 Poster: A snowHead
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So in Feb this year we (me and the missus) walked Snowdon and Ben Nevis in April, along with Scafell and others in-between, and there was certainly rideable snow on the ground. This has given me the bug to try a bit of UK Backcountry, so a few questions...
How do people get on hiking high peaks in snowboard boots?
Do you get crampons for boarding boots?
I can see how a splitboard can help traverses, however do they benefit ascending?
I've never skied, would I benefit a ski lesson to use a split board (obviously I don't want to use a splitboard just to snow plough down nursery slopes!)?
Am I better just strapping my current board on my back and forgetting about shelling out £100's on a splitboard?
What's your best tips for someone who's used to winter hillwalking that wants to start riding UK Backcountry?
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@manicpb, In England, I generally walk up and it's rare that skins make much difference. To start I'd be tempted to pull out a 'rock board' and just give it a go.
That said, I have started to accrue a collection of Winter mountaineering kit, crampons + axes and the like...
Where are you based ?
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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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Midlands based (Walsall/Cannock), have done snowy hills in the local area before but really looking to hit some better terrain in the Peak District or poss Wales. I've ridden Scotland a few times but in all honesty I'm gonna struggle with finding the time to head that far this winter.
I'm fully aware how much snow slows down an regular hillwalk (encountered waist high drifts on Ben Nevis, with no way round!), what I'm unsure is the effect snowboard boots have on an hours hike uphill in deep snow (I know how it feels to walk along a road for an hour after dropping into the "wrong" side of a resort...and I don't like it!?!).
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@manicpb, I'm a little to the west of you in Shropshire. Give us a shout if the snow comes ? I've not been across to the Peak District but did see some pics of a couple of nice lines done last Winter there.
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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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@manicpb,
I'm not sure I'm reading things correctly but.... you mention snowploughing on a split board. However, a split board is split only for climbing and becomes a snowboard for downhilling. 
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@manicpb, ? Shove your snowboard boots in a backpack and walk in your hiking boots ?
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@AndAnotherThing.., will run my plans past the usually knowledgeable snowheads to check I'm not missing something blatant!
@Bergmeister, that's kinda my point. If I go for a ski lesson (as I've only ever been on one plank) would it assist me in getting up a hill...or just snowploughing badly downhill?
How do you go about getting experience using a splitboard without shelling out and trying it...and then just end up sliding backwards everytime you point them uphill?
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@ski, my current off piste bag will take my board but won't accommodate a pair of boots...snowboard or hiking. Plus a board is heavy enough, I'd have thought the weight of the boots to would really slow you down.
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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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@manicpb, If your are going to use a splitboard for skinning uphill you won't need ski lessons --- but you will need splitboard skins.
Have a look here ... http://www.snowboardexperts.co.uk/shop/
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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^ great shot
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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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^^ Wow!!
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| manicpb wrote: |
@AndAnotherThing.., will run my plans past the usually knowledgeable snowheads to check I'm not missing something blatant!
@Bergmeister, that's kinda my point. If I go for a ski lesson (as I've only ever been on one plank) would it assist me in getting up a hill...or just snowploughing badly downhill?
How do you go about getting experience using a splitboard without shelling out and trying it...and then just end up sliding backwards everytime you point them uphill? |
You need skins to go on the bottom of the board to avoid sliding back down - you don't walk up in a snowplough! A ski lesson probably won't help you much, but you may be able to find someone to give you tips on splitboarding - kick turns going up switchbacks etc.
As to whether a split board would help uphill.
As you already know, hiking in any sort of deep snow sucks whatever boots you have on your feet. The extra flotation will definitely help stay on top and save energy. I honestly have no idea how often in the UK you'll encounter deep enough snow for that to be worthwhile though.
In soft snow I doubt you'll find board boots much worse than hiking boots - should certainly be better than ski boots!
However I image they'd suck on firm snow, as you can't bash the toes in to create steps etc.
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You know it makes sense.
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@manicpb, hiking high peaks in snowboard boots is no problem at all.
Yes, you can fit standard C1 crampons to snowboard boots. Grivel do a wider version of their G10 crampon for this purpose, but it's not always necessary, depends on your boots.
Splitboards have nothing to do with traversing. Their purpose is ascending. You're probably better off traversing on the board than the split skis!
Ski lessons aren't required for splitboarding.
Yes, for the UK.
Just go for it! Most of the time in UK conditions, you can find a "dry" ridgeline or rocky area to move up on, avoiding the need for special equipment. Get informed about avalanche safety.
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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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^^^ Thirded! I'm all of a sudden a lot more interested in hiking in the peak district!!
Do I take it you would need to exercise the same level of caution in respect to avalanches if skiing / riding in the Peaks as you would in say, the Alpes, or do we just not get sufficient snowfall for that to be a real concern?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Kingofthec wrote: |
^^^ Thirded! I'm all of a sudden a lot more interested in hiking in the peak district!!
