Six inches so far since I got up and let the dogs out this morning and still coming down steady with no let up in the next 24 hours according to the latest weather. Looks like the whole NorthWest is getting hit. This is very, very good. Bet 49 opens on Friday. C YA!
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Re: It's Dumping!
Sun, December 2, 2007 - 3:52 PMI was wrong. 49 opens tomorrow morning. Oh Joy! I just took the monster Arien's snowthrower and blew 600 feet of road from the gate to the house to the shop clear of the 16" of freshies that was burying it. And it's still dumping outside.
49 had 14" overnight and 28" on top as of 6:30am this morning. Storm is supposed to keep on coming. They will re-open on Friday for their usual "Freshie Friday" powderhound day, but are going to 7 days a week starting Dec. 14th through Feb. 14th for the first time. Should be interesting after seasons of 5 days a week... $37 weekday lift ticket and $44 on weekends/holidays. Prices went up from last year.
I think it's going to be real good, don't you? Hope you all are getting some of this, and I'll make a few turns for the snowboard tribe! -
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Re: It's Dumping!
Sun, December 2, 2007 - 5:39 PMSWEET!
Enjoy that pow Seal. 16", WoW. I'd be jealous if I weren't so happy for you :)
I'll think of you descending those hillsides all day.
Yum. -
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Re: It's Dumping!
Sun, December 2, 2007 - 10:25 PMHella dumping!! Mt Hood Meadows was super sick today. They got at least a foot in in the last 24... there was 6 on the car by the time we were done at 4:00. I think the layer of ice has finally melted off my jacket. Keep it coming! -
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Bummer
Mon, December 3, 2007 - 11:22 AMThis quick warm front moved in and its raining at Meadows today. Looks like I timed the riding perfectly. How about you Seal? Stay cold enough for you up there? I think the temp is supposed to start dropping again tomorrow though. Dont hurt the precious snow...whimp whimper -
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Re: Bummer
Tue, December 4, 2007 - 12:01 AMHoly shit did the weather change overnight. Like you Jarvis! It started raining about midnight here at the house and is freaking pouring outside right now. I mean POURING. I had 18" piled up and it's going to be completely gone in the morning no doubt. All that work blowing snow yesterday and it would have just melted off if I would have left it (who knew?).
BUT, took the neighbor and his 6th grade daughter that I taught to ride last season up today because riding opening day is a freaking tradition. I'm passing it on to them! 30" at the lodge and raining but 50" up top and snowing so we stayed on the ridge and kept catching midway lift back up. Maybe 60 people on the whole hill, three lifts running but west bowl was closed. Untracked everywhere, heavy powder but very fun. Noon it switched to slush and hail and heavy winds came roaring over the peak that dropped windchill into the single digits. Then the rain hit. I had to get them off the hill, they were instantly too wet (I've gone all Gore-tex but they are just starting out with affordable gear) so I dropped them down the quickest way I knew to get them out of the weather. We were drinking hot cocoa and home by 1:30.
Ah well. Have to ride opening day. It was bottomless, no base, but with this rain saturating it when it freezes again (hopefully real damn soon) it'll be a really good solid base for the dumps that are coming.
It still was a fun day, wonderful to float some turns in the open trees and pop off the pillows. I sure hope you're right, Jarvis, and the temps drop in the next day or two. Haven't checked the weather or satellite maps tonight... -
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Re: Bummer
Tue, December 4, 2007 - 9:07 AMStill waaaay to warm today. Looks like its going to clear up also... lame. At least we got a few pow runs in though. I check this satelite often...
www.ocs.orst.edu/pub/weath...urrent.gif
This one is cool too...
www.ghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/GOES/g...ir.html
(hit the animate button) -
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Re: Bummer
Tue, December 4, 2007 - 11:01 PMLooks like it's cooling down here tonight after a 50'F freaking day! Snow/rain due at my elevation later tonight through tomorrow night at least so hopefully this little climate "abberation" will disappear. Radical out on the coast, clocked 120mph winds (NO SHIT) and torrential downpours that flooded all over the place. Interstate 5 is closed and the Olympic Penninsula got blasted.
