Playing on my new tele gear today
Wednesday, December 30, 2009 at 08:56 PM
New tele boots and new tele skis make for a happy skier.
We arranged our work schedule today to be able to take a few runs on a lovely afternoon. We enjoyed blue skies today -- a bit cloudy in the mountains -- and warmer temperatures. It snowed early this week, so it was a good time to try out some new gear. We zipped over to Smugglers' Notch.
I had high hopes for the equipment that I had picked up at a ski swap this fall: essentially new, three-buckle tele boots (they were demos) and brand new, fat tele skis and bindings. I was praying that having skis with actual sidecut to them would help me master telemark turns and have fun in the backcountry.
After just two dozen turns I could tell things were looking very good. Compared to my very straight Pavo backcountry skis, these fat, short slalom skis were begging to turn. It was an amazing difference. I was doing real tele turns at last!
I enjoyed soft snow on the sides of the trails off of the Madonna II chair. I wanted to stay on the lower part of the mountain where it was less travelled. I needed some elbow room.
After a few runs we skied Ruthie's Run to Northwest Passage -- an expert trail. By that time I realized that I could parallel ski very well on these skis, so I felt comfortable doing short-radius or hop turns down just about anything. This came in handy as this natural-snow trail was wearing thin. I had to really stick to the edges of the trail. Smuggs continued to make snow today to add to the base of its trails.
It was a great afternoon to be on the snow trying out my new gear. I'm hopeful for some more new snow this Friday and this weekend. Wouldn't that be a nice way to greet the New Year?
Filed in: Ski gear, Smugglers' Notch
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1. bushman | Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 08:23 AM
How long are your new teles? just curious, have yet to try tele. when i skied SN (71-75) it was called "Madonna Mountain". they gave out red & black wool blankets with a hood as you loaded the long double chair, which you there on the pile as you unloaded, they'd be sent back down on the chairs for reuse. we'd take a connecting trail around Sterling peak that led to Morse Stowe side and ride Stowe's chair back for $2.(yeah, right; it's true)Coming down Sterling with deep snow jumped a15' cliff inder the chair that is now fenced off, sort of. there were no frills, great snow, cold but less crowded and more affordable than Stowe. Thanks for the pic and note. ought to be great weekend, damn! How can I get out of being sociable and sneak up? Suggestions please.
2. Skimaven | Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 10:14 AM
Hey Bushman: I got 168s. They are shorter and fatter than my alpine skis -- and I'm loving them so far!
I've seen old pictures of blankets being used at Stowe, too. I haven't skied from Smuggs to Stowe, but plan to someday soon.
As for an excuse to get out of weekend commitments ...have you had H1N1 yet? Maybe you could say that you caught it!!!