iain

also I've never seen anything more saturated (except for DFA's tights on 5.8 offwidth) than the avalanche probe market. There's got to be like 50 different options out there, some approaching $100!

yeah I meant, avalanche probes are pretty bread-and-butter, not much to malfunction. I maintain the best marketing wizards are those who can charge $40-80 for the equivalent of a tent pole and a sidewalk snow shovel and have dirtbag skiers/climbers happily pay for it!

I was there again today against my better judgement and I concur wholeheartedly. "Powder" is awfully generous. The skiing wasn't bad, but the winds were horrendous at times and it's tough to keep the goggles clear when you're just above the freezing elevation. No lines though.

this is one step away from a recall on gravel

looks like a strong gust of wind would send all 6 of 'em flying. are they tied down to anything?

this crap again? Guess I'll put in the obligatory telemark - norwegian for "wait for me"

quite a bit of action at Meadows...from the latest snowpack analysis on NWAC: "Explosive control released a 15 foot slab midday Saturday at Mt Hood Meadows. Numerous natural releases were scene(sic) on wind-loaded slopes, mainly southeast through northeast facing slopes. Several close calls were also reported..." "...Another close call occurred Friday when a group of boarders broke a closure at Mt Hood Meadows then proceeded to trigger a soft slab with one boarder being fully buried for twenty minutes before a beacon recovery, again only minor injuries...." amazing that in-area boarder would be wearing a beacon, unless it was a preplanned poaching...

it did. There was good deep powder to be had in the morning, but man was it crowded. There always seems to be some nice filled-in drifts of snow from rock garden and on over by star. heather canyon did not open even after blasting (they let loose some whoppers up there) and of course cascade was closed due to weather, hence the large crowds. If it does not snow a lot tonight, tomorrow might not be so good. It was getting really thick and tiring towards the end of the day. Who knows? could turn out fine tomorrow too. probably less crowded (there was a snotty kid ski race today).

framed up on the right and left by my two least-favorite hood routes!

looks more like the black tick, doesn't it.

fricken boarders were doing some kind of weave pattern at meadows today, impossible to pass. it was like a game of frogger.

One of Mt Hood's most experienced pro patrollers was killed at Mt. Hood Meadows in "microterrain" a few years back, in the ski area, checking out a little blown-out depression near the Cascade lift, and it slid on top of him.

the sar mission for a mt bachelor employee last year really woke me up to the dangers of tree wells. seems to happen more often than you think (close calls, that is, not necessarily fatality).

and stress the fact that it is not necessarily the amount of money that's the issue, it's the precendent it sets and incompetence of its application.

I think this a great topic to bring up and I hope it doesn't get totally walked over with spray for once. Thanks Madame NEWSTIPS.

I like that photographic metaphorical representation w/ the king and queen in the background. Does that mirror their relationship as well? heh heh heh

was that printed directly out of an intro avalanche text?

I think there's been a landslide or two since that spider stuff was done, if I'm not mistaken...could be a little different now?

Conditions were steadily turning brutal up there, we're all very disappointed we could not bring him back.

..from someone posting at 11:15pm this is rich.

weren't you the one just hamming it up about bachelor?