49 didn't lose any snow, still 50" on top so I'm going up on Friday when they open and get a few more lines drawn in. Don't ride weekends much unless it is dumping. Heavy weather keeps the weekenders in the bar and lodge! I love the "it's snowing too hard, Harold" lines I hear. LOL
This is the animated one I watch a lot and I copied your two and will look at them later. Shows the animated entire northern Pacific from Russia to Alaska and BC down to Hawai'i and just the slice of the west coast through NorCal. Stormtrack looks pretty good right now as long as it's cold. There is that bloom of a low pressure heading in from the s/w that may be a bit warm. Best we can do is snow dancing!! -
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Re: Bummer
Tue, December 4, 2007 - 11:02 PM -
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Re: Bummer
Tue, December 11, 2007 - 12:27 AMSnowed all day Sunday and put maybe four inches down from midway to the peak but wasn't snowing at the lodge! But it snowed all day at the house...how bizarre is that? It was fun, though. Today was a hardpack day just doing speed runs on the groomed...serious chill in the shade up there even in the afternoon.
More is due this week and everyone is crossing fingers. Snow has consolidated into a very hard base which is good but now we need another 50" pow pow dump!
Dancing as well as an old surfer can... -
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Re: Bummer
Tue, December 11, 2007 - 3:38 AMI was out back on saturday. Three feet of light fluffy heaven, we're having the best early season in decades! Woo Hoo!
The down side is that I just started a new job and I'm putting in 60 hours a week minimum. Plus I have school work. I won't be riding much until the end of January.
But at least it's snowing! :) -
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Re: Bummer
Sun, December 16, 2007 - 11:18 PMAnother day of fluff, soft and very fun. But strange weather. We're not getting the big dumps yet, just inches overnight but it snows every damn night! Not during the day at all. Weird.
Took the neighbor's six year old up for her first day on a board. Fourth run on the bunny hill and she wanted to try falling leaf by herself ((I was doing backwards holding her hands and my calf muscles are hash tonight). She did good! Best was about 50 feet before doing a butt plant...She was so excited and Mercedes her 6th grade sis that I taught last year was impressed. She never did make it off the lift without totally losing it, though. Next time maybe.
Snowing again tonight. Every night for the last week. How bizarre, but not like you're getting in the N/E. Heard you're about to get blasted again, Jai. Hope you get some soon. -
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Re: Bummer
Mon, December 17, 2007 - 2:44 AMGot a Nor'easter over the weekend. Dumped about 18" here in town. I bet their smiling so big up on the mountain that their ears hurt! I'm stuck working 10-12 hour days right through till the end of January. I might work out a day or two off. Hope so. The ski area will be stupid busy, so I think if I get out I'll be hiking for it.
Betcha' there's 2+ feet of fresh up on the hill. Dammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmn. At least someone's getting those big soft turns.
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Re: It's Dumping!
Mon, December 3, 2007 - 11:40 AMIt's dumping in Big Sky MT too...I can't wait to get there in January! :) -
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Re: It's Dumping!
Mon, December 17, 2007 - 11:13 AMAnother foot at Meadows.... 5 inches at Bachelor. Its about time Bachelor got even a little... what is up?? Out sick this last week.. will try to make it back up to hodd this next weekend. -
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Re: It's Dumping!
Tue, December 18, 2007 - 9:41 PMSnowing all day, came home to 4wheeling the 8" on top of what was already here when I left. Had to break out the Arien's and blow some snow for two hours.
Very good day since it was snow obscured to the point that people were sitting in the bar & lodge because they didn't know where they were on the ridgeline. Gotta know your hill... Half a foot at noon on the peak and was dumping when I left early. Still precip'n outside and the roof just cut loose and dropped a 2 1/2 foot-high pile on the deck. Should be good tomorrow I think.
You get some today, too, Jarvis? I'm assuming this storm is hitting you down south. Heard from my daughter that Mt. Shasta is finally going to open so she can leave the baby with another mom-friend and get some turns in.
