16TH Annual Radar Speed Trap, Fri April 27, 2018

[Endlessseason]

It's that time! You've been waiting for this and always wanted to do it. THIS is the time!
We'll meet on the plaza at the Snowbird Center at 8:40, unless the tram is closed. Call the Bird or check their site on your way up the canyon, because if the tram is closed, we'll meet at the bottom of the Gadzoom chair at 8:40 instead.
> > > Friday, April 27th at 8:40 < < <
As always, this will be THE ONLY ONE going on in the entire WORLD that day! And you are invited! Yes, YOU are invited to participate for FREE. No fees, no forms, no fuss, no gimmicks and no fine print.
And if you act now to reserve your spot, by publicly posting here in this thread your commitment to attend, we'll also throw in a photo of YOU at the event! (Of course only if you want a photo of yourself, AND only if you bring your own phone or camera and know how to take a selfie).
So....Got it? Again, on Friday April 27th, 2018, the SIXTEENTH Yearly Radar Event will transpire. With or without you. If I were you, I'd want it to be WITH.
Be sure to post in this thread whether you'll be going so we can keep an eye out for you's. Post this notice in any other snow forums you can think of and spread the word. Let's get a good-sized turnout this year.
If you really, really, really wanna do this, but that Friday is totally impossible for you (i.e. liver transplant, death in the family, alien abduction, etc.) post here if early Sat morning is preferred. If there's enough interest, we can make it for Sat instead of Fri, but ONLY IF there's enough feedback to point one way or t'other. You can look forward to having a couple hours of snow fun in just a couple weeks! See you there.

[Spats]

Hey, I remember the first one!

IIRC the genesis of the event was an argument over speed on the old Pmag forums. Some jabroni claimed that it was impossible for even a skilled skier to reach 80MPH without a ski suit and race-prepped gear on a closed course.

I disputed that heavily. An argument ensued, and Endless decided he was going to get a radar gun and settle the question.

Of course, it snowed on the first scheduled day, so we postponed. Then it snowed again. Despite Endless clocking our runs on a snowy day at the Bird, with poor visibility, in bumpy afternoon snow, Lumpy and I still broke 60 MPH. Given that, I was sure 80MPH was attainable in good weather.

The trouble is that it snowed every single time Endless brought out the radar gun, for several years in a row. It became a running joke with the Utah crew. Finally, though, IIRC they got a good firm spring day and someone broke 80MPH. I wasn't in Utah anymore so I don't remember who it was. Endless?

[Endlessseason]

Hey Spats! Good to hear from you. You might very well be right, but from what I can recall the challenges didn't start until a couple years into it when we started registering speeds in the 70's and realized 80 was doable. Then, when Rodney hit 76mph on pocket rockets one year, we knew 80 was just a matter of the right conditions at that point.
Naysayers started coming out of the woodwork, mostly from the old Epic forum, telling us how it couldn't be done when we were actually doing it! We've had at least 4 guys, maybe 5, reach or break 80 since that time. Regardless, it's always a fun time. Hope to see you around these parts one of these days. Maybe another heli-ski day together?

[Dantheman]

Hmmm, I have a chairs-only 'Bird pass Tipp gifted to me. I might actually make it this year.

I think Endless' recollection is correct. I seem to remember him buying the gun on a whim from fleabay and then things snowballed from there.

[MTT]

I would like to see you take this on a road trip at some point.

I believe we have a run @ Mt. Rose where you can hit ludicrous speeds with a very safe run out.

For those who know, NW Passage on a spring Moring. possible 100MPH in the middle

[Endlessseason]

I don't have time to dig too far back, but for 80MPH or higher I remember Stroupskier was the first to do it. DH and I have done it and I'm forgetting somebody else...
Claymond still holds the highest snowboard speed at 73MPH; Coldsmoke's 66 is the highest speed on Pontoons; and BananaPant's 48 is the fastest I've clocked anyone under 100 pounds. Travis Bellantino has the highest telemark speed, but I can't find where I recorded it.

[Endlessseason]

...and Rodney's 76MPH in the late 00's is still the fastest on pocket rockets.

[Dantheman]

73 mph on a snowboard sounds absolutely terrifying. That is bad ass. If I ever meet Claymond beers are on me.

[Spats]

Hey Spats! Good to hear from you. You might very well be right, but from what I can recall the challenges didn't start until a couple years into it when we started registering speeds in the 70's and realized 80 was doable. Then, when Rodney hit 76mph on pocket rockets one year, we knew 80 was just a matter of the right conditions at that point.
Naysayers started coming out of the woodwork, mostly from the old Epic forum, telling us how it couldn't be done when we were actually doing it! We've had at least 4 guys, maybe 5, reach or break 80 since that time. Regardless, it's always a fun time. Hope to see you around these parts one of these days. Maybe another heli-ski day together?

