^^ i ski. i've actually never even tried snowboarding

^ sweet, i'm leaving for denver early on new year's eve, staying until monday.

not sure where all we'll ski, yet. definitely want to hit Vail at least one day. Maybe Keystone. Not exactly sure. We're staying in Dillon.

12/29/2009 8:18:12 PM

Quote :

"Anyone ski anymore? "

I ski, just bought a new set today actually. I tried snow boarding once might give it a shot this weekend again but probably not because i'll be wanting to play with my new skis as much as possible haha

12/29/2009 9:56:31 PM

I'm glad I'm not the only one who skis

12/29/2009 9:57:28 PM

Quote :

"Anyone ski anymore? I swear it seems like everyone snowboards now. The one time I tried snowboarding I hated it "

I tried skiing last year after a 15 year hiatus. I rented them the night before on a whim. Got to the mountain the next morning and made a few runs, but about 12" of fresh powder had fallen overnight and I quickly headed back to the car to swap them for my snowboard. I'd like to spend some more time on skis, but honestly I'm not going to give up a day of good conditions for them. On really shitty days with a lot of ice I think I'd prefer the stability you get on them. I don't think you can beat carving in powder on a snowboard though. It's beautiful.

If I hit the mountain a lot I'd definitely want to pick it up again. Going 1-3 times a year doesn't really afford the opportunity though.

[Edited on December 30, 2009 at 1:11 AM. Reason : l]

12/30/2009 1:10:58 AM

Been at Sugar all day today. Saw a few NCSU hoodies around the lodge too. Any of them you guys?
Staying at a hotel in Boone tonight, back to Raleigh tomorrow.

12/30/2009 1:19:26 AM

^^I feel the exact same way but with skis not snowboard.

12/30/2009 1:36:08 AM

^agreed.

I ski and have never snowboarded. I've thought about trying but think it will aggravate my bad knee.

I like skiing through glades, shooting through mogul fields, and going down the hardest slopes the mountain has to offer. I've never seen anyone go through glades or mogul fields on a board, and rarely see them on the extremely challenging stuff.

12/30/2009 9:44:06 AM

Moguls attract more skiers, park attracts more snowboarders, although both can be done with either equipment. It's just a matter of what is more fun on your board or skis, i done moguls on a board before. It was possible but not too much fun, and really gave my leg muscles a beating

12/30/2009 10:09:16 AM

Moguls blow... But the first time I got on a snowboard, I fell down the mountain But after a lot of practicing, i picked it up really nice. I started with being able to stop heel side and toe side and then I went to connecting turns. My boy, who skis, bought me a helmet for Christmas last year cause he said watching me fall on my head looked painful... That really wasn't the issue with fresh pow. But land on your head on the ice in NC and I can see the concussions piling on. My helmet has the ability to hook up my tunes too and has built in ear warmers...

I don't think i would ever ski again tho. Skiers are mean to boarders anyway :-( I am not a mean person.

I am trying to figure out if I wanna switch to a standard binding or keep my flows. I sorta like the convenience of the flows. but they don't really match my new board that well... My new boots are awesome though!



[Edited on December 30, 2009 at 10:21 AM. Reason : fasdf]

12/30/2009 10:20:54 AM

If boarders wouldn't sit in the middle of the slope people wouldn't be mean to them

Luckily in Japan most boarders have manners and know to stay out of the way when getting ready.

12/30/2009 10:44:23 AM

I'm about to head to the airport and it's still dumping here. I'd say at least 8" since last night.

12/30/2009 11:03:09 AM

New setup. Santa was good to me! '10 Lib Tech Skate Banana, and '09 Rome 390s (neon).

Put a new wax on it last night. Can't wait to get home and pack up the car. Should be snowing pretty much the entire time at Snowshoe. Get pumped Golvoko!

[Edited on December 30, 2009 at 11:05 AM. Reason : ]

12/30/2009 11:04:22 AM

Quote :

"If boarders wouldn't sit in the middle of the slope people wouldn't be mean to them"

Exactly, what is that all about anyway? I don't see why it is so hard to move over to the side of the slope.

My Christmas gift from my fiance was a ski trip to VT. Looks like we are going to hit up Sugarbush and Mad River Glen

12/30/2009 11:05:49 AM

Quote :

" My boy, who skis, bought me a helmet for Christmas last year cause he said watching me fall on my head looked painful... That really wasn't the issue with fresh pow. But land on your head on the ice in NC and I can see the concussions piling on. My helmet has the ability to hook up my tunes too and has built in ear warmers... "

Anyone who's at the least a somewhat serious skier or boarder should wear a helmet in my opinion. I finally picked one up myself 3 years ago after I started doing glade runs at the VT resorts all the time. Whizzing by all those trees less than a foot away got me thinking

Now I can't imagine skiing without a helmet; besides safety they do an awesome job of keeping your head warm.

