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Welcome to my Snow Skiing page

* THINK SNOW *

If you are going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country :-)

Commercial Ski Resorts on the web
Upcoming ski events
Trip reports
My skiing history
My current Telemark ski setup
Here is some good ski tuning information
Here are some handy tips for preparing for the upcoming ski season
Some interesting links to ski information on the net:
3D models related to skiing and mountains:
- Mt. Ritter, Sierra Nevada mountains, California, USA.
Be sure to check the California mountain road conditions before heading out to the Sierras.
- For day and overnight parking, a SnoPark permit is required for most areas.
- Notable exception is on the Everett Memorial Highway at Mt. Shasta.
If you're heading into the back country, a quick avalanche check is in order.
- The Tahoe National Forest maintains a page with avalanche info. too.
The Sierra Club's Clair Tappaan Lodge makes an excellent base camp for Lake Tahoe trips.
- The Ski Touring Section of the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club offers a wide variety of outings.

Commercial Resort Links:

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with any of these commercial enterprises. I only put them here so that I can make use of them and if you find them useful, all the better.

Northern California (north to south and west to east order):
- Alpine:
- Nordic:
Nevada:
- Alpine:
  - Mt. Rose*
  - Incline
  - Heavenly Valley*
- Nordic:
Oregon:
- Alpine:
  - Timberline
  - Mt. Bachelor
- Nordic:
  - Mt. Bachelor

Note: (*) Indicates resorts I've skied at.

Upcoming Events and/or reviews:

Mark your calendars for the Echo to Kirkwood Race and Tour - late March

1999 Echo-Kirkwood Race Review:

This La Niña winter season has seen more snow that last year's El Niño. Snow depths were 93" at Echo and 107" at Kirkwood. I managed to use both my Royal Gorge trail passes this year for training days two and one week before the race. About 300 racers showed up for a blustery day of skiing. A bit of fresh snow over an icy crust provided fast conditions. I used a mix of red and blue Slik downhill ski wax and Ascension kicker skins for the beginning. I also skinned up the second hill and found Swix Special Red kicker wax gave enough grip for the smaller hills and flats..

Here's the race results.

1998 Echo-Kirkwood Race Review:

This season has been greatly affected by El Niño, resulting in heavy snowfalls. The week before the race, snow depths are 88" at Echo and 112" at Kirkwood. I managed to use both my Royal Gorge trail passes this year for training days two and one week before the race. This 25th annual race featured a re-enactment of Snowshoe Thompson's trans-sierra exploits on long boards. This event celebrated the 150th anniversary of his famous exploits and included a limited edition cachet which each skier carried and was stamped at the end with an Echo Summit postmark. About 340 racers showed up for a blustery day of skiing. Snow conditions were spring-like and fast. I once again used Swix Universal glider and Ascension kicker skins for the beginning. Unlike last year, I choose to use Swix Silver wax for the middle climb and finish.

1997 Echo-Kirkwood Race Review:

I was only able to spend one day at Royal Gorge two weeks before the race to train. This was the first full day I spent on my newly acquired combi skating skis, the race was the second day! A fine day for a race, a bit warmer and longer course than 1996. Snow conditions were spring-like, with a firm base. Skins and skating skis are the ticket for this course, although everything from snowshoes to randonee skis/plastic boots were seen at the starting line. The downhills were more gradual than 1996. My glide wax (Swix Universal glider w/ top-coat of Swix F4 rub-on) was excellent (as usual). Its so fun gliding past folks herringboning uphill on the Kirkwood trail section. By timing weight shifts with the rolling terrain there, you can fly uphill and ever catch some air over the tops of a few of the smaller hills!

Past results:

YEAR	MY TIME	WINNING TIME
1983	~2:40	1:30-something
1984	n/a	?
1985	n/a	?
1986	n/a	?
1987	n/a	?
1988	n/a	?
1989	n/a	?
1990	n/a	?
1991	n/a	?
1992	n/a	?
1993	n/a	?
1994	n/a	?
1995	n/a	?
1996	3:40	?
1997	3:33	1:43
1998	3:14:44
1999	3:12:32	1:43:57

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Trip Reports:

Mt. Shasta, California, USA - May 23-25, 1997:

My third visit to Mt. Shasta in two years, but this time with plans to climb to the summit (14,162').

