Panos

Thank you man http://www.backcountryworld.com/showthread.php?t=1143 Perhaps $200 is too much though. These skis used to sell on offers for $130-160 last year.

Hi there, I have seen an offer for a pair of Atomic Teledaddy skis (123 tip, 99 waist, 115 tail X 173 long) without bindings for over $200. Will these work well in the backcountry with dynafit bindings and AT boots? Snow conditions may vary out there. I am an intermediate skier, 178 pounds, 6'1'' (186 cm). What do you guys think ?

Cobra_Commander It occurs to me that Lito Tejada Flores has copied your advice His films are not to be missed by beginners like me. Cheers man.

Surely, I will do that. This is what I am looking to buy. I am happy to get something very used but at least at the right size and not terribly heavy or stiff.

cstemley Ski.ski.ski then. OK Reid That is useful to know. Will keep my eyes open looking for powder at the resort. Of course it is more efficient to use the lifts. You say you are self taught - that is cool. I have ordered the following books cause I believe a good book is better than an average instructor. "All-Mountain Skier : The Way to Expert Skiing" by R. Mark Elling; "The Skier's Edge" by Ron Lemaster. TrogdortheBurninator What do you mean by "slack country regions"? Feck I should had mentioned that appart from my downhill set up (181cm, 100-66-90mm, 20m radius, lead-heavy) I have a pair of (170cm, 88-60-78mm) very light, rugged Atomics with Silvretta 500. One issue with the latter is that they do not provide enough flotation. That is why I am looking to get some fats. On the other hand I find breaking trail uphill very easy and fun and I doubt whether experienced skiers can go faster. Going down is what I need to work on and get skilled for. Thanks for your comments Lionel_Hutz Surely you are right. I am lucky to have some very experienced backcountry-skier friends. Yet, at the present time I can only dream skiing down the routes they go and for them would be dead-boring to take me on the beginners routes. That is why I wrote "alone" in my beginning message. hafilax Thanks for the book suggestion. I have not seen this book at the local stores (2nd A., F.Fs. REI).

A "powder day"... Do you mean a day right after it has snowed a few inches and before they groom it? That would be a good transition to powder I suppose. Thank you for your recommendation.

Come on dude, relax your tone please. First, you are not right assuming that I am missing knowledge about the white stuff. Just remember that the mountains are not only for skiers... Second, be reasonable. Do you know a way of getting skilled without any gear. Please let us know... Think about it yourself, your message is not at all helpful.

Benb, What you say about fats with skins is very interesting. Though if you were going up Denali or something very technical (say an M5) you too would consider using mountaineering boots instead of your A/Ts. Thanks for your message. P.

Hello folks, Here you have a beginner skier (running in blues confidently and learning fast) who wants to go out and introduce himself to powder skiing. I would appreciate some advice on the following topics: a) Given that I already have a downhill set up I want to get some gear only for the backcountry. I like to skin up and want something light and forgiving. Dynafit bindings are a preference. I will ski mostly powder and spring corn. I do not want to spend lots of money at this time, so I am asking for advice on buying used gear. I am 6'1'' tall, weight 178 pounds and wear boots size 29. b) Is there any very easy slope near Seattle without tries and with minimum avalanche danger where I could go alone and practice the basics of powder skiing? Thanking you in advance for your suggestions

Hey guys, Can anybody suggest any alpine route(s) in WA that are less likely to be a fight with powder snow this part of the year? Trying something challenging would be nice up to grade IV, AI4, M4. Consider that I have no backcountry experience on skis. Looking for partners in crime. Thanks, P.

OK, we are all set. Thank you guys. Ibex

Looks a very good book indeed. Thank you for the info. Ibex

Anybody having an idea where we can get the following guide books: 1) Waterfall Ice: Climbs in the Canadian Rockies - Joe Josephson 2) Mixed Climbs in the Canadian Rockies - Sean Isaac 3) Something good and updated for Hyalite. We need them quickly. Borrowing from a library would do but if we need to buy them that's fine. The question is where in Seattle ? Thanks for checking this

That is useful man. Thanks.

