thesnowway.com

During these trying days of above freezing temperatures, lack of powder, lack of corn snow, and general lack of good options, one must try not to become discouraged. Bases are deep and spring skiing in April and beyond will be epic (when it finally arrives). But New England weather can be a bitch sometimes. Normally one of the snowiest months, this March has been a horrendous with exception of the first two days, of the month. Times like this call for vicarious living and skiing and there is no better way to do so than ski magazines.

Enter volume two, number two of The Ski Journal. Readers may recall my fond review of the second issue of this new magazine earlier this season. This third issue continues to build on the values and direction that the first two issues have established: stunning design and layout, excellent content in words and images, and a focus on skiing uncompromised by advertisements and fluff. This new issue features a few additional advertisements compared to the first two issues; however, this is a very minimal increase. In keeping with the layout and style of the magazine, the advertisements are only located at the front and back of the magazines and the content is generally uninterrupted.

Although disappointed with the lack of an eastern feature in this issue, the articles and photographs retain a universal flavor and appeal not found in most other magazines. Lines In Skiing, which featured articles and photographs of various “lines” in skiing (lift line, production line, fall line, boundary line, etc.), was particularly interesting. And though I will never travel to Oz, Tony Harrington’s Australia article drew my attention as a New England skier due to the default presumptive nature most skiers have regarding the skiing down under.

The Ski Journal delivers great content yet again with the bar being raised due to some stunning photography. Writing quality seemed to be stepped up as well. The cover price remains steep at $12.95 USD; however, the $39.99 four issue subscription delivered to your door is a reasonable and acceptable price tag for a magazine that uncompromisingly sticks to quality style, layout, presentation and content that is unparalleled in ski industry journalism and periodicals.

Competition for untracked lines has never been higher in New England. The ever elusive top to bottom completely untracked run is a rare thing at most New England resorts and ski areas. Those skiers and riders that often enjoy lots of untracked lines show up early with detailed knowledge of the mountain and its secrets. Fat skis have made powder skiing more accessible to more skiers than ever before. Boundaries are being pushed and novelty comes at a premium. The result is even the tight trees of New England are mostly tracked out by noon time on a powder day.

The lack of adequate untracked powder skiing shows the disconnect between supply and demand. Conditions that are deemed fun are often in high demand as advanced and expert skiers and riders shun the frozen groomed hard pack surfaces available from most lifts. With quickly disappearing untracked on the slopes, expert skiers and riders have taken to the woods in droves. On map glades, thinned out off map glades, and natural skiable trees all hold powder snow much better than on piste slopes. While the off map glades and trees are also lesser known, any powder hound can snuff out all but the most hidden gems after having seen the patterns these glades and tree options follow.

As competition increases, untracked lines have increasingly begun to favor the early bird. One advantage of being a Jay Peak skier is most less dedicated souls from the flatlands can not get out of bed early enough to make first chair. But this is true at any mountain, though Jay’s distance makes the discrepancy between first chair and 10:30 Johnny Come Lately’s all the more prominent. Early birds track up the on piste, followed by the on map glades, and are just starting to move into the off map trees before most metro skiers even arrive at the lodge, much less arrive at the lifts. Early start times and knowledge of the mountains have never been more important for the dedicated powder hound.

Competition will continue to increase as ability, desire, knowledge, and equipment all develop and allow more people more access to great snow conditions. Ten years ago, relatively minor mountain snowfall up to a foot went largely under the radar. But today, internet forums, official web pages, and weather forecasters build up a few inches several days outside the actual event. Upslope snowfall never mentioned on metro television weather forecasts can be accurately predicted days in advanced making weekend powder days a crowded party rather than a solitary epic. The ultimate weapon of the powder hound still remains flexibility of schedule and ability to ski mid-week via what ever means necessary. The lifestyle, career, and family choices skiers and riders make will dictate their relative level of success in scoring big powder days and untracked lines if more proven options such as first chairs, knowledge of the mountain, and mid-week vacation days are not available.

