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Archives for December 2013

Podcast Interview with Melanie Bernier: Lots of tips from her training for skimo racing, gear, nutrition…

December 28, 2013 By Stano Faban 6 Comments

melanie-bernier-episode-1-600x300-banner
This is the first ever episode of SkinTrack.com podcast! It’s not fully podcast-like in a sense that you can download it (will come later) but you can definitely just sit back and listen instead of reading.
For this first episode, I chose to interview my good friend Melanie Bernier who is one of the most inspirational people I know, and a fellow member on the Canadian National Ski Mountaineering Team.
Melanie is one of the most accomplished skimo racers in North America with a 4th place from 2013 Pierra Menta being one of her career highlights. She is fine tuning her game every season and her improvements are results of long-term daily hard work, strong commitment and big passion for skimo.

In this interview we discussed:

  • Melanie’s last winter Euro racing campaign and her most favourite moments
  • her upcoming trip back to Europe for more World Cup action
  • current training
  • nutrition (Paleo diet)
  • her current racing gear
  • skimo pole lengths
  • and her future goals

Resources related to this podcast episode:

  • How to determine your skimo poles length?
    http://www.skintrack.com/skimo-racing/racing-101/how-to-choose-right-length-kind-skimo-racing-poles/
  • How to structure your skimo racing training?
    http://www.skintrack.com/skimo-racing/how-to-structure-your-day-to-day-skimo-training/
  • Pierra Menta
    http://www.pierramenta.com/

I really hope that you enjoyed this interview format and please leave a comment below if you liked it. If not then please leave suggestions on what can be improved going forward with these podcast episodes. Thank you!

Filed Under: People (Interviews), Training, Tricks & Tips Tagged With: Melanie Bernier, Paleo diet, Pierra Menta, podcast, skimo racing poles length, skimo training

2013 SkinTrack Reader's Choice: Vote for Your Favourites from 2012/13 season

December 18, 2013 By Stano Faban

skintrack-readers-choice-logoVoting is now CLOSED. To see the results and whether you won on of the prizes please see our Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/skintrack
We think it’s about time for the skimo community to have our own “Best of …”, and what a better way to start this tradition than with a reader’s poll!

Vote and Win

By voting below, two of you will win one of two cool prizes:

  • very light and ISMF compliant ARVA Carbon 240 Light probe from Skimo.co
  • or a good sized Clif Bar goodie bag

small-skimo-co-logo    small-clif-bar-logo

Contest Rules

  • One vote per person please!
  • The winners will be announced on our SkinTrack Facebook page, please follow us there.
  • Prize shipping is covered by us unless you live outside of North America.
  • We reserve the right to refuse an entry if we suspect it’s the same person voting from a different email address.

Vote for Your Favourites NOW!

ALL fields are required
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Filed Under: Contests & Giveaways Tagged With: reader's choice

Dynafit TLT 6 Mountain Review: First impressions and comparison to TLT 5

December 17, 2013 By Stano Faban Leave a Comment

Dynafit TLT 6 Mountain Boot quick overview:

Dynafit TLT 6 boots review

  • Usual full price: $749.95 USD
  • Weight: 1225g per boot (size 27.5)
  • Cost per gram: $0.31 / g
  • Pros: Light, comfortable, easy touring, stiff
  • Cons: Yet to find out
  • Suitability: Ski touring, ski mountaineering
  • How we go it: Paid prodeal price (disclosure notices)

Bottom line:

A clear improvement from the Dynafit TLT 5. The buckles work better, the toe box has more space for wide feet, the boot is stiffer, and it still walks and climbs well.

Photos:

Here are some photos also of my old TLT 5s for comparison.

Product description and How we tested it:

I got Dynafit TLT 5 boots and thoroughly abused them for two full seasons. The cuff rivets are working loose, the lower buckle has all but fallen off (cord replaced the original wire long ago), and the shell is plain beat up. That’s not to say that the boots didn’t serve me well or performed up to expectations, they just saw a lot of use. However, I was pretty excited to try out a shiny new pair of TLT 6 Mountain boots.
The TLT 6 address several complaints about the TLT 5. The toe box has been widened to allow a little more space for the metatarsals to expand while walking. This is a noticeable difference for me. I should probably be in a size 29 shell but opted for the 28.5 “performance fit” in the TLT 5 and stayed at the same size when I upgraded to the TLT 6 (BSL is the same).
With the new version, I have experienced no metatarsal pain. The toes are still a bit tight but a small punch will hopefully solve that for me. The metatarsal flex zone was eliminated, probably saving a bit of weight while improving stiffness and very insignificantly affecting walking. Simpler is better.
The upper buckle retains the classic Dynafit style with one throw to lock the cuff into ski mode but a double hinge sets the buckle closer to the cuff to keep it from basing on rocks. With the buckle closer to the shell, I can also now tuck my pant collar over the boot top to keep snow out. The lower buckle has been beefed up significantly and no longer pops open while post-holing (or just randomly while skinning). The wire is permanently attached so no risk of smashing it off.
The boot comes with two pairs of removable tongues: soft and hard. I have only carried the hard tongue. And if I’m not worried about stiffness or want to be quick, I just go without a tongue altogether.
I have put just shy of 10,000m vertical ascent and descent (and a bit more lift served descent) into the boots and couldn’t be happier. They drive fatter skis (196cm Huscarans) and still feel good doing jump turns on skinny skis in steep terrain or scrambling on rocks. The TLT5s worked great but the improved TLT 6 is worth the upgrade.
Crampon compatibility seems similar to the TLT 5, with BD Sabretooth Clip, Grivel Air-Tech Strap, and CAMP Race 290 Dyneema  crampons all working well.
The TLT5 and now the TLT6 are available in both a “Mountain” and “Performance” model. The Mtn version has a softer plastic cuff while the Perf model has a carbon fibre cuff. The weight difference seems negligible but carbon fiber appears to be somewhat stiffer. As I am not a particularly talented skier, nor skiing not particularly spectacular terrain, stiffness is not a huge concern for me so the carbon version was not worth the extra cost. Others may disagree.
On the downhill, the TLT 6 is comfortable and with the tongue in way stiffer than I need (more so than the TLT 5 I think). On a bigger ski, without the tongue, you can definitely feel the shell flex.

Pros:

  • Significant upgrades to the TLT 5. (Buckles, toe box)
  • Lightweight boot that is stiff and walks well!

Cons / What can be improved about this product:

  • Tongues are a bit of a hassle to get in and out.
  • Ice can accumulate between the cuff and the liner on the laces which jam up when trying to lock into ski mode.
  • I don’t have any great suggestions for improvements so it is hard to call these “cons”. Merely limitations based on the design.

Product Specs:

  • Weight: 1225 grams per boot
  • Materials: Grilamid / Pebax
  • Size: 25-30.5 (Available in half-sizes but the shell breaks on the full size with half sizes happening in the liner)

Online stores that carry Dynafit TLT 6 Mountain boot:

Dynafit TLT 6 boots review

  • $749.00 at Skimo.co
  • $749.95 at Backcountry.com
  • $749.95 at CampSaver.com
  • $749.95 at OMCgear.com

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: Dynafit TLT 5, Dynafit TLT 6

Interview with under-the-radar Trevor Hunt: About light gear and steep skiing on the Coast and beyond

December 14, 2013 By Stano Faban 5 Comments

coast_steep_skier_logoI don’t get stoked easily, but I am totally psyched to bring you this interview because Trevor Hunt skis literally the gnarliest shit on almost ski mountaineering racing gear – and you never heard of him!
Sure there are people that knew of Trevor before but the reality is that most of us never heard about him even a year ago, yet, for over a decade now, he has been collecting big lines and first descents.
To this day I never met him, never talked to him. Despite that I decided to bother him with an interview request. He agreed.

And here we go, as good as it gets!

» Trevor’s blog – http://www.coaststeepskier.com/wphome/
» Trevor on Twitter – @coaststeepskier
Q: Trevor, you grew up in Whistler, what is your skiing background? Downhill racing?
No racing. I was sort of a mellow freeskier growing up. My parents mostly taught me in the beginning.
Fun fact: Shane McConkey’s Dad, Jim, once told my Dad not to give kids ski poles when they’re young. I remember being made fun of by the other kids for not having poles. But I guess I turned out pretty good.
Q: When did the steep slopes become a strong inspiration?
I discovered the backcountry in late high school, but skiing steeps in the backcountry didn’t come till after 4 years at University.
I moved back to Whistler, and gradually progressed on steeper objectives.  I enjoyed it, but it was all pretty innocent.  Wasn’t really aware or concerned with skiing anything specific, or with the history of the sport, or what other people were currently doing.

