Snowboard Mountaineering

[Jay Chute]

Very much agried

[Jay Chute]

Thankyou

[Jay Chute]

Hey all,

What a thread! So many amazing points. Didnt mean to get sensitive about my skateboarding or sound like I was bashing split boarding. Split boarding is an amazing way to travel in the backcountry and snowboard too. All I was saying is that i prefer the feel a soft boot and conventional SB bindings when Im goin down. The only point I dont agree with is that splitboarding is more limited than skiing in the backcountry and or mountaineering. Ive never talked to someone who splitboards that thinks skiers should splitboard because its better. You have to take you skis off on certain aspects of the mountain to get to that line right? whats the difference? The point of split boarding is to snowboard. The point of skiing is to ski. Its easy to realize its the same thing. Its just whatever you preference of turning is. Thinking that people should stop splitboarding and convert to skiing is as silly as thinking people should start bowling instead of skiing.

 

On a side note I have used My solomon mountaineering boots with regular snowboard bindings so I wouldnt have to pack my snowboard boots up and switch out at the top. They worked great!

I have also tried snowboard boots with crampons on class 1 and 2 routes on Mt hood and that worked fine too. not as comfortable as mountaineering boots but worth it.

[Jay Chute]

Hey all,

What a thread! So many amazing points. Didnt mean to get sensitive about my skateboarding or sound like I was bashing split boarding. Split boarding is an amazing way to travel in the backcountry and snowboard too. All I was saying is that i prefer the feel a soft boot and conventional SB bindings when Im goin down. The only point I dont agree with is that splitboarding is more limited than skiing in the backcountry and or mountaineering. Ive never talked to someone who splitboards that thinks skiers should splitboard because its better. You have to take you skis off on certain aspects of the mountain to get to that line right? whats the difference? The point of split boarding is to snowboard. The point of skiing is to ski. Its easy to realize its the same thing. Its just whatever you preference of turning is. Thinking that people should stop splitboarding and convert to skiing is as silly as thinking people should start bowling instead of skiing.

 

On a side note I have used My solomon mountaineering boots with regular snowboard bindings so I wouldnt have to pack my snowboard boots up and switch out at the top. They worked great!

I have also tried snowboard boots with crampons on class 1 and 2 routes on Mt hood and that worked fine too. not as comfortable as mountaineering boots but worth it.

[lancegranite]

I cannot believe that nobody has mentioned the K2 clickers system.

K2 had Clicker step in crampons, approach skis and the first generation of the MSR denalis not to mention the bindings in what...1995?

 

I never liked riding the clicker bindings, but being able to step into the rest of the kit was huge.

Seattle local legend Luke Edgar was a constant influence to get this system built at a time before skis had big side cut, nobody wore helmets but racer geeks and Mambosock was the coolest hat in Seattle.

 

[i_like_sun]

I cannot believe that nobody has mentioned the K2 clickers system.

K2 had Clicker step in crampons, approach skis and the first generation of the MSR denalis not to mention the bindings in what...1995?

 

I never liked riding the clicker bindings, but being able to step into the rest of the kit was huge.

Seattle local legend Luke Edgar was a constant influence to get this system built at a time before skis had big side cut, nobody wore helmets but racer geeks and Mambosock was the coolest hat in Seattle.

 

 

TOTALLY!! I remember the Clickers having specific crampons too... What happened exactly? The Clicker wing just totally died off... That was all the hype for a long time...

 

I rode them once actually... Didn't really like them for the riding side of things, but the idea of having one interface for everything was pretty sweet. Although the approach skis were in my opinion a waste of time...Might as well just go with a splitboard and lose 60% of the weight!

 

I still think that developing a "soft snowboard/ice climbing boot" is the way to go. That way we can use the Spark Splitboard bindings and have the traditional ride, but also be able to get awesome purchase on ice and on rock ledges and lips.

 

[i_like_sun]

PS. I did an interesting experiment a couple days ago. Took my La Sportiva Trango GTX boots to the climbing gym to see how hard I could boulder in them, and was able to do most V3 routes pretty easily. The Vibram Sole is amazing.....

[Pete_H]

I don't think the softsole of a snowboard boot would be much of a hinderance. I've climbed a lot of shit in approach shoes and strap-on aluminums. I think the big negative for snowboards is rolly terrain and shitty side stepping and travesring that is involved in ski-mountaineering around here.

 

Somewhere like Cham or the volcanoes even, snowboards are probably good tools, especially since you can ride with an axe in one hand.

 

 

[i_like_sun]

Flat and variable terrain can be ridden in "ski mode" on a splitboard... Can even do some wuse tele turns if you're good enough...

[96avs01]

I don't think the softsole of a snowboard boot would be much of a hinderance.

