Is it too early to talk about winter yet? We had snowfall in northern Montana last week. Can't wait for season to start. Noy any advice on can't miss new boards coming out this year?
- pod
- pod
-
CycleTrack and SDN are teaming up to make medical school admissions more transparent and accessible! Read the announcement to learn how we’re supporting the future of CycleTrack’s free application-tracking tools .
Winter
Started by periopdoc
Get help with your application
Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.
Never too early. 
"On a side note, this will be the final weekend of 2010 to drive the entire length of the Sun Road.
A winter weather advisory remains in effect for northwest Montana until 6 p.m. on Friday as snow is piling up nicely in and around the tourist attraction."
Pumped for you.....
Getting closer....
"On a side note, this will be the final weekend of 2010 to drive the entire length of the Sun Road.
A winter weather advisory remains in effect for northwest Montana until 6 p.m. on Friday as snow is piling up nicely in and around the tourist attraction."
Pumped for you.....
Getting closer....
I was gonna pick up one of these for the winter: the Lib Tech TRS C2 BTX.
Anyone been on one of these? Heard anything one way or another? I'm almost scared to get one and find I don't like the way it rides, but I can't imagine this will be anything less than a major upgrade.
Winter cannot come soon enough... Mammoth opens Nov. 11th, if not sooner...
Anyone been on one of these? Heard anything one way or another? I'm almost scared to get one and find I don't like the way it rides, but I can't imagine this will be anything less than a major upgrade.
Winter cannot come soon enough... Mammoth opens Nov. 11th, if not sooner...
Funny you say that....
[/IMG]
It's a sweet ride...
It's a sweet ride...
I was gonna pick up one of these for the winter: the Lib Tech TRS C2 BTX.
Anyone been on one of these? Heard anything one way or another? I'm almost scared to get one and find I don't like the way it rides, but I can't imagine this will be anything less than a major upgrade.
Winter cannot come soon enough... Mammoth opens Nov. 11th, if not sooner...
Best Board made, PERIOD.
you get all the benefits of a rocker but with cambered tip and tail for those days that the are hard pack. It's the one board that does everything really well.
However, there is a lot of hype around the YES boards and the Jones boards. I haven't ridden them "yet" but I am very interested. Check them out.
I still think everyone is chasing Lib Tech though.
I still think everyone is chasing Lib Tech though.
Haven't been on the slopes in a good 5+ years. Does anybody "ski" anymore, or is that strictly oldschool?
D
deleted162650
Gonna pick up either the new Lib tech T. Rice or Banana Magic. Hoping to demo them first. In addition to Yes boards, Never Summer and Bataleon boards are also generating a lot of hype.
Have you had a chance to try out either the Cygnus or the Banana Magic from Lib-Tech?
Have you tried Flow bindings? I know they have been around for a while and have improved quite a bit, but I don't personally know any serious riders that have tried them.
I have my eye on several board possibilities the Cygnus or the Banana Magic, the T. Rice Horsepower, the Ride Machete, the Gnu Billy Goat, and the Burton Method Flying V (if I can pick up a second).
I have pretty much always had Ride boots/ bindings, and Burton boards, and I have never been a latest and greatest tech type. Not too sure about the Burton channel thing. Infinite adjustability is certainly overrated and I worry about slippage.
I will probably upgrade this year though and may even go to a 2 board quiver.
- pod
THe cygnus looks like a good board. I haven't been excited about the Banana technology for a 1 board quiver but maybe as a second or third. I have probably 5 boards and I ride one of them 90% of the time. It's my TRS C2 BTX. It is rocker in the middle and cambered on the tip and tail which allows it to handle everything. I am not a freestyle trickster park rider and my skills are solid but definitely not the kind that make people watch and say "WOW". What i look for out of a board is one that is an all-mountain board with moderate stiffness and light weight. The reason I have more than one board is because I ride some extremely varied terrain. Some may be so full of rock hazards that I don't want to ruin a board for a run. Sometimes the snow is so deep that I want a big long floater. But mostly I ride my Lib Tech. My split board this year will be a Lib TEch with a rockered design and a cambered tail. Unity may also be making me a rockered split board which will be sick.
