^Nice I like it! I really need to get a GoPro. Vail this weekend!

1/9/2014 1:26:30 PM

best craigslist purchase ever. But, i have the HD hero 1, which is about 3 generations old. Some of the vids i've seen from the Hero 3+ cameras are pretty amazing (better optics, faster lens, bigger sensor, etc.)

1/9/2014 2:05:20 PM

I rented a GoPro Hero Black for the Swiss trip (was only $39 for two weeks after I rented two avalanche beacons). Plan on trying it out, then will probably purchase one for the summer fun.

1/9/2014 2:46:17 PM

Quote :

"Got back from Summit Co. last night. My flight out of DEN was about an hour late due to the de-icing line, and I barely missed my connector from DEN to RIC. Then US Airways grounded the remaining flights due to the weather in Charlotte. So I fucking rented a car and drove the 5 hours to RIC. Flew in on New years day, got some legal ganja, and skiied 1/2-4. Breck fucking blew (as far as skiing out west can blow). It was overcrowded, and no matter where we were on the mountain, the lift lines were obnoxious. We did Copper the second day, and it was far better, although some of the back bowls were still closed. I finished up at Keystone, and had several inches of fresh powder to boot. First order of business was getting to the tram to take us out to the summit where the back bowls and tree runs are. The pole cam mount for the go-pro worked out better than expected, but I have a whole day's footage ruined. I was changing out the battery at Keystone, and i guess some snow got into the housing, melted, and condensed on the lens, leaving a "worst instagram filter ever" effect on the video. ah well. "

You and I were at Breck at the same time. Had the same issues trying to get from Charlotte to Nashville too.

1/9/2014 5:13:18 PM

Hit up Killington today. Conditions were really good this morning and got real icy in the afternoon. Still had a good time, longest runs I've ever got to ski. Had my GoPro with me but the SD card fucked up. They wanted $60 for an SD card at the resort, told them thanks but no thanks

[Edited on January 9, 2014 at 9:04 PM. Reason : .]

1/9/2014 9:02:28 PM

http://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/asia/japan/Japans-Mythical-Powder-Paradise-Niseko-Ski.html?page=all

This looks pretty great.

1/10/2014 12:06:09 AM

My buddy was just there and said they got a foot a day, which is considered light there...seems like if you go and don't get snow you are extremely unlucky

Said the mountain is massive, but the difficulty is more in line with a place like Killington as opposed to somewhere out west...that said, you can always find inventive ways to kill yourself, such as that picture indicates

1/10/2014 9:22:38 AM

Headed to Boone in a few hours to hit up the night session and a morning run tomorrow.

Anyone have any recommendations of cool things to check out in the afternoon in Boone? or cool bars to go to tonight?

Also, the weather looks hideous...but its just a tune up for my feb. trip

Supposed to be a summit going on so hopefully I avoid that chaos

1/10/2014 3:57:14 PM

For those of you in CO, Shell gas stations are doing a promotion for buy one get one lift tickets when you purchase 10 gallons in fuel. They are good at Monarch, Copper, Loveland, and a few other mountains. Here is the website

http://skifreedeals.com/

I have a 3 day weekend for Valentines/Presidents day weekend and was hoping to go to Vail or Breckenridge but hotel prices are nuts for that weekend

1/10/2014 3:59:32 PM

I'll get you a free night at the Vail Marriott for $400. That's like 50% off what you'd pay face value.

1/10/2014 4:31:45 PM

There are a couple old skate threads I could resurrect, but I'm more interested in the opinion of snowboarders in here...anyone who snowboards have any experience with either a Freebord or a Flowboard?

Thinking about getting one, but I'm 32 and falling down on pavement is not really an option. I'm hoping this is something I'd be able to jump right into without too much of a learning curve, but maybe not

1/13/2014 4:35:28 PM

i tried it last night in the off season to get my legs back...

it does an ok job...doesnt entirely replicate a snowboard...more a surfboard than snow.

The best thing for boarding practice is leg/hip flexor workouts/stretches and if you have access, a board on a trampoline.

Surfers use the flowboard a lot more...I've always done one slow run to start the day and get my body back accustomed to boarding and then I was good to go.

1/13/2014 4:43:11 PM

Im actually more interested in it as a mode of transportation around NYC...keeping me in snowboarding shape would just be an added benefit

1/13/2014 5:02:58 PM

I looked into the freeboards a while back. I eventually decided against getting one since it appears that they are really designed for rolling downhill. I live in Wilmington and we have no elevation. Instead I got the freeline skates thinking that would be good to practice for balance and for keeping in shape for snowboarding. They are pretty neat and you definitely get a work out trying to learn how to ride them. The downside is that the seem fairly childish and you look like an moron riding them.

