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Snowboard Mountaineering


i_like_sun

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I often wonder if Jeremy Jones wasnt a professional snowboarder (i.e. his job), how long ago would he have abandoned the split in favor of skis for his style of adventures. It just seems so impractical to do the things he does on a split. Then again, the lines are amazing.

 

 

Are you kidding dude?

 

This is why I think this thread is important. If I listened to every wanker who told me to give up snowboarding because it is inferior to skiing, I would have switched thousands of times over. Eventually, the majority splitboard systems are going to be just as well developed as AT systems are.....(boots mostly, boards and bindings are getting damn close).

 

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The whole splitboard thing looks cool to me ( a non snowboarder). I imagine since it's a relatively new snow travel device there are problems that need working out.

 

I heard one skier comment last night that I think applies to Jay Chute.

 

"Splitboards are cool; too bad there are so many snowboarders that are the equivalent of rock climbers who only sport climb."

 

There should be some kind of outreach program for skateboarding snowboarders.

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Wow....I am an asshole today. I am tired of hearing this old argument. It seems to just perpetuate the invalidity of splitboarding or snowboarding in general. I don't think most splitboarders are trying to become skiers. Only ones that call themselves "mountaineers" seem likely to cross over. Also.. I don't see how a skateboard backround could have any negative effect on riding a splitboard. That is just stupid.

 

 

 

 

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You do realize the original topic was about snowboard mountaineering, right?

 

Split boards are fine as a toy for lapping roadside lines, but any role in mountaineering seems contrived from my personal experience.

 

Well, that is your experience. Not mine. I tour just fine with my splitboard, and I also use it as a mountaineering tool. I do have skis too, but I find that I reach for my split more than the skis. Could also have something to do with the fact that I am a much better snowboarder than a skier. :crazy:

 

But I think that just because you have are not able to use a splitboard as a mountaineering tool, does not make it a fact that it cannot be used as one. It's like saying one cannot ice climb with an alpine axe.

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TD - Of course. You are doing exactly what I was just talking about.

 

How many people actually like even using the word mountaineering anyway? Now that sounds like a contrived term to me nowadays. Put that on top of the word skiing or snowboarding and ...bam....the thread goes to the toilet bowl

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I guess that I would just choose the most efficient tool, and although I ski much worse than I snowboard, on longer tours the efficiency and climbing ability of AT gear seems to more than compensate for my inability to ski. Even if you are rocking mt plates and hardboots, when it comes to changeovers, traverses, and rolling terrain, I have a hard time imaging split gear ever catching up to AT. Maybe one day I'll be proven wrong and I'll buy another split.

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I am a mountaineer that learned to snowboard. Saw my first split on Denali and knew I needed one for the quiver. I haven't found that its performance limits its use on mountaineering efforts. Though I am not riding super steep (50+). Haven't done any extended touring yet, but can't imagine that the performance of the split is going to cause me to not want to tour with it. YMMV

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There used to be boots made that were hard plastic, but were designed to be as soft as possible (I'm trying to find a pair on ebay or wherever...).

 

 

 

Here you go. It's listed as an ice climbing boot, but the lister is wrong. They are actually a snowboard boot.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/OXYGEN-SOFT-VARIO-MEN-SHOE-SIZE-10-ICE-CLIMBING-SHOE_W0QQitemZ350271423038QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Men_s_Shoes?hash=item518dcdc23e

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Wow....I am an asshole today. I am tired of hearing this old argument. It seems to just perpetuate the invalidity of splitboarding or snowboarding in general. I don't think most splitboarders are trying to become skiers. Only ones that call themselves "mountaineers" seem likely to cross over. Also.. I don't see how a skateboard backround could have any negative effect on riding a splitboard. That is just stupid.

 

 

 

 

 

True true. If I could retype the original thread I would. Skateboard inspired snowboarding is totally where its at. I didn't mean it to come across saying "skateboarding is bad". Rather, I'm just wanting to point out that the snowboard industry could make leaps and bounds when it comes to improving the overall potential for sideways-sliding alpine experiences.

 

I skated for 6 years back in the day, and then got into BMX dirt jumping. Today I would probably say that BMX bike riding (dirt, street, skatepark) is the single biggest influence on my style of snowboarding, and is also my most practiced hobby next to mountain activities. The truth is that we are all in this together, and it really doesn't matter what the heck you prefer. Just that you do it.