After a late night drive from the Bay Area, we awake to a dusting of snow Saturday morning. A group of 11 leave Bunny Flat parking lot (7000') at 0930 on Saturday. We followed the trail to Horse Camp (1.5 mi. 8000') reaching the Sierra Club cabin at 1030. We meet three others there, one who decides to stay at Horse Camp. Several feet of snow at the cabin, although the spring and outhouses were clear. After an early lunch, we fastened climbing skins to skis and headed towards Avalanche Gulch at 1100. Climbing steadily for 3 hours brings us to Helen Lake (3 mi. 10,400') where luck would have it, a group was just leaving a well dug-in snow pit with room for two tents. Tents up, stoves on, melt snow, winds increase. One climber in from the east coast, complaining of headaches, descends at 1730 in the afternoon. According to the ranger (Dan, with 200+ ascents - "Its just another day at the office!") there are 75 tents and 150 people inhabiting Helen Lake that evening, with another 60 in Horse Camp and 40 at Bunny and Sand Flats.

At our planned 0400 wake-up time, howling winds dictate a later start. With sunrise, the winds continue, but clear skies say go for it. Although it had not snowed during the night, the down slope winds have drifted a foot of snow around our tent and buried packs, boots and skis. By 0815 Sunday, my group of three is ready to go. Already, the early climbers are reaching the base of the Red Banks. The Gulch is still in shade and the wind howling. My toes are a little numb from the cold and it takes 30 minutes of hard climbing to warm them up.

Note: I found my power breathing (breath expelled under pressure) technique I perfected in the high Altiplano in Peru most useful. I use a 25 breath cycle, basically, taking 25 breaths while walking then 25 breaths while stopped, over and over again until you reach the top. On shallower slopes/lower altitudes, use a power breathing cycle of in on one foot, out on the other (you can alternate in/out feet). As the slope steepens or the altitude increases, this can be changed to a full breath (in and out) per step (usually a lock step). I find there are numerous benefits to this technique, including:
- Its fast, you'll blow by folks like they are standing still.
  - This can present a problem in group situations, unless everyone uses the same technique.
  - In mixed groups, I try to time my pass of a slower climber either when they are resting, or right at a start of a cycle, so I can use my 25 steps to get some space between me and them.
- You (can and do) generate a lot of heat.
  - You are pumping lots of oxygen through your system, at sea level you will hyper-ventilate if you do this.
  - You don't cool down much in the rest phase.
  - Its much easier to dissipate excess heat than to generate it if cold.
- You do not tire, as you are just getting a little winded as 25 steps and then you stop briefly, just catching your breath before starting again.
  - You do not need to stop for full rests as often.
  - I find the breath counting takes your mind away from the climb. After all, you only are doing 25 steps at a time, then repeating.

Climbing steadily, I reach the base of the Red Banks (and sunshine) at 1000, rest and eat a bit then slog up the now softening snow to the ridge (12,900') which is wind swept and fairly clear of snow. An earlier start is highly recommended. The ease of climbing in the hard cold snow is so much better than the warm wet stuff.

It takes another hour of deliberate climbing to surmount the two false summits of Misery Hill and reach the spectacular summit plateau (13,800'). The smell of sulphur from the hot springs is very evident, even in the heavy wind. The rime-covered summit pinnacle and south peak add to the surreal beauty of the scene. After 3400' of steep climbing the pleasant stroll across the plateau is refreshing. A quick climb up to the summit and it is 1145 Sunday. In the distance can be seen Mt. Lassen and Sutter Buttes to the south, the Siskiyous and Mt. McLoughlin to the north.

