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Now - Off

Priceless
2010 Ski Reviews
Ski Bum Economics
Lowell Skoog
Three Sisters
Rocker 101
Issue XLVI
October 2010
2 Off-Piste October 2010
Off-Piste
Volume XII Issue XLVI
Contents
Publisher/Editor
David Waag
features
Copy Edit
Karen Holt
9
Design Consultant
Ullr
Contributing Writers
Nils Larsen, Jason Leslie, Don Pattison, Andy Roof,
Jeremey Rooper, David Waag, Lance Waring
Contributing Photographers/Artists
Ian Coble, Ryan Creary, Grant Gunderson,
Bissell Hazen, Jason Leslie, Fredrik Marmsater,
Carl Skoog, Will Wissman
Web Tech
Karen Holt
Printing & Distribution
Oregon Litho, McMinnville, OR
Off-Piste PO Box 1626 Hood River, OR 97031
509-999-2208 [email protected]
www.offpistemag.com
All Content Copyright 2010 Freeheel Press
Rocker 101
Ski Design Basics - Jeremey Rooper
10
Economics 101 for Ski Bums
12
Lowell Skoog
16
2010-11 Ski Reviews
22
Three Sisters Wilderness
Words of Wisdom from a Career Ski Bum - Lance Waring
Painting a Picture of Northwest Skiing History - Don Pattison
The Latest Skis for the Backcountry and Beyond
Central Oregon’s Finest - Andy Roof & Jason Leslie
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departments
7
14
26
27
What’s Up
Gallery
Words and Images - Opinions on Books and Films
Letters
Warning: Backcountry skiing is inherently dangerous. It may well cause
disruption in your otherwise normal life. Off-Piste is no substitute for
honest field experience and sound judgement. Be careful out there.
Cover Photo: Ryan Creary
Skier: Shunichiro Kikuchi, Niseko Backcountry, Japan
38
30 22
Internal organization
Helmet carry
Ice tool loop
Hipbelt stash pockets
ospreypacks.com
Exploring the sidecountry
near Bridger Bowl, Montana
Photo: Scott DW Smith
Issue XLVI Off-Piste 3
ZACK GIFFIN
SKIER / BRAND AMBASSADOR / GLACIER, WA
“IT’S ABOUT EXPLORING OUT OF BOUNDS IN BIGGER, MORE VARIED TERRAIN...
For me, skiing is a patience game of waiting for the best conditions. The ability to make good assessments and to
speak the language of the mountains is key. When the mountains tell you, ‘Okay, you’ve done your due diligence,
you’ve waited and been patient…now, here’s your moment, here is safe passage.’ When everything clicks, when the
snow is perfect, there is no threshold. There’s limitless room to explore what’s possible.” Check out Zack’s latest
skiing adventures at outdoorresearch.com/sidecountry
Zack is wearing the new Axcess Jacket™ and Axcess Pants™
Outdoor Research
proudly supports
outdoorresearch.com/sidecountry
First Tracks
Here we go
again. The days
are growing shorter.
The temperatures are getting
colder. And the sky, at least around
here, is growing grayer. Personally, I
find comfort in the cooler, darker world of
winter. Maybe it is my European roots, or perhaps a
psychological reflex based on countless days of skiing that my
body associates with the coming of winter. Either way, it is difficult
to contain the anticipation that begins to build inside me come October
each year. There is no doubt that summer life is easier. All the sun and warm
temperatures make for easy days spent outside working and playing. All that daylight
makes it easy to get out of bed, easy to get dressed and easy to get motivated. Come winter,
life takes on a new passion for me, a literal obsession - skiing. I take comfort in the hardship that
winter presents. Spending a day outside requires preparation. Spending a day outside in a storm requires
preparation and dedication. I find an odd comfort in being prepared and in engaging the elements of winter.
Backcountry skiing engages the elements of winter unlike any other pursuit. A day of ski touring requires preparation and
dedication, regardless of the weather. It requires full engagement with your suroundings. You need to know your snow and your
terrain. Hardly a mindless pursuit, a day of touring involves countless decisions, especially when you head somewhere new. We make
decisions all day long that impact our day. From safe travel and descent routes to what we choose to put in our packs for the day, our
decisions can literally make or break a day. Some days, it is as simple as a hot drink that warms your bones before the final descent.
Other days, it is the decision to go for it and ski a peak from the summit. And there are the days when the decision to turn around or to
ski a different slope is the reason you return home safe and sound.
It is easy to lose sight of the broader skiing experience, to get wrapped up in the descent, the urge to go bigger or longer. There are
days when the resort pulls you in, and there are days you don’t get out. Ultimately for me, it is the broader rewards of a day spent
touring that fuel the obsession. It is the art of the uptrack, the rush of the descent, the freedom of sliding through an otherwise harsh
environment and all the decisions along the way that make ski touring so appealing. It is this freedom and the energy associated with it
that really fuels the anticipation. Get ready, here it comes.
Here’s to winter!
Dave
Reggie Crist engages the elements. Las Lenas, Argentinia Photo: Will Wissman
What’s Up
ski news, access issues and more
T
he White Pass Ski Resort is a modest hill perched
...the resort’s uphill policy will continue to be very friendly for nonalong highway 12 just south of Mount Rainier
lift-riding folks; with uphill travel remaining basically unrestricted
in Washington state. The region is located in
provided climbers stay out of the way of resort operations. For the
the Gifford Pinchot and Wenatchee National
ticket-buying public, the resort continues to offer a one-ride lift
Forests and is the northern boundary of the Goat Rocks
Wilderness. The ski area sees plenty of snow, has some
ticket for $20, and there will be two gates exiting the resort just
great terrain and Hogback ridge, just south of the resort,
above the new lifts.
has some outstanding hike-to terrain. Access to Hogback
ridge is about to change. With the 2010-11 season, comes
area in its pre-expansion solitude. The good news for the backcountry
the addition of two new lifts that will bring resort skiers to within a
set is that there is more ski terrain further south along the ridge that
short boot pack of the ridgeline. Eager to ski the Hogback area before
will be difficult for resort skiers to access without skins and a good
the new lift access impacts it, I headed up to White Pass last spring to
bit of motivation. With the persistent encroachment of civilization,
take advantage of the late-season snow in the northwest.
dedicated backcountry skiers just need to travel further in pursuit of
the true backcountry experience. - Jason Leslie
White Pass maintains a relaxed uphill ski policy that allows skiers to
tour on a groomed cat track around the west side of the resort and
up along the new lift line to the edge of Hogback ridge, a dramatic
C-shaped ridge that faces predominantly east and north and drops
some 2,000 feet into the Miriam Creek drainage. The upper 1,000
feet of the ridge offers a step partway down that allows you to ski
an open bowl before entering a multitude of treed faces and some
40-degree shots sure to turn any skiers head. The skin out of the
drainage is almost too easy. Meandering through the trees and up to a
low shoulder allows you to continue back along the ridge to Hogback
Mountain. It is the ease of the exit along with the new lifts that will
allow more adventurous resort skiers to drop out-of-bounds this
season and traverse back to lift-accessed terrain, providing they do
not ski too low.
I had the chance to talk to the resort’s General Manager, Kevin
McCarthy, about the future of the Hogback Ridge backcountry. He
informed us that the resort’s uphill policy would continue to be
very friendly for non-lift-riding folks; with uphill travel remaining
basically unrestricted provided climbers stay out of the way of resort
operations. For the ticket-buying public (the resort continues to
offer a one-ride lift ticket for $20) there will be two gates exiting the
resort just above the new lifts. The resort is still figuring out how to
make sure resort skiers don’t get in over their heads when they pass
through a gate. They will be monitoring the gates with patrollers,
checking for appropriate avalanche safety gear and know-how and
will be closing the gates on high hazard days. There will be no regular
patrolling or avalanche control beyond the gates, so those exiting the
resort will be on their own. McCarthy seemed genuinely interested
in respecting backcountry use in the area. However, with situations
such as backcountry skiers encountering a closed gate as they skin up
through the permit area, time will tell just how impacted those looking
for the non-resort experience will be. McCarthy reiterated that, “it
is going to be a steep learning curve, and we’re going to take some
time to figure it out. We’re trying to be prudent. We want to educate.”
McCarthy’s relatively open minded attitude is refreshing for those of
us who have seen climbing access restricted in recent years at Mount
Hood and Mount Bachelor.
It is a certainty that the Miriam Creek drainage will see an increase in
skier use this year. It was both sweet and a bit sad to experience the
Real avalanches. R
eal rescues.
Central Cascades, WA
February 2009
“The slide totally took us by surprise. We’d skied this
line hundreds of times before, but that’s no guarantee
it won’t slide. This incident totally reinforced all the
Rick Johnson
practice we’d done. I never panicked; I went through
the beacon search like a robot. That’s what you want
at a time like this.”
> > > Tracker. Ease of use when it matters most.
Tracker avalanche transceivers are always reliable and easy to use.
Instantaneous, real-time display. Simple user interface. Technology grounded
in reality, developed with input from real backcountry riders like you.
For more Tracker success stories, go to www.backcountryaccess.com/rescues or visit our blog.
Backcountry Access, Inc.
