Bridger Bowl: Schlasman's Naming/Mapping Project ("Stepping Up Schlasman")

[thaddeusmt]

Calling all Bridger mags! I want to try to get the new Schlasmans lift terrain mapped and named a little, like how the old Stepping Up book did for the Ridge. I see some stuff already has names, like McRib, so I would like to try and find out all the other existing names I can so we can share stoke on lines and drops without getting too confused.

Below are some pictures I've taken this year with some lines numbered for reference. If one of the numbered lines has a name you use, please share it! And if you have pictures/names of any lines I've left out (there are lots) also feel free to fill us in.

For your humble consideration, I've put down some of my suggestions - names I'm mentally already using.

My end plan is to basically compile an addendum to Stepping Up, and put it up online for free to help share with the wolrd the sickness that is Schlasmans... and to help keep people from getting cliffed out too often.

And finally, just so I'm on record:
THANK YOU, Bridger Bowl. Raging Mad Props to you for putting in this new lift. Opening this much gnar and trying to keep it safe takes balls, and I greatly appreciate it. Keep us all filled in on anything we can do help keep/make the new terrain fun and safe for everyone. Thanks.

DISCLAIMER:
Much of the new Schlasmans lift is dangerous, expert terrain. Just because a line has a name, does not mean it is skiable. Snow conditions change day-to-day, and the snowpack will vary throughout the season. Everyone should use caution to make the patrollers lives easier and for their own well being:
1. wear a beacon
2. observe closed areas
3. scout lines first
4. ski one at a time
5. use safe zones
6. probe landings
7. pack a shovel/probe, etc

Have fun but BE SAFE.

Customized Trail Map:


The South Face, view from Mundys


The North Face, view from Pierres


The North Face, view from below, up Slushmans Ravine


My Suggestions:
5 & 6. Leggy Blonde
13. Shiv
16. The Cave (or FUPA?)

Existing Names:
1. Jaws
12. Pat's Chute

(updated 12-18 10pm)

Cheers!

[monkeywrenchMoose]

This is awesome! Thanks man. I really like Leggy Blond for 5&6. Go with that. Those lines are sick!

[BB RidgeKid]

Having lines named is good... but should we really be explaining to everyone how to get into these lines and map it all out? Much of this terrain is not SAFE and showing people how easy it is to get into it is even more dangerous, no?

Do we want to map it clearly enough for people to scrape out all these lines? or for people to think they are gnar enough to shred a line and get hurt in it?

This is not safe terrain, and I don't think we should make an easy gateway to all this terrain that we had to explore ourselves.

On another note nice clear pictures man! and maybe it's a good idea to name them all, but WE should be leery of telling everyone how to get around the drop in the ravine or how to find some of those steep little chutes...

[Jumper Bones]

Ridgekid - if you find the old "Ridge Guide" that was being sold by the ski patrol, it very specifically states that just because a path is named does not mean it's necessarily skiable. Some of the named paths were avalanche runout paths, some skiable only in the best snowpack years, some never. Take that spirit to now...

[BB RidgeKid]

JB- I am well aware of the ridge guide, and it stating the dangers etc... However, After witnessing too many gapers wanting to shred over there, and people skiing with no ethics up there It seems sketch to show all of these people how to access these more technical lines. If people want to ski them they can do what thadmt has done...taken the initiative to find the lines themselves.

I don't want to be hypocritical, I have used "stepping up" numerous times... but Slashmans seems like a different ball game than the ridge.

I learned to ski the ridge one at a time finding safe zones down lines, recently people have been skiing all at the same time having no consideration for others below them....

A "roadmap" to Slushmans, is practically a feel free to shred as if its perfectly safe.

I am not saying it is a bad idea... I would just make HUGE emphasis on ethicality in sidecountry-ish terrain...I have mixed feelings about this terrain, don't take this all personally or seriously just think about all sides...

[thaddeusmt]

RidgeKid- You do make some good points about safety, and God knows we all hate scraped out lines. I have a few counter arguments though, of course.

First, I'm not sure how having more knowledge about the terrain will make it less safe for people. There are two ways to look at this:

1. If a jong sees a dangerous named run they would not have found otherwise, they will ski it and hurt themselves.[/LIST]
2. If a jong sees a dangerous named run they would have accidentally skied and hurt themselves on, they will be able to avoid it.