12/30/2009 11:10:10 AM

I hadn't skied since 2006 and it's crazy how many people where helmets now.

A few years ago you looked like a special ed kid in one and now ~85% of the mountain has them on.

12/30/2009 11:15:01 AM

^^^plenty of skiers do that shit too, don't act like every time a skier takes a breather or falls they immediately crawl to the edge of the slope to gather themselves

i snowboard and it's just as annoying to me, be it a skier or snowboarder. i don't think it matters what you're riding on, if you lack the common sense to get out of the way skis aren't going to help you. what really ought to piss you off about snowboarders is when the new kids plow away the top layer of snow down to ice when they're trying to learn to stop the whole way down a run


also, so i can jump into the "new gear look at me" crew i'm trying to get some new (08 or 09 model) flows between now and when i go to snowshoe on 1/29. DON'T WORRY i'll post pics when i get them!

[Edited on December 30, 2009 at 11:19 AM. Reason : ^]

12/30/2009 11:18:51 AM

Quote :

"plenty of skiers do that shit too, don't act like every time a skier takes a breather or falls they immediately crawl to the edge of the slope to gather themselves"

You know damn well it's snowboarders you see doing this the vast majority of the time

I don't give people grief if they take a spill and are in the middle of the slope. It's the guys who have just gotten off the lift and plop themselves down in everyone's way that piss me off.

But really I think it's mainly an American thing. I hardly ever come across it here in Japan and it's usually white people doing it when I do see it

12/30/2009 11:24:51 AM

^^very true.

12/30/2009 11:26:55 AM

Quote :

"I don't give people grief if they take a spill and are in the middle of the slope. It's the guys who have just gotten off the lift and plop themselves down in everyone's way that piss me off. "

exactly, this is what we're bitching about. Not people that just crashed

12/30/2009 11:36:05 AM

Quote :

"If boarders wouldn't sit in the middle of the slope people wouldn't be mean to them"

Quote :

"plenty of skiers do that shit too, don't act like every time a skier takes a breather or falls they immediately crawl to the edge of the slope to gather themselves"

Yeah I think its both boarders and skiers all though I see more boarders just hanging out a lot at the top of the slope. I see more of that in NC like the guys in NC think they're awesome when NC mountains are shitty anyways... NC is just a way I can cure my itch for boarding when i cant just leave to go to CO.

But I do know that boarding kills my thighs more than skiing does... So when i get tired, I go to the side and chill out cause i know there are retards and mean asses that come plowing down the mountain.

12/30/2009 11:45:57 AM

Quote :

"I go to the side and chill out cause i know there are retards and mean asses that come plowing down the mountain I shouldn't sit in the middle of the slopes like a fucking dumbass."

fixed it for ya

12/30/2009 11:55:09 AM

yea but if i see someone chillin on the slope in my way i usually mow them down or spray snow on them

12/30/2009 11:57:46 AM

a) most good resorts have benches for the snowboarders off to the side as to not crowd the top of the lift

b) falling is one thing. chilling/waiting/sitting in the middle of the slope at the top of a crest or just below it, is the easiest way to get HURT.

c) always wear a helmet. it's the best piece of gear you own. don't be stupid.

12/30/2009 12:06:21 PM

Its inherently easier to just plop down on a board. With skis, you have to lay awkwardly or spread eagle like your waiting to get rammed doggy.

Plus when skiers fall, they usually lose some combination of poles or skis, so they have to retrieve them before they can think about sitting down just to piss you off.

12/30/2009 12:22:54 PM

Quote :

"But land on your head on the ice in NC and I can see the concussions piling on. "

I've taken a few smacks that hurt pretty bad for a few minutes, but the one that pissed me off the most was when I fell on some NC ice and literally got road rash on my face. It was almost like sliding on asphalt and one cheek scabbed up pretty bad. I don't even want to ride in conditions like that anymore.

As for the boarders plopping down in the middle of the route; please keep in mind that we don't have ski poles and cannot move in any direction we want. If we all went to the edge we would get into our bindings and basically be stuck behind all the people in front of us with no way to get around them. We have to stagger a little bit.

I fully agree that some boarders are obnoxious about it, but if you look around I think you'd find that most of us are moving towards the edge and just staggering ourselves enough to be able to get around the person in front of us when we're ready to go.

12/30/2009 1:05:27 PM

I've taken a few nasty hits to the head when falling (though its been 5-8 years since the last nasty one) and I was definitely disoriented. But as far as I know the only concussion I ever suffered was when I was airborne and caught a tip in the snow and did a header right into the slope itself.