I have never ridden flow bindings and personally don't care to. They may be good I just don't know. I ride the lightest Ride bindings I can get. I want my feet welded to the board and I don't want to pay a weight penalty. I also ride the second stiffest (7-8 out of 10)pair of 32 boots made. The ultra stiff and a bit to stiff IMO. Ride makes good boots also but I seem to fit in 32's better. A pair will only last me 1/2 a season.
My personal opinion here, but I would avoid all burton products if possible. The products are good enough but there are better products out there without the corporate baggage. The Machete is also a local favorite. I rode it at SAS show last year and I liked it plenty.
Have you checked out Voile's Light Rail splitboard binding? Looks like a nice way to save a little weight. I would take off that quick release thing though.
- pod
Yep I've seen it. I like it alot, especially the avalanche rip cord after my last trip to AK.
Here is another one I am considering:
http://www.sparkrandd.com/products/the-blaze/
Interesting, I'll be looking for some new gear in a few years. Perhaps I might have to venture outside the Burton family. I have always been a Burton fan and they are the only boards I used to ride (1992-2006). I know the made a pretty good board in the 1990's, but I'm open to trying out different boards when I have some time start boarding again in a few years.
D
deleted162650
The banana magic does have some camber in the tips even though its not advertised as a "C2" board.
As far flow bindings go, I've been riding with them for the past 10 years, and I'm at the point where I don't see myself ever going back to standard bindings. They offer great support without any pressure points across your foot. I ride them with stiffer 32 boots as well. The new high end models are pretty much just as light as regular bindings now. The issue with flows is that you really have to take your time to set them up right initially which takes a bit longer and is a bit more of a pain in the ass than regular bindings. Once you have them dialed in though, ur golden with only some minor tweaks at the start of each day. Most people that don't like flows either have never ridden them, or didn't take the time to set em up right. Now when I ride my buddies boards without flows, I realize just how nice they are. When I get my new lib tech later this year, it will be paired with either the new NXT ATSE or NXT FSE flows.
Check out Shayboarder.com for some good, unbiased gear reviews including flows and multiple boards we've been talking about.
While we're on the board sport topic, if anyone is gonna be in SD for the ASA next month and wants to paddle out for a surf or grab some drinks, let me know.
As far flow bindings go, I've been riding with them for the past 10 years, and I'm at the point where I don't see myself ever going back to standard bindings. They offer great support without any pressure points across your foot. I ride them with stiffer 32 boots as well. The new high end models are pretty much just as light as regular bindings now. The issue with flows is that you really have to take your time to set them up right initially which takes a bit longer and is a bit more of a pain in the ass than regular bindings. Once you have them dialed in though, ur golden with only some minor tweaks at the start of each day. Most people that don't like flows either have never ridden them, or didn't take the time to set em up right. Now when I ride my buddies boards without flows, I realize just how nice they are. When I get my new lib tech later this year, it will be paired with either the new NXT ATSE or NXT FSE flows.
Check out Shayboarder.com for some good, unbiased gear reviews including flows and multiple boards we've been talking about.
While we're on the board sport topic, if anyone is gonna be in SD for the ASA next month and wants to paddle out for a surf or grab some drinks, let me know.
Bump for:
Probably will head up to Mammoth on Thursday for first turns of the season, especially if they decide to spin the gondola to the top.
I picked up that Lib Tech TRS and a new set of Union bindings. Frigging stoked to get out and ride again.
How's everyone else doing out there? You Rocky Mountain folk been out on any early-season tours?
Probably will head up to Mammoth on Thursday for first turns of the season, especially if they decide to spin the gondola to the top.
I picked up that Lib Tech TRS and a new set of Union bindings. Frigging stoked to get out and ride again.
How's everyone else doing out there? You Rocky Mountain folk been out on any early-season tours?
Sweet pick on the board. 👍
Have 12 days starting December 9th. Can't decide where to go. Fam is out in Los Altos/San Jose. Was thinking Wolf Creek > Parents > Big Sky. But after that pic, I'm thinking Mammoth although Grand Targhee is starting to get some Pow. Never been to Mammoth and really wanna go.