The cost of skiing is rising dramatically lately. Not just the window rate of day tickets but also costs associated with getting to the slopes. Many solo day trippers will pay more for fuel than for a day ticket this season, especially mid-week day trippers. My hypothesis is that costs of fuel will exceed costs of tickets this season for many skiers, myself included. In an on going effort to calculate total season costs, TheSnowWay.com is proud to present our total season cost calculator using OpenOffice’s Spreadsheet program. Results from the first third of the 2007-2008 season have been exported to PDF format and linked to below for your viewing pleasure.

With an advertised 35 MPG for highways, my 1999 Saturn SC2 has provided amazing fuel and money savings compared to less efficient and more expensive vehicles. One trip involving consistent 55 MPH travel pushed MPG to nearly 40. Why pay extra for All Wheel Drive or Four Wheel Drive when a great set of snow tires will get you to the mountain just as fast and safe while paying less at the dealership and at the pump.

Given current environmental issues, we must not only consider the effects skiing has on our wallets, but also effects related to emissions. While reducing number of ski days is not an option, choosing a fuel efficient vehicle and driving at reasonable speeds that reduce gas consumption are paramount to reducing our environmental impact. It is not only the right thing to do, it is the affordable thing to do.

• TheSnowWay.com Total Season Cost 2007-2008

On April 25, 2007, Backcountry Magazine announced that it was merging with Couloir Magazine. These two magazines were the leading “earn your turns” styled magazines along with the revived Telemark Skier Magazine. Backcountry Magazine retained its brand and incorporated photographers, writers, editors, and arguably some edge from Couloir.

As a loyal Couloir subscriber for the past few years, I was somewhat concerned about this merger having never read Backcountry Magazine. Couloir subscriptions were passed onto Backcountry Magazine for which I have received my first two issues including a Gear Guide and a “White” Issues pre-season special. Overall, I am blown away by the combination and have nothing but positive things to say about the merger.

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Looking for an authentic magazine to drool over that focuses on skiing issues rather than the skiing institution? You can skip such commercialized standbys as Ski, Skiing, Powder, and Freeskier that cater more towards advertisers than readers. Fluff free and mostly subscriber driven, The Ski Journal is an amazingly beautiful production that looks and reads more like an anthology of ski literature and photographs than a typical ski magazine.

Published by the same outfit responsible for Frequency: The Snowboarder’s Journal, The Ski Journal is a new quarterly periodical that shuns typical magazine production techniques on both the front and back end. The magazine is printed on thick high quality paper that brings to life its exceptional photography and beautifully designed layout. Photographs are matched with generally well written articles that range from one page quick shots to double digit page numbered in depth articles without commercial interruption. While The Ski Journal does take advertisers on for revenue, the ads are limited to full pages and generally relegated to either the front or back of the magazine, never breaking up content or articles (sixteen full page ads out of one hundred and twelve pages in Volume Two Number One–compare that to Ski, Skiing, Powder, Freeskier, or even Backcountry).

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Ah, the wonders of the Fall. Cooling temperatures, refreshing crisp breezes, new ski movie releases, and huge gear tent sales. Skiing equipment does not get any cheaper than the pre-season Fall Tent Sales. Excellent deals were spotted in the Lincoln, NH area this afternoon including Rogers’ and Sport Thoma’s annual tent sales in Lincoln and North Lincoln. Rogers’ tent sale is located across the street from their well designed new building. No longer a claustrophobic old building, Rogers is now a three floor spacious warehouse full of the latest in winter sports gear.

Prices for last season’s skis were particularly low under the tent next to the new building but cheap skis from last season were also located upstairs. Examples include used Dynastar Legend 8000s for $400 mounted with demo bindings, Legend 8800 unmounted for $400, and last season’s Legend 8000s for $400. All fantastic prices for one of my favorite ski lines. If I did not already have 2.5 pairs of the 8000, I would have taken a pair of their hands!

Get out there and buy some cheap gear from last season while you can!

