Jan 31, 2007 · 03:38 PM
I bought a North Face jacket at the REI garage sale recently. As with most items at the garage sales, it’s there because there is some issue, and in the case of my jacket the problem was a broken zipper pull. (Normally not a big deal anyway, but the way it was broken precluded the usual fix of looping a key ring through the zipper.) The jacket was brand new and half price due to the blemish, so I decided to buy it. …
Jan 31, 2007 · 11:28 AM
Visiting with some of the small ski manufacturers at SIA, I started to wonder what it would take to make my own skis. Woodworking is a hobby of mine so, naturally, whenever I see someone else building something, I think about how I would do it (sometimes I even do it).
Over at SkiBuilders.com is nice, albeit brief, intro to making skis. Time to get the get the woodworking shop out of storage and into operation!
Jan 30, 2007 · 06:07 PM
The past couple years I’ve been skiing around with various backpacks that weren’t designed for ski use. They get the job done but not typically in the most graceful fashion, so I decided to do some ski backpacking shopping this season. As with most gear purchases, I spent way too much time reading about and looking at various packs before I settled on the Osprey Switch 26.
Jan 29, 2007 · 09:30 AM
One of the things I love about trade shows is visiting with small manufacturers. These are the people who are pursuing their dream and they’re personally proud of what they do and will talk your ear off. It’s a different experience from talking to a sales rep in a big corporation.
I saw lots of small ski manufacturers while in Vegas, here are a few:
Annelise Loevlie from Icelantic AT Boards told me how founder Ben Anderson had started making skis in his teens and had grown that endeavor into a business. Icelantic’s fat boards are all covered with the artwork of Travis Parr—evocative and intricate works of fantasty.
Jan 29, 2007 · 06:41 AM
Hugger Industries is world HQ for the Hugger family of blogs and fresh products and launched this weekend. As a Snow Hugger reader, you won’t see any changes, but can expect more huggers this year and more products.
Jan 27, 2007 · 07:29 AM
I think that companies must often forget that the chief representation of their brands are their people. All the marketing spin and PR hype can’t outdo a little person to person interaction. At SIA, I was reminded of this repeatedly as I went from booth to booth and met each brand.
At one manufacturer’s booth, their marketing agency had provided two representatives for the show who were unbelievably young, inexperienced, and unpolished. I’m sure they were the least expensive people who could be sent, and “cheap” came through loud and clear.
At the booth of a major snowboarding manufacturer I was told in brusque terms by a snotty receptionist that I was not allowed to take photos without a contract—this despite that fact that their wares were displayed in full, public view. The message: beat it riff-raff, you’re not one of us.
One blowhard’s ornery lecture about the decline of the ski industry told a tale of rigidity and grandiosity.
Meanwhile, at the Scarpa booth I had an informing and laid-back chat with Mike Geraci of Basecamp Communications about the Scarpa brand and line up. He showed me some of their innovations and explained how each boot had been designed for a unique kind of skier. I learned that Scarpa cares about addressing individual needs and continuity of innovation.
At Bula, a friendly and upbeat Sabrina Cook from Blast Media demonstrated how that brand is extending its cute and upbeat attitude beyond hats and scarves.
And at Giro, Phil Notheis’ obvious enjoyment geeking out over that company’s technology told me that I was in the presence of innovators.
Who you are as a company is the values and image conveyed by the people who work for you. A slogan or an ad campaign can crystalize and clarify who you are, but neither can change it.
Jan 24, 2007 · 01:09 AM
Last season I lost my most beloved boiled-wool ski sweater. It had been with me for a while, fit me like a glove, and required almost no cleaning. That’s because, unlike most synthetics, wool has anti-microbial properties so it doesn’t get stinky nearly as fast. Then at Neptune Mountaineering a while back I saw the simple, clean lines and great colors of some Ibex sweaters and knew I had to visit them here in Vegas.
