I snowboarded for a long time and do know how tough it can be in certain terrain.
I also have been the subject of amusement / ridicule with skiers hardly able to stand up as they are bent over laughing at me finding myself in various situations.
And finally, more often than not, a classic off piste route more often than not ends up with the inevitable gnarly run out
We did some off piste routes in Sestriere before Xmas with a guide and at the time did say it would be tough on a snow board, though WE DID see a fair few doing it.
I nipped over to Sauze d'Oulx where a few ski mates were already there, awaiting the arrival of 16 other snowboarders, who were coming for a long weekend!
Needless to say they hit the bars big time and around mid night I left them to it, and in the morning it was only four of the better snowboarders that joined us.
After a few laps and one off piste tree run, we were down to two snow boarders.
Should add that he's one of the better Kiters on the South Coast leading a group of Kiters that are known at the "Fairies"
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I've done that on skis into a slightly more precarious position as I ended up a few feet down with quite a big stream slowing underneath me which would have dragged me under the snow if I had gone all the way in. I broke through the snow on the run out and ended up wedged with my pack on a giant rock and my skis in front of me. My ski buddy was miles in front as well as we were bombing down the run out. Took some very careful maneuvering to get out of my skis and bridge back up. Went for beers afterwards to toast a pretty narrow escape.
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?
Weatherman, I've found myself in all those situations in the past; I guess most off-piste snowboarders have. Snowboarding is a downhill activity and you have to choose your route more carefully in thick powder. That said, is it all that much easier on skis when at a standstill on the flat in a metre of powder? I would have thought that poling would be pretty difficult.
I have to say that the reason I'm learning to ski right now is to open up touring options that I find a (non-splitboard) snowboard limiting for.
That said, is it all that much easier on skis when at a standstill on the flat in a metre of powder?
Yes. Place one foot in front of the other. Repeat.
Otherwise that looks a familiar situation. Swirly (boarder) and I are going to Andermatt in a few weeks. I foresee at least one epic flats session. My usual technique is just not to tell him but that only works once per holiday.
I've ended up in a stream before! Nightmare getting out.
I like snowboard specific off piste guiding with the guide on a board as that incentivises them to choose something with a decent enough run out.
Split boarding is looking more and more attractive I think.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
kat.ryb, but only if you go with other guys on split boards, if you go with skiers can still be a problem keeping in the skinning tracks, traverses, kick turns etc and all that's even worse in the spring when climbing on frozen snow - and then the coup de grace when it comes to split boarding - putting the damn thing back together at 3600m with the wind blowing a gale and wind chill of minus 20 trying to do it in gloves then going bare hands and almost getting frost bite, oh and all the skiers waiting for you getting frozen too, muttering under their breath, oh what fun days
How was the rest of the week in Serre ?
After all it is free
After all it is free
kat.ryb wrote:
Split boarding is looking more and more attractive I think.
If I was a boarder, I'd definitely be doing it. I've had the pleasure of sharing turns with split boarding friends after climbs and we've simply taken it in turns to lead. I don't think route choices between boarders and skiers are all that different.
There's no doubt though that skinning up is harder work for a split boarder and their climbing capability is more limited to the skier sporting Dynafits, harscheisen and two proper edges on each plank.
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.
moffatross, I have done a lot of touring (hut to hut, Arctic, high altitude) see my comments above and it can be a real problem for split boarders to follow skiers on big climbs, and like I said especially in early morning spring snow (frozen).
Fine is powder and less demanding terrain and climbs but as soon as you start doing some serious gradient along with kick turns it can quickly turn into a bit of a nightmare.
Not too sure if we're touring later this week with my mate and his split with his new bindings (see vid above) and he is strong as an ox and supremely technically efficient but he finds it tough at times, hence shelling out $$$ for those bindings!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Weathercam wrote:
then the coup de grace when it comes to split boarding - putting the damn thing back together at 3600m with the wind blowing a gale and wind chill of minus 20 trying to do it in gloves then going bare hands and almost getting frost bite, oh and all the skiers waiting for you getting frozen too, muttering under their breath
A couple of my best mate are boarders. They reported similar experience.
Except it's more than just the half-frozen skiers who're muttering under their breath while waiting. It may have taken ages for the rest of the boarders to put their boards back together. But it takes just ONE single boarder who simply could NOT put his/her board back together to hold up the rest of the group of already cold and properly frozen boarders!
Still, I envy the boarders at times. In the US west, the snow condition is often very good and a board floats so much better than even the biggest skis. While we all make it down alright, the boarders seem to have more fun!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I'm sure you're right about different tools performing differently. I'm downhill only so that's not a problem I have to deal with.
As far as going down, some of my skier-turned-boarder friends avoid runs with sporting run-outs (creeks, trees, flat enough to require high speed) because they find those the most challenging thing. In my view it's just a question of practice. Run-outs show up poor technique more than anything else though. Park-boarders can roll down the steeps, but that doesn't work so well on the flats.
Creeks generally are scary and need respect. I once helped rescue a skier from one which was about 3m below the surface. It was well below zero, so we figured that speed was important. It was basically a little crevasse rescue, followed by a quick heli ride out for her (all free). If you're not on it, I think those situations could get quite serious very quickly.
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.
The problem with the splitboard is less ascent speed and more lack of lateral stiffness in the bindings and boots. Edging is difficult and potentially dangerous when the skin track is shallow and the pitch exposed. Something that makes a lot of sense touring for 25 degree powder makes less sense as a tool for travelling distances in a high alpine environment. Of course it can be done but it is a lot harder.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Just for the record I had some truly superb times when I was snow boarding, when we were touring and were greeted with a lovely untracked bowl, we the snow boarders were always ushered forward by the skiers to take first tracks, probably as they felt sorry for us having flogged out guts out getting up........
So this is not a thread having a go at snowboards, just their limitations
And another old school vid with me snowboarding
2002 La Grave Heroes - short trailer by Simon Bedford from Weathercam
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
I've found myself in all those situations in the past; I guess most off-piste snowboarders have. Snowboarding is a downhill activity and you have to choose your route more carefully in thick powder. That said, is it all that much easier on skis when at a standstill on the flat in a metre of powder? I would have thought that poling would be pretty difficult.
