Check out the Tahoe Vertical Challenge. A way to help raise money fot the  Sierra Avalanche Center. -M

 The 2011 Backcountry Vertical Challenge represents Lake Tahoe’s first ever FREE, community-wide fundraising initiative to benefit the Sierra Avalanche Center. In a quest to attain operational dollars for Lake Tahoe’s local avalanche forecasting agency, Alpenglow Sports has challenged the entire Tahoe backcountry community to a cumulative goal of 15 million vertical feet of human-powered uphill travel.

Tahoe Vertical.

12/6, Snowy Range, WY…hahaha suckaz!

Here’s something you don’t expect to see in the BC. An Ursine Surprise! -M

What is THAT?!?!?

Looks like David Wosner ran into an Ursine Surprise last month on Tallac.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Shane and I were midway down a fresh run on the north trees of Tallac when I saw this! I was looking for Shane’s tracks to meet up with him, and started heading for the tracks of what ended up being those of something much scarier!

Skinning to the hourglass | Flickr – Photo Sharing!.

But that didn’t stop Taldor and i from having some AWESOME turns in the Mt. Rose Wilderness! There was about a foot of fresh nice new snow on a hard bottom. It was great!

-M

Raw Footage – edit to follow from Jeff Wyshynski on Vimeo.

Raw Footage – edit to follow from Jeff Wyshynski on Vimeo.

Here’s a couple more from Janet’s Cabin this week. It was off the F-in’ handle!

That’s right. And to prove it, here’s Nooner dropping knee on the Hourglass on November 24th!

Great tour with Nooner, Ray, Me, Juni, Izzie and Smokey.

-M

You may have noticed that it’s getting colder and your skis, and boots have probably fallen off that back shelf you put them on in April and started to inch their way towards your bicycles with murderous gleams in their eyes.

That’s because ski season is just around the corner. As such I am in the market for new skis for skiing Lake Tahoe Resorts and Sierra Nevada Backcountry this winter.

I want a quiver of one, new ski design, something fat, something cool, something that can handle steeps, deeps, chops, crusts, rows, and whatev erelse might present itself for shreding. Mostly backcountry with a fair amount of resort days.

So help one dirt bag on his search for everything across powder, corn, crust and corduroy!

Here are my Top Picks:

Moment Belafonte 182 $699

This seems like a safe bet. Should be a good stomping ski off the trail and then fun on groomers too. I’m leaning towards these since they’re a local Reno Ski Maker and they look cool…

Don’t pick on the new kid in class—you just might regret it. The all-new Belafonte gets its inspiration from big-mountain freeski competition: lighter and slightly softer than a true comp model, it has tip rocker to aid flotation and fight deflection, plus traditional camber for powerful edge engagement. The snap of our hand-laid aspen/ash wood core and the playground-dominating toughness of triaxial-weave fiberglass keep you motoring long after the pow turns to chopped-up crust. Steal our lunch money? We don’t think so.

• Aspen/Ash wood core
• UHMW sidewalls
• 2.2mm edge
• 4001 DuraSurf sintered base
• Triaxial fiberglass
• Reinforced binding mount laminate
• VDS dampening system
• 135-106-124
• Tip/tail rise: 67/40
• sidecut: 25.7

Armada JJ 185 $674

This one seems pretty extreme. From what I’ve been told it’s amazing off piste across the board. Groomers, not so much. Not bad, but not at home.

The JJ remains without a peer in back and sidecountry versatility. Thanks to the creatively applied EST Freeride Rocker and profile geometry, the JJ surfs to the cat track and carves to the lift. Patent pending.

• AR50 Sidewall
• Hybrid UltraLight Core
• EST Freeride Rocker
• 50/50 Base
• CK Stringer
• Laminate Matrix
• 1.7 Impact Edge
• 185cm
• 126-136-115-133-121
• 14m

Black Diamond Verdict 190 $599

This one seems like a safe bet as well. Good, strong all around, but nothing really radical here.

An all-around ripper, the award-winning Verdict bridges big mountain and in-bounds skiing by handling firm on-piste snow as easily as it rules powder and chunked-up crud. Package pricing available!

• New Internal Wall Core Technology with snappy birch for a more lively feel
• CNC-machined poplar core wrapped in Torsion Box construction
• Formula One Technology with integrated 3D dampening
• An all-mountain, semi-fat ski for the powerful skier
• 36-102-122 (190 cm)
• 4.5 kg, 9 lb 11 oz (190 cm)
• 27.0 m (190 cm)

What else should I be considering?

-M

Tired of carrying around a tent AND a jacket? Well now you can cut your losses. Or double them, depending on your point of view…

JakPak | Waterproof jacket, sleeping bag, tent for camping, hiking & outdoor sports fans.

According to the Snowsports Industries of America Intillegence Report, all equipment sales are DOWN by about 5%. That’s Alpine, Snowboard and Cross country. HOWEVER, Randonee and Alpine Touring gear sales increased by 21% in units and 16% in dollars for the 2008 / 2009 season. Total sales in dollars accounted for a minuscule share of overall ski and snowboard gear sales at just over $2 million.

Perhaps as the costs to get those epic experiences at the big Tahoe ski resorts, both in travel, ticket prices, and the sheer emotional expense of dealing with the crowds grows, more and more people will venture out into the backcountry. Good thing? Depends on how you look at it.

-M