The Chamonix experience...

"Buy the Fucking Ticket!"

There have been a rash of new mountaineering books coming from Patagonia publishing....and Chamonix photographers recently. (Take a look @ Alpine Exposures)  Haven't seen or read them all but had some time to read again this week.  And found a treasure here!

The name Kelly Cordes is likely known for hard climbing, margaritas and his writing. 

Cordes' most recent "The Tower" showed up the other day.   Being the critical literary scholar that I am, (huge roll of eyes here) of course I looked at the nice color photos first.  Then I got sucked into a  chapter that caught my eye.  An hour later I was hooked, rope, tools, pack  and tent.  That surprised me!   It is not often I get caught up in or even simply interested by a climbing story these days.

I grew up reading Messner's work, stories of Maestri, Mountain Magazine and having over the years met many of the characters in this book.  Generally I detest books where I actually know the climbers being discussed or quoted.  And to be honest never really enjoyed much of Cordes' previous writings.
I really enjoyed the skill and diplomicy that Cordes showed writing "The Tower". I've got a fairly extensive mountaineering library.  "The Tower" is not only a great historical perspective on Patagonia but a wonderful read on the current climbing environment and excitement there as well.

Going to Patagonia? Gone there in the past?  Or just interested in the history of Patagonia and the climbing there?

"The Tower" by Kelly Cordes is one, if not the best modern mountaineering book I've had the pleasure to read in a long time.  Careful though.  This is a book that is not easy to sit down.  Sad part is, the book does has an ending. 

A great read is truly a treasure.  Gotta say thanks to the author for this one!

 
"The Tower"
By Kelly Cordes
Patagonia Books
http://www.amazon.com/The-Tower-Chronicle-Climbing-Controversy/dp/1938340337
 

Nolan's?

It doesn't take a lot of imagination to make an epic adventure.  Every place I have lived or just visited has it's own local "Nolan's".   I suspect there is always one "there" to fit your imagination and abilities no matter what your sport or current skill level.  Ya just gotta look.   Just takes the imagination and courage to get on them!  Finishing is always optional...showing up is the firststep and often the most difficult.

    Nolan's">http://vimeo.com/112023687">Nolan's 14 - Trailer
from Pheonix">http://vimeo.com/user30116641">Pheonix and Ash Productions on Vimeo.https://vimeo.com">Vimeo.>

27,375

"That is the average lifespan in the United States today: 27,375 days.  If you are typical, that is what was deposited in your “time bank” when you were born.  Every day, whether or not you want to, you make a withdrawal of 1 day.  When the days run out, you die.  Game over. "

Reflect on that fact when you watch this:

3456">http://vimeo.com/113313108">3456 feet
from Ride">http://vimeo.com/ridegreener">Ride Greener on Vimeo.https://vimeo.com">Vimeo.>

Learning to ride or ski takes a LOT longer when you decide to hike every hill. Fight every battle? Right every wrong?  Not that we shouldn't try mind you.   Life is if anything the ability to  more fully understand your desires and goals.  Harder yet knowing how to balance and accommodate them responsibly into the world around you.   In the end you get 27,375 days.  1500 on either end you'll be lucky if you are conscious enough to actually enjoy ;-)

525,600 minutes...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj7LRuusFqo

Call it 26,000 even.  What will you do with yours?

BD Stainless again....BD recall of the Whippet stainless ski pole

Black Diamond Equipment Recalls Whippet Ski Poles Due to Risk of Injury

http://tetonsandwasatch.com/2014/black-diamond-whippet-ski-pole-defect/

Recall Details
Units: About 3,000.
Description: This recall includes Black Diamond Whippet and Whippet Carbon ski poles manufactured May 2013 through January 2014.
The Whippet is gray with two telescoping shafts and the Carbon Whippet is black with three telescoping shafts.
The upper shaft of both models is made of aluminum and has a black and orange rubber handgrip with a built-in, stainless steel, serrated pick and a black nylon wrist strap with a an orange Black Diamond logo.

http://blackdiamondequipment.com/en/whippet-recall.html

It is a commercial ad but I liked it....