Do I take it you would need to exercise the same level of caution in respect to avalanches if skiing / riding in the Peaks as you would in say, the Alpes, or do we just not get sufficient snowfall for that to be a real concern? |
It depends on the conditions. If you have the following:-
i. snow
ii. a slope with some section > 30 degrees
iii. a weak layer
OR
iv. spring conditions and a slope > 15 degrees
then you'd want to be careful.
You don't need much snow to be buried. A 20cm slab could be tonnes of snow on top of you at the bottom of a gulley. The big factor in England, at least more southerly areas, is that periods of cold rarely last that long so weak layers, if they exist, rarely persist. The negative factor is lack of tree cover on high ground and lots of wind which can create big drifts and corniches. Scotland is a whole different ball game as conditions are more extreme.
This avalanche from the Peak District in Feb 2015
and here is one on Winnats Pass in 2013. Both probably caused by a thaw with melt water lubricating the ground/snow interface causing a slide due to loss of friction. Not skier triggered.
That said, in the South, I'd be more concerned about hurting myself on barely concealed rocks, tree stumps, old shopping trolleys etc. A helmet would seem like a wise idea.
I would suggest that nordic gear is more suited to the English hills.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Mon 9-11-15 17:29; edited 2 times in total
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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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I'm definitely up for this (but on two planks), don't get enough tine in the mountains, so a few weekends exploring the UK in a car with some skis would be amazing.
Maybe a UK Weekend Bash? (snow depending)
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Cheers @davidof that's really useful.
My wife and I are just this year looking to make our first forays into "proper" off-piste, and our main focus is getting guides / instructors to help us with the physical safety bit as the prospect of just being "excitedly negligent" and straying a bit too far away from the "just at the side of the piste" without any knowledge of how to spot and mitigate the risks terrifies me!
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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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I'm in cannock as well I tend to head up to the Lakes as there's some great terrain, I've gone down the snowshoe route for climbing they're fantasic in all conditions even on ice and I have no issues using them with my snowboard boots. Heading up to Raise is a good place to start as you get quite a few people up there and it means you're not quite so isolated, there's plenty of terrain to explore and the last few years snow conditions have been good.
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Oh and I've done Nevis and back in a day when conditions have been right you just need to be a little nuts, only 6 hours door to door. 
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It was never the intention to get a group together but as there appears to be a few relatively close and an interest, I'll post up if and when the snow comes.Thanks all for the food for thought and keep posting any more tips or inspiring images!
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Indeed a great shot...and the story that goes with it's pretty cool too!
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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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Ok here's my two pence worth for you as a regular UK split-boarder.
I've had some of my best snowboard days ever riding in Wales so it's really worth the effort, you just have to keep a close eye on conditions and be ready to go at the last minute. I live at the foot of Snowdon and on a good day you can just skin up the train track, is about as effortless a backcountry ascent as you'll get. Unless the snow is amazing though its worth heading for spots where you know there is grass underneath rather than rocks - nearly every day out here involves base repairs afterwards.
Splitboard and skins do help in the uk but aren't mandatory. For years snowboarders made do without, using just snowshoes and crampons for the walking (depending on conditions). Considering the outlay for a splitboard setup I'd just go without to begin with and see how you get on. In the UK there is often a lot of walking below the snow line and I always do that in my snowboard boots with no problem.
In uk conditions I'd say crampons are fundamental if you are really getting up in the mountains, often the slope you ride on will be soft snow (hopefully) but the walk up will be on wind scoured hard snow. Snowshoes help if there is soft snow everywhere. Folding walking poles are a must too, the Black Diamond Z-poles are my choice as they fold up small and go inside you pack out the way for the downs.
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@torquil, you're not of llanberis resoles fame are you?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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i am the very same - although this week has been more about drilling skis than resoling shoes. 
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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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| manicpb wrote: |
Indeed a great shot...and the story that goes with it's pretty cool too! |
Great shot.
Please elaborate if you can.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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@torquil, @Mike Pow, thanks for the information...Thanks for everyone's input also.
It's a given I'll be trying to get some form of British riding in this winter, I see on mwis the tops of the highest peaks will be getting a coating over the next few days (cairngorm got a dose last night)...let's see what's to come once once this storm has passed by this weekend (ever the optimist)!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@manicpb, Where are you looking for your snow reports?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Great story. Thanks.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Mike Pow, I've always fancied Pen Y Fan, a mate has skied it a couple of times and your photos have whet my whistle again, cheers!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Mike Pow, @manicpb, I'll put that on my watch list. Time to get the skis serviced 
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In UK winter conditions you can often find hard compacted snow that will made you wish you didn't leave crampons and ice-axe behind to save weight. Been there, done that.
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I haven't read everything on this thread, but in case someone hasn't said it: buy snowshoes. Light to strap on your backpack.
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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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Snowing on the Berwyns this afternoon
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Noice.
Nothing up the Brecon Beacons by 2 pm 
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FAQ
