2011/2012 Canadian Rockies Roll Call and StokeThread...

[crashidy]

nice ones t2c. if i had the patience and batteries that didn't continuously die i would have several of those pics to add. Sunday was potentially one of my best days ever in k country. seemed more like rogers with the mid thigh trail breaking! pow or bust!

[teamdirt]

Sounds like 2 skiers were rescued and are ok. Unconfirmed reports of several other people barried but searchers have come up with nothing so hopefully everyone is ok!

[Eldo]

After having it snow just about everyday in March at Kimberley, today was finally sunny and felt like spring.

Completely forgot to put on sunscreen. Colour me Actually more this shade:

[Lamothe]

http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts...ouise/6day/top

i have never seen snowforecast predict this much snow for the area

[theshredder]

http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts...ouise/6day/top

i have never seen snowforecast predict this much snow for the area

Could be Calgary's biggest storm of the season. Its an upsloping one though so don't be surprised if Nakiska is the place to be.

Unfortunately I need to work those days; hoping it stays cool enough until the weekend.

[angrysasquatch]

Does anybody happen to have a pair of Wrenegades they're willing to let a jong like me try out? I've got some 189 Keepers, 174 Czar (old revision), and other less worthy skis for you to have a go on in return. I'm not looking for just Wrens, but really just a new daily driver 110-120 stiff and long enough to charge, and a bit of rocker.

Anybody know what KH's opinion is on skinning up on the week that the lifts aren't spinning?

[Caucasian Asian]

I've got a pair of 191 Faction 3.Zeros that haven't seen the snow yet this year.

Mounted with 916s for a 298bsl.

[teamdirt]

Upsloper coming in. Cop forecasting 25cm

[angrysasquatch]

I've got a pair of 191 Faction 3.Zeros that haven't seen the snow yet this year.

Mounted with 916s for a 298bsl.

I would love to try 'em out. However, I'm not sure whether or not the binders will work for me, 38mm is a long ways, I somewhat doubt the track is long enough to accommodate without pre-releasing like crazy. Drop me a line if you end up out at Kicking Horse, if nothing else, I'd like to give them a fondle You could try out the Czars, they're mounted for 326 or something, should go small enough.

In other news, on the warmest day we'll see for a while, it was still pretty much winter up there. There's way more left over powder than there is corn snow. So with luck, there won't be a darn crust under the new snow we're gonna get.

[Caucasian Asian]

I would love to try 'em out. However, I'm not sure whether or not the binders will work for me, 38mm is a long ways, I somewhat doubt the track is long enough to accommodate without pre-releasing like crazy. Drop me a line if you end up out at Kicking Horse, if nothing else, I'd like to give them a fondle You could try out the Czars, they're mounted for 326 or something, should go small enough.

I'll be home Thursday after work I think. I'll bring the Factions with me.

[LSeed]

Anyone Skiing the lake tomorrow, will be up there at around 9:30 not to sure where i'll be skiing probably everywhere. red coat red ski pants seth full tilts n obsetheds

[goldenshowers]

Anybody know what KH's opinion is on skinning up on the week that the lifts aren't spinning?

I don't think they would be the keenest on you skiing the hill when they have one more weekend to go. They may be doing some sort of control work, winch cats etc. If anything, skin up Race Run to do a little backside Rudis, backside Molars, repeater peak, etc. After the close for good for the year giver. Looks like it'll be a long spring skinning season up the hill.

[MustangSVT]

I got myself an Ortovox transceiver today from MEC, but I don't have a shovel & probe yet. Any recommendations on what to get or where to buy? MEC didn't have any longer probes in stock, at least the one in Calgary didn't.

[mntlion]

outof equipment coop....

try fresh, mountain bike city, ski cellar, techno in calgary

soul ski and bike in banff (odds are they are 20%+ off)

wilsons in lake louise

[Ramsey]

I got myself an Ortovox transceiver today from MEC, but I don't have a shovel & probe yet. Any recommendations on what to get or where to buy? MEC didn't have any longer probes in stock, at least the one in Calgary didn't.

What none of these left?

http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Snowsp....jsp?rnav=last

Damn, they had loads there last week..... Great deal for a starting point, unless you are after a longer probe/bigger shovel?

[theshredder]

Right on mustang. Get a metal shovel is all. Not sure about the long probes... I think regular is good enough for regular touring.

On another note: Any of you think its a bad idea to climb random unnamed peak? (assuming cool, dull weather).

[MustangSVT]

What none of these left?

http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Snowsp....jsp?rnav=last

Damn, they had loads there last week..... Great deal for a starting point, unless you are after a longer probe/bigger shovel?

This is what I was trying to buy, but either they didn't have them, or I didn't look hard enough. And thanks for the advice mntlion.

[mindthegap]

What none of these left?

http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Snowsp....jsp?rnav=last

Damn, they had loads there last week..... Great deal for a starting point, unless you are after a longer probe/bigger shovel?

Those shovel/probe combos are so fiddley to get back together. That and the extra time it takes to get the probe out of the handle and set up when/if crunch time happens could be the difference.