Out cold I tell ya...this was 16 years ago btw.

12/30/2009 1:18:54 PM

Quote :

"always wear a helmet. it's the best piece of gear you own. don't be stupid"

Dude, I love my helmet... I feel naked without it... Kinda like riding my motorcycle with my helmet... plus I don't need a beanie... ha ha and as corny as it sounds I wear wrist guards cause sometimes my wrists get sore too... I prolly need to look into bubble wrap for my butt

12/30/2009 1:56:15 PM

New setup. Burton Twin with the Mission bindings. Had the chance to try it out on limited terrain at Snowshoe earlier this month. Performed real nice. Can't wait to get it out on some better conditions here in January.

12/30/2009 3:37:52 PM

So...should I party at Vail for NYE, or in downtown Denver? What will be the better scene?

12/30/2009 4:00:11 PM

Vail, if you're staying in the village. Driving back the 45 minutes or so to Dillon after partying late night doesn't seem like fun to me.

12/30/2009 4:02:34 PM

no, we're staying in Dillon, but that's still closer to Vail than downtown Denver.

I'm more concerned with where will be a better place to be for NYE.

12/30/2009 4:18:10 PM

Quote :

"Dude, I love my helmet... I feel naked without it."

I, too, <3 my helmet. I do wish I had bought one size larger though. It's a perfect fit on my head, but when my balaclava is on it's a little snug.

12/30/2009 4:42:31 PM

^^Vail if you can afford it, otherwise hit up Blake St. in downtown Denver, TONS of bars, you don't have to worry about a lack of action.

Last year (wearing my helmet) I had 3 light concussions in one day. The only day I've had such. All 3 were due to me trying to see how fast I could go with my GPS watch on.

Sadly it meant I was just going fast all day and was on a blue at Keystone and went over some rollers that normally one wouldn't get air on, I didn't see them they were so subtle but was going so fast I got air, caught my back edge all 3 times and slammed the back of my head against the slope. Luckily I never blacked out, just minor dizziness and a headache.

Oh, I maxxed out at 44mph

[Edited on December 30, 2009 at 7:22 PM. Reason : .]

12/30/2009 7:21:53 PM

Quote :

"Anyone ski anymore? I swear it seems like everyone snowboards now. "

I was at Dodge Ridge near Pinecrest, Ca recently and kept a running tally of boarders vs. skiers while on the chairlifts and found it to be around 55:45 to 60:40.

I ski and use a randonee setup. Mostly, I want to get out to the backcountry and there's no better way to do that than skis. I have dynafit TLT Comfort bindings and find they're burly enough for most resort skiing I do.

12/30/2009 9:07:38 PM

I went to Winterplace on Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas. It was empty and WV had just gotten a record 2' a few days earlier. It was nice, they had about 75% of the runs open. I liked it better than most of the NC mountains.

12/30/2009 10:40:44 PM

^^^damn...this is going to tempt me to run Dynolicious on my iPhone while I ski i don't know if it will really work well though.

12/30/2009 11:56:35 PM

^ i already thought the same thing with my iPhone Speedometer.

12/31/2009 6:08:25 AM

Quote :

"Oh, I maxxed out at 44mph "

haha, impressive!

Golovko, if you want to see how fast you can go time yourself down Cup Run in the Western Territory. That run is 1 1/2 miles long so figuring out your average speed there isn't terribly difficult. It has some fairly flat and steep sections so it wouldn't be a far stretch to say your max speed is likely 10-15 over your average.

I timed myself one year and my average speed worked out to be somewhere around 35mph, lol. I guesstimated that I peaked around 50 on the last really steep section before it flattens out for a bit. The skis were clattering like a mofo

12/31/2009 9:23:30 AM

Not to add to the fire, but boarders who just sit in the middle of the slope usually do so because they just wiped out or they're tired/lazy. Those who do such a lot are usually noobs. No one with half a brain wants to be a target for that clueless dude who's bombing down on skiis talking on his cell phone while smoking a cigarette.

Since everyone's trying to bash boarders, how about that group of fucking skiiers who are transversing, completely unpredictably, with each other at 1 mph blocking the whole trail. It's like playing a game of Frogger except they always seem to turn towards your line when you're about to pass.

Quote :

"I prolly need to look into bubble wrap for my butt."

They make crash pants/impact shorts/whatever the hell they're calling them these days. I don't see much reason for them unless you're a park rat and love the rails.



Anyone gonna be out in NC/VA this weekend? I'll be at either Beech, Sugar, or Wintergreen.

12/31/2009 12:16:06 PM

I am headed to Sugar Saturday I am counting on mother nature to show me that NC can produce acceptable boarding conditions to cure my snowboarding itch

Sounds like in a few weeks I'll be heading to Snowshoe... I doubt I'll be going to Cololorado this year given the situation with my job :-( Next year I am turning up the heat to go to Park City or Jackson's hole.

