Sierra Nevada

Choosing Backcountry Ski Gear

Ski touring big mountain terrain can mean big time getting there

In the last couple of years I have seen backcountry ski gear trends go in opposite directions in the US compared to Europe. Living in Europe, and skiing primarily big mountain terrain or long tours, I have embraced the idea of using lighter gear and shorter skis. In returning to the US for a time this winter, I have noticed a completely different idea about backcountry gear. In California’s Eastern Sierra Nevada, where the terrain is massive, I see people skiing gear better suited for shorter, front range tours than huge elevation gain with lots of distance. This got me thinking about sharing a little of what I have learned in Europe.

While America certainly has legendary skiers who have pioneered technology, ideas, and been on top of the game – the overall concept of backcountry skiing is still in its infancy for most Americans who are starting to consider the sport. These newcomers to the backcountry are being directly influenced by an industry that needs to look cutting edge and “hardcore”. As a result there is possible confusion as to what gear is really best for every type of skier, and for those learning, the gear may make or break the experience.

In the US, people are going fatter and heavier (I’m talking about ski gear in this case, not the people). Yet they still want to skin up peaks and ski down. Meanwhile, the Europeans are trending towards lighter gear, possibly as a result of the massive popularity of ski randonee racing and the superlight gear spinning off from it. This isn’t to say that all the gear is light in Europe, fat skis are as ubiquitous as a morning coffee, but in the right places, and not so much for touring.

When taking it to the mountains, the Euros go in the opposite direction – light, short, and fast. Meanwhile in the US, the notion of “fat is best” seems to prevail even when the day will involve an enormous amount of elevation gain. And to this concept I address this post by suggesting the option of trying some of the new, and lighter, ski gear. Performance may not necessarily suffer as a result, in fact it may actually improve.

European Ski Rando Racing is where the light gear is coming from

More time is spent doing this than the down part. You might as well embrace and enjoy it.

I am just going to throw an idea out there and see what comes back at me.

The vast majority of skiers I see in the US are on gear that is so overkill for their abilities that it is laughable. Witness the weekend warriors… huffing and puffing up skin tracks only to arrive at the top exhausted. They then proceed to ski marginal quality snow with tired legs.

Meanwhile, many longtime backcountry skiers who ski most everyday have actually gone in the direction of using much lighter gear to enjoy the climb, which is what a backcountry skier spends the vast majority of their time doing anyway. They cruise to the tops of things and then, like the guy on heavy gear, also proceed to ski the same marginal quality snow which really skis just the same regardless of what gear you are on. In most backcountry mountain conditions performance comes from the skier’s ability, not that of the gear. And when the snow is good? The guy on the fat boards loves it, but so too the guy on the light gear. For good snow is just that, and it is easy to ski no matter what you find yourself steering.

So are you on the right gear for you, or are you on the gear the shop employee wanted to sell you? Or the magazine ad? Or the ski movie you watched.

My personal set up for the Sierra, all around simple and light

My story: Two years ago I began skiing more and more backcountry terrain on ultralight Dynafit FR10s with Dynafit bindings. I decreased the length of my ski to 160 (I am 5’8”/135lbs). Then, as I got more into ski rando racing in Europe, I started to ski everything in my race boots, the Scarpa F1s. Suddenly I was enjoying skiing more than ever, the light gear gives me freedom, the short skis make life in tight spaces or steep terrain much easier and I am no slower on any descent.
But my preferred day in the backcountry is to go big, cover a lot of ground, gain a ton of elevation and to enjoy every part of the day. I am not so into focusing just on descents as I prefer to take in the overall experience of skiing in the mountains.
I do own fat skis and performance boots for certain terrain and conditions, but for me personally the lighter gear is the right fit for most of where and what I ski.

Telemark skiing

The Telemark Skiing Myth

There is a little something I keep hearing that really must be challenged. Americans often say, “Ya, I want to start skiing the backcountry, but I don’t know how to telemark.”
Folks…… one does not need to telemark to ski in the backcountry. Ski Randonee, or Alpine Touring gear, especialy Dynafit, allows you to ski anything you would ski on alpine gear. Comfortably skin up, lock your heels down, tighten your boots, and down you go.
Telemark skiing is much more difficult to learn, less versatile in mixed snow conditions of a big tour and it seems most telemarkers end up doing alpine turns the majority of the time. If you already know how to alpine ski, stick with it.
That said, telemark skiing truly is one of the most special skills one can learn. I did it for years and still few things compare to dropping your knee in powder. To watch a good telemarker is a joy as it is a beautiful movement. But again, is it right for what you want to be doing when starting out?

Use the ski gear that is right for you, but know what you want to ski

Finally, another reason I am enjoying my light AT gear is the fact that it is a joy to go out and use. I don’t have a heavy, overly stiff ski boot to fight on the climb, or the lead weights attached to my feet. I enjoy stepping into my gear and not feeling weighed down and I enjoy going skiing up as much as making turns. All of this adds up to more time in the mountains, and ultimately this is what I am after most.

