Category: Skinning

Techniques for ascending with climbing skins

Technique: Skins On with Skis On

Putting skins on with skis on (free pivot binding advised) Shaggy said come over early and we’ll go on a tour the day before. A foot fell on an older foot so we hit the road early. Perfect. Getting to the “gate” involved two-stroke smoke. Saw my first snow-bikes in action. Those guys are destined …

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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: Waxing Skins – How & Why

  Waxing skins is an essential part of taking care of your climbing skins which will also improve their performance. While skins are used for their climbing ability, their ability to glide when sliding between grip modes will help you climb faster. It does so two ways. Wax On? Most importantly it can prevent a …

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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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Technique: Steep Skinning

  As much as I lobby for people to wake up to the advantages of setting a low angle skin track, the fact of the matter is most people prefer to set and/or follow a steep track. By steep I mean in the neighborhood of 20°. Without actually measuring it, how do you know you’re …

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