On March 21st, I visited Stowe, VT and experienced a long desired demo with the Volkl Mantra (177cm). Sporting a Radius of 20.3 and a sidecut of 130/94/113, the Mantra is billed as ideal one ski quiver for those that enjoy front side and back side skiing. My opinion is that the Mantra compromises too much to be an East Coast quiver of one. Ironically, I found the ski was more akin to a wider Supersport in having excellent carving ability while lacking in the powder and tight turns required of East Coast tree skiers.

Prefacing my full review are my personal preferences, physical specifications, current quiver, and testing conditions. I stand tall at 6′1″ and tip the scales at 210 pounds. My build is athletic but not bulky and despite my size I prefer finesse to power although I am an ex-college racer that at one time preferred brute force. My favorite terrain includes all natural snow terrain but most specifically New England tree and glade skiing with a preference towards powder. I have the ability to carve serious arcs when powder is scarce and I can bash bumps with the best of them. My current ski quiver includes the Dynastar Legend 8000, Dynastar Intuitiv Big, and Volkl P50 Motion. Testing conditions included a bit of everything including groomers, wind blown hard pack, bumps, soft natural snow, powder, trees, etc.

I really wanted to like this ski. It is one helluva ski. It really is. And even though it was not the right ski for me, I recognized instantly the skis’ power and prowess. It is an interesting feeling being both amazed yet disinterested in a ski at the same time.

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The Meatheads are a small and independent Ski Film production out fit from Burlington, Vermont. Snow Gods is the fifth DVD released by the Meatheads and continues the unique exclusive Northeast skiing focus. Despite a lack luster season, the Meatheads managed to put together a solid production including a variety of powder shots. But the film fails to offer substantial improvement from the previous year’s offering, Born From Ice. Regardless of comparison to past productions, Snow Gods is an excellent addition to any East Coaster’s ski video collection.

Snow Gods opens with scenes of rain and running water melting away sheets of ice. A fitting visual montage for the early months of the 2005-2006 ski season. Joe Morabito, who carries the movie with excellent powder and tree skiing, introduces the movie with a ski sacrifice to the Ski Gods during the latter days of a snowless January. While the Snow Gods did not respond immediately to the sacrifice, The Meatheads would find more than enough snow and powder eventually.

Since the rain and warm weather continued into February throughout New England, a small troupe of The Meatheads plotted a course to the Chic Chocs of Quebec on the Gaspe Peninsula. A variety of backcountry scenes ensue including some big mountain open bowl skiing, knee deep powder chutes, road side debauchery, and a side of hucks and jumps. Plenty of behind the scenes footage is included demonstrating that a trip to the Chic Chocs is just as much about the adventure and trip itself than the skiing. A few minutes of various natural and man made jib, rail, and park skiing end cap the Chic Choc segment before the movie switches gears to the highlight of the film at Jay Peak.

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With two quick cuts, Mike plunged into the narrow chute which opened up into a steep double fall line stash. Checking my six to ensure we were not being watching or followed, I charged in after him. After the initial steep pitch, we found ourselves balls deep in the trees skiing the lightest fluff of the season. Mike has never sampled this line before and I was feeling generous with the untracked. Perhaps the old adage doesn’t always hold true, there really are friends on powder days.

Blurry eyed from hours of research and starring at our computer monitors, we made our decision the night before. Pouring over dozens of forecasts and weather models, the decision was made via Instant Messenger to meet at Cannon’s Tram Station promptly at 7:45 A.M. First Tram at Cannon leaves the Station at 8:15 A.M. and is often crowded. But if your ass isn’t in line by 8 A.M. on a powder day, you might as well be grabbing first chair at Peabody Lodge cause you’re in for a long wait.

Restless energy finally gave way to slumber. However, I would not entertain dreams of deep powder and blue bird skies. Dreams are meant to be lived and skiers who dream of such things while sleeping usually aren’t getting any. Real dreams begin when you wake up.

The alarm clock was poised to spring a rude awakening upon me, but such emergency back up devices are hardly ever needed on days like these. Lunch was already packed and the ski clothes laid out. I ran through the morning routine and found my gear and skis in the ready position by the door.

