 Poster: A snowHead
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Anyone who hasn't lost a ski in powder doesn't ski powder ... or doesn't fall in powder!
This interesting little article from Ski Magazine sets out a logical way to look for a lost ski, starting by marking where you believe you 'lost it' ... and working out whether you were turning left or right.
The advice is from Dean Cardinale, a snow safety director at Snowbird, Utah, who specializes in avalanche rescue. So he's usually involved in looking for lost skiers, rather than lost skis. His advice is based on a similar search technique, based on a simple grid.
Interestingly, he says "I work here in the summer, too, and I see skis all over the place."
Have you ever lost a ski and never found it? Have you got any additional tips for finding lost skis ... or, as Dean Cardinale recommends, trailing powder straps?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've lost a couple of skis which I never found. So it's probably best if I avoid giving any tips! 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks, Graham. I must admit, that thread passed me by ... like a lost ski!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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David Goldsmith, I helped a guy look for a ski he had lost on piste in Snowbird a couple of years back. The piste had been bashed the night before, but had about 40cms of fresh powder on top. After about half an hour, we gave up.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I wonder if there's enough metal in the average ski to find it with a metal detector - anyone?
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David Goldsmith, should be. Certainly in the skis with titanium sheets in them!
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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
| I wonder if there's enough metal in the average ski to find it with a metal detector - anyone? |
In my experience there is not enough metal in most skis / bindings to make this practical.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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If you can find a single coin with a metal detector then surely you can find a ski?
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Ski bindings used to be all-metal, and some skis had loads of aluminium in them. Certainly modern equipment is low on metal. I guess the most detectable thing would be the steel spring inside the (synthetic) casing of a modern binding.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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David Goldsmith, never skied with a metal detector, come to think of it I've never seen anyone use a metal detector in the Alps.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Good point. It's generally been missing from my backpack too. I guess if I lost a ski I'd be tempted to borrow some other skis and go look for it with a metal detector.
I used one a few months ago to try and find a car key in grass. I never found it, but what I found was that you had to be pretty close to anything metal before you got a signal - mind you, the metal detector in that case was a bit of a toy.
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Reading the last bit I've got some powder straps but I never actually use them 'cos, well no good reason, it's just a another faff. Off piste I also rarely go that fast so I'm hoping my skis won't go that far.
Given the amount skis cost maybe in time they'll have some RFID device installed and you can get long range detectors. Might put off theives a bit to . . .
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You know it makes sense.
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Reading the last bit I've got some powder straps but I never actually use them 'cos, well no good reason, it's just a another faff. Off piste I also rarely go that fast so I'm hoping my skis won't go that far.
Given the amount skis cost maybe in time they'll have some RFID device installed and you can get long range detectors. Might put off theives a bit to . . .
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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On my 1st off piste foray, at pottering speed, I lost a ski & found it by:
Finding the point where two tracks became one, then none.
Use the ski that stayed with you, the one you can trust, (like an axe) to slice the snow at regular intervals (18" or less) across the approximate direction of travel
+'s you can see where you've looked, cover a surprisingly large area, check the slices you've made with a single crosscut.
-'s hidden rocks.
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Poster: A snowHead
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mrmw, that's OK in heavy powder, but when it's light, the ski that comes off can travel a long distance, and may not leave a clear track.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We spent a loooonnnggg time looking for MrsW skis when a simply skiing between pistes in Serrre Che (admittedly keee deep): 2 sets of tracks almost co-incidental, 1 somersault, and ... WTF has that gone? It was at least 20m from the point of ski:skier non-association.
30- 40 mins of the day gone, as well as serious effort required, and un-necessary relationship strain.
Invested in powder traces, and its been chalk and cheese... well, since doing so the skis never come off anymore. (I jest of course...)
Like all insurance policies, yes I moan about the faffing when you 're not cashing them in, but when you need them, boy are they worth it.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Seems to me that there is a market for off piste skiers.
My idea is ski poles with in built metal detectors or he ultimate a ski/pole link that enables location by satallite. SO if some b*****d steals either poles or skis you can track him/her (politically correct) down wherever in the world they go.
P.S. don't post good ideas after a session in the pub on a Friday night when ther better half is away for the weekend. (thank god for spell checkers)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Ortovox used to produce a transceiver (the F1 Plus) that could receive a signal given off by a 'mouse' mounted on each ski. They were very effective - for the years I had them my skis never got lost so I never had to use them. I would use them now but modern skis don't have any room left to mount them.
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