Air temp. is 23°F and winds are strong enough to make a 15 minute stay chilling. After signing the summit register, my right hand was feeling numb from the cold. Taking a cue from John Muir's "Snow-Storm on Mount-Shasta", I descend towards the 1/4 acre patch of sloping, snow-free ground that form the Hot Springs. The ground was very soft and several small pools of bubbling water and numerous steam vents dotted the landscape. The sulphurous smell was strong. Remarkably, the wind was non-existent in the protected bowl. It was warm and humid, reminding me of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The hot steam quickly brought feeling back to my fingers and after 15 minutes I headed back down the plateau.

At the Red Banks, it was time to remove the crampons and glissade down the 2500 feet back to Helen Lake. The snow was quite a bit softer making the glissade quite controllable. Those with plastic bags or other slippery material were able to go farther down the slope. Reaching the base camp at 1330 I pack and wait for the rest of the group. At 1530 three of us head down towards Horse Camp on telemark gear. The first few relatively easy, albeit shaky, turns give way to a steep slope of mushy corn snow. Legs weary after hours of climbing can only take a turn or two before either stopping or falling. As the slope flattens, skiing technique takes over and finally the telemark turns begin to flow together. On the heavily sun-cupped snow near the cabin, parallel turns prove most effective. We ski below the cabin to the east, towards Bunny Flat. Gradually the snow pack deteriorates into connected patches until it runs out at the ridge above the flats. A half-mile on a rough trail brings us to the parking lot, where a sign is posted protesting the proposed "Enhancement Fund" fees.

All in all, a wonderful trip. Next time, I plan on carrying skis to the base of the Red Banks for what appears to be an excellent ski descent, snow conditions permitting.

Here's more information on Mt. Shasta and mountaineering:

Here's the story from the trip leader's perspective.
The Mt. Shasta Home page is a great information source.
As is the Fifth Season Ski and Climbing Shop in Mt. Shasta City.
Tuan maintains an excellent Mountaineering Page with lots of good information.

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I've done a bit of nordic skiing during my lifetime:

Having a mix of Norwegian and Swedish blood, I guess skiing is something I inherited.
My first skiing experience was in Minnesota on my grandparent's farm, several miles outside Lengby off of US Highway 2 (circa 1962). They had a pair of old wooden skis with leather toe straps hanging in the barn. One winter my mom took me up the hill (I must have been 5 or so), and had me stand on the skis in front of her and off we went. The snow was quite crusty and I recall that the skis started going apart, my knee dropped down and started dragging (quite painfully) through the crust.
Undaunted by that initial experience, I pestered my folks for some skis for Christmas. We had moved into our new house in Pullman, WA. in April of 1963 and it was located on the northwestern corner of town next to miles of rolling wheat fields. In the winter the snow covers the fallow hills making for ideal skiing. Anyway, one Christmas, I got a pair of skis from Sears (I think) that were straight hickory with a metal toe piece and a spring loaded leather strap for a binding. The set came with the obligatory Tonkin bamboo poles. A few other kids in the neighborhood also scored some skis and we all headed off into the hills. At this time our family did not own a TV, nor had I ever seen how you were supposed to ski, either downhill or cross-country (XC). So we would climb up the hill, using the no-wax-skis-off-walk-up technique popular at the time, and ski down repeatedly in the same set of tracks. We figured out that if we packed tracks in an arc and then skied down in the tracks, we could turn.
I got a newer pair of single-camber, wooden skis with ABS plastic coating, wax-able P-TEX base, 3-pin bindings, low-cut leather boots and bamboo poles during the early 70's and began learning waxing.
I skied two seasons (1976-7 and 1978-9) on the WSU men's ski club as one of two full-time nordic participants. As we needed to have five bodies to field a legal team three or four of the downhill-types would get strapped into skinny skis and would have at it. First season I skied on the above mentioned skis that I trimmed/beveled down to about 45mm width. They were slow as molasses on the flats but climbed great with the right wax.
In 1977, I bought a pair of double-camber foam core fiberglass Kniessel racing skis that were hot in the 1974 Olympics. Unfortunately, the light foam core skis, while fast, we not too durable. As I was learning telemark turns at the time (read: crashing a lot) I ended up breaking the tip off of one of the skis within a year or so. I still have the other ski.
A local ski shop in Pullman, WA. offered the ski team members equipment at cost. I picked up a pair of Skilom waxable racing skis in 1979. There were a hollow wood core ski. I figured they'd be a bit more durable and they must have been as I still ski them today.
I also experimented with tele- and AT gear (before there was such a thing). I once fabricated a toe cage that I soldered to the toe piece of an alpine binding. The heel piece could be slid in and out. I then added a cable binding to this setup. For boots, I used a pair of insulated pacs. The toe cage and cable allowed free heel skiing and then by sliding the heel piece up, I could step in for alpine action. I the modified the toe piece for use with plastic alpine boots, but this didn't work too well.
Finally I bought a pair of Asnes backcountry skis; hickory sole w/ segmented metal edges; and a Silvretta cable binding (see below). I used this initially with my leather hiking boots, then later with plastic climbing boots. In one spectacular head over heels fall at Kirkwood, I snapped a tip off of one ski and they were retired.