Patagonia as a clan, and corporate culture does a lot of neat stuff.  The ad aside, I liked this for several reasons.

Skimo boot comparison, Scarpa Alien 1, Dynafit PDG and TLT 6 P.

 

One likely has to ask.."why start with this photo?" 

 

I have thought long and hard on how to do this review.    For some rappelling on skis is going to seem pretty extreme.  For others?  They would be skiing here unfazed, where I was really happy to have a rope for a pitch or two.

Patagonia Nano-Air and Arcteryx Atom Lt comparison?

Colin Haley on the Midi.  photo courtesy of Mikey Schaefer

I've had more questions about the new Nano-Air from Patagonia than any other specific piece of gear this Fall.  Obviously the Patagonia Marketing & PR department is doing its job!

Every email asked the same question..."how do the two compare?  "How about a Nano-Air in a straight up comparison to a Atom LT?"

The PP, April '14

 

More info for those that have asked?

video of the gully filmed the same month
                                                  
http://vimeo.com/89836263

and prior to that

http://chamconditions.blogspot.fr/2011/04/profit-perroux-aiguille-du-midi.html

same line...with more ice a few years previous

http://www.alpineexposures.com/pages/goulotte-profit-perroux-photo-trip-report

comparison and topo

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2014/04/ok-that-was-fun-now-back-to-climbing.html

Welcome to the PNW!

This was filmed in an amazing storm cycle from last winter @ Baker.  We got something like 10 feet of snow locally in 7 days.  Baker got more!  It was pretty good skiing that week ;-)

The end result and rain that followed gave us  avi conditions that took down one of Crystal chair lifts.


The">http://vimeo.com/111243317">The Shadow Campaign // Whitewash
from DPS">http://vimeo.com/dpsskis">DPS SKIS on Vimeo.https://vimeo.com">Vimeo.>

BIG skiing! and Jérémie Heitz

Jérémie">http://vimeo.com/105151757">Jérémie Heitz | Swiss skier
from Jérémie">http://vimeo.com/user14006594">Jérémie Heitz on Vimeo.https://vimeo.com">Vimeo.>
http://vimeo.com/105151757

Nut Cracker on Winter Dance...

http://youtu.be/xOm6Nktxof4

Thalay Sagar

Skiing "out there!"

Polar">http://vimeo.com/42909836">Polar Star Couloir -- Possibly a Dream
from Joshua">http://vimeo.com/alpinesummits">Joshua Lavigne on Vimeo.https://vimeo.com">Vimeo.>

Dynafit Denali?

This ski review thing is kinda fun and deceptive all at the same time.  I had a new friend ask me this summer, "how can you do a legitimate ski review on the conditions we were skiing as compared to our typical  snow?" 

My answer was, "it is all snow, ya turn left and ya turn right".  That and the fact is I have no interest in skiing on or writing a review from what I would consider "typical snow".

I ski a lot in a maritime snow pack in the Cascades.  But also ski in the Western States interior and the Alps.  I use my skis as tools.  And I have gotten more and more picky on the skis I like and want to spend time on.  I've become more educated about what a ski is capable of and more importantly what I am capable or...or not as a skier.

The picture above is the current crop of what I wanted to ski on this winter.  Everything there is just a slight variation of what I have been skiing on for the past 3 or 4 seasons.

I have had few duplicates of my ski choices.  The first ski that fit that category was the Huascaran.  A mistake on my part as the 196cm ski was not the 177cm ski.  Would seem obvious at first glance but it wasn't to me.   The next time I bought two different sizes of the same ski was with the Cho Oyu.  I used and really liked both sizes of the Cho Oyu.

I picked the short pair of Cho Oyu as one of 4 pair last winter to take to France.  And to be honest, it was pure luck on part to have that specific pair of  Cho.  It was the ski that really saved my ski season there.  Out of the 4 pair of skis along on that trip, for various reasons, I ended up using the Cho Oyu more than any other ski.  From steep skiing (well steep for me anyway) to the Haute Route.  I was impressed with the Cho.  It is a good ski for my own use.

