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Show WASATCH MOUNTAIN TIMES “The softer (telemark) skis were more versatile, held just as well, felt quicker edge-to-edge because of the soft- er flex, initiated in difficult snow and terrain much more easily (than alpine), and most importantly, carved telemark turns smoothly and securely... My con- clusion? Alpine skis flexed for strong leMel ies - Bob Athey, left, and Steve Lewis with a quiver of skis. Backcountry Skis What’s Best for By Steve the Wasatch? Lewis nter the arena of telemark/backcountry ski equipment and you quickly encounter a dizzying array of gear, all intended to lead you, the skier, on a blissful course down powdery north-facing slopes and deep fall lines — or, for that matter, any terrain that beckons. But seasoning suggests that in spite of one’s powder passion, winter weather serves up a full selection of real Wasatch mediocre, harsh and rotten snow conditions. Like it or not, skiers need to be prepared to travel and turn in all aspects and conditions. To serve skiers craving demand, an avalanche of ski options is available through . local stores and elsewhere. Most skiers go after an all-mountain ski and then fill out the quiver with specialized touring, mountaineering, powder, spring/corn or bump skis that are now marketed as fatty, randonee, telemark/backcountry or alpine. Views certainly vary, but in my opinion, a backcountry ski that is well made, fairly wide at the tip, light and flexes and turns easily, is most likely to land beneath boots that are either middle-to-heavy weight leather or plastic. Moreover, my specific choice of ski, boot, binding and poles relates entirely to my weight, skill, type of terrain and pocketbook. More importantly, I always try to flirt with a system that is going to make my skiing adventurous and more fun. Recent reviews in Snow Country, Powder Magazine, Rock and Ice, and Couloir and Cross Country Skier highlight in varying detail a variety of backcountry ski systems. A recent Rock and Ice mountaineering gear update by Clyde Soles warns buyers to beware: “Ski shop employees are constantly amused by “pundits” who walk over to a rack of skis and, after flexing a few, start spewing about how this or that performs. Nobody, even those of us who have flexed hundreds of skis, can tell just by bending a ski, how well it works. Likewise, charts of dimensions, flex ratios, pressure distributions and vibration absorptions do not present the whole picture. Ya gotta get on ‘em. Psuedo-tech-weenies also love to talk about how much sidecut a ski has. Yet sidecut is a small factor, compared to longitudinal flex and torsional rigidity, in overall performance. And keep in mind that the choice of boots and bindings hugely effects ski performance.” Soles highly recommends the Kneissel Tourstar, Atomic Tour Cap, (both 5.5 pounds) and Tua Excalibur MX (6.5 pounds) and generally recommends the Black ‘Diarnond Badland (6.5 pounds), Fischer Tour Extreme (5.5 pounds), Hagan Alpin Carbon (6 pounds) and Ramer “Fat Ski” Short Cut (6.5 pounds). In a recent Couloir ski guide piece, Paul Parker contrasts between alpine and telemark skis. He suggests telemark skis over alpine skis for free-heel skiing: alpine skiers with rock-hard boots aren't going to respond well to free heels and measurably softer boots, even plastic tele boots. If you are after a wide ride, you will stand the best chance ofa good time on a pair of wide skis developed for the telemark maneuver. These skis need to be lighter, softer and flex differently for free heel aficionados.” Parker, in addition to recommending some of the same boards as Soles, points to the Dynastar Altiplume (5 pounds), Evolution Ruby Mountain (7.75 Kazama Cornice (7 I pounds), pounds) and Yostmark Mountain Noodle (7 pounds) as versatile all mountain tele skis - and in the process assumes the reader/skier has the requisite weight, boot, terrain and skill to turn the different sized, flexed and weighted skis. The editors of Cross Country Skier highlight and recommend the Atomic Tour Cap, Black Diamond Boundary, Karhu Outbound (6 pounds). But they rave about the Rossignol Black Widow (7.5 pounds) which they classify as “an even flexing, easy turning, high-speed carving, bump-crud, and powder-loving ski... that won us over as an overall excellently balanced high performance all-mountain ski.” But many medium and light weight backcountry skiers don’t share that opinion. They consider the Widow a heavy and stifftailed board that should be targeted for resorts and not the backcountry. A group of new backcountry heli and snow cat skis were recently reviewed and recommended in Powder Magazine. The fat Atomic Powder Plus (135mm tip), Evolution Wide Glide and Rossi Axiom (both 130mm tip) are beefier than the Atomic Heli-Guide and RD Fat Dog (99 & 119mm tip) and the Elan SCX “Hourglass,” which sports a 112-60-103mm mold. These fat skis come no longer than 180cm and, according to the editors of Powder: “For 99 percent of backcountry snow conditions, the fat skis are a viable and probably preferable tool of choice.” But that statement is likely directed at heli, snow cat and lift-served skiers, for until wide skins and light-weight fatty boards arrive, they are of little use to most human-powered backcountry users, who consider them too long, wide and heavy. Plus, they wear you Out way too much. In spite of all the hype given to the new tele boards, particularly by those having a vested financial interest in tele product lines, it’s still a common fact that many alpine slalom skis are the hands-on favorite of a number of free heel resort and backcountry Wasatch skiers — particularly those making parallel, rather than short or sweeping telemark turns. Bob Athey, a winter field observer for the Friends of the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center has used the alpine Dynastar Vertical Extreme as his all-terrain ski for years. He also loves the performance of his Dynastar Altiplumes in spring corn conditions. For powder performance, he often jumps on a pair of old Miller Softs, or, occasionally, rides on Ramer Short Cuts Since Dynastar no longer makes the wood core Vertical Extreme that was — and still is — so popular, regionally, Athey simply counsels free heel skiers that wish to stay with alpine skis to, “Find slalom cut alpine boards that have an even flex, are fairly light weight and are quick and snappy.” Snow Country magazine issues an annual “Best (alpine) Skis” report and under the category of “Do Anything AllMountain Skis” it tested 57 models, recommended 23 and gave outstanding “,.. Its my opinion that many experienced iva ioe ey cou mall merit a happy home on quality, light weight, slalom cut, even-flexing and down- sized alpine skis.” scores to a number of Solomon slalom cut boards. In the women performance skis, it claimed the Solomon 8000EXP Lite was “unrivaled and great in powder, crud, moguls and ice!” So, in spite of the current tele ski mania, it’s my opinion that many experienced free heel skiers will find a happy home on quality, light weight, slalom cut, even-flexing and downsized alpine skis. A pair of Dynastar Vertical Extremes carry me into all conditions and generally serve my interests the full winter season. RD Coyote Softs ride me through infrequent powder days and as soon as Atomic Tour Cap skis arrive, I intend to try this all-terrain tele model to climb to Wasatch ridgelines and cut tracks through glades, valleys and silent forests. Carving turns on light, snappy allterrain skis is generally a lot of fun, in all but the worst of Wasatch winter ski conditions. So think about, or demo, gear before you buy it. Don’t rob yourself of a good time by getting caught with skis that are too skinny, stiff, long, heavy or too cheap. Fitness, friendship, solitude, renewal and some hardship transform the winter backcountry into an outdoor fountain of youth. Whether skating or cross country skiing, snowshoeing or backcountry skiing, cherish your time in the wilds of the Wasatch. More important than any gear you buy or use, practice safe skiing techniques and come out of the woods breathing and alive. Steve Lewis is an avid backcountry skier and environmental activist. He is a tax attorney in the office of the Utah Altorney General. |