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Tele-Gear:

I currently telemark on a pair of 195 cm (Coni?) XR-7s and/or 185cm Ramer Grand Tours with Silvretta (model number intentionally omitted, they don't have one:-) cable bindings and Lowa plastic climbing boots.

If anyone has any more information on these XR-7 skis, I'd love to hear from you. I bought them used in 1979-80 from a co-worker who used them a rock skis while he was in college in the 70's. He bought them from a fellow student who apparently learned to ski on them, then used them for rock skis back in Oregon. I assume they probably date from the late 60's and I've heard that they may have been made by a Japanese ski manufacturer named Coni and may have been a GS or downhill racing ski. They are made of top and bottom aluminum sheets, have a center core of wood, with a black phenolic top layer and P-TEX/steel edges on the bottom.
- The phenolic top is really neat, a little sandpaper and a coat of spar varnish and they look like new!
With the metal construction, they are literally bullet-proof. When I got them, the front of one ski was slightly bent upwards about a foot back from the tip. After mounting the Silvretta bindings and realizing that they have right/left geometry, the bent ski ended up on my left foot. (Previously it randomly ended up on either foot.) After skiing this setup for a year or so, I noticed my left hand parallel turns and and right hand telemark turns were tougher to do than the opposite direction. Suddenly while skiing my first time at Mt. Rose (NV) it hit me that since the tip of the left ski was essentially off the snow and since a lot of the sidecut is developed in the tip, I was essentially skiing two differently sidecut skis. The left ski effectively had less sidecut than the right. In left hand cristies, I was having trouble getting the inside ski to turn as sharply as the right, so I would compensate by lifting the left ski up while turning. Tough to do at speed, on the steeps, and very tiring on the left hip! Similar story on the telemark turns. So when I got home, I clamped the tip between two pieces of wood on a 6" bench vise and had at it. I had that sucker bent more than 90 degrees backwards and by gently bouncing the ski while flexed, I was finally able to take out 90% of the bend. Skied them the next weekend and what a difference a day makes! Then I had to un-learn my poor technique that I had used for so long.
The setup is very excellent. The skis are very stable on ice, hardpack and at high speed. They used to be hard to turn at slower speeds and in the bumps (alpine style), but the addition on tele-gear solves those problems. The setup offers bottom to top of the mountain capability; Ski up as high as you can/dare with skins, drop the skis/poles and put on the crampons/ice-axe and continue on up to the summit.

