Getting "primed" for winter

[bigreen505]

I think the idea may have come from friend of mine when he was sponsored by PowerBar in the early '90s. Not sure though.

Scott, I remember considering chopping them up to be a necessity after I nearly removed all the teeth on the left side of my face in one go while riding up a lift in Taos with Gooch after one of the New Mexico race series. However, right now I still have many boxes of PowerBar Harvest bars in my basement and they stay pliable enough at low temps to break pieces off.

 

[devinsixtyseven]

Those aren't exactly the places I'm talking about, groomed xc trails. I hump my sorry butt uphill in the backcountry for the deep, unspoiled fluffy joy at the end.

This my current b/c hardware (185mm Tua Nitrogens w/ G3 Targas):

very nice . i have a pair of tele boards, but havent been out on them in quite a while...four years, i think, or roughly when i started snowboarding. with snowshoes, perhaps i could get some backcountry tracks on the board other than the drive-up areas like berthoud and loveland passes.

in anchorage, the hike up second and third peaks was always good for a round of kneebender turns...and in norway, the best on the hill were usually on tele skis...i saw a salomon ad on tv over there that showed a guy making backcountry tele turns with a low profile backpack and a single, long, carved diamond-patterned wooden staff...whatever tree produces that diamond shape, i dont know offhand. willow? anyway...i was so impressed i took a bo staff up to the ski hill and promptly left it three feet deep in the snow, quite a ways behind, the first time i planted for a turn. i guess there was more to it .

last time i was in colorado, i used to go up with a group of friends, i was on the tele boards, one guy on d/h skis, and a girl on a snowboard. made for an interesting (good interesting) time since everyone's skills and ideal terrain were slightly different, but we were still able to run as a group.

uh...sorry for the drama up there...i guess it's kind of a heated issue, particularly since i get the feeling many people on the forums here find themselves on either side of the fence depending on what they pull out of the garage any given afternoon .

(how does the dog get through the powder?)

-sean

 

[bigreen505]

A lot of jumping (imagine a dolphin!). Mostly he stays in the skin track when he can, but if we're going to do a lot of breaking new trail I'll sometimes leave him at home. He's getting to be an older pup (about 8 or 9 now) and all that deep powder wears him down.

A little dolphin, a lilttle Bugs Bunny. IMO, doggie boots are a must. They give extra floatation and prevent ice balls from building up between the toes.

A couple yahoos screw it up for everyone

Hey Dave, you know how the Seven Sisters on Loveland Pass are closed and skiing them is beyond illegal? Sorry about that.

In fact there should be a small posse of Rocky Mountain ExPo members at Loveland Saturday. Well, OK, maybe as many as 3. Anyway, let me know if I should look for you. I'm not hard to find, black helmet, dark blue Scarpa T2 boots, 186 Dynastar skis mounted with orange Voile bindings, gray pants, probably black Arc'teryx soft shell. I ski freeheel and would be the one falling a lot. I typically do laps under Chair 6.

It may be Sunday for me, not sure about Sat. I'm usually making laps on 1 or trying to learn to ski on chair 2.

 

[kcowyo]

Hmmm, I've heard about them 'bilers up in Yellowstone, what with the gas masks the rangers claim they have to wear and all....

The west gate entrance in the early morning is horrid. I wouldn't want to work that gate. There will be hundreds of sleds idling, belching smoke all bunched up at the gate waiting to get in. It's like trying to thread a needle with a football. But once you do get through, there are 2.2 million acres to explore. The haze at the gate is awful, but it does not cover the entire park as some would like the general populace to believe.

For the most part, I'm like Capt. Willard, "I love the smell of two strokes in the morning!" While I was guiding in Lake City, every morning at 7am I would have to get one or two 6 place trailers full of sleds fired up to make sure they ran before heading up Slumgullion Pass. By the time I got the last one started I would be enveloped and nearly invisible in a cloud of smoke. I loved it but that was only 6 or 12 sleds. Dealing with hundreds in a concentrated area would be overwhelming.