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You always think it will never happen to you despite knowing the high probability that it most certainly eventually will. It is every skiers’ worst nightmare, even worse than the threat of Non-Crystaline Precipitation or a drought of powder. In a long enough time line, the odds eventually catch up to us all and sideline us mid-season with a skiing related injury. It is the risk we take by participating in the sport, especially those of us that push our limits beyond the relatively safe and open slopes of most ski areas. A risk I have always considered worth while to obtain epic powder turns found on fantastically challenging terrain. And I still do.

Jay Peak had been slammed with early season snow that had been mostly deposited in the woods. I found myself with two skiing partners skiing roped off tree runs on the fateful afternoon of Saturday December 10, 2005. Despite being roped, the allure of a foot and a half of fresh powder covering a decent base had many skiers breaking the rules for fresh turns, myself and my companions included. We scored epic turns in Timbuktu, Kitz Woods, and finally in the Beaver Pond area, where tragedy was to strike.

A companion and I were staying skiers right in Beaver Pond Glades where we suddenly found ourselves on an exit route towards the main trail. Wanting more powder turns in the glades, we scoped out a pair of slots through the trees. Our other partner had managed to stay more left and was already well below our location. My partner made it through his slot without problem but my attempt would not be as fortunate. I made two quick turns on packed snow before my skis sunk down in unexpected deep powder. The binding of my right ski released and my weight was thrown forward. My weight carried me through the air where I lost complete control, my trajectory was straight down the fall line into a waiting tree two feet in diameter and appearing mighty solid. My last thoughts included “get the head out of the way” and “this is going to hurt.” Both thoughts were well warranted.

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You always think it will never happen to you despite knowing the high probability that it most certainly eventually will. It is every skiers’ worst nightmare, even worse than the threat of Non-Crystaline Precipitation or a drought of powder. In a long enough time line, the odds eventually catch up to us all and sideline us mid-season with a skiing related injury. It is the risk we take by participating in the sport, especially those of us that push our limits beyond the relatively safe and open slopes of most ski areas. A risk I have always considered worth while to obtain epic powder turns found on fantastically challenging terrain. And I still do.

Jay Peak had been slammed with early season snow that had been mostly deposited in the woods. I found myself with two skiing partners skiing roped off tree runs on the fateful afternoon of Saturday December 10, 2005. Despite being roped, the allure of a foot and a half of fresh powder covering a decent base had many skiers breaking the rules for fresh turns, myself and my companions included. We scored epic turns in Timbuktu, Kitz Woods, and finally in the Beaver Pond area, where tragedy was to strike.

A companion and I were staying skiers right in Beaver Pond Glades where we suddenly found ourselves on an exit route towards the main trail. Wanting more powder turns in the glades, we scoped out a pair of slots through the trees. Our other partner had managed to stay more left and was already well below our location. My partner made it through his slot without problem but my attempt would not be as fortunate. I made two quick turns on packed snow before my skis sunk down in unexpected deep powder. The binding of my right ski released and my weight was thrown forward. My weight carried me through the air where I lost complete control, my trajectory was straight down the fall line into a waiting tree two feet in diameter and appearing mighty solid. My last thoughts included “get the head out of the way” and “this is going to hurt.” Both thoughts were well warranted.

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I have a confession to make: I am a gear junkie. During the past three years, I have acquired six pairs of skis, two pairs of boots, two pairs of poles, and numerous other skiing related items. Something happened that altered my perceptions about ski gear from maximizing gear lifespan and utilizing a one ski quiver to requiring differing gear for changing conditions and demands. I decided that money no longer mattered in regards to experiencing awesome turns produced by the right equipment in varying conditions.

New technologies and changing sidecuts originally got me started down the road of the gear junkie. The late 1990s into the early 2000’s saw some incredible improvements in skiing equipment. Within six years, I had upgraded skis three times with each new ski producing dramatically increased performance. By the third ski, I knew I was on the road to a new ski purchase every other year.

Increasing ability and skill level further drove my gear needs. As I began diving into glades, trees, natural snow, and thin cover situations, my skis began taking a beating. A ski I purchased for the 2003-2004 ski season lasted only two years before having a blown out sideway, chipped edges, a bent tip, and numerous core shots. The need for a dedicated rock ski became painfully apparent recently when I brought the pair of skis into a shop. The tech said he would not put the ski through the machine for fear of destroying the stone grinder.

