Backcountry boarding: who needs poles.

Just two more things to worry about !

For four years have boarded backcountry from Maine to Big Bear,CA, Wolf
Creek CO, Canada, New Zealand (rented boards), etc. Obviously without
poles. NASTAR Gold/Boards&Skis, NSPS, PSIA, 10th Mtn Div US Army, etc.
background.

Skiers should know that with a board, they can cruise backcountry areas
they will NEVER reach with skis of any sort.......poles or no-poles !.

L H wrote:
Just two more things to worry about !

For four years have boarded backcountry from Maine to Big Bear,CA, Wolf
Creek CO, Canada, New Zealand (rented boards), etc. Obviously without
poles.

Poles can still be very useful for getting /up/ things in the first
place. Take 3 section poles and pack them down and stow them for the
subsequent descent.

Skiers should know that with a board, they can cruise backcountry areas
they will NEVER reach with skis of any sort.......poles or no-poles !.

Unlikely. Skis are often used because they're the best way to access
places. If a board suits your style better, use a board, but getting to
places you can't reach by skis is a rather daft basis to choose a board
IMHO. A pal told a tale of how he abandoned backcountry boarding after
he got stuck in a powder bowl... ;-)

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"Peter Clinch" wrote in message Skis are often
used because they're the best way to access places.

Absolutely. I've been boarding backcountry since 1986 with something around
200 discrete backcountry descents, some of them pretty extreme. I would be
very interested in knowing about a back country board route that cannot be
reached by skis.

I board extreme routes because I am a better boarder than I am skier.

Still, unless a route is just a straight post hole or crampon up from the
road, I use skis to get in to camp or even on a day trip to cover more miles
to reach the route. When post holing or cramponing, unless I am using an
ax, I find poles to be very efficient for improving balance, testing snow
surfaces and providing speed checks when hiking down hill.

Even split boarding, poles are extremely helpful, especially when trying to
kick turn on a steep slope with split board bindings and snowboard boots.

I know hardly a single back country boarder or split boarder who does not
recognize the limitations of the board for travel and who does not recognize
the relative degree of skills involved in boarding and skiing steep terrain.
I suspect the original poster of mere trolling.

Tommy T.

"Tommy T." wrote in message
news:mFV1e.32618$ed6.3523@trndny06...
I know hardly a single back country boarder or split boarder who does not
recognize the limitations of the board for travel and who does not
recognize
the relative degree of skills involved in boarding and skiing steep
terrain.
I suspect the original poster of mere trolling.

Tommy T.

Yep, I do a lot of backcountry with boarder friends. They all use split
boards with poles for the approach. And the claim that you can get places
on a board that you can't on skis is just plain retarded. My guess is the
OP has little experience in the backcountry.

snoig

On Mon, 28 Mar 2005 15:46:26 GMT, "Tommy T."
wrote:

I suspect the original poster of mere trolling.

Me too.

Of course, the best access tool for backcountry boarding is a
helicopter :-)
--
Champ