What does a Professional Ski and Mountain Guide think?

As a follow up to this post, and to get a different perspective, American UIAGM Mountain Guide and skier extraordinaire, Howie Schwartz of Sierra Mountain Guides will discuss his thoughts surrounding backcountry ski gear. Check in again in the coming days.

The beginning of a long and fantastic day skiing in California's Sierra Nevada

Rating: 4.8/5 (4 votes cast)

Bring it ON

Jan 17th, 2010

by dolomitesport.

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Getting ready to drop into an Eastern Sierra Nevada couloir on Mt. McGee

With a series of massive Pacific Storms barreling towards the coast of California, we headed out this morning to ski one last day in the Sierra backcountry. Estimates for snow totals are hitting the 2-3 meter number for the coming week. Looks like some office (and shoveling) time is coming. Bring it ON.

Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

Skiing Mt. Baldwin

Dec 30th, 2009

by dolomitesport.

1 comment

Backcountry Ski Report from December 29, along with some skiing photos from the day back to Mt. Baldwin.

An unexpected 4-5 inches of new snow was up high on the Sierra Crest. Down feathers would be a good term to describe it. Last night’s little system didn’t seem to have any wind as everything was uniformly covered in a white frosting.

But tonight’s event is supposed to bring, sadly, a couple feet of wind. Damn. We’ll have to find some place new to ski knee deep fluff.

Please note that once again, the photos end where the skins get yanked. My month off shooting work photos is about to end.

Enjoy the Sierra skiing photos from another great day. John Dittli will be posting a video from today as well at his John Dittli Blog.

Rating: 4.5/5 (2 votes cast)

Backcountry Skiing Conditions

Dec 28th, 2009

by dolomitesport.

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The Wineglass

The thought of backcountry skiing the lower elevation trees was out of the question this morning. Boring was the term that was coming to mind. After 13 days skiing the backcountry, it was time to get up high and put some mileage in. In the morning we called it recon for conditions, now in the evening, we are calling it a great decision.

Without any new snow recently in the Sierra Nevada, and loads of wind, things have been falling apart. Options are becoming fewer and fewer, nearly everything exposed or up high has been trashed. Our enthusiasm has been reduced by crust and thinning snow depths.

Today our gamble paid off – big time. And, much to my liking, we found some Sierra Nevada terrain I had never laid eyes on. Couloirs, lots and lots of couloirs. For some odd reason, I had the voice of Susie Sutphin “wowing” in my head. John Dittlis Sierra Nevada wisdom, resulting from 30+ years of skiing the backcountry, continues to payoff.

Conditions are still good, very good.

Yes, there are tracks in this photo

John Dittli entering the newly named Sierra Wilderness Area

Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

Sierra Nevada | Evolution Traverse

Dec 21st, 2009

by dolomitesport.

2 comments

The Evolution Traverse

As professional photographers, our launch pad was shooting climbing photos. Rock & Ice and Climbing Magazine were our bread and butter. We got to go climbing, take some snaps, and get them to the magazines. At that time I was a climber first, photographer second and the idea of getting paid to make climbing photos was too good to be true. Later, a decent number of assignments began coming from them as well. One that was especially fun was in 2002, Matt Samet’s Best Ridge Traverses of America article for Climbing Magazine.

David Melkonian climbing Mt. Mendel on the Evolution Traverse

Matt came out to Bishop, stayed with us, and together with Jim Karn we all went and traversed the Palisade Crest in the Sierra Nevada in a day. A long day. After, Jim wisely went home leaving Matt behind for his next ridge, the Evolution Traverse. For whatever reason I opted out in the hopes of doing it later in the season.

I remember watching Matt pack up, or rather unpack to go up. He basically took nothing. His idea was simply to hike in, climb the enormity that is the Evolution Traverse, and walk back out. With his few PowerGels, Matt drove up to the trail head to begin his long march in over Lamarck Col. Late the next day, at home, we received a phone call from someone sounding like the mentally ill. It was Matt, and it was apparent he needed assistance. Mutterings about car keys and his whereabouts was all I got.

I sped up to the Lake Sabrina trail head, which is not where he should have been, and found the mess that was Matt Samet. His formerly brand new approach shoes were tattered scraps of nylon and rubber. His hands looked liked he had tried to floss the teeth of a living Great White shark while his lips were so swollen it appeared as if he mouthed off to Mike Tyson. He had successfully climbed the entire Evolution Traverse.

Part of the tale was this: Once finished he succumbed to a nap. Upon waking he watched as a Pika ran off with something shiny, his car key. He picked up his camera bag with freshly gnawed hole in the mesh side pocket and started for North Lake, a stinking, filthy, tattered mess. Figuring him for a fellow redneck, he convinced some Bishop locals to drive him down so he might make a phone call, to me.