As close to revealing himself as it gets.
As close to revealing himself as it gets.
Q: What does steep skiing mean to you?
Probably easiest to take a step back. To me, the term ski mountaineering works well as an umbrella term for travelling safely in the mountains, using mountaineering skills to traverse glaciers and climb and ski technical lines. These skills are the priority, and allow participants to have a wide range of skiing abilities. For example, expert climbers with little ski experience can have great success in ski mountaineering.
I see steep skiing as a sub-discipline of this: the art of linking turns on ultra-steep slopes with no safe run-outs. Steep skiing focuses on the skiing and its style. Whether on skis or snowboard, side-slipping is not steep skiing… it is just side-slipping.
Regardless of how many rappels are done, if the skiing in-between isn’t steep, well it just isn’t steep skiing. But even steep skiing has become just another overused hashtag.
trevor-hunt-03
Q: Which lines that you skied challenged you the most?
My 2003 solo of the Siberian Express on Atwell Peak – I was young and had never soloed anything that physically nor mentally challenging.
My 2004 solo of Nun (7000m) in India – I’d gone a bit rogue in the Himalayas and was randomly picking off various peaks in different countries. Internet was spotty back then and I don’t think anyone knew I was actually in India. Playing that far away from the safety net was mentally challenging.
1st descent of Mount Vancouver in 2005 with Ptor Spricenieks – two days of non-stop climbing and skiing, maybe the most challenging endurance-wise.
1st descent of the Canadian on Atwell in 2012 – I made the mistake of climbing a slope (without a rope) that was too steep and icy to ski.  Took some serious mental gymnastics to convince myself it was skiable.
1st descent of the southeast couloir of Chatyn-Tau, Georgia this year – conditions were very icy, slopes were very steep and my legs were totally spent.
Stano’s note: Atwell Peak has special place in Trevor’s heart, or is it that it’s just close to his home.
Q: Within reason, you use quite the light gear for such lines. Can you discuss some of your history with light gear?
My first ski line on short skis. Dynafits (with original logo!) 170cm 73mm underfoot. Siberian Express, Mt Atwell, 2003.
My first ski line on short skis. Dynafits (with original logo!) 170cm 73mm underfoot. Siberian Express, Mt Atwell, 2003.
In 2003/04 I spent a year in the Himalayas skiing on a pair of Dynafit Alpha Rando skis. It forced me to become an expert at using them in all conditions and opened my eyes as to what and how you could ski on small skis. Since then, I’ve always had an expedition steep set-up that was about 170cm long and very thin.
In 2006 I bought some TLT4 boots, and used them on some ‘fat’ ultra-light Goode Carbon skis.  This setup opened my eyes to the Jedi techniques possible when using light and wide skis in deep powder. Since then, I’ve been experimenting with some of the lightest boots and bindings available on fatter skis.
I cannot overstate the joy of skiing deep powder with these types of setups – pretty much a different sport. Something about all the weight being distributed along the length of the ski, allows for interesting centrifugal forces within the carve. Even the weight of standard ‘light’ boots and tech bindings, is enough to create dead weight in the center of the ski, and ruin the fun.
When I bought my DyNA’s in ’09, I sold all my heavier boots, and haven’t skied on a boot with more than 2 buckles since. I also bought what was probably the first pair of Plum race bindings sold at retail in North America. A little ridiculous since I immediately mounted them on a pair of powder skis.
Q: Can you list some of the gear combinations that you use and for what?
My favourite steep setup was 171cm Dynafit Nanga Parbats 74mm wide with low-tech bindings and DyNA boots (09/10 models). But I sold the skis, since the low-techs couldn’t handle steep ice.
This has been replaced with 174cm Dynafit Cho Oyus 88mm wide, with Speed Radicals (they’re samples that came with Speeds so I’ll probably lighten up the heels).
Currently my steep powder setup is Dynafit TLT 6 boots with Speed toes and proto heels (56g), on 173cm Grand Tetons 105mm wide. Also have the same combo on a pair of 186 Dynafit Huascarans 114mm wide, for powder and big mountain stuff.
I’ve also gotten back on the “light and fat” program, with DyNA Evo boots, superlight bindings and 177cm Huascarans 112mm wide. Although I should probably just have Low Techs on this setup instead of Superlights.
trevor-hunt-quiver
Q: Just give us a perspective to the above gear, how tall are you and how much do you weigh?
Six foot one, 175 pounds.
Q: Have you ever used the Ascent Plates for boot-packing up steep snow?
I used them a bunch last year. They did a great job of saving my energy, and allowed me to get up stuff that would usually be too steep to climb in deep snow. I could also see them revolutionizing climbing speed ascents in the Himalayas etc. on lesser travelled peaks with no established tracks.
Stano’s note: If you like to go up steep snowy slopes I recommend checking out these plates – http://billygoattech.com. I have never used them and have no affiliation but I am becoming a fan.
Q: Where have you skied outside of Coast Mountains?
With a job and bills etc, I’ve been more focused with skiing in my backyard, but when I was younger I spent a lot of time overseas.  I have a special connection with a family in the Karakoram (Pakistan) that I’ve visited a few times. India, Nepal, New Zealand, Georgia, Alaska, Peru. Most trips were always very random with no clear objectives, which is my favourite kind.
