Tag: meanderthal

Technique: Meanderthal Mind Games

  More than anything, making and taking a low angle skin track is a mind game. The natural tendency is to go steeper, afterall that is the shortest line and the shortest line should be the fastest, right? Indeed it can be, for a short pitch or a single ascent with a small group. However …

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Meanderthal Conversations

  It had been a long time, too long, since we had all skied together. At least five years. Gilski and I had rendezvoused a few times at Mammoth in the interim but the last time I skied with Lou was at Onion Valley back in ’97 and with Rober’ it had been since ’05 …

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Technique: Meanderthal avy assessment

On a recent local lazyboy tour I hopped Sugar Bowl’s Judah chair for a fast slingshot into the backcountry. The summit chair wasn’t open, but that was fine, it’s only a 20 minute skin to the top and if you set the line right you can experience snow conditions from the northwest all the way …

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TR: West Shore Lake Tahoe (31dec12)

  Yesterday was a classic Powder Monday. Two old ski buddies were in town and the plan was simple — take a tour somewhere around Lake Tahoe. West Shore beckoned and we took the bait. Russ, Ethan and I rendezvoused at The Back Country then headed south on Hwy. 89. There were three parking pull-outs …

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Skinning: Tracks of the Tortoise

Taking the low road has several advantages. It is unquestionably more efficient…is consistently safer, arguably more aesthetic and, for those still intent on a challenge, is more difficult to achieve with purity…

Review: Pieps 30° Plus inclinometer

If you have reason to measure slope angles accurately, you would be hard pressed to beat the convenience of Pieps 30° PLUS. It’s a small, light device that measures slope angle in any orientation quickly and accurately. How does it work? With some electronic wizardry on a chip that measures gravitational acceleration in three axes. …

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Ten-11, day 3

Took another solo tour on Sunday that started as trip to the pool for a workout. As soon as I turned onto the freeway my eyes saw the crest of the Sierra around Anderson Peak. There had been fresh snow up high and the sight beckoned like it always does when the sky is blue …

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