Kevin_Matlock

Was just at Tahoe/squaw 2 weeks ago. Not much pow, and according to the squaw's snow history they usually get their stuff later in the season. Haven't been keeping tabs on their conditions since my trip, but I would expect "a couple, to a few feet" in a lot of places. When we drove through Donner, the snow machines were working overtime to keep the runs open. Have fun though!

Bifogals by North Face, pocket protector by Mountain Hardware.

Yep, too warm, but i'd be interested too. This is over by Tom,Dick,Harry? Where? I have also been keeping an eye on the top of the cascade chair there at ski bowl (really the top of multorpor mountain). This is the chair far left that's not open too often. At the top of the chair look up and to your left and you should see the mass. It's not huge, but it might be fun and in the right conditions it should go.

my toggle is the print screen button. also try cycling the device... ours is always crapping out so we have to 'boot' it somewhat often. good luck finding an answer in this forum, next time post it in the "ice climbing/kvm switch" area.

who cares about the words.... AWESOME pics! good job. Hey Oleg, nice going

Got the visual... that's a good one. Yeah, my stance is definitely on the wider side too; mainly because I'm just a "so-so" skier. So when I do the odd B/C run it doesn't come as too much of a tramatic event since I'm already in "BC-mode". Makes sense... thanx. Figured their might be some differences somehow.

Ok, I'll bite.... how about Ramona Falls? Tho at something like 3k', probably not. Anybody know?

After your first trip to a resort, did you find it weird/hard/super-easy? Your point about starting in the B/C has me wondering if there are techniques or habits that don't translate very well to a groomed slope. I can't really think of any, but I could see the potential for it. Sorry for the drift, but I'm just wondering...

Was there about 6 mos ago and didn't see it as a problem by the normal approach off the road. The tribes don't want the public trashing and/or disrespecting the land so I'd just stay on the trail and don't gawk. When I was there, there were families, people with dogs, and a couple screwing! I sorta think the least of their worries is a beanie wearing gumby if he/she plays it cool and RESPECTS the land. I think it's the rest of the idiots that are really the problem. What a shame. But.... I don't speak for anybody but my dumb ass... guess if it's offically posted (as indicated above), then so be it.

wfinley, Did you get the part where he mentioned that he has never really skied before? Would you take someone who has never skied and point them down a backcountry slope??? I sure wouldn't. Remember when you first learned how to ski... you likely did the little rope tow thing. There aren't many who, first season out, are going to RIP down a black run very well and in control much less a raw, uncut slope with variables like crust, ice, corn, powder, trees, etc etc etc. I dislike resorts as much as the next guy (probably more) but I think you really need to at least learn how the gear works before you try and take a crash course (litterally).

bump. went there again last night (12-29) and found a good deal on a pair of trail runners. there seems to still be a fair selection on the clearance stuff but i don't know if it's still the buy-one-get-one deal.

Yeah by most accounts the XGK is a jet engine. Mine is really freaking loud... but incredibly fast to boil, too.

Some good advice was given in the preceeding posts and guess I'd only add the following regarding the quote above: Don't get too hung up on being a "mountain climber" or "rock climber" or whatever. Just do what you have fun at and let others label you. Personally, one of the dead give aways that you AREN'T a mountain climber is when you run around telling people "I'm a mountain climber" (-insert chest beat here-). 'nuff said?

Related but not specifically answering.... To help with the equation, I can run my MSR XGK at full burn for very close to 1 hour with the 11oz (smallest?) bottle.

It definitely helps to have the file name set so you can see what you are copying. Practically EVERY song file I have is named artist - song name and it's artist/song/album/track number/etc properties are set. And let me tell you, I have litterally thousands of forking files! Is this a pain? Am I a schiz? yes and yes. Gotta have something to do at 2am on nights I can't sleep and CC is down for maintenance.

can't stand iTunes!!!!!! luckily for me i can just copy my music files individually to the player (via windoze). no fuss, no muss.

I used to have an HB Tornado. Wish I still had it (but maybe more as a 3rd tool). Slightly bent shaft but not so much that it's hard to pack like a leashless, really light, agressive angle, and easy to grip. Sucky thing is that the pick was fixed and the HBs were never known for quality. But for the price they are hard to beat. Might have a hard time finding one though (I'd check ebay).

What he said. I got back into skiing a few years ago after a long time off. I thought I'd jump right back into it but it aint that easy. In a similar thread, someone made the comment that you've got to be pretty good resort skier to be decent in the back country and it can take a few years before you get dialed in. I totally buy this. Just think of lift tickets as class "tuition". You are going to have a hell of a hard time getting good in ungroomed conditions if you can't even ski down a nice groomed run. As far as gear, for AT shit I got old Silvretta (sp?) 404 bindings with tele boots. This bastardized mix works decently well for back country as well as on-piste. But, I'd just go with a decent downhill setup for now and practice a whole lot before sinking a butt-load of money into something that you will have a hard time using. This will save you a ton of frustration in the end.

gijoes.com have no idea if the sale is online... take a look.

GI Joes in Lake Grove (maybe all stores?) is having a kickass sale on their shoes. Lots of red tag (clearance) items. All are buy one, get one free, too. And all shoes not in a box are 30% off even their sale price. I got a pair of NF low top approach shoes (retail for $80) and some nice Columbia SW leather hikers (retail for $110) both for $49. Not sure when the sale ends, but there is a ton left. Go get you some.

Sorry I didn't see your post first. Related post:http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/616504/page/1#Post616504

Question obviously gleaned from the hood resuce thread. Didn't want to add to the multitude of posts nor wade through all the pages. Hell, also figured this belonged in the noods forum since it's such a basic question! Anyway.... mark your location with a Y indicating "yes, we're here"????? Feel kinda dumb, but since when? Guess I always understood to mark a "T" with the vertical line indicating wind direction (for aircraft). Am I the only one thinking this?

Great point. I wonder if/when these become cheaper and more people have them, at some point you gotta figure the SAR teams would reach a point of "we can't respond to all these calls anymore"... we'll just flood the system. So, one might conclude that there will be some sort of practical life span to this current model of rescue. Am I correct in thinking that using a PLB is "free" without a monthly subscription? I mean, seems like one small advantage over the sat phone is that you don't have to pay the monthly service agreement and/or usage minutes. Anybody know if the only cost incurred with the PLB is simply it's purchase price? The more I think about it maybe not though... after all, who exactly maintains the list of the beacon signals to their owners? Can't believe someone is simply doing this out of the kindest in their heart.

Ok, this was answered in the hood rescue thread as such by Gapper Jeffy and Iain: But, specificially speaking, has anybody bought one of the ACR devices? Seems like pretty interesting tool to pack, albeit expensive, bulky, and somewhat heavy. Just looking for opinions on the decive (not so much spray on whether or not you would ever be caught dead with one ).

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