Season 14/15 Banter thread

Fattes

fmlarnapairce wrote: »

This link is going to open fully in Aug and will be an excellent safety and education resource of you ski

http://mountainacademy.salomon.com/

oh oh, n/g on that test![/quote]

I'll be impressed of anyone picks the route correctly

Vegeta

Fattes wrote: »

I'll be impressed of anyone picks the route correctly

I've never skied in that type of terrain so my guesses were all wrong. Wasn't sure if I got the correct answer in the end

Was it down the left hand edge?

As someone only getting into skiing I am lapping this stuff up, love learning new things, thanks for sharing.

AlternateID

Fattes wrote: »

oh oh, n/g on that test!

I'll be impressed of anyone picks the route correctly[/QUOTE]

Ah so close. I got 3 out of 4. My first attempt on the route using an iPad sent lines all over the place when I tried to zoom the screen. Really should of waited till I got home. Second attempt I didn't see the cornices. Third time I got it but was left wondering if that is the route I'd of taken if I was there for real. Doubt it.

stevire

Fattes wrote: »

I'll be impressed of anyone picks the route correctly

Got it on my second go! First go was on the ridge in the middle then into the trees.

Vegeta wrote: »

I've never skied in that type of terrain so my guesses were all wrong. Wasn't sure if I got the correct answer in the end

Was it down the left hand edge?

As someone only getting into skiing I am lapping this stuff up, love learning new things, thanks for sharing.

It is the one on the left hand edge; "You stay on the ridge and follow the least steep part of the mountain."

Fattes

Yep basically skiing the ridge to skiers right traversing. The ridge and down through the trees ( left as you look at screen)

It's a pretty tough one and as you said is that the route you would choose standing there????? Finally made it back Freeriding today this is the line we took and the view back from the bar

masseyno9

Nice one Fattes. I can't remember the last sunny day I've ridden. Seems to be always the yellow lens that goes in the goggles this year!

Revelstoke at the weekend was a wash. Rained most of the way there, except for some really sketchy parts where visibility was minimal and wet snow all over the road. For anyone that hasn't driven in winter conditions, the wet stuff is terrible. but dry snow is actually quite grippy (unless there 's ice underneath it). We got to the town anyway and it was raining. Not too bad up high on the mountain early Saturday but 2 of us took the last run of the day and it was raining almost right to the top. Woke up Sunday and pulled the pin and drove to Lake Louise. Serious rockslides through the mountain pass - boulders out across the road and could see smaller rocks coming down as we drove past but they were clearing them with snowplows. Nice calm night in Lake Louise and a good day Monday. Snowing most of the day but not too thick to completely flatten the light, and the place was pretty much empty. Some groomers and fun stuff off to the sides and then park in the afternoon. Landed a sweet backside 360 and had some nice rails too, so a good end to the weekend that started off badly. Long weekend here coming up, undecided whether to brave the crowds or not - I think we were spoiled with the Monday crowd in Louise! Potentially some pics to follow, once we get our stuff together and share what we all took.

Fattes

http://unofficialnetworks.com/2015/02/watch-skiing-past-a-mountain-lion-at-a-utah-resort

Worst Hello Kitty ever

Rew

Fattes wrote: »

http://unofficialnetworks.com/2015/02/watch-skiing-past-a-mountain-lion-at-a-utah-resort

Worst Hello Kitty ever

Worst fake ever I reckon!

Fattes

Rew wrote: »

Worst fake ever I reckon!

Actually more common than you think in N.American resorts, i have seen one in the trees at Sunshine village, and another day a whole area of the resort was closed because of one that was hanging about the slopes!

a148pro

I appreciate that thats just a beta test but there's a lot of work to be done on it, its far too simplistic and misleading. The first question is a nonsense - there are too few parameters to answer it correctly. For instance, if there is no snow at all clearly there will be no avalanche risk. Yes, a 'slow' start to the season may lead to an unstable snow pack, as it has done for the last two years, but to suggest that a season with lots of snow is less likely to lead to avalanches than one with very little is a little misleading since the primary factor in avalanche risk on a given day will be the amount of new snow over the given snowpack.

More worryingly, if the avalanche risk is 3 you shouldn't be on a slope like that! Also, the simple fact that the risk is 3 isn't determinative of what to do, avalanche reports are a lot more sophisticated than that and aspect and wind direction will be key. And local knowledge as to what slides is also important.

I don't think they should be promoting a simplistic analysis like that. Or maybe the correct answer in each one should be 'get a guide'. Though I do welcome some attempt to raise awareness, particularly given the carnage this year.

