recommend: Skis for our mountains

I would like skis for climbing the local mountains, west of Las Vegas
Nevada. E.g.:

http://users.viawest.net/~hwstock/ski/ski.htm

Typically there are "trails" that rise through 2500-5000' elevation gain,
and the mountains tops are around 11000', with alpine conditions for the
last 300 to 1000'. The north-facing slopes have powder for an amazingly
long time each year, even when the temps seem to be hovering at the melting
point for weeks. The south-facing slopes have rapidly-changing conditions.

In 2000 and 2001, I took 10-year-old metal-edged XC skis up south-facing
slopes, about 1600' elevation gain; the route up was tedious in deep snow,
as conditions went from ice to powder depending on the shade. At the end of
the day, when the sun slipped behind the steep mountains, the snow turned to
very bumpy crust.

In 2002 I suffered a brain injury, and I was partly paralyzed on my right
side. Nevertheless, in 2004 I was still able to telemark some on the
north-facing slopes, in powder. But I recognize I have to temper my
memories of old skills, with the reality of the new me.

My boots are 21-year-old 3-pin 75 mm asolos, leather, with vibram soles for
mountaineering when you have to take the skiis off. They seem heavy. My
skis are 10-year-old tua's with metal edges, mainly an X-C design. My
bindings are 3-pin 75 mm, not particularly sturdy. In my younger days, I
used these boots for skiing up a 13000' mountain in Colorado, with even
flimsier skis.

I look at the equipment available now, and I am bewildered by the choices.
I've snow-shoed up three mountains near Las Vegas, and had the nagging
feeling that skis would have been a lot more stable on the steep side-hills.
But I want good control on downhills, which may be quite steep and long.
I'd probably like to get skins. I would almost never get a chance for a
sustained diamond glide -- we don't have much ground without steep slopes.

As you might guess, it is hard to find a lot of backcountry ski knowledge in
outdoor stores of Las Vegas.

Help. My skiing knowledge is about 20 years out of date, and was mainly
developed in areas where people did diamond glide across snowy golf courses.
I think I would like teletouring skis with some up-and-down camber, a fair
side-cut, and good loft. My bias is that I want fairly short skis (180 cm
or less ) to deal with the steep downhills (not wanting another brain
injury); yet I want some loft in powder. I weigh about 150 lbs.

A recent consideration: Atmoic Rainier Waxless
Tele Touring Skis.

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In article . net,
H.W. Stockman wrote:
I would like skis for climbing the local mountains, west of Las Vegas
Nevada. E.g.:

http://users.viawest.net/~hwstock/ski/ski.htm

Typically there are "trails" that rise through 2500-5000' elevation gain,
and the mountains tops are around 11000', with alpine conditions for the
last 300 to 1000'. The north-facing slopes have powder for an amazingly
long time each year, even when the temps seem to be hovering at the melting
point for weeks. The south-facing slopes have rapidly-changing conditions.


As you might guess, it is hard to find a lot of backcountry ski knowledge in
outdoor stores of Las Vegas.

Help. My skiing knowledge is about 20 years out of date, and was mainly
developed in areas where people did diamond glide across snowy golf courses.
I think I would like teletouring skis with some up-and-down camber, a fair
side-cut, and good loft. My bias is that I want fairly short skis (180 cm
or less ) to deal with the steep downhills (not wanting another brain
injury); yet I want some loft in powder. I weigh about 150 lbs.

A recent consideration: Atmoic Rainier Waxless
Tele Touring Skis.


_ Here's what I'd suggest

Fischer Boundless Crown (180 or 170 )

The Rainiers are nice skis, but wider skis will give you more
control and you will LOVE these skis in the powder.

You could stick with your boots as they are impossible to
find anymore and everything is pretty much heavier and
more supportive or lighter and less supportive. If you
do decide to get new boots then I would look at the
Karhu Sirius or one of the light plastic boots like
the Scarpa T4. There is a fairly good review of the
lightweight end of the gear available in one of this
season's Backcountry magazines.