Boulder, Colorado USA
backcountryaccess.com
What’s Up
ski news, access issues and more
Whitewater Adds a New Lift
W
hitewater Ski Area in Nelson, British Columbia is adding
a new chair lift that is scheduled to be up and running
for the 2010-11 season. Whitewater, famous for its
great terrain, deep snow and backcountry accessibility,
purchased the triple chair from Vail Corporation and plans to install
the towers in early October.
The new Glory Ridge chair will be located in the “Backside” area,
starting down the access road at the 7.5 mile mark and unloading
near the top of the current Summit chair. The vertical gain for
the new chair is 2,042 feet, and the terrain is primarily north and
northwest facing. There will be a few intermediate groomed runs
(not all runs will be completed this season) and a great deal of new
lift served black diamond terrain, much of it steep tree skiing. The
area is currently out of bounds, but is used extensively when the
access gates are open. The ubiquitous skiers and boarders you see
hitchhiking up the access road have all been skiing the “Backside.”
There will be limited parking at the base of the new chair (40+
spots), so most skiers will access the area from the main lodge and
lift area.
Whitewater has many avid fans, some of whom bridle at any
change that threatens to impact the ski area’s retro skier-focused
atmosphere. As a longtime skier at Whitewater, I consider the
placement of the new lift to be excellent. It does not compromise
any of my favorite backcountry haunts (climbing mandatory), and
it takes advantage of sidecountry terrain (climbing optional) that is
quickly skied out these days by skiers and riders accessing it from
the original Summit chair. The new lift will also put the area on
the map for many skiers, as the official lift-accessed vertical drop
increases from 1,300 feet to over 2,000 feet. Whitewater will also
maintain their one-ride tickets ($20) and their backcountry access
gates as in the past. There are more changes in the works for the
future, but for now the new chair will only add to Whitewater’s
already excellent and well earned reputation with dedicated skiers.
- Nils Larsen
I
n today’s backcountry, frontcountry and sidecountry skiing
environments our skis are put to the test in all conditions. For those
who seek out the goods beyond the groomed, the latest buzz in ski
design is rocker. To tell the story of the rockered ski we must jump
back in time to the birth of sidecut skis. Sidecut revolutionized skiing
by increasing a skis width at the tip and tail. The difference in width
between the tip and tail creates a gap underfoot when a ski rolls on
edge. The skier’s weight and momentum help to close this gap, and the
ski flexes and initiates the turn. The wider the tip becomes, the more
leverage is needed to get the ski on edge. The need for leverage is why
average ski lengths have dropped 20-30cms as skis grew in width and
sidecut.
The big sidecut design has some flaws for skiers who mostly ski off the
groomed. For sidecut to work, it needs the resistance and predictability
of a consistent smooth surface underfoot to initiate and complete a
turn. As ski lengths shortened, flex patterns got stiffer. Shorter, stiffer
skis lack the flotation to ski in deep snow that longer softer skis offer.
The first generation of shorter, sidecut powder skis solved flotation
issues by increasing the width underfoot and softening the flex. The
extra width underfoot also reduced the sidecut in some cases, adding
more predictability in varied conditions. Back on the groomed snow,
these fatter skis were not as responsive as the sidecut skis, so most
people kept them as quiver skis. However, just like sidecut had made
turn initiation and carving easier on groomed snow, fat skis developed
a following for how easily they handled off-piste snows. In searching for
one ski design that does it all, ski companies tried adding a little weight
for stability, a stiffer flex pattern for edge hold and increasing sidecut on
fat skis. Most of these efforts just increased the turn radius of the skis.
A big turn radius may not be a problem when skiing a big mountain line,
however, when dodging trees and bumps on the average ski run, it is
a problem.
differently by each manufacturer. The best thing to do is to go into
your local shop, and throw the skis on the floor to see the profiles for
yourself. You are essentially looking at the footprint of the ski. From
early rise tips to tip rocker to full rocker, the length of this footprint is
progressively reduced. An early rise tip will take a traditional ski and
shorten 5-10cms off of the overall contact point in the tip area. True tip
rocker skis may have the forward contact point up to 50cms behind the
tip. A full rocker ski will take contact area away from the tip and the tail.
What you are really differentiating is the ski’s footprint on firm snow
versus soft snow. Ski a rockered ski on hardpack and you will judge it’s
turning radius and stability by the length of its contact points. In soft
snow you get the turnability of the ski based on its contact points, but
with the flotation and stability of the whole ski. A 190cm ski with full
rocker on hard pack may feel like a 160cm ski, but it may only take a few
inches of new snow or a warm spring day to increase the footprint back
to 190cm. First generation reverse camber, rockered skis were designed
as true powder skis. Full rockered skis with camber were developed to
improve firm snow performance, but are still powder skis. Early rise tips
and tip only rocker are probably the best answer for someone who wants
the one ski quiver, especially if you target the 88-105mm under foot
dimension. When it comes to sizing, expect to size a ski 5cms longer for
early rise tips, 5-10cms longer for tip rocker, and 10-20cms longer for a
full rockered ski.
Through skier feedback and personal experience over the past few
years, I have drawn some conclusions regarding the benefits and
limitations of rockered ski design. Most of today’s fully rockered skis
are designed to ski off piste in area and out. A distinct advantage to
continued on page 25
With some basic ski design behind us, let’s talk about where
rocker fits into the picture. Up to this point, we know that
sidecut helps a ski turn as long as it doesn’t get too wide to
get on edge. There is less resistance under the ski in soft
snow than in firm snow, so getting the ski to flex is still
the key to easy turning. However, softening the flex
generally reduces edge hold on firm snow. Rockered
skis ditch the two dimensional thinking in the world
of sidecut and flex. The rocker trend in skis adds
a third dimension, be it an early rise tip, reverse
camber, tip rocker or full rocker. Why is this
third dimension necessary? If you stop and
think about it, fresh snow in its ungroomed
state has similarities to water. Continue with
the water thought, and there is another type
of skiing that happens behind a power boat.
Could a water ski work in the deep snow?
Quite a few years ago Shane McConkey tried
it, and the reverse camber ski was born. By
having a permanently bent up tip and tail, the
water ski floated like a dream and could turn
on a dime in the deepest, heaviest conditions.
If you put a true reverse camber or fully
rockered ski on the floor you will see why the
term rocker has been applied. The tip and tail
are up in the air, and there is a limited (maybe
75cm) flat spot where the binding goes that
actually contacts the ground. It turns out that
when the tip and tail are permanently bent in
a flexed position, the overall ski flex can be
made stiffer, helping with the edge hold. Also,
by moving the contact point back from the
shovel, turn initiation comes from a narrower
part of the ski, reducing the turn radius.
When you hear or read about the terms,
rocker, early rise tip, reverse camber, etc,
remember that they are interpreted a little
photo: Grant Gunderson
...for ski bums, quality of life is more important than quantity of income, which runs against the grain of our
capitalistic society. ... Ski bums defy convention in many ways, starting with this basic economic premise: If you
want to live the dream, time is more important than money.
A
s a career ski bum, I’m no expert in formal economics. I do,
however, know quite a bit about the informal economics of
ski bumming. Back in 1984, I took a year off from college
to live in Telluride, Colorado. It was a deep winter, and I
barely managed to get back to school. After graduation, while all
my classmates were applying to graduate programs or latching onto
the first rung of the corporate ladder, I decided to return to the San
Juans for one more season. That was 25 years ago.
Lacking a trust fund, I’ve always had to work to keep my financial
boat afloat. But a ski bum’s economic foundation isn’t based on
lucre alone. No, for ski bums, quality of life is more important than
quantity of income, which runs against the grain of our capitalistic
society. So what? Adam Smith may roll over in his grave, but I don’t
care about the GDP, the CPI, or owning a shiny new car. Ski bums
defy convention in many ways, starting with this basic economic
premise: If you want to live the dream, time is more important than
money.
Of course living the dream requires some income. Like most
American ski resorts, Telluride has become a financially bifurcated
town—a mix of haves and have-nots strangely united as leisure
classes at both ends of the economic spectrum. Even in the midst
of the current lean times, there’s still money to be made in a resort
town if you’re willing to work. I’m willing, but only as long as it’s
on my terms. That means I say “no” to 50 weeks a year, 40 hours
a week, and health insurance. I don’t want a straight job; I want a
powder clause.
A combination of necessity and a painfully short attention span have
led me to diverse employment over the years. I’ve worked as a ski
and bike mechanic. I’ve toiled on frigid construction sites and in
sweltering restaurant kitchens. I’ve coached youth soccer, climbing,
and Nordic ski teams. I’ve taught high-school English and sat on
the town council. I’ve done production work for commercial photo
shoots and local festivals. I’ve washed windows, shoveled snow and
painted houses. For a fleeting time in my impetuous youth, I even
sold real estate.
No matter what my income level, the trick has been to always
live below my means. My friend Rob taught me this lesson in the
1980’s when he surfed my couch for a winter. Previously, he had
been a successful financial planner in the city. Rob could have easily
afforded to rent his own place in town. Instead, he opted to spend
the season on my sofa where he had kitchen and bathroom access, a
warm place to sleep, and a closet for his gear—all for $100 a month.
That winter, Rob exchanged the luxury of a private bedroom for
economic freedom. Although he has long since moved away, his
financial wisdom has stuck with me. Here are some of the canny tips
I learned from Rob to balance a ski bum’s budget:
1) Get your teeth cleaned regularly. No way will you have a job
that provides dental insurance, so a few bucks spent annually on
preventative cleaning is vastly preferable to a large financial hit for
major dental work.
