Skiing the John Muir Trail

To Roger:

I've seen too many pair of NNN-BC bar bindings rip out–bar out of boot toe more commonly binding out of skis less (the lightest skis don't have a metal binding plate). The terrain we're skiing in the Sierra routinely includes at least short sections of crappy snow to 45 degrees–occasionally steeper. Generally double black diamond run steepness (for most resorts up to 42 degrees is black diamond steepness).

Sierra cement is a very heavy "powder" that is nearly impossible to tour through. At 15" deep I traveled about 2-3MPH while shuffling with my skis pointed straight down a >45 degree slope–as long as I leaned way back.

Kevin,

Great report. It is reports such as these that teach the rest of us how to do things in the wild lands. Thanks.

I did notice that your gear list indicates a 'custom' Bushbuddy. Why did you choose a wood burning stove over white gas? And how did you come into a custom Bushbuddy?

Thanks again. This kind of report makes being a member of BPL really worthwhile.

I got Fritz to make me a double size Bush Buddy over two years ago. I found that for melting snow–and serving as a very sweet firepit once melting and cooking was done–the larger size was easier to use and more efficient. I have so many friends who want a larger size but Fritz has been unwilling to make any more–keep hassling him though, perhaps he'll give in.

I experimented with several wood burning options a few years back: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/winter_wood_sawchuk.html

The reason to use wood is weight savings (consider 3-5 oz of white gas per person per day if you need to melt snow for all of your water, multiply it by 14 days and you're starting with an extra ~4 pounds), the dual use of a warm firepit for camp chores and a more "natural" experience. The disadvantages are a larger "fuss factor"–especially when alone–and mild limitations in where you can camp and get wood (it doesn't require much).

Hi Kevin

> I've seen too many pair of NNN-BC bar bindings rip out

OUCH!
OK, we used to use 3-pin Scarpa NorTours and Rottefella rat-traps, and converted when the world supply of low-cut leather 3-pin boots dried up and we outgrew our boots. (Yes, some have returned.)

So we will be watching with GREAT interest to see how our NNN-BC gear lasts! But double-black steepness – no thanks. We traverse gently …

Thanks
Roger

Great Article and amazing trip. Very inspiring. I love seeing the lightweight ski touring content. In addition to the skiing/backcountry travel this article does an amazing job of showing the importance of wise and responsible decision making. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

It is also cool to digest all the nordic gear discussion between this thread and some of the winters previous. I just hadn't realized the lag in technology when compared to other segments of the market. Nordic skiing is just so versatile and someday I hope we will have nordic ski systems that rival AT for weight and performance. Until then trying to me away from free heel gear would be akin to convincing the hardcore fly fishermen or acoustic guitarist to go with a spin set up or an electric guitar respectively.

Thanks for sharing, Kevin! When I dream, this is what it looks like. This is the just the kind of trip that could only be undertaken in UL style, and is the reason I'm a member of BPL.

Hey Kevin, Wonderful and moving story. Looking forward to more epic details on our SHR trip in Sept. As you know, I'm an AT guy all the way. The trouble with slow AT travellers on flat/rolling terrain is they lack basic cross country ski skills – a good diagonal kick and glide and a skate when conditions allow.
Cheers, James

To Gerry who wrote:
"Until then trying to me away from free heel gear would be akin to convincing the hardcore fly fishermen or acoustic guitarist to go with a spin set up or an electric guitar respectively."

To paraphrase Charlston Heston……"They'll pry my teleboards from my cold frostbitten feet"

Amen!

Found this on postholer. He went in mid-April. I couldn't tell when Kevin went.

http://www.silvertipmountaincenter.com/JMT.html

Kevin wrote:

>> I did consider AT skis, appreciate their weight savings, wish there was something of similar weight with a kinetic base and a free heel (I'd even be willing to give up the free heel.) I'm sure they'd work and for some people and tours they would probably even work better. Perhaps I'll have to invest in ski pair #11. :)

Hi Kevin-

There's always room in the quiver for another pair of skis. ;-)

Take a look at Karhu's XCD series with a fishscale base. I have the "GT" version which is too skinny for Tele, but Will R. has the wider "10th Mountain" version which could mate with a light Tele or AT boot/binding. There's also the "Guide" which is really fat and could be used with any Tele/AT setup you wanted.