Can you spot Trevor's tracks? Pic is from Chatyn-Tau, Georgia and Trevor says it was "...very steep and very icy."
Can you spot Trevor’s tracks? Pic is from Chatyn-Tau, Georgia and Trevor says it was “…very steep and very icy.”
Q: Any plans for steep descents beyond the Coast? What would be a dream or a big challenge?
Well there are the usual suspects, the last great ski lines that everybody mentions. I also have a bunch of world-class lines off the radar.  But as I mentioned before, I enjoy trips that don’t have specific itineraries, mountains, or routes. Impossible to get sponsors though when your main goal is just to wander in the Himalayas and poach peaks at random.
Q: You have recently become a Dynafit athlete. Do you have a daily job?
I’m a designer. Mostly backpacks and outdoor clothing.
Q: Do you do any special training to improve at what you do?
Not really any specific training. I think weight training is important to make your body more indestructible. I’m not as concerned about my cardio, which slowly builds throughout the season as I ski tour. But I always try to keep the body moving.
Q: What other sports do you do? And what about summer, do you ski or just enjoy other things?
I’m certainly a very dedicated skier. I had such an intense winter last year that I really relaxed this summer.  I’ve always dabbled a bit in climbing and mountain biking though – hard not to when you live in Squamish.
Q: You do lots of big missions by yourself. I have done a couple like that myself. What is your reasoning, or not fearing to do something big alone?
Because of the stable snowpack and easy travel on relatively smooth glaciers, the Coast has a rich history of soloing: from guys like Trevor Peterson, to Ptor Spricenieks, and now I guess I’m continuing that tradition.
For me soloing was a natural and slow progression. When I was young it was probably a bit ego based. But I soon realized that I was just meant to do some stuff solo, and I really began to enjoy it. There is a purity to it as well, in that you make 100% of decisions for yourself, which is a must when skiing stuff with life and death consequences.  No one is there to influence you with his or her fears or over-confidence.
But getting psyched on soloing is about as cool as getting psyched on heroin. I would never suggest it, and I certainly wouldn’t solo the big stuff if I had kids.
Coastal steeps on Dynafit TLT6's, 177cm Huascaran skis and Superlights bindings.
Coastal steeps on Dynafit TLT6’s, 177cm Huascaran skis and Superlights bindings.
Q: In your opinion, what are the two most inspiring descents ever skied – one in Canada, and one worldwide?
The coolest thing about steep skiing is that there is no best, no gold medals, no competition. Every participant at the elite level has the same life and death mental struggles, regardless of the advancement in gear over previous generations.  So you don’t get much progression, or descents that are heads and shoulders above the rest.
If I had to choose a descents that give me the most joy just thinking about them, then surely the style of Chris Brazeau’s solo descent of Bryce is tops. It’s probably the most badass singular effort in North American ski mountaineering.  What makes it even cooler, is that the ski media doesn’t seem realize it even happened, and also the fact that Chris is an unsponsored dirt-bag climber (thank-god someone is still keeping shit real!).
Internationally you’d assume that the most significant descents would happen in highest mountains of Himalayas. But skiers have had very mixed results in the fickle conditions there. I’ve always enjoyed the descents of Jean Noel Urban. I like the G6 descent in Pakistan or both the SW face attempts on Shishipangma (8,013m). But he wrote so little about them before he died.
Q: And who are some of the skiers/mountaineers/people that you find most inspiring?
Risking your life in the mountains is a totally personal experience. So I’ve never really been inspired by anyone else, although I certainly enjoy looking at what others are doing, and I’m psyched when a guy like Andreas Fransson skis something big. But in sports where death is a possible consequence, I don’t think there should be any heroes, role models, or inspiring figures.
If a skier succeeds on a massive line, we have no idea what his internal motivations are. Is he motivated by ego, recognition, depression, or is he naïve and surviving on dumb luck? No matter how the media romanticizes ski mountaineers, everybody has shit simmering below that isn’t very inspiring.
But I wouldn’t mind the fitness of Kilian Jornet and the skills of Jean Marc Boivin RIP.
Q: What would be your advice for someone that is a good backcountry skier but would like to try some steeper lines or couloirs? How should they go about it?
Having common sense and infinite patience are the two most important things any steep skier can have.
Education and learning from others is obviously important, but don’t rely on them.  Learn about yourself and your own limitations. It is a very precise sport, and if you’re not a very precise person then you should probably try something else.
Have an ‘elastic’ mind (ie. be open to every possibility, don’t blindly follow established plans).  Talk to the experts in your area. Find the fun, easy lines and progress from there.
And that’s it for the chat with Trevor – Thank you!
I am super happy he shared so much about his gear and that for a long time he kind of devoted himself to test its limitations for us 😉