2) Carry health insurance, at least a cheap catastrophic accident
policy. If this isn’t obvious, you’re not skiing enough.
3) Find an inexpensive housing situation: You can bivy in a snow
cave or hunker with five roommates in a two-bedroom condo—
whatever it takes to keep this monthly expense low. While a sweet
house is nice, it doesn’t really matter: As a ski bum, you’ll be
spending most of your time outside.
4) Quit smoking. And stop swilling booze every night and burning
dope like a chimney. Real ski bums are solid athletes. Athletes
don’t fill their bodies with toxins constantly. They get the majority
of their endorphins in the mountains during the day, not in the
bars at night.
5) A prudent ski bum avoids all forms of debt, especially on the
credit card. Debt will crush the spirit and force you to work on
powder days. As legendary rock climber Royal Robbins shrewdly
observed, “There are climbers who work, and workers who climb.”
The same adage holds true for skiers.
6) Never pay retail for gear. Tourists work 50 weeks a year to
pay retail prices. Ski bums shop at the annual ski swap or endof-season sales. Or perhaps find a job that provides pro forms.
There’s always an angle. Work it.
photo: Ryan Creary
7) Eat well. A hardcore ski bum’s body needs high-quality fuel,
so spend a chunk of your hard-earned paycheck on good food.
What you pay up front for organic produce will come back to
you in savings when you don’t fall prey to the virulent imported
plagues that ravage ski towns during the winter.
8) To paraphrase the sage words of Henry David Thoreau:
Simplify. What parts of society’s trappings can you eliminate?
Satellite TV? Unlimited nationwide cell phone minutes? Your
vehicle? Every ski bum answers these questions differently. The
important thing is to pose them and then act.
9) Shop locally. Sure you can save a few bucks shopping online,
but spending your dollars in town benefits your community,
and you never know when such goodwill might come back to
you in the form of an unexpected local’s discount.
Backcountry.
Of all these tips, I reckon number 10 is the most important. A ski
bum’s life isn’t about self-sacrifice. It’s about flow and karma and
a healthy dose of hedonism. When you stop and think about it,
money is merely strips of paper and discs of silver. Paradoxically, the
harder you try to hold onto it, the quicker it slips away. While I’m
not suggesting profligate spending as an integral part of the ski bum
lifestyle, sometimes you get a better ROI by spending some dough.
Otherwise, you fall prey to the tortured mindset of scarcity and
fear. For ski bums who’ve renounced capitalism and measure their
success in quality of life, the miser’s path only leads to diminished
ski turns.
Sidecountry.
Its all Stash country.
-
10) Know when to splurge. A ski bum’s life isn’t all about
fiscal austerity. Treat your friends to a round of drinks
after a great day on the hill. Surprise your sweetheart with
champagne or flowers for no apparent reason. Occasional
financial flourishes are good for the soul.
Slackcountry.
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of freezeproof hydration. Our burly new fabrics, helmet sling, and super adjustable
“Noose” ski carrying system will get you to the goods—whether they’re ten miles in
or just beyond the ropes. Featuring our proven Stash winter hydration system.
Backcountry Access, Inc. Boulder, Colorado USA
Ride safe. For info on avalanche safety, check out
www.backcountryaccess.com/education or visit our blog.
Lowell Skoog -
Ski shots: Lowell Skoog skiing near Mt. Shuksan, 1995
and touring the Picket Range, 1985 - Carl Skoog photos.
Self portrait with son Tom and mother Ingrid
The best things in a man’s life are often his hobbies, and if he will not take his hobbies seriously, life will lose half
its charm. And mountaineering is something more than a hobby... And so I make no apology for this attempt to
trace the history of our noble sport. --Arnold Lunn, History of Skiing
L
owell Skoog is a thorough and meticulous guy. It’s what you need in
a preservationist. Getting the details right is a required historical
imperative. But he is also a passionate and poetic guy when he writes
about his love of ski mountaineering in the Cascade Mountains. As he
says, “Skiing isn’t just about the turns, but about the people who make
them.” At this time in his life, Lowell is attempting to meld his two
sides.
About ten years ago, Lowell started two big projects: building
a database structure that would become the Alpenglow Ski
Mountaineering History Project and writing Written in the Snows, a
book dedicated to the history of skiing in the Northwest. In a recent
telephone interview, he said, “I describe this project like painting a
house - only the thing is before you can paint it, you have to build it
from scratch, one brick at a time. The bricks being the sources that
you find and gradually, as you’re putting together chronologies and
grouping things into subjects and finding different references to people
and grouping them together, which is what the indexes are that I have
on my site, you create a structure of what happened over a hundred
years.” And after the house is built? Lowell says, “You stand back
with a brush, canvas and easel, and render it into a story, something
readable.”
Born in Seattle to skiing, Swedish parents, Lowell and his brothers,
Gordy and Carl, grew-up hot-dogging at Ski Acres and Crystal
Mountain, learned to mountain climb in college and began venturing
into the “American Alps” of the North Cascades. A degree in electrical
engineering at the University of Washington landed Lowell a job
designing computer software, but he used his free time and new
climbing skills to explore ever deeper into the Cascade range. Around
2001, he was laid-off from his job during the dot-com bust, and he and
his wife, Stephanie, decided he should take six to 10 months to work
on the history project. Later, working as an engineering consultant,
Lowell was able to devote time to his ski research, a growing number of
related projects, and additionally raise a son. His historical enthusiasm
is also a way for him to connect to his father, who passed away when
Lowell was 20 years old, and the old Scandinavian ski jumpers from his
past.
On his vast Web site, Alpenglow.org, you can see that Lowell has
been busy over the years, not only compiling his historical database,
but also ticking off Cascade ski tours with his brothers and other ski
partners. Many of the tours would, 25 years later, become the chain
links for a ski route stretching 362 miles from Mt. Baker to Mt. Rainier,
called “Skiing the Cascade Crest.” The route is dedicated to his late
brother, Carl, who died in a steep skiing fall in Argentina in 2005. The
Cascade Crest route is a poignant memorial to Carl Skoog, who was
an accomplished skier and photographer and Lowell’s most consistent
partner on countless trips. Carl’s beautiful imagery can be viewed on
Alpenglow.org and the Mountaineers Foundation manages a memorial
fund in Carl’s name.
-
Painting a Picture of Northwest Skiing History
by Don Pattison
Don Amick and Bruce Kehr 1936. Photo: Dwight Watson Collection, The Mountaineers
The seed that launched Written in the Snows was Dwight Watson’s
obituary published in the Seattle Times in 1996. Lowell recognized
Watson’s name from brief passages in the books of Fred Beckey
(the prodigious Northwest climber, original dirt bag and guidebook
author). Watson, born in 1900, was the first to ski Eldorado Peak,
North Star Mountain and Glacier Peak in the North Cascades. Lowell
says, “I think his tour de force, in 1939, was the ski traverse of
Mt. Baker from the Kulshan cabin to the Mt. Baker ski area, which
I started calling Watson’s Traverse.” As Lowell began digging into
Northwest skiing history, he contacted Fred Beckey directly. Beckey
confirmed that Dwight Watson was the “key guy” in early Northwest
ski mountaineering, and that his adventures dated back to the 1930’s.
Based on a lead in Watson’s obituary, Lowell contacted the Seattle
Mountaineers history committee seeking Watson’s old ski movies. The
committee had the films and Lowell was allowed to view them. He was
hooked. “So, Watson was the kernel that got me started on the whole
project,” he recalls.
short trip reports documenting new routes in the region. This visually
stunning and informative on-line resource was “a very satisfying
project” according to Lowell. “I liked seeing all the routes the young
hotshots were doing next to profiles of guys that are 90 years old
and recalling their glory days.” He says, “The journal was bridging the
generations and a very cool thing to be a part of, but very hard and
time consuming, too.”
Lowell eventually became a member of the Mountaineers history
committee, allowing him access to more information and, more
importantly, the film archives. He refers to these old ski movies as
“historical ‘crack,’ because the more you see, the more you want.” He
is now the chairman of the committee (like he needs one more thing
to do) and is working with the Mountaineers to digitally transfer these
“dusty old films dating back to 1928.” He has also gained access to
private film sources, like the Bob and Ira Spring collection. The digital
video copies are cataloged at www.mountaineers.org/history/cat/
movies-film.html.
Last fall and winter, Lowell realized that he needed more photography
for his book. He says, “I spent a lot of time chasing down pictures
at the University of Washington, Museum of History and Industry,
Mt. Rainier National Park, and several historical societies. “Lowell’s
relationship with the Mountaineers has been especially valuable for
obtaining access to photographs held at U.W. However, this endeavor
also landed him another task and another distraction - archiving
Bob and Ira Spring’s entire black and white photo collection. For
those unfamiliar with the Spring twins, they started a photography
partnership in 1946 and the two set to photograph Washington State
as it had never been photographed before and will never be again.
Lowell has another daunting task ahead of him.
