slaphappy
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Posts posted by slaphappy
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Can't you Mitch and Bill Robbins just exchange phone #'s and leave the rest of the climbing community out of your annoying diatribe?
![[Roll Eyes]](images/icons/rolleyes.gif)
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[ 04-16-2002, 10:42 PM: Message edited by: slaphappy ]
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You think we're the same person? I choose to just
![[laf]](graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif)
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Hey Pope where you at?
Blight be right. -
It just keeps getting better!
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That shit's funny!
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Pete check your guide, I think you have it backwards. Where were all the missing bolts at Clamshell? I was up there Saturday evening and did not notice nearly as many gone as it sounds. The only anchors I didn't see were on top of the boulder.
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Someone correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Bruce's Boulder have large metal bars to TR off of? and if so are they gone?
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My 168 Glissade rides superb on hardpack and powder, I waste no time switching from clumsy skis to "snowboard mode", since it doesn't split in half. Torsionaly perfect, can't beat the dampening, no small pieces to fumble when wind is howling and fingers aren't working, reliable, and fairly light by comparison. Best ride on the market and isn't that why your going, to ride? Touring is for skiers. Why compromise?
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Watched a hot blond at the flagship store sell a Gri Gri to a guy who needed to ascend his mast on his boat to change the light bulb. Right when he was about to pay I had to interject and tell him that the Gri Gri wasn't gonna help him much and $5 worth of cord would work much better. She was still confused. If your not going to hire people that know anything it is at least nice that you hire people worth looking at.
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Some people do walk...
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I was using the Ride/Preston EX but I bent the baseplate on the front binding, so I picked up the new Ride/Preston Team bindings. The highback is a bit lower than the EX (which they still make) resulting in less chafing of the calf. The Team binding also has a carbon composite highback which is far stiffer torsionaly than the ejection molded EX highback. They also have some other fine tuning adjustments that I have found quite useful in dialing in my fit. The drawback is the price tag- $239.95. I managed to pick them up during a 50% off sale making the expense far more tolerable. I don't know if anyone is still running their spring sales but you might check it out. The EX would be sufficient as well at about $100 less. If I was to do a plastic composite I would go with the Burton top of the line binding (model?) They seemed pretty tough and oh so light. I remain a bit skeptical of the durability but was told they can handle some abuse. No deals there, they run well over $200 as well. Good luck, I'll keep my eyes open for any deals and post them if I see em.
[ 03-21-2002: Message edited by: slaphappy ]
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Aint nothin but dead space in that head of yours, I'm back now but I be leavin again soon!
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Hey Mr. Happy
I seriously would reconsider plate bindings with plastic mountaineering boots, read my above post, they do not offer enough forward lean for you to control your heel edge turns. I doubt Bellemotagne has tried it or he would agree with me. Use metal baseplate strap bindings (some of the newer carbon composite bindings are probably strong enough if your looking to save weight) with mountaineering boots or if you feel you must use plate bindings, definately go with Dynafits or a like hardshell snowboard boot where you can adjust your forward lean or they are at least stiff enough to control those carves on wind-blown hardpack.
One thing to keep in mind with plate bindings, you will not be able to ride with a stance perpendicular to the board due to toe and heel drag. (unless you have really small feet and a really wide deck) The forward pointing stance required with plate bindings is great for carving on hardpack but not so great for most freeriding in the backcountry, it isn't as stable as a perpendicular stance with soft bindings.
I hope you can make sense of that, if not, PM me and I can explain it in further detail.
[ 03-21-2002: Message edited by: slaphappy ]
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There are some good comments here although I do not agree with a few. I have been riding BC with plastic mountaineering boots for the last 6 years and would not trade them for anything. Snowboard boots do not cut it. I disagree with Bellemontagne's assesment of edge control while using plastic boots. I trust them on steep hardpack more than any other boot. They are a bit shorter and can cause some chaffing on the back of the calf after multiple runs but they hold an edge with relative ease on any angle. Do not try to use mountaineering boots with step in bindings! There will not be enough forward lean to maintain sufficient control. If you want to use step in bindings wear AT boots or hard shell snowboard boots.
I still use snowshoes over a split board. Yes, snowshoeing in deep powder can suck, but pick a steep direct line to the "top" and it can't be beat. I have ridden with people on split boards and only on mellow terrain do they have significant benefits over snowshoes. (The last guy ended up carrying his split board and post-holing up cause it was too steep to do switchbacks affectively; ski crampons would likely have helped on the traverses. I drank beer for an hour at the top waiting for him to show up, much longer and I wouldn't have been in any shape to make it back down.)
