Confessions of a Skier

bandit wrote:
I'm reading 2 different things being discussed here. Straps ( a no-no) and what get called "Powder Traces" in Europe, which are only attached to the ski binding, and tuck up the trouser leg. They seem to be on sale on UK ski shops anyway.

They are, my special favourites are the yellow ones with "Snow and Rock" written on them ) They're what I meant, not a very good idea at all and just a total pain to use anyway.

bandit wrote:Actually, those bindings of "olde" you mention are also on sale "new", as many touring bindings can't fit a ski brake, or their users wish to save kit weight, though I'm not convinced on that one. Here is one UK store with Fritschi Diamir Leashes on sale currently...
http://www.facewest.co.uk/Diamir-Leashes.html

That's not actually quite it, they do weigh a little, around 120g for a pair of brakes in fact. It's also that brakes don't work in powder for obvious reasons. It's a personal choice, brakes or leashes, I use both.

pavelski wrote:These "ribbons", streamers, trailers, "straps" are very thin very colorful material "ribbons" which tear off very easily if ever "caught" ,,thus are NOT dangerous during avalanche!

They are attached with a plastic clip which also will "rip off" if more than XXX kgs. of pressure is applied!

They are dangerous in an avalanche, the releases don't work and the skier gets caught up in the equipment.

Avlanche cord anyone ? :-)

ise wrote:

bandit wrote:Actually, those bindings of "olde" you mention are also on sale "new", as many touring bindings can't fit a ski brake, or their users wish to save kit weight, though I'm not convinced on that one. Here is one UK store with Fritschi Diamir Leashes on sale currently...
http://www.facewest.co.uk/Diamir-Leashes.html

That's not actually quite it, they do weigh a little, around 120g for a pair of brakes in fact. It's also that brakes don't work in powder for obvious reasons. It's a personal choice, brakes or leashes, I use both

ISTR someone capable digging for my lost ski, whilst I stood there like a helpless girly....
That someone was you ise :oops:

ise wrote:
Avlanche cord anyone ? :-)

:shock: Noooo Don't go there :lol:

And this is all that matters anyway:


.........."There was the skier's body a red, white and blue ribbon wrapped around his neck and on his lips,,,,a frozen smile" :mrgreen:

Mike :wink:

bandit wrote:

ISTR someone capable digging for my lost ski, whilst I stood there like a helpless girly....
That someone was you ise :oops:

didi I? I don't remember that! we aim to please :D

That does highlight one of the reasons why experienced skiers don't bother with powder trails, skis follow a fairly predictable path on release in various snow types and being able to estimate where and how objects move in snow is a core skill off piste and something we use in avalanches as is a systematic search protocol. If you go somewhere like Chamonix or La Grave or here you'll see precisely no one using powder traces, not the mark of an experienced powder skier and very much the reverse in practice. Loosing a ski in powder is a concern of the more novice off piste skier, in fact I've a pair of powder trails in yellow with snow and rock on them circa the mid-80's :oops: I probably thought they made me look a bit hard core until I realised the reverse was true )

What is true skiing off piste is that there are worse things than losing a ski some days and on other days losing a ski can be fatal, the trick is knowing what day it is )

ise wrote:

bandit wrote:

ISTR someone capable digging for my lost ski, whilst I stood there like a helpless girly....
That someone was you ise :oops:

didi I? I don't remember that! we aim to please :D

It was just after the start of Abondance, and after you spent a good 5 minutes on my behalf digging, and reuniting me with my ski, you skied away and did this...


)

ise wrote:
That does highlight one of the reasons why experienced skiers don't bother with powder trails, skis follow a fairly predictable path on release in various snow types and being able to estimate where and how objects move in snow is a core skill off piste and something we use in avalanches as is a systematic search protocol. If you go somewhere like Chamonix or La Grave or here you'll see precisely no one using powder traces, not the mark of an experienced powder skier and very much the reverse in practice. Loosing a ski in powder is a concern of the more novice off piste skier, in fact I've a pair of powder trails in yellow with snow and rock on them circa the mid-80's :oops: I probably thought they made me look a bit hard core until I realised the reverse was true )

What is true skiing off piste is that there are worse things than losing a ski some days and on other days losing a ski can be fatal, the trick is knowing what day it is )

I had visions of spending the rest of the day digging, because by the time I had stopped rolling I had no idea of where my release had been. Yes, I could have walked out of the top and down to the base, but I really would have hated to lose one of my new skis.
Hard Core, hmmmm :wink:

bandit wrote:
I had visions of spending the rest of the day digging, because by the time I had stopped rolling I had no idea of where my release had been.

That's an avalanche thing, watching where person and kit separate and trying to keep that map of position in your head.

I think the most I've spent in the last 10 years looking for a ski is about 20 minutes. It's annoying but not a huge deal. Try and find that point where the separation occurred, mark it as it's hard to find once the surface is broken up and use a grid search for the ski sweeping with another ski or a an avalanche probe if required. People do underestimate how far the ski will travel but the stories people tell in bars and on the internet claiming skis travelling huge distances are silly nonsense.

I do recall stopping and keeling over for that photo' :D

ise wrote:

That's an avalanche thing, watching where person and kit separate and trying to keep that map of position in your head.

I can do it for others, but I found it really hard to orient myself after I had stopped.

ise wrote:
I do recall stopping and keeling over for that photo' :D

Keeling over for a little rest is not so good, when it appears that you have been trying to remodel the hill :D

bandit wrote:
I can do it for others, but I found it really hard to orient myself after I had stopped.

that's true, if you're lucky it's untracked powder and in those first few seconds you can see the holes :D

great practice watching other people, getting that to a reflex where you're aware where everyone is and how they're moving primes the first phase of an avalanche search.