Around 2002, the Mountaineers history committee wanted to revive
the club annuals (journals documenting significant mountain related
accomplishments and people), but after three years of trying, couldn’t
seem to get it done. Around this time, climbing and skiing forums like
cascadeclimbers.com were sprouting-up on the Internet. Lowell and
some other like-minded climbers and skiers decided to produce an
on-line annual of Northwest climbing and ski mountaineering that was
flexible and fresh. The Northwest Mountaineering Journal (NWMJ) was
launched in 2004 to provide an edited, permanent, annual record of
mountaineering in the Northwest. For seven years, Lowell edited and
contributed to the Web site. The NWMJ publishes feature articles and
Lowell’s last issue as editor of the NWMJ was its seventh and was
published last summer. Lowell observed that “my ski history stuff was
getting starved,” so he resigned and hopes that someone will take over
the journal. He also felt the need to go back to full-time engineering
work. But he is obviously clearing the way to finish the book. He says,
“I feel like this long drawn-out journey will be better for it. The book
remains this unifying goal that I have, this huge mountain that I have
to climb, and I’m getting to the point where I have all these pieces that
I’m weaving together, and I don’t have any obstacles in my way.”
With book queries getting a luke-warm reception from publishers like
The Mountaineers Books and Sasquatch Books, the publishing process
frustrated Lowell. “The book that I have in my brain, would anybody
publish it?” He wonders. He says that most publishers responded
that the market for his book is too small. Most likely, he will not be
publishing Written in the Snows on paper, but instead as an on-line
document. I objected that some of us would like his book on our
continued on page 24
Gallery
Dean Collins logs another day of powder skiing, Mt. Baker, WA Sky Risvold leaves his mark in the Crystal Mountain backcountry, WA. Chris Miller climbing the Elks Tooth couloir during a 4-day traverse of the In
Gallery
My father considered a walk
among the mountains as the
equivalent of churchgoing.
- Aldous Huxley
Photo: Grant Gunderson
Photo: Bissell Hazen
ndian Peaks, CO. Photo: Fredrik Marmsater
2010 Ski Review
Touring Minded Skis for
T
here is no shortage of good skis available today. The trick is to
figure out which ski suits your needs; an all mountain ripper,
a powder pig or perhaps a finely tuned mountaineering tool. The
ever elusive quiver-of-one versus the hand-picked quiver of boards
is a question that we cannot answer for you. What we can do is
offer our seasoned opinions on skis we selected as having merit for
consideration.
R
ocker is the name of the game this year for off piste minded
skis. Yes, rocker really does improve soft snow performance.
Keeping your tips up and turning skis has never been easier. Be
sure to read our comprehensive piece on understanding rocker and
how it influences ski length and ski style (page 9). If this is your
year for new skis, you have some work ahead of you. Ski as many
as you can. Talk to other skiers in your area. Consider your local
conditions, the ski’s primary use and read what we have to say.
120mm+ Underfoot
Faction Royale - Dimensions: 150-122-140, Lengths: 175/183cm, Weight:
4.6kg/10.1lb (183cm), Turn Radius: 25m, $860. The Royale matches equal
rocker in the tip and tail with zero camber underfoot. Combined with its
massive 150mm shovel, the ski is a powder machine, and the deeper, the
better. This is no light touring minded ski. The Royale is an alpine board with
a backcountry following. At over 10 pounds without binders, it is not for the
faint of thigh. Its traditional sandwich construction helps give it a damp yet
edge capable feel, but despite its size and construction, it is not immune to
deflection. We see the Royale as a good choice for mechanized access and
overdeveloped quadriceps.
K2 Darkside - Dimensions: 156-128-144, Lengths: 174/181/188cm, Weight:
4.72kg/10.4lb (181cm), Turn Radius: 22m, $1,000. The 2010 Darkside moves
to full tip rocker, new graphics and retains its traditional, flat tail. The result
is a super stable and fun ski that may just enable you to lose your pals at the
ski hill, finally. However, at 10.4lb a pair your pals will likely be waiting for you
at the top on your next tour. But, just think, with K2’s new p-tex top sheet
material, you will carry a lot less snow up the hill. The Darkside encourages
high-speed, vertical consumption and is an incredibly capable and fun ski.
That said, our somewhat curmudgeonly touring roots ask, how many people
really want to tour on a 10+lb ski? If you answer yes, you should check it
out. If not, the Darkside makes for an awfully decadent mechanized and
sidecountry access ski.
Voile Drifter – Dimensions: 151-125-138 (182cm), Lengths:
162/172/182/192cm, Weight: 3.4kg/7.5lb (172cm), Turn Radius: 21.7m,
$625. The Drifter is the quintessential powder slayer. It encourages speed
and flotation in deep snow, but remains remarkably versatile in turn size for
its width. The Drifter holds its own on a powder day at the resort and, given
its light weight, is easily at home touring for turns. Definitely a quiver ski,
the Drifter is all about soft snow, but it doesn’t need to be bottomless to
be enjoyable. They are also very fun on boot-top days. The Drifter is light,
rockered in tip and tail and is perfect for trail breaking on deep days – they
actually save energy over a skinnier ski when the trail breaking is deep. If
you fancy yourself a charger, don’t be afraid to size these long.
110-119mm Underfoot
Armada JJ – Dimensions: 126-136-115-133-123, Lengths: 175/185cm,
Weight: 3.9kg/8.9lb (175cm), Turn Radius: 14m, $830. The Armada JJ first
caught our attention when we learned it weighed in around 4lb per ski. Most
skis in this width category push five pounds (or more) per ski. The JJ uses
what Armada refers to as their “ultralight core”, and it combines generous tip
and tail rocker with positive camber underfoot. Add sidewall construction and
healthy dimensions and you get an agile powder ski for the deepest of days.
Wow was the most common first impression of the JJ – related to its lack of
heft (we mounted them with Dynafit bindings) and its on snow performance.
The JJ impressed everyone who tried it. Sure, it is a quiver ski, and is most
at home in deep snows, but it is equally fun at the ski hill as it is touring. Its
positive camber underfoot gives it a carving ability not found in fully rocked
out skis, seemingly without compromise in its soft snow performance. It
elicited many comparisons to the Voile Drifter (145-121-133), and although the
two skis do have similarities, they each have distinct personalities, too. The JJ
is more new school surfer, and although it happily makes big arcs, it turns on
a dime and is very responsive in tight quarters, too.
Black Diamond Zealot – Dimensions: 136-110-126 (182cm), Lengths:
182/192cm, Weight: 4.45kg/9.8lb (182cm), Turn Radius: 30m, $680. The
Zealot returns with mild tip rocker and in BD’s words “an easier ride.”
Regardless, the Zealot is a ripper. This is a big boot, big turn minded ski,
and it fills the description well. Although the go-light crew will cringe at the
thought of all-day touring on this nearly ten pound set of skis, the Zealot
keeps the big booted, vertical ripping crowd quite happy. The new tip and
construction make for a smooth initiating ski that holds a big line with ease.
Y VES GARNEAU
1
A quartet of Black Diamond Europe employees
on Morteratsch Glacier, Switzerland.
the Backcountry & More
Icelantic Shaman - Dimensions: 160-110-130, Lengths:
161/173/181/184cm, Weight: 3.54kg/8.8lb (173cm), Turn Radius: 22m,
$650. Icelantic makes unique skis, and I am not just referring to the
graphics. Their classic sandwich construction, made in Colorado boards are
truly different from any other ski on the market. Light, they are not, but
turn and float with ease they do. The Shaman took some time to dial into.
Its wide platform and 160mm tip are matched with serious sidecut. The skis
initiate turns with the greatest of ease, but they take some getting used to
in order to avoid overturning them. Carving grand arcs is not the Shaman’
forte, it has a distinct medium to short radius bias, but once you’re dialed
into its personality, skiing the Shaman in powder is almost Zen like.
Voile Charger – Dimensions: 137-112-126 (181cm), Lengths:
171/181/191cm, Weight: 3.2kg/7.05lb (171cm), Turn Radius: 23m, $595.
The Charger is a light, nimble and confident powder ski. In short, it is a
true touring-minded, big mountain powder board. Its turn radius is much
bigger than that of the Insane, but the Charger remains lively and capable
of varied turns. Building on Voile’s successful Drifter platform, the Charger
combines a rockered tip, traditional camber and a slight rise in the tail. The
ski likes big terrain and big turns, but skis with ease - in fact, the boards
just about ski themselves. Still a quiver ski designed with soft snow in mind,
the Charger is incredibly fun in anything soft.
100-109mm Underfoot
Black Diamond Drift - Dimensions: 138-100-123 (186cm), Lengths:
The Drift is a welcome addition to BD’s ski line. Measuring in a couple
millimeters wider than the Justice, this touring minded board sheds the
“it’s all about the down” propaganda and offers up honest all-day touring
specs without sacrificing performance. It is light and turny in soft snow,
and it carves firm snow when pressed. The modestly rockered tip moves
into medium radius turns with ease, but it can be pushed short or long
without much complaint. Given its pretty dramatic side cut, its personality is
somewhat quiet, but overall performance is solid.
Black Diamond Starlet (women’s specific) – Dimensions: 134-100-121
(166cm), Lengths: 156/166/176cm, Weight: 2.78kg/6.13lb (166cm), Turn
Radius: 20m, $660. The Starlet is BD’s new Efficient series powder board for
women and is built on the Drift footprint. Described by testers as an easy
skiing all-a-rounder, it is smooth in soft snow, a little lackluster in firm snow,
but it handled mixed resort snow well. The Starlet weighs in well under
seven pounds and its mild tip rocker and light construction offer a reliable
touring package for almost any conditions.