Where are you and how do you get to Mammoth? From San Jose it seems like you need to take 120 right through Yosemite, which I imagine is a pretty nice ride. You ever flown into MMH?
That pick has got me drooling. I need some glyco.
Have 12 days starting December 9th. Can't decide where to go. Fam is out in Los Altos/San Jose. Was thinking Wolf Creek > Parents > Big Sky. But after that pic, I'm thinking Mammoth although Grand Targhee is starting to get some Pow. Never been to Mammoth and really wanna go.
Where are you and how do you get to Mammoth? From San Jose it seems like you need to take 120 right through Yosemite, which I imagine is a pretty nice ride. You ever flown into MMH?
That pick has got me drooling. I need some glyco.
Wow.. just did a little research... 45 min. direct flight to Mammoth from San Jose. $130. Nice.
Yeah, Horizon started flying into Mammoth out of LAX a couple seasons ago, now they've expanded to San Jose and SFO as well. I've never made the flight, but the airport is right down the road from the town and the mountain.
The only variable in flying in is weather... this is a podunk airport we're talking about, and if any serious weather had rolled in, all bets would be off.
I'm in LA, it's a little over a 5 hour drive from here to there up the Owens Valley. Incredible drive BTW, with great views of the Eastern Sierra much of the way up, including Mt. Whitney.
You can't really drive from the Bay to Mammoth in winter- the Tioga pass over Yosemite (the 120) is closed during winter, and is now closed as of the current storm. You'd have to drive up and over the 88 near Tahoe then down the 395, passing Kirkwood on the way, which, given adequate coverage, is my favorite place in the Tahoe area. That'd be about a 7 hour drive if no delays. May as well just plan a Tahoe trip in that case (assuming good early season coverage)...
Mammoth is great in the early season because they're able to get so much terrain open reliably. They have good snowmaking to supplement whatever comes naturally, and the elevation is a big factor in that. Cons can be that when the place gets fresh snow, it's often heavy "Sierra Cement," not Utah champagne, and it tracks out pretty quick. But it's such a big mountain that there's always a way to stay entertained there, and there are hidden stashes as well as in bounds (and OB) hike-only terrain that's always available.
If you like to spice your day up with a park run or two, the parks are phenomenal as well.
The only variable in flying in is weather... this is a podunk airport we're talking about, and if any serious weather had rolled in, all bets would be off.
I'm in LA, it's a little over a 5 hour drive from here to there up the Owens Valley. Incredible drive BTW, with great views of the Eastern Sierra much of the way up, including Mt. Whitney.
You can't really drive from the Bay to Mammoth in winter- the Tioga pass over Yosemite (the 120) is closed during winter, and is now closed as of the current storm. You'd have to drive up and over the 88 near Tahoe then down the 395, passing Kirkwood on the way, which, given adequate coverage, is my favorite place in the Tahoe area. That'd be about a 7 hour drive if no delays. May as well just plan a Tahoe trip in that case (assuming good early season coverage)...
Mammoth is great in the early season because they're able to get so much terrain open reliably. They have good snowmaking to supplement whatever comes naturally, and the elevation is a big factor in that. Cons can be that when the place gets fresh snow, it's often heavy "Sierra Cement," not Utah champagne, and it tracks out pretty quick. But it's such a big mountain that there's always a way to stay entertained there, and there are hidden stashes as well as in bounds (and OB) hike-only terrain that's always available.
If you like to spice your day up with a park run or two, the parks are phenomenal as well.
My ski area this week...
come on La Niña.
- pod
come on La Niña.
- pod
Anyone been to this? 👍 or 👎
http://anesupdate.stanford.edu/
At least it's in Big Sky.
I went to Crash/Vail last year. CT/Echo was pretty dry, but informative. My wife enjoyed the OB/AW seminars. Vail had a terrible snow season last year. Did have some fun on China bowl.
http://www.cucrash.com/
I thought Whistler had one too... but I can't find it.
http://anesupdate.stanford.edu/
At least it's in Big Sky.
