Alpine or Tele or AT?

tBatt wrote

Maybe it's something I have to try for myself, but 40 mins up for 5 mins down just doesn't seem amazing when I can find lift served untracked and not see more than 3 people in my run.

Has that happened yet this season? And when it does it rarely lasts past noon. The gear opens up other options when the resort gets played. Just nice to have other options

tBatt wrote

 $375 for a season pass vs. $65 for a single day. Go 7 times, and you've got your money worth.

Does just going equate to moneys worth? Wouldn't it be subjective to conditions on those days? Would you go those 7 days if you didn't have a pass?

I skied with an alpine setup since I was 5 years old......3 years ago I bought my first AT setup and have not looked back. The boots are so light and comfortable and as far as performance goes I can no longer tell the difference. I am also Cheap! I bought most of my equipment online...... Scarpa spirit 3's (new) on ebay-$225.00, Marker Barons (new) Inside Edge $309.00 K2 Shuksans (new)- EVO-$101.00, BD skins (new) $125.00, BD Stigma's (new) $225.00, Garmont Mega rides (new) SAC-$149.00,Fritschi Eagles (new) $249.00,....A quiver of two and I can use the skins on both pairs. I ski 85% at resorts and would never go back to alpine equipment. Just one mans opinion.

I just read another redonkulous article about tele not being stupid or dead.

Best comment was "tele must be a little stoopid or a little dead if you felt the need to write this article."

Anyway a question.  Is the uphill any fun on AT gear?

Some many most will never understand the fun of going uphill (Gore is too flat!) but for anyone who gets it, who likes the uphill on Nordic gear, and has also used AT...

...is it any fun on the ups?

This thread is funny because TBatt was anti AT setup and advocating Alpine Trekkers. Now he has like 3 AT setups and 2 pairs of boots.

And I'm still the strongest Tele advocate (which is weird because I ski alpine so much).

First of all, I don't think the uphill is "fun" on any gear. It's winter hiking. Some people love hiking. I'm okay with it as a means to an end, but I wouldn't say it's fun. And having different things on my feet might make it easier or harder, but it won't make it more "fun".

What you're missing, Harv, is the free pivot. That's what makes some of the newer Tele bindings so much better than the R8s you got. A Voile Switchback or an Axl would make your uphills slightly more enjoyable, if not "fun". Once you make that switch, you're basically in the same league as AT stuff (even though you're losing some weight and efficiency to true tech setups).

OR, if you're truly in Nordic mode, you can go the other direction and just rip around on three pins and fishscales - Schwacking, as Telemark Dave calls it. I've got that gear and I'm up for a bunch of those adventures this year. Raymond Brook trail, that trail from Tahawus, through Avalanche Pass and out the other side to ADK Loj? Sign me up! THAT'S fun! But you wouldn't use AT gear for that. And the free pivot would actually be a pain in the ass for that use.

CONTENTS DELETED

mattchuck2 wrote

First of all, I don't think the uphill is "fun" on any gear. It's winter hiking. Some people love hiking. I'm okay with it as a means to an end, but I wouldn't say it's fun.

Fun no, funny yes

mattchuck2 wrote

This thread is funny because TBatt was anti AT setup and advocating Alpine Trekkers. Now he has like 3 AT setups and 2 pairs of boots.

If you wanna count my Trekkers and all the skis inserted for Dynafits, It's four pairs of skis set for AT and one pair of boots.
This thread is quite the time capsule. In two seasons I went from Alpine Trekkers to Dukes to Dynafits, and now I tour 3x a week while living at the base of Alta.

Nobody cares that you hiked all day for one run
and nobody cares that you ski Alta.

DackerDan wrote

If AT is for those who can't tele - what is split boarding for?

Real boarders strap into just one binding after reassembling their splitboards. It's a more "pure" form of boarding.

Seriously, it'd be great to have an AT rig just for wind holds. I've been at Whiteface more than once when they are on wind hold the day after a big dump. It'd be nice to have the option to get up the hill when that happens. Nothing like cleaning two feet of snow off your car only to be left sitting in the lodge waiting for the lifts to spin.
I don't know if I'd ever get into backcountry, but there are a few spots locally that'd be fun to check out, Innsbruck USA, now Aqua Terra,for instance.

Harvey wrote

I just read another redonkulous article about tele not being stupid or dead.Best comment was "tele must be a little stoopid or a little dead if you felt the need to write this article."

Words always will fail to properly articulate the essence of the telemark turn. For example:

Better to just ignore the chatter, let your eyes roll back into your skull in a state of semi-consciousness and surrender to the transcendant grooviness.

witch hobble wrote

Harvey wrote

I just read another redonkulous article about tele not being stupid or dead.Best comment was "tele must be a little stoopid or a little dead if you felt the need to write this article."

Words always will fail to properly articulate the essence of the telemark turn. For example:Better to just ignore the chatter, let your eyes roll back into your skull in a state of semi-consciousness and surrender to the transcendant grooviness.

Ahhhhhhh.....hmmmmm....ok.  Yup.

SBR has a t-shirt that simply says..."I am a skier."  Everything else IMHO is just the subtle nuances.

Telemark Dave wrote

SBR has a t-shirt that simply says..."I am a skier."  Everything else IMHO is just the subtle nuances.

Actually, I have TWO t-shirts that state "I am a skier." I wear one when I tele and the other when I lock it down.

Sick Bird Rider wrote

Telemark Dave wrote

SBR has a t-shirt that simply says..."I am a skier."  Everything else IMHO is just the subtle nuances.

Actually, I have TWO t-shirts that state "I am a skier." I wear one when I tele and the other when I lock it down.

Like I said....The subtle nuances....

TD

Sometimes I defy logic and wear both at the same time:

Does your Rippey know about your true colours?

Or do you let it think that you're some sort of Mr Multiglisse....



TD