Black Diamond Justice - Dimensions: 136-100-123 (186cm), Lengths:
The Justice returns unchanged. Its heavily rockered tip is matched with
stout construction to create a stable, confident, and surfy powder ski. If
you can handle the weight touring, you can likely make the ski perform. A
little stubborn on firm snow, the Justice comes to life in soft snow and open
terrain.
Crown Kensho – Dimensions: 142-106-122 (190cm), Lengths: 175/190cm,
Weight per pair:4.6kg/9.3lb (175cm), Turn Radius: 23/27m, $850. Crown
is a new boutique ski manufacturer based in Vancouver, BC. The 2010-11
season marks their second season of ski production. The Kensho is their big
mountain, big radius turner and features light tip rocker. Traditional camber
keeps the Kensho carving in firm snows. The ski is on the clumsy side in
slower, tighter terrain, but it shines in open terrain at speed. Its relatively
small sweet spot can be elusive, but when you are in it the Kensho rolls out
medium and big radius turns on demand. On the heavy side for a dedicated
touring board, the Kensho’s hefty construction makes for a solid ride in
mixed conditions.
search
efficient skis
at:
B lackDiamondEquipment .com
winter ski. Flat, skin friendly tails give it all mountain utility, and its new
p-tex top sheet material should help keep it snow free on the uptrack.
Dynafit Stoke – Dimensions: 129-105-119 (173cm), Lengths:
The Stoke moves Dynafit skis into the world of big mountain “freeride”
feel, but the ski remains loyal to Dynafit’s lightweight roots and weighs
respectably close to seven pounds. The Stoke is a big radius turner with
mild tip rocker and roots in Greg Hill’s pursuits around Revelstoke. It is not
simply a big Manaslu; it has a distinct and bigger personality. It is stiffer
than the Manaslu and prefers bigger radius turns. The Stoke requires some
extra attention in tight or treed terrain, but the ski is quite at home when
the terrain opens up. The Stoke is a quiver ski - a premium midwinter, big
mountain touring stick. It skied well with a variety of three and four buckle
boots and will serve dedicated touring skiers with an aggressive bent very
well. Like the Manaslu, the Stoke uses Dynafit’s proprietary binding inserts
and skin attachment system.
Faction Alias – Dimensions: 132-102-122, Lengths: 169/179/188cm,
Weight: 3.9kg/8.5lb, Turn Radius: 22m, $799. We skied the non-rocker,
traditional camber Alias. It is a predictable and stable ski that garnered
praise for its all mountain versatility. Its smooth, damp ride made short
work of everything that came its way. The Alias handles speed with
confidence and has a fairly big turn radius bias for it size. It is one of those
skis that just seems to know what you want it to do at all times. You could
find a more nimble ski, but the Alias is a smooth operator for mixed on and
off piste use.
G3 Tonic - Dimensions: 132-100-123, Lengths: 177/185/192cm, Weight:
3. 8kg/8.37lb (177cm), $710. The Tonic returns from last season with new
graphics, but is otherwise the same as last season. The Tonic enjoys medium
to big radius turns and testers agreed that it is most responsive when
pushed. It handles mixed resort conditions, but the Tonic got its highest
marks when let off the leash in soft snow.
G3 Fever - Dimensions: 132-100-123, Lengths: 177/185/192cm, Weight:
3.68kg/8.1lb (177cm), $710. The Fever builds on the Tonic platform by
adding new Titanal construction to this lightly tip rockered ski and, according
to our scales, dropping a few grams to. The result is a damp ski with a
medium to big radius bias. It handles firm snow well, but is not as smooth as
its big brother the Manhattan. Let the Fever pick up some speed, open it up
into bigger turns in soft snow, and it comes to life.
G3 Manhattan - Dimensions: 139-108-128, Lengths: 175/180/185/190cm,
Weight: 4.08kg/8.99lb (180cm), $740. The Manhattan offers up a plush
Cadillac-like ride, yet maintains fairly sporty handling given its 108mm
waist. Designed by the same ski engineer that brought us the Karhu Jak a
few years back, the Manhattan evokes a similar feel - damp, confident and
responsive. It responds like a narrower ski and floats like the fat ski that it
is. The Manhattan features a rockered tip, reduced camber and Titanal in its
construction. It is not exactly a light ski, but its performance helped tip the
scales in its favor among our touring-biased testers. Don’t be afraid to ski it
long.
Icelantic Nomad Soft – Dimensions: 140-105-130, Lengths:
156/168/181cm, Weight: 3.88kg/8.55lb (168cm), $640. The Nomad is a
traditionally cambered, non rockered ski. It is more traditional in feel than
the Shaman and maintains easy initiation and great flotation. On the heavy
side for its length, the Nomad has a decidedly short radius bias and is most
at home popping quick turns in soft snow.
K2 Coomback – Dimensions: 135-102-121, Lengths: 167/174/181/188cm,
Weight: 3.54kg/7.8lb, Turn Radius: 22m, $825. The Coomback continues to
hold its own in a very competitive category. It has a respectable weight for
its size and mild tip rocker. The rocker ensures these boards stay on top of
the snow, while the construction and classic K2 feel keep it solid at speed.
The Coomback serves up predictable, consistent turns in classic backcountry
conditions. You can find a better springtime and technical mountaineering
ski (something narrower), but the Coomback remains an excellent mid-
K2 Gotback (women’s specific) - Dimensions: 135-102-121, Lengths:
146/153/160/167cm, Weight: 3.28kg/7.25lb, Turn Radius: 19m, $825. The
Gotback is a soft snow tool. Based on the Coomback platform, the Gotback
follows through in soft snow with predictable round arcs. It is easy to
initiate and responds quickly to input. Most at home in boot top and better
conditions, the Gotback is not quite as versatile as the Coomback, but it is
sure to please on powder days and hut trips.
Prior Husume - Dimensions: 124-102-112, Lengths:
163/169/175/181/188/193cm, Weight: 3.8kg/8.34lb (175cm), Turn Radius:
21m, $950. The Husume is an incredibly versatile ski. Tip rocker and
traditional camber create a ski that is dreamy in the pow, yet it charges
around the ski hill without complaint, too. You pay a small weight penalty
for the versatility, but if you keep the rest of your kit light, you can mitigate
the damage. In deep snows the Husume pulls you into long radius arcs and
encourages quick consumption of vertical. However, it remains responsive
when necessary, and it is downright capable of anything at the ski hill. One
somewhat misanthropic tester commented that the Husume painlessly
transformed him into a new school ripper. The Husume may not be for
the gram counters in the crowd, but it still received high marks from our
touring-biased test crew.
Volkl Gotama - Dimensions: 137-106-122, Lengths: 170/178/186/194cm,
Weight: 4.74kg/10.5lb (177cm) $825. The Gotama remains an incredibly fun
ski. It really skis bigger than it reads on paper. Its fairly modest 106mm
waist is paired with generous tip and tail dimensions (and Volkl’s ELP rocker
technology) to create a ski with a big sweet spot. Part of Volkl’s alpine
“Freeride” line, the Gotama is not light, but let it rip on a big open bowl and
you won’t care. The ski likes speed and an experienced driver, but it makes
short work of any soft snow.
90-99mm Underfoot
Black Diamond Aspect – Dimensions: 130-90-117 (176cm), Lengths:
$630. The Aspect is a midwinter mountaineering ski. It is wide enough to be
fun in powder, narrow enough underfoot to be responsive and light enough
for full-day, human-powered exploration. It is not the fattest or the liveliest,
but it can do it all. Mild tip rocker and flat, climbing skin friendly tails round
out the package.
Crown Satori – Dimensions: 127-97-118 (175cm), Lengths:
165/180/190cm, Weight per pair: 4 kg/8.8lb (175cm), Turn Radius:
21m, $750. The Satori is a solid all-a-rounder that is confident in mixed
conditions, but not overly turny. It has a strong preference for medium
radius arcs and consistent input. The Satori skis big for its relatively modest
dimensions and holds its own in at the ski hill. Like its sibling, the Kensho,
the Satori is not light, but Crown seems open to the idea of offering a more
touring-minded model in the future.
DPS Wailer 95 - Dimensions: 125-95-113, Lengths: 175/185/195cm,
Weight: 3.26kg/7.2lb (175cm), Turn Radius: 20m, $1200. DPS makes a full
line of skis laid up with carbon, and all are remarkably light and touring
friendly. The Wailer 95 is a light and lively, but stiff ski. We found it most at
home with a big, confident driver carving big turns. Heavier skiers (175lb+)
found it easy to turn and an ideal peak descent ski, while lighter skiers
worked hard to keep it performing. It is most comfortable in medium and
long radius turns.
Dynafit Manaslu - Dimensions: 122-95-108 (178cm), Lengths:
169/178/187cm, Weight: 2.9kg/6.39lb (178cm) $700. The Manaslu remains
a solid choice for an all mountain, all conditions, dedicated touring ski.
Like we said last season, you can get a stouter, fatter ski, but the Manaslu
2010 Ski Review
continued
Photo: Ian Coble
is remarkably capable in all conditions. Its early rise tip excels in mixed
conditions, and it handles soft snows with aplomb. Dynafit’s proprietary
binding insert technology and skin attachment system are standing the test
of time well. The Manaslu is a mountaineering powder ski with a quiet, but
very confident personality.