Here are a couple of previous comments on the Cho:

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2013/06/dynafits-cho-oyu-and-nanga-parbat-for.html

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2013/12/it-is-back-in-my-quiver-dynafit-cho-oyu.html

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2014/01/dynafit-cho-oyu-ski-mini-review-again.html

As much as I liked the Cho there were a few things lacking for my own unreserved use.  But I certainly wasn't going to complain because I've had some of my best skiing ever on a Cho Oyu...literally.  By the end of last season I was using the Cho every where without reservation.

Of that new rack pictured above, 4 of the skis there are specific picks to better the performance of the Cho in certain conditions.  Mind you the conditions I am thinking of are pretty harsh.  Which are bad snow, hard base underneath and the results of a fall likely fatal.

The few times I skied that kind of terrain last winter, all on a short Cho Oyu, I wished for a more stable ski.  But I wasn't willing to ditch the super light weight ski and race bindings to get there either.  Instead I tried to adapt my own skiing to the gear as best I could.  97% of the time I simply enjoyed the ski.

Knowing I would be on more, similar terrain this coming winter I wanted to hedge my bets.
So I bought two pair of lwt custom Praxis skis that Keith made up for me @ 9d8 and 110mm.  And two pair of Dynafit skimo boards. (Dynafit's Manaslu and 7-Summit to be reviewed later)   All with the idea of more ski than the Cho was capable of because of the lwt construction.

The two Dynafit Denalis in the above picture were an after thought really.  Unknowingly I figured it would simply be a heavier version of the Cho Oyu with the added width @ 98mm under foot..instead of 88mm.    How bad could it be?

Turns out not bad at all!

Before I start here.  I am making the comparisons of the Cho to Denali because I thought the Cho Oyu was a stellar ski for my own use.  The direct comparison of the specs of the Denali to the Cho should tell you how much I already respect the Denali's performance to date.  I wasn't kidding when I said, "I've had some of my best skiing ever on a Cho Oyu."

Here is the comparison.

Up front, my actual ski's weights:

the 176cm Denali  1247g per ski @ 98mm under foot
the 174cm Cho Oyu 1210g per ski @ 88mm under foot

Less than 3oz per pair heavier and a longer ski with the Denali.
Bonus to the Denali there IMO.

Cho Oyu
Dimensions   125-88-111 [174]
turn radius      16-12-15m [174]
410-430mm tip rocker, 160mm tail rocker

Denali
Dimensions   131-98-116 [176]
turn radius        22.0/21.0 [176]
430mm tip rocker, camber, 200mm tail rocker

What all that means to me is a more stable, less hooky ski on nasty conditions.  Not that I consider the Cho hooky, it isn't.  But I did ski some of the worst wind pack, wind and rain breakable crust and ice conditions on the Denali that I have ever skied.   Few, if any skis would have made those conditions enjoyable. Not enjoyable snow conditions by any means but the Denali ended up being a solid choice for me.  I was able to stay up right the majority of time when my partners weren't always so fortunate on lesser skis.   I'm convinced it was advanced ski technology that was unable to cope with the ever changing and generally terrible conditions more than it was my skiing ability.

Not that I was rocking every turn/run by comparison either mind you.  But I was getting down in one piece on the Denali and happy with the ski.  More so than I thought I might/should be.  I also brought a 2nd pair of very solid all terrain skis on that trip, but never ended up using them.  Funny as I wasn't even tempted to take them out of the ski bag.  Says a lot on just how good the Denali was in the variable conditions we had.