If I am about to resort to mail ordering I will better get the real thing from Britain. It is longer and wider and lighter and with better insulating properties. Though, price in $ plus shipping sucks. Unfortunately, there are quite a few other cool products that one cannot find over here. Honestly, I am surprised.

The product suggested by JonG comes in inconvenient dimensions. I need longer (170-190cm) and thicker (10-12mm) and wider (55-60cm). Of course visiting MEC in Canada is not convenient either. At some point I will stop by to see what ProMountain has to offer or ask father Xmas to bring me a white bear inflatable pad! Thank you for the answers guys.

Hey, Does anybody know a good foam sleeping bad ? I do not like the raffled ones (too bulky plus other problems) nor I enjoy the standard blue foam from REI (not good enough insulation) for sleeping on snow. I have slept numerous nights on snow with a closed-cell foam and it was just fine. While in EU I used to have this one: http://www.needlesports.com/acatalog/Mail_Order_Camping_Mats_54.html that served me very well. Here, I cannot locate a similar product (perhaps because stores earn more by selling Thermarests). Help!

I would be up to depart tomorrow (Wed) and climb the Success Cleaver if you are interested. For the current conditions I think it is the safest route. Minimal use of rope needed. Lemme know by PM or call 206-766-0913 Panos

Forecast looks promising. Though, it was impossible to acquire visas for the yaks in such short notice. Also, sleds are banned and skis are only for those who know how to slide with them. Therefore, I guess there is no partner for Liberty Ridge, and with the Carbon glacier to be navigated over early season fresh snow, I am not between those who would go there to climb alone without even knowing the terrain. Success Cleaver is considered as an alternative. At least it does not have problematic access over tricky glaciers. In principle it is a safe line although it is likely that the snow up there has not covered yet the rocks on the ridge and the upper slopes and/or it is not packed enough (I will check with the rangers at Longmire for a visual inspection of the ridge and snowfall history: amounts and temperatures). Shuksan NF is another nice idea (thank you for the suggestion guys), especially if the weather window is shorter. Too little snow might be an issue I was told. Hopefully, it was wet snow and is already part of the face. Anyone interested ? Ibex

I was not up to do the traverse, just the NF. Moreover, I left my Garmont leather boots in Greece! I need to buy a pair of Mantas.

Okay, a follow-up is necessary to close the topic (for now at least). That weekend I actually drove in the middle of the night and hiked up to lake Serene in the dark prepared for a tough climb. Ironically, in the very first light the mountain looked already quite white - the NF bowl was 50% snow covered and going up was out of discussion for me in those conditions. Ironically too, I did not even have a pair of boots to do the normal ascent to the main peak - I was prepared for rock and turned back wiser! It was a clear day that Saturday and I ended up at the Index town wall. Obsessions are good because they force you to go back, and I cannot help it.

Surely both weather and snow conditions as well as having a strong dog team are all very important for the a successful attempt. As an alternative to the canniness we are actually considering importing two yaks from Nepal so that we can get the loads possibly up to Thumb rock. That would help!

Dudes, Thank you so much for the advice. At this early stage it is invaluable ... I will definitely hit the lifts first (since this is the most efficient way to learn the basics of skiing) and of course not with a Koflach/Silvretta setup. This way I will keep my silhouette and not loose any more weight. At a local store I have found a pair of Atomic Rainier skis (170cm) fitted with Silvretta 500 bindings (Long size) and everything is in almost new condition. They go for $230. I think I will get them.

Aha! I guess (solely from what I have read) that one of the reasons you did not feel comfortable with your Silvretta and plastic mountaineering boots is that your skis were too long for this setup. Anyway, thank you for your message. Let me know if you want to sell these bindings. My cell# is removed Cheers Panos

Hey there, Thanks for checking this posting. At age 34 I am going to buy my fist skis! The idea is to learn skiing for making mountaineering approaches and descents easier and doing some cross-country when the weather does not permit alpine climbing. So many different opinions around about what I should get ... Ideally something light, compatible with my Koflach plastic boots (or other similar rigit mountaineering boots). Recently I read about "short skis" but I am not sure whether a beginner can start with something like that. How about looking for some Silvretta bindings to be put on a pair of 150cm narrow skis? (boots size US12, height 6.1, weight 167 pounds) All advice welcome, thanks! Ibex