K2 Backlash – Dimensions: 129-92-115, Lengths: 160/167/174/181cm,
Weight: 3.68kg/8.1lb, Turn Radius: 19m, $750. The Backlash adds metal
to K2’s lightweight wood construction, and this year’s Backlash adds
mild tip rocker to the package, too. The result is a damp, predictable and
classic K2 ride. Although not quite as lively as the Wayback and somewhat
overshadowed by its big brother the Coomback, the Backlash handles speed
and mixed conditions well and responds to a good range of boots.
K2 Payback (women’s specific) - Dimensions: 129-92-115, Lengths:
$750. The Payback responds with ease to most commands, and like its
brother the Backlash, offers a predictable and smooth K2 feel. It is lighter
than the Backlash and has few limitations in soft snow, but it does whine
a little when pushed hard on firm snow. It is most at home in medium to
shorter arcs at reasonable speeds. Add the mild tip rocker, flat, skin ready
tails, and the Payback is a solid choice for all around touring.
Ski Trab Stelvio XL - Dimensions: 126-90-112, Length:
164/171/178/185cm, Weight: 2.72kg/6lb/pair (171cm), Turn Radius: 20m,
$999. The Stelvio XL returns unchanged this season. A relatively stiff all
mountain ski, the XL carries its lightweight construction well and has a
medium radius bias. Still modest in its dimensions for seasoned powder
whores, the XL serves up consistent performance in carvable and boot top
snow. Think of it as a more versatile Stelvio with a little bigger turn bias.
Trab’s craftsmanship is paired with a beautiful wood veneer top sheet that
continues to turn heads.
Voile Vector - 118-94-107 (170cm), Lengths: 160/170/180cm, Weight:
2.76kg/6.08lb (170cm), Turn Radius: 21.7m, $550. The Vector is a lively
turner that proved capable in firm and soft snow. Its light construction
provides a responsive personality while its mild tip rocker keeps it afloat in
soft and varied conditions. Given the similarity in dimensions and rocker to
the Dynafit Manaslu, we skied it head to head with the Manaslu, and both
skis have their own distinct personalities. The Vector has a shorter radius
bias, and is overall stiffer than the Manaslu giving it a more responsive,
but somewhat less forgiving feel than the Manaslu. The Vector is an allmountain ski capable of tackling all conditions, and it compliments Voile’s
more deep snow minded boards.
Volkl Nanuq - Dimensions: 130-94-113, Lengths: 163/170/177/184cm,
Weight: 3.62kg/7.9lb (177cm), Turn Radius: 21.9m (177cm), $700. The
Nanuq takes the original Volkl Mantra shape and sheds some weight to offer
a more touring minded ski. Although not in the superlight category, the
Nanuq is respectable and a rock solid mixed conditions ski. It offers plenty
of surface area for soft snow skiing, and in classic Volkl fashion, it carves
up a storm on firm snow. The Nanuq includes a proprietary skin attachment
system for use with Volkl skins, but will accept any climbing skins. The
Nanuq is an ideal all conditions ski that holds its own at the resort as well as
it cuts through untracked snow.
80-89mm Underfoot
Black Diamond Stigma – Dimensions: 124-80-108 (176 cm), Lengths:
160/168/176/186cm, Weight: 2.84kg/6.2lb (176cm), Turn Radius: 17m, $540.
The Stigma is a relatively stiff, but responsive turner. It is most at home
making short to medium radius turns. It is wide enough to run the gamut
of conditions found on a spring volcano descent and lively enough to be
responsive in technical terrain. In keeping with BD’s efficient series theme,
the Stigma is light and tour-ready with flat tails. It sheds a few grams over
last season’s model, but it retains its generally responsive demeanor.
G3 Spitfire - Dimensions: 123-89-111, Lengths: 170/177/184/192cm, Weight:
3.34kg/7.361lb (177cm), $610. The Spitfire’s all-mountain dimensions give it a
predictable, confident character. The ski has a familiar feel to it and handles a
variety of conditions. Fixed or free heeled, it carved in firmer snows and easily
handles soft snow. It can’t compete with the fatter boards for pure powder
performance, but if your snow is boot top and your turns short to medium in
radius, the Spitfire is a good match.
K2 Wayback – Dimensions: 124-88-108, Lengths: 160/167/174/181cm,
Weight: 3.1kg/6.8lb (174cm), Turn Radius: 22m, $700.The addition of tip
rocker to the Wayback makes for a very lively, yet predictable and modestly
stable ski. The Baker Superlight of old and last year’s Wayback were fine
boards, but they lacked the personality and lively feel of the 2010 model. The
new Wayback is a significant improvement on an already good ski. It is not
the lightest in its class, or the fattest, but it holds its own in a variety of snow
conditions and even speed. The new Wayback is a nice all conditions touring
ski. Matched with a fatty in the quiver for the big days, the Wayback can
handle just about everything else.
K2 Backup - Dimensions: 124/82/105, Lengths: 160/167/174/181cm, Weight:
3kg/6.6lb (174cm), Turn Radius: 19m, $625. With roots in the Shuksan of old,
the Backup retains the lively, damp and capable characteristics that made
the Shuksan so popular. The Backup is a mountaineering ski that handles
mixed conditions well and likes to turn. You can get a lighter mountaineering
ski, but few of the light skis are as smooth and lively as the Backup. Fixed
or free heeled, the Backup is a great choice for peak baggers and spring
touring. The Backup is an excellent compromise that offers enough dampness
and versatility that it should convince even the staunchest fat ski aficionado
to leave the big boards at home when vertical and mileage are the primary
objectives.
Volkl Amaruq - Dimensions: 127-88-109, Lengths: 163/170/177/184cm,
Weight: 3.18kg/7.9lb (177cm) $650. The Amaruq compliments the Nanuq in
Volkl’s touring line-up, but it is not simply a narrower Nanuq. It is a distinctly
different ski. Narrower and overall stiffer, the Amaruq responds well to lively
input, but is less forgiving than the Nanuq and is more at home in carvable
snows than it is in mixed or deep snow. Like the Nanuq, it includes Volkl’s
proprietary skin attachment hole in the tip, but can accommodate any skins.
Ski Trab Stelvio Light - Dimensions: 117-84-105, Lengths:
164/171/178/185cm, Weight: 2.58kg/5.7lb (171cm), Turn Radius: 20m, $949.
The Stelvio light is a sub-six pound generalist. It offers enough surface area
to mitigate mixed snow, and it is stiff enough to carve the corn. It tracks well
for a light ski, even when pushed. The Stelvio light is at home on a big spring
tour and is still fun in boot top powder. This is a dedicated touring ski for a
traditionalist who likes turn.
70-79mm Underfoot
Black Diamond Guru – Dimensions: 120-75-105 (176cm), Lengths:
The Guru offers up a sports car like ride in contrast to today’s offering of
big radius, powder oriented skis. It is a responsive short radius ski that,
although light, will do as it is asked. The ski follows through nicely in
carvable conditions. Its light swing weight keeps it quick turning when the
2010 Ski Review
continued
going gets steep. Variable conditions are not its forte, but an attentive driver
can keep it in line.
Dynafit Broad Peak - Dimensions: 112-74-96 (167cm), Lengths:
158/167/176cm, Weight: 2.15kg/4.8lb (167cm) $650. The Broad Peak is
a traditional mountaineering ski with solid edge hold and lively turning
performance. It is very light, and yes it skis light and short, but with less
twitch and twitter than you might expect from a sub-five pound pair of skis.
It offers a good balance of flex and edge hold for such a superlight board.
XCD Category - metal edge, no-wax base
Madshus Annum - Dimensions: 109-78-95, Lengths: 165/175/185/195cm,
Weight: 2.6kg/5.8lb (175cm), $340. Madshus steps into the XCD category
this year with the Annum. Virtually the same ski as the Karhu Guide (Karhu
Ski Co. no longer exists), the Annum is a single camber, waxless base, metal
edge touring ski. Its dimensions are modest when compared to the big,
powder floating boards available today, but the ski offers great all-around
backcountry performance. The ski mates well to a pair of three-pin bindings
and a light plastic boot (versus leather). The Annum turns out round tele
turns with ease. Add a pair of skins to your pack, and the Annum can take
you just about anywhere.
Rossignol BC125 - Dimensions: 123/95/120 (165cm), Lengths: 165cm,
Weight: 2.9kg/6.39lb (178cm) $400. The BC125 is the widest no-wax
pattern base ski available. Our testers were stoked to see this ski. We have
discussed the potential for a fat, waxless based and metal edged ski for
freeheel touring for years. Karhu experimented with the idea, but Rossignol
is the first to offer such a beast. Rossignol describes the BC125 as having
“cross-country camber”, but it seems pretty close to single camber. The
no-wax base climbs reasonably well, but given its width, we thought it
could have done better. All waxless bases have their limitations, and any
significant climbing on the BC125 is best done with skins. On the descent,
the ski initiates nicely, but lacks the turn follow through of a comparably
sized alpine-style telemark ski. Still, the BC125 likes to turn and is a fun
adventure ski. We skied it in three-pins (no cables) with two-buckle plastic
boots, and it was an ideal match.
g
Celebratin
f
o
rs
a
Ye
5
2
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Bringing P
ple
to the Peo
cozy lodge • great terrain • deep snow
I
n February of 2010, we spent three nights
in the new yurts. Classic El Nino weather
patterns dictated that good skiing would only
come from high, north facing. Situated at 6,600
feet directly below the north-facing bowls of Tam
McArthur Rim, the yurts delivered.