One of the places I thought the Cho really shined last year was our early hard snow conditions here in the PNW.  The Cho skied exceptionally well on those perfectly groomed but pretty hard snow conditions we had in late December and early January here in the PNW.  Turns out I got a day or two on similar conditions during the Austral winter.  And while it was obvious some of my ski partners really wanted to see if I could actually ski the Denali, even my 176cm version was up to almost anything a big free style ski was capable of on hard pack.  Where the Cho would have been done on groomers, the Denali even in a short 176cm was still cruising like a champ.  That surprised me.  As did the Denali's performance on ice worthy of crampons.  The kind of ice you generally only see in the mountains above 10 or 12K feet.

Breakable crust that I would have preferred a DPS Spoon on, or at least 115mm under foot,  the Denali skied with little effort.  Wasn't the ski in the way, that is for sure.  More my lack of technique.

I have some bigger, lwt, wood core ski to fill in the gaps on the nasty snow of any steep French gullies this winter.  Only time on those new boards will tell me which of those skis will better the Denali.  But at least for me the Denali to date have been better than the Cho in hard conditions.  And the Cho was a proven bench mark as a lwt ski for me last winter.

I bought both the 176cm ski which I have skied on and the 184cm Denali hoping I can take advantage of both sizes.

The video from last Spring shows a place I was wanting more ski than the Cho.  The Denali might be just enough more ski for some added some security there..that day..those conditions.   Make no mistake these are wider versions of really good skimo boards.  They aren't the typical touring skis or the typical soft snow ski.  They are true mountaineering skis.  The Cho is a well proven version of that definition even while being just one year old.  From my little time on the Denali I think it is a even more mature version of that tool.   With race bindings on them I hope to prove that statement to myself over and over again this winter.

https://www.dropbox.com/sc/cbvrvkxdh31a73m/meASDDzPax?n=5289956#lh:9-2014-04-26%2007.42.25.mov

Some are sure to ask..as I did.  How about a comparison to the La Sportiva Nano?  To start with $300 to $500 more @ retail.  Ouch!  I have not skied the Vapor yet.  But the comparisons on soft snow between the Denali and the Vapor, from those I trust, have been very favorable.

But money no object?  Ya gotta wonder right?
It is a very modern 5 point ski.  Some advantages there.

General consensus from those that I know that have skied both:
"Mind blowing weight for a powder plank!"

1180g [172cm] for one ski
129-103-120 [172]
19m [172]
Generous tip rocker, camber underfoot, gentle tail rocker

For everything skimo related look here:
http://skimo.co/

Newest Trango Raptor...ice tool

I've always had high hopes for this tool.  Great retail price point to start with, @ $175.00 per tool.  Now with a ice specific pick and a more comfortable handle.  It was good as a Gen 1 version.  Suspect the Gen 2 version of the Raptor will be even better for my own use.    I know just by looking at the new handle (less spike more open finger hook)  the ease of rotation will be improved significantly.

I'm looking forward to using them and then writing a full review.

 

A few years ago on the original version @ the Weeping Wall.

1st generation Raptor

No smoke and mirrors here, but real design changes coming from climbers using the tools not the marketing department.

It is time........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISagf2eCzKg

Avalanches Claim Lives of J.P. Auclair, Andreas Fransson, and Liz Daley

A sad day indeed. 






http://youtu.be/LrbSKF5zxvI

details here:
http://www.tetongravity.com/story/ski/j.p.-auclair-and-andreas-fransson-confirmed-dead-in-chilean-avalanche

Fall yard sale...

All five ski for sale are pictured on the left side of this picture..

Part of last year's bumper crop.  Time for me to pull the bindings, change boots and move on...

Skis only, no bindings.

All are in exceptionally good condition tops and bottoms.  One mount with Dynafit Radicals on the Protest, and Huascaran.  Speed Superlight were mounted on the 182 GPO.  Radicals and then Rossi Axial 2 on the 192 GPO.  There are no lemons here.

Add actual shipping costs via US mail to any of these skis or boots.  US sales only.   Pay Pal preferred.

Praxis Custom ordered ski:

Carbon GPO, sunset top sheet, 192cm.  Twice mounted with Speed Radical to a TLT6 29,  and recently with a Rossignol Axis 2,  $300.