1/15/2014 11:27:43 PM

What is the stopping ability while going down a moderate hill on those?

1/16/2014 9:03:46 AM

Depends on how well you can carve.

I've got a flowboard in the garage I'll let go for half of whatever they're selling for new if anybody is interested. I haven't made it to a mountain in 2 years and its gotten no use in that time.

1/16/2014 7:40:27 PM

I am proficient enough that I can go down just about any hill on a snowboard and not come close to falling down assuming I'm not trying to do something outside of just carving

The question is how easily does this translate to freebord, flowboard, freeline skates...will I be busting my ass learning or will it be a fairly smooth transition

1/17/2014 9:11:02 AM

Flying low-level nav routes from Pensacola to Mobile, then refueling and doing the same from Mobile back to Pensacola tomorrow for work...then driving to the civilian airport and flying to Dallas, where I'll be connecting to Reno, where a friend will be picking me up and giving me a ride to Tahoe.



(Except that I will be spending about 18 straight hours either on or headed to or from an airplane.)

[Edited on January 21, 2014 at 11:50 PM. Reason : ]

1/21/2014 11:33:55 PM

Has Tahoe even gotten any good snow yet? There's a drought in Cali and I hear the slopes have sucked recently.

[Edited on January 22, 2014 at 12:41 AM. Reason : s]

1/22/2014 12:41:15 AM

Any advice for going to snowshoe? Going with some buddies in 3 weeks...already have lift tickets but will have rent ski's and maybe a suit

1/22/2014 12:50:39 AM

^^ Doesn't look so hot. I was there a few years back in February and it was pretty brutal.

http://www.skiheavenly.com/the-mountain/terrain-and-lift-status.aspx

1/22/2014 1:24:57 AM

^^ i'd advise against wearing a suit. Maybe see if you can rent ski pants or a bib instead.

1/22/2014 9:03:01 AM

Speaking of pants my GF is having a hard time finding a pair of snowboard pants. She's already been to REI (in person and online), that Alpine place on Glenwood, and Backcountry.com. What are some other good spots to check out?

1/22/2014 9:06:34 AM

for snowboard gear there was a place that catered specifically to snowboarders/skaters in N. raleigh. Vertical urge i think?

1/22/2014 9:08:18 AM

Quote :

"^^ Doesn't look so hot. I was there a few years back in February and it was pretty brutal."

Ouch

Quote :

"190 of 4800 acres open"

. Yeah my buddy lives in Palo Alto and he's been once and said it was not even worth it.

1/22/2014 10:51:57 AM

5 days till the Matterhorn

1/22/2014 1:50:10 PM

Oh yeah my gf bought a car and it came with two free season passes to Winter Park so we'll be checking that out this weekend.

1/22/2014 1:59:57 PM

^^^ I mean it was far better than it is right now, but there were rocks and shit poking through where they shouldn't...they couldn't groom a bunch of of the runs as a result Still beautiful skiing down to the lake though!

[Edited on January 22, 2014 at 3:00 PM. Reason : T-3 weeks for Big Sky for me]

1/22/2014 3:00:05 PM

Ah gotcha. Big Sky looks fun!

1/22/2014 3:20:34 PM

Quote :

"Any advice for going to snowshoe? Going with some buddies in 3 weeks...already have lift tickets but will have rent ski's and maybe a suit"

Do not go on a weekend, or you'll probably be looking at a 30-45min wait for the lifts each time. If you go during the week, BYOB as they always seem to run out after the weekends (or hoard it for the next.)

Also, don't follow Google's directions as you'll either go out of your way or go straight through the mountains on some terrifying roads. Well, as long as you don't get carsick they're pretty fun when it's dry, but horrifying in the snow/ice. I believe the correct directions are:

I-40 to 87 to 220 to I-81 to 220 to I-64 to 92 to 39 to 219 to 66 to Snowshoe Road


You can rent from Alpine Ski Center on Glenwood, and that might be cheaper/better than Snowshoe's rentals. Snowshoe does have regular and performance rentals, I think, if that interests you. I have my own equipment, but my friends get the regular rentals.

1/22/2014 6:20:57 PM

^Thanks for the advice. We're planning on getting our rental stuff from that Glenwood place and we're going up on thursday so we'll have Friday and Saturday to ski. Also not really planning on going out...we're taking our own keg so we should be set. I already have my lift ticket which I got about $50 off so I think I'm about good to go. I'll keep the directions thing in mind though...thanks again.

1/22/2014 11:36:02 PM

Demoing these on Saturday:

http://www.icelanticskis.com/ski_detail.cfm?categoryID=1&subCatID=4&productID=144

Can't wait.