So I am not unsympathetic to the rangers, I just want the overall picture of snowmobiling painted correctly and not embellished by well meaning but uninformed lawmakers back east. Oh, and you can no longer sled in Yellowstone without a guide. All entrants to the park must be with a licensed guide. This keeps illegal speeds, going off trail and harrassment of wildlife to a minimum.

So Dave and Bill, do you guys have any tips for taking your camera with you out in the snow? I always bring my camera but usually leave it in the truck because the cold seems to kill the batteries so quickly plus I'm afraid of pulling it out and dropping it in the snow and it getting wet or worse. I would love to get some pics and video when I go out. Space and weight isn't nearly the issue for me as it is for someone on skis, some I'm thinking you must have a good solution. I just have to figure out the best way to keep it warm and dry.

Any suggestions?

 

[18seeds]

Complete Sledhead here. I am a huge fan of the 4-stroke also (kind of hippie friendly) Just got an 06 Yamaha RS Vector Mtn Sled. I do a tone of backcountry skiing with it.

Sled Skiing Video

 

[Dave]

perhaps instead get some snow updates from various states and provinces or hear your favorite winter activity plans?

70+ freaking degrees here in St. Louis today.

Favorite winter activity: Standing in waist high ice cold water with a box of shells and my 1300.

 

[HongerVenture]

I really think the perceived impact of bicycles and vehicles is more dependent on the amount of respect one person has for another's lifestyle or interests. I wish more people within the overall outdoor sport/adventure/touring community had the same attitude I've seen here at the Portal.

-Sean

Sean, this was put SO WELL! I love that first sentence. I think you can take out bicycles and vehicles and "fill-in-the-blank" with just about any activity/vehicle/mode of recreation. It truly comes down to the amount of respect one person has for another's lifestyle.

Again, outstanding quote! :jumping:

As for snowmobiling... never tried it but have always wanted to. Indiana doesn't get enough snow for me to even remotely consider purchasing one though. Please get some pictures this winter KC and keep us posted.

The video is wicked-cool.

Joel

 

[kcowyo]

Complete Sledhead here. I am a huge fan of the 4-stroke also (kind of hippie friendly) Just got an 06 Yamaha RS Vector Mtn Sled. I do a tone of backcountry skiing with it.

That was a great video! I forgot about running my knuckle dragging snowboarding buddies to the top too. Those lazy punks! So who's Snocat was that running shuttle?

I certainly don't do any mega jumps and inverts like in the vid I posted, but I have been known to launch off a few cornices and set off a few avalanches. The area above Capitol City, en route to Engineer Pass is full of chutes. We'd ride up there often to break off a few slides. Better for us to do it intentionally, rather than some poor unsuspecting sledder or skier getting swept away.

I'm set up primarily for steep & deep. Hillclimbs and highmarking are my thing. I haven't had a chance to ride a 4 stroke yet. Care to share your impressions vs. the old 2 stroke? I really like the Yamaha's. If Polaris went belly up, I'd be on a Yamaha over an Artic Cat. My main riding partner just converted from a Ski Doo Summit to a Polaris RMK and seems happier.

 

[kcowyo]

Favorite winter activity: Standing in waist high ice cold water with a box of shells and my 1300.

OK, I think Dave in St. Louis has a bigger masochistic streak than DaveinDenver. I mean, at least skiing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing you're moving constantly and working up a sweat. However we don't get to kill anything so there is that as a bonus I guess.

So DinD, any special camera case or anything else? I'm all digital now although I wouldn't have thought of film becoming more brittle. Good tip. Same on the condensation. I think the fear of numb fingers dropping it in a snowbank and getting it wet is what causes me to leave the camera in the truck. Dead batteries are just inconvenient but it would be nice to figure out a way to keep them from the cold.

I can keep the camera in my backpack and maybe my batteries in an inside chest pocket to keep them warm I suppose.... Maybe I should surf over to Warren Miller's site for snow shooting tips too. We just need some more snow now!

 

[Dave]

OK, I think Dave in St. Louis has a bigger masochistic streak than DaveinDenver. I mean, at least skiing, snowmobiling and snowshoeing you're moving constantly and working up a sweat. However we don't get to kill anything so there is that as a bonus I guess.

I don't care how cold it is, walking around in waist high (or deeper) water wearing 5mm neoprene waders and 900 layers of clothing will force a sweat pretty quick.