When I went by, Keith, the Director of Marketing at Ibex, took me quickly through their lineup and told me a little about their story. Based in Woodstock, VT, Ibex sources its wool from New Zealand and has its pieces woven and assembled in mills in the US. They control the product end-to-end and take an active interest in the manufacturing process at every step. Their enthusiasm for their clothing shows in the end result.
Keith showed me quite a few pieces but I want to mention two that really grabbed me. At first glance, the Nelson crew top looks like a relatively normal long-sleeve t-shirt. But, it’s woven from incredibly fine merino wool and when you handle it there is no mistaking it for cotton. It feels both luxurious and substantial and the soft warmth of the fabric makes you want to swathe yourself in it. One of these would be great on its own, but my immediate thought was “I wonder how that would be layered under a t-shirt?”
Jan 24, 2007 · 12:30 AM
Over at the Panoptx booth, I got to check out their Speed and Velocity lines of sunglasses. The frames are light, shapely, and come in some really nice finishes. Unlike some plastic frames, they also felt secure without any pressure points, and I was impressed with the explanation of Panoptx’s focus on optical quality.
But my interest was piqued in particular by the Velocity line—glasses with a removable eyecup. With eyecup in place, the glasses work much like a goggle, blocking wind and back reflection while providing venting. I love this idea—I can’t ski in sunglasses because the wind buffeting makes my eyes water, but I also have problems with fogging which the removable eyecup (as well as anti-fog coating) would seem to address. At the same time, there are plenty of times when I would love to ditch the goggles and ski with a little less bulk.
Panoptx Velocity line could be the ticket.
Jan 23, 2007 · 02:40 PM
This afternoon I took a tour of the Giro product lineup, which includes helmets, goggles and, new this season, shoes.
Jezeil gave me a tour of the goggle and shoes. In the google world, Giro is coming out with a swappable-lense system called “Pop-Top” that, unlike predeccesors, allows you to handle the lens without touching the surface via a little handle release on top. Pictured here in the Manifest goggle.
Jan 23, 2007 · 12:52 PM
At the Yakima booth this morning, I got the lowdown on several of their latest innovations. Very cool stuff.
The Yakima SkyBox is a car top box built “with the user in mind.” The lid has been designed to be opened or closed with minimal effort—the hinge does most of the work—and when they designed it, they were thinking about gloved hands, so theres a big fat lip and a one-handed latch both of which should help with fumbling. The lid can also be opened (once unlatched) or closed from anywhere thanks to the lid reinforcements and hinge.
Jan 23, 2007 · 10:53 AM
Among the many hot bodies here at SIA, one of the hottest I’ve seen is the Volvo C30. The Swedish Mini killer showed up at Sunday’s fashion show and I was immediately impressed with its compact form and muscular appearance. It’s a very pretty car in person, especially in the silver and white camo.
It sounds, however, as though it may not be available with all wheel drive. Billed in this context as a car with roots in snow sports, how will it compete with Audi’s entry-level quattros, the A3 S-Line and A4 and with Subaru’s WRX lines?
Jan 22, 2007 · 06:56 PM
Chris Davenport showed up at the Salomon afternoon beer and apps party. As would be expected, he was surrounded by congratulators, and after shaking his hand, I hung around and listened to him talk about his nerves on Wednesday before his failed attempt.
Jan 22, 2007 · 06:24 PM
I stopped by the Quiksilver booth get a closer look at some of the apparel from the snowboard and ski fashion show last night, and got sidetracked by these babies.
Gene, the Quiksilver shoe rep caught me eyeing the shoes and showed me their catalog for spring, thereby blowing my mind. Their retro-inspired loafers and lace ups are combining materials like wool, perforated leather, woven jute, and embossed leather in endless varieties, all with a slim profile and a nice soft athletic sole. I thought my black and white Creative Recreation Fidels were cool, but I left the Quiksilver booth jonesing for some new galoshes.