My Telemark Ski Quiver:

Skis:

Manufacturer	Unknown (perhaps Coni - Japan)
Model	XR-7
Date	circa 1968
Construction	Aluminum skin wood/phenolic core
Color	Black phenolic top, black P-TEX bottom
Length	195 mm
Tip	85 mm
Waist	68 mm
Tail	72 mm
S/N	195 6407

[Picture to be added]

Manufacturer	Ramer
Model	Grand Tour
Date	~1984
Construction	Fiberglass over foam core
Color	Gray w/ black graphics
Length	185 mm
Tip	85 mm
Waist	67 mm
Tail	76 mm
S/N	none

Bindings:

Manufacturer	Silvretta
Model	NMN (i.e. No Model Number!)
Date	~1978
Construction	Steel cable, front spring
S/N	none

I've since found a "modern" replacement for these at http://www.armysurpluswarehouse.com/

I've remanufactured the bindings front pivot on my Silvretta bindings. Originally, the toe piece was riveted to the base plate, but over the years, the rivets had worn and stretched to the point of being very loose. So, I drilled out the rivets and installed a stainless steel bolt through the toe piece. Before there had just been a rivet on each side. To keep the toe piece from crushing, I machined a piece of brass pipe to form a spacer to hold the two toe half sides apart. Several thin brass washers allow for smooth rotation. Play in the pivot is controlled via the tension in the through bolt and can be adjusted if it does loosen up. I use a nylon locking nut to keep it together. It was quite easy to do this modification, requiring only a power drill, bench vise, hack saw, file and drill bits.

I used to use my old leather Civetta hiking boots in these bindings, but the repeated wet/dry cycles were taking their toll. Then I picked up a pair of Koflach VivaSoft plastic climbing boots. They worked for a number of years, but on one trip to Mt. Shasta, I blew out a toe on one boot. After examining the situation, I determined that the rocker in the boot sole was to blame. The binding held the toe down to the ski and when the rocker was flattened out by weighting, something had to give. In fact I tore the binding off of the skis several times before the boot finally let go. The solution was to fashion a wedge to fill in the space under the heel and prevent the rocker from flattening. I found a section of 2x4 cut diagonally produced two equal wedges and this problem is now history. The wedge is topped with some old inner tube material to prevent ice buildup and the wedge also reduces strain while climbing. The wedge is visible in the lower right corner of the side view image (above).

I now use a pair of Lowa Civetta plastic climbing boots with these bindings. I find the plastic climbing boots are 1/2 the cost of an equivalent plastic 3-pin boot. If needed, I can swap the leather inner boot with the liner from my alpine boot to get a taller, more rigid setup. However, I've not needed to do this since switch from the Koflach boots. I also modified the bend of the wire bail to exactly fit the shape of the boot toe. I also adjusted the length/tension in the cable so that I also get a nice release action. The way the mechanism works is that there is a retaining clip that holds the front spring lever down. It is attached to the cable, which in turn is connected to a spring. Under normal striding/telemarking, the clip slides back nearly to the end of the lever. A little extra pressure and is goes beyond the end and the lever pops up, releasing the ski.

I mount the bindings to the skis with threaded inserts in the skis. This way I get a more solid mount and the binding is easily moved from one pair of skis to the other.

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Handy Tips:

Tis' that season again.. Ski season is (almost) here!! Hence, the following is a list of exercises to prepare yourself :-)
These handy tips come to you from Doug in Madison, WI.

Visit your local butcher and pay $30 to sit in the walk-in freezer for a half an hour
- Afterwards, burn two $50 dollar bills to warm up
Soak your gloves and store them in the freezer after every use
Fasten a small, wide rubber band around the top half of your head before you go to bed each night
If you wear glasses, begin wearing them with glue smeared on the lenses
Throw a $100 bill away - now
Find the nearest ice rink and walk across the ice 20 times in your ski boots carrying two pairs of skis, accessory bag and poles
- Pretend you are looking for your car
- While you are at it, sporadically drop things
Place a small, angular pebble in your shoes, line them with crushed ice, and then tighten a C-clamp around your toes
Buy a new pair of gloves and immediately throw one away
Secure one of your ankles to a bed post and ask a friend to run into you at high speed
Go to McDonald's and insist on paying $6.50 for a hamburger
- Oh, and be sure you are in the longest line
Clip a lift ticket to the zipper of your jacket and ride a motorcycle fast enough to make the ticket lacerate your face
Drive slowly for five hours - anywhere - as long as it's in a snowstorm and you're following an 18-wheeler
Fill a blender with ice, hit the pulse button and let the spray blast your face
- Then, leave the ice on your face until it melts
- And be sure and let it drip into your clothes
Dress up in as many clothes as you can and then proceed to take them off because you have to go to the bathroom
Slam your thumb in a car door
- Don't go see a doctor
Repeat all of the above every Saturday and Sunday until it's time for the real thing

From news:rec.skiing.backcountry, here are some handy ways to distinguish a Real skier from an Expert skier:

An Expert Skier ...	A Real Skier ...
drives to the local resort in the Beemer with the skis on the rack upside down, tips back, ...	hasn't dug his/her 1976 Ford F150 Pickup out since the last time he got an impound warning for impeding snow removal, walks to the lift, never shows his pass.
got a great deal on the latest in ski gear at Sniagrab.	picked up a used set at a garage sale and found his bindings in the dumpster outside his apartment.
goes out to a fine restaurant for dinner, apres ski.	is his waiter.
's favorite run has a name like Jaws of Death, Outer Limits, White Heat, or some such.	's favorite run has no name.
counts the number of days he skied last season.	counts the number of days he missed all year.
wishes the ski season was longer.	didn't realize skiing was restricted to a particular season, only that sometimes the lifts run and sometimes they don't.
calls the avalanche report before hitting the resort.	calls in his observations to the Avalanche Forcast Center when he gets back from his tour.
tells everyone that they should ski his favorite resort.	tells everyone that they should ski somewhere else.
thinks the new lift is great.	spent all last night loosening the bolts on pole 12 of the new lift.
feels confident adjusting his binding.	feels comfortable mounting his bindings.
thinks the female lift attendant is cute.	blushes when she tells him how much she enjoyed last night.
subscribes to Powder Magazine to find out the hot places to ski.	skims through the ski rags while he's at the sev' buying beer to see how many of his favorite places they've ruined.
thinks Vail is the resort of all resorts.	Tells everyone that Vail is the resort of all resorts.
buys all his buddies beers at the lodge.	gets all his beer free 'cuz he lives with the guy tending bar.
gets real pissed off when someone skis over the tops of his skis.	paints his skis flat black so no one will steal them, worries about the bottoms of his skis... not the tops.
calls the resort snow report before heading up.	carries a hand held scanner so he knows when the patrol is going to open the bowls.
thinks off-piste is when you step into the trees to relieve yourself.	skis home to pee.
thinks the backcountry is a bar.	chuckles when some touron asks him where he can find the Backcountry.
thinks climbing skins are made of brightly colored Lycra(tm).	knows how to reglue them.
thinks snowboarders are pretty damn funny.	thinks snowboarders are pretty damn funny.
has a fancy ski rack on his car.	has a fancy ski rack by the front door.
sharpens his edges once a week.	sharpens his edges when he flies home to visit his parents for Christmas in Vermont.
knows all about snow making....	worked on the snowmaking crew for three years.
calls a 1-900 number to get the latest weather report.	steps outside and looks up...
has a Grateful Dead sticker on his BMW.	lives with four dead-heads in a one bedroom apartment.
has a gagloop of ski passes hanging all over his jacket from places like Breckenridge and Vail and Aspen and .....	forgot his season pass at home... but it doesn't really matter.
narrowly avoided injury in his last fall cuz his skis came off.	narrowly avoided injury in his last fall cuz his skis stayed on.
wears GoreTex(tm).	wears duct tape.
thinks high speed quads are a type of ski lift.	thinks high speed quads are the leg muscles of the guy breaking trail.
gets all excited cuz it snowed 12 inches, gets up early so he can beat the crowds.	sleeps in til noon since it only snowed a foot overnight.
goes on ski vacation, flies out, rents a fancy Ford Explorer that he parks outside the three bedroom condo he rents.	comes home from skiing to find some dumbshit tourist has parked a Ford Explorer with a Budget Rent-a-Car sticker in his spot again, pulls the valve stem cores from three tires, and tapes them to the windshield with a nasty note.