In my opinion the decision of whether or not to purchase a split board should be made by what terrain you will mainly be riding. If all the approaches are relatively short and steep, don't bother but if "touring" is what your after and not really the riding, by all means the split board is the way to go, touring is a term better used by skiers than snowboarders.
![[hell no]](graemlins/hellno3d.gif)
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[ 01-19-2002: Message edited by: slaphappy ]
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There is a chemical on the market called Mirazyme, distributed by McNett. (the co. that makes aquaseal) It is enzyme based and it's only by-products are CO2 and water. It was given to me by a sales rep., so I do not know who carries it, although anyone that carries seamgrip/aquaseal should be able to help you. I have used it on a funky backpack and a coat. It worked surprisingly well.
I also believe a cheaper/easier option is some vinegar dilluted in water and then air dryed. I would not use laundry detergent. Tech Wash by Nikwax may help as well.
Good luck!
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I read that earlier this season, lucky guy. I'm familiar with the area he got caught in, it's a terrain trap. He wasn't wearing a beacon, although I bet he and his partner do from now on.
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b-rock- The hillside was a replanted clear cut and the majority of the trees stuck out of the snow maybe 10 to 20 feet. The wet heavy snow took a couple of the smaller ones out. They were sparse enough to enjoy nice turns but consistently spaced on the hillside... there were no large open areas.
* Except for the cell phone crap, everyone's comments have been worthwhile, I hope others have benefited from the discussion. Thank you spray gods for keeping the BS to a minimum on a semi-serious topic!
[ 01-16-2002: Message edited by: slaphappy ]
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Thanks Freeman! You are one of two people who did actually answer my original question, although there was some other useful information along the way. It's funny I have been hiking with my board since 1985 (Wa,Co,Ny) and until this year I didn't feel the need to carry a beacon. I believe my change of opinion was not brought on by that particular slide (I never really felt "in danger") but by the thought of burying a loved one and living with the memory. I have worn one a half dozen or so times out of respect for a partner who requested I do, but will be making one part of my standard from here on out.
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For what it's worth... I found the plate bindings needed to be turned too far forward creating a less stable stance than a normal strap binding that uses a more perpendicular and wider stance. (Of course that depends on the width of your deck and the length of your foot.) The old Burton binding I used had a rear bail and toe lever, similar to a crampon if you put it on backwards. The stance I prefer created way too much toe and heal drag to be tolerable. It is not an ideal setup for general freeriding although, as I said before, your edge control is amazing. This is likely the reason Steve Koch uses that setup to cross large sections of steep ice. Sick!
* Gene's comments about plastic boots are accurate.
[ 01-15-2002: Message edited by: slaphappy ]
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Clearly knowledge, avoidance, and practice are the key to staying alive but we are humans and we do error. (I sure did!) Many of you have suggested it is foolish to travel the backcountry without a beacon, shovel, and probe and to an extent I agree. Is it not also foolish to not wear one of those Avalung contraptions as well? Trauma aside, from the response times quoted, wouldn't this also exponentially increase your chance of survival? I haven't heard anyone mention one. Why?
[ 01-15-2002: Message edited by: slaphappy ]
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Thanks for the responses. The slide was at Snoqualmie pass on a mellow tree covered hillside. (name?) It tore right thru the trees, aprox. 80-100 feet wide with a 14"-16" crown. It did not travel far but deposited about 4-5 feet where it rested. I triggered it on the descent as I came over a small knoll and weighted the snowpack. We had snowshoed up directly below it previous to the descent. I have triggered a few small ones in the past but never one of this magnitude on a tree covered hillside. I did overlook a few obvious signs in retrospect, underestimating the wind deposits, high water content, and poor bond to a crust. I have had avalanche training including how to use a beacon, and have turned away because of unfavorable snowpack in the past. (although I have also "gone for it") Trauma is responsible for 20% of the fatalities. (I have been researching) Carrying a beacon could not be considered "bad judgement" but lets face it we are all risk takers by nature, you can't tell me that it doesn't offer a small sense of security to even the most conservative of us. As I stated I will be purchasing a pair, I just wondered about the results in the field, not a controlled application. Thanks again for your opinions.
[ 01-15-2002: Message edited by: slaphappy ]
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Suunto Vector is easy to use and you can replace the battery yourself. Only thing is the $200 tag.
Rescue on Mt. St. Elias
in Climber's Board
Posted
I think Lowell is right. The increased weight on a single edge and the perpendicular stance do create more edging power. However, I wouldn't bank on that being the reason the snowboarder is still around and his buds aren't.![[Frown]](images/icons/frown.gif)