WOOT WOOT! Nukin' in Missoula

[stuckathuntermtn]

Wish I had rock touring skis. Puking now though. Stuart Mountain Snotel says 28". Anyone free after 10 tomorrow? Snowbowl? I'd imagine Spartan or Paradise would be fairly rock free.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[RootSkier]

What’s lost trails uphill policy? Didn’t see anything on the website

They are totally fine with it, at least when the lifts aren't spinning.

Also, looks like I am going to win ALL THE BETS. Can't believe anyone took me on: https://missoulian.com/news/local/sn...df96029a7.html

[S_jenks]

Broke down while at work this morning, so at lunch I loaded up the gear into the car. When the time came I dipped out from work with the goal of checking the bowl out. By then the road has melted to mostly mud up to the last mile, by then becoming icy.


Despise the 14 heavy inches in the parking lot, the track up to Paradise was classic garbage. Early-season 'booters had been out in force. Once ascending the main run, the pack grew steadily to over 2 feet.


Got passed by some guy in crazy-good shape. Still cloudy out.


The occasional skier would make an appearance on the slope. Managed to capture this native mid-harvest


Up by the top of Far East, I felt a casual pop in my binding, and before I knew it I stood halfway in snow. After 6 years of use, the Salomon bindings finally snapped along the blue rails connecting the heel piece. I'd seen the trip reports about the defect, but was surprised to see it happen to me. On flat ground. On their first tour of the year.


Luckily it broke far enough down the plastic mounts that I was able to slide it back in, and re-hook it to the heel base. Ended up being able to ski down the whole way. The bindings held surprisingly well, but definitely could feel a looseness in the broken one.


Luckily enough the lighting got better and better. Ended up linking turns under the stellar light while the 5pm rush hour traffic still skinned up along the edge.






Not sure what to do at this stage about the binding, but I may email Salomon regardless since it broke under such casual circumstances. I am certain that re-drilling these skis are not an option, but luckily the Ski Swap is this Saturday.

Cheers all.

[406]

^^^Nice, thanks for posting, love those sunset photos. Good to see that much snow, hopefully keeps up through the new year. Bummer about your binding, time for some shifts :-)

[stuckathuntermtn]

Oh noze!
Should have figured there'd be that many tracks at the bowl by now.
Is it still possible to get up to Lolo peak trail? They opened it again toward the end of the summer. Or should I just go to Snowbowl tomorrow? Weather report for up there says a little snow and winds gusting a little bit into the 20's mph. Is that something I need to be concerned about?

[NWFlow]

Oh noze!
Is that something I need to be concerned about?

No.

[jamal]

And here I am still riding a bike. it was cold today. And icy.

Got passed by some guy in crazy-good shape. Still cloudy out.

Looks like Sam and Pancho. Sam's "retired" these days, but still pretty fast.

[toast2266]

Gotta watch out for poncho. That dog's a menace with a bb gun. Terrible aim.

[B__]

[yeahman]

^^That's pretty sweet.

[Ted26]

[SUPERIOR]

Heck yeah! Been reading some pit reports from NW Montana with good coverage on SnowPilot. Sweet!


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[stuckathuntermtn]

Holy shit. I wanna ski!

[S_jenks]

Amazing shots!

Fine time it was for the bindings to have broken, knowing I was so close to that.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[stuckathuntermtn]

I have those too, but not used much for touring. Is it snow build-up under the frame that causes the stress to eventually break it? Seems like that could be a thing.

[wordbird]

I might have been the first person to put some tracks down snowbowl's side country this season today. It was not even a full lap down to the lake, but it still counts right?

[wordbird]

[Ted26]

^ Followed your skin track up the top and saw you guys drop in. Beautiful views !

[stuckathuntermtn]

Wow, you guys are really getting after it. I need to do something, the restless leg syndrome is killing me.

[Rasputin]

I just got back from picking up my season pass, and learned that Snowbowl will be opening this Sunday. What areas will open is not known currently.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Saw that post on Facebook. And got a new photo today.

[wordbird]

Today was the last day for the bowls for a while. Snow was surprisingly good @ Far East. I think i will be up there for first day of lift served tomorrow afternoon.

[S_jenks]

Sunday was... interesting for sure, but fun. Coverage was good up top, though I did not not venture into the trees much yet. Soft all-around, and saw a lot of high spirits.

Getting down again... now that was a different story.

Started off nice up top, but anything south facing had felt the wrath of the previous days' sun. Soft turns turns into chunky hop turns, which turned into ice near the bottom. Very edge-grabby at times. Was impressed by the sheer volume of parents and kiddos braving the headwall on Spartan.

It was certainly a day for training and getting those ski legs back.



spooky fog.

[romeo tango]

anybody know L.O.'s policy on camping in the parking lot?
didnt see anything on their website; i could give them a call
but this is more fun .....

[stuckathuntermtn]

Thursday should be good there!
Storm seems to be stalling on the pass and dropping a foot, then they open with 4 cans of food for a lift ticket for Missoula Food Bank. Which I should add, I volunteer at.