Ok, not a big descent, but certainly part of what skiings about... endless great corn.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Fightin' words
Edward A. Rossit, on why skiers can wear plastic lenses.
Skiers can get away with their plastic lenses where mountaineers can't for two reasons. Firstly, as high as they think they are, skiers are seldom found at the considerably higher altitudes where mountaineers range. At the lower altitudes, where skiing takes place, eye protection with goggles is not nearly as important as it becomes futher up, in thinner, rarer air.
- Edward A. Rossit, "Northwest Mountaineering", 1965.
Stay tuned for more choice quotes from Mr. Rossit in the coming weeks.
Skiers can get away with their plastic lenses where mountaineers can't for two reasons. Firstly, as high as they think they are, skiers are seldom found at the considerably higher altitudes where mountaineers range. At the lower altitudes, where skiing takes place, eye protection with goggles is not nearly as important as it becomes futher up, in thinner, rarer air.
- Edward A. Rossit, "Northwest Mountaineering", 1965.
Stay tuned for more choice quotes from Mr. Rossit in the coming weeks.
Monday, May 14, 2007
"Where it all began"
Some old pics...
This was on one of my first "backcountry ski" trips. We tried to ski some of the slides on Giant Mtn (NY). You read trip reports of people skiing these things frequently now - I think there is even a guidebook. But ten years ago... we never saw anyone or heard of anyone doing this stuff.
We ended up bushwhacking all day until we had to turn around. Much of our descent was thrashing through slide alder. But I just thought it was novel to be skiing downhill not at a resort. This is a nice patch of forest once we were back on the trail. What's that above my head? It's an old style wooden snowshoe (with rawhide webbing). Not the best for climbing mountains. I think I'm wearing all cotton too. I'm lucky I didn't die.
The following photo is from Whiteface Mtn in Lake Placid, probably a year later. Apparently the "slides" are an official part of the resort now, but this was a ski mountaineering adventure back then (the backcountry fad had not yet arrived). At the bottom, after negociating some icy cliff bands, we cut back into the runs at the resort (closed for the year) and skied to the base for a 3600ft continuous run.
By this time I had found more modern snowshoes which I used to ascend. We had a French guy on this trip - I lent him my "traditional" ones. I guess you could say I was mean for giving him the large cumbersome things, but he seemed thrilled - I think it just heightened the North American experience for him. You can see him in the day-glo yellow pants above.
This was on one of my first "backcountry ski" trips. We tried to ski some of the slides on Giant Mtn (NY). You read trip reports of people skiing these things frequently now - I think there is even a guidebook. But ten years ago... we never saw anyone or heard of anyone doing this stuff.
We ended up bushwhacking all day until we had to turn around. Much of our descent was thrashing through slide alder. But I just thought it was novel to be skiing downhill not at a resort. This is a nice patch of forest once we were back on the trail. What's that above my head? It's an old style wooden snowshoe (with rawhide webbing). Not the best for climbing mountains. I think I'm wearing all cotton too. I'm lucky I didn't die.
The following photo is from Whiteface Mtn in Lake Placid, probably a year later. Apparently the "slides" are an official part of the resort now, but this was a ski mountaineering adventure back then (the backcountry fad had not yet arrived). At the bottom, after negociating some icy cliff bands, we cut back into the runs at the resort (closed for the year) and skied to the base for a 3600ft continuous run.
By this time I had found more modern snowshoes which I used to ascend. We had a French guy on this trip - I lent him my "traditional" ones. I guess you could say I was mean for giving him the large cumbersome things, but he seemed thrilled - I think it just heightened the North American experience for him. You can see him in the day-glo yellow pants above.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Où est le stoke?
Still too sleepy and un-stoked from non-ski-sickness to actually get up and go somewhere on Saturday morning. So decision was made to try again by waking up at a trailhead Sunday morning.
The weather: 30% chance of showers overnight, sounding like it would clear up quickly on Sunday.
It poured rain hard at the Easy Pass trailhead all night. I slept better than I have in weeks in the back of my Subie.
The rain didn't stop until 8. A quick drive up to the pass revealed 5 inches of new wet snow at 5400ft, undoubtedly more higher up (1 inch liquid precip overnight on the sno-tels - bet you weather forecasters never saw that coming). Indecision set in... sure-bet May powder with the "crowds" at Blue Lake col, or significantly-revised original plan? As I drove back and forth changing my mind, the Blue Lake trailhead population of cars tripled.
Significantly-revised original plan eventally won out - but unfortunately the stoke lost out to poor visibility and fresh debris from overnight coming down from unseen heights... blah
Gas is now $3.50 a gallon - but I managed to squeeze 29.5 MPG out of my car, so the trip only cost me $37!
The weather: 30% chance of showers overnight, sounding like it would clear up quickly on Sunday.
It poured rain hard at the Easy Pass trailhead all night. I slept better than I have in weeks in the back of my Subie.
The rain didn't stop until 8. A quick drive up to the pass revealed 5 inches of new wet snow at 5400ft, undoubtedly more higher up (1 inch liquid precip overnight on the sno-tels - bet you weather forecasters never saw that coming). Indecision set in... sure-bet May powder with the "crowds" at Blue Lake col, or significantly-revised original plan? As I drove back and forth changing my mind, the Blue Lake trailhead population of cars tripled.
Significantly-revised original plan eventally won out - but unfortunately the stoke lost out to poor visibility and fresh debris from overnight coming down from unseen heights... blah
Gas is now $3.50 a gallon - but I managed to squeeze 29.5 MPG out of my car, so the trip only cost me $37!
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
CrystalFest
Vinnie made a post about it on his extremely prolific blog. Check out the ugli. The Ugli site says they're 4-6 inches in diameter, but mine was bigger.
Also I would like to say that Amar didn't even ski above the lodge. He took runs on the groomers. Amar, skier of anything in all conditions no matter how steep, didn't want to deal with the hard crusty chutes on the Throne. I'd say that might be reason for ouster from the big leagues. I vote we replace him with Dave, who seemed perfectly willing to throw his body down the gnar using bizarre knee contortions that made Vince wince.
Also I would like to say that Amar didn't even ski above the lodge. He took runs on the groomers. Amar, skier of anything in all conditions no matter how steep, didn't want to deal with the hard crusty chutes on the Throne. I'd say that might be reason for ouster from the big leagues. I vote we replace him with Dave, who seemed perfectly willing to throw his body down the gnar using bizarre knee contortions that made Vince wince.
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