I don't ski and it's bringing me down

[genepires]

Does anyone have suggestions for a good place to get acquainted with and condition for skinning? Something like Mt Si but for skiing instead of hiking. Preferably somewhere that is reasonably safe to go solo, snow conditions permitting.

 

sounds like you are asking about skinning more than downhill. more like XC skiing but with the BC ski gear on. Wouldn't any old logging road do?

[rob]

Wouldn't any old logging road do?

 

ding ding ding!

 

Amabilis is a good spot, it's basically a logging road to the top

[Lowell_Skoog]

Does anyone have suggestions for a good place to get acquainted with and condition for skinning? Something like Mt Si but for skiing instead of hiking. Preferably somewhere that is reasonably safe to go solo, snow conditions permitting.

 

Most ski areas in Washington now permit uphill skinning. Typically, they have some restrictions. Try googling " uphill policy". Some areas request that you check in with the ski patrol first, others don't.

 

Here are a few links:

 

http://www.stevenspass.com/site/mountain/safety/uphill-policy

 

http://www.summitatsnoqualmie.com/Mountains/Safety/BC-Policy

 

http://crystalmountainresort.com/The-Mountain/Safety/Uphill-Travel

 

http://www.missionridge.com/uphill-mountain-policy

 

My favorite place for skinning workouts is Snoqualmie Summit Central. As of last winter (2012-13) uphill skinning was allowed there, but the ski patrol requires that you stay out of the way of downhill skiers. That means skinning on the edges of runs or even in the woods if there is a tight or low-visibility spot.

 

If you go, please keep out of trouble so you don't mess things up for the rest of us.

 

 

 

[Alex]

Yeah Pat you are right sorry for some reason I thought the poster was already skiing just wanted to get used to b/c gear.

[tvashtarkatena]

If I'm actually in the thread I think I'm in I call that victory, buddy.

 

For you fellow coots out there, I switched from tely to AT at 52 - self taught telier without much downhill skiing experience save watching others and a few downhill turns on corn - the transition turned out to be surprisingly quick and easy. Goodbye tely - wish I could say I hardly knew ye!

 

Will Rogers nailed it:

 

When you're done learning, you're done.

[unsunken]

Thanks all for the suggestions! I've been learning how to downhill ski at a resort (which has been almost too easy coming from snowboard background) and just want to get my BC gear dialed before tagging along with skier friends.

[Tyson.g]

For what it's worth, skinning up anything but the normal Table Mountain / Artist Point area at Baker is frowned upon. Heavily.

 

On high avy danger days and when solo, I like to skin up to Pan Dome via the Austin Cat Track and have been doing so for a few years with no incident. Following the signage "uphill traffic stay far right".

 

I did as usual yesterday and decided to ski down towards the Ravens Hut. I stopped above the hut and transitioned and then began ascending the cat track uphill back toward Heather Meadows.

 

I was stopped by an older "gentleman" and told I needed to descend and walk/hitchike the road back to Heather Meadows. I expressed my belief that the idea seemed more dangerous than what I was doing. I was told to descend.

 

I thanked the gentleman for his hospitality.

I then skied down and got on Chair 6 as I made the decision that, that would be the "safest" option.

 

Thanks for the ride sir.

 

[JasonG]

Sounds like you ran into Duncan.

[Tyson.g]

I knew who I was dealing with. I am a polite fella and I have always had similar feelings of every interaction I have had with the "gentleman" over the past seven years.

 

Not one to push a point, but I did look into their published "mountain safety guidelines" as well and their is nothing stating it is against policy.

 

[JasonG]

I know, but I couldn't resist. He does like to pretend that he owns the land sometimes, but it is hard to argue with a free lift.

[Tyson.g]

That was the sweetest free lift I have ever taken.

I laughed thinking about him envisioning having schooled me and sent me on my way......to walk the road....as I just rode right on down into line and onto the diesel powered chariot..... Thanking him the whole time for leading me down this path of crime...

I thouroghly enjoyed the experience.

[Alex]

ah yes, Duncan. geez some things never change.

[mountainsandsound]

I just backcountry skied- sort of, maybe off piste is the correct term. I used a pair of wider x-country skis and cruised around some FS roads in my nordic gear. It actually worked fine in that terrain, I didn't need to do anything other than step turn. I had fun, actually I had a blast. Proper BC touring gear might have been better, but I can say one thing: it was way more efficient and way way more fun than snowshoeing. I might be a ways off from buying a touring setup or getting into steeper terrain, but for now I am

 

Stoked

 

Anyone need some snowshoes?

[mvs]

I waited until I moved away from Washington to take up b/c skiing. Still not great at it and snowshoeing always has a place in my heart. But I got lightweight Dynafit gear and "survivial skied" down peaks, plenty of falling and kick-turning and such. It's been great...I really do cover more ground more quickly. That initial outlay for the gear in 2006 cost about 1000 euros (jezus...) but it's been going strong, modulo a ski swap with Silas Wild one winter, and now, 2 weeks ago, sniff, a broken ski thx to South Tyrol avalanche debries.

 

It's really good to have this option to travel. But alas, maybe because of an inner Calvinism, the endless movies and photos and songs and such about powder powder powder don't mean anything to me. I'm just happy to travel faster. Enjoy it! But don't get rid of your snowshoes .

 

[mountainsandsound]

No, I can't get rid of my snowshoes. They were a great deal at an REI garage sale and they help me go places where I would kill myself on skis.