Fattes

a148pro wrote: »

I appreciate that thats just a beta test but there's a lot of work to be done on it, its far too simplistic and misleading.

a148pro wrote: »

The first question is a nonsense - there are too few parameters to answer it correctly. For instance, if there is no snow at all clearly there will be no avalanche risk. Yes, a 'slow' start to the season may lead to an unstable snow pack, as it has done for the last two years, but to suggest that a season with lots of snow is less likely to lead to avalanches than one with very little is a little misleading since the primary factor in avalanche risk on a given day will be the amount of new snow over the given snowpack.

Nope New snow is one of many factors in slides, the vast majority of slides happen in April and May when no new snow has fallen for weeks! Especially on grassy low alpine slopes!

a148pro wrote: »

More worryingly, if the avalanche risk is 3 you shouldn't be on a slope like that! Also, the simple fact that the risk is 3 isn't determinative of what to do, avalanche reports are a lot more sophisticated than that and aspect and wind direction will be key. And local knowledge as to what slides is also important.

Nope, If that was the case I could not ski off piste for 90% of the season!!! the slope is safe if you are educated enough to make the correct route selection and line choice. If once cornice was missing you could ski the bowl to skiers right. Yes it does not include an avalanche rose but wind direction is lee to the slope, the cornices indicate that very clearly to the educated eye. Local knowledge? Not sure about where you are going here, even without local knowledge you can make educated choice

a148pro wrote: »

I don't think they should be promoting a simplistic analysis like that. Or maybe the correct answer in each one should be 'get a guide'. Though I do welcome some attempt to raise awareness, particularly given the carnage this year.

They are not they are showing people how little knowledge they actually have like you have illustrated in your points, Wind direction is obvious from the cornices, skiing on a L3 risk day is absolutely fine with educated and sensible route choices and terrain selection.

The quote below sums up exactly how little awareness you have and why websites like this are a useful resource to illustrate this. Avalanches can be caused, by rain, rising temperatures, human factors and other variables even if there has not been snow for weeks.

a148pro wrote: »

For instance, if there is no snow at all clearly there will be no avalanche risk

cormee

Rew wrote: »

Worst fake ever I reckon!

Dont know, they have great wildlife in the north America! And lots of it. There was a funny(ish) video going around last year, of some clown on a snowboard chasing a 9' moose down a slope. If he had caught it on a bad day it could easily have killed him.

I think they eventually caught him and fined him ( the snowboarder)

I wouldn't for a second doubt that mountain lion video's authenticity.

Must be great having all that wildlife. All we have are foxes, hedgehogs, and the odd squirrel.

Rew

Fattes wrote: »

Actually more common than you think in N.American resorts, i have seen one in the trees at Sunshine village, and another day a whole area of the resort was closed because of one that was hanging about the slopes!

cormee wrote: »

Dont know, they have great wildlife in the north America! And lots of it. There was a funny(ish) video going around last year, of some clown on a snowboard chasing a 9' moose down a slope. If he had caught it on a bad day it could easily have killed him.

So according to this its a real video and a fake lion, which would make sense because it doesn't move an inch.

http://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/2vl7fh/skiing/

fannymagee

Rew wrote: »

So according to this its a real video and a fake lion, which would make sense because it doesn't move an inch.

http://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/2vl7fh/skiing/

It's stuffed- haha brilliant! :-)

cormee

Rew wrote: »

So according to this its a real video and a fake lion, which would make sense because it doesn't move an inch.

http://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/2vl7fh/skiing/

Heh, if someone goes to the trouble of hauling a stuffed mountain lion up the slopes they have my respect.

Rew

cormee wrote: »

Heh, if someone goes to the trouble of hauling a stuffed mountain lion up the slopes they have my respect.

From the sound of it it didn't have to come far but would make for some good hidden camera stuff. Pitty the quality of that guys video is so ****e he might have made a few quid off it on youtube though he is up to 20k views already.

sallymomo

Fattes wrote: »

oh oh, n/g on that test!

I'll be impressed of anyone picks the route correctly[/QUOTE]


i did get it right first time!! just looked at the least likely angle for the avalanche (could also be that I have never skiied off piste and wasn't being overly technical!) that said, I only got 2 out of 4 right...

I best stay on piste!

Fattes

Easy to believe because we seen one in the trees in Banff once! Got to the bottom of the lift and this was here!!!!

Fattes

Taking some time to appreciate my office on a day off

a148pro

.

Fattes wrote: »

Nope New snow is one of many factors in slides, the vast majority of slides happen in April and May when no new snow has fallen for weeks! Especially on grassy low alpine slopes!




