The Highly Selective Skiography of gincognito

[gincognito]

Chic Chocs

From Tuckerman Ravine to the Chic-Choc Mountains in the Gaspe Penisula. Same principle, different worlds.

T. and I headed out for the eight hour drive east along the southern shore of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Ice floes and wind turbines dominated the coastal scenery before we headed inland at Ste-Anne-des-Monts.

I’d never been here before so I did not know what to expect. Terrain, access, recommended equipment – the little information we had was gleaned from various websites, tourist maps, and sketchy trip reports. No worries. We’d booked a hut at the base, not far from the luxurious Gite de Mont Albert, and were committed to three days of whatever would come our way.

Soon enough the mountains came into view. Flat-topped whales with low tree-lines and alpine tundra summits sucked us into their valley. This wasn’t the Rockies, but it sure didn’t feel like Quebec either.

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...ogs%20Back.jpg
Hog's Back

After a brief recon mission and sorting out of affairs, we headed towards Hog’s Back for our first conquest of the trip. The lot was empty and snow was high. Good signs all around. We donned our rented skins and headed up on skinny skis and leather boots.

Not much more than an hour later, we reached the Summit. Blue skies made for powerful views and we spent our lunch break taking it in and contrasting it to our only other earn-your-turns experience. Skins and solitude made for a much more real backcountry experience.

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...ChocViewII.jpg
The View from the Summit

We poked around the flat top for a bit, staring down gullies and steering clear of cornices. Not confident in our skills – skiing or snow assessment – we stuck to some low angle fields on the backside of the upper portion of the mountain. We dubbed these runs Back Bacon. About a foot of fresh stood over a thin base and we mined it hard. Wobbly equipment led to humbling first turns, but once the groove was found we floated through the snow and dropped low for a wasit-deep feeling.

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...ChicChocT2.jpg
Mit Making Some Turns

Four or five laps were done before taking it all the way down and following the Hydro wires back to the car. Bear tracks were spotted and, sub-consciencely or not, we upped the pace to get to our home for the next three nights.

The cabin was luxurious by roughing-it standards. Four bunk-beds tucked into four alcoves in a modern log cabin. A wood stove in the center kept things warm throughout the night – fueled in part by the $30 one of the mates managed to throw in during a temporary brain shut-down. A walk back to the car for supplies revealed a sky exploding with winter-clear stars and a pair of moose curious as to our place in their scene.

The next day we headed back to Hog’s Back and mimicked our turns of the day before. Nothing had changed and, sometimes, that is a good thing. Blue skies and no tracks but our own. Cool, clear, and quiet.

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...hocView2II.jpg
View From Back Bacon

Our final day took us down the slopes of Champ-de-Mars. The slog up was longer and us weekend-warrior lift-riders were starting to feel the pain of the previous days. Tired legs and heavy snow led to a very ungraceful decent that required determination to enjoy. Compounding the (slight) misery was confusion on the exit point. A couple false starts and pointless climbs were made before finally getting across the creek and onto the proper trail.

Oh, and T. lost his favourite toque.

So we called it a day after just the one run and chilled in the parking lot for a bit. Made a hot lunch and watched some people rip up the main chute on Hog’s Back. Their hoots and hollers echoed down to our years and we vowed that one year it would be us.

Yes, this was not Tuckerman Ravine. As stated, the principle of getting up under your own power to reap the turns is the same, but the worlds could not be more different. And this is by no means a bad thing, nor is it meant as a knock against the Tuckerman institution. It just serves to drive home the point that many layers exist to this thing we call skiing. And each one is as valid as the next.

Except for snowblading. That’s just stupid.

Sick and ashamed and happy (and making turns this weekend!),
d.

[Mit]

is mit t. ?

if so... 'sup jong!

Yup. One and the same. Been meaning to join for awhile but since gin posted the movie the other day I figured I'd better keep an eye on him and make sure I can tell my side of the story...It's interesting how he managed to edit the videoclip to make him look like a superstar the others as "Losers".

[gincognito]

Hey, the camera don't lie.

And bump for fixed photos.

SaAaH (and surely you're not implying that I'm not a superstar?),
d.

[basom]

Gin is a superstar.

it's all in his lack of 'tude, and ability to rip the fall line with no hesitation. gin=smoove.


plus he always wears that "What Trail?" tee shirt every day he skis. if that doesn't scream "SUPERSTAR!" i don't know what does.

[gincognito]

Basom = my bodyguard and number one fan. Hugs and kisses.

Sick and ashamed and happy (and the sleeves are just about falling off that shirt, but I'll still be rockin' it most of the season (if that's what it takes to be a star)),
d.

[basom]

you should just cut the front off and pin it to anther tee with like 1000 saftey pins. that would be more punk rock.

[gincognito]

you should just cut the front off and pin it to anther tee with like 1000 saftey pins. that would be more punk rock.

Brilliant! And that way, when half those "saftey" pins inevitably open and prick me throughout the day, the resulting blood will make me even more punk rock.

I have the opportunity to go stratospheric here.

Sick and ashamed and happy (and y'all better touch me now while I'm still low enough to allow it),
d.

[Anxious Mo-Fo]

I love Gaspesie... the towns have an odd, creepy vibe, if I recall correctly.