TR: Skiing Mammoth Thanksgiving 2022

[c9h13no3]

How old do you have to be before you're forced to tele ski? Gotta make sure I stop skiing by then

[Gogd]

PPS Don’t you find the 180cm heavy? We rented a pair of wide skis from Mammoth Mountaineering and they ere so heavy, we jsut didn’t have a good time. They were Madsush.

Yea, unless you are renting the good stuff, they rarely can compete with what the discerning skier prefers to own.

The weight difference between the skinny skis w/3-pin binding (Fisher 88 @ 210 cm) and the fat boards (Atomic Backland 95s @ 180 cm w/3pin binding) is one pound per ski. The Scott Excursion tele boot is 9oz heavier (per boot) than the Alsolo-Scarpa boot. So the overall set up is about ~25% heavier for the fat skis, versus the skinny skis. BTW I got the fat ski set up from Mammoth Mountaineering. The rental fat skis typically have a thicker cross section, are wider at the waist and tips, mounted with Tec or cable bindings and paired with heavier boots, all of which are significantly heavier than my skis mounted with the basic Vole 3-pin mountaineer binding. In any case if you are day cruising accommodating terrain, I'd prefer my Fishers, too, for weight as well as the advantage of a properly waxed double camber ski, when kicking and gliding across gentle terrain.

The shorter length of the Atomics helps offset some of the weight difference between the ski types. The Atomic ski setup was intended for multi day ski treks with a large pack (sometimes a pulk) in the High Sierra, where floatation issues, getting over passes, traversing steep side slopes and maintaining safe routes along ridge lines has the skier contending with with significant control issues, often on less than desirable snow conditions. The downhill performance of the Fishers was state of the art in the early 1980s, but nothing compared to contemporary fat tele skis. The atomics are stable over a wider range of snow conditions and practically turn by themselves. Since my ski trekking is done on skins, we are dragging our skis, not kicking and gliding along, so the flat land performance of the Fishers is not applicable where I intend using the Atomics. Dragging the ski also reduces the effort pertaining to the impact mass has when carried on the feet.

Ed

[Love the Sierra]

Ed, @Gogd very interesting.
Thanks so much!
Looks like the avalanche risk is so high, we may be very limited as to where we can go this trip. I will post pics again if we do anything very interesting.

[Gogd]

Looks like the avalanche risk is so high, we may be very limited as to where we can go this trip. I will post pics again if we do anything very interesting.

Yea, early season often is stymied by TG crystal layers near the ground level. Sucks trenching out an 8' deep pit, only to see that layer lurking for the unsuspecting. Early season TG layers can last several weeks or many months. And wind slabs are are a recurring hazard at higher altitudes throughout most of the snow season, albeit they tend to stabilize quicker than TG depth hoar.

I assume you are aware of the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center. Likewise there are a couple of off piste guide service outfitters doing business along the Eastern Sierra. All of these resources welcome snow condition inquiries, so phone them the day of your event to get specific beta on the intended venue! If one doesn't have specific details, often one of the other operations will. They all also conduct snow safety courses and certifications. Regardless what a forecast informs, the Sierra are terrain that compels one to know how to conduct their own snow pack analysis, and always individuals should carry carry a shovel, probes and a beacon when out with a group.

Ed

[Gogd]

How old do you have to be before you're forced to tele ski? Gotta make sure I stop skiing by then

Heck, I assumed by your avatar name you'd be the one on skinny boards, back flipping off cornices and schussing out front of the avalanche you intentionally created, just for kicks. But one is never too old for snow sports; they have snow boards you can ride sitting down, like a gravity powered Vespa scooter.

Ed

[Love the Sierra]

Hi Ed,
I contacted ES avalanche this morning and they were wonderful, giving me a very in depth answer. As I feared, going to be all flat skiing in the forest this trip. But, it is all beautiful and we will enjoy wherever we are.

[c9h13no3]

Hi Ed,
I contacted ES avalanche this morning and they were wonderful, giving me a very in depth answer. As I feared, going to be all flat skiing in the forest this trip. But, it is all beautiful and we will enjoy wherever we are.

There's a lot of W-->SE facing slopes to have fun on, or yeah keep the angle low.

[Gogd]

..You say, Asolo - scarpa, did the two merge? ...
..PS what does GOGD stand for?

These boots were a joint venture product of these companies. I purchased them through Chouinard Equipment (precursor to Black Diamond Equipment). These boots are that old. The tops are in excellent condition, however, I had them resoled a few years back, due to wear. They were truly unique for their overall comfort/performance back then, and still remain the most comfortable non-native mountain footwear I've worn.

GOGD: Good Ol' Grateful Dead. Just keep truckin' on

Ed