Some years before, Peter Croft, in a period of massive energy, discovered this ridge line high above Evolution Valley. His trained eye caught the fact that it seemed to continue uninterrupted for several miles south of Mt. Mendel. He decided to investigate and in doing so had it confirmed that it went for much longer than he thought before hooking around and ending at Mt. Huxley. At Grade VI, 5.9, about 8 miles long, often above 13,000 feet/4000 meters, and with nearly 10,000 feet/3000 meters of gain, the Evolution Traverse was created.

David Melkonian climbing Mt. Mendel early on the Evolution Traverse

Word of it spread, Peter had some media attention and one quote stuck with me, “Normally, you do a route, get to the summit – the prettiest place of all – and then you just go back down. But when you do a ridge traverse, it’s like being on a summit all day long.” That was the hook, and as I was in my own squirt of Sierra energy, I knew I would have to do it.

The Evolution Traverse

Once Matt could speak again I got the full beta. The route was confirmed as brilliant, I started making plans by first finding someone to do it with. David Melkonian was the guy.

After this I went up to Canada and climbed the famous Lotus Flower Tower, one of North America’s 50 Classics. And it was truly that, classic. An unforgettable trip.

David Melkonian on the Evolution Traverse

But the Evolution Traverse was in my head, once home David and I began planning. We decided to take a rope in case we chose to rappel some of the harder, loose down climbing from Darwin’s summit, but also in case we really needed it for the climbing. We also decided to start late in the day and bivvy on Mt. Mendel’s summit so as to give us the entire next day to wrap things up. This was also because David was a paramedic and got off work in the late morning. As a longtime Sierra Nevada climber, and more experienced than I doing long Sierra days, I had a great partner.

We began climbing from the Darwin Bench in the late afternoon. Getting to the top of Mendel actually required quite a lot of real climbing, but always on solid rock. We moved quickly and efficiently, soloing all but one short, steep step.

Once on the summit, we prepped for the night before being wowed by a special Sierra Nevada sunset. After the grand finale we settled in to spend a very cold night at 13,710 feet/4179 meters.

Mt. Mendel Summit Sunset

Mt. Mendel Bivouac

The next day is a blur of climbing sideways. We did rap from the summit of Darwin, then spent hours moving along the ridge line, negotiating towers and gendarmes. It was the best climbing I have ever done, soloing on good rock with easy, aesthetic movement. We were often silent, just in our own heads dealing with the task we had committed to.

I vividly remember that last bit of real climbing as we arrived to the summit of the final peak. We had done it. Exhaustion like that is a wonderful luxury. We began the descent in the early darkness and arrived to the lakes of Evolution Basin in the pitch black. There, like animals, we just laid down beneath the stars on a warm Sierra night.

I fought sleep so as to savor that moment. A month before I had climbed one of the finest long free routes in the world, The Lotus Tower. But to me, personally, nothing could compare to the experience I had on the Evolution Traverse, and still nothing does.

Walking out through the Evolution Basin the morning ater

Walking out through the Evolution Basin the morning after, some of the ridge line is above

Rating: 5.0/5 (4 votes cast)

Backcountry Ski Conditions | Sierra Nevada

Dec 18th, 2009

by dolomitesport.

1 comment

Yes, we have pretty much dropped off the radar for the last 10 days. The reason is obvious, winter arrived cold and dry. Here in the Sierra we have had some of the best snow I have ever seen in California and as luck would have it, the fluff has stuck around in the backcountry. Only today did it finally seem to be getting a bit dense. We had a good run of it.

While there is not much depth, and in many places little to no base, we are surprisingly not hitting much. At about 3000 meters there is nearly a meter of snow (sorry, I am on the metric system, America needs to join the rest of the world) but exposed ridges are blown free. South facing stuff, even up high, is beginning to get mighty thin. Basically, just be careful to not plow into things as there is no base.

By the way, why is there is NO Avalanche Forecaster currently employed in the Eastern Sierra but there is an Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center that raises money for these things? Anyone?

Today was backcountry day number 8 and for it Janine and I headed up Mt. McGee above Crowley Lake. For skiers, McGee sits like a showpiece as it literally rises straight above Highway 395. John Dittli skied it yesterday and reported good snow. Off we went.

Skiing in the Sierra Nevada is quite different than what we are more used to in Europe. 8 days out in popular areas and we have yet to see another person. Also, just a few days ago we had freezing temps, now we have powder filling the dark north faces and gullies, and we skin up to nearly 4000 meters in T-shirts before lounging in the sun on clear, warm summits.

Included are some snapshots of how the Eastern Sierra around Mammoth is looking for coverage. Sorry… no ski photos, we’ve not wanted to stop. Hint hint.