A friend picked one of these up, and after going out a "testing" it, the group decided that its a good "dive" shovel. not great for BC.

[Nottmurno]

Those shovel/probe combos are so fiddley to get back together. That and the extra time it takes to get the probe out of the handle and set up when/if crunch time happens could be the difference.

A friend picked one of these up, and after going out a "testing" it, the group decided that its a good "dive" shovel. not great for BC.

I think thats the same one i have, the probe doesnt go in the shovel, it's seperate. but i would agree its a good slack shovel but I would like to get a different one for the backcountry.

[time2clmb]

Those shovel/probe combos are so fiddley to get back together. That and the extra time it takes to get the probe out of the handle and set up when/if crunch time happens could be the difference.

A friend picked one of these up, and after going out a "testing" it, the group decided that its a good "dive" shovel. not great for BC.

I don't think that the probe is meant to be stored in the shovel handle if that's one you mean, looks like it's just a package deal. Looks like they had a bunch of straps left over and said "wtf should we do with all of these spare straps...I know, let's just toss one in to each snow safety package", "yeah but Joe, if we throw in 2 people can use them for thier skis"...."I know, we'll just throw in one though Muahahahaha".

Any recommendations on what to get or where to buy? MEC didn't have any longer probes in stock, at least the one in Calgary didn't.

260cm probe is fine. I prefer mine with the measurement markings on my for various reasons. The ones that you pull and are self locking are nice and quicker than the screw type which also work fine but are marginally more fidely..well not really but maybe just a touch of gain in the efficiency factor.

For shovel I have the deploy 3, which is light and small and bomber thus far. It's all together ready to go and fits nicely inside my BD pack as 1 piece. Personally I don't like the long shaft shovels but some people do, personal preference really. Argument can be made that bigger shovels move more snow but smaller = faster so 6 of 1 half dozen of the other. Don't bother getting the Voile one with the saw built in to the handle it's a piece of shit and the release button will fail eventually, not to mention it will ice up and it's heavy. It now sits in the car as a drove in to the snowbank shovel.

I don't like the transfer 7's extendable handle because those little lock buttons can ice up and it's just another section to deal with.

Wife has this one http://www.backcountryaccess.com/product/b1/ which I like so far. The shape of the blade is awesome for pit work. Don't have enough time with it as per durability. One thing to keep in mind is if you ever plan on buying a BCA Float airbag pack, it seems that the fuckers made the avy gear compartment just the right size to only fit their shovel blade in to which is why we purchased the above model as my tiny deploy shovel won't fit in there since the handle sticks up a bit.

If we ever skied together and you showed up with a plastic shovel blade model, you would be asked to trade for the day that way I wouldn't have to worry about failure if you had to dig ME out

[time2clmb]

On another note: Any of you think its a bad idea to climb vermillion?

Be patient. If you have to ask then it's probably a bad idea.

[MustangSVT]

260cm probe is fine. I prefer mine with the measurement markings on my for various reasons. The ones that you pull and are self locking are nice and quicker than the screw type which also work fine but are marginally more fidely..well not really but maybe just a touch of gain in the efficiency factor.

For shovel I have the deploy 3, which is light and small and bomber thus far. It's all together ready to go and fits nicely inside my BD pack as 1 piece. Personally I don't like the long shaft shovels but some people do, personal preference really. Argument can be made that bigger shovels move more snow but smaller = faster so 6 of 1 half dozen of the other. Don't bother getting the Voile one with the saw built in to the handle it's a piece of shit and the release button will fail eventually, not to mention it will ice up and it's heavy. It now sits in the car as a drove in to the snowbank shovel.
...
If we ever skied together and you showed up with a plastic shovel blade model, you would be asked to trade for the day that way I wouldn't have to worry about failure if you had to dig ME out

They only had a 190cm probe when I went there today (again, I'm starting to wonder whether I didn't look hard enough?), and I figured that wasn't long enough. Thanks for the advice too!

Also another question for the experts, though I'm unsure whether this should go to Tech Talk. When's the best time to buy new skis? And is there anywhere that not onyl sells, but demos something around 115mm waist that's versatile? Think along the lines of Line Opus.

[time2clmb]

^ I usually try to buy my skis after summer / fallish when there is still some stock left from the previous year when stores want to get rid of them for the new models. IME you can usually get them to wiggle on the price a bit on top of the sale price if they want to get rid of them bad enough.

Line Influence 115 are versatile as fuck... which is what I was looking for and chose them after reviewing a ton of different skis. Mountain Magic rents them. If you are looking for a dedicated tourer then not ideal for that due to weight. They are softening them a bit for next season though so won't be the same. Soul in Banff has 4FRNT, pretty sure they have demo binders on some.

[theshredder]

It wasn't really a serious question. I'm going to check it out on the weekend.

I probably should have asked if there's been a climax slide on the west face yet.

The skiing is secondary and its a recon mission (as usual). so it might boil down to a short scramble in ski boots.. if the ridge is snow free. probably will leave skis at base of climbing part.

Would be nice to bag that one before spring though...

[Eldo]

Now is a good time to buy stuff in the Gear Swap forum as everyone tries to raise some cash for new bikes or other summer gear!