And Jai, your area is digging out!
Hot tub time... -
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Yup
Wed, December 19, 2007 - 2:04 PMWe are getting some finally. It looks like Bachelor and Meadows each got another 8 inches or so. Bachelor is my favorite place to ride down here but I still dont think they have enough snow for me to make the trip (about 3 hours.) Mt Hood is about the same distance and they have a little more. I guess these earlier stoms just didnt quite make it over the Cascades. Seems Mt Hood Meadows is still the place (for now). -
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Re: Yup
Wed, December 19, 2007 - 11:02 PMTwo feet of fresh on the hill in the last two days, but it started raining at my elevation sometime late last night. How strange is that for the end of December? Freaking climate change continues to shift our weather patterns.
Getting kind of sore riding so much but my neighbor is getting a sitter for his 4 year old and wants to go up with me tomorrow for a couple hours. I'm thinking of taking Friday off, hang out sit in the hot tub stretch a lot, but always ride on Winter Solstice even if it's in a weekend crowd! Work at night, ride in the day. Makes for one tired old guy rider but the body will get used to it soon...I hope. Or not but I'll keep riding anyway.
Glad you're getting some down there, Jarvis! I've had many fun excursions to Hood, Timberline, Bachelor, Hoodoo. I remember those lines. -
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Re: Yup
Thu, December 20, 2007 - 1:30 AMGot a call last night from an old Ride buddy. Seems what we ussualy have to wait until January to ride has been fully covered and waist deep for two weeks. Sonofabitch. And I've been busting ass for the man.
My kids are in town today (haven't seen them for a year and a half), have to build a coffin this morning, and work straight thru until x-mas. But that's when I start lovin' up the trees and the steeps.I've been to long in this abstract wasteland. Time to take someturns.
Seal, hot cider and a little whisky always soothe sore muscles. :) -
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Allright!!!
Thu, December 20, 2007 - 9:05 AMBachelor is reporting 18" overnight! Thats what Im talking about!!!! Might go do some night boarding at Hoo Doo tomorrow night just cuz its close. (and cheap)
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Re: Yup
Thu, December 20, 2007 - 11:20 PMOh man, I'm just sore. Bottomless pow today again but heavier than usual. Still really damn good. Trees are on, did some screamers in the steep & deep conifer secret lines and put the first tracks down, and the second and the third. May not have much work to do and ain't making much money this season (who can against imported slave-made crap from Asia?) but at least I'm getting very very good days on the hill. Keeps the smile going! We're about a 100" or so, coverage is just getting better every day. More due this weekend.
I'm staying home tomorrow. Got three set of my first layer stretchies to make for people and more of the lifties on the hill are ordering them. My base layers are starting to get good word of mouth! Besides, I'm too damn sore and need to let some of these body exercise poisons get through my system!!! I'm creaking tonight with a grin on my face. Ha!
Good to hear you're seeing your kids, Jai. I miss my step kids big time, just got the xmas card from the oldest with pic of the granddaughter I haven't met (and she's now 1) because they don't have the money this year to drive 700 miles north and I just don't have the money to help. Finances are getting tougher for everyone. Haven't seen her in two years now... Son Jack is in LA working but hopes to get up here again this winter for another week of fluff riding. His twin sis is too busy finishing her DVM degree at UC Davis. Life changes...they grow up and head off into their own lives so enjoy your time with your kids while you have it!!
But I am sorry you're missing out on all this lovely freaking snow!!
Nope, don't drink alcohol so it's the hot tub and stretching out that I work with but thanks for the tip about hot cider and whisky for any rider guests that come up this year and are too damn sore to ride the next day. I do have the cider but they'll have to buy the booze!
Get some Jarvis. Get all the lines you can handle down there!! Hoodoo was such a laid-back hill compared to Bachelor. Been a few years, they put in any new lifts? Open that backside they were talking about? John Asbury still the mgr/soft goods buyer? Never could get them to put in my product...bummer as I do good sewing. But always got a comp pass when I showed up repping the gear!!! Nice people...