If you're comfortable making turns with a 3 pin binding
I don't see a reason to switch to cables.

_ Booker C. Bense

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"Booker C. Bense"
bbense+rec.skiing.backcountry.Nov.23.04@telemark. slac.stanford.edu wrote
in message ...
A recent consideration: Atmoic Rainier Waxless
Tele Touring Skis.


_ Here's what I'd suggest

Fischer Boundless Crown (180 or 170 )

The Rainiers are nice skis, but wider skis will give you more
control and you will LOVE these skis in the powder.

Thanks very much!

Comments in line...

"H.W. Stockman" wrote:
I would like skis for climbing the local mountains, west of Las Vegas
Nevada. E.g.

I hate pointing folks away from usenet to web forums, but
realistically, you might get better localized advice from folks
hanging out on the forums he
http://www.telemarktips.com/index.htm

In 2002 I suffered a brain injury, and I was partly paralyzed on my right
side. Nevertheless, in 2004 I was still able to telemark some on the
north-facing slopes, in powder. But I recognize I have to temper my
memories of old skills, with the reality of the new me.

Good on ya'. If it's any cosolation, this is an issue that those of
us who are aging are dealing with!! Still, good for you for getting
out.

But I want good control on downhills, which may be quite steep and long.
I'd probably like to get skins. I would almost never get a chance for a
sustained diamond glide -- we don't have much ground without steep slopes.

I'm wondering if nordic backcountry gear is the right choice for you
or if you should step up to burlier telemark (nordic) or Alpine
Touring gear. Given where you ski and given that you don't need
the striding efficiency gained by double camber and given that you
already plan on using skins, I'm thinking that wider skis and more
supportive boots might be in order.

I look at the equipment available now, and I am bewildered by the choices.

Here is my take on what is available for nordic backcountry skis:
http://home.comcast.net/~pinnah/Dirt...r/bc-skis.html

But again, my page focuses on lighter gear and is definitely biased
towards New England. I don't cover tele or AT gear at all.
Recent issues of Backcountry Magazine or Couloir have reviews of
telemark and AT gear. Might be worth finding a copy.

Hope this helps

One of you recommended Fisher Boundless Crowns, which have indeed gotten
very good reviews; in the same note, it was recommended that I keep my old
Asolo leather 75 mm (3-pin) boots.

What I need now are bindings. Are there good sturdy 3-pin bindings made for
such skis?

My Asolo boots seemed quite stiff and heavy when I bought them 21 years ago
or so; but I now look at the boots recommended for the Boundless Crown --
e.g. Scarpa T3 -- and they all look like something from a mars mission.
Twenty-one years doesn't seem that long ago; but back then, you got sturdy
3-pin bindings that supposedly worked for doing "light" telemarks.

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In article et,
H.W. Stockman wrote:
One of you recommended Fisher Boundless Crowns, which have indeed gotten
very good reviews; in the same note, it was recommended that I keep my old
Asolo leather 75 mm (3-pin) boots.

What I need now are bindings. Are there good sturdy 3-pin bindings made for
such skis?

_ http://www.voile-usa.com/bindings/tele3pin.html

3 Pin bindings have not really changed at all in 20 years, you
could use your old ones if they are in decent shape. Although,
it's probably worth the money to get new ones as aluminum doesn't
always age well.


My Asolo boots seemed quite stiff and heavy when I bought them 21 years ago
or so; but I now look at the boots recommended for the Boundless Crown --
e.g. Scarpa T3 -- and they all look like something from a mars mission.
Twenty-one years doesn't seem that long ago; but back then, you got sturdy
3-pin bindings that supposedly worked for doing "light" telemarks.

_ If you didn't already have a good telemark turn, that's what
I'd recommend. However, if you have the skills to make turns on
skinny old skis and floppy leather boots, I think it would be a
waste to give up the sweet flex of leather with these skis in the
powder. If you decide to switch to plastic to gain more control,
you can always do that later, but even the lightest plastic boots
are a relatively heavy.

