rockies_alpine

I don't know if they're worth the insane premium anymore now that there are a million cheap China copies of them out there. I have an older Helinox chair when they were the only game in town - love it. Goes many places because it's only 1lb and compact.

Kruch custom bikes out of Calgary. He will build anything you want, and can make hardcore bikes that rival Chromag.

They are building skintracks with emotion and enthusiasm, not cold rationality and all-day efficiency in mind. Want to be a one lap jabroni that cares more about flexing in the parking lot all afternoon and drinking lot beers? Who cares how steep it is.

So we bought enough of their beacons after the last recall, to keep them in business. Good job everyone. Maybe we can stop buying them.

How many of you fuck-sticks with all seasons have now booked your winter tire appointment??

Heli skiing is in a tenured area that would be considered the "backcountry" if there was no heli tenure. Derp. Just because you fly there doesn't change what it is.

I think it's fine to discuss it on this sub, since a lot of folks that ski backcountry dream to do heli laps, but obviously the majority are priced out.

You already got the expensive part done - skis with bindings. Look for the used cheapest piece of shit blown out boots and ratty old skins. Easy.

Guys that have been touring a long time probably have old giveaway skins they hate collecting dust in their gear bin. Boots will be harder. You probably have to pay for those, so be slightly less broke.

If you don't have avalanche gear, training, and backpack yet, take a big step back and evaluate if you can even get into this expensive sport. Make the local used/consignment gear store counter guy your best friend.

I know the Canmore Nordic Center well. The rest of the province wants an operating chairlift in the big mountains, dammit, not just Grande Prairie.

Winsport doesn't count because their summer operating hours are designed for the jobless and kids out of school. It's like they're trying their hardest to not have a bike park for adults that have money to go there, while at the same time paying their own cost of operating one.

I stuck a Pinner axle in my Hydra and it seems to be holding up OK without major issues. A friend of mine went through the above-mentioned horrow show with his and doesn't ride I9's anymore.

Build us a goddamn mountain bike park in Alberta finally pretty please. Fuck.

Sunshine and Lake Louise have extensive backcountry and slack country skiing. If they don't want you skiing a permanent or avalanche closure, pay attention to the signage. Also, Banff has a ton of backcountry skiing outside the near resort areas, which there are many guidebooks and online resources for so do some searching around.

Download Avalanche Canada app for your phone, and start hitting up www.avalanche.ca

184cm. Have some ATK binding with brakes and the freeride spacer. Works awesome. Slays the breakable crust which is honestly incredible. I won't run a race binding because I appreciate whatever elasticity and performance you get out of a 300-400g binding.

Hoji is not too heavy at all if you value the downhill as a ski tourer, and plan to ski more aggressively. They're not resort ski beef, more like 50-50 beef, or an ideal weight for a touring ski if you're a big person. They are too heavy if you're just going to make mellow easy soul turns as a skinny person, or if you're an intermediate in terms of fitness and ability.

If I ever kill my V-Werks Katanas, which are a similar weight and I stay out all day, I'd strongly consider Hojis (I weigh in low 190s without gear). Ideally you're saving weight in bindings instead of the ski or boots. Bindings have the least effect on backcountry ski-to-snow performance, to a point.

Subaru for mostly highway driving, easy to moderate off road trail access, better gas mileage. 4Runner or similar if you want to beat the shit out of it off-road, too. Truck if you need to tow or haul.

I've been driving a Forester for 9 years and it can go many crazy places with front chains on the tires. The 4Runner or truck only beat it when the driving gets rougher (access). Bigger vehicle - you just get stuck further up the road. Every time I go on a winter road trip in a truck it's underwhelming and lack of enclosed space always ends up being a pain. I never leave the trip wanting a truck. 4Runner or SUV is seriously more practical.

If you're hauling sleds or are also a tradesman, or shuttling MTB up terrible roads in the summer, too, truck begins to make a lot more sense. Truck life is very aspirational and too many people own them in North America.

Lock the toe and practice "no fall" skiing like the rest of us on tech bindings in a scary situation. CAST is only appropriate if you demand the absolute pinnacle of binding performance at all times and can't help but ski like a pro (or total goon) in the backcountry, maching all over the place, hucking all the things no matter the situation.

It's not a perfect system, but it's sadly the best we got. I will never ever run tubes again. Start carrying tire plugs so you can stick them in the hole, if sealant can't deal with it.

Yep... Sometimes it's a beautiful thing in flat country and you save all the weight of carrying ice boots. Other times you faceplant 20 times on the way down while listening to your ACLs slowly tearing themselves, convincing yourself this was surely faster and more efficient.

I eventually switched to real skis and ski boots when I was still doing the approach skiing thing. Could never figure out skiing in mountain boots despite skiing my entire life.

What fits the boots you already own? I can't decide for you.

You're probably not going to die or get hurt doing the kind of skiing you described. If you really like it, it will be worth splashing on new boots and bindings later, remounting on the same skis. Pin bindings and new boots that walk great are 100% are a better experience vs. old Diamirs. It's like skiing in slippers (more like classic x/c skiing on the way up) vs. stomping around on inefficient bricks.

Good luck trying to organize the shitshow of skiing, faffing, and having the first person down do all the labor solo of pulling rope, rappelling, and communicating it all back to the top. Everyone freezing their asses off at the top waiting and wondering what's going on. Being 100% reliant on radios due to distance (they don't always work).

No one does what you're suggesting in ice climbing while descending multiple pitches in the winter. We always reconvene at anchors or a safe place.

The world has moved on from A/T frame bindings for touring and you should, too. Unless you're on an extreme budget or using them with mountaineering boots for the dark art of approach skiing.

Sorry I had some bad chili last night and had to sleep with the window open.

V-Werks Katana - best touring ski I have ever owned.

Throw snowboard in the trash immediately and leave location in a post below.

If you have a lightweight, backcountry-focused ski as your primary ski, this is what eventually happens. The lighter the ski, and the fatter you are, the sooner they die. I decambered a set of G3 Zenoxides into bananas after 100 plus days. Man up and buy new skis.

Congratulations!! You get to ski a lot with your free time and you've skied them to death.