Ah well, best go make a cup of tea and kick it for the evening. Been a very good week and now the kids are out of school. What a pack of rowdy teens this morning but they don't do deep trees.
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bummin
Fri, December 21, 2007 - 9:53 AMI am totally bummin as I sit here at work today. Today would be the epic break in the weather day after all the dumping. I am going to Meadows on Sunday though.. of course it will probably be mild blizzard like conditions again. lame.. oh well.. thats what brings the snow i guess. -
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Re: bummin
Fri, December 21, 2007 - 5:52 PMI guess I must be the only person I know who actually prefers to ride while it's snowing. my favorite time to ride is just after dark, when the lights come on, & the hill empties out to maybe 30-40 people & it starts DUMPING...the combination of the eerie, otherworldly glow from the lights & that quiet that only comes when it snows & having more or less the whole hill wide open....mmmmmmmmm...cruising halfway down & then just plopping down on my butt & looking out over the valley...to me, that's absolute NIRVANA. -
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Yuck
Sun, December 23, 2007 - 2:50 PMGot rained out at Meadows today. Was soaked through in about two hours. Not worth the six hours in the car and the $85 for gas and lift ticket. -
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Re: Yuck
Sun, December 23, 2007 - 4:49 PMSorry to hear Meadows got precip instead of solid rain. Got handed a boner day. Shit, hate those. That happened to me on Dec 3rd when they opened. Even in all Gore-tex I was getting damp. Couldn't keep the goggles clear even with a ski-gee!
It's freaking dumping up here right now, same storm I guess, but has become much colder and dryer coming across the flats of Washington. My oldest in Mt. Shasta is saying it's weird there, too..like Hood is getting. Mixed slush in town but the hill there finally opened. Minimum coverage, three feet of base, but they needed the bucks. Ah well.
Damn good day on 49 again, had to go up and just another powder day. Not the big 2 foot+ dumps yet, but even the 8-12" are fluffy soft. The upper lot was only 2/3 full, too, not that many people on the hill and most were on the front face and peak so East Basin was really empty and untracked. I came home to 6" fresh around the house. May have to break out the Arien's again to blow out the road from the gate past the house to the shop tomorrow afternoon if this keeps up. Even the dogs and my trails around the house are filling in! It's looking like it will...
Definitely on xmas day as there's usually nobody until after noon but us powderdogs. Then the hord of teenagers show up with all their new gear. May take the neighbor's 6th grader again as she's just amping from what dad told me. Her dad went up today with his riding buddy and she's at her mom's down in Spokane until tomorrow night and can barely stand it. Boy did I hook the both of them good on boarding last year. They've turned into serious boardheads in one season!
Best go get busy. Have some base layers to sew up for people on the hill. Word of mouth is getting around the local grapevine that they are the bomb. Well, hell yes, they are! Later... -
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What..
Sun, December 23, 2007 - 5:52 PMis it that you sew? Do you have a website? -
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Re: What..
Mon, December 24, 2007 - 12:19 AMYeah, boardwarm.com. Mainly been wholesale to resorts and retail shops since it started but I don't make many coats or vests etc anymore except for friends and family. Can't compete with slave-made crap imported from dictatorships in Asia, but most of the gear over the years is still up on the site. But people are sure liking the base layers this winter for some reason!
Done with 2 sets that I'm taking up tomorrow so I'm heading for the hot tub and early bed. Still snowing and it's going to be good...
nighty-night. -
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Re: What..
Wed, December 26, 2007 - 3:23 AMFinally got out again :)
No crowds on christmas day and no one hiking out back for the bottomless untracked. Rode all day in the trees and never crossed another track. Just tree's, snow, a little sun, the Raven who calls the area home (he/she follows me on occasion) and myself. A well needed interlude, it reminded me of the important aspects of my life that I have chosen to sacrafice while in school, and will return to once I'm done.
It is good to feel beautiful in a beautiful place, to belong, to know a connection, to be a part.