_ Plastic boots and big heavy skiis have their place, but I
always remember most the days I can make my Boundless Crown's
and leather boots carve effortless turns in light powder.

_ Booker C. Bense


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In article ,
pinnah wrote:
Comments in line...

"H.W. Stockman" wrote:
I would like skis for climbing the local mountains, west of Las Vegas
Nevada. E.g.

I hate pointing folks away from usenet to web forums, but
realistically, you might get better localized advice from folks
hanging out on the forums he
http://www.telemarktips.com/index.htm


_ That's cruel, he'll end up with T-Races, HammerHeads and
a pair of Jaks.

_ Booker C. Bense

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Booker C. Bense
bbense+rec.skiing.backcountry.Nov.30.04@telemark. slac.stanford.edu
wrote:
_ That's cruel, he'll end up with T-Races, HammerHeads and
a pair of Jaks.

I think the fashion mavens there are leaning more towards 7TM-Tours
mounted on Karhu Kodiaks (the new phatties, not the old partial-edge
trad skis which I *do* still miss pretty badly -- man I loved those
skis to death) this year. These things change with every new issue of
Vogu^H^H^H^HCouloir. ;^)

That said, I know *my* personal bias is towards lighter gear. Spend
most of my time on skis very close to the Boundless with 2 buckle
leathers. But I *don't* know what will work best in NV. Given that HW
won't be striding, will climbing up and then down and will be on
skins, perhaps T2s, Voile 3-Pin/Hardwires and some phat skis would be
the ticket. That or some AT style Lasers and SLs.

Anyway, I just wanted to be sure not to let my personal bias and
localized ignorance color my advice too badly.

"pinnah" wrote in message
...
Booker C. Bense
bbense+rec.skiing.backcountry.Nov.30.04@telemark. slac.stanford.edu
wrote:
_ That's cruel, he'll end up with T-Races, HammerHeads and
a pair of Jaks.

I think the fashion mavens there are leaning more towards 7TM-Tours
mounted on Karhu Kodiaks (the new phatties, not the old partial-edge
trad skis which I *do* still miss pretty badly -- man I loved those
skis to death) this year. These things change with every new issue of
Vogu^H^H^H^HCouloir. ;^)


Again, I really appreciate all your comments.

"H.W. Stockman" wrote:
My Asolo boots seemed quite stiff and heavy when I bought them 21 years ago
or so; but I now look at the boots recommended for the Boundless Crown --
e.g. Scarpa T3 -- and they all look like something from a mars mission.
Twenty-one years doesn't seem that long ago; but back then, you got sturdy
3-pin bindings that supposedly worked for doing "light" telemarks.

If your old Asolos have 2 buckles (Extreme Pro perhaps), then the
lightest and softest of the newer plastic boots will be roughly
comparable to your current boots. In particular, the Garmont
Excursion is widely touted as being very tour friendly. Most folks
find that plastic boots stay drier, last longer and offer more control
on hard snow. In some cases, the plastics with the thermo-moldable
liners are even lighter than their leather counter parts. Mars mission
or not, they are worth looking into. The Scarpa T3 and T4 and the
Crispi CX-T will be a tick heavier and stiffer than the Excursions.
This said, I still ski on leather boots with 2 buckles most of the
time.

I've put up my thoughts on boots here but note that this page is under
construction:
http://home.comcast.net/~pinnah/Dirt.../bc-boots.html

In terms of bindings, cable bindings have co-evolved with the rise of
heavy plastic telemark boots. You would be shocked at the
contraptions they've been building. For Excurion (or 2 buckle Extreme
Pro) type boots and less, I really prefer pins in most conditions.
My thoughts on the different types of pins are here but you could just
save time and visit the Voile web site!
http://home.comcast.net/~pinnah/Dirt...-bindings.html


Hope this stuff is helpful. Comments (from anybody) is always
welcome.