 

I find the biggest hangup of a soft snowboard boot is that the sole is so much wider than the crampons. Thus you can't get the teeth on the edge of your footprint. Not a big deal if the terrain is soft, but when its solid this is a big liability IMHO. So if I know or suspect I will spend any amount of time in crampons I roll with mountaineering boots. YMMV

[Pete_H]

Flat and variable terrain can be ridden in "ski mode" on a splitboard... Can even do some wuse tele turns if you're good enough...

 

A lot of time, mostly on sub-alpine exit descents, you are transitioning from descending to traversing / skating / sidestepping. Seems like it would be quite a pain in the ass to have to keep switching modes with a split, especially during that part of the trip, where usually you're pretty tanked and just want to get the hell out of there.

 

 

[AlpineK]

At the last Ski In we skied Willow Creek. To exit the route there was a lot of terrain that was tight and rolling. I'd never skied with a Splitboarder, but on this trip jshamster was with us on a split.

 

Maybe he wasn't quite a speedy as us skiers, but he didn't cause us to get pissed of sitting and waiting.

 

I believe he said his bindings weren't up to too much kick and glide, but he had a system that worked.

[jshamster]

Glad I didn't piss anybody off.

 

All of this talk of wanting a more versatile boot/binding setup is great, but the number one drawback of a splitboard is on the rolling terrain where we cannot easily skate or herringbone up. Willow Creek wasn't too bad, but coming down from Colchuck Lake blows ass on a splitty.

 

I'll still take my board any day.

 

Cheers.

Jimbo

[TrogdortheBurninator]

FYI, sierra trading post currently has a 30% off coupon, bring the price of nuptses to $250. Quite a few sizes still.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/4282,2063T_La-Sportiva-Nuptse-Mountaineering-Boots-Waterproof-Insulated-For-Men.html

 

[i_like_sun]

Glad I didn't piss anybody off.

 

All of this talk of wanting a more versatile boot/binding setup is great, but the number one drawback of a splitboard is on the rolling terrain where we cannot easily skate or herringbone up. Willow Creek wasn't too bad, but coming down from Colchuck Lake blows ass on a splitty.

 

I'll still take my board any day.

 

Cheers.

Jimbo

 

 

I'm thinking of trying to "ski" on my splitboard in ski mode for a few runs at Baker... Just to get practice....

 

 

 

[jshamster]

The main issue with using the splitty is ski mode for downhill travel is the lack of tension on the heel. Tele skiers have the tensioned cable around their heel so they don't go flying over the handlebars.

I have skied on them enough to get pretty good/artistic with my forward flip/somersault type maneuvers. It can be fun at times.

 

Cheers.

Jimbo

[AlpineK]

Tele skiers do get a good kick and glide. It's a good system for lots of skiing with rolling terrain.

 

From my limited tele experience I've tried to use that style with my AT setup on low angle terrain where you don't want to always lock and unlock. With the AT setup kick and glide works you just have to remember you have very limited torque on the toe piece. You can do easy tele turns, but easy is a very important word to remember while doing that style of skiing.

[Pete_H]

Why make tele turns? Just plant your heels and wiggle your butt.

[AlpineK]

Only to remind me I don't like tele skiing.

[i_like_sun]

The main issue with using the splitty is ski mode for downhill travel is the lack of tension on the heel. Tele skiers have the tensioned cable around their heel so they don't go flying over the handlebars.

I have skied on them enough to get pretty good/artistic with my forward flip/somersault type maneuvers. It can be fun at times.

 

Cheers.

Jimbo

 

How strong do you think the Voile toe piece is? I'm debating having a buddy CNC a new one for me out of 7075 aluminum... Titanium parts would be SIIICK too... But then the cost would go exponential.

 

Splitboards could definitely be lighter...

[Tony_Bentley]

If you are going to try to 'ski' in your split bindings, expect to buy a new pair. They are not made for that kind of lateral torsion and the alloy is likely to break. You could probably make a modification that would provide more lateral support but the current system is made from plastic and steel wire:

 

http://www.voile-usa.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=1130-50&Category_Code=SB&Product_Count=9

 

There are alternative systems but they seem to be homemade.

[godskid5]

Just bought a used voile split decision. Got tired of always being passed up by you guys skinning up the hills!! Since I have never skiied, but do have some snowboarding under my belt, figured this would be the way to go!

 

Heading up to T-line this weekend to attempt to skin up the palmer to below Crater Rock for some practice!! Woo hooo!

 

Any advice?

[i_like_sun]

I recently threw down for a Voile Mojo 161 and the new Spark R&D split specific bindings, and its the best decision I've ever made:)

 

 

 

[ashw_justin]

Here's a toepiece after a few seasons that included a bunch of skinning and a fair amount of ski mode. Heel locks might mitigate this, in addition to making things easier.

[i_like_sun]

Here's a toepiece after a few seasons that included a bunch of skinning and a fair amount of ski mode. Heel locks might mitigate this, in addition to making things easier.

 

Is this the Voile slider track that blew out? Or was it an Ignition binding?