I went to Crash/Vail last year. CT/Echo was pretty dry, but informative. My wife enjoyed the OB/AW seminars. Vail had a terrible snow season last year. Did have some fun on China bowl.
http://www.cucrash.com/
I thought Whistler had one too... but I can't find it.
Hey Pod,
Is that on your property?!? I think I wanna leave Miami and head up to your neck of the woods. You can smell the clean air...
Oh wait, that's my trash compactor. Not working again. But seriously, I like the slopes!
D712
Last edited:
Did end up going last Thursday. So, so, so fun. Also completely head-over-heels in love with this new board. Really, it's just ridiculous how this technology has changed the game. Glad I got on board (literally).
Even managed to get a couple powder runs in, though the rocks were lurking close underneath. Eventually decided it wouldn't be worth a core shot on a brand new board on day #1 of the season so stuck with the groomed the rest of the day.
More snow on the horizon for the weekend- looking forward to getting back out there.
Even managed to get a couple powder runs in, though the rocks were lurking close underneath. Eventually decided it wouldn't be worth a core shot on a brand new board on day #1 of the season so stuck with the groomed the rest of the day.
More snow on the horizon for the weekend- looking forward to getting back out there.
I'm not much of a winter person, to be sure.
However, I would love to watch the slopes. From a hot tub with some friendly company and a good drink.
However, I would love to watch the slopes. From a hot tub with some friendly company and a good drink.
F
FlacoFlo
No way SKIING is still alive and well in the younger generation!!! I LOVE IT and am strictly a skiier (although I have tried boarding)!!
I was at CRASH last year too and the lectures were reasonable (some good, some terribly dry). Can't go wrong with any lecture by Glen Gravlee, Joy Hawkins or Rita Aggrawal!! All very intelligent, write guidelines and are good orators.
I'm goin to the U. Utah ski conference this year and can't wait!!
This is what happens when you live in the Midwest but love being active in the mountains! You get stoked up looking at skiing mags waiting for turns!!
Enjoy the season everyone whether you're skiier or a boarder!!!😀
I was at CRASH last year too and the lectures were reasonable (some good, some terribly dry). Can't go wrong with any lecture by Glen Gravlee, Joy Hawkins or Rita Aggrawal!! All very intelligent, write guidelines and are good orators.
I'm goin to the U. Utah ski conference this year and can't wait!!
This is what happens when you live in the Midwest but love being active in the mountains! You get stoked up looking at skiing mags waiting for turns!!
Enjoy the season everyone whether you're skiier or a boarder!!!😀
I learned to ski a couple weeks after I turned 5. When I was about 25 I tried snowboarding. Thank god for the hot tub at the end of that day ... I decided to keep doing what I was good at. 🙂
Now that my son wants to learn to snowboard, I may give it another shot. My ass hurts just thinking about it though.
16th Annual Update on Cardiopulmonary Bypass
I went last year. The lectures were MEH. The skiing was AWESOME as usual for Whistler.
- pod
Not my property. I live down in the valley closer to the hospital.
Here is a pic of my house today (11/16/10)
- pod
Not my property. I live down in the valley closer to the hospital.
Here is a pic of my house today (11/16/10)
- pod
Love it man. I'm coming your way when it's time to look for a gig! 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Anyone interested in a Splitboard by Unity? I have one for sell. PM me.
That's the one. Thanks POD. Wife just popped into the OR and now wants to book it: 😍. What didn't you like about it. The syllabus seemed decent enough:
http://www.scahq.org/sca3/events/2011/cbp/CPBprogram.pdf
How long of a ride up to whistler once you landed... 2-3 hours? or did you drive up there from Washington?
On another note... it used to be ALOT cheaper to vaca in Canada...
Thanks again bro.
-sevo
F
FlacoFlo
I went to Whistler 2 years ago (the year before the Winter Games) and LOVED it!!! It was the first year of the Peak-2-Peak and their terrain is sick!! I dont care if you board or ski you'll be in heaven!!! It gets a lil crowded down near the base but once you get up past mid-mountain there is plenty of room and trails to roam!!
Haven't been to the CPB conference but have some PP friends who are going this year and are stoked!! I def want to check out that course as the syllabus seems legit!
