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Alpine touring skis

stevew

stevew

resident influencer
Sep 21, 2001
40,579
9,589
SkaredShtles said:
And mostly unhurt. This was on South Maroon Peak and that's some *hairy* terrain to blow it like that. He's very fortunate he didn't end up hurtling off one of the many cliff bands.
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all you would have heard from me is....

motherrrrrfuckerrrrrrrrrrr.....all the wsy down....
 
Jm_

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,980
9,639
AK
Continuing the thread hijack, today during 5th winter the vis was bad, but the snow skied pretty nice with a little new on top. Rollerballs helped immensely with the vis. Coming back though it was all slush for the last 500 vert or so.
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Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,262
7,705
I am now signed up for an AIARE level 1 course on March 1-3, 2024. will be at Winter Park, nice and convenient for me.

:)

this isn't an Apex course (Vail isn't convenient for me), but from Apex's suggested gear list what do I need/what's not essential? list elided. particularly curious about loupe, saw, snow crystal card.

WHAT TO BRING
  • Beacon/probe/shovel
  • Clinometer
  • Complete ski, split board or snowshoe equipment, including boots, poles, etc
  • Ground mat (insulation so you can sit on snow)
  • Notebook (for lecture day)
  • Any other items you would typically have in your pack on a backcountry trip
  • Water bottle and food
  • Headlamp and batteries
ALSO RECOMMENDED
  • Loupe (at least 10x zoom)
  • Snow Saw (minimum 30cm)
  • Snow crystal card
YOU MAY ALSO CONSIDER
  • Adjustable Poles
  • Water bottle insulator
 
Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,262
7,705
kidwoo said:
you'll be dead in an avalanche or a snowboarder by then

not dead in a snowboarder but you know what I mean

maybe tesla will release an e-ski by the time that rolls around
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until then I will stay inbounds, maybe amuse myself by skiing up WP now and then on low-fresh-snow days for the sweat
 
Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,262
7,705
going back to this thread (mainly to find the Mammut Barryvox recommendation) and seeing some old posts. update time:

Full Trucker said:
If you’re really backcountry curious, check out Bluebird Backcountry.
Click to expand...
Bluebird folded at the end of last season.

TGR's Dispatch thread is filled with some not so positive feedback on page 5 wrt skiing characteristics and durability alike

K2 Dispatch series - Page 5

Anyone been on these yet? Blister just posted their first look of the Dispatch 120, and it looks pretty intriguing ~1825g for the 186 length, 29m sidecut, beautiful rocker profile - kinda reminds me of the 4FRNT Renegade but with a little bit of camber underfoot. Specs alone have me interested...
www.tetongravity.com
 
Jm_

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,980
9,639
AK
Get
Toshi said:
I am now signed up for an AIARE level 1 course on March 1-3, 2024. will be at Winter Park, nice and convenient for me.

:)

this isn't an Apex course (Vail isn't convenient for me), but from Apex's suggested gear list what do I need/what's not essential? list elided. particularly curious about loupe, saw, snow crystal card.

WHAT TO BRING
  • Beacon/probe/shovel
  • Clinometer
  • Complete ski, split board or snowshoe equipment, including boots, poles, etc
  • Ground mat (insulation so you can sit on snow)
  • Notebook (for lecture day)
  • Any other items you would typically have in your pack on a backcountry trip
  • Water bottle and food
  • Headlamp and batteries
ALSO RECOMMENDED
  • Loupe (at least 10x zoom)
  • Snow Saw (minimum 30cm)
  • Snow crystal card
YOU MAY ALSO CONSIDER
  • Adjustable Poles
  • Water bottle insulator
Click to expand...
get theodolite for your phone, that takes the place of inclinometer and you can take pics w/time/coords, slope angle, etc., for later review.

Snow saw, ideally one that connects to your pole, it makes life so much easier, yes you need an avalanche cord to tie knots in to make a saw, but thats bullshit when trying to cut thru freeze layers.

The saws that come IN shovels are bullshit.


loupe is not necessary if your near vision still works, but if not, you are kinda screwed. It’s rarely useful to me, its more for learning in a course. Snow crystal card is nice to have a black background, but a black snow shovel does the same.

a quality wide shovel makes a difference. The BCAs are my favorite and the pieps is a piece of crap IME, the pieps handle is at 90 degrees so it doesnt fit in a pack well. The bca is wide and strong.

ground mat? Wtf?

also, what is a water bottle insulator? Just bring insulated camelback type bottles.
 
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Full Trucker

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
10,543
7,632
Exit, CO
My take:
  • Definitely no to the loupe and snow crystal card. That stuff is advanced-ish snow science oriented, and you probably won't be / IMO should not be learning snow science in a level 1 course. You're focusing on decision making, terrain selection, observation.
  • Probably no to the saw. You will likely dig a pit or pits in your level 1 course, and learn about layers and kind of get an intro to snow science so you have a basic understanding of how and why avalanches get triggered. But I personally would skip it for the course, on account of someone should have a saw and then you can sort out if you're gonna be digging a lot of pits after you take your course. Spoiler alert: I haven't dug a pit since my avy 1. I focus on terrain selection and decision making. I'm not saying a pit can't be helpful, it's just one of several tools. Also, you can likely isolate a block of snow to stress test with your shovel.
  • Yes to everything on the first list (What to Bring) except maybe the ground mat. But it brings up a point about insulation: bring layers. You're gonna stand around a lot in your level 1. Bring a bunch of different layering options to stay comfortable.
  • Definitely include the clinometer from that first list. And the clinometer can just be your phone, it has a level app on it that you can use. Hold it against the side of your ski pole, and use the pole to "sight" along the slope you want the angle of. This should be better than trying to match the angle with the shortness of phone. Clinometers are also short, so you'd want to do this with one of those anyways. Like this:
 
Jm_

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,980
9,639
AK
Isolated snow shovel columns arent really used much anymore, since the 90cm extended compression test gives you stability AND propagation. Both compression test and extended compression test are far better than tilt tests or jumping on snow. They should be teaching if you do one test these days, do the EC.
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Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,262
7,705
Ordered this, so will have the necessary and unnecessary elements alike.