You can’t ski in them, or even reasonably walk in snow, but I’m in love. I guess you could go to the grocery store to buy ski snacks in them. There’s you’re “snow sports” connection.
Jan 22, 2007 · 10:55 AM
Last night, SIA kicked off with its second-annual fashion show. I had never been to a fashion show of any kind and I must admit, I went to this one with low expectations. How good could a fashion show produced by the snow sports industry be?
I am tempted to believe that low expectations are the key to enjoyment, because I thought the fashion show was great. The models were hot and there were several items that really knocked my socks off. As I indicated recently on Bike Hugger, I think that it’s valuable for gear to be beautiful for the same reason that it’s important for food to taste good. The show last night was inspirational because, for the most part, it showed highly functional gear that also looks great.
Jan 20, 2007 · 10:08 AM
Kids 12 and younger fly, ski and stay free (until Feb. 15) with a paying adult at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming, where you can hit the slopes and spend time touring Yellowstone National Park. In the town of Jackson, you can take the kids to the National Elk Refuge.
Jan 20, 2007 · 10:07 AM
If you book your trip to Steamboat in Colorado by mid-February, kids 12 and younger fly, ski and stay for free (they also ski free all season as long as their parents or grandparents buy a five-day lift ticket). Soak in a real hot spring after a day on the mountain. And with the new Sunshine Express lift, there are trails from the top of the mountain that even beginners can handle.
Reservations: 877-237-2628 [toll-free] or 970-879-0740 [international]
Jan 20, 2007 · 09:01 AM
With a ten gallon fillup at participating Shell stations, you can get a voucher for a Buy-One-Get-One-Free lift ticket at Winter Park, Copper Mountain, Crested Butte, or Monarch Mountain. I needed some gas on my way up to go backcountry skiing, so I stopped at Shell and got my voucher. Details here. It’s a pretty sweet deal if you ask me. I need gas anyway, so I may as well get a free lift ticket while I’m at it. So who wants to go to Crested Butte?
Jan 20, 2007 · 08:30 AM
After an unsuccessful attempt on Wednesday, January 17 (pictured), Chris Davenport has suceeded in skiing the 54th peak in his quest. As reported by Lou Dawson at WildSnow.com, on Friday, Davenport “found a skiable route on the southerly side of the mountain.”
What an incredible accomplishment. Congratulations!
Photo from SkiThe14ers.com
Jan 20, 2007 · 08:23 AM
Daughters 19 and under will ski and snowboard free at Gore Mountain with a full paying parent from January 22-28. Season passholders, four-pack holders, and Empire Cardholders are welcome to participate in the special offer.
Jan 18, 2007 · 01:00 PM
SIA (SnowSports Industry America) is one of those industry organizations that, every year, holds a huge trade show in Vegas. Everyone in the industry goes to for a few days to schmooze and drink on the premise of finding out what everyone else in the industry is doing. It has the booth babes, spectacle, and the celebrities all there to sex up what is, on a day to day basis, a pretty low-key industry (unless, perhaps, you’re Shaun White).
Manufacturers are there pitching their wares to journallists and retailers, retailers are there trying to decide what to buy for next year, and people like me are there to to go to the parties and take it all in.
Among others, I’ll be attending this little shindig sponsored by Boost Mobile and Oakley. Am I square? I have no idea what any of it means except “Sapphire Gentleman’s Club.”
I’m also going through the ritual of setting some appointments with a variety of manufacturers. I’m really looking forward to it—I love gear, and I think spending a couple days talking to the gear makers about their gear is going to be very interesting.
But, there are 5.7 brazillion booths at this thing. There’s no way I’m going to stop at them all and the question is: Who do I visit? What do I talk to them about? Well, you’re the audience, I’m asking you: What are you interested in? Want a sneak peak at the latest thing in shovels or next year’s women’s tele skis? I myself want to check out the AT rigs, the latest softshells, and boots.
Here’s the floor plan with all of the exhibitors, if you’re interested.