 

[bigreen505]

It's a slide path that CDOT blasts, but I hadn't realized that it was explicitly illegal to ski it.

Yeah some yahoos who I won't name put in about 35 runs on it one year and darn near turned it into a bump run. Forest Service and CDOT got mad and closed it. I think the minimum fine is $1,000 and 30 days in jail.

 

[bigreen505]

So Dave and Bill, do you guys have any tips for taking your camera with you out in the snow?

Dave's answer is a great one and I really like those cameras. A Nikon FM (by FM I include FM, FM2, FM3, FE, FE2, FM10 and FE10), F3, F100 and N80 on the film side, or D70, D80 or D200 on the digital side make great backcountry cameras for the weight and size as much as anything else. That camera, along with a couple prime lenses or a 28-70 zoom will easily fit in the pocket of many jackets, or just put it around your neck and zip your jacket around it. Canons are much larger when you include the lenses.

For electronic cameras, use two sets of lithium batteries and keep one set in the camera and one set in a pocket close to your skin. If one set freezes, just switch batteries.

If you want to spend more $$$ go with a Leica M series and a couple lenses.

I have never had a camera die due to cold (I give up first) and while I have heard stories, I have never broken film or had static buildup in the film (when you get your pictures back you see little lightning strikes all through the film) despite shooting with a motor drive a 8 fps down to about -15F ambient temperture. I have not had any weather related problems with digital at any temps that I have been brave enough to shoot in. Perhaps I'm just a wuss.

Before you go inside, put your camera in a sealed ziplock bag or zipped up camera bag and let it warm up slowly to avoid condensation. I've heard people say to keep film warm to keep it from becoming brittle and I have heard the opposite. I tend to keep it in an outside jacket pocket for easy access.

If you are looking for a camera bag, there are several good options to look at, all designed for stuptid people like me who bring cameras along when we really shouldn't. The Burton Zoom pack is good, the Dakine F5 and Dakine Sequence are the current hot offerings.

I personally don't use any filters unless I expect projectiles to be flying at my lens.

As for snowbanks, I have always found them to be a particularly convenient place to put cameras when changing film or when I need to put it down for some reason. If I'm shooting a ski race I have a big lens on. They get heavy and if you think I'm going to hold 12 lb. of camera all day when I have nice, soft snow to set the camera in, you're crazy. Remember, there is essentially no moisture in the snow we get. If I was shooting in the Sierra's or in wet sloppy snow I might reconsider.

Try this, take a tissue or paper towel and set it in some snow and see how much moisture it actually absorbs. Then remember that your camera is made of metal or plastic.

As for video, perhaps Kristian will jump in as he shoots more than I do, but generally same rules apply.

Bottom line, don't worry about.

 

[blupaddler]

What's all this talk about snow? What is this snow stuff you keep mentioning? It intrigues me very much.

The white substance in the pictures, I assume this is the "snow" you are talking about. Please keep posting more pictures, this is all very interesting. Would one also wear a jacket and pants in this snow environment? Could someone post up where to find such items?



It is very difficult here in San Diego (70 today). Temperatures rarely dip below 50.

 

[Accrete]

I know this is an old thread.... i just found myself reading some on a rainy day in Oregon : )

Sean, in his post above (#9) had some insights that struck a nice chord in me while reading. I've had some similar "those don't belong here" kind of remarks on bike rides due in part to my crazy bike/trike designs. It continues to amaze me at how low some people's tolerance levels are when they come in contact to those of a different feather.

Live and let live is a nice way to look at life. It's too short to sweat the small stuff.

Happy trails,...no matter how you "ride" them...

Thom

 

[Schattenjager]

Oh Dave, my two-board riding, thread swerving good man..... I assure you I am not offended by you granola eating, hippy backcountry skiing types at all! :wavey:

...

But like you said Dave, "I'm sure my outlook is limited by the negative experiences I've had."

:jumping: Genius. We are witness to genius folks. :jumping:

Just saw this - I love to sled - Did the Tok / Dawson trip a couple of times up north. Gotta have em in Alaska - winter is just toooo long to wait for the 4 wheeler!