 

Now, all that being said, tacking the word "mountaineering" onto "skiing" or "snowboarding" is just fine. With all this talk of elitists taking over the world, I don't see any point in trying to change our vocabulary - that is just elitist in itself. In the end all we do is orient and travel through the mountains. Using sets of tools for your feet to make things more efficient and more fun adds the "snowboard" or "ski" part.

 

The thing I realize, is that all these activities do not have any logical explanations as to why we do them. In other words, you can't really describe them mathematically. Mountaineering/skiing/snowboarding/masterbating are all emotional experiences, not scientific ones...

 

Speaking of emotional experiences, SKYDIVING IS PRETTY FUCKING COOOOOOL..... :brew:

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I would like to make one more point: Lowell has a first descents website that pretty much covers all first ski/snowboard descents in the Cascades of Washington pretty much from the beginning. Perhaps it would be worthwhile to check out all of those firsts happening on a splitboard. I never checked but I'd bet there is less than I can count on one hand.

 

The equipment is still in infant stages. I mean, when I first took up snowboarding I was using Sorels just like someone else mentioned in this thread but I don't think anyone had taken a snowboard into the backcountry although maybe. When I first took up skiing, Dale Farnham had already skied the Kautz and Gib Chutes. Logan, Dome, Redoubt and Fury had already been skied.

 

If you're trying to prove a point, that's cool but if you TRULY think snowboarding has any place in conditions that facilitates efficiency and staying on your edges you might need to give it a go first. Maybe just go and ski one of the routes mentioned above. I'll even go with and videotape the whole experience.

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I would like to make one more point: Lowell has a first descents website that pretty much covers all first ski/snowboard descents in the Cascades of Washington pretty much from the beginning. Perhaps it would be worthwhile to check out all of those firsts happening on a splitboard. I never checked but I'd bet there is less than I can count on one hand.

 

The equipment is still in infant stages. I mean, when I first took up snowboarding I was using Sorels just like someone else mentioned in this thread but I don't think anyone had taken a snowboard into the backcountry although maybe. When I first took up skiing, Dale Farnham had already skied the Kautz and Gib Chutes. Logan, Dome, Redoubt and Fury had already been skied.

 

If you're trying to prove a point, that's cool but if you TRULY think snowboarding has any place in conditions that facilitates efficiency and staying on your edges you might need to give it a go first. Maybe just go and ski one of the routes mentioned above. I'll even go with and videotape the whole experience.

 

This might be one of the weirdest responses yet...

 

Thats exactly what I need. Of course, why didn't I think of it?! Every route I ride down should be in a video part so I can prove that I'm good enough for skiers! Yaay!

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Interesting thread, at least part of it. I think the point of picking the most efficient tool for the job is exactly the opposite of my feel. Not that it's not hard enough with the most efficient stuff, but I enjoy packing my board (not split) to the tops of hills. I see quite a few up there who seem to enjoy the same.

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Interesting thread, at least part of it. I think the point of picking the most efficient tool for the job is exactly the opposite of my feel. Not that it's not hard enough with the most efficient stuff, but I enjoy packing my board (not split) to the tops of hills. I see quite a few up there who seem to enjoy the same.

 

You enjoy postholing with a board on your back? Only a snowboarder would say that.

 

snowboards, splitboards, whatever the fuck. they suck for travelling without lifts in mountains.

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hey skiers with opinions about splitboarders:

 

WE DONT GIVE A FLYING FUCK WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT OUR SPORT!

 

if you have anything worthy to say about boot options, go for it, otherwise, get a life.

 

I'm thinking at this point, that a bunch of us really should design a soft boot that can climb well. Or that actually climbs REALLY well.

 

I went into a climbing store this last weekend and tried on a whole shit ton of AT boots, and tried imagining what they would feel like riding a snowboard. Most of them were so stiff in all directions, there's just no way I could justify throwing down $700 for a boot I'm not totally sure on. I know they would climb great, but probably not the style of snowboarding I'm looking for. But who knows, a ton of people make it happen....

 

I actually remember snowboarding back in the day in a pair of carving boots in plate bindings on a plastic carpet in Edinburgh, Scotland. That was a VERY interesting experience.

 

The thing is, is that soft boots really do allow you to crank and twist on the board. I actually spoke with a guy at Black Diamond this morning about them developing a mountaineering-snowboard hybrid Boot. Maybe base it off the Inverno...

 

I told them that if they gave me a job, I would design if for them. I told him that I'm a graduate student studying Kinesiology, and now the guy wants me to send in a resume and application..... Who knows, anything is possible!!!

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