Jan 16, 2007 · 08:54 PM
Yesterday, Chris Davenport climbed and skied down Blanca Peak—the 53rd of 54 Colorado fourteeners he set out to ski almost a year ago. With five days remaining in his quest, only one summit remains: Long’s Peak.
Call me narcissistic, but I just think it’s cool that his adventure quiver contains the same skis I ride 85% of the time: Salomon 1080 Foils.
Not me—mine don’t have “Clif Bar” stickers on them.
Lou Dawson, who himself knows a thing or two about skiing fourteeners, has a brief bit on Davenport’s nearing completion.
All photos courtesy of SkiThe14ers.com
Jan 16, 2007 · 03:20 PM
At $85 a day, this strikes me as a good deal:
Starting January 4th, 2007 Ski/Ride for FREE at Vail or Beaver Creek the day of your arrival when you fly into Vail/Eagle Airport (EGE). Simply bring your Boarding Pass and Vail Valley Lodging Confirmation to any Vail or Beaver Creek ticket window to receive your FREE same-day lift ticket.
Check out the Vail Resorts central reservation asite for more info.
Out of curiosity, I looked at flights on Expedia from some major Colorado Ski markets, departing on February 9:
Hat tip: CBS4 Ski Blog.
Jan 16, 2007 · 07:45 AM
On Friday, our crew of seven decided to brave the wintery night and eat one meal out. Against my better judgment, we ended up at a place called Mambo Italiano. I had been there with a friend last summer for a meal of overpriced wine, greasy fried calamari, and pasty gnocci and didn’t particularly look forward to going back. But I will say this: on a Friday night, before a long weekend, during prime eating time, they were happy to see the seven of us and showed us to a table promptly.
The service was respectable and very freindly, if unpolished (we were served broo-SHET-uh, NAH-kee, and AR-ma-ret-oh cheesecake, among other things). The kitchen made only one gaff which resulted in a ten minute wait for one out of seven entrees (for which we were compensated with free desserts). The atmosphere was upbeat and friendly and the wait and bus staff were very attentive without being overbearing.
I ate a tasty fettucine carbonara that had a nice smoky undertone from the pancetta. My girlfriend’s gnocci was only fine, employing the same pasty, pre-made dumplings I had had during my prior visit, covered in a bland bolognese sauce. The salad I sampled had nice crisp fields greens in an overly acidic vinagrette. The Amaretto cheese cake was gelatinous and relatively tasteless.
The concensus was that the restaurant was uncomfortably cold and that the food was, at best, average. But none of it prevented us having a good time together, and in a popular ski town that is saying something. The bill came out to only $25 a head, and two vegans found accomodation on the menu, which is also saying something. Also, none of us tried their pizza and it’s possible that is their true expertise—I’ve found more than one restaurant that serves lousy pasta but excellent pizza.
I would never recommend Mambo Italiano for an intimate or romantic meal. But with a large group of friends or family, there is something to be said for a menu that accomodates lots of palates and service that is welcoming and unobtrusive.
Jan 15, 2007 · 03:50 PM
In general, Turtle Fur products don’t work for me: the super-soft fleece gets caught in facial stubble and I end up looking like I went in for the “Hobo” costume for Halloween. Then all those little balls of fuzz get caught in my nose, eyelashes, belly button—it’s a mess. And besides, pronouncing the words “Turtle Fur” makes my throat close up in response to the saccharine cutsiness.
Last season, though, I purchase a Turtle Fur Shellaclava
But I lost my Shellaclava in a recent move, so I went on the hunt for a replacement. Everything I found was too bulky under my helmet, made from material that was too stiff, or, most importantly, had short or contoured neck pieces that I know from experience would be prone to riding up. I happened across the Turtle Fur WindTech Maskot
Jan 15, 2007 · 02:28 PM
A couple of years ago, I was working a ski show in Chicago, and next to our booth were a couple of guys representing Durango Mountain Resort and Silverton Mountain. One of them, Sven, a stellar backcountry skier and photographer had an exchange (paraphrased below) with one Chicagoan sporting bulging biceps and a bulging gut to match:
“I want to ski something really challenging. I’m tired of always waiting for my friends at the end of runs. Do you have anything really difficult?”