Filed Under: People (Interviews) Tagged With: Atwell Peak, Trevor Hunt

Best 6 Ski Mountaineering Reported Trips of 2012-2013 "season"

December 11, 2013 By Stano Faban Leave a Comment

The other day, on Twitter, Carl (@CarlKohnstamm) asked me for my opinion on “What are the top 5 ski mountaineering trip (reports) of 2012-13”? (It was worded a bit differently but after clarification that is what he meant.)
That is a one damn great question – fun to answer but by no means it’s easy. Here I am going to attempt to best express my opinion while approaching the question from a wider perspective, and obviously taking into account only trips that I know of.
Note: FKT stands for “fastest known time”

1. Matterhorn FKT (2h 52min) – by Kilian Jornet

Kilian somewhere high on Matterhorn. (Uknown photo credit.)
Kilian somewhere high on Matterhorn. (Uknown photo credit.)
I know this was done running and not on skis but to me this is The Mountain Performance of 2013!
Why I included it? Because it was realized by arguably the best skimo racer ever. Kilian “ran” from Cervinia, Italy (around 2,050 m) to the top of Matterhorn (4,478 m) in 1h 56min, which was an ascent speed of 1,256 m per hour!
He descented back in 56min which was a descent speed of 2601 m/h – that is almost like skiing!
» One of the various reports from this “trip” can be found on Climbing.com – http://www.climbing.com/news/kilian-jornet-shatters-matterhorn-speed-record/

2. Mount Rainier FKT – by Jason and Andy Dorais

Uber happy Andy and Jason Dorais after setting the FKT on Rainier. (Photo from Jason's blog.)
Uber happy Andy and Jason Dorais after setting the FKT on Rainier. (Photo from Jason’s blog.)
In my opinion, their time of 3h 57min raised the standard of North American speed ski mountaineering to the next level. It’s not out of this world but they were the first to push it under 4h.
Besides, Mt Rainer is almost 4,400 m high (14,411 feet) and the route up it definitely includes enough hazard negotiation that one cannot just go without thinking. Skiing it down fast is also quite dangerous.
This is also the one performance of 2013 that pisses me off the most as Dorais brothers stole the record from our team only about 10 days after Eric Carter and Nick Elson pushed their old one down to 4h 19min. 🙂
» Report by Jason from their attempt – http://jasondorais.blogspot.ca/2013/06/mt-rainier-speed-run-35755.html
» Report from our trip – http://www.skintrack.com/trip-reports-conditions/mount-rainier-record-4h-19min-12sec/