He started a week after I returned–it was a better window but he still got quite a storm. Had I left a week earlier conditions would have been excellent.

Mike:

Both of those skis are already part of my quiver–they both get skied and it was a last minute decision to use the Fischers instead of the 10th Mountains. Just in case 10 pair seem excessive they do include four pair of resort XC skis–three skating pair (including a really crappy one for bad days) and a classic pair. So it's not as bad as you think!

The link to the slideshow doesn't seem to be working.

Great report & photos!

>>> Wondering why this sort of gear does not get more use in the USA?

Very good question. This is exactly the type of gear that I like to use. Actually, I like to use even lighter gear: plain Nordic gear, with SNS bindings (not BC) along with waxless, non-metal edge skis. The skis aren't meant for track skiing, nor are they meant for black diamond runs. They are meant for touring. I usually take them out on logging roads (of which there are many around here) and occasionally back country. When I do ski back country, I occasionally use NNN BC gear, and occasionally non BC. In either case, I have by far the flimsiest gear on the mountain (and, I would imagine, the lightest). This means that if the conditions are poor (and they often are) then I struggle (I'm not a great skier and I'm not that young anymore). But it is really nice to just glide around in terrain like this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rossbl/4461769222, even if it means I have trouble with the steep parts (I usually do a lot of traversing — at worse I just plunge step down).

I think there are several reasons why what I wear is not that popular:

1) Not extreme. OK, to a certain extent it is extreme, in that you are trying to push the limits of your gear — but it isn't the extreme that gets you on a Mountain Dew commercial.

2) Ski touring in general isn't that popular. Roger, that picture makes my mouth water. I would love to ski that terrain. However, not that many people like to do that on skis. Way more people like to take a lift. Those that avoid the lifts are often just looking for that perfect (very steep) run. On the other side you have folks that like going very fast on very light cross country gear. Many of the people who like to get out there use snow shoes, instead of skis. I'm lucky, in that there are great books (published by the Mountaineers) about the Northwest U. S. that cover exactly the type of skiing I like to do, even though we have some of the worst snow and toughest terrain around (to be fair, our terrain could best be described as varied — so we do have some easy stuff). Similar books exist for the Sierras, but I think they are no longer published. I haven't found anything about such skiing in Utah, Colorado, Wyoming or Montana. Likewise with the magazines (a couple cover Nordic groomed and a few cover extreme back country, but nothing for touring).

3) A lot of folks transition to back country skiing from lift skiing. They are pretty good (or great) alpine (parallel) skiers. They want the control that a stiff boot and a heavy ski gives them.

4) People prepare for the worst conditions they may experience. If 90% of the terrain is mellow, but 10% is steep, they bring the gear for the steep part. This, despite the obvious fact that they could just hike up or hike down the steep part. To a certain extent, this is true of traditional backpacking as well. Which brings me to my last point.

5) Pioneers are few in every pursuit. Twenty years ago, I hiked in running shoes. Other hikers thought I was nuts. Now, I'm just part of the ultralight crowd. I'm sure that someone, someday will make using really light, comfortable gear for ski touring popular. Until then, I will look unusual in my own country (but, apparently, right at home in Australia).

"People prepare for the worst conditions they may experience. If 90% of the terrain is mellow, but 10% is steep, they bring the gear for the steep part."

Around here it's the other way around. 90% steep and 10% mellow. But I first learned to ski tour in the Sierras and actually have an affection for Sierra Cement :) Our motto used to be "ski the worst you can find to be the best skier you can be".