The snow quality was the best we had seen all
season. Beautiful surface hoar topped boot-top
cold snow and continued to grow each night. Tracks
from previous days were not so much filled-in as they
were grown-in. The crystalline feathers of frozen water
vapor provided skiing that defined the onomonopoeic schuss.
Our weather window allowed us to tour as far as our bodies could
make it and still return before dark (with the help of owners Shane and
Jonas showing us around). We found fantastic skiing in the Broken Hand and
Snow Creek vicinity. The Rim itself is a choose-your-ownadventure playground of terrain features – bowls,
glades, couloirs, slots and no-fall zones
abound.
he Cascade Volcanic Arc is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the string of
volcanoes and associated mountains that extends around the Pacific Ocean.
Stretching from Mount Meager in British Columbia southward to Mount Lassen
in northern California, the Cascade Volcanic Arc includes twenty significant
volcanoes that dominate their surroundings and are collectively referred to
as the Cascade Volcanoes. Smack dab in the middle of this chain is a once
explosively active complex known as the Three Sisters Complex. A volcanic
birthing zone twenty miles west of Bend, Oregon, the Sisters complex includes
the Three Sisters (North, Middle and South), Broken Top and the youngest of
the group, Mt. Bachelor. The area is still geologically active with an intermittent earthquake
epicenter located three miles west of South Sister. Four miles in the opposite direction sits
Broken Top, an extinct, glacially-eroded stratovolcano that sports a relatively flat plateau
stretching three miles to the northeast of the peak and ending in an abrupt 1500-foot drop-off
known as Tam McArthur Rim.
The Three Sisters, all over 10,000 feet in elevation, are the third, fourth and fifth highest peaks
in the state of Oregon, and they dominate the nearly 300,000-acre Three Sisters Wilderness.
Classic ski descents spill off the Sisters and Broken Top on all aspects, and sub peaks offer
countless touring options. Full access to the area has traditionally been associated with spring
and the plowing of the Cascade Lakes Highway (SR 46) and the opening of the Pole Creek (FR
15) and Three Creek Lake (FR 16) roads out of Sisters. Winter access to the area is limited
and somewhat daunting in length, necessitating multi-day trips or mechanized access. The
quickest winter access, short of a snowmobile, is from the Dutchman Flat, Mount Bachelor
area. Developed sno-parks on Century Drive offer day and overnight parking. The snowmobile
scene, however, can be overwhelming. The Bend Backcountry Alliance has been working
to establish non-motorized recreation zones, including in the popular and easily accessible
Tumalo Mountain area. Nonetheless, short of a few roadside attractions, winter access is long.
Enter Three Sisters Backcountry, a group of dedicated backcountry skiers in the Bend
area including Gabe Chladek, Shane Fox and Jonas Tarlen. Three Sisters Backcountry has
run avalanche courses out of the Three Creek Lake Sno-park near the approach to Tam
McArthur Rim for several years, and the group saw the potential for establishing a seasonal,
commercial base camp for backcountry skiers. Having begun the permit process in 1997,
Chladek and crew lobbied the forest service for twelve years before their proposal to bring a
commercial yurt-based backcountry ski operation to the edge of the Three Sisters Wilderness
was finally approved in September, 2009. The new operation facilitates access to a wide
variety of mostly north-facing bowls and glades on the edge of Tam Rim as well as the
immense terrain north of Broken Top and in the adjacent Snow Creek drainage.
Text: Andy Roof and Jason Leslie
Illustration: Jason Leslie
Painting a Picture of Northwest Skiing History
continued
shelves alongside the other beloved tomes of
outdoor reference and that he should get paid
for all his time and effort. Without hesitation,
Lowell says he prefers a living, editable
document, more like an on-line magazine than
coffee table book. But he adds that he hasn’t
given up the idea of publishing a version of the
book on paper in the future.
During our conversation, I mentioned that
Lowell has some classic Northwest ski descents
featured in Chris Davenport’s Fifty Classic Ski
Descents in North America, an up-coming, slick
book of ski pornography to be published in
November. I suggested he should do something
similar for the Cascades, but he laughed and
said he didn’t think his entries were extreme
enough for the Colorado guys, “I didn’t select
descents that had only been done once, because
how can those be classics? Classics should be
routes that everyone wants to do. I mean,
descents are important, but that is only half the
trip.”
Shifting our conversation toward Lowell’s vast
personal ski experience, I asked him to name his
best trip suggestion for a sunny, spring weekend
in the North Cascades. He said, “Anything
along the North Cascades Highway. For me,
the highway has provided decades of personal
discovery. You can never go wrong.” When asked
to name his worst bushwhacking “suffer fest” of all time he
replied, “Carl and I were camped in the col by Mt. Logan at
the start of what we hoped would be a grand two-week traverse, and it
was raining and snowing. We gave up the trip and thrashed our way out
Fischer Creek…it was soul crushing.”
Otto Lang, founder of the Mt. Rainier and Mt. Hood Ski Schools, writer,
filmmaker and all-around stylish Austrian, said before he died in 2006
that “It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to write a book, it only
matters how good it is.” Like the Italian guy that took four years to
paint a ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, Lowell Skoog has taken his time
Skiing above Paradise, Mount Rainier. Bob and Ira Spring Collection
writing the definitive history of Northwest ski mountaineering, but when
he is finished with his “painting,” I’m sure the details will be correct.
Check out the first installment of Lowell Skoog’s Written in the Snows
history project at www.written-in-the-snows.net. The first installment
is called The Ski Climbers. It describes an iconic period in Northwest
skiing, the years between 1928 and 1948 when pioneering ski ascents
and descents were made on Mount Baker, Mount Shuksan, Glacier
Peak, Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Hood.
rockered designs is you don’t have to choose between flotation and
turn radius. You can have a long wide ski with an exceptionally short
turn radius. The soft, elongated tip absorbs all sorts of conditions and
terrain, while the stiff ski underfoot offers edge and carving control. Full
rocker design allows you to throw a ski sideways at any speed without
worrying about catching the tip or tail. The advantages of rocker
become twice as important for telemark skiers. I will go out on a limb
and say that there is no reason to buy a telemark ski without significant
rocker. In telemark turns, engaging the outside edge (pinky toe) on
the trailing ski is difficult on wider skis. Rockered skis have the feel of
a narrower ski and facilitate easier control. Terrain and snow condition
absorption is also key in telemark turns. In variable terrain and snow
conditions, the trailing leg works hard to keep the ski from getting
knocked around while not augering into the soft spots. Rockered tip
design and a healthy width underfoot combine to make trailing ski
management much easier.
When does rockered design create limitations? One of the limitations of
fully rockered skis arises in ski mountaineering situations where length
of edge contact is directly related to ski control. Steep, icy terrain and
traversing on steeper terrain without ski crampons are situations where
more edge equals more control. A second consideration is ski weight.
Following the idea that rockered skis should be sized longer than
traditional skis, you end up with a heavier ski.
When choosing what design is right for you, look at your skiing style.
Think of full rocker as more of a surf style turn where you ride the ski,
turn when you have to and slash every once in a while for fun. If you
spend any amount of time on groomers, make sure you match your
rocker with camber. Skis with significant tip rocker, but traditional tails,
bridge the world of quick turn initiation, float and traditional turn finish.
Early rise tips, in some cases can be repackaging an old design with
a new tip shape. On the other hand, when the flex pattern matches
up with the elongated tip you can get a traditional feeling ski with
increased versatility and float.
Author’s note: My synopsis of current ski design is purely speculation.
Widely varied feedback garnered from industry insiders and consumers
combined with marketing propaganda helped shape my theory. Jeremey
Rooper works at the Mountain Shop in Portland, OR
OREGON MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY
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www.e-omc.com
Words and Images
opinions on books and films
Azadi: Freedom – DVD, 27 minutes
$22, www.b4apres.com
New on the ski movie scene, b4Apres is a self described “collective of vibrant characters.”
Leading the collective is the Australian born, now British Columbia resident Anthony Bonello.
Bonello and crew go to Gulmarg, Kashmir to ski. While there, they connect with local community
members and discuss life in Kashmir. Azadi: Freedom steps out of the classic ski porn mold to
offer a cultural documentary about Kashmir, skiing in Gulmarg and the local mountain scene
through the eyes of skiers.
The word azadi translates as freedom, and the film is really about the hope for the return to
freedom and normalcy in Kashmir. Emerging from deeply rooted conflict, Kashmir still sits
in limbo between Pakistan and India, but the fighting of the 1990’s has abated. The military
presence remains strong, but life in Kashmir is returning to normal, and Gulmarg, with its
gondola to 4,000 meters and a burgeoning ski scene is a living example. Bonello shares
the stories of several Gulmarg locals and offers a window into a changing Kashmir and the
importance of tourism, namely skiers, in a place that has seen very little tourist traffic in last 20
years. Bonello and crew get out skiing, too. The ski footage is not the center of the film, but the
new gondola and skiing are leading the change in Gulmarg. Azadi may not be a slick, all about
the down ski film, but it is sure to inspire and inform any veteran skier.