3. Steep descents in Coast Mountains – by Tevor Hunt

To see tracks on the full face visit Trevor's blog. (Photo from Trevor's blog.)
To see tracks on the full face visit Trevor’s blog.
While searching for things to put on this list Eric pointed me back to something I read months earlier.
This is a superb read of a solo descent of a steep face on an undisclosed peak not too far from civilization in the Coast Mountains of BC.
But this one is only one of many under-the-radar (1st) descents of the little known steeps hunter Trevor Hunt.
(Interview with Trevor coming soon!)
» Read “Full Commitment” here http://www.coaststeepskier.com/wphome/?p=21242 

4. Tantalus Traverse in a day (FKT) – by Skyler Des Roches, Christian Veenstra

Crossing the Rumbling Glacier – Christian Veenstra photo.
Crossing the Rumbling Glacier – Christian Veenstra photo.
Speed is cool but if adventurous aspect of the objective comes first then it’s even cooler. The Tantalus Range can be easily seen from a comfort of your car but to get there and out isn’t a piece of cake, and never mind navigating some big broken up glaciers.
A fitting quote from their day:
“Crossing above above a nunatak, then literally sprinting below a fierce cracked serac cave, we made our way along another bench between crevasses until we reached a notch on the south shoulder of Dione.”
» Here’s the full account of this 17h day – http://runoutoffroute.wordpress.com/2013/05/22/tantalus-traverse-in-a-day/

5. Spearhead Traverse  2 x FKT – by Eric Carter, Nick Elson, Brad Schalles

Spearhead Traverse has been testing grounds for Coastal speedy ski mountaineers for a long time. The tradition was likely started by no other than Greg Hill back in 2004 or so on the classic version (Blackcomb to Whistler Village via Singing Pass).

Eric and Nick handsomely posing after their Spearhead FKT. (Photo from Eric's blog.)
Eric and Nick handsomely posing after their Spearhead FKT. (Photo from Eric’s blog.)
Then in 2006 and 2009 I personally took stabs at both versions with really valuing my 2009 effort on the full traverse (Village – Blackcomb – Singing Pass – Whistler Peak – Village) of 8h 11min over 4230m and about 50km.
This spring three of my good friends took on these records with great success:
First, Eric and Nick lowered Greg Hill’s classic version of the traverse record from 4h to 3h 10min
http://coastmountainskiing.com/race-spearhead-traverse-fkt/
Then couple of weeks later, Brad Schalles called me to investigate the route I took in 2009 on the long version to make sure he stayed on it as close as possible. He pushed the time down to 6h 47min! No report but Brad’s blog is here – http://westcoastskimo.blogspot.ca/

6. Steep skiing on Mount Robson – by Reiner Thoni and Jeff Colvin

reiner-skiing-robsonReiner and Jeff are my good friends from which I have learnt a great deal whether about mountains or just life in general. I was happy to see that after over a year of not seeing each other they were able to hook up for such an adventure this summer.
By now, Reiner knows Robson very intimately – summitted it about 5 times and skied it twice in last 2 years – yet this must have been a highly rated trip up a familiar mountain.
For those that don’t know Reiner – he is consistently highest placed North American at skimo world champs and placed 15th at Pierra Menta last March. But his big heart mostly beats for things outside of racing.

Eye candy

I left videos out of the above list on purpose. Because if you are like me then I didn’t want you to get caught up in a spectacle and forget about priorities. And you are welcome 🙂
Here’s a short clip of Kilian’s record on Matterhorn.

Reiner’s and Jeff’s skimo adventure on Robson.

Honorable mention
This didn’t make it to the list as it has nothing to do with ski mountaineering but what a performance and inspiration – Ueli Steck speed soloing South Face on Annapurna this October. More at Alpinist – http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web13f/newswire-ueli-steck-south-face-annapurna

Filed Under: Trip Reports & Conditions Tagged With: Andy Dorais, Brad Schalles, Christian Veenstra, Eric Carter, Jason Dorais, Jeff Colvin, Kilian Jornet, Matterhorn, Mount Rainier, Mount Robson, Nick Elson, Reiner Thoni, Skyler Des Roches, Spearhead Traverse, Tantalus, Trevor Hunt