Namaste' -
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Sweet
Wed, December 26, 2007 - 9:58 AMI know the feeling. Unfortunately I havent had it in a while. It snowed a little on the Willamette valley floor this morning. Figures that I get snow under 1000 feet today but I got rained on around 7000 on Sunday. Oh well... It appears to be dumping in Bend all week until Monday which is when I am planning to make it back over to Bachelor. Havent been there yet this year so I am pretty excited. Some friends and I have rode there for the last five NY eve days. Then we hit Hoo doo or Willamette Pass on the Way back to Eugene for some night riding. It's a good half way point and we will meet another couple there for a few more runs. They have some fire works and stuff sometimes. Hopefully thats when I wil achieve the feeling. Just stopping for a moment with a buddy up on the dark hillside... in total silence. A shot or two from the flask probably wouldnt hurt either. peace -
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Re: Sweet
Fri, December 28, 2007 - 3:01 PMOh man, another day of fluff. Still no big 2 foot dumps yet, but this 8-12" overnight is downright wonderful. Rode all morning and came home at 1pm. Tree running big time and my legs are sore. Tight conifers, not open glades, and it was use the ski-gee on the goggles constantly day. Time to sit in the hot tub but I need to go dig out the five inches that are on it first.
We're at 120" or so and it's snowing out the window. Another 8" predicted overnight but tomorrow will be a zoo like most weekends so I'm gonna stay home and work on two resort orders that came in...and take the 6 year old neighbor up for her second lesson on Sunday while dad & older sister go riding. Boy did I hook those two last season, and now the younger girl is already stoked to the max about riding.
What we do in winter sure is fun, isn't it??? -
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Re: Sweet
Tue, January 1, 2008 - 12:53 PMGot out on the hill today. About time. The stats up at the mountain say we've cracked 140" so far this season, which is far above normal for here this time of year. I believe it to, because out in the woods the snow is nothing short of epic. Made run after run down steep untracked in waist deep. Couldn't go wrong today. Just me and my iPod and the trees and drops. Sweet. I am reborn.
I ran into some old friends in the afternoon, so we hiked out a little ways (not as far as I usually go) and found that none of the local kids had hit the goods yet. We porpoised in the powder and laughed through the trees. I love airing out deep in the woods, there is something so potent about flying between trees. Otherworldly.
...and it was dumping all day :)
Great way to start the year. Happy new year all. -
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Re: Sweet
Tue, January 1, 2008 - 3:13 PMGot some fresh tracks in the NW trees of Bachelor yesterday as well. Cruising through snow about 3 feet up on me. This was the sunny bluebird day I was waiting for. -
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Re: Sweet
Tue, January 1, 2008 - 9:05 PMAww, it's been chopped since Sunday, no new but supposedly in the next day or so hopefully. Been really cold so it's gone hardpack. I'm busy so it's okay (as long as it doesn't do this for long!). 3'F this morning when I let the dogs out.
But hey, I'm glad to hear others are getting some good fluff days! Ahhh, powder days on the Northwest Territory. Remember those trees well! Been a few years since I've been on Bachelor.
Great day teaching the six year old on Sunday. By lunch she was doing falling leaf at speed mostly under control AND skating off the lift without falling. She remembered to eat light and drink a lot of water in the lodge, and bugged us constantly with "can we go snowboarding now?" over and over because she finished before the rest of us! By the end of the day she was making non-stop leaf runs to the bottom of the bunny hill with a huge grin on her face. Even pointed it a few times and went back to backside edge to slow down. I thought for sure she was going to plow into a couple of people that crashed in front of her and she actually shifted her weight and went around them. I was impressed!
So I've turned another innocent young'n into a boardhead. My bad. Next year it'll be the four year old. He's already starting to ask... -
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Re: Sweet
Tue, January 1, 2008 - 9:59 PMilllll!!! young ins pimpin it. Wish I had started this shit that young. much peace in the new year -
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Re: Sweet
Wed, January 2, 2008 - 1:16 AMNext time I'll take the digital and snap a pic of her riding. She looks like a little midget blue ball in her puffy snow clothes but she's bombing! She's a tiny first grader... Maybe up to my belly button but I'm only 5'8 1/2." Smallest pair of base layer microfleece I've ever made, too!