Australis: An Antarctic Ski Odyssey – DVD, 57 minutes
$25, www.antarcticskiodyssey.com
Chris Davenport is a respected ski mountaineer. A former alpine ski racer, he made his mark
on the ski scene when he won the 1996 World Extreme Skiing Championships in Alaska. He
has been setting a high standard in the mountains ever since. From skiing all 54 of Colorado’s
14,000-foot peaks in less than one year, to climbing and skiing numerous first descents and
classic lines around the globe, Davenport has quite the resume. In November 2009, Davenport
and a team of skiers and filmmakers set sail from Ushuaia, Argentina and headed across the
Drake Passage bound for the Antarctic Peninsula. Australis: An Antarctic Ski Odyssey is the
resulting film documenting their adventures at the bottom of the globe.
Accessing everything by Zodiac from their sailboat, the crew climbs under their own power and
picks off numerous quality descents. Peaks rise thousands of feet from the water’s edge, and
given some incredibly good weather, the film offers a vivid window into the stunning terrain of
the Antarctic Peninsula. The film is a straight forward expedition travelogue that offers insights
into several of the group’s ascents and descents. It would have been nice to learn more about
the natural and exploration history of the Antarctic region alongside the skiing, but the film is
straight up adventure documentary. Nonetheless, Australis is noteworthy as a ski film for its lack
of helicopters and the raw beauty of the terrain skied. Heck, how else are most of us ever going
to get a chance to see the Antarctic Peninsula, let alone be able to ski the lines these guys did.
A Life Ascending – DVD, 57 minutes
www.alifeascending.com
On January 20, 2003, an avalanche took the lives of seven skiers and snowboarders ski touring
out of the Selkirk Mountain Experience (SME) lodge in the Selkirk Mountains outside Revelstoke,
British Columbia. Six others were also buried, but thanks to the quick work of guide and SME
owner, Ruedi Beglinger, they were recovered and survived. The day is forever imprinted on
Beglinger and his family who own and manage SME. A Life Ascending profiles Beglinger, his
family and the 2003 avalanche’s lasting impact on their lives.
The film does not delve into the accident details, rather it looks at the broader picture of
Beglinger and his family as they pursue their dream of running SME and raising their children
in the Selkirk mountains. The shadow of the incident, the first and only incident of its type
in the 20-plus years that SME has been in operation, runs long, but the guiding life is one
that Beglinger has chosen. He has a reputation for pushing his clients to their fullest, and he
continues to spend 200 plus days a year in the mountains. A Life Ascending does not pass
judgment or cast doubt on Beglinger’s lifestyle; it offers a window into what it takes to pursue
such a dream.
Tele-Vision – DVD, 58 minutes
$27, www.powderwhores.com
The Howell brothers are back this season with their sixth movie. Playing on the television theme,
the film offers up classic Powderwhore humor, this time with a tongue-in-cheek television
theme, and it works. A little tasteless humor here, some spills and thrills there and plenty of
cold snow a flying. On the humor side, my personal favorite is the Brogaine ad, “A simpler way
to go Bro.” Still pure ski porn at heart, Tele-Vison is about big lines, skier personalities and,
most of all, outrageous freeheelin’ - although I am pretty sure that the Revelation Mountains
segment featured training heels for all involved, even Mr. Powderwhore himself, Noah Howell.
All in all, the Powderwhore crew logs plenty of uphill miles and delivers some serious face shots.
Tele-Vision is sure to fire up even the most curmudgeonly freeheelers.
Hippies, Punx and Misfits
$17, www.telemarksier.com
- DVD, 50 minutes
Telemark skiing, like many alternative activities, got its start as a fringe pursuit, an alternative
to the glossy world of alpine skiing. The light equipment and unique ski style compared to alpine
skiing attracted an independent, spirited crowd. The light equipment may be a thing of the past,
but tele skiing still attracts a free spirited crowd. Hippy, Punx and Misfits takes on the spirit of
freeheel skiing in the name of its core fringe followers. Like telemark skiing’s roots, the film is
not slick or big budget, but its homespun presentation still fuels the stoke.
Hands down the best footage is that shot in Alaska at Turnagain Arm. Between the light, the
terrain and the flow of the freeheel turn, the footage is enough to make a hardened fixed heeler
think twice about freeing his heel. The music is surprising mellow, bordering on melancholy at
times, but throw in some retro-imagery and interviews with early freeheel adopters, Tom Carter
and Doug Robinson as well as with Couloir Magazine founder, Craig Dostie, and Hippies, Punx
and Misfits is genuine freeheel ski porn.
express yourself
Letters
If we print your letter, you’ll get a one year subscription - FREE
The Good, The Bad, the Ugly
HARD WORK
I was ___________ (long important word I don’t know how to spell that
makes me seem important) to find a copy of the December ’09 issue in
a shop off I-70 while getting some skis stone-ground. I first read
an issue of Off-Piste (maybe the first) back in Portland in ’98. I
worked in a few shops in the NW for a few winters and it was a great
read to have around. It was that first issue of Off-Piste (I still
have it) along with Oregon Descents and a level I avalanche course
at Crystal Mountain that fueled me to the top of a few volcanoes.
When I moved back east, I didn’t have Off-Piste handy and came across
Mountain Gazette. MG used to entertain me, but after they were bought
out and went to color (and all ads), they lost their flame. I have
stopped sending them my money. I won’t go into detail why I don’t
contribute to MG anymore; I think you know why. Since moving to the
Western slope of Colorado, I have read many authors who contribute to
their publication. They are all very talented and write for books/
mags/journals all over the West. I think you could make a page for
culture, not trendiness, but inspiration. Stay black and white
though, it is easier to see through.
Thanks for all your hard work (being a ski tester and all)!
Chris Pfenning, Colorado
PACKING MATERIAL
Tired of pretending to be a tele skier on short icy runs of the
Midwest, I signed on for a Colorado Yurt trip and bought a pair of
“old-school” tele skis on E-bay. When the moldy old Karhu Outbounds
arrived, packed into the corners of the poorly taped, ski shaped
cardboard box were the pages of your newspaper. What is this? OffPiste what? I smoothed out the crumpled pages and slowly put them
back in order. Fascinated, I went cover to cover, reading Michael
Becker’s “Once More” twice. That short essay remains in my mind the
best, most succinct words I have ever read on why we do what we do.
Enclosed is my subscription check. Cash it, or tear it up and print
my letter. Either way, sign me up for the ride.
- Tom Blain, Wisconsin
THE FACTS
First off, love your publication.
work.
Thanks for doing such quality
I recently read “Diamonds are a skiers best friend” by Peter Bronski
in the January 2010 edition. This article sings the merits of the
Diamond Peaks Ski Patrol, and rightly so. I ski Cameron Pass all
the time and highly respect the work that this organization does to
promote backcountry safety, education and rescue.
off-piste letters - po box 1626 hood river, or 97031
[email protected]
However, Mr. Bronski has his facts wrong. While DPSP did respond
to the fatal 2007 avalanche that took place in Hot Dog Bowl, their
involvement with that “rescue” was fairly limited. While their
efforts were helpful, the reality is DPSP did not arrive on site
until the victim was nearly completely transported out of the
backcountry. Four skiers, all of whom were from Laramie, Wyoming,
originally responded to the accident and did 90% of the heavy lifting
on that fateful day.
I take exception with Mr. Bronski’s story because he misleads the
reader by glorifying and promoting DPSP based upon a tragic incident,
when in reality they had very little involvement with the actual
rescue. - Matt Caires, Wyoming
ANNUAL RANT
Here is my annual rant letter and subscription for the next year.
I continue to enjoy your efforts on behalf of the backcountry
community. Please keep it non-gloss on real paper!
Here in New Hampshire we had a non-stellar season with below average
snow levels. But, as is expected in New England, the weather changes
in short order. Last week a low sat off the Maritime Provinces and
pumped snow into the North Country. Tuckerman’s got over four feet of
snow in four days. Needless to say, the avy situation was interesting
for a bit, but has settled down due to warm weather/rain. Things are
shaping up for a good spring season . . . time will tell.
I found the March issue one of your best, and this is the main reason
for my writing. The two stories with a historical perspective were
very interesting. I have a question for you. Do you think giving a
history of where skiing came from will help to endear the younger
generation of cliff hucking, big line boys to the roots of what we
do, and maybe why we do it? I read stories of middle aged guys skiing
lines/couloirs that I will never see, let alone think of skiing (and
think that it makes good filler), but if you want to touch the hearts
of the average Joe-Skier who is out with his or her buds skiing
‘cause it feels great . . . well it may not be all that effective.
Anyway, my question is: Is there hope for the next generation of
backcountry folks, or are we in a bigger is better spiral that will
take a while to flush out?
Enough of this rambling. I love what you do for the community of
skiers out there. Keep it up! - Rick Estes, New Hampshire
P E O P L E / P R O D U C T / P L A N E T™
Friends in High Places.
It’s great to have friends in high places, like
the Tetons in Jackson Hole. Whether you’re
skiing front, side or backcountry, we’ve got
you covered with gear collections featuring
technologies like exceptionally breathable
and waterproof GORE-TEX® Pro Shell
and Performance Shell.
Athlete: Mike Leake
Location: Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Photographer: Gabe Rogel

Now - Off

Transcription

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