Hi Ross

Believe it or not, Australia has a larger AREA of snow in the winter than Europe. Perhaps not quite as much vertical however … :-) So yes, we walk our Alps in the Spring and Autumn and XC ski them in the winter.
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The view from the summit of Mt Jagungal, one of our favourite places. NNN-BC boots on; our skis are 20 m down the rocks in the saddle.
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Camp in Straight Creek on a 5 day trip. As the snow depth is not that much we are usually able to find water – see water bag at corner of tent.
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Heading across Strumbo Range in 2005

Yeah, we LIKE light-weight XC skiing.

Cheers

Thanks Roger,
Those pictures are great. It makes me want to ski there even more.

Thanks Lynn,
The New Zealand terrain sounds a lot like the Cascades. Actually, I think it is similar, in that it is very rugged and quite varied. If so, that means that much of that steep 90% is simply too steep to ski. So, maybe there are a handful of places where you can ski that mellow 10%, with just a smidge of steep, but not too steep stuff thrown in. Of course, just because I think something is too steep to ski, doesn't mean there aren't folks that will ski it. For the second time in history, a group just skied the Pickets: http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7981596
That third pick is rather stunning. Unlike Roger's pictures, the thought "Oh, cool, I could ski that!" doesn't cross the mind. Of course, neither does the thought "you should try it with flimsier gear".

"The New Zealand terrain sounds a lot like the Cascades."

I haven't skied in the Cascades, but you may be right.

"So, maybe there are a handful of places where you can ski that mellow 10%, with just a smidge of steep, but not too steep stuff thrown in"

Yeah, there are a few places where you can glide along on skating skis and tracks, (sadly now commercial), but nothing you could ski for days on end without skins and telemark style skis. However I get a real buzz out of steep telemarking, so I'm not complaining. It's the fear of avalanches that holds me in check :(

On the plus side, NZ has some tremendous downhill areas to play on, something you just can't get in places like OZ. However, to get away from the crowds (and expense), ski mountaineering or heli-skiing is the way to go.

There are some seriously steep ski slopes in California. One such slope was called Extreme Skiing. Then somebody asked for a definition of Extreme Skiing. It's easy.

If you fall, you die.

–B.G.–

I may have come across as implying that we have steeper hills than anywhere else…not my intention. Everywhere (except Oz) has some steep mountains. My comments RE: why such heavy ski gear were a bit of moaning on my part because we simply don't have the lovely undulating snow-covered hills that Australia and many parts of America have. If we did, I would happily use lighter gear and go to less demanding places to tour. Personally I prefer to avoid places where I am likely to die if I fall down! And I feel I am almost too old for steep terrain. Maybe I'll have to move to another country so I can get lighter gear :( Or maybe I just need a winter in the Snowy Mountains to the west…

Hi Lynn

Actually, we do have some steep mountains even here in Oz. We just don't ski them as most of them have too many trees. Try Townsend Spur off Kosciusko (too many trees)

Or most of the West Face off Watsons Crags. Skied by some, but way too much for me!

Getting back up has needed crampons at times.

Cheers

Kevin: Thanks for sharing your inner world of decision-making on your trip. It is a complex world of shifting variables—I found your use of IRIDIUM SATCOM for updated weather forecasts interesting—N. of 60 in Canada we have to do that too! Here, our problem is that there are not enough forecast weather-observation stations for accurate forecasts. Sadly, the excellent UNISYS GOES WEST IR sat weather images cannot be down-loaded on satcom! But we could SAT-phone a friend with a computer to interpret them!

Here, we also wear cut-up camp booties over lightweight touring ski boots for more warmth, or take them (plastic bagged) into our sleeping bags at night to avoid putting on cold boots.

Thanks for the article!

To complete the article I need to report that on Saturday, July 3, I went and reclaimed the food I cached last October. I was pleased to find it right where I left it in perfect shape.

I'll probably cache in the same place this fall for next year.

> I'll probably cache in the same place this fall for next year.

And you are not saying where that was? :-)

Cheers

Nope. Though the decisions about where to cache in the snow were interesting ones.