There will be some of (1) because there always is, sadly, but after hearing about and seeing people getting cliffed out already, I hope it's mostly (2). I should put some boilerplate disclaimers on and around my pictures though. And it is good to think about these things, thanks again for raising the issue.

Second, if I can see these lines and take these pictures, other people can too. I've been eying that North Face from the top of PK for years. It's not like I'm giving away Top Secret information (and I'm not marking the shacks ) People are going to see (and ski) these lines, and I think it would be nice to call them by name. That big chute down the South face? I spotted it my first run down Mundys, and skied it my next run. I assume the people who scraped it out before me did the same. Now I just want to know if it already has a name.

Lastly, as Jumper mentioned, there is a precedent. For years (unless they're out of print and bought-up now) any old jong in Bozeman could run in to Barrel and buy Stepping Up and get themselves in real trouble on the Ridge in Heavenly Blue, or Sixth Grade. At least here on TGR I feel like it's mostly rippers with a sense of personal responsibility who are getting this info- who have already skied most of the these lines!

Thanks again for raising the concerns, but, I still feel like this project will be doing more good than harm.

Just as with the Ridge though, everyone should be safe and make their own judgment calls. Not all lines are skiable - anywhere - in all snow conditions or with all snowpacks. Everyone should use caution to make the patrollers lives easier and for their own well being: observe closed areas, scout lines first, ski one at a time, use safe zones, probe landings, wear a beacon, pack a shovel/probe, etc. It is dangerous, expert terrain.

But it's also awesome!

And I want to know what things are called.

Have fun and be safe there!

Cheers!

[muted]

Doesn't ski patrol already have names for all the main lines?

And 'Tight Squeeze' is already a run at Bridger.

[mnflyfish]

On either side of Leggy blonde the runs should be named G-String. Just sayin.

[Aenigma]

#13 makes for an exciting straightline.

[thaddeusmt]

muted- They probably do, and if they do, I would like to put them on the map! But all I'm aware of is what's on official trail map, which is just Mundy's and Slushmans. Also, at the bottom of the lift, they have that grid system, but there are no additional names on that.

Any 'trollers on the forums who can help out??

mnflyfish- I like it. All the names should be as offensive as possible! :P

[BB RidgeKid]

I think the naming will be fun... offensive is very good just look to sixth grade haha.
Safety is key and i just hope gapers stay out...

On a different note this wind is gonna fuck shit up...

[muted]

I think it's kinda weird to just start naming things and pretending those names are all of a sudden real names.

What would help is asking the Ski Patrol (in person) what the names are, and posting those names here.

[XtrPickels]

I think it would be hard for things to stick, if they didn't have PC alternatives. IE Sixth Grade and DRCS. Rarely, if ever, do you hear the full names of those lines.

I also think all of this is a bit premature. Lets see what lines come out. Get good information and beta.
I think if any one does this it should be MT and FoS again. They did a good job w/ stepping up.

[Yonder_River]

Damn that terrain looks sweet. I wonder what the odds are that it'll be open next time I make it to Bridger.

[Lexi-Bell]

Those boys did a helluva good job on their book, but let's wait a good 5-10 years before we write one for the new goods. You know, ski the same run ten times in six different conditions, poke over here, nose around there.

Getting cliffed out and hiking back up and out is sobering. Not a bad thing.

There is enough over there to keep even the everyday allday skier busy for a while, wow I mean a TON of AWESOME terrain.

And while I'm all for sharing the beta I think folks need to learn it for themselves, kinda like the Ridge before the book came out. Not having a trail map adds some fear, respect, curiosity, and excitement to the deal, all good things.

At first I thought this was a good idea, and was excited about getting in on it, hell I even typed out a reply bangin on BBRK. But on further reflection I'm not sure an online trail map would provide what this new chair needs: Respect.

A lot more people read this shit than participate.

[BB RidgeKid]

GOOD POINTS ON ALL SIDES

I love that terrain... So LEXI i'm interested on how you were gonna reply to me haha

[fez]

i was pretty stunned at some of the shit i saw over in slushman's on saturday, a group of folks doing full on stem christies (is that still a turn?) down the slide paths in mundys. couldnt handle the untracked, so the slide path was the closest thing they could find to a groomer i guess.

the wind funk was zesty for sure. probably did more front somersaults on saturday than i've done in any single day since i quit tele skiing. once i started poking around in the trees and chutes it got really good though.

personally i think the panda renting beacons is going to cause more trouble than anything posted here.