One tip is once you drive from the airport to Whistler you will park your car in the lodge/hotel and won't use it until you drive back to the airport at the end of the week!! The whole place has free buses and is walkable (like a little Swiss village)! Its really cool with many bars/shops/restaurants!
Enjoy the slopes at Whistler!!!😎
Haven't been to the CPB conference but have some PP friends who are going this year and are stoked!! I def want to check out that course as the syllabus seems legit!
One tip is once you drive from the airport to Whistler you will park your car in the lodge/hotel and won't use it until you drive back to the airport at the end of the week!! The whole place has free buses and is walkable (like a little Swiss village)! Its really cool with many bars/shops/restaurants!
Enjoy the slopes at Whistler!!!😎
I don't think we have winter in so cal, there's a storm coming in this weekend but I don't think Big Bear is open until mid week. Another thing about so cal you really can board the mountain one day and hit the beach the next👍
Sorry for the delayed response.
As far as the content, I have to consider the target audience and then say it probably wasn't as bad as it seemed at the time. When I attended, I was ~3/4 of the way through my fellowship year, living and breathing TEE, cardiac pathophys etc every single day. The target audience is probably generalists who also do some cardiac. The lectures were definitely above the resident level, but I quickly got bored. I felt like I could probably give ~50% of the lectures myself (with enough time to organize the talks). But of course the target audience isn't folks who are in their fellowship year.
Even if the lectures are awful (which they won't be), you can always get up, walk out, and go boarding, shopping, eating, drinking whatever. Bothe the mountain and the village are awesome places.
We just drove up from Seattle. It is a 4-hour drive.
If you want to rent a nicer car, G37, E-Class, CTS-V etc, you should fly into Seattle and rent from Hertz/ Avis at the Seattle Airport. I think that the Vancouver airport only has more run of the mill cars from what I have seen. Don't go National at Sea-Tac as they have a crappy selection.
Be sure and give yourself at least 24 hours in Vancouver while you are there. Stop by City Cigar and have a chat with David. You don't have to be the Gov of California to spend the whole day gleaning a wealth of info from him (although Arnold is a customer). Granville Island is also pretty sweet that time of year. Whistler is a great ski town, but Vancouver is a real, world-class city. Oh yeah, and while you are in Vancouver, hit up Cafe de Paris French Bistro at 751 Denman Street, Denman and Robson.
- pod
Well, I am at least getting close to a decision on boots. Still looking at a lot of different boards and I plan on demoing everything that I can get my hands on.
For boots, I am down to either the K2 Thraxis
or the Vans Cirro
As I type this, I am sitting on the couch with the Thraxis boots on and they are awesome. They fit super tight, like a hockey skate, and the conda system really ties my heel into the heel cup. My feet are actually falling asleep a little, just like they do in my favorite hockey skates. These things are rock solid. Unfortunately, there is a small point on the front of my medial malleolus where the boot rubs pretty hard. I am seeing if I this smooths out with wearing them.
There is no question that the Vans are a little more comfortable on my foot, but at the same time there is a little more movement in the heel so it is a tradeoff. Once they get here, I will compare the two boots for a couple of days and return the ones I don't want (I love liberal return policies).
I tried the Rides and the 32's, but they just don't fit my foot. I don't know if something has changed since I bought my last Rides, but they don't fit me anymore.
Now for some bindings and some more snow.
- pod
For boots, I am down to either the K2 Thraxis
or the Vans Cirro
As I type this, I am sitting on the couch with the Thraxis boots on and they are awesome. They fit super tight, like a hockey skate, and the conda system really ties my heel into the heel cup. My feet are actually falling asleep a little, just like they do in my favorite hockey skates. These things are rock solid. Unfortunately, there is a small point on the front of my medial malleolus where the boot rubs pretty hard. I am seeing if I this smooths out with wearing them.
There is no question that the Vans are a little more comfortable on my foot, but at the same time there is a little more movement in the heel so it is a tradeoff. Once they get here, I will compare the two boots for a couple of days and return the ones I don't want (I love liberal return policies).
I tried the Rides and the 32's, but they just don't fit my foot. I don't know if something has changed since I bought my last Rides, but they don't fit me anymore.
