Month: December 2010

By Rob McCormick

Fifteen years ago 90% of my ski days were at ski areas and 10% were in the backcountry. Today 90% of my days are in the backcountry and 10% are at ski areas. Having been on the same touring setup since 2006, I decided I needed to upgrade. My primary motivation was to get something stable and floaty in powder yet versatile enough for all conditions. I wanted a setup that would inspire me for multiple laps when touring and allow me to handle long approaches and big vertical involved with ski mountaineering. I am not a techy guy who spends hours studying product specs and reviews so I spoke with a few friends who tour and the Dynafit name kept popping up. My wife made good on her Christmas present offer of new touring gear by picking up the Stoke ski, the TLT Vertical binding and custom Dynafit skins at the BackCountry in Truckee. I was not disappointed.

The first thing I noticed when I clicked in was the weight, or lack there of. It felt like I had nothing on my feet. The bindings are very minimalistic in design which is durable and practical, but has nothing extra to add weight. The range of motion on the bindings is unbelievable. They pivot so far forward you can literally kneel on the fronts of your skis. This allows for much less wasted effort when skinning. The heelpiece can be adjusted by rotating to different heights depending on the slope you are climbing. The toepiece has two pins that lock into each side of the front of the ski boot. I have the Garmont Radium boot which is Dynafit compatible. Many companies now make boots that are compatible with the Dynafit binding which says something about the direction they think skiers are headed with touring bindings.

The custom precut speedskins are awesome because you don’t have to measure, stencil and cut the skins manually. More importantly, they provide great traction when climbing. The adhesive sides are way more user friendly than my past skins that I had to battle to pull apart at the bottom of every run. The skins have a unique rubber pulltab that integrates perfectly with the metal tips of the Stokes. Combined with the tremendous forward range of the bindings, the tab allows you to easily remove the skins while the skis are still on your feet. I didn’t think I would be able to do it but was pulling it off my first day without taking my skis off at the top. This feature is especially handy since the one drawback to the bindings is the four point attachment system can be tricky to engage at first. It is essential to bring a pointed tool or something you can use to clear ice and snow from the bindings and/or boot pin holes to allow them to engage properly.

Now for the fun part…the skis! The Stokes are amazing! The core is made of bamboo and beech which keeps it very light for climbing. A slightly rockered tip keeps it from diving in pow. The ski handles dreamy at speed yet turns when it needs to. I didn’t think I could get freeride performance and stability out of something so light yet the Stoke does it with authority. It’s only 106 cm underfoot but I found it well suited for climbing up and out of deep snow when setting a track and the perfect dimensions for shredding the backcountry. My wife got me these things for riding pow and it looks like she hit the bullseye.

OK enough chitchat from a non techhead who doesn’t really know much about gear but knows what he likes to ski. Here’s POV footage of my first legit backcountry run on the Stoke. The skier I am following is Jason Mack who is also on the Dynafit binding setup.

By Rob McCormick

I am a Squaw Valley pass holder and work in the Valley so I rarely visit other Tahoe ski areas.  This is a shame because Tahoe has many little ski areas with quality snow and terrain.  One such gem is Mt. Rose.  I always suspected the Chutes on Slide Mountain offered legitimate terrain but never motivated to ski them.   When Mt. Rose added the formerly out of bounds Chutes to their in-bounds menu a few years back, it was significant news for serious skiers.  Last Monday two friends and I made the trek from Truckee to check out what Mt. Rose has to offer.  Not only were we stoked on the caliber of challenging terrain and lack of crowds, the service and amenities far exceeded our expectations.

After a hearty breakfast at the Log Cabin in Kings Beach we headed up the Mt. Rose highway into heavy fog and wind.   I didn’t worry too much as the forecast called for the system to blow out after noon.  What had amounted to torrential rainfall and about a half inch of glop in Truckee translated into 7 to 9 inches of new snow at Mt. Rose, which has a base elevation of 8,200 feet.  To put this in perspective, Squaw’s mid mountain High Camp complex is located at the same elevation.   This means Rose receives more snow and less rain than most Tahoe ski resorts.

