After years of carrying all manner of compact – and not so compact – ratcheting screw drivers, Swiss Army knives, and multi-tools into the field, I serendipitously stumbled across what might be the perfect screwdriver set for individuals or groups who want a real screwdriver in the field but wince at having to schlep anymore [...]
Archive for March, 2011
First Look: BD’s Compactor Ski Pole
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As soon as I was introduced to Black Diamond’s Z-Pole concept I was thinking how appropriate it would be for snowboarders. The only problem was, the baskets that came with the Z-Poles were too small for anything but corn snow. That and the fact that the tips were manufactured in such a way that replacing [...]
Review: K2′s LockJaw Ski Poles
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The new LockJaw® Carbon/Carbon and Carbon/Alu ski poles from K2 take the concept of functionality for a ski pole to a new level. The core features remain, like the Lock-Jaw® clamp that holds reliably and is easy to adjust. But what originally distinguished K2’s backcountry ski poles from the competition, depth readings and slope indicators, [...]
Tahoe gets buried!
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Wow! We’ve had a lot of snow this ten-11 season, more than I’ve ever experienced since moving to the Tahoe area, but yesterday took the prize with a cold, fluffy layer of icing on an already phat cake of snow. The snowfall backed off around midnight, but the winds remain high so there is lots [...]
The Need for Knee Pads
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Make no mistake about it, if you telemark, it’s not a matter of if, but when you will need a pair of knee pads to save your precious knees. You can make all the excuses you want about how your stance is tall and you never ski low so your knees aren’t at risk but [...]
Posted in Black Diamond, Dostie, Craig, Kneepads, Mother Necessity, Voile 
Tags: knee protection 
3 Comments »Ten-11, D24: Secret Stash
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“Look, I blew you off the other day because I’m terrible at mornings man.” “Don’t sweat it. You got the goods, I had to be chained to a desk, so good call.” “Where can we go that’s close?” “I know a good avy chute with a cornice hanging above it. Excellent line if it holds. [...]
Posted in CA, CA, Destination, Dostie, Craig, N America, North America, Trip Reports Tags: avalanche, cornice, powder, Tim Dobbins No Comments »Ball of Foot Pressure in a Deep Telemark Turn?
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I stand in my workshop hacksaw in hand, old tele boots strewn about the floor. A pair of old gara’s sit on the work bench surrounded by plastic shavings with a freshly cut gash through the bellows. Am I a deranged AT skier acting out every Tele skiers worst nightmare? Of course not, I’m a [...]
Too much snow? Not with a Honda!
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Here in the Lake Tahoe area where snow comes by the ton, you need a serious snow blower. Even if you’re not convinced that Honda is the way to go, and I’ll admit I’ve seen other brands do a good job, do not sell yourself short with something cheap. Spend the extra bucks and get a real piece of machinery because the snow up here comes in serious quantities, not baby sized.
Review: Voile Switchback
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If bindings were cars, the Switchback would be a Subaru. It tracks superbly, uphill and downhill, and if you know how to drive ‘er, you can out maneuver higher-powered vehicles.
The Religion of Weather
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For a skier, watching the weather and waiting for great gobs of precipitation exacts the faith of a farmer. I don’t know that I’ve ever met a skiing atheist. Everyone seems to have his or her own prayers and promises and sky-gazed mutterings that are supposed to bring on the clouds. It’s as timeless as [...]