$5,000 prize purse: The Power of Four Skimo Race set for March 1st, 2014

December 9, 2013 By Stano Faban 3 Comments

Registration just opened for one of the most popular events on the North American skimo calendar and here is the official press release with all the details:
The Power of Four Ski Mountaineering Race – one of the most challenging events in Aspen/Snowmass – is back and will test the endurance of athletes as they race in teams of two across all four area mountains. The course covers approximately 25 miles and more than 12,000 vertical feet of climbs. A two mountain category is also an option, covering ground on Aspen Highlands and Aspen Mountain.
2014-power-of-four-pr-1
The race is on Saturday, March 1, 2014 starting at 6 a.m. in Snowmass Base Village and will continue into the afternoon where athletes will finish at the base of Aspen Mountain. The summer version of this race tested mountain bikers as they raced up and down all four mountains or two mountains in one day.
New this year, the race will offer a $5,000 prize purse – largest in North America – split evenly between men and women. The first place team will take home $1,500, second place will go home with $700 and third place takes $300.
2014-power-of-four-pr-2
Sport Race Course:
Teams will start in Snowmass Village and skin up to the top of Elk Camp. Then racers will traverse from Elk Camp to West Buttermilk. Once at West Buttermilk, racers will ski down to the bottom of Tiehack. From there, athletes will cross the bridge by the Aspen Recreation Center and head to Aspen Highlands Village. From there skiers will skin to the summit of the Highland Bowl and ski down to Castle Creek Road via the Congo Trail off of the Grand Reverse. Teams will then cross Castle Creek and head up Midnight Mine Road until they reach The Sundeck. In the final descent of the race, athletes will ski down Aspen Mountain, ending in Gondola Plaza.
Recreational Race Course:
There will also be a half race starting at 8 a.m. following the same course on Aspen Highlands and Aspen Mountain, finishing on Gondola Plaza. This race is perfect for recreational uphillers looking for a new challenge.
More Details:
There will be four categories of racers: Vets, Men, Women and Coed teams. Only the Men and Women categories are prize eligible, Coed and Vet categories are for time comparison only. Coed teams will be grouped into the Men’s category for prize purposes. Alpine Touring (AT) gear, Telemark gear or snowboard Splitboard gear is required.
Registration is now open at www.aspensnowmass.com/poweroffour.
Registration is $225 per team if registered before January 5, 2014.
Call for Volunteers:
Volunteers are still needed for the event. Those interested in volunteering should contact Brendan Collins at bcollins2@aspensnowmass.com.
More info
More information on the race series and maps of the course, please visit www.aspensnowmass.com/poweroffour or call 970/925-1220.

Filed Under: Industry Press Releases Tagged With: The Power of Four

Race report: 2013 Irwin/La Sportiva Skimo Race

December 9, 2013 By Stano Faban 2 Comments

The following race report was sent in by Jeremy Rietmann – steadily improving Colorado skimo racer – who has shared his racing adventures with Skintrack readers before. Thank you!

Enter Jeremy

So far for the 2013 season, the Colorado Ski Mountaineering Cup (COSMIC) races have been all about the one thing all of us love – Powder! The December 7th Irwin/La Sportiva Skimo Race provided a nice follow-up to the fantastic early season conditions enjoyed by racers two weeks ago at Wolf Creek.

Pre-race meeting room was packed with some big guns. (Photo credit Jeremy Rietmann).
Pre-race meeting room was packed with some big guns. (Photo credit Jeremy Rietmann).
Irwin provides a truly unique race experience on the COSMIC circuit with its backcountry setting, fairly complicated access logistics (made smooth by the great Irwin crew), late start time – and this year – great snow conditions. With nearly a foot of new snow, Irwin no doubt provided the highest concentration of smiles and spandex in Colorado on Saturday.