After buying a Bonus Mondays lift ticket for $39, the special tickets agent told us the Northwest Magnum Chair was on wind hold and the only way over to the Blazing Zephyr Chair and the Chutes was via shuttle bus to Slide Lodge.  She said to ask one of the guys in the orange jackets for a ride.  We walked about 200 feet to the parking lot and asked an orange jacket wearer if we could get a ride.   “Of course,” he replied, “I’ll pull the shuttle out so you don’t have to walk through the snow to put your skis in the carrier”.  20 seconds later we were aboard the shuttle heading to the eastern base facility.  “The Chutes should open in about 30 minutes”, said the driver as he let us off.  About a minute later we were riding the Blazing Zephyr Chair to the summit.  The terrain below us looked like wind buffed sweetness so we opted for a quick run down Big Bonanza to warm up and kill time until the Chutes opened.

After another quick ride on the Zephyr we headed over to the Chutes, which were now labeled “part open”.  The first access gate was closed so we entered through the next gate and dropped into virtually untracked, wind buffed pow.  We found exposed spiny ridges separated by powder filled chutes that opened up to a lightly gladed apron at the bottom.  After one run in the Chutes we had already found what we were looking for…steep, fun terrain with good snow and nobody around.    We continued one satisfying lap after the next exploring different access gates along the way. Between runs we took in surreal views spanning from Lake Tahoe all the way down to the dessert of the Reno/Carson Valley.  Mt. Rose proper, Mt. Haughton, Relay Peak and a cornucopia of tasty backcountry terrain loomed right across the highway.

Eventually we hit the Main Lodge for a late lunch.  Adorned with vintage ski photography and other memorabilia, the lodge and cafeteria are simple, clean and very user friendly.   We grabbed one of many empty tables by the window and studied ski lines in the Chutes while hoarking down the best Chili Cheese fries imaginable.  After that it was up the Northwest Magnum Chair (now open) and back to Chute lapping.  Guess what we discovered on our last two runs of the day?  Untracked snow and no other skiers in sight!

In addition to great snow and terrain, we found the service and amenities Mt. Rose to be exceptional.  Resort staff including parking attendants, ticket agents, lifties and bartenders were extremely friendly and helpful.  Nearly every time we got on or off a lift we were greeted or waved to.  And it did not seem forced, but rather that this team really enjoyed what they were doing.  The parking lot had nicely labeled Mt. Rose trash cans. The path to the lodge and chairlift loading stations had slip resistant mats.  The urinals and toilets had stainless steel baskets for gloves, hats and other personal items.  The lift system is simple and efficient with two high-speed six packs providing access to the summit, one from each base area.   The Timbers Bar in the Main Lodge is swanky by most ski area standards and offers a variety of draught beers and a nice assortment of Scotches and other libations.

Mt. Rose also has ticket specials that make it worth checking out even for pass holders at other areas.  If you present a previous Saturday or Sunday ticket you receive a $29 ticket on Bonus Mondays.  No weekend lift ticket?  Mondays are still only $39.  Two fer Tuesdays offers two lift tickets for the price of one.  On Wednesdays guests over 50 and students with valid college ID ski for $35.   Women ski for $35 on Ladies Day Thursdays.  Buy a three-day consecutive ticket and the third day is free.  Present a season pass from another resort on midweek days and receive a $49 ticket.

Mt. Rose provides a stellar experience from start to finish.  The Chutes are dynamic enough to keep strong skiers interested all day long.   The lack of crowds and minimal competition for powder makes you realize not all ski areas are raped by 10am.  The amenities and staff make pulling yourself away from your home area seem like a breath of fresh air.  Put simply, Mt. Rose rocks!

Mt. Rose Proper across the highway from Mt. Rose Ski Area

Vintage ski photography in the Main Lodge

The Chutes as seen from the cafeteria and sun deck