“Durango has plenty of black and double black terrain that’s pretty challenging, maybe you need to pay a visit.”
“I’ve skied blacks and double blacks. Mammoth, Deer Valley, Vail. I’m looking for something challenging.”
“Well, I guide at Silverton Mountain and we have some of the most difficult hikable terrain in north America.”
“Hikable? I’ve hiked before, but I’m getting really bored with resort terrain—I want something hard.”
“Well, we can take you up higher to get to some of the really steep pitches.”
“Yeah, I’ve been to Jackson Hole. I’ve done steep. I mean really difficult.”
“Well, we could always rent a helicopter and rappel you into some of the cliffs—does that sound hard enough?”
“….”
The New York Times has a great little piece on Silverton Mountain—that home-grown upstart in the San Juans that specializes in scaring the bejesus out of health-club blowhards. They also specialize in serving up tons of powder and wicked steeps for those who like to keep their heads on straight.
Photo courtesy of Silverton Mountain.
Jan 15, 2007 · 10:35 AM
I love it, how does Wolf Creek pay tribute to our greatest civil rights leader? Why, with the Martin Luther King Jr. Fun Race,” naturally. (Image highlighting added by me.)
I don’t for a moment think that Wolf Creek chose this name as a goof or out of any malice. In fact, I could only find reference to the phrase “fun race” on Google caches of the Wolf Creek and Colorado Ski Country USA snow reports. These were probably entered as comments by ski patrollers and not vetted by Wolf Creek’s communications department. Everywhere else, it’s simply the “Martin Luther King, Jr. Race.”
And, by the way, Wolf Creek had stunning amounts of snow this weekend, receiving something on the order of four feet between Friday and yesterday (Jan 12-14, 2007). They are now sporting a 96" base and making our Summit County and northern Colorado resorts look rather pathetic. It’s a lovely little locals’ mountain nestled in the San Juans manned by a friendly, authentic staff. I need to go there this season—you probably do, too.
Jan 14, 2007 · 06:45 PM
Although the powder was not as deep as predicted, for me the weekend was about pushing myself to keep up with two much better skiers, Mother Nature’s perfidy notwithstanding.
Lionel and Jason have been skiing together for years and both are terrific—fast, smooth, and relaxed. When I skied with them the first time last season, the intimidation factor was high as I watched the two of them attack a 50-degree pitch with applomb. But striving to keep up with better skiers is a great way to maintain objectivity about your own abilities and to spur growth.
This weekend we played mostly on Steamboat’s black and double-black runs and I found it relatively easy to keep up. Jason is expert at picking lines, so he generally leads the way, and I made it my mission to stay on Lionel’s six as they smoked through the aspens in Closet and Shadows and made kick turn after kick turn down the chutes in Christmas Tree bowl. But where last season’s runs with Jason and Lionel help me build power and quickness, I learned this weekend that I need to work on finesse, efficiency, and suppleness: I kept up, but it wasn’t always pretty.
As we made runs through the trees, I watched Jason and Lionel for lessons. While I was worrying about the immediate turn, Jason was looking one or two turns ahead while keeping his legs supple and his torso rotated to control his edge and carry just enough speed into the next turn without expending too much energy. Lionel’s elegant pole technique was a lesson in control and balance—each plant forming the apex of the coming turn and keeping his balance steady—and drew my attention to the importance of planting.
By Saturday, my body was starting to learn these lessons and I could almost double the number of turns I made before my legs started to scream for a break. A few days struggling to keep up is a great way to spend a weekend.
Update: A couple of interesting articles I found on pole plant technique. The Pole Plant: Part One and Part Two.