1/29/2014 2:44:11 PM

Just curious. Does anyone else ski and snowboard on the same trips? I enjoy both and usually split time between them.

1/30/2014 12:41:19 AM

This is how I go to Snowshoe:

I-40 to Hillsborough
Highway 86 from Hillsborough to Danville
Take 58W in Danville
Follow 58W to 220N at Martinsville
Take 220N from Martinsville to Roanoke
Stay on 220N from Roanoke to Clifton Forge
Take 64W/220N from Clifton Forge to White Sulphur Springs
Take 92N from White Sulphur Springs towards Marlinton
92N merges with 39W and eventually splits. Stay on 39W into Marlinton
Take 219N out of Marlinton towards Snowshoe
Right onto 66E towards Snowshoe
Left onto Snowshoe Dr at the big Snowshoe sign

Never try to use GPS for the full trip. If you fall off course just use GPS to get to the next city on the route.

[Edited on January 30, 2014 at 9:48 PM. Reason : s]

1/30/2014 9:47:01 PM

^thats how we went. on the way up there it took wayyy too long (close to 8-8.5 hours, stopped 3 times, once at grocery store in clifton forge). driving in the mountains at night with snow on the ground. wasnt the best experience.

on the way back it took us right around 6 hours i think.

1/30/2014 10:09:18 PM

Six hours is about right. I've done it in 5:45 with that route going 5-15MPH (5 over in VA, 9-15 over in NC & WV) above the speed limit with one stop for gas and no other stops. I usually count on ~7 hours though with one gas stop, one food stop, and a stop at the grocery store on 219 just before the Marlinton pass though.

[Edited on January 31, 2014 at 9:52 AM. Reason : l]

1/31/2014 9:45:54 AM

Can't wait to get up this weekend!

1/31/2014 10:11:45 AM

Heading to Snowshoe on Friday night and will be there until Tuesday.

2/3/2014 11:43:41 AM

I'm going up Thursday through Sunday. Where are you staying?

2/3/2014 12:04:07 PM

Sunday and Monday are looking like powder days for Snowshoe. I'll be at Mountain Lodge this weekend. Here's to hoping the forecasts hold up!

[Edited on February 3, 2014 at 4:54 PM. Reason : l]

2/3/2014 4:53:45 PM

Vantage Inn.

2/4/2014 7:23:53 PM

I think we're staying at the Mtn. Lodge Ski in/Ski out...not sure if that's the right name

2/5/2014 12:19:07 AM

Mountain Lodge is the name...It is ski in/out (meaning you walk out the door and you're at the slopes; no bus or hike required) right in front of the the Ballhooter lift.

[Edited on February 5, 2014 at 10:45 AM. Reason : l]

2/5/2014 10:44:44 AM

Mountain Lodge is the ideal place to stay. Not only because you are ski in/ski out, but because you are in the central village near all of the restaurants/bars.

The great thing about the Vantage Inn (other than the fact that I got it for $400 for 4 nights), is that it's right across the road from Western Territory. It's ski in/ski out on the other side too, but you've got to work your way down and then across to get to the Ballhooter lift.

2/5/2014 11:47:59 AM

Just ordered some Icelantic Nomad RKRs from Amazon! $180 off retail! Now I'm investigating some AT bindings as I really want to start back country skiing. Anyone have experience with AT bindings?

2/9/2014 4:29:26 PM

Snowshoe was awesome. All their basic/intermediate trails were just my speed. I tried the black diamond to the right at western territory and did fine on the first half but busted ass on the 3rd big drop. Oh well, at least I made it to the bottom in one piece. Silver Creek was also a lot of fun at night...loved that we could grab a beer at the bottom between runs.

2/9/2014 9:43:29 PM

Think I may be sold on Marker Duke AT hybrid bindings.

http://www.evo.com/alpine-ski-bindings/marker-duke-epf-lage-110mm-brakes.aspx

2/10/2014 11:24:33 AM

For those of you who ski Vail please watch this. I started crying laughing at work this morning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35sfp9k5avI

It's so amazingly true.

2/10/2014 11:44:56 AM

Got the $500 Marker Duke AT bindings for $290!

2/14/2014 9:48:02 PM

Quote :

"Snowshoe was awesome. All their basic/intermediate trails were just my speed. I tried the black diamond to the right at western territory and did fine on the first half but busted ass on the 3rd big drop. Oh well, at least I made it to the bottom in one piece. Silver Creek was also a lot of fun at night...loved that we could grab a beer at the bottom between runs."

I rode Saturday night at Silver Creek and Sunday at Snowshoe. Sunday after lunch was great. It started snowing harder around noon just as most people were packing up and heading home. Conditions got better with each run right up until closing.

2/15/2014 12:06:06 PM