Now for some bindings and some more snow.
- pod
Thanks for the heads up on Whistler. Before you buy a new set of boots give these a try:
http://www.salomonsnowboard.com/en-us/#/products/men/boots/f22/
They have a less flex than most boots, but that suits my style of riding. Easy and lightning fast to strap on. They have a unique double lacing system that stays tight and doesn't loosen despite riding hard. Very adjustable, light and by far the least bulky and most comfortable boots Ive ever worn. Im on my 3rd pair of F22s.
The Malamute is another option, but it's no better than the F22.
You can find some pretty good deals on last years gear. It is the same as this years:
http://shop.surftheearthsnowboards.com/browse.cfm/4,4003.html?AFF=ggl
http://www.salomonsnowboard.com/en-us/#/products/men/boots/f22/
They have a less flex than most boots, but that suits my style of riding. Easy and lightning fast to strap on. They have a unique double lacing system that stays tight and doesn't loosen despite riding hard. Very adjustable, light and by far the least bulky and most comfortable boots Ive ever worn. Im on my 3rd pair of F22s.
The Malamute is another option, but it's no better than the F22.
You can find some pretty good deals on last years gear. It is the same as this years:
http://shop.surftheearthsnowboards.com/browse.cfm/4,4003.html?AFF=ggl
BC should be good this year b/c of the La Nina winter.
no funds/time for big trips this year so I'm gonna be sticking to the SoCal ski hills. 😛
got some snow down here last night though and hopefully a few more inches this week. Bear Mountain opens mid-week so unless there's a big swell that pops up unannounced and changes my plans I'll be getting some turns in before the weeks out.
no funds/time for big trips this year so I'm gonna be sticking to the SoCal ski hills. 😛
got some snow down here last night though and hopefully a few more inches this week. Bear Mountain opens mid-week so unless there's a big swell that pops up unannounced and changes my plans I'll be getting some turns in before the weeks out.
From the Mammoth website: "Just when we were grateful for two feet of snow yesterday, Mammoth gets loaded with another 1 ½ ft to 3 ft of snow overnight! It is still snowing and it isnt letting up yet. There is another 4 to 8 inches expected throughout the day before the winter storm warning ends around 4pm tonight."
Oh baby.
Snow Summit and Mt. High have both been open on one WROD run since last week, with good snowmaking they'll have more terrain open soon.
But with Mammoth getting dumped on... it's worth the extra few hours each way to get up there.
This storm was a bust for the LA mountains. I was hoping Baldy would get enough to open this week.
Oh baby.
Snow Summit and Mt. High have both been open on one WROD run since last week, with good snowmaking they'll have more terrain open soon.
But with Mammoth getting dumped on... it's worth the extra few hours each way to get up there.
This storm was a bust for the LA mountains. I was hoping Baldy would get enough to open this week.
Did you go to Mammoth on the 4th of July? it was sweet. We'll have to wait and see if we get the wild weather we had last winter, this last storm blew through way to quick. I spoke to a few people in Flagstaff-Provo and they're getting a fair amount of snow right now.
Grand targhee had 11" dumped on them yesterday for a total of 88" for the year. 😱 Great place to catch early season fluffiness.
http://www.grandtarghee.com/the-mountain/conditions/index.php
http://www.grandtarghee.com/the-mountain/culture/pic_143790.php
😎
http://www.grandtarghee.com/the-mountain/conditions/index.php
http://www.grandtarghee.com/the-mountain/culture/pic_143790.php
😎
That's ridiculous for November....
Would love to hit up Wyoming sometime.
I'll be there Dec. 9th.... 😀 Targhee/Jackson will be my first trip of the season.
Can't be that hard to get there from LAX. 🙄 $200 a night including lift tickets. 😀
Can't be that hard to get there from LAX. 🙄 $200 a night including lift tickets. 😀
When the ice skating on the beach starts
Nice.
Big Mountain opened this week and I am in Seattle on vacation. 😡
- pod
Big Mountain opened this week and I am in Seattle on vacation. 😡
- pod
wuxi, china
.
Last edited:
