one climber as he was swept
against the wall of the crevasse and partially buried the other
leaving only his arm and head exposed. The partially buried
climber spent about 30 minutes extricating himself from the
snow that immediately set up around him. Once free, he began
a search for his partner using his beacon and probe. By the
time the second climber was located and his head dug free, he
was dead.
Let us place ourselves in the boots of these climbers to see if
we can understand the decisions they made. A recent storm had
laid down only a few inches of snow, but high winds during the
days preceding their climb had served to significantly transport
the new snow, scouring many areas of the upper mountain
while creating pockets of
windslab on others. Autumn
is not a typical time of year
for avalanche accidents and
the dangers of falling on hard
ice, a snow bridge collapse,
and rock or icefall are usually
more pressing concerns for
climbers and skiers.
The fact that these climbers
chose to wear avalanche
beacons on the day of the
incident seems to indicate
that they were aware that they
were in avalanche terrain and
that there was a possibility of
slide activity. Were they simply following the ritual of wearing
beacons and carrying shovels and probes or were they engaged
in an active process of trying to assess avalanche danger and
avoid being caught in a slide? It appears the ritualistic behavior
is more likely to have been the case as indicated by the fact
that the climbers made no physical assessment of the snow
stability on that day or the previous one. Is it possible that if
one or more assessments had been made and the instability
had been recognized that good decision-making might have led
the two men to retreat to safety before exposing themselves
to larger open slopes and terrain traps?
As the use of avalanche transceivers has become standard
practice in backcountry skiing and alpine climbing, it appears
that there may also be an increasing disconnect with the
reasons for wearing such devices. Most of us have become
programmed through avalanche courses, articles, gurus, and
peers to don and test our transceivers every morning we head
into the backcountry. We place shovels and probes in our packs
along with our other necessities. We feel good about following
these procedures because we are “doing it right”. Are these
precautions really making us safer? I suggest the answer is in
our attitudes. If we feel that we have taken all the necessary
precautions and are now ready to ski, ride, or climb without
further distraction, we are increasing our risk.
Next time you head out into
the backcountry be prepared
with beacon, shovel and probe,
but avoid letting the ritual
wearing of these devices reduce
your situational awareness or
cloud your decision making.
If donning an avalanche transceiver provides us a feeling of
safety against the consequences of an avalanche, we may let
down our guard. A false sense of safety lowers our level of
situational awareness causing us to ignore or miss pertinent
stability information. It may allow us to walk into terrain traps
like crevasses. It may make us feel more invulnerable and lure
us onto questionable slopes.
In no way is this an indictment against the use of avalanche
beacons. Beacons save lives when used properly. The false
sense of security that may lead to greater risk-taking is in our
minds. We are using the equipment improperly. If wearing a
transceiver increases the amount of risk you are willing to take
on a given day, perhaps you have some rethinking to do.
Think of it like getting into a big SUV with 4-wheel-drive, studded
tires, and anti-lock brakes on an icy morning. Will driving this
vehicle instead of your old Chevette have you driving faster?
Will you increase your speed until the risk you take is equivalent
to that of driving the Chevette more slowly? Are your senses
not a bit more heightened and tuned as you drive the Chevette
at lower speed? Is there any wonder why the great majority
of vehicles you see having spun or rolled off the road are big
4-wheel-drives?
Next time you head out into the backcountry be prepared with
beacon, shovel and probe, but avoid letting the ritual wearing of
these devices reduce your situational awareness or cloud your
decision making. Let the beacon pulsing on your chest remind
you that you are entering avalanche terrain. Let it remind you
of your responsibility to actively assess slope stability, find safe
routes, and keep yourself and your partners safe.
Glenn Kessler runs Mountain Savvy Snow Safety Education and
is a Climbing Ranger on Mt. Rainier.
at the restaurant via a gondola ride the 3000 vertical feet to
the restaurant, I entered a room where I encountered much
strategic positioning for tables. I sat myself at a small table in
front of the band stand and was soon joined by three nice Italian
girls. Francesca spoke English and acted as the interpreter. The
band was dressed in tall woolen hats and traditional Tyrolean
garments left over from the days of Ferdinand. They did a decent
job with everything from Dylan to Harper and even Marley. The
multi course meal was superb, each course accompanied by the
appropriate wine, grappa, and espresso. After a few Italian lessons,
I declared the language bellisimo and with the company of my
dates, took the gondola ride down the mountain to the Carosella
bar below, for the evening drink clinic.
I found myself half sitting on a stool, half leaning on the bar,
sipping beer. One of my new Italian friends, Sergio, must have
noticed my creative tripod support system, and offered a bag of
drum and rollies. Well, when in Rome, and with the entire room
in a haze of smoke anyway, I blessed his offering and took part.
Sergio told me the large, tough, road weary dude behind the bar
was so and so who was responsible for something or other and
finished with the only words I understand, “he is a very important
man.” I took note of his stress on the word important and tipped
my glass.
With the small digits on my watch now clicking over, I started
to think about leaving. Tomorrow was the traditional telemark
obstacle race. After all, I was here to ski, right? At about four
a.m., the very important man presented me and the American
girl sitting beside me with a bellisimo baseball cap with the words
continued
Carosella 3000 emblazoned on it, took a ceremonial picture, and
shook our hands. I had truly achieved the status of a drink clinic
professorship, I thought. I stepped out the door and felt and
heard a crush under my feet. Small pebbles and dusty powder
lined the ground outside the building, mortar that had fallen from
the buildings roof being raised. This party had gone off!
I finished La Skieda with a ski tour accompanied by twelve, all
making nice telemark turns in untracked powder. We finished the
day with a bowl of suppa and a beer. At the start of the week,
I had scoffed at the t-shirts from the event showing an erect
humanoid in frame one progressing into a telemark turn in frame
three to a person lying flat on his face in frame five. By the end
of the week my demeanor indicated it made perfect sense. Pace
is important.
Lift skiing in Livigno is serviced on both sides of the valley, primarily
by the Carosella and Montelina gondolas. The runs are blue and
the backcountry better. La Skieda is a big party where you can ski,
tour, drink, socialize, and discuss the merits of the telemark turn
with the most popular names in the world of guiding and industry
design. I skied with and made many new friends from around
the globe. Livigno is a telemark town. Kids from seven to seventy
rip everywhere. The festival occurs annually at the end of March.
Contact the tourist office for details and book your room early, the
place is jammed. I recommend taking cash, IE paper bills, Euros.
Depending on the weather, you may find yourself shanghaied in
Livigno, Italy in the company of very important men.
Gene Dwarkin, international man of mystery, is a connoisseur of fine
snow and fine company.
ALASKA
Alaska Mountaineering & Hiking
2633 Spenard Blvd
Anchorage, AK 99503
www.alaskamountaineering.com
Orion Sports
1247 Mill Bay Rd
Kodiak, AK 99615
907.486.6780
ALBERTA
Freewheel Jasper
618 Patricia st.
Jasper, AB T0E 1E0
www.freewheeljasper.com
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Kootenay Experience
Victoria St.
Nelson, BC
www.kootenayexperience.com
Rivers Oceans And Mountains
579 Baker Street
Nelson, BC
877.271.7626
Valhalla Pure Outfitters
615 Broughton St.
Victoria, BC V8W1C8
250.360.2181
CALIFORNIA
The Backcountry
2 stores - Tahoe City &Truckee
888.625.8444
www.thebackcountry.net
Bear Valley Cross Country
#1 Bear Valley Road
Bear Valley, CA 95223
www.bearvalleyxc.com
The Fifth Season
300 N Mt. Shasta Blvd
Mt. Shasta, CA 96067
www.thefifthseason.com
Mammoth Mountaineering Supply
3189 Main Street
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546
www.mammothgear.com
Marmot Mountain Works
3049 Adeline St.
Berkeley, CA 94703
www.marmotmountain.com
Mountain Sports
176 E 3rd Street
Chico, CA 95928
530.345.5011
OFF-PISTE SHOP DIRECTORY
Sierra Nevada Adventure Co./SNAC
2293 Hwy 4 - Arnold, CA
173 S. Washington St., Sonora, CA
www.snacattack.com
Wolf Creek Wilderness
595 East Main Street
Grass Valley, CA 95945
www.wolfcreekwilderness.com
COLORADO
Backcountry Experience
1205 Camino Del Rio
Durango, CO 81301
www.bcexp.com
Troutfitter Sports Company
PO Box 969 313 Elk Ave
Crested Butte, CO 81224
www.nordicskiis.com
Pine Needle Mountaineering
835 Main St. #112
Durango, CO 81301
800.607.0364
Switchback Mountain Gear
468 Pagosa St.
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
970.264.2225
Trail Head
565 Sherman
Ridgway, CO 81432
970.626.5365
IDAHO
Alpine Designs Bike and Ski
312 Fifth Ave
SandPoint, ID 83864
208.263.9373
Backwoods Mountain Sports
711 N. Main St.
Ketchum, ID 83340
www.backwoodsmountainsports.com
Hyperspud Sports
907 S. First St. / 402 S. Main
Yakima, WA 98901 / Moscow, ID 83843
509.248.2093 / 208.883.1150
Idaho Mountain Touring
1310 Main Street
Boise, ID 83702
www.idahomountaintouring.com
Rendezvous Sports
408 Main St.
Salmon, ID 83467
www.rendezvoussports.com
MAINE
Aardvark Outfitters
108 Fairbanks Road
Farmington, ME 04938
www.aardvarkoutfitters.com
Mahoosuc Sports
PO Box 70 Rte 26
Locke Mills, ME 04255
www.teleskis.com
MONTANA
Barrel Mountaineering
240 East Main
Bozeman, MT 59715
800.779.7364
www.barrelmountaineering.com
Rocky Mountain Outfitters
135 Main St
Kalispell, MT 59901
406.752.2446
The Trail Head
110 East Pine Street
Missoula, MT 59802
www.trailheadmontana.net
NEVADA
Reno Mountain Sports
155 E Moana Ln
Reno, NV 89502
www.renomountainsports.com
NEW MEXICO
Wild Mountain Outfitters
541 W. Cordova
Santa Fe, NM 87505
www.wildmountainoutfitters.com
OREGON
Bergs Ski Shop
367 West 13th St.
Eugene, OR 97401
www.bergsskishop.com
Pine Mountain Sports
133 SW Century Drive
Bend, OR 97702
www.pinemountainsports.com
Northwest Snowboards
2805 Bridgeport Way
Tacoma, WA 98466
www.nwsnowboards.com
Redpoint Climber’s Supply
639 NW Franklin
Bend, OR 97701
www.goclimbing.com
Olympic Mountaineering
140 W. Front St.
Port Angeles, WA 98362
360.452.0240
Storm Warning
112 Oak Street
www.stormwarning.biz
Pro Ski Service (2 shops)
8954 Aurora Ave N. - Seattle
108 W North Bend Way - North Bend
proguiding.com
VERMONT
Mountain Travelers
147 US Rte 4 East
Rutland, VT 05701
www.mtntravelers.com
Second Ascent
5209 Ballard Avenue NW
Seattle, WA 98107
www.secondascent.com
WASHINGTON
Arlberg Sports Inc
25 N Wenatchee Ave
Wenatchee, WA 98801
Cascade Crags
2820 Rucker Ave
Everett, WA 98201
www.cascadecrags.com
Der Sportsman
837 Front Street
Leavenworth, WA 98826
509.548.5623
Enumclaw Ski & Mountain Sports
240 Roosevelt E.
Enumclaw, WA 98022
www.snowways.com
Feathered Friends
119 Yale Ave N.
Seattle, WA 98109
www.featheredfriends.com
Doug Sports
101 Oak Street
www.dougsports.com
Marmot Mountain Works
827 Bellevue Way NE
Bellevue, WA 98004
www.marmotmountain.com
Mountain Shop
628 NE Broadway
Portland, OR 97232
www.mountainshop.net
Mountain Goat Outfitters
12 West Sprague
Spokane, WA 99201
www.mountaingoatoutfitters.com
Mountain Tracks Ski and Board
Huckleberry Inn
Government Camp, OR 97028
www.mtntracks.com
Mountain High Sports
105 E. 4th
Ellensberg, WA 98926
509.925.4626
Summit Haus
30027 SR 706E
Ashford, WA 98304
www.summithaus.com
Winthrop Mountain Sports
257 Riverside Ave
Winthrop, WA 98862
www.winthropmountainsports.com
WEST VIRGINIA
White Grass Touring Center
Canaan Valley, WV 26260
www.whitegrass.com
WYOMING
Skinny Skis
65 W. Deloney
Jackson, WY 83001
www.skinnyskis.com
UTAH
Wasatch Mountain Touring
702 E. 100 S.
SLC, UT 84102
www.wasatchtouring.com
Wild Rose
702 Third Ave
SLC, UT 84108
The Trailhead
117 North Main
Logan UT 84321
435.753.1541
List your shop in our Directory!
Call or e-mail for details
509.999.2208
[email protected]
AVALANCHE HOTLINES + INTERNET RESOURCES
General
www.avalanche.org
www.avalanche.ca
www.fsavalanche.org
nimbo.wrh.noaa.gov
www.winterwildlands.com
www.wildwilderness.org
Alaska
www.fs.fed.us/r10/chugach/glacier/snow.html
http://www.avalanche.org/~seaac/
California
www.r5.fs.fed.us/tahoe/avalanche
www.shastaavalanche.org
Mt. Shasta 530-926-9613
Tahoe 530-587-2158
Mammoth/Bishop 760-924-5500
Canada
www.weatheroffice.com
Vancouver 604-290-9333
Western Canada 800-667-1105
Rockies 403-243-7253 x7669
Banff 403-762-1460
Colorado
geosurvey.state.co.us/avalanche
Boulder 303-275-5360
Summit Cty 970-668-0600
Southern CO 970-247-8187
Durango - 970-247-8187
Fort Collins - 970-482-0457
Vail - 970-827-5687
Aspen - 970-920-1664
CO Springs 719-520-0020
Idaho
www.avalanche.org/~svavctr
Sun Valley 208-622-8027
Panhandle National Forest
www.fs.fed.us/ipnf/visit/conditions/
backcountry/index.html
208-765-7323, 208-752-1221
Payette - 208-634-0409
www.fs.fed.us/r4/payette/main.html
Montana
www.mtavalanche.com
www.glacieravalanche.org
www.fs.fed.us/r1/lolo/avalanche/advisory.htm
NW MT -406-257-8402 - 800-526-5329
Bozeman-406-587-6981
Cook City-406-838-2259
New Hampshire
www.tuckerman.org
Oregon
www.nwac.noaa.gov
Southern WA / Mt. Hood
503-808-2400
Utah
www.avalanche.org/~uac
Tri-Canyon 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.noaa.gov
www.avalanchenw.org
Cascades 206-526-6677
Olympics 206-526-6677
Wyoming
www.jhavalanche.org
Bridger-Teton - 307-733-2664
Europe
www.lawine.org
New Zealand
www.avalanche.net.nz

Shanghaied in Livigno Telemark Bindings Pack Essentials Mountain

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