The Official Skiing / Snowboarding / Playing in the Snow Thread

[UnFacconable]

Knowing there are quite a few skiiers and similar winter sports aficionados here (@Numbernine, @imatlas, @otc among others), seemed like it was high time we had a thread dedicated to the discussion.

Please use this thread to discuss your recent, current or planned trips, favorite places to play/slay (regions, resorts, lifts, runs, backcountry too), any gear you love and anything else that is germane.

I will kick things off by noting that per a tip from earlier this week I was reminded that I've been meaning to get a Booster Strap so I ordered one a few days ago and should have it in the next day or so. Looking forward to trying it out which hopefully will be next weekend in Tahoe.

 

[Numbernine]

Whats not to like with a Booster? I get the WC and cut that little braided strap in the middle.
Today was probably the day but I got out of towners and sure enough the (((((spur))))) is closed for avy work this morning. Headed up this afternoon.
Skied 2-3 days a week since the end of January. Close to the best season I can remember for Tahoe both for snow quantity and maybe GOAT for quality.

 

[UnFacconable]

Yup, retirement has its advantages for sure!

I've only gotten up a few days so far because of the kids but now that they've caught the skiing bug, we are hoping to get up a few more times this year and a bunch next year. We are seriously considering Shooting Stars and Mighty Mites for next year but it's a huge time commitment.

I never had any reason to doubt the Booster Strap's effectiveness, just never got around to ordering it. I don't really have any issues with shin bang but looking forward to the increased control.

 

[otc]

Still out on this trip... On the Whistler half now. About to start day 7 out of 8 on the snow.

Pretty standard spring conditions although did catch the remnants of some of the only snow they had this month.

 

[Numbernine]

Today 4-6” new blower on 18” of soft last 48 hrs

 

[Numbernine]

Ok I'll put this here before it goes out into the ether. I gotta thin the quiver . Anybody want or know anyone who wants a pair of mid fat all mountain beaters . 2 days on a new base grind no core shots lotta life left 8/10 Free for PU in Santa Cruz. Binders set for 327 bsl I'll move 'em for you if you want.
Not mine but It'll give you the idea
https://galacticsnowsports.com/prod...MIhLy7s9Wq4QIVAR-tBh3eVgwYEAYYASABEgK0NvD_BwE

 

[otc]

Was having trouble sticking the landing on drops this trip.

Kept sitting down or blowing out of my bindings. Sometimes it is clear what happened, but other times I really wasn't sure why I couldn't ride it out.

 

[Numbernine]

Higher din binders? Squats? Don't jump off ****? You're a young guy so i guess not jumping off **** is not an option.
@otc I have a pair of 16 din metal heel sollys . They are long out of indemnification so you'd have to mount them yourself. If that sounds like something that would work for you I'll give them up for shipping cost.

 

[otc]

Yeah, DINs would have solved some of these. I just like them on the low side since for most of my skiing the consequences of them not coming off when they should far exceed the consequences of them coming off when they shouldn't.
I'm only running about 8 in the toe and 8.5 in the heel on most of my skis (6'2, 200lbs, 325BSL), and they all have room to go up to at least 13.

A little bit of video footage would be nice too. I don't usually get too many opportunities to jump off **** into soft stuff, so being able to diagnose the problems would be helpful. I was definitely too far forward on the one where I double ejected out of the heels and sent a ski rocketing 50' down the hill...but others are less clear.

 

[UnFacconable]

Dude that sounds super low. If you are an aggressive skier you should probably be above 10 minimum. I would defer to someone with more expertise, but my understanding is that if you are an aggressive skier (steep terrain in particular) you may be increasing your injury risk from unintended ejections (TWSS) in steep terrain. It sounds like you are taking that into account with your risk analysis but I would feel really uncomfortable skiing aggressively and I can't imagine hucking anything significant with DINs that low.

My DINs are significantly higher and I still occasionally have unintended heel ejections (typically sideways twisting) from hitting some bump too hard, etc. My concern is always that something bad will happen after I lose my ski but so far it's always been okay.

 

[otc]

It's basically exactly where the DIN calculator puts me (although I agree that I should be in the mythical "3+" category). I'm probably going to crank it up a bit--I am skiing bigger skis now than I am used to and I did have one toe-disengagement that was sketchy--outside ski got knocked off my foot in a hard icy chattering stop which led to a crash that shouldn't have happened.

This one I just hit a little too hard (knew the camera was running)...I've landed it before:


I stuck this little cliff at the top of Whistler's harmony chair (you can hear some chairlift cheers), but the camera was a second too late

 

[Numbernine]

I have skied a 7 din for as long as I can remember also never had an unintended ejection that I can remember but I also ski a slow technical line on steeps. A couple tomahawk beaters and high speed sliders in no fall zones set me on that path. You see those guys recover from a 45mph spill on a vertical spine in Alaska, that ain't happening for this old man

 

[karting]

@Numbernine Where are you at in Tahoe? Made it out to Heavenly a few years ago and was lucky enough to wake up to about 2 fresh feet one of the days.

@otc I'm not an expert by any stretch, but do you feel like you're far enough forward on takeoff?

I'm currently deciding whether or not to jump into a ski camp in the summer through https://partybeachskicamps.com/. Less to improve my skiing and more to hang out with Marcus Caston for a week.

 

[Numbernine]

@Numbernine Where are you at in Tahoe? Made it out to Heavenly a few years ago and was lucky enough to wake up to about 2 fresh feet one of the days.

@otc I'm not an expert by any stretch, but do you feel like you're far enough forward on takeoff?

I'm currently deciding whether or not to jump into a ski camp in the summer through https://partybeachskicamps.com/. Less to improve my skiing and more to hang out with Marcus Caston for a week.

I live in Santa Cruz but I have full access to a place 45 mins west of Kirkwood, partial access in SLT and friends in Tahoe City in the norf

 

[Numbernine]

It's basically exactly where the DIN calculator puts me (although I agree that I should be in the mythical "3+" category). I'm probably going to crank it up a bit--I am skiing bigger skis now than I am used to and I did have one toe-disengagement that was sketchy--outside ski got knocked off my foot in a hard icy chattering stop which led to a crash that shouldn't have happened.

This one I just hit a little too hard (knew the camera was running)...I've landed it before:


I stuck this little cliff at the top of Whistler's harmony chair (you can hear some chairlift cheers), but the camera was a second too late

Probably you already know this but letting your hands get higher than your **** or behind your belly button will put you in the backseat for sure.