Life and Death...

**icelanticskier** · 01-21-2011, 07:59 PM

Originally Posted by gravitylover

Rog, you're talking about a very different kind of place.

Most of the high peaks, whether it be the Whites, Daks or Greens, are very wind affected and the weight of our maritime snowpack and underlying rain crusts at multiple levels make them "scary places." From your story above it seems that you intuitively picked the better zone that day and I expect that you do that almost all the time.

wind does affect some aspects some days and others other days. some days are unsafe for lee, other days the lee is safe and sublime. windward can be good too, or the only safe bet. the amount of time i've spent and do spend in the prezzies is such an advantage for me as i'm so in tune with the weather and snowpack up there and how the weather affects every nook and cranny up there. our underlying rain crust mostly just cements what's below till more snow falls creating mostly very short term surface scaryness till we get enough new or wind to make it ancient history. it's our rain/wind affect consolidation that give us some of the most consistent and highest quality creamy corn on the face of the earth.

i chose to ski a different zone that day cuz i knew better. all of the ingredients were there for death and destruction. all i want to do is ski good snow. some days are for the steep and technical, and other days are for meadow skipping. problem for some folks is, they get a "tick list" or plan to
'shred da gnar", and they don't know better to back off till a safer day.

bc skiing is all a dance, a dance with the mountains and the elements. we are small and fragile. sometimes we forget.

rog

**gravitylover** · 01-21-2011, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by icelanticskier

all i want to do is ski good snow. some days are for the steep and technical, and other days are for meadow skipping. problem for some folks is, they get a "tick list" or plan to
'shred da gnar",

rog

Funny, I was just talking to another mag about this same thing yesterday. We both agreed that good snow can be found, sometimes, in the "most unlikely" places. I say unlikely because on the interwebs it just can't be that good if it's not gnar.

**karpiel** · 01-21-2011, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by gravitylover

Funny, I was just talking to another mag about this same thing yesterday. We both agreed that good snow can be found, sometimes, in the "most unlikely" places. I say unlikely because on the interwebs it just can't be that good if it's not gnar.

You thought they were kidding about the Hogan Bowl?

**icelanticskier** · 01-21-2011, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by gravitylover

Funny, I was just talking to another mag about this same thing yesterday. We both agreed that good snow can be found, sometimes, in the "most unlikely" places. I say unlikely because on the interwebs it just can't be that good if it's not gnar.

ya man, "gnar" is all relative. i've skied and spend time on some pretty big/exposed terrain, oftentimes solo as i like it that way quite a bit, always have. being solo makes everything around me much more clear and concise. less distractions. it's kind of otherworldly to see the effect of a properly excecuted ski cut produce a slide when no one else is around, then to reap the reward of skiing on a lovely bed surface that is now the new surface.

the ski gear of today definitely makes all of that "gnar" terrain much less "gnar". big skis, big lines? shit, get on some 60mm rugged touring gear and run through the hills dropping here and cutting turns there. i was out this morning on the light gear and got WAY more gripped than on most any big line i've ever been on on the big skis and training heels. and that was on shit that never exceeded 200 vert! good snow tho.

and then there's the whole "steep" thing. "steep" is so alluring, but in most cases hardly "gnar". it's fucking gravity for christs sake! it helps you down! just unweight a little bit! you hardly have to know how to ski! just throw em out there brah!

stoked to ski tomorrow.

rog

**shanugupta** · 01-22-2011, 03:03 AM

Hello everybody; I am new here.my self shen.I just disscus old man in the sky. what's really sad is people not living their life due to the fear of stuff they don't understand.go outside and breathe deep.

**Art Shirk** · 01-22-2011, 03:43 AM

everything =
tl;dr

But I do like nebraska speaking for the west.

**telepow** · 01-22-2011, 10:37 AM

Not to harp on the issue but to prove a point. This was out of bounds in the sketchiest snowpack in the west (San Juans) on a storm day this week. We took all the precautions, mellow line, avy certs, beacons, shovels, probes, avalungs, dug pits, skied one at a time through the choke. It was never life or death for us, just fun.
Sorry about the chest mount-

Don't knock it till you try it!

**icelanticskier** · 01-22-2011, 10:50 AM

in other news, looks like there's some complacent skiing goin on in wasangeles. with all of the great slopes to choose from and surfaces available after the new snow came in and covered the rain crust, some dudes just had to ski the steepish, shallow line with new snow over said crust. guy was lucky. and then with multiple warnings others decided to ski right next to where the slide occured

http://utahavalanchecenter.org/avala...cirque_1212011

they must've all been visiting from back east.........

rog

**telepow** · 01-22-2011, 10:57 AM

^ holy shit! those photos are rare and amazing. That dude should go to Vegas with that luck (I figured you'd like the Shaman stoke icelanticskier)

**icelanticskier** · 01-22-2011, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by telepow

^ holy shit! those photos are rare and amazing. That dude should go to Vegas with that luck (I figured you'd like the Shaman stoke icelanticskier)

ya, that accident report is so valuable in so many ways and i'm so glad the guy didn't get hurt.

i do like the shamen stoke. altho i must admit i'm on k2's now

love my new backlashes and marker f12 binders.

had a great day on em 4000 vert above the valley in new hampshire this past week. good day for farming up high in the lee. 11 degrees below zero without the wind was a bit burly tho, but kept the place quiet per usual.

some pics:

rog

**Slaag Master** · 01-22-2011, 03:17 PM

i grew up back east and know that the icy runs wil kill you just as quick. death is the ever present partner of skiing. life and death. death releases us to eternity. if skiing were totally safe why go? it is only when we volunteer to dance with death and live that our souls are fed that special vitamin we humans need to realize the gift of mortality. offer yourself to the mountain every day. when your turn comes pass without fear through the gate to eternity.