I have a waxing question for boarders... I want your opinions cause I have read and heard different things:

I just got my badass Roxy, but the board shop guys say that the factory wax is good enough for a few runs, but a few forums beg to differ. They say you need to get a better coat of wax placed on it so that the wax melts completely into the base. They said that the whole point of wax is so that it melts a thin layer of snow and this allows a better glide on the water. I wanna what you guys think... What do you guys say work the best?

[Edited on December 31, 2009 at 12:46 PM. Reason : kjyiouy]

12/31/2009 12:45:05 PM

The factory wax will be properly applied and work fine, but know that it will just be a really cheap wax. It'll be fine for making a couple of trips if you want, but a better wax will definitely make it faster. If you don't mind making a mess just pick up some wax ($10-$15 for enough to do a bunch of boards, a thrift store iron ($5 or less), and a scraper ($5) and do it yourself. Of course, Vertical Urge can do it for $20 so it's probably worth just taking it to them once per season and letting them handle it.

[Edited on December 31, 2009 at 2:56 PM. Reason : l]

12/31/2009 2:55:53 PM

Yeah, I just waxed my new Burton, although they claim it's ready to go off the shelves. It can't hurt to wax it yourself, as long as you know what you're doing. You never know what conditions your board's been in before it got into your hands. Sitting around on a shelf with possible exposure to UV, contact with people's oily hands as well as changes in temperature are enough reasons for me to want to wax it again.

When you wax your board you're basically applying wax to the 'pores' in your base and scraping off all the excess, leaving a very thin layer. This keeps water/dirt from seeping into the microscopic pores, thus preventing friction/drag. It also keeps the board from drying out, which has the tendency to cause the base to shrink and become malformed.

I hear you should wax your board about every three days on the mountain, but if you're like me and do a lot of day trips, you'll probably need to wax it in between trips since it's sitting around.

I'll be at Wintergreen on Saturday, since my buddy weaseled his way out of going to either Sugar or Beech. Anyone else gonna be there?

12/31/2009 11:46:17 PM

The place I'm going next weekend will do a hot wax for $5. Is it worth the money? I don't know shit about wax.

Quote :

"No one with half a brain wants to be a target for that clueless dude who's bombing down on skiis talking on his cell phone while smoking a cigarette."

lol, do people actually do this?

1/1/2010 12:18:16 AM

That's a real good deal, if they do a decent job. Waxing and doing a half ass scrape/polish job is generally worse than not waxing at all, at least for your speed if not your board. Excess wax is a draaaag, pun intended. There are plenty of tutorials on the intarwebz and you only get better with practice.

And to answer this:

Quote :

"lol, do people actually do this?"

I've seen the cell phone gig at least three times. However, on one jaw dropping occasion, I've seen the cell phone cigarette combo in all its glory. Phone to the ear in one hand, drags from the cigarette in the other, poles dangling from each wrist. I couldn't rationalize it. I guess skiing was just eating way too much into her (yes, it was a chick) realty time. Hell, it was getting in the way of her nicotine addiction too. So much for recreation.

1/1/2010 2:19:14 AM

Wow

Does anyone use that stick wax stuff? My one friend puts it on every time we go out to the slopes.

1/1/2010 2:24:30 AM

I've used the stick wax in a pinch. My base was getting shitty and I had no time to wax it, so I bought that stuff. I would never add it on top of a freshly waxed board though. It's more of a "better-than-nothing" solution to make the wax last once it is starting to fail.

1/1/2010 2:46:21 AM

Skied breckenridge today. I'm exhausted.

...and there's no way I could talk on the phone and ski. For one thing, skiing is too physically taxing, not to mention that I don't think I could divide my attention like that.

1/1/2010 10:11:02 PM

Copper mountain today. Fresh snow last night and today. I like...great success!

1/2/2010 10:44:57 PM

^ awesome ^^ awesome too!

Dubcaps and I are headed out to Colorado in 2 weeks. Staying at Winterpark and will be making treks to nearby mountains as well. Would be really interested to hear what anyone has to say about Copper Mountain and Beaver Creek. We're definitely making the trek to Steamboat. Any other recommendations would be appreciated.

Also, got back from Snowshoe last night. Conditions were great. Probably snowed 2-3 on the 31st and the 1st which gave just enough loose powder to go on top of the hard pack. When I left yesterday around 11AM it was definitely 1 degree outside.

1/3/2010 10:39:29 AM

Anyone know what a good ski resort is near Philly? It'll be my first time, so I'll take some tips if you have any!

1/3/2010 12:17:38 PM