Jan 12, 2007 · 07:22 AM
Last night we drove from Denver to Steamboat for a long weekend in the mountains with friends. It’s been over a year since I last skied Steamboat and I’ve been anticipating this trip for a couple of months.
Most people dislike driving on mountain roads with fog and snow, but as we started the ascent to Rabbit Ears pass the visibility dropped to null, the road surface became slick with snow, and our hearts started to race.
We arrived at our accomodations—Timber Run Condos—to find about an inch of accumulation, very helpful staff, and a nice, homey three bedroom condo. As we moved our gear from the car to the condo, a very friendly fox checked us out and then ran off to look for goodies in the dumpster.
Today we’ll test Steamboat’s trademarked Champagne Powder (no, really, trademarked), hope for more, and stay on the lookout for Billy Kidd.
Jan 11, 2007 · 12:42 PM
I bought these boots two seasons ago. At the time, I had a pro deal with Salomon and they were billed as being good performance combined with comfort. After some issues with sizing, I got them sorted out and started skiing in them.
Agony. After a bump run I’d be desparately fumbling for the buckles in a panic to get them off my feet. It reminded me of Steve’s Martin’s absurdist short story Cruel Shoes. I compromised that season and wore them rather loose—I also didn’t ski all that much.
But last season, I determined to fix the problem and paid numerous visits to Larry the Bootfitter—at $10-$20 a visit, I could afford it, and after several fittings consisting molding, adjusting, shimming, padding, and forming the liners, the problems seemed to be solved—as long as I used precisely the right amount of buckle tension and no more.
But the success of the past was ephemeral and I seem to be back to square one. The boots are either sloppy or torturous and, inexplicably, my right boot has started placing entirely too much pressure on the outside of my foot. Torquemada would be proud.
I guess it’s time for another trip to Larry, but maybe it’s also time to give up on these boots. I love every other piece of Salomon equipment I own, so part of me insists that I’m to blame but, like any troubled relationship, there comes a point when you start to feel that you’re throwing good money after bad….
Jan 07, 2007 · 06:30 PM
With those words, one of my snowboarding friends commended the following to my attention, offerred now for your perusal, without comment.
Jan 06, 2007 · 09:04 AM
On New Year’s Eve Day a gang of us ventured to Keystone—with very little new snow around Colorado, it was as good a gamble as any.
Like Breckenridge a few days before, Keystone was a zoo, and we hurried to the Outback in hopes of getting away. After a few laps through the bumps on Elk Run, our unofficial guide—and undisputed instigator, Jason—convinced us to take a Cat ride and hike the ridge. With marginal skiing on piste, a nice walk seemed a fine idea.
Jan 04, 2007 · 12:44 PM
“I think that people who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like.” —Abraham Lincoln
Last Wednesday night we drove to Summit County in desperate hope of getting some snow from the impending storm. The predictions looked bright—10-14 inches at Keystone and almost as much at Breckenridge.
Thursday came and went with about an inch of accumulation in Summit county—meanwhile, Denver and Boulder started getting hammered. On Friday morning, the anticipation was great—we awoke early, logged on to check the snow report and found….a whopping four inches at Breckenridge!
It hardly seemed worth it, but the pass was just sitting there waiting to be used and maybe we could still find something untracked on the top. So we trekked to Breckedridge for my first day of skiing there….ever.
Breckenridge turned out to be everything I had anticipated: an expertly-run resort overrun by inept skiers in goofy hats. Granted, it was New Year’s Weekend so extra large crowds were to be expected, but the lines at the lifts really were egregious and Breck’s capacious runs were made to feel small by the abundance of snow-plowers and out-of-control bombers.
Jan 03, 2007 · 10:08 AM
When waxing skis, it’s best if you can clamp your brakes in the up position—that way they don’t interfere with applying or scraping the wax. You can buy a variety of brake retainers commercially, but a couple feet of inexpensive nylon string and a bowline knot will do nicely.