Dynafit

Hauscaran, 192cm.  Once mounted with Speed Super Light to a TLT6 29,  $300.

La Sportiva


Hang5,  178cm, Once mounted with Speed Radical to a TLT6 29,  $300.

Ya, that was a bad idea...

Not cleaning a binding and boot I suspect ended in this rather spectacular, dangerous and likely totally unnecessary fall.

 

 

Season after season I see the same things happen while skiing with my groups.  Silly little mistakes that lift skiers seldom if ever worry about.  The one in particular that drives me crazy is popping a binding off on the first turn.  It is a Rookie mistake.   And easily avoidable if you are informed,  experienced or simply willing to pay attention. 

 

Doesn't matter if the walk is across the parking lot or a 1000 meter boot pack, the process of getting into your bindings should always be the same.  Clean off both boot and binding.  Better yet have a partner help you with it as required.  Trust your ski partners to help you do it right.  If you are using a tech binding the problem is worse than a alpine binding.  But neither binding style is immune to the effect of having foreign material, dirt, rocks or simply snow and ice in the binding or on the boot proper.

 

Ski bindings are not made to work with foreign material of any sort between boot and binding.  Get it wrong and the binding simple will not stay on.

 

 

This is a classic situation where you have to pay attention and cleaning your off boots.  Better yet, think of where you'll be putting on your skis and the platform required to do it all safely not just for you but for everyone in your group.

 

 

 

Don't let the terrain fool you.  Snow and ice can be just as bad as dirt and rocks when it comes to eliminating the security of a good ski binding.  Alpine ridge boot pack or a set of steel stairs.  The attention you pay on cleaning your boots and bindings should not change.

Experience tells  me most will have the ski skills for this this long before they have the courage.  And for good reason.

In my experience most will have the ski skills to ski difficult terrain long before they have the fundamental knowledge of how to do it safely.

 

 

Blowing out of the binding on the first turn is your, your partner's and your guide's fault.  Everyone is responsible for each other.  Do that in difficult terrain or a no fall zone and the  risks go up accordingly.  Like a bullet sent down range with the pull of a trigger, there are no "overs".  You don't get to call a mistake back in the mountains and wish it weren't so.  You live or die by your mistakes.

 

With tech bindings work your toe levers every time you click in to clean your pin holes.  Don't let the peer pressure of the group skiing off on step in alpine bindings rush you.  Pay attention to your own mounting platforms while attempting to get your skis on.  Be sure you are capable of cleaning your boots, clicking in and NOT loosing a ski all at the same time.

 

Listen to your own intuition.  If you think some of your partners decisions are questionable...they more than likely, are.  Do what you need to do, to be safe.  Be well aware of the consquences of your actions and that of your partners.

 

And finally....ski the conservative line and in a conservative manner in the back country.  Or at the very least think about how hard it would be and how long it would take to get the biggest bozo in your group off the mountain and back to medical care if they missed the next huck and things went terribly wrong.  Can you solve that problem alone if it goes bad?  Or are you relying on others to prop your sorry ass up and get you out?   

 

That doesn't mean missing all the fun.  What is does mean is thinking about the result a nasty fall could mean. 

 

If you have no clue...and nothing wrong with that, ask questions.  Everyone started this stuff at the beginning of the book.  If you need the Cliffs notes versions, listen to those that do have a clue and then act accordingly.  It aint rocket science.  It is easy to be a quick study.

 

If you are skiing with a partner you owe them thinking ahead, for everyone's peace of mind and ultimately everyone's safety.

 

 Hopefully this is a better explanation.  Look closely at the photo then dbl click.   Guide is high right on the slope in a yellow jacket.  He is hiking to retrieve the first lost ski.  You can see it just left of the little snow ledge on the rock cliff.  A second ski is below him stuck in the snow left of another rock.  At the end of the slope, his client, in blue, recovering from what I'd suppose mentally at least (she was unhurt thankfully despite all the rocks on this slope) was a fairly traumatic fall.