The race

Saturday’s race was a prime example of the huge growth in both interest and talent in the US skimo world. 70 racers toed the line between all race divisions this year – a nearly 30% increase in participation from the 54 racers that joined in the fun the last time this race was held in 2011.
Irwin attracted top talent on both the women’s and men’s sides with Stevie Kremer, Sari Anderson and McKenna Douglas taking the 1-2-3 podium spots for the women, and Stevie Kremer besting her 2011 winning finishing time by 5 minutes and 19 seconds with a finishing time of 2:20:48.
On the men’s side, heavy (light?) hitters like John Gaston, Tom Goth, Max Taam, Brian Smith and Marshall Thompson battled it out up-front with John Gaston taking the win in 1:58:39. This bested Marshall Thompson’s winning time in 2011 by nearly 7 minutes. Brian Smith and Tom Goth took the 2nd and 3rd podium spots for the men, fighting it out until the end and finishing with only 5 seconds between them.
John Gaston once again rocketed away on the downhills and he and Max Taam just couldn’t stop racing as they both found their way back to Aspen later that day to participate in the Summit for Life/Chris Klug Foundation uphill benefit race – which John also won.
Top talent aside, Team Crested Butte’s recent speaking tour in the Front Range (Boulder area) appeared to pay promotional dividends with a number of first timers taking on a new adventure and toeing the line to enjoy a new experience. For any of you out there for which Irwin was your first skimo race – Welcome!
In the rec race, Matt Clark of Gunnison took home the win with Amelia Poppe of Crested Butte finishing in the top spot for the women.
Full results
» Here’s a PDF with the 2013 Irwin Skimo Race results.

Left - Ram and Danny enjoying the cat ride. Right - racers hurrying to get ready for the start. (Photos by Jeremy Rietmann.)
Left – Ram and Danny enjoying the cat ride. Right – racers hurrying to get ready for the start. (Photos by Jeremy Rietmann.)

A number of highlights and some wisdom

  • Being towed to the race for nearly an hour behind a snowmobile in frigid temps may not sound like that bad of an idea (…yes it does) until you’re standing at the starting line with shot hip flexors, noodles for arms and lungs full of 4-stroke engine exhaust. My advice, take the cat-ride, it’ll be the cheapest cat-skiing you’ll do all year.
  • Irwin is one of the best opportunities on the COSMIC circuit to socialize and get to know your fellow racers. A couple of hours chatting in a 4mph snowcat is a quick way to get to know people better and the group-think associated with needing to pee is hilarious. If Crested Butte local Allen Hadley is in your snowcat – the stories will be wild and plentiful – and the extra entertainment is free of charge. Add it all up and the additional transport fee to the race start is worth it.
  • Don’t go out too hard – 5000 feet of climbing is just enough to make the last 4-500 feet fairly painful if you didn’t dial in the output perfectly on take off. If your working heart rate is on a continual downward slide throughout the race, try starting a little slower next time. “End of the Race You” will thank “Beginning of the Race You” for the adjustment.
  • Positive mental dialogue is always a good thing to cultivate during a hard race. But, if you don’t have it during the race, just keep on plugging. You’ll likely do just fine and probably better than you expect.
  • As goofy as skin suits are, they are incredibly functional and make racing much more logistically enjoyable. Heat regulation and skin, food and beacon storage are all vastly improved when wearing a suit. Just pretend you’re a young Elvis or Catwoman and get on with it.

A special thanks to race director Bryan Wickenhauser and the good folks at Irwin for making this race possible. Next up on the COSMIC circuit: Frisco Randocross on December 31st – New Year’s Eve! www.cosmicski.com
Jeremy Rietmann – @JeremyRietmann

Filed Under: Reports & Results Tagged With: COSMIC, Irwin Skimo Race, Jeremy Rietmann, La Sportiva

Current deals on Avalanche beacons and avalanche airbags

December 3, 2013 By Stano Faban 3 Comments

While browsing online stores over the weekend, I stumbled upon some great deals on avalanche beacons and airbags. Seems like stores are doing a big Christmas push.
Here, I put together two tables highlighting the best deals from various stores – one for beacons and one for avalanche airbags.
avalanche-beacons-and-airbags

Avalanche beacons

From skimo racing point of view there is one beacon that stands out as it’s very small and light – Pieps Freeride (110g). I use it for racing as well. Then there are other “skimo” options albeit heavier and bigger but with better searching capabilities – Ortovox Zoom (200g) or Ortovox 3+ (200g). Outside of racing, you should choose a beacon based on more than weight and size. 😉
Here’s a table with 24 beacons from various stores ordered by price. Airbags are below.

Avalanche airbags

I do not own an airbag but I am definitely looking into buying one. What held me back from purchasing it in the past were their cost and not many good fitting models. But it seems like the prices have come down a bit and we, as consumers, will be able to afford some comfortable ones.
Like with beacons, here’s a table (ordered by price) with the best current deals of various models from various stores.

Filed Under: Gear, Tech & Food Tagged With: avalanche airbags, avalanche beacons

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