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Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,262
7,705
also just ordered this. because this appears to be missing a $1,xxx in front of that price

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worth chancing it. TGR indicates that occasionally this site does indeed have super low prices randomly



edit: canceled it, after seeing that they also list the Kit form of the backpack that clearly has the capacitor setup and all. so this one is likely just the backpack, oddly. hmph

 
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Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,262
7,705
Last edited:
Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,262
7,705
kidwoo said:
spend spend spend!

good skier

good boy!
Click to expand...
I've got 3 kids so if I can snag AT boots for them for $15 I totally will on the off chance that they'll fit, etc.

I don't even need poles. bidding on those specially for you. :D
 
Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,262
7,705
Seems like I won my family some well priced AT boots to fit the kids.

For the stuff I came up short on I clearly came up very short.

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Nick

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
24,036
14,650
where the trails are
I went to the CAIC fundraiser party last night and won a pair of K2 Wayback 106s, which I absolutely don't need.
I'll probably flip them and use the $ to fund a trip.
 
Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,262
7,705
Toshi said:
also just ordered this. because this appears to be missing a $1,xxx in front of that price

View attachment 199526

View attachment 199525

worth chancing it. TGR indicates that occasionally this site does indeed have super low prices randomly



edit: canceled it, after seeing that they also list the Kit form of the backpack that clearly has the capacitor setup and all. so this one is likely just the backpack, oddly. hmph

Click to expand...
Bob Leisure has the kit (so with the airbag as well) for $831.85.

www.bobleisure.com

Pack Patrol E2 30 Kit

Scott Pack Patrol E2 30 - Unleash Adventure with the Power of patrol e2 30 Discover the Scott Pack Patrol E2 30, a groundbreaking backpack designed for enthusiasts seeking durability and functionality. The pack patrol e2 30...
www.bobleisure.com www.bobleisure.com
 
SkaredShtles

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,646
12,706
In a van.... down by the river
Toshi said:
Bob Leisure has the kit (so with the airbag as well) for $831.85.

www.bobleisure.com

Pack Patrol E2 30 Kit

Scott Pack Patrol E2 30 - Unleash Adventure with the Power of patrol e2 30 Discover the Scott Pack Patrol E2 30, a groundbreaking backpack designed for enthusiasts seeking durability and functionality. The pack patrol e2 30...
www.bobleisure.com www.bobleisure.com
Click to expand...
You do not need an airbag at this point.
 
kidwoo

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Aug 25, 2003
42,146
13,340
Squirtin ketchup n' mustard on charred flesh
Toshi said:
who else is going to support the economy
Click to expand...
Is that what you call that?

Those things are kind of annoying just fyi. Take up a lot of space and end up being a decent bit more weight that seems to always end up carrying weird.


It makes sense where JM lives with no trees and huge runout zones.....not so much for dicking around in the trees near granby
 
Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,262
7,705
ok, I've emailed them to cancel it

edit: canceled. they did offer an extra 5% off yet if I didn't cancel! but I did.
 
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SkaredShtles

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,646
12,706
In a van.... down by the river
kidwoo said:
Is that what you call that?

Those things are kind of annoying just fyi. Take up a lot of space and end up being a decent bit more weight that seems to always end up carrying weird.


It makes sense where JM lives with no trees and huge runout zones.....not so much for dicking around in the trees near granby
Click to expand...
You're just so darned helpful. :D
 
Toshi

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,262
7,705
Things I have figured out, many of which you all tried to tell me earlier:

- adjustable poles don’t really help that much as compared to palming the tops of my trusty normal length bamboo poles. And I feel less stupid with the bamboo ones

- at the recreational level having the snow testing kit is largely pointless. I think I will return it to REI.

- I got a ground pad but didn’t take it yesterday for weight and bulk. Would have been nice while kneeling/sitting in alternating fashion in the snow yesterday during the snow pit demo but I don’t foresee much of that in my future so will return that as well unused

- my heavy Mindbender 116C + Cast/Pivot 15 setup is indeed heavy. But it skies well. One guy on tech bindings straight up ejected from one ski on Hughes on our final in-bounds run back to the base. In keeping with that theme, many if not most of the people in this particular AIARE 1 course aren’t great alpine skiers imo. One lady is a good skier from what I’ve seen: she’s on Mindbenders (probably 106C like those for my kid!) and frame bindings fwiw.

- I am slow uphill. Which I anticipated. There likely will be one guy slower yet than me so I’ll go hang out with him on the hike(s) uphill today.

- my Camelbak 14er is large enough for what I want to carry for day trips, which is all I see myself doing realistically.
 
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