Nope, If that was the case I could not ski off piste for 90% of the season!!! the slope is safe if you are educated enough to make the correct route selection and line choice. If once cornice was missing you could ski the bowl to skiers right. Yes it does not include an avalanche rose but wind direction is lee to the slope, the cornices indicate that very clearly to the educated eye. Local knowledge? Not sure about where you are going here, even without local knowledge you can make educated choice



They are not they are showing people how little knowledge they actually have like you have illustrated in your points, Wind direction is obvious from the cornices, skiing on a L3 risk day is absolutely fine with educated and sensible route choices and terrain selection.

The quote below sums up exactly how little awareness you have and why websites like this are a useful resource to illustrate this. Avalanches can be caused, by rain, rising temperatures, human factors and other variables even if there has not been snow for weeks.

In fairness Fattes, what I actually said was if there is no snow at all there can't be an avalanche!

The problem is they are promoting a simplistic view of things. People will read that (in its present form at least) and say, sure its grand to ski this, I picked the right line on that test, I know what I'm at. This is irresponsible. The situation is always much more complex that that and a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Making people think they know what they're at is not good. Any avalanche expert worth their salt would be appalled by that test. That is not to say that there isn't scope to do it right and I welcome efforts to educate people better.

Fattes

a148pro wrote: »

.


In fairness Fattes, what I actually said was if there is no snow at all there can't be an avalanche!

The problem is they are promoting a simplistic view of things. People will read that (in its present form at least) and say, sure its grand to ski this, I picked the right line on that test, I know what I'm at. This is irresponsible. The situation is always much more complex that that and a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Making people think they know what they're at is not good. Any avalanche expert worth their salt would be appalled by that test. That is not to say that there isn't scope to do it right and I welcome efforts to educate people better.

a148pro wrote: »

since the primary factor in avalanche risk on a given day will be the amount of new snow over the given snowpack

From your original post^^^ This is so wrong it demonstrates why websites like this are required!!!! Sun can release avalanches even if it has not snowed for a month, depth hors put under pressure could release a slope that has not seen snow in 4 months!!

The people putting the site together are Sam Shepard and Bruce Tremper, in fact both pushed it and well either know more about snow than anyone I have ever meet.

A number of people here got NA or less than 2/4 that in itself shows in a small sample size it is effective.

I suggest you check some of your info based on the quote above you are commenting on something you don't fully comprehend

masseyno9

On the wildlife topic, last summer mountain biking in Canmore (near Banff) we stopped to read a map and ask some directions when a brown bear strolled across the trail in front of us. The helpful gent we were talking to then decides to point us towards a trail in the direction the bear went. Thanks, pal!! Further up the trail we got within 5-10m of about 6 deer just eating away and staring at us. Enjoyed the moment and moved on.

Back on topic - I've been meaning to do an AST 1 course for the past 2 seasons, but never got around to it. There is some lift-accessed back-country (I think that's what they call it) at Sunshine that requires avalanche gear to get into and I want to try it, but I don't fancy it without some training.

a148pro

Fattes wrote: »

Bruce Tremper

More or less everything I know about avalanches is from this guy so I'm glad to see he's involved and await the finished product with interest

Fattes

a148pro wrote: »

More or less everything I know about avalanches is from this guy so I'm glad to see he's involved and await the finished product with interest

You may need to read it again if you think new fallen snow is the "Primary factor in avalanche risk on any given day'

masseyno9; If you are talking about Delirium and SIlver City, the requirment for avi gear is marketing both are patrolled and blasted within and inch of their life and are incredibly low risk.

Wild West on the other hand you certainly need it and definitely need to know where you are going!

Northern Monkey

In other news, I'm heading to Tignes on the 21st and just looked at the snow forecast for the first time in about a month.

stevire

Looking into a trip to Val Thorens in mid-April. Expecting icy mornings and slushy afternoons! What are current conditions like there? Anyone been there late in the season?

sallymomo

Friends of mine who live in Nice are currently on a weeks ski in Val Gardena in the Dolomites and I just looked at the webcams, that is some serious ski area!!
Looks amazing, anyone ever been? Fattes?

Fattes

Northern Monkey wrote: »

In other news, I'm heading to Tignes on the 21st and just looked at the snow forecast for the first time in about a month.

Are you sick why have you not been obsessing over web cams every day! In fact I don't think you deserve to go to Tignes

Fattes

Last day off for 3 weeks so enjoying the commute home!

For those of you with Mid term peak weeks breaks coming up it looks like the weather gods are about to oblige with some fresh snow and excellent conditions

Northern Monkey

Fattes wrote: »

Are you sick why have you not been obsessing over web cams every day! In fact I don't think you deserve to go to Tignes

In a normal year I'd be checking them 2 or 3 times a day, but I've been swamped in work (12-14 hour days most days), so haven't had the time this year, I'm sort of glad though as I think I will enjoy it more!