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It is like they say…you can’t beat the meat. Meathead Films is an upstart East Coast film production crew bringing the best of East Coast skiing to a screen near you. Breaking away from the souless, bland, and homogenized movies produced by the big corporate ski movie outfits, Meathead Films offer up real skiing experiences featuring their closest buddies instead of pro skiers that huck cliffs for a living.

Dozens of home grown ski movie production outfits are popping up the world over. What separates Meatheld Films from the pack is their exclusive focus on the East Coast which has been ignored by most ski films. The Meatheads prove that despite being shunned by ski movie production outfits, the East Coast has some amazing lines and choice descents in addition to plenty of powder shots and freshies.

The soul of New England is what really shines through in the Meathead productions. Skiers in New England have less to work with, so we do more with less by cutting stashes in the woods and seeking out rare snow filled gullies. We work hard for just a small taste of perfection and smile all the more for our efforts when we are rewarded. The Meatheads bring the essence and soul of this dedication and mind set to the screen.

Meathead Films was the creation of Geoff McDonald out of Burlington, Vermont. Founded in 2001, the production outfit grew out of a UVM aired sketch comedy series. Elements of comedy remain in the ski movies; however, the production value and quality is substantially higher than a college version of “Jackass.” While the budget of Meathead Films does not provide for helicopters and ultra-zoom cameras to capture the best angles, the production outfit has the technology to make their well produced and well directed films worth every bit of the $20.00 selling price.

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Taking over where the much raved about Intuitiv Series left off, Dynastar’s Legend Series was introduced during the 2004-2005 ski season to much fan fare. The Legend 8000 filled in the gap between the previous year’s Intuitiv 74 (equated to the Legend 4800) and the Nobis Inspired/Inspired Big (unchanged except the top sheet in the Legend 8800). The Super Nobis continues on as the Legend Pro Rider topping out the line.

The specs for the Dynastar 8000 include a 116/79/102 sidecut and a 20m radius on the 178mm length weighing in at a respectable 3530g. The wood core ski retains a decent weight due to the Autodrive SD cap structure which gives the ski some great action while retaining a solid feel under foot, but reduces the durability compared to a full sidewall such as in the Legend Pro Rider. The Legend 8000 returns for the 2005-2006 ski season with no major changes with the exception of moving the boot center mark 1.5cm’s (I recommend mounting in the 2004-2005 position as the new mountain point does not serve the ski well).

Before detailing my review further beyond the specs of the ski, it is important to preface my experiences with details regarding how I ski, where I ski, and what I enjoy in a ski. Too often people have a bad experience on a ski and simply say the ski is not good, when what they mean to say is that the ski is not a good fit for them. That said, any review detailing ski performance without details and background information on the person writing the review is not worth the keyboard it was typed on.

Weighing in at 220 pounds and standing six feet and one inch tall, I am a heavier than average skier that can bully lighter construction skis. My previous skis include a Rossi 9x 9.9,Volkl P40 Platinum, and Volkl P50 Motion with the P50 Motion with my preferences being towards the Volkls and especially the P50. I have a racing background but have since gotten off the groomers and look towards the woods and narrow lines of New England woods for my turns. I can always bust out the P50 for some groomer action, but I live for natural snow, tight turns, and lots of them.

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Few people would believe it, but only three major differences exist between an average skiers’ technique and that of an expert skier. Only three technical skills stand between limiting oneself to only skiing groomed trails and skiing any open trail on the mountain in any condition on any day. With a three year commitment and diligent practice, any skier with the desire and dedication can break through that invisible barrier separating the merely proficient skiers from those that define the grace and beauty inherent in a perfectly executed turn.

Let’s get one thing straight: you are not going to improve by simply reading an article or a book. A commitment must be made and followed through with training. Likely, the progression will take at least a three year time commitment and a lot of hard work. Crossing over is not a passive learning experience.

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