I started my stepkids winter of 90-91 just after the twins turned 8 and the oldest girl hit 11 (the first year they moved up to northern Utah where I was living going to school). Even got mom on one that year which was pretty surprising for someone who's acrophobic. All backcountry hiking in the Bear River Range. They didn't get on their first lift until 1993. Funny to think that the twins are now 24 and all of them have been riding for 17 years!! Twins started on Burton Free 3 and a split taiiled Performer, and Nelle the oldest had a Look (the red/white model with Saturn on it) that was too long for her but it worked. Old school boards! Now they freaking rip; both Jack & his twin win and place in contests (railjams, slopestyle) and the oldest rides pretty well, too.
Sheesh, I just realized that the years are really flying by.
Yeah, definitely need some PEACE in this new year. More pow pow days, too. -
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Re: Sweet
Thu, January 31, 2008 - 9:30 AMWillamette Pass (an hour East Of Eugene, OR) is report 20" overnight. Looks like Mt Bachelor is reporting about 15." -
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Re: Sweet
Fri, February 1, 2008 - 11:52 PMWas wondering what's up down there. Snowed a bit off & on today, just a spritzer here and there. Didn't matter, another pow day again, freshie Friday with maybe an untracked 18" (or more?) because West Bowl (chair 4) opened up after being closed all week. Lift probelms but everything that's fallen all week was unridden. Oh my the trees were very, very good. Deep, soft, and low water content so it was throwing over my head on turns. Sigh. I'm tired. I'm sore. I'm grinning. I sure do like riding during the week...
Schweitzer over in Idaho was lower rib-deep according to one of the older guy employees at my hill who took his son last week. Said they were just buried and that his 166 was too short!! Oh my!
And now it's Feb 1st with two & a half months of riding lifts still to do. Bigger sigh! LOL -
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Re: Sweet
Sat, February 2, 2008 - 8:58 AMSeal, if it gets too deep I'll ship you my 198 swallowtail and a snorkle. I won't be using either here anytime soon. We've had a mix of freezing rain/drizzle/flurry for the last few days. It's in the upper 30's.
Oh, and I have a book to write now. Crap.
Just think of me now and then as float through a big steep turn somewhere deep in the trees. My spirit will be right there with you. -
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Re: Sweet
Sat, February 2, 2008 - 1:33 PMYou'll laugh but at 5'8" and 160 pounds I can't turn boards that big, or at least not easily and especially not in deep trees where I spend an inordinate amount of time. But thanks for the offer of the swallowtail. I've ridden them in Utah pow decades ago and they were amazing. Hated hitting groomies on one, though.
My pow pow boards are two; a '95 K2 HC 161 long-nose that I picked up & rode in Utah that year. Set back front binding with a serious shovel nose that's flexible & pops itself up. Good for up to maybe 24" of freshies. In steeps. Works really well crossing cutup or having to traverse a groomie, too.
The second...you're gonna laugh but it's a '91 Sims Ace 165. I rode the Bear River Range that year on this stick in deepest northern Utah pow backcountry peak hiking, and it floats like you wouldn't believe. Heavier than what we're riding now, bindings suck (old school pattern), but my oh my does it float deep powder. Keep telling myself to go have some inserts put in with the 4x4 pattern so I can mount something new but the frontside control with the front bolts being right under your toes and the back ones under your heels is far better in deep pow than a 4x4 pattern.
Maybe I'm imagining it? Old school bindings don't flex under the boot on turns like they do now (groomies or hardpack is really noticable).
And yesterday was another minimum 18" of untracked because West Bowl has been down all week, lift problems, and it's just kept dumping. I stayed in the deep trees and oh my...and snowing hard out the window this fine Saturday afternoon. Be up in the morning... -
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Re: Sweet
Sat, February 2, 2008 - 2:13 PMEver tried a Burton Fish? It's pretty much all I ever ride anymore, and like you, I'm in the tight trees all day. I love this board, I have several. If you'd like I'll send one your way to try out. Email me your address, I'll ship it out. Bet you love it.
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