40 replies to this topic

[Heather Locklear Rocks]

More snow this weekend? Sounds like it.

Banzai

[montoya]

Hope so! Went hiking up at Kagura today in search of good lines, but to no avail. Even the sheltered north slopes were really heavy, felt like my skins were still attached when trying to ride down..

[SerreChe]

Montoya, did u go w/ ur split board or skis?

[montoya]

I went with my splitboard (I don't know how to ski)..

[orinoco]

Sorry, sure this has been covered before, but.... what is a splitboard?

[joshnii]

Winter back? A bit of a disappointment there I think...

[SerreChe]

Orinoco, a split board is a snowboard which you split in half and use as skis to skin up the mountain, then put back together to board back down the said mountain. More efficient than using snow shoes, but not sure how sturdy the whole set-up is, especially when you reach back on the groomed slopes.

Montoya, what do you think about your split board so far? Is it sturdy enough when you reach back the groomed slopes, or does it make some freaky creaky noises?

[montoya]

nah, the board doen't make any funny noises so far. It actually rides better than my regular board. It uses the Voile system, and is working out fine so far.

main disadvantage is the added weight, but you get used to it.

next year will get another one, probably a long split-swallowtail for the big pow days.

[SerreChe]

Interesting. Been wondering whether I should go for skis + skins, or split board. I ski and snowboard but prefer by far the riding sensations of a snowboard in powder.

I think voile has an enormous 195cm swallowtail, not sure if it is a split though.

[montoya]

SerreChe,
This season we have been riding with AT skiers, telemarkers, and snowboarders on snowshoes. Transition time is alittle bit longer, but not that much. When it comes to breaking trail, we more than hold our own (the fat 12cm skins really help). Ride down is pretty sweet, although I think next year we will get even bigger boards (when we ordered our current boards, I was a bit brain-dead and forgot to factor in the added weight of all the BC stuff in our packs).

Next time you're in Kagura let me know. If we can hook up I'll let you ride my board for a few runs if you want.

This is a pretty good place to learn more:
http://www.splitboard.net/

[muikabochi]

Hardly winter again.
But we did get some snow today.

[SerreChe]

Montoya,

Thx for the offer of trying your board. I am tempted but afraid that your board might not be able to torsionally put up with my 100 kgs...

Still happy to catch-up with you for some lines in Kagura, although I would not venture too far off the slopes since I have no snowshoes (slowly investing slowly every year)and may end-up spoiling your day (unless you know some short climbs). Otherwise I have a pack with the usual trilogy (beacon, shovel, probe).

I will have a lot of free-time coming up this month and can easily ride mid-week (trying to avoid week-ends if possible). I am based in Tokyo and usually go to Kagura by car. So let me know when you plan to hit the slopes to see if we can get organized.

Otherwise trying to decide whether should go to France for a couple weeks back home to hit Serre Chevalier and La Grave, but not much snow there at the moment... At least Japan's got the goods at the moment.

[muikabochi]

But very rain-like snow now.

[montoya]

If you can make it up here, I have an extra pair of MSR Denali Evo Ascent snowshoes I can lend you (but, no flotation tails). Just PM me beforehand. I have a room up in Yuzawa so am based here for the most part this season.

100kgs, hmm that would probably be a bit much for my board!

[BagOfCrisps]

Let's Diet!

[Toque]

You just a big framed guy SerreChe?

Winter came back for a good little bit on the weekend. Deep snow over a nice soft rain soaked layer. It was really good.

[SerreChe]

I agree BOC, let's diet!

Fortunately I am 190cm, so the luv handles not hitting my knees yet. By the way was riding with a friend at Cortina a couple of w/e ago: 200cm & 127 kgs and in good shape. He was shredding the powder real good too!

Toque, looks like u guys had a great week-end, I envy you! I know you are in good hands with FT, but be careful on these Happo open faces, so easy to slide.

Planning to catch-up with Montoya tomorrow for some off-pist riding in Kagura. Really looking forward to that! Will report and hopefully it will your turn for you guys to be envious!

[Toque]

Yah dude
At Happo-one we wern't skiing the open faces that you are probably thinking about.

Make us envious Serreche

[Fattwins]

Dont worry Serreche we usally cut the slopes we ski and if we see slides at all we get out. When we do BC we are really carefull

[SerreChe]

Good stuff Fattwins, I know you are always extra careful.

A few weeks ago at Happo, I saw some ski tracks on one of the further inside the valley open face on the other side of H47. I could see that before wanting to drop into one of the gullies somebody had cut accross the top of the ridge, and a massive slab had come off just below the ski tracks. The guy must have shat himself, but looks like he did not get caught...