[thaddeusmt]

muted and xtrPickels- I'm not necessarily saying we should just toss names out there, willy nilly, and expect them to stick... although I did just that . It is premature. I do want to find out the existing names first - not try to create a whole new set of names. That's the main goal of this post, I think, after these comments have made me re-think it. I playfully put out a few suggestions, but what I was hoping for was some kind of expert to fill in the blanks. Perhaps every little group has their own set of names though? I'm sure the naming isn't that fine-grained yet in any case, since Slushmans had less traffic before, so I hope this will serve as a venue for posting and verifying new names/sub-names/clarifications as they become part of our vocab up at BB.

Lexi- Good point about all the lurkers... and about the fact it's impossible to write a book for the "new goods" so early... and that perhaps trying to do so does take away some of the magic of new exploration...
hmm...

But my main motivation for this post still stands: I want to know if that long chute ("12") has a name! It's such a striking feature I feel like it should have a name printed on the trail map... but the angle of the map doesn't even depict it!

I'll be sure to ask a patroller about that line this week when I'm up there, in any case.

btw, fez- Who rents beacons, anyway? Just the Barn? It kind of made sense to me in the past for the Ridge, which seems as well controlled as say, North Bowl, but after all the in bounds incidents (like Jackson) this year that kind of sketches me out now...

[XtrPickels]

Fez- Its good that people don't really know about that rental situation.

Lexi- Said it better than I did. Those issues were the point of my "premature".

Just because you have this yearning desire to define things it doesn't mean its a good idea. How many other places have guides to them? Can you find published beta on the goods at Jackson. Stowe? Big Sky?

In other news. Is this new terrain reducing traffic on the hike?
Even if Slushies gets skied out quick, if it helps preserve the lines we all know and love and keeps the hike from being nuts to butts, its worth while.

[Telemarc]

I believe shoot 12 is named after patroller Pat Haines(sp) either "Pat's" or "Haines" Not sure on the spelling of his last name it sounds like Hynes.
#1 I have heard called "Jaws" on several occasions.
Have not thought about the idea of this thread too much, but I think those are two legit names.

I will have to look again, but #16 is pretty fuckin flat...

[BridgerBro]

just want to point out that your missing the entire southern aspect of slushmans and the northern aspect of no name. lots of good terrain in there.
my favorite poach used to be the most prominent chute on south facing slushmans, it was so easy from d-route, i always called it southbound, but apparently they call some low down shot off pierres southbound now. anyway, i dont know if enough people really skied this area enough to really name every nook and crannie before so it may take some time for the runs true personalities to come through.

after this weekend i am fired up on the new lift, takes a little getting used to but now you can ski every single little line up there without worrying about wasting a run. absolutely gnarly terrain accessed from that lift, i said it before and got flamed for it but this lift officially puts bridger in the big leagues as far as ski areas go. a true prime time playa!

[baseWeldr]

one a them droppin into the main gut, maybe #4 or 1, has been called jaws for yrs
also main Sfacing path off the top, oops I meant 12, has been known as pat's chute among the ol' slackcountry d00ds who used to have to rule of the roost over there...

Im with aeniggs, let the word of mouth get goin, help it along if you're up there alot talkin to people, perhaps future events will bestow a name upon a line -something like the maggot strainer trees...? d'oh!

edit marc beat me to it, think its hinz btw...
I see we're off on the #'s, didn't look too hard

[thaddeusmt]

Pickels- I have found a few guides for Teton Pass and the Jackson backcountry (Granite Canyon, etc). Never been to Stowe. True I've never seen a guide for Big Sky sidecountry... but all the inbounds runs at Big Sky are named.
I think the question is: how many lift served/avi controlled areas are there without maps/guides? Yes Stepping Up is above and beyond most guides/maps, but, I mean, Corbet's and the Alta Chutes are marked on J-Holes map. Big Sky names Big Couloir on their map. But perhaps I am just spoiled by Stepping Up.

Telemarc, BridgerBro and baseWeldr- Thanks!!!

[ak_powder_monkey]

that is some gnar

[BobMc]

I like to think I keep up on ski area news, I had no idea they put this lift in. They haven't done a very good job of marketing this new addition.

I've got a week to kill in the middle of January. I was debating on heading down to check out Silverton, or heading North to check out Moonlight Basin. I'm leaning towards a northern trip after seeing this.

BobMc