I'm sure there were arguments on epic too - but I remember getting into it on Pmag forums with someone in 2002/2003, and those arguments were specifically about the 80MPH barrier. Their argument was mostly that the aerodynamics of normal ski clothes wouldn't let you go that fast, and that you'd need a speed suit. I don't remember how far the argument spread, but I definitely remember you deciding to come up with a radar gun to settle the question!

I also definitely remember there were maybe three people there besides you, two of which were Lumpy and I. The date kept getting moved due to snow (it was a dry year up until April, when it started snowing all the time), and most people bailed because it got moved so many times and it was still snowing the day you said "screw it, we're doing it anyway!"

[wyeaster]

73 mph on a snowboard sounds absolutely terrifying. That is bad ass. If I ever meet Claymond beers are on me.

no kidding! shit, i've (gps says anyway) been about 56 and im trying to imagine 73. on a snowboard.

[claymond]

Haha, thanks Dan. Good times DeepHelmet hit 80 on some PMGear skis. I remember on warm up runs being in the mid sixties and it feeling pretty easy, but another 10 mph being tough to stay committed. I was on a never summer with rocker in the middle, I think someone on a good full camber board could go faster.

The week of the 27th is my first week back to work for the summer, and I can't take a day off. Too bad, it's a lot of fun

[Danno]

I want to know the tele record!

[BobMc]

If I remember it was around 63 or so. Travis could do much faster but last year Anderson's was closed and we had to run a short pitch on Mark Malu.

I'll be working on the 27th, if you're there the 28th I'll join in.

[comish]

Nice, this would be fun. Mammoth just did a speed trap for the kids ski team. Mini Comish (9) went 60mph. He was pissed they wouldn't let the U-10's go from the top.

Have fun fella's.

[Endlessseason]

I'll go with your recollection, Spats. On certain things, my memory is rock solid no matter how many years have gone by. On others, like this, it's like a sieve.
And yes, '03 was the first official one. I remember the gun cost so much money, over $300 at the time, that I was going to have participants pitch in $5 each annual event to help pay for it. Right...that idea lasted for like 10 bucks. In fact, IIRC you and Lumpy might've been the first and only contributors to that light bulb idea, heh.
That Bushnell unit made it about 10 years before it broke as we were about to start one year. I rescheduled the event for the following week, which gave me time to buy and ship the one I use now. Thankfully, since it's an electronic device, the new one cost two-thirds less than the first one, plus it's built stronger. It should definitely make it to the 20th one of these.

[Endlessseason]

Looks like the conditions will be primo. So who should Coldsmoke, Doug and I be looking for tomorrow morning?
DanTheMan? Gadget? Lumpy? Altagirl? Bellantino? GT40?

[Dantheman]

I'm out. Kiddo wants to ride tomorrow afternoon so parental duty calls.

[Endlessseason]

Danno, it was 72. Which interestingly matched up with the max speed his gps app showed that day. GPS apps are getting more accurate, but they usually show higher speeds than what the radar clocks.

[Endlessseason]

Bummer Danno. Even if you can come up for one or two runs before riding it'd be great to see you.

[digitaldeath]

i did 81 in laramie bowl jackson hole

on fatypus dsenders

[Endlessseason]

It's literally been years since the conditions were as good as today. Super fast surfaces, crystal clear viz, amazing coverage, great grooming, blue skies and temps so perfect it gave us a looong speed-window.
We were in the 60's without even trying. Had some 70's and at one point I hit 80.3MPH. If only we'd had more of a turnout, there would've been multiple 80's for sure.
It's worth mentioning that 80mph on NoKaOi'a is a first for the 16 years of this event. In fact, it's the highest speed ever reached for any PM-Gear/Bro/Splat/Kuonen ski at this event!
Days like today don't come around very often. Thanks guys!

[MakersTeleMark]

FKNA!

[garyfromterrace]

It's literally been years since the conditions were as good as today. Super fast surfaces, crystal clear viz, amazing coverage, great grooming, blue skies and temps so perfect it gave us a looong speed-window.
We were in the 60's without even trying. Had some 70's and at one point I hit 80.3MPH. If only we'd had more of a turnout, there would've been multiple 80's for sure.
It's worth mentioning that 80mph on NoKaOi'a is a first for the 16 years of this event. In fact, it's the highest speed ever reached for any PM-Gear/Bro/Splat/Kuonen ski at this event!
Days like today don't come around very often. Thanks guys!

Endless, FKNA man. 80 is so fucking fast. Hats off buddy, I truly hope to make it next year. I feel a road trip is in order. Is anyone on DH boards (215 - 225)?. Would that be cheating?

[Endlessseason]

Heck no, that wouldn't be cheating. It'd actually be fun to see how much difference long boards might make. One year I brought my 213cm Fischer RC4 Vacuums. Unfortunately, the conditions and visibility weren't that great that year, so I don